Lombardi Ave » Terrell Manning

Who do the Green Bay Packers Start at Inside Linebacker?

Jason Hirschhorn — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 15:23:21 +0000

Green Bay Packers linebacker A.J. Hawk (50) gestures before the snap against the San Diego Chargers during the first quarter at Qualcomm Stadium. Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

The Green Bay Packers received a moderate surprise when Brad Jones re-signed on Thursday.

Jones, who had spent the better part of 2012 starting alongside A.J. Hawk at inside linebacker, had interest from as many as eight teams. With Green Bay negotiating a pay cut from Hawk and bringing back Robert Francois, it was generally believed Jones would leave for greener pastures. But Packers GM Ted Thompson was patient, and after the “stupid money” dried up, there was no better opportunity for Jones than a return to Green Bay.

Suddenly, the Packers find themselves with a logjam at inside linebacker. Desmond Bishop (hamstring) and D.J. Smith (ACL) return from injured reserve to challenge youngsters Jamari Lattimore and Terrell Manning along with the aforementioned Hawk, Jones, and Francois. Of that group of seven linebackers, five have started for Green Bay before.

As one might expect, there’s considerable uncertainty over which players will end up in the first unit.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Josh Freeman (5) looks for a receiver as Green Bay Packers linebacker Desmond Bishop (55) closes in at Lambeau Field. Mary Langenfeld-USA TODAY Sports

Desmond Bishop has been Green Bay’s best inside linebacker when healthy. However, despite tearing his hamstring in the first week of the preseason, Bishop’s injury was severe enough to dissuade the Packers from using their IR return designation on him. Predictably, Bishop’s agent, Blake Baratz, has said Bishop is ahead of schedule in his recovery and should be ready for training camp. That remains to be seen, but Bishop is the team’s best option if he’s available.

Green Bay Packers linebacker A.J. Hawk (50) puts pressure on Tennessee Titans quarterback Jake Locker. Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

A.J. Hawk has been the whipping boy for fans, yet a coaches’ favorite for years now. While his play has never been spectacular, Hawk had one of his best seasons in 2012. It was largely for that reason that the Packers negotiated a cheaper deal rather than giving Hawk his outright release. At the time Hawk’s pay cut hit the newswire, it was assumed that he’d return to his spot on the first unit with the other inside linebackers competing for Bishop’s spot. Now with the speculation that Brad Jones returned for more money, one has to think Hawk’s spot is up for grabs as well.

Green Bay Packers inside linebacker Brad Jones (59) breaks up a pass to Chicago Bears running back Matt Forte. Rob Grabowski-USA TODAY Sports

The play of Brad Jones was one of the many pleasant developments of the 2012 season. After shifting between positions several times over his first few years, Jones finally found a home at inside linebacker. There, Jones’s superior coverage ability and athleticism allowed him to excel. After taking over for D.J. Smith following the Houston game, Jones played the most snaps of any linebacker. Most significantly, Jones became the inside linebacker in the nickel defense and was given the radio helmet for play call relay. While Bishop and Hawk are officially ahead on the depth chart, it would surprise me if Jones wasn’t starting come week 1.

Green Bay Packers linebacker D.J. Smith (51). Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

The rest of the inside linebackers are muddled together. D.J. Smith, a late round pick due only to his 5-11 stature, was a reliable run defender and solid tackler in his first stint as starter. Smith struggled in coverage, however, and the team greatly improved when Jones took over for him following his ACL tear. Robert Francois has developed into an important special teams member, but hasn’t shown to be exceptional in any one area of defense. He’s a solid backup, but nothing more. Jamari Lattimore’s first two training camps invited several comparisons to a young Desmond Bishop, but like Bishop he won’t become a contributor until he becomes more consistent. Terrell Manning is the wildcard of the group. Ted Thompson traded up in the fifth round to acquire Manning. Had a stomach virus not knocked out his rookie year, Manning might have displaced Jones (who was still adjusting to the position at the time) for the slot behind Smith on the depth chart).

Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator Dom Capers. Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

With no clear frontrunners, and at least six players in contention, inside linebacker will host the most interesting position battle of training camp. While two may grab hold of the starting slots and never relinquish them, the specialized talents of the players may result in more situational use of the linebackers. Because of this, Brad Jones (best in coverage, experienced with play call duty) will probably find his way into the starting lineup. If he’s healthy, Bishop is not only the best overall player in the group but also the strongest complement to Jones. That would leave seven-year starter Hawk on the sidelines and perhaps place him on the market, but it’s too early to dig into that scenario.

Given the depth at inside linebacker, it’s not out of the realm of possibility defensive coordinator Dom Capers dusts off the old “Psycho” package to get more of these players on the field. Having the right linebackers on the field could help curtail the read-option which puzzled Green Bay last season.

Jason Hirschhorn covers the Green Bay Packers for Lombardi Ave. He has previously written for Hail to the Orange, College Hoops Net, Mocking the Draft, LiveBall Sports, and the List Universe. He is currently a senior writer for Beats Per Minute, an indie-music webzine. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/JBHirschhorn.

Packers announce signings of rookies

Raymond Rivard — Fri, 11 May 2012 16:21:21 +0000

Green Bay Packers GM Ted Thompson announced the signing of seven rookie draft choices. Jeff Hanisch-US PRESSWIRE

The Packers have officially announced the signing of seven of their draft choices and several of their undrafted rookie free agents, staying on task with all other 31 National Football League teams that have made quick work in signing rookies because of the changes is the CBA and the rookie salary cap.

Those changes made holdouts and long negotiations with rookies a thing of the past.

Below you will find the official press release sent out by the Packers with the announcement of all signings to date …

PACKERS SIGN SEVEN DRAFT CHOICES

The Green Bay Packers signed seven of their draft choices. The signings were announced Friday by Executive Vice President, General Manager and Director of Football Operations Ted Thompson.

Rd	Name	Pos	Ht	Wt	College	HS Hometown
2a	Jerel Worthy	DE	6-2	308	Michigan State	Huber Heights, Ohio
2b	Casey Hayward	CB	5-11	192	Vanderbilt	Perry, Ga.
4a	Mike Daniels	DT	6-0	291	Iowa	Blackwood, N.J.
4b	Jerron McMillian	S	5-11	203	Maine	Hillside, N.J.
5	Terrell Manning	LB	6-2	237	North Carolina State	Laurinburg, N.C.
7a	Andrew Datko	T	6-6	315	Florida State	Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
7b	B.J. Coleman	QB	6-3	231	Tennessee-Chattanooga	Chattanooga, Tenn.

Here is the listing and descriptions of all the undrafted free agent rookies signed by the Packers:

Name	Pos	Ht	Wt	College	HS Hometown
Don Barclay	G	6-4	305	West Virginia	Germantown, Md.
Duane Bennett	RB	5-9	213	Minnesota	O’Fallon, Ill.
Jaymes Brooks	G	6-2	300	Virginia Tech	Newport News, Va.
Nic Cooper	FB	5-10	249	Winston-Salem State	Clinton, N.C.
Tommie Draheim	C	6-4	309	San Diego State	Lakeside, Calif.
Cameron Ford	TE	6-3	245	Wake Forest	Anderson, S.C.
Eric Lair	TE	6-2	238	Minnesota	Houston, Texas
Mike McCabe	T	6-5	313	Holy Cross	Watertown, Conn.
Dezman Moses	LB	6-2	249	Tulane	Willingboro, N.J.
Dale Moss	WR	6-3	213	South Dakota State	Brandon, S.D.
Sean Richardson	S	6-2	216	Vanderbilt	Linden, Ala.
Marcus Rivers	WR	6-3	218	Buffalo	Lackawanna, N.Y.
Dion Turner	CB	5-11	194	Southern Utah	Oakland, Calif.
Marc Tyler	RB	5-11	226	Southern California	Westlake Village, Calif.

Barclay, 23, tied a school record by appearing in 52 career games with 40 starts. A three-year-starter at left tackle, he was named first-team All-Big East by the coaches in 2011. Barclay also earned first-team all-conference honors from Phil Steele and ESPN.com. In 2011, he helped the Mountaineers post 6,104 yards of total offense, good for No. 17 in the country.

Bennett (first name is pronounced Doo-on), 22, started all 12 games for the Gophers in 2011 and led the team with 639 rushing yards and three TDs on 166 carries (3.8 avg.). He finished his career with 2,126 rushing yards, good for No. 13 all-time in school history. In 2007, he earned Freshman All-Big Ten honors from Sporting News as he posted 370 yards rushing in conference play, No. 2 among Big Ten freshmen.

Brooks, 22, was a three-year starter at right guard for the Hokies, finishing his career with 42 consecutive starts. As a senior, he opened all 14 contests and earned second-team All-Atlantic Coast Conference honors. Brooks also was named second-team All-ACC as a junior when he started all 14 games at right guard.

Cooper, 23, rushed for 3,430 yards in his career, the fourth-best mark in school history. In 2011, he helped lead the Rams to a Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association title and the Division II semifinals, rushing for 1,808 yards and 22 TDs on 267 carries (6.8 avg.). It was the third-best single-season rushing total in school history. Cooper added 22 receptions for 233 yards (10.6 avg.) and two TDs as a senior, and finished his career ranked third in school history for the most total touchdowns with 43.

Draheim (Dray-hime), 23, earned first-team All-Mountain West Conference honors as a senior, becoming the first Aztec offensive lineman to be named first-team all-league since Brendan Darby in 2003. A three-year letterman, he helped SDSU rank 10^th in the country in 2011 in fewest sacks allowed (0.83 per game) and blocked for Ronnie Hillman, who finished No. 3 in the country with 1,711 rushing yards on the season. Draheim started 33 games for the Aztecs, including 30 consecutive starts to end his career.

Ford, 23, started a career-high 10 games as a senior and caught 12 passes for 99 yards (8.2 avg.) and three TDs. He appeared in all 12 games with six starts as a junior in 2010 and caught 11 passes for 120 yards (10.9 avg.). Ford played in 38 games with 19 starts at Wake Forest and finished his career with 34 receptions for 347 yards (10.2 avg.) and three TDs

Lair, 22, was a four-year letterman for the Gophers, appearing in all 12 games with three starts as a senior. He caught 11 passes for 168 yards (15.3 avg.) and a TD in 2011. As a junior, Lair played in 12 games with 11 starts and hauled in 39 passes for 526 yards (13.5 avg.) and two TDs. He finished his career with 51 receptions for 706 yards (13.8 avg.) and three scores.

McCabe, 23, was a first-team All-Patriot League selection and a first-team All-New England choice in 2011, the third straight season he earned all-conference honors and the second straight he was named all-region. He started all 11 games at left tackle as a senior, helping the Crusaders average 400.9 yards of offense per game. McCabe played in 47 career games with 36 starts along the offensive line, including a streak of 34 straight to end his career.

Moses, 23, was a two-year starter at defensive end for the Green Wave after transferring from the University of Iowa. He started 22 of 23 games played at Tulane, including all 13 in 2011, and finished his career there with 114 tackles (59 solo), including 24½ tackles for loss, 15½ sacks, six forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and one interception. Moses was a second-team All-Conference USA selection as a senior when he registered 52 tackles, including 12 tackles for loss, and 9½ sacks. Despite playing just two seasons at Tulane, his career sack total ranks No. 5 in school history.

Moss, 23, played just one season of college football after lettering four years in basketball for the Jackrabbits. In 2011, he played in 11 games with nine starts and caught 61 passes, tied for the team lead, for a team-high 949 yards (15.6 avg.) and six TDs. Moss earned second-team All-Missouri Valley Football Conference honors and was also selected to the MVFC All-Newcomer Team. He registered four 100-yard receiving games on the season.

Richardson, 22, was a three-year starter for the Commodores and finished his career with 256 tackles (156 solo), including 18 tackles for loss, three sacks, one interception and 10 passes defensed. As a senior, he started all 13 contests and finished No. 2 on the team with 63 tackles (41 solo). Richardson set career highs as a junior in tackles (98), tackles for loss (seven) and passes defensed (five).

Rivers, 22, posted a career-best 60 receptions for 615 yards (10.3 avg.) and two TDs as a senior on his way to earning second-team All-Mid-American Conference honors. As a junior, he registered a career-high 690 receiving yards on 50 receptions (13.8 avg.), which led the team, and tied for the team lead with five TD catches.

Turner, 22, was a two-time All-Great West Conference first-team selection at cornerback after playing safety his first two seasons. As a senior, he posted 69 tackles (48 solo), including four tackles for loss, four passes defensed and an interception that he returned for a touchdown. Reynolds posted 54 tackles (36 solo), including 2½ for a loss, a fumble recovery and an interception as a junior.

Tyler, 23, rushed for 1,751 yards and 15 TDs on 334 carries (5.2 avg.) during his career while adding 29 receptions for 245 yards (8.4 avg.) and two scores. He finished No. 2 on the team in 2011 with 568 yards and four TDs on 122 carries (4.7 avg.), while adding 11 receptions for 108 yards (9.8 avg.). As a junior in 2010, Tyler led the team with a career-best 913 rushing yards on 171 carries (5.3 avg.) with nine TDs. He also had 17 catches for 127 yards (7.5 avg.) and a score, giving him a team-high 10 total TDs on the season.

Here’s your entire fifth round of the NFL Draft

Raymond Rivard — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 20:03:39 +0000

Nov 19, 2011; Raleigh, NC, USA; NC State linebacker Terrell Manning (35) fights for a fumble by Clemson Tigers running back Mike Bellamy (5) in the first half at Carter Finley Stadium. NC State won 37-13. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-US PRESSWIRE

The following is a complete list of the entire fifth round of the 2012 NFL Draft

1(136) Colts Chapman, Josh DT 6’1″ 316 Alabama 72.5
2(137) Broncos (From Rams) Jackson, Malik DT 6’4″ 284 Tennessee 50.0

3(138) Lions (From Vikings) Whitehead, Tahir OLB 6’1″ 233 Temple 54.2

4(139) Vikings (From Browns) Blanton, Robert CB 6’1″ 208 Notre Dame 60.0

5(140) Buccaneers Goode, Najee ILB 6’0″ 244 West Virginia 58.0

6(141) Redskins Gettis, Adam G 6’2″ 293 Iowa 52.2

7(142) Jaguars Marshall, Brandon OLB 6’1″ 242 Nevada 54.0

8(143) Panthers Norman, Josh CB 6’0″ 197 Coastal Carolina 75.0

9(144) Bills Sanders, Zebrie T 6’5″ 320 Florida St. 82.7

10(145) Titans (From Dolphins) Thompson, Taylor TE 6’6″ 259 SMU 57.5
11(146) Chiefs Menzie, DeQuan CB 5’10″ 195 Alabama 74.0

12(147) Bills (From Seahawks) Carder, Tank ILB 6’2″ 236 TCU 53.0

13(148) Lions (From Raiders) Greenwood, Chris CB 6’1″ 193 Albion 54.5
14(149) Chargers Troutman, Johnnie G 6’4″ 325 Penn St. 54.5

15(150) Rams (From Bears) Watkins, Rokevious OT 6’4″ 338 South Carolina 56.5

16(151) Cardinals Kelemete, Senio T 6’3″ 307 Washington 72.5

17(152) Cowboys Coale, Danny WR 6’0″ 201 Virginia Tech 58.2

18(153) Eagles Kelly, Dennis OT – – Purdue –
19(154) Seahawks (From Jets) Toomer, Korey ILB 6’2″ 234 Idaho 46.7
20(155) Dolphins (From Titans) Kaddu, Josh LB 6’3″ 239 Oregon 68.5

21(156) Bengals Prater, Shaun CB 5’10″ 190 Iowa 66.0
22(157) Falcons Ewing, Bradie FB 6’0″ 239 Wisconsin 51.5

23(158) Raiders (From Lions) Crawford, Jack DE 6’5″ 274 Penn St. 65.2

24(159) Steelers Rainey, Chris RB 5’8″ 180 Florida 71.7

25(160) Browns (From Broncos) Miller, Ryan G 6’7″ 321 Colorado 66.5

26(161) Texans Bullock, Randy K 5’9″ 205 Texas A&M 46.0
27(162) Saints White, Corey SS 5’11″ 206 Samford 54.0

28(163) Packers (From Packers through Patriots) Manning, Terrell OLB 6’2″ 237 N.C. State 75.2

29(164) Falcons (From Ravens) Massaquoi, Jonathan DE 6’2″ 264 Troy 72.5

30(165) 49ers Fleming, Darius OLB 6’2″ 245 Notre Dame 59.7

31(166) Bengals (From Patriots) Jones, Marvin WR 6’1″ 199 California 74.0

32(167) Bengals (From Giants) Iloka, George FS 6’4″ 225 Boise St. 73.0

33(168) Raiders (Compensatory selection) Criner, Juron WR 6’3″ 224 Arizona 79.7

34(169) Ravens (Compensatory selection) Jackson, Asa CB 5’10″ 191 Cal Poly 70.5
35(170) Colts (Compensatory selection) Ballard, Vick RB 5’10″ 219 Mississippi St. 53.5

With the 163rd pick, the Green Bay Packers select …

Tim Thomas — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 19:47:52 +0000

Nov 19, 2011; Raleigh, NC, USA; NC State linebacker Terrell Manning (35) fights for a fumble by Clemson Tigers running back Mike Bellamy (5) in the first half at Carter Finley Stadium. NC State won 37-13. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-US PRESSWIRE

NC State OLB Terrell Manning

Terrell Manning was a dominate player for NC State and in the ACC and has the potential to be an effective pass rusher that gives the Packers some depth.

This could also allow the Packers to move Nick Perry to a 3-4 defensive end if Manning does well enough and earns a starting spot. Manning gives the Packers great, young depth rushing the quarterback.

Here is some video: