Still, Perry has had a year to absorb the defensive play book and study film and that alone should make him a better player out of the gates.

Let’s take a look at some clips of Nick from last season. Despite his short tenure on the field, there are some interesting things happening here.

Welcome to the NFL Nick Perry

Nick’s first game against the 49ers left a lot to be desired. Here he is getting pancaked on the first defensive play of the 2012 season…

He didn’t get pancaked again after that first play, but he still struggled in his first outing. He had difficulty maintaining outside leverage…

As the game against the Niners wore on Perry appeared to find his rhythm to some degree. In this clip, he gets around the right tackle on a nice speed rush. He doesn’t quite get to the QB before the ball is released, but at least he’s making progress.

Nick’s Struggles Continue

Nick continued getting stuck inside against the Bears…

Perry was soon replaced by Erik Walden and shared time with Walden from then on.

Game Three

Game three against the Seahawks, things started to get interesting. This clip shows Perry handling contain much better. Granted, he’s posted much wider in this formation but he does a good job of standing his blocker up, maintaining contain, and then shedding his blocker to get in on the tackle.

Against the Seahawks Perry also displayed his strength. Watch as he bull rushes on this play. At some point he needed to stop to contain Wilson as he bounced around the outside, but the bull rush was nice.

Pass Coverage

Nick has a bit of work to do if he’s going to avoid getting burned in pass coverage. In the first clip here he’s beaten badly. Admittedly, it’s against Crabtree, but a big guy like Nick should be able to check Crabtree so far off his route that he’s wandering through the linemen in the backfield. In the second clip, Nick just bites so hard on the run that he can’t recover as the TE releases into the flat.

The Nick Perry I Expect to See in 2013

With all that said, I still have a ton of confidence in Perry going into this season. For starters, whether he was on the field much or not last season, he’s no longer a rookie. He’s studied the playbook and watched the mistakes others have made from the sidelines.

Plus, let’s not forget that not only was Perry a rookie last season, he was undergoing a conversion to outside linebacker. He’s now another year into that conversion.

The truth is… this is the Nick Perry I expect to see more of this coming season…

As evidenced in trade rumors during draft weekend, Starks is likely the first back on the chopping block. Starks has been an injury concern since being drafted in 2010 yet, when healthy, offers instant production to any team willing to take on the three-year veteran. I don’t anticipate any team ponying up draft picks in exchange for Starks; the likely scenario is the release of Starks before or during training camp unless multiple running backs suffer injuries.

The Packers had high hopes for Green, who failed to capitalize on a backfield to himself early last season. Green is yet to show any consistent productivity but has significant upside. Since Green was drafted in the third round only two years, the Packers have enough invested in the former Hawaii Rainbow that a strong performance in training camp could prove sufficient for a roster spot. Green could help his case for a roster spot by showing more as a special teamer.

While Harris proved capable of carrying a full load in the 2012 playoffs, he is still seen as a textbook third-down back. And with the release of Brandon Saine in April, the door is open for Harris to stick on the Packers roster with a decreased role. The former car salesman certainly knows how to compete in an uphill battle and should be given the opportunity to retain his three-down role. Strangely enough, Harris may have the best chance of opening the 2013 season as a Packer.

There is no telling what the future looks like for either rookie running back. There remains skepticism around Lacy’s commitment to football and ability to stay healthy. However, it is a certainty that not all three veteran running backs will make the 2013 roster. It is also likely that the Packers’ play calling on offense will become significantly less predictable, with an increased focus on the running game.

So, the question is, does it really matter?

Let’s look at the numbers…

Top Ten Completion Percentage 2012

Completion percentage for the 2012 season is as follows…

• Atlanta, Matt Ryan 68.6
• Denver, Peyton Manning 68.6
• Green Bay, Aaron Rodgers 67.2
• Washington, Robert Griffin III 65.6
• Dallas, Tony Romo 65.6
• Houston, Matt Schaub 64.3
• San Diego, Phillip Rivers 64.1
• Seattle, Russell Wilson 64.1
• Pittsburgh, Ben Roethlisberger 63.3
• New Orleans Drew Brees 63.0

2012 Season Record

• Atlanta 13-3
• Denver 13-3
• Houston 12-4
• New England 12-4
• San Francisco 11-4-1
• Green Bay 11-5
• Indianapolis 11-5
• Seattle 11-5
• Baltimore 10-6
• Chicago 10-6
• Cincinnati 10-6
• Minnesota 10-6
• Washington 10-6

Playoff Appearance 2012

• Atlanta
• Denver
• Houston
• New England
• San Francisco
• Green Bay
• Indianapolis
• Seattle
• Baltimore
• Cincinnati
• Minnesota
• Washington

Correlation?

I’ll be the first to point out that a correlation doesn’t necessarily mean causation. Just because high passer accuracy seems to correlate to high win percentage and playoff appearances doesn’t mean it’s the cause of the win percentage and playoff appearance. Goodness knows it’s more complex than that.

That said, there’s a recurring theme here. The same teams that have high passer accuracy also have great win percentage and are more likely to show up in the playoffs.

There are some anomalies. Tony Romo has a fairly high completion percentage and the Cowboys still find ways to lose games. The Colts made a playoff appearance despite having a QB with the worst completion percentage in the league at 54.0%. And, the Ravens won the Super Bowl behind a highly overrated QB with a completion percentage of just 59.6.

Where were the Jets in all of this?

Behind Sanchez’s 55.2% completion percentage the Jets barely mustered six wins in a 16 game season and said goodbye to the possibility of post-season play long before the season was over.

Mornhinweg might want to rethink his position on how important completion percentage is. Personally, I’ll take Aaron’s 67.2% completion, the Packers’ 11-5 record, and a playoff appearance over Mark Sanchez any season.

            With the 26^th overall pick the Packers got a nice combination of value and addressing of need in UCLA’s Datone Jones. The expectation is that Jones will start at defensive end beside B.J. Raji and Ryan Pickett in Week 1 of the 2013 season. Fifth-round selection Josh Boyd will likely challenge backups C.J. Wilson and Mike Daniels for the final roster spot on the defensive line in training camp, assuming Mike Neal and Jerel Worthy are healthy.

The Packers had a very brief history of drafting running backs under Thompson, particularly in the early to mid rounds. The selection of two running backs this year showed Green Bay’s seriousness about adding balance to the offense. Even better, both Eddie Lacy and Johnathan Franklin came across as bargains in the second and fourth rounds, respectively.  The Packers hope to get the same ‘thunder and lightning’ out of this pair that the Patriots found in Stevan Ridley and Shane Vereen a few years back.

With no timetable for Derek Sherrod’s return and a void at the center position, the Packers felt pressure to add depth to the offensive line heading into the draft. Thompson did exactly that with the additions of David Bakhtiari and J.C. Tretter. While we can’t expect either player to make large contributions in their rookie season, there is certainly hope that Tretter can step in as a center, should the Packers get the same mediocre play out of Evan Dietrich-Smith in 2013.

Thompson gave fans lots to be excited about in the 11 new bodies heading to Green Bay this July. Players like Datone Jones, Eddie Lacy and Johnathan Franklin are eyed as potential difference makers for the coming fall.

Since Grant effectively closed out his career as the primary back at Green Bay, the Packers have been looking for someone to fill the void and become the next perennial running back.

Have the Packers finally found that back in Eddie Lacy? The following video clips show some of the potential Lacy brings to the green and gold.

Eddie Lacy – One Cut and Power

Very few running backs have the talent to go very far east and west and still gain yardage (ie Barry Sanders). Lacy does a good job of finding the hole, making a quick cut, and getting back north and south again quickly. Then he finishes the run with power.

Lacy Patiently Follows Blockers

Holes don’t always open up right away. Sometimes you need to patiently follow your blockers.

The Big Back Can Still Bounce Outside

Lacy is able to make people miss, which is quite impressive for a running back of his size. Check out how quickly he bounces to the outside on this play.

Another Receiving Target for Aaron Rodgers

I’ve always said a two yard catch and run is as good as a handoff any day, but the running back has to be able to catch the ball in the first place. Lacy shows he can be just as dangerous in the passing game as he is in the running game.

Multiple Cuts – Still North and South

Finally, a clip showing that even when Eddie is making multiple cuts to make defenders miss he gets north and south again each time and does it quickly.

The Packers are not one of these teams.

Thompson has never drafted primarily for need (though the need was there many times) and I think that’s ok for this year’s draft. Are there positions that I wish we would improve? Absolutely, but, based on the current depth chart, I think we have a team that can go all the way to the Super Bowl (especially if Perry and Bishop are ready to go from day one and can stay healthy).

That said, Ted has to think several years ahead to ensure the Packers will be competitors for many years to come. So, how does the team look at each position if we lose people to injury or free agency?

I took the current depth chart and greyed out the starters to get an idea what the landscape of the future looks like for the Packers. (Click on the images for a larger view.)

2013 Packer Offense Depth Chart

There are several on the offensive side of the ball that we’re going to get long-term contracts for. Rodgers, Nelson, and Cobb will all be taken care of. We already have about half the line under contract for several years. Lang and Sitton are under contract until 2017 and, while Bulaga’s contract expires in 2015, I’m guessing Thompson and company will extend that.

I know a lot of people are worried about getting a running back (maybe even in this draft). While I would love to see a top-tier running back wearing the green and gold, I’m not as concerned about it as most. Growing up in Wisconsin and watching Badger football has taught me one important thing about the running game… get a good line and almost any running back can have explosive runs. If our offensive line can block better (and our running backs can stay healthy) any of these guys can be productive.

The three concerns I have about the offensive side of the ball are at center, left tackle, and tight end.

Evan’s contract is up in 2014 and the only other option we have is Gerhart. Newhouse’s contract also expires in 2014 and while Newhouse gave up a lot of sacks last season, I have my doubts whether Sherrod can do any better. Finally, Finley’s contract is also up in 2014 and I don’t think Quarless is the answer as a replacement if Finley walks in free agency.

2013 Packer Defensive Depth Chart

With Perry and Bishop back our shaky defense gets back some of its fire. I’m also going to be watching Jolly closely. If he can pick up where he left off (a big question, I know), we could have a scary good defense because Capers can then swap out Raji and Jolly. That would keep each of them fresh and reduce the chance of injury.

If the line can stay injury free the only real question becomes will the Packers be able to work a deal to keep Pickett when his contract expires in 2014. Mike Neal might be a viable replacement if he continues to improve, but Thompson might also be looking for other alternatives.

In the defensive backfield, Burnett, M.D. Jennings, and Shields all have contracts that expire in 2014, and Williams’ contract expires in 2015. I’m sure we’ll extend contracts for Sam and Morgan. Williams might have his contract extended too if his productivity bounces back in 2013 and 2014, but Ted’s probably also looking for a new shutdown cornerback if Williams doesn’t bounce back.

The depth in the defensive backfield is questionable. If Ted can pick up some defensive backs to develop I’ll feel better about the Packers future.

Bring on the 2013 Draft

I really like the starters at most positions. Hopefully Ted can find some great value picks that can spend some time learning the system and developing so they’re ready to step in when they’re needed.

In the meantime, I look forward to our current team winning the next Super Bowl.

The Packers’ decision to cast Charles Woodson loose automatically made strong safety a top draft day need for the Packers. Free safety Morgan Burnett has shown promise but not perfection in his three seasons with the Packers and would benefit by playing next to Texas product Kenny Vaccaro. Provided that Vaccaro is gone by the Packers’ pick at 26, Thompson may eye a pair of SEC standouts in LSU’s Eric Reid and Florida’s Matt Elam. Reid brings the physical presence and tackling ability that the Packers have missed since Nick Collins’ career ended abruptly in 2011.

Despite his overwhelming success in April as Packers GM, drafting defensive linemen has not been Thompson’s call to fame. Thompson missed badly on Justin Harrell in 2007 and needs Mike Neal and Jerel Worthy to correct course quickly to revamp a dismal defensive front. The Packers would benefit greatly from the size and strength of UCLA’s Datone Jones. The power and athleticism presented by Utah’s Star Lotulelei would be invaluable to the D-Line in the unlikely scenario that Thompson breaks bank and trades into the top ten.

The loss of Greg Jennings to free agency and whiff on Jeff Saturday in 2012 calls attention to the wide receiver and center prospects in this draft. Additionally, Green Bay will need to seek a replacement for Jermichael Finley, who will almost certainly be playing in a different uniform in 2014. Don’t be surprised to see Thompson trade down a couple spots and snag California’s Keenan Allen or Notre Dame’s Tyler Eifert at the end of the first round or beginning of the second round.

Blue Chips

The Packers’ willingness to let Greg Jennings walk in free agency said something about their confidence in third-year receiver Randall Cobb. Cobb’s value spans from catching the ball downfield to taking carries out of the backfield to fielding returns on special teams. Perhaps the biggest draft day win since 2010 has been offensive tackle Bryan Bulaga, whose presence has become vital to the Packers’ passing game.

To keep the secondary strong, Ted Thompson invested in a pair of mid-round defensive backs: Morgan Burnett and Casey Hayward. Burnett has been a solid producer in his three seasons with the Packers and Hayward brings unlimited potential after drawing DROY consideration in 2012. There is still some wait-and-see with both players but the consensus points to a bright future for this pair.

Still Some Potential

Thompson’s push to improve the pass rush in last year’s draft yielded mixed results in the fall. Both Nick Perry and Jerel Worthy made their way to Injured Reserve but not before showcasing some potential. Perry’s injury was particularly disappointing as the college defensive end was in the process of transitioning to outside linebacker in the pros. The clock is beginning to tick for third-year running back Alex Green, who saw a number of opportunities to become Green Bay’s feature back last season but couldn’t make it happen.

The Packers have yet to capitalize on two early-round linemen, both of whom have struggled to stay healthy. Mike Neal showed some potential in his first moderately healthy season with the Packers last fall but not enough to ease the front office’s concerns over the defensive end position. Derek Sherrod is yet to fully recover from a broken leg suffered in Week 15 of the 2011 season and does not appear ready to compete for the starting left tackle position this July.

A continuation of our series on Packer greats from before the 1943 NFL helmet rule. If you missed the others in the series, you can find them here.

Clarke Hinkle was the Packers’ fullback/linebacker from 1932 to 1941. He earned the nickname of Battering Ram in college, and Packer fans soon found out why.

Clarke Hinkle vs Bronco Nagurski

The Packers and the Bears have always had a knock-down, drag-out relationship over the years. But, one of the most epic matchups between the two teams was the head to head competition between Clarke Hinkle and the Bears’ fullback/linebacker Bronco Nagurski.

No matter which team had the ball it was a matchup of two hard hitting players. One trying to hammer his way to more yardage and the other attempting to slam him to the ground. And, the hits were bone-jarring.

Nagurski out-weighed Hinkle by 30 pounds, but Hinkle’s competitive spirit and his desire to win more than made up for his relatively smaller size. Though the two players had the same will to beat their rival that Packer and Bears players feel today, off the field they had the utmost respect for each other. In fact, Nagurski spoke at Hinkle’s hall of fame induction ceremony.

Clarke Hinkle and the Multiple Jersey Disorder

Before there were helmets players didn’t seem to get as attached to jersey numbers as they do today, but the variety of jerseys Hinkle wore is perplexing. They are as follows:

• 1932 – Number 27 and 33
• 1933 – Number 30 and 39
• 1934 – Number 45 and 48
• 1935 – Number 30
• 1936 – Number 41
• 1937-41 – Number 30

Career Stats for Clarke Hinkle

With Hinkle in the backfield and Don Hutson running pass routes, the Packers were a nearly unstoppable force. Seven times Hinkle led the Packers in rushing. In 1937 he had six games in a row with a rushing touchdown. Twice Hinkle was all pro.

In addition to running the ball and chasing down ball carriers, Hinkle also was the Packers’ placekicker. In 1938 his rushing touchdowns and placekicking generated 58 points in a single season, which made Clarke the league leader in scoring that season.

During Hinkle’s time with the Packers, the Pack won two league championships. One of which was scheduled to be the first (and only) championship game held in the great city of Green Bay. However, the game was moved to the state fairgrounds in West Allis in an effort to boost attendance. The Packers won that game 27-0 against the NY Giants.

Hinkle still holds the record for most seasons leading the Packers in rushing. That’s a feat that has never been topped by another Packer running back, though Ahman Green was able to match it.

In 1941 Clarke Hinkle retired from football as the league’s all time leading rusher. That record would stand until 1949.

Finley will become a free agent at the end of the coming season and that means that he has a single season to show the league that he’s worth big money.

Last season Finley showed some glimpses that he was ready to turn the corner. He started off with a bang in the opener by snagging seven passes against the eventual Super Bowl runners up. A shoulder injury nagged him all season, but he ended the season with three decent games contributing 61, 70, and 72 yards respectively.

Jermichael is one of the highest paid tight ends in the league right now, and we all know he would like to become the highest paid tight end in the league. Heck! He’d like to become the highest paid player in the league. The point is that if there’s a season for Jermichael to pull it together and focus on being unstoppable, this is the season for that to happen.

The question that comes to mind then is… if Finley can have a breakout year, what will the Packers offense be able to accomplish.