Green Bay Packers 2009 Preview

(Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

2008 Summary
The Packers were perhaps one fateful drive from a date with the undefeated Patriots in the NFC Championship, then Brett Favre sailed a pass right into the hands of Giants defensive back Corey Webster and the rest would soon be history.

Packer fans figured they had seen the last of Brett Favre.

They would soon realize that Favre had the same psyche of a 14-year old girl trying to cancel Myspace. After announcing his retirement to the world, with tears streaming down his face, the carousel of 'will I come back' or 'will I stay retired' began to hang over the Packers like a dark cloud.

It was then that Packers General Manager Ted Thompson chose to do what few front office head men would have - he handed the keys over to the unproven Aaron Rodgers, and told Favre he was welcome to comeback but as Rodgers back up.

Everyone that follows the NFL knows what would transpire next, as Thompson would trade Favre out of the conference to the New York Jets, and Rodgers would finally begin his career as the starting quarterback for the Green Bay Packers some three years after he was drafted 24th overall.

With all eyes on the young quarterback from Cal, Rodgers shined, leading the Pack to a season-opening victory over the hated Minnesota Vikings. Rodgers would also put in a very Favre like effort, as he played hurt most of the season and yet still looked very much like an All-Pro quarterback in the making as he finished the year with 4038 yards passing and 29 touchdowns.

But what Rodgers couldn't control was the up and down play of the Green Bay defense. And it was the defense that prevented the Packers from being a force in the NFC North for a second consecutive season. The Packers run defense was miserable in 2008, ranking 26th overall and surrendering 4.6 yards per carry. As a unit Green Bay would surrender nearly 24 points a contest, forcing Rodgers and the Packers offense to constantly get into shootouts.

However, the most telling stat for the Green Bay defense was the amount of late leads they would blow. Of the Packers ten losses in 2008, seven of them came after the Packers surrendered 4th quarter leads and six of those losses came on final drives for the opposition.

So while Rodgers would keep setting up his team for victory, the Packers defense would subsequently set Rodgers up for heartbreak.

2009 Free Agency Additions:
C Duke Preston (Buffalo)
S Anthony Smith (Pittsburgh)

2009 Trade Acquisitions:
None

2009 Offseason Departures:
DT Colin Cole (Seattle)
DE Jason Hunter (Detroit)
DE Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila (Unsigned)

2009 NFL Draft:
1-9. B.J. Raji, NT, Boston College
1-26. Clay Matthews, OLB, USC
4-109. T.J. Lang, OT/G, Eastern Michigan
5-145. Quinn Johnson, FB, LSU
5-162. Jamon Meredith, OT, South Carolina
6-182. Jarius Wynn, DE, Georgia
6-187. Brandon Underwood, FS, Cincinnati
7-218. Brad Jones, LB, Colorado

2009 Outlook:
The Packers immediately went to work on their defense when they dismissed former defensive coordinator Bob Sanders and hired the notable Dom Capers to run the defense. With the hiring of Capers, the Packers will switch to a 3-4 base defense, meaning the personnel began to get a makeover in the offseason.

However, Packers GM Ted Thompson is a firm believer of building through the draft and he showed as much when he selected mammoth nose tackle B.J. Raji with the ninth overall selection and later traded back into the first round to select USC linebacker Clay Matthews Jr. with the 25th overall selection. Raji's presence on the Packers defensive line should immediately shore up a terrible rush defense from a season ago, and free up their pass rush which was practically invisible in 2008. Meanwhile, Matthews will round out a young linebacking corps headlined by A.J. Hawk and former defensive end Aaron Kampman, who will now play upright and be primarily used as a rush 3-4 backer.

The secondary once again will be led by veteran cornerback Charles Woodson who will be paired up with longtime Packer Al Harris and young corners Jarrett Bush,

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