Green Bay Packers Hire Dom Capers To Run Defense

On Tuesday, the Green Bay Packers made the most important off-season move for 2009.

No, we did not sign Albert Haynesworth to boost the middle of the defensive line. We did even not sign Julius Peppers, who would give us more depth at the defensive end, and provide the pass rush sorely missing in 2008.

Free agency has not yet begun, and I would not hold my breath on those moves. Packers General Manager Ted Thompson has shown a reluctance to make any roster moves through the free-agent market, preferring to save cap room to sign home-grown talent...or to not use it at all.

The Packers offense played well enough to win games, finishing in the top ten in yards. It was the defense that let us down, finishing 20th in yards. In particular, the pass rush was lacking, getting only 27 sacks all season (ranked 25th in the NFL), and the run defense was in the bottom quarter of the league.

One reason for this fall-off from a defense in the top half of the league the previous season was injuries, and that would be enough justification for not making moves in free agency. Then again, it would be better justification for not making changes in the coaching staff.

The team still fired the entire defensive coaching staff last week, and the question of who to hire to head the show became the most important step in determining whether the team could bounce back in 2009.

You cannot sign free agents until you have a scheme to fit them into, even if we all know they will not be signed at all. (Is my Ted Thompson beef coming through, or am I being too obtuse?)

Ever since my colleague, Zach Kruse, wrote about potential draft picks at the No. 9 position, I have been hoping we would pick one of the three potential undersized pass-rushing defensive ends to aid the pass rush.

The reason I have hoped for one of the undersized players is because I believe they can be converted to play outside linebacker in a 3-4 defense.

Most of the league’s seven 3-4 defenses are in the top of the league, including the top two (the Steelers and Ravens; the Cowboys and Patriots were top ten, and the Dolphins still in the top half). Only the Browns and Chargers were near the bottom, and San Diego has historically been near the top.

One reason for this is the flexibility of the 3-4. Linebackers can do more different tasks than linemen and that makes the defense less predictable, making reading pass coverage and pass rushes more difficult.

Enter Dom Capers. Capers rebuilt the Steelers' defense in the early '90s and the Jaguars' defense a few years ago. By disrupting opposing passing games, teams struggle to get the big plays that are essential to putting up points, and protecting the football becomes more difficult.

Of course, the Packers pass defense was not the biggest problem, and forcing turnovers was not a problem at all. The Packers secondary was adept at bump-and-run, man-to-man coverage, and 3-4 is more typically zone. However, one can still press and play physical one the corners with a 3-4, and zone is actually easier to play than man-to-man, plus those skills will help on blitzing downs.

Perhaps a bigger concern is that with a lighter, faster defense, a power running attack often finds more success. Since run defense was a weakness and the Packers will play two games each against MVP candidate Adrian Peterson and two more against Matt Forte every year, is this not playing with fire?

To me, the good outweighs the bad. For one thing, it takes one defensive tackle off the field. Tackle is a position the Packers were thin at with the annual injury to first round draft bust Justin Harrell.

But not every team can play a 3-4. For one thing, you need bigger linemen. The Packers have Ryan Pickett and Johnny Jolly, good-sized tackles, and Cullen Jenkins, a sizable end. All could play the line in a 3-4. They would do well to draft some other lineman or sign some depth in free agency. Thompson may not have as much reluctance to signing a second-tier guy—they are always a better value for their contracts.

You also need sizable outside linebackers. Aaron Kampman played linebacker in college and is probably too small (265 pounds) to play end in a 3-4; thus he would be a great convert. Add him to one of the draft picks and the Packers have a dangerous outside linebacking duo.

Meanwhile, inside linebackers need to be fast. Nick Barnett is one of the fastest and most athletic linebackers in the game, but a bit undersized. However, his duties would be shared with A.J. Hawk, who is above average size, speed, and athleticism. I believe they would round out the best linebacking corps in the league within a couple years, since all four are still in their 20s.

Capers has already said he will be evaluating the unit’s talent to determine schemes and roles. There are a lot of possibilities for Green Bay, and it will be interesting to see what moves are made, not just in free agency and the draft, but in mini-camps with reshuffling of personnel already on the team.