Packers Who Need To Impact Green Bay's 2010 Season

When looking ahead towards any NFL season, even this far in advance, the picture is fairly clear for which players are going to be each team's respective "impact" players.

For the Green Bay Packers, it is easy to point to players such as quarterback Aaron Rodgers and cornerback Charles Woodson as players who will play the biggest part in whether the Packers are successful or not in the coming season.

However, as we all know, one or two players don't win football games by themselves. Each team arguably has as many players who play key roles—albeit smaller roles—that help determine the overall success of that team.

In Green Bay, these players will hopefully have the impact that the Packers need to build on their 2009 success next season.

Pat Lee, cornerback

Remember this guy? If you can't I don't blame you—he'd be an easy player to forget because he's hardly seen the field as a Green Bay Packer.

Lee is a former second round pick back in 2008, but he has yet to make an impact since entering the league.

But as Packer fans saw last season, the Green Bay secondary was vulnerable against the elite passing attacks in the NFL. In two games against the Vikings' Brett Favre, the Packers surrendered 271 yards and three touchdowns, and 244 yards and four touchdowns, respectively.

Also joining the passing party was the Steelers' Ben Roethlisberger, who threw for 503 yards and three touchdowns in week 13, and the Cardinals' Kurt Warner, who shredded the Packers' defense for 379 yards and five touchdowns in the divisional round of the playoffs. 

Needless to say, if the Packers have any aspirations of making it to the Super Bowl in 2010 (and they should, the talent is in place), the Green Bay secondary has to improve. The Packers did little to improve the cornerback position this offseason, so it is vital for Lee to become a reliable part of the secondary—especially because, on so many occasions last season, Green Bay was burned when teams lined up in three and four wide receiver sets.

If Lee can finally overcome his injury woes, the Packers need him to displace the likes of Jarrett Bush, Josh Bell, and Will Blackmon—all of whom saw significant time in nickel and dime schemes last season.

It is time for the talent that led Pat Lee to be drafted in the second round to finally present itself in the Packers' secondary in 2010.

Brad Jones, linebacker

To many last season, it was probably a surprise that Jones, a seventh rounder in 2009, even made the Packers 53 man roster. But once Aaron Kampman went down with a season-ending injury against San Francisco, Jones proved that he belonged on the squad.

With relentless pass rushing skills from the outside linebacker position, Jones registered four sacks in the final six games and has apparently shown the Packers brass enough to warrant him being in the running for the starting outside linebacker opposite Clay Matthews next season.

Green Bay restrained from signing any of the free agent edge rushers, and while several still remain on the market (including Adailus Thomas), the Packers seem content with relying on the talent already on the roster.

In my opinion, that means that Jones has the inside edge on winning that starting spot. Having played the 3-4 scheme in college at Colorado, Jones looked more comfortable in the defense than other options such as Brandon Chillar. From his limited sample he showed last season, he has more pure passing rushing skill than any other of the options the Packers could employ.

If Jones could turn into a consistent pass rusher opposite Matthews next season, I think we could see an improvement in the play of the secondary as well. Too many times last season opposing quarterbacks were given the luxury of ample time in the pocket to find receivers, and that led to a lot of the problems the secondary had against the elite passing offenses.

To get past the likes of Saints and Vikings in the NFC, the Packers are going to need a more relentless version of Brad Jones causing havoc in opposing backfields.

Donald Lee, tight end

With the drafting of Andrew Quarless, many Packers fans were ready to dump Donald Lee. However, that simply isn't going to happen.

As we all saw with JerMichael Finley, it's most likely going to take Quarless some time to "figure it out", especially with the checkered past that lingers with Quarless.

And considering how often the Packers employ two tight end sets, that means that Lee will have to contribute next season. Yet Lee's production has fallen in each of the past three seasons, going from 48 catches in 2007 to just 39 and 37 in 2008 and 2009, respectively.

However, with the emergence of Finley as one of the NFL's premier tight ends, it wont be Lee's responsibility to catch a lot of passes (even though I will never forget his drop in the Vikings game in Minnesota—completely different game if he catches that ball).

Lee will need to contribute in the run game as a blocker, and when the Packers do go to their two tight end package, he will need to be able to stay in to block the edge as well as catch short and intermediate passes to open down the field for the likes of Finley and Greg Jennings.

I think we all saw a drop off in the overall game of Lee last season, but he needs to be better in 2010. There's no reason why Lee can't catch 20 to 30 passes and four to five touchdowns next season. If he can reestablish himself as a weapon in the Packers offense, as a receiver and steady blocker, Green Bay's offense can almost surely expect an improvement of an already explosive offense.

Chris Bryan or Tim Masthay, punter

Regardless of who wins out as the Packers next punter, he needs to be an improvement over last season. Green Bay finished 2009 ranked 28th in net punting average (37.7 yards) and last in punts inside the 20 (15). These are simply unacceptable numbers.

Punting is so often overlooked in the eyes of the casual fan, but it can make of break any given game. Field position is an important facet of the NFL game, and the Packers punting squad made it a routine last season to put the Green Bay defense in far-from-ideal situations.

Overall, according to the Dallas Morning News, the Packers finished 31st last season in their Special Teams Rankings , and their punting woes are partly to blame.

If Bryan or Masthay can emerge as a consistent NFL punter, the Packers will have solved one of their longest lingering problems. (Why didn't we ever re-sign Craig Hentrich?)

The Offensive Line

I know, this is a no-brainer. But this group collectively has to improve from 2009. After giving up an NFL-leading 51 sacks last season, the entire offensive line needs to have a more positive impact in 2010.

It's hard for me to imagine hwo good the Packers offense could be next season if the line can cut that sack total down by, let's say, 20. While 31 sacks would have put us just outside the top ten last season, I'd say it is a reasonable goal looking forward to next season.

Mark Tauscher will be healthy coming into the season, and even if there are injuries, the Packers have added solid depth through the draft, including first round pick Brian Buluga.

Mark my words, if the Packers offensive line gives up under 30 sacks next season, Aaron Rodgers is your 2010 MVP. While that may be a rather bold prediction, and a big if regarding the line, it needs to happen if the Packers have their eyes set on the Lombardi Trophy.

And last, but not least...

Justin Harrell, defensive line

This may just be Harrell's final chance to make it as part of the Green Bay Packers. A a first round draft pick in 2007, Harrell most certainly has been dubbed a bust by most Packers followers--and probably for good reason.

Harrell has yet to make it through a full season without getting injured (a problem that probably could have been foreseen regarding his injury history), and his production while on the field has been minimal at best.

However, he could serve as an important piece in the Packers defensive line rotation next season. Let's face it--the man has talent--even it has laid dormant the past three years, it is there somewhere or else the Packers would not have given this guy this many chances.

With the uncertainity of Johnny Jolly's legal troubles, and the injury history of several other Packers along the defensive line, it'd be fair to expect some impact from Harrell this season.

Hopefully, if given a full season of health, Harrell can finally live up to the expectations given to him by being drafted in the first round. If not, his time in Green Bay has likely ended. Let's hope for the former to be true for Justin Harrell in 2010.

Other Packers to consider: Will Blackmon, Brandon Underwood, Atari Bigby, James Jones, Brandon Jackson, Nick Barnett