Green Bay Packers Will Miss Johnny Jolly in 2010

As I reported on PackerChatters, the Green Bay Packers will have to do without the massive presence of Johnny Jolly on the front line for 2010. Jolly has been suspended for violating the league's substance abuse program for an arrest in Houston in 2008, and could face up to 20 years in prison if convicted.

So just how much will this hurt the team?

Presuming they will not be able to get a judge in Packer Country to place an indefinite injunction on the suspension like the Minnesota courts did for Pat and Kevin Williams, it will be devastating. (Yes, I am bitter: With them missing the last four games of 2008, they do not make the playoffs; without them for the first four of 2009, they lose to San Francisco and Green Bay and do not win the division).

Jolly was outstanding in 2009. Statistics are not gaudy for linemen in a 3-4 defense, so his 15 solo tackles, nine assists, one sack, two fumbles forced, and one interception may not seem impressive. However, he was unquestionably the best in the league at batting down passes, with his 11 passes defensed being four more than any other lineman.

Green Bay has few options to replace him. One unlikely possibility is examined on my companion piece on Lambeau Leap of Faith that examines preseason ranking for the Packers. (Click the link to see a similar piece on NetDugout examining one of the Packers' rivals, foes in 2010, and chief competitors in the NFC.)

Another is Mike Neal, who was drafted in the second round to play defensive end in a 3-4. However, he spent his college career as a tackle in a 4-3, and that transition does not come easy: B.J. Raji struggled with it last season as a rookie, and has far more athleticism—a reason he was the top defensive lineman in the draft, while Neal was not even ranked in the top 10 defensive line prospects.

If Raji can handle playing the end position more in 2010, he may well be as good as Jolly. But any team needs more than three linemen capable of having an impact, even in a 3-4 defense. Without some depth to add to the rotation, the Packers will not have the best run defense in the league next season.