Who Will Be The Biggest Addition to the 2013 Green Bay Packers?

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Desmond Bishop
A healthy Desmond Bishop is likely to be the biggest boost to the 2013 Green Bay Packers

The Green Bay Packers drafted two running backs in the first four rounds of this year’s draft after many had been calling for the team to find more production in the run game.  With the addition of draftees Eddie Lacy and Johnathan Franklin, some would argue that each will end up playing a key role in the 2013 Packers’ storyline.

With Packers GM Ted Thompson having once again been very quiet in free agency, the draft was seemingly the team’s biggest chance to add to their existing roster.  Those draft picks, along with a few undrafted free agents, have garnered a lot of attention.  Actually, they have seen nearly all of it this off season, minus a few tiny contract situations that were recently ironed out.

Lost in the shuffle of all that is new, it’s what is “old” that I am anticipating will make the biggest difference when the smoke clears and the 2013 season is in the books.

Linebacker Desmond Bishop emerged as one of the team’s top defensive players during the team’s 2010 Super Bowl season.  That year, Bishop jumped from a career high of 29 tackles to 75.  The increase in playing time was a factor, but it’s hard to argue that Bishop became one of the team’s most productive defenders until a torn hamstring ended his 2012 season.

Bishop suffered the injury in the team’s first preseason game and he was placed on season-ending injured reserve shortly thereafter.  It’s hard to argue that the team’s production at inside linebacker wasn’t less-than-stellar without Bishop last season.  He figures to be back in action this year and has said that he will be “110% ready” for training camp, which begins in late July.  There are still questions about Bishop’s recovery and whether he can return to that same productive form.  That remains to be seen, but Packers fans should remain hopeful.  A healthy Desmond Bishop would mean more to this team, in my opinion, than any other player that the team has added.

When running on all cylinders, Bishop is a fiery one-man wrecking machine.  Need a reminder?  Click here.

Still need more evidence?  I looked at Bishop’s best season and compared it to counterpart AJ Hawk’s.  In Hawk’s best season, he accrued 83 tackles, two interceptions and 3.5 sacks in 16 games.  That was his rookie season of 2006 and the the team ran a 4-3 scheme.  In 2011, Bishop had 90 tackles and five sacks in 13 games played.  That same season, Hawk appeared in 15 games and had 53 tackles and one and a half sacks.

Bishop, to me, stands to offer the most to this team that it did not have in 2012.  If he truly can be 110% of what he was before he was hurt, the Packers could be a much improved defense in a hurry.  Share your thoughts on Bishop or who you think stands to add the most to the 2013 Green Bay Packers.

 

 

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Jason Perone is an independent sports blogger writing about the Packers on AllGreenBayPackers.com

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23 thoughts on “Who Will Be The Biggest Addition to the 2013 Green Bay Packers?

  1. Many will say Datone or Lacy, but I agree, I’m going with Bishop(provided he really is all the way back healthwise). Prior to his injury, I thought he was the defenses second best player(first is CM3).

    Working against him, injury aside, is he is a full year older than he was in a sport that doesn’t lend itself to long shelf-lives. He’ll be 29 to start the season, so it’ll be interesting to see if he’s lost any juice.

    Next I’ll go with the obvious choice, Datone. What a difference it would make to get more pressure from the interior D-line. That would open things up for yet another player to consider – Nick Perry.

    Lacy and Franklin will help also, but I got a feeling with those two and Harris, it’s going to be too much RB by committee to single out any one of the three.

  2. Nick Perry. He can play in space. Against Seattle he was able to run down Wilson from behind. That kind of athleticism is what is needed to defeat the read-option…What we did not have with Walden.

    I understand that the majority of teams we face do not run the read option, but we need him to anchor against a good running back as well. Again, an upgrade. We do face a number of teams with good running games.

    1. Agree whole-heartedly, Jim. Perry and CM3 on the flanks should be a giant step towards bringing the D back to where it should be.

    2. Generally agree, except about the part where Perry can play in space. He needs to be near the LOS chasing QB’s and RB, not in coverage chasing receivers.

  3. Does anyone find the Bishop trade rumors very disturbing?

    Bishop was a game changer 2009-2011. I really hope he is healthy and that Clay and Aaron’s absurd contracts aren’t pricing him out.

    Go back to the Eagles game. There’s no Packers Super Bowl victory without Bishop’s tackling and great work QB spying Vick in the Wild Card (something the Packers could have seriously used vs. Kaepernick).

    I think it will either be Nick Perry or Datone Jones. One is tempted to mention Lacy or Franklin although the Packers offense will be fine, even without Jennings. The defense really needs to get a better pass rush and be able to set the edge against the run. If they can do that, the Packers will be back where they want to be.

    1. I agree, Mojo, it most likely won’t be Tretter. And just think, TT could have drafted David Quessenberry in the fifth round for the OL and WR standout Quinton Patton instead of Tretter. The Texans and 49ers gain while the Pack gets another guy on IR.

      1. Nice Greg. So I’m guessing you knew Tretter was going to end up being injured.

        1. No, of course not. But, going by TT’s self-imposed dictum of selecting “the best player available” for each pick of the draft, he certainly missed by a mile in selecting Tretter. It’s also ironic, given the injury history of the OL, that Tretter breaks an ankle in practice.

          1. And how do you know Tretter wasn’t BPA? Did you see the Packrrs ultra secret drsft board? Yeah didn’t think so!!

            1. So, the “BPA” is what TT says it is, according to “the ultra secret drsft (sic) board.” It doesn’t matter that most ratings services of college talent thought Tretter to be, at best, a 6th round pick. You “homers” are so funny!

              In the years to come, remember the name, Quinton Patton, when the Pack has to face the 49ers.

              1. What do you about the Packers ir any other teams draft board ? Squat that’s what. Just cuz you or I don’t know him sure as hell doesn’t mean the professionals don’t. They certainly don’t go by CBS or an internet site that’s for sure!

              2. If those boards were any good those guys would be running NFL teams not posting their rankings online.

              3. For what it’s worth, I’ve heard Patton isn’t getting the love one would think he would. So many thought he was such a steal and from what I’ve read, the 49ers aren’t so ecstatic for picking him now. Hard to believe but hey, lets hope it’s true. T.T. saw something in the guy just like he did in so many other cases. Trust me, I’m no Ted T lover, half the time I really wonder WHY! Then I get ready to go work and it’s not at 1265 Lombardi Ave.

      2. Definetely not Tretter. He broke his ankle yesterday. Bulaga and Jones got into it a t practice. Apparently Jones doesn’t know who Bulaga is. Finally and Dlineman with attitude. YES!

  4. It would be awesome if he is back 100% but lets be honest with that injury not going to happen…

  5. Strong possibility he gets cut.

    He’s 29.
    They just paid Jones starter $.
    Tried to trade him.
    Wasn’t extremely mobile BEFORE the injury.
    He’d only be a 2 down player.

  6. I predict the biggest improvement will come from Perry. All he has to do is provide a consistent pass rush and play strong run D and he will have a huge impact on the Packers D.

    After him I would say Lacy. Having a bonafide running game will do wonders to open up the passing game again.

    Couple dark horses might be House or Manning if they crack the starting lineup. Lots of competition at those positions tho, so that’s probably a little unlikely.

    1. Then why everywhere I read, Perry is never mentioned, almost seems like the Packers are still searching for the player to play opposite Matthews. Drives me crazy! I say Perry too. In a huge way, 11.5 sacks and holds the edge.

  7. Well, I was hoping for Shields to kick some butt, but he has decided to be a no-show because TT has not given him a contract. Well IMHO Shields is a much better DB than Williams, who since signing his deal has gone down in play, while Shields stock seemed to be on the rise. So my guess would be Bishop, oh didn’t they just try to trade him recently? That should help his attitude as well! I would love to be a fly on the wall with TT just to find out his mindset on these guys, I mean resign Hawk?? Less money . .I know, B Jones?? He did do a more than pedestrian job, but hey! it seems like they play fav’s sometimes and I believe that impacts the team. Like I said, It would be nice to really know what is in TT’s head! He is all over the place. Like someone said: Tretter was definitely not the best player avail. So whats up? . . .

  8. The biggest addition will be Josh Boyd.:)
    The most impact-full—Datone Jones.

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