When the Packers lost Darren Sharper after the 2004 season, they were in desperate need of a suitable replacement at safety. Nick Collins was their answer. Drafted in the second round of 2005, he was an instant starter and has missed only three complete games in his career. The 2008 season would be his breakout year with a career-high 7 interceptions, three of them for touchdowns. Since then, he has been a perennial Pro Bowl player and Second Team All-Pro selection. On March 12, 2010, Nick Collins finally signed a long-awaited three-year contract with the Packers, solidifying himself as a staple of the defense.
Packers 2010 Roster
Green Bay Packers 2010 Players Evaluations – Defense – Charlie Peprah
Charlie Peprah was the biggest free agent signing for the Packers in the 2010 offseason. Not like it was much of a contest, as Peprah was the only free agent signing during the offseason.
Green Bay Packers 2010 Player Evaluations – Defense – Desmond Bishop
Taken in the sixth round of the 2007 NFL Draft, Desmond Bishop finally saw his first extensive starting role as ILB this year after Nick Barnett (wrist) went on injured reserve in October. Always falling behind first-round draft pick A.J. Hawk on the depth chart belied his perennial achievements in training camp. Bishop has a fierce, instinctive playing style that some say has boosted the defense’s overall physicality. He and Hawk complemented each other well, and Bishop practically locked in his future as a starting linebacker with a brand-new, four-year, $19 million contract extension that he signed in January.
Green Bay Packers 2010 Player Evaluations – Defense – Frank Zombo
Frank Zombo was one of eleven undrafted free agents signed during the 2010 offseason, and he was the only one of four LBs in that group to make the 53-man roster. He came from Central Michigan, where he started at DE for three years and recorded 25.5 career sacks – second most in CMU history. The Packers signed him as an OLB, making him part of the revolving list of players at the ill-fated position. A serviceable starter with a good pass rush, Zombo’s knee injury against the Lions in Week 14 sidelined him for six weeks. He returned to health in time to start in Super Bowl XLV.
Green Bay Packers 2010 Player Evaluations – Defense – Ryan Pickett
With the youth movement Packers general manager Ted Thompson infused into the Packers the past few seasons, long time veteran players have started to come at a premium. On defense, there were two that had had been around a “long” time that started in Super Bowl XLV and ironically were the only two Packers that had played in a previous Super Bowl. One was Charles Woodson.