Packer Defense 2014 - Outside Linebackers

Could Julius Peppers be a key addition and have the impact of a Reggie White?

Can Clay Matthews stay healthy?

Will a young outside line backer emerge in 2014?

The list of candidates are:
Clay Matthews
Julius Peppers
Nick Perry
Nate Palmer
Andy Mulumba
Carl Bradford
Jake Doughty
Adrian Hubbard
Shaun Lewis

Clay Matthews - Year 6 - 6'3" - 255 lbs - S. California
For all the old Packer fans, we know how important Matthews is for this team!  He enters year six showing signs of physically breaking down!  Let us hope that was just bad luck!  The next 3-4 years will be the best for Matthews, let's hope there are big plays & great health for Clay!  One the NFL's more exciting players!

If you go to a Packer game, just watch him warm up!  That is even exciting!

Julius Peppers - Year 13 - 6'7" - 287 lbs - N. Carolina
This is one of the most exciting Packer free agent signing in years!  Peppers has "freaky size & athletic ability!  Up in age, let us hope he has a few more years in the tank!  How they use Peppers will be interesting!  Three point stance or two point stance?  Defensive end or outside linebacker?  My prediction is two-fold!
1 - Peppers will be a great influence on the younger players!
2 - Peppers will make big plays!
3 - Peppers will lead us to another Super Bowl!  WOW!  YES I SAID THAT!

Nick Perry - Year 3 - 6'3" - 265 lbs - S. California
Nick Perry has been a good team player!  He has had injury problems in the beginning of his career!  He has stayed healthy & last year started to contribute!  He provides valuable depth to Packer defense that has issues staying healthy!

Nate Palmer - Year 2 - 6'2" - 248 lbs - Illinois St.
Some of Nates 2013 highlights:
Upon further review: Palmer's NFL career began with back-to-back trips to the gameday inactive roster, despite him being at full health. Though he was active for Week 3, he didn't step on the field. And, after Green Bay's early bye week, Palmer was back to the inactive roster for Week 5. But that's when Clay Matthews suffered a Bennett's fracture of his right thumb, opening a window of opportunity for Palmer to see some in-game action. "I'm not going to have a problem at all putting him in the game and giving him a few snaps and getting his feet wet and seeing if he can do something," then-outside linebackers coach Kevin Greene said of Palmer on Oct. 11, 2013. "You have an opportunity to do something now, what are you going to do with it? Make it happen. Here's your chance." Palmer was behind undrafted rookie Andy Mulumba on the depth chart, though. Because of that, Palmer got only nine snaps in the Packers' first game without Matthews. But when Nick Perry was injured in Week 6 (and wound up missing five of the next six games), there was no one else left, giving Palmer a chance to play a lot. Between Weeks 7-11, Palmer was steady and relatively error-free (no missed tackles, no penalties), but he also didn't do much of note (zero sacks, one tackle for loss, zero forced fumbles).

Andy Mulumba - Year 2 - 6'3" - 260 lbs - E. Michigan
Mulumba played a lot of football last year.  As the injury bug hit, Mulumba was there to fill in, actually starting 3 games!
Should have a great shot of making the team with the experience from last year and help with special teams!

New faces trying to make the team!

Carl Bradford - Year Rookie - 6'1" - 252 lbs - Arizona St.
The Packers Round 4 draft choice:
Round 4 (121) - Carl Bradford - OLB - Arizona State

"The knock on Bradford is that he was an undersized defensive end at Arizona State, and much like Nick Perry, will have to make the adjustment to either outside linebacker or inside linebacker at the next level. At 6-foot-1 and 250 pounds, he will have to work on his pass-rush moves and hand use while rushing the quarterback in order to be an effective player at the NFL level.

The positives on Bradford are that he is an explosive tackler who is very quick to the ball. He takes good angles, is a very good blitzer, and is athletic enough to be solid in pass coverage. He recorded a 37.5-inch vertical jump and 122-inch broad jump at the combine which highlighted a dynamic leaping ability. He ran a 4.76 forty-yard dash, which suggests he is fairly fast for his size, and his 20-yard shuttle time (4.3 seconds) is also impressive for his relative size."

This may be the best shot for a new face to make the team at outside linebacker!

Jake Doughty - Year Rookie - 6'0" - 234 lbs - Utah St.
Another un-drafted free agent that needs a great pre-season to make the team!  What does the Packer website same about Jake?

Doughty (DOUBT-ee), 22, earned first-team All-Mountain West honors in 2013 after recording 148 tackles (42 solo), including 12 tackles for a loss, two sacks, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. He ranked second in the nation (FBS) in tackles and his tackle total was good for fourth all-time in the history of the conference. As a junior in 2012, he earned first-team All-Western Athletic Conference recognition after ranking second in the conference with 109 tackles (36 solo)

Good luck Jake!

Adrian Hubbard - Year Rookie - 6'6" - 257 lbs - Alabama
An interesting un-drafted free agent with interesting size!  But let's look at the negative first!   Accoring to the NFL pre-draft notes under weaknesses: "Has a quirky personality, inflated opinion of his ability and carries a sense of entitlement that could be difficult to manage and require a patient positional coach."
Wow!  OK, I'm the could, first day I meet this guy, I read this to him!  I say, "we have 89 players here, and a 53 man roster.  I do not like what I read, change it!"

Shaun Lewis - Year Rookie - 5'11" - 226 lbs - Oklahoma St.
Another un-drafted free agent, his size may be an issue!  So, we hope he has a great motor!  Word from the Packer Website:

Lewis, 22, participated in Green Bay’s rookie orientation camp in May on a tryout basis. He started the final 45 games of his career for the Cowboys and ranked third on the team in tackles (73) and interceptions (three) as a senior in 2013. Lewis added eight tackles for a loss, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and eight passes defensed in ’13 on his way to earning first-team All-Big 12 honors from the conference’s coaches and second-team recognition from The Associated Press.

Another long shot to make the team!