AJ Hawk

BadgemanMember

Advance apologies if this has been discussed in an earlier thread, but...

The Packers HAVE TO try to restructure Hawk in the off-season, yes? At least that is my opinion.

There was a lot of talk on this site earlier in the season almost assuming Hawk would be gone after this year. His playing time was down and he, by some accounts, wasn't happy. Then, through the twists and turns that only athletics can provide, he gets paired with Harris in the middle, and he has what is arguably been his best season. One could argue that Hawk's improved play, along with Shields and perhaps Peprah, elevated the defense to what they were by season's end.

Now he's a captain.

The Packers can't let one of their captains walk, can they? Unless AJ wants to explore what is out there (it would amaze me if he did, given how this team has been built for the long run), I have to believe they will try to work something out. Besides, for a defensive player, it has to be a blast playing for Dom Capers.

Discuss...

1/29/119:33 AM

Original Post

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DH13Member

quote:
Then, through the twists and turns that only athletics can provide, he gets paired with Harris in the middle, and he has what is arguably been his best season. One could argue that Hawk's improved play, along with Shields and perhaps Peprah, elevated the defense to what they were by season's end.

What about Harris?

1/29/119:37 AM

BadgemanMember

quote:
What about Harris?

My bad. Should have said Desmond Bishop. Sheesh on me.

1/29/119:46 AM

The GrinderMember

Darn,and here I was hoping they had signed Bernardo back !!

1/29/119:57 AM

fightphoe93Member

I hope they find a way to keep him too. A giant signing bonus with lesser yearly salaries might be the way to keep him in the fold, but not sure if the Pack has the funds to do something like that or not.

1/29/1110:36 AM

YATittleMember

They WILL have the funds if they dump Chillar and Barnett and go younger/draftees for backup.

1/29/1111:25 AM

SepMember

Re-sign him.

1/29/1111:28 AM

CoachAt the head of the table

quote:
Originally posted by YATittle:
They WILL have the funds if they dump Chillar and Barnett and go younger/draftees for backup.

I think Barnett is about as good as gone after what MM said in the presser.

I believe they may still keep Chillar. Poppinga would be more likely to go than he would.

I'd be surprised if Hawk wasn't on the team next season one way or another.

1/29/1111:36 AM

BrainDedMember

quote:
I think Barnett is about as good as gone after what MM said in the presser.

Agree.. Earlier in the year I favored keeping Nick and letting Hawk walk for a couple reasons. One being they take a cap hit if Nick goes, but do not if Hawk goes.

After seeing all this unfold, I think character overrides the finances.

1/29/1111:40 AM

FreeSafetyI wonder what the poor people are doing?

If we've learned anything this season it is about the value of availability.

Hawk is always ready to play and that goes a long way.

1/29/1112:24 PM

CJSMember

quote:
Originally posted by Coach:

I think Barnett is about as good as gone after what MM said in the presser.

Which comments are you referring to Coach?

1/29/1112:56 PM

HenryYou rang?

Something along the lines of "Considering who made the tweet, I'm not surprised".

Barnett is gone simply from a age/injury standpoint. Hawk will restructure, not even a concern.

1/29/111:10 PM

CJSMember

Ah ok. I had read that comment, but mainly attributed MM's comment to addressing that those 2 players were prolific "tweeters". That said, I think that you're right that his days in GB are numbered.

If TT tried to trade Barnett before the draft, I wonder what he could get? 4th round pick? 5th rounder?

1/29/111:33 PM

radmanMember

Hawk is Packer People.

Plays every game
Practices well
Calls the defense
While he has not been a superstar he has been steadily getting better and you have to realize that he had to learn the 3-4. Now he has pretty much mastered the 3-4 as a student of the game.

1/29/112:01 PM

Pistol GBMember

quote:
Originally posted by Coach:
I think Barnett is about as good as gone after what MM said in the presser.

I believe they may still keep Chillar. Poppinga would be more likely to go than he would.

I'd be surprised if Hawk wasn't on the team next season one way or another.

Me too. This is a "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" situation if there ever was one.

1/29/112:21 PM

michiganjoeMember

Unless Hawk is determined to get out of GB they'll work it out.

1/29/112:21 PM

YATittleMember

What I've noticed about Hawk is he does things that don't show up on the stats sheet. For example, on running plays he stays in his gap, forcing the runner to take it outside where someone like CMIII makes the tackle. He's so solid at point of attack that he makes it all work.

1/29/112:24 PM

CJSMember

Agreed YA. Hawk is constantly wiping out lead blockers on running plays.

1/29/112:29 PM

Music CityMember

quote:
What I've noticed about Hawk is he does things that don't show up on the stats sheet.

There was a play- maybe against the Giants- where there was a fumble. AJ Hawk and a few others are scrambling for the ball. Instead of trying to recover it, he blocks the other team's player away from the ball, allowing (I think) Desmond Bishop a free path to the ball where he recovers it. That's the kind of player you want on your team.

1/29/113:36 PM

HenryYou rang?

I don't know why but Hawk and Bishop make each other better as well.

1/29/113:43 PM

BrainDedMember

"You complete me, AJ"

1/29/114:16 PM

titmfatiedNo Code

Hawk has become a leader of the Pack
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
By Ken Gordon on Sunday, January 30, 2011 02:57 AM

quote:

Former Buckeye re-emerged in 2010
He had been A.J. Hawk's father for nearly 27 years, and yet, last fall Keith Hawk learned something new about his son - by watching television, no less .

"I always knew he could play," Keith said, "but one thing I wondered is if he could be a leader, because he's quiet by nature. That was my impression until I watched this show, and I thought, 'Oh my gosh, he does talk - in fact, he talks a lot.'

"And I saw this kid who I was afraid was too shy, actually emerging as a guy pushing and prodding people verbally. It was really something to see."continue

Haha. "he does talk"

I don't want to pilfer Ken Gordon's article for everything , it's well worth the click. Quotes from AJ talking about his playcalling responsibilities, the birth of his kid, and how much joy this year's brought him. Here's the Sound FX referenced in the article:

Sound FX: A.J. Hawk

1/30/1112:40 PM

GBP1Member

Was it true he put his GB home up for sale? Or was that an unfounded rumour?

1/30/116:22 PM

CoachAt the head of the table

That did happen.

I don't think it means very much (or at least as much as it might have when it happened).

I think they'll work something out.

I'm more interested in what happens with Jenkins.

1/30/116:29 PM

Music CityMember

He said in that FX video that he doesn't care as long as he wins. Keep that player...

1/30/118:45 PM

titmfatiedNo Code

Dependable, underrated Green Bay Packers inside linebacker A.J. Hawk had no shortage of big plays this season
Green Bay Press Gazette
By Rob Demovsky • rdemovsk@greenbaypressgazette.com • February 1, 2011

quote:
Take into account the following defensive stats — sacks, interceptions, pass breakups, forced fumbles and fumble recoveries — and Hawk made more “big plays” than perhaps those around the league realize. The 27-year-old former Ohio State star ranked eighth among NFL inside linebackers in making such plays, according to statistics on the NFL’s official website. Hawk’s resume for the 2010 regular season lists 14½ of them. Ten were pass breakups, but he also had three interceptions (tied for most among NFL inside linebackers), a fumble recovery and a half-sack.

(snip)

With Hawk calling the plays, miscommunications were practically nonexistent, and the defense flourished, finishing the season second in scoring defense behind only their Super Bowl XLV opponent, the Pittsburgh Steelers. At the same time, Hawk began to develop an improved relationship with his position coach, Winston Moss, who is responsible for getting Capers’ play call relayed to Hawk. Previously, Hawk and Moss had a relationship that was described by a source as “frosty.” continue

Past the click there's a quote from TT about how Hawk's stepped up, Winston Moss talks about how the connection he and Hawk have made since Barnett went down, Desmond Bishop talks about AJ's on field demeanor, Mike Trgovac talks about how much the defensive line relies on the linebackers, and Hawk talks about if he'd like to come back to Green Bay next year. Nice article.

2/2/117:30 AM

michiganjoeMember

Hawks' biggest problem has always been where he was selected in the draft and the accompanying expectations. A reliable and solid player and I hope they can hang onto him.

2/2/119:41 AM

TDMember

If Hawk were drafted in the lower part of Round 1, we'd be talking about what a great pick he was.

With that being said, he has been a very nice suprise this year. I like him paired up with Bishop.

2/2/115:16 PM

CAPackfanMember

What does MM always preach? Accountability and availability. Hawk has been providing both.

2/2/115:23 PM

bubbleboy789Member

Article from PFF on run stop percentage. Essentially, percentage of tackles a linebacker has made that constitute a defensive stop.

quote:
Once the fifth overall pick in the 2006 NFL draft, A.J. Hawk has never quite lived up to the high expectations. Packers fans have been been asking for seven seasons where that playmaking linebacker they all saw at Ohio State went. So far through six games, it seems as though they’ve found him. Hawk’s 16 run stops this year are one less than he had all of last year and his Run Stop Percentage is at a career-high 12.3. It is unclear what triggered this turn around, but watching his play this year compared to the last few has been night and day. The Packers will need him to continue his success with the multiple injuries they have suffered to their linebacking corps, but he doesn’t appear to be slowing down one bit.

Hawk has been fantastic so far this year. He's struggled a bit in pass coverage but that's really nothing new. It's nice to see him finally making big time tackles. Only 2 missed tackles this year.

10/18/129:07 PM

DH13Member

I heard someone talking on a radio show that said AJ Hawk used to be a weight room overachiever, that he had gotten huge by the last couple years. This year he's laid off the weights a little and focused on flexibility. He seems to move quicker and with more agility this year than I remember him in years past. He's still too stiff to be any good in coverage but he looks a lot more active this year. And the dude's never injured.

I take that back. He is an injury waiting to happen!

10/18/1210:29 PM

PackyMember

The long hair was slowing him down.

10/19/128:02 AM

bubbleboy789Member

still has an awfully peculiar way of celebrating sacks.

10/19/1212:24 PM

FLPACKERMember

quote:
Originally posted by DH13:
I heard someone talking on a radio show that said AJ Hawk used to be a weight room overachiever, that he had gotten huge by the last couple years. This year he's laid off the weights a little and focused on flexibility. He seems to move quicker and with more agility this year than I remember him in years past. He's still too stiff to be any good in coverage but he looks a lot more active this year. And the dude's never injured.

I take that back. He is an injury waiting to happen!

...I noticed this too, doesn't look as "squatty" as he has in previous years, definitely looks quicker.

10/19/127:11 PM

Point BrewmasterMember

quote:
Originally posted by bubbleboy789:
still has an awfully peculiar way of celebrating sacks.

The Shocker? Remember, this is the same guy who flashed the bird almost exactly a year ago.

10/19/128:33 PM

bubbleboy789Member

Love what McCarthy said about it last year:

"I'm not going to try to understand AJ's sense of humor."

10/19/1210:23 PM

BorisPerson Man Camera Dildo Shop - NFLFU®

quote:
Originally posted by bubbleboy789:
still has an awfully peculiar way of celebrating sacks.

I like when he flips us off

10/19/1210:44 PM

Shoeless JoeMember

10/19/1210:56 PM

rastapackermonMember

One of the coolest Packers you'll ever meet. Despite the bad feedback, he is always positive and always appreciative of the fans and I'm really happy that it's going his way.

10/19/1211:04 PM