The season grades are out on our 2 opening day starters at inside linebacker, and as was clear to the naked eye they are not pretty. Given that both Jones and Hawk are highly paid through next season and the team saves $3.5 million (Jones) and $3.25 million (Hawk) by cutting them, can anyone provide a scenario whereby one or both of these guys is back next year? I know that Hawk has some fans but I for one will be shocked if either one of them are still on the team in 2015.
The grades:
1) McGinn; http://www.jsonline.com/sports...313z1-289706171.html
A.J. Hawk: It was sad, really. Hawk, a durable, contributing part of this defense for eight years, hit the wall. Hawk had been slipping but it was never this bad. Despite playing 71.6% of the downs, he didn't have a single tackle for loss after averaging 3.44 from 2006-'13. Largely because he couldn't run anymore, he allowed a LB-high 4½ passes of 20 yards or more. One reason he missed just four tackles was the fact he couldn't get to plays. He had just five pressures in 77 blitzes. When he did make it to the right gap, blockers and backs frequently surged right over the top of him. Even Hawk's ability to think on his feet deserted him on Seattle's fake FG-TD pass when he didn't stay as deep as the deepest receiver. Ted Thompson has to admit the tape doesn't lie. They'll cut Hawk, save $3.5 million against the cap and bring in a flock of new ILBs. It's possible someone like Rex Ryan might sign Hawk for the minimum to make calls for a complex system. Grade: F.
Brad Jones: The Packers will move on from Jones as well; his expected release will amount to $3.75 million in cap savings. So satisfied with his LB rotation down the stretch, even Mike McCarthy couldn't fool himself any longer and replaced Jones as his dime LB with Barrington in Seattle. After playing 68 of 70 snaps with a bad thigh injury in the opener, Jones was put down for three weeks before returning in bit roles here and there. Despite 17.4% playing time, Jones drew five of the ILB's seven penalties. The heavy-legged Jones, still able to strike a blow and play special teams, has lost too much quickness and change of direction. He is a tough guy. Grade: D-plus.
A.J. Hawk
Time finally caught up with the franchise's all-time leading tackler. Hawk worked in the heart of a run defense that was giving up a league-worst 153.6 yards per game at the bye week. As an every-down player, Hawk appeared slow in coverage on plays like Kyle Rudolph's 23-yard completion for Minnesota in Week 12. The Packers eventually replaced him in the nickel with Barrington and in the dime with Jones. He averaged 20 snaps per game in the final month playing strictly in the 3-4 base defense. When Matthews exited briefly against Seattle, the defense gushed yards when Hawk re-entered inside. He maintained that he wasn't injured and finished his ninth year with the Packers with 89 tackles and a half-sack. He was frozen on Jon Ryan's touchdown pass to Garry Gilliam off a fake field goal. Durability will be his legacy if the organization chooses to part ways with him this offseason.
Grade: F.
Brad Jones
Jones' inconsistency and propensity for penalties hurt the Packers. He missed three games with a quad injury following an atrocious performance in the opener against Seattle in which he had four tackles with three misses. Jones never regained his starting job, finishing with 18 tackles. He played in the dime late in the season before giving way to Barrington in the NFC championship game. Inexplicably, Jones had a team-high six defensive penalties despite playing only 217 snaps. Three came after the defense successfully stopped the opposing team on third down. Jones had a 9-yard sack of Miami quarterback Ryan Tannehill on second-and-11 erased with illegal use of hands and scrapped a Peppers/Matthews sack in the opener because of an illegal contact penalty. He blocked a field goal against Atlanta and forced a fumble in the NFC championship game, but Ryan told MMQB.com that the Seahawks tried a fake field goal because Jones was on the field and his tendency was to sell out for a block.
Grade: F.
