Packers' Joe Thomas Playing for a new Contract in Green Bay
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Zachary Jacobson is a staff writer/reporter for Cheesehead TV. He's the voice of The Leap on iTunes and can be heard on The Scoop KLGR 1490 AM every Saturday morning. He's also a contributor on the Pack-A-Day Podcast. He can be found on Twitter via @ZachAJacobson or contacted through email at [email protected].
Comments (28)
stockholder
January 30, 2017 at 01:57 pm
Give me a BREAK! Plays run poorly! Zero Sacks! 1 Int.! Hyde had more tackles. This is another case of what is wrong with the packers. Soft in the middle, like soft in Moss' head. Don't make any points on why this guy should be Kept. We only have so many roster spots for Bush type players. Their not going to get you to the super-bowl. Their fill ins. No happiness here. This is one area where the packers need better.
ZacharyJacobson
January 30, 2017 at 02:05 pm
Linebackers who play the run and cover the pass in dime don't usually fill their stat sheet with sacks. He's actually very smart against the run.
stockholder
January 30, 2017 at 02:10 pm
You need to read Al's after the game comments.
ZacharyJacobson
January 30, 2017 at 02:16 pm
I do - every single week, and they're great. Difference of opinions doesn't sway mine though.
JerseyAl
January 30, 2017 at 03:43 pm
How dare you! Capitulate, I say!
Thomas had a horrible game against the Falcons. it happens. He has played well at other times. He's more of a situational guy.
stockholder
January 30, 2017 at 08:07 pm
Thank you. He did have two good home games. But it just didn't happen during the year. Especially on the road. Led team in missed tackles with 13. I'm after Holds. Pass Rush. And after that first int. Nothing. Situational was a good way to put it.
al bundy
January 30, 2017 at 06:56 pm
Hes cheap he stays. Justt read where elway will be going all out for top free agents this sprng. He is a gm who wants to actually compete and win another supr bowl. Many nfc teams are doing what the giants did last year to improve vastly, qualty free agents: line bsckers, pass rushers, running backs. Dont expect mch from this team nex year same old same old.
Rollins gunter and randle ant takng you anywhere.
KenEllis
January 30, 2017 at 02:00 pm
Another undrafted free agent success story.
Some say the Pack's D lacks talent, but with Joe Thomas, Blake Martinez, Jake Ryan, and Carl Bradford roaming the middle of the defense, inside linebacker is set for years, right?
(I know Bradford finished the year with SF, but as with Joe Thomas after he went to Dallas, I sure hop TT gets Carl back to GB for another wonderful season).
ZacharyJacobson
January 30, 2017 at 02:03 pm
Lol.
RCPackerFan
January 30, 2017 at 02:07 pm
I really like Thomas. That being said I don't believe he is a 3 down LB, but he can fill in that role if needed. He is a really good coverage LB who can blitz. And he hits hard!
Ideally Ryan would play base and Thomas would play Nickel and Dime LB roles. Problem with that they rarely play base defense anymore.
The one thing that I would like to see Thomas improve in is his ability to catch the ball. He had at least 3 passes this year hit him in the hands that he flat out dropped.
I would like to see Thomas continue to trend upward for the Packers.
ZacharyJacobson
January 30, 2017 at 02:09 pm
Definitely not a 3-down guy. Unfortunately, he had to play in those situations this season due to injuries. A less-than-ideal scenario for a guy like that to be in. Thanks for reading RC!
al bundy
January 30, 2017 at 06:59 pm
And we need guys who are undrateds why? What arw we saving the money for. The vikes linbackers dominated in the pro bowl. We had none there.
jeremyjjbrown
January 30, 2017 at 03:39 pm
IDK, seeing him stand there with Stone Feet while Matt Ryan plodded his way for a 20 yards TD run just about gave me a aneurysm. If he is the fourth or fifth ILB on the depth chart I guess that's fine.
cuervo
January 30, 2017 at 02:18 pm
Whether you think Thomas is decent against the pass or not (he is in my opinion), if you cut him...then who are you going to have be the "coverage" linbacker?
I'd sign Thomas in a minute...1. because he won't cost a ton, and 2. because he's insurance and depth for a group that desperately needs it.
Bert
January 30, 2017 at 02:31 pm
I'm kinda like Ted. I'm not much of an evaluator of defensive talent. Therefore, I'm not sure if Thomas is any good or just another part time player on a crappy defense?
zoellner25
January 30, 2017 at 02:31 pm
He's a JAG
Handsback
January 30, 2017 at 03:11 pm
I think Thomas is more than JAG, since he's very good in coverage. The issue I have with Green Bay's ILBs is that I don't see runners stop in their tracks or move backwards once they are hit. One of the few that can cause that type of hit is Brice...I love to see him hit.
Green Bay has to learn to stop the run and make offenses one dimensional. Thomas is needed to stop those TE/RBs passing lanes for those short quick drops.
marpag1
January 30, 2017 at 03:27 pm
He's Brad Jones.
In other words, he doesn't suck royally, he just isn't particularly good. He's fairly decent backup material. He'll bounce around in the league for a while and look tolerable on coverage downs (if and when he's on the field). He'll be ordinary at best vs. the run. He'll play a lot of special teams, and generally be pedestrian.
KenEllis
January 30, 2017 at 03:44 pm
So does that mean TT is about to make Joe Thomas one of the top 5 paid inside linebackers in the NFL like he did with Brad Jones?
marpag1
January 30, 2017 at 04:20 pm
In hindsight, Jones was horribly overpaid, but he was never close to top 5 for inside linebackers. When he signed the deal in 2013, his average salary ranked 20th for ILBs. Top 5 would have been more than double what he actually got.
al bundy
January 30, 2017 at 07:01 pm
Mathews is the highst paid lb in footballand isnt even a pro bowler this year. Nice job ted. One year wonder?
Mags
January 30, 2017 at 03:21 pm
Not a difference maker that the Packers need desperately on defense.
croatpackfan
January 31, 2017 at 03:02 am
Oh, I see. You think team needs to have 53 difference makers on the roster. Good luck with that!
Mags
January 31, 2017 at 09:17 am
Did I say the 53 man roster like you seem to think I did? I said the defensive side, or do you interpret things read differently than others?
Since'61
January 30, 2017 at 04:39 pm
We didn't make it to the SB with Thomas, we can continue not making it to the SB without him. He was unable to stop Matt Ryan on his 14 yard TD run and we all know what a great runner Matt Ryan is. Chuck him and make an effort to find some actual NFL defensive players. Thanks, Since '61
al bundy
January 30, 2017 at 07:06 pm
You are so correct but sadly there are a lot of jt's on this team. Ryan is the best ilb was a late 4th round pick, 31 teams passed on him at least three times. Now he must anchor a sb bound team?
Bearmeat
January 30, 2017 at 07:33 pm
Reading these comments makes me wish this was one of those times when I had control of a situation that I don't.
I wish I could thank Ted for the superbowl. Thank him for ARod. And wish him a happy retirement.
MITM
January 31, 2017 at 04:12 pm
You cannot run a 3-4 defense without at least one stud ILB. Its irresponsible. When you think of 3-4 defenses you immediately think of the Steelers and Ravens. Now run through the names of the ILBs off the top of your head that have roamed the middle of the field for those 2 teams since the Packers have switched to a 3-4 which i believe was 2009. Any Pro Bowlers come to mind? Any guys drafted BEFORE round 4? Catch my drift? Joe Thomas is a special teamer and Blake Martinez or Jake Ryan would be way better next to real ILB than they are next to eachother.