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Packers | To pursue Olshansky
Mon, 02 Mar 2009 07:30:01 -0800

Tom Silverstein, of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, reports the Green Bay Packers will begin discussions with free-agent DL Igor Olshansky (Chargers) this week, according to a league source. Olshansky played defensive end in the San Diego Chargers' 3-4 scheme and would be sufficient as a starter or backup.

It'll be important to determine where Olshansky's head is at. About 60% of the reports I've read on Igor have said that he was dogging it in San Diego this season (or at least that his motor ran hot and cold) and 40% of the reports I've read have said that's not the case, and that Ron Rivera has been making systematic changes that have taken Olshansky out of a position to succeed. I wouldn't be surprised to hear there is some truth in both reports.

He only had 29 tackles last season as opposed to almost 50 and 3.5 sacks in 07'.

I feel TT will land Igor and he will play more like his good year.

Also sign Tank Johnson away from Dallas for NT depth & draft DE in 3rd and we're OK.

I personally wouldn't pursue this guy but I will be thrilled if TT signs a starter in FA from anywhere in the NFL, this guy included.

We need to take our time if we want him though. Maybe send him an email from an assistant GM this week, maybe hit up his facebook 2 weeks from now, maybe ask him for a visit sometime in early April.

We'll have to check the schedules though, I know alot of our front office guys have vacations scheduled from now until the draft.

Spring Break, yknow.

eagle13 wrote:I feel TT will land Igor and he will play more like his good year.

Also sign Tank Johnson away from Dallas for NT depth & draft DE in 3rd and we're OK.

Tank Johnson isn't big enough to play NT.

I emailed a buddy of mine in San Diego, diehard Chargers fan. This is what he said:

Negatives - lacks pass rushing skills and the ability to chase laterally or from behind.

Positives – Very strong, durable and can stop the run at point of attack.

He’s average, however knows the 3 -4, understands his responsibility and his limitations.

where are the Igor attitude problems rumors coming from?

nice blog notes here:
http://www.bolthype.com/2009/01/igor-ol ... -with.html

MickeyDavis wrote:I emailed a buddy of mine in San Diego, diehard Chargers fan. This is what he said:

Negatives - lacks pass rushing skills and the ability to chase laterally or from behind.

Positives – Very strong, durable and can stop the run at point of attack.

He’s average, however knows the 3 -4, understands his responsibility and his limitations.

Who played behind Igor as a pass rusher? I know Canty paved alot of holes for Ware from watching the Cowboys a fair amount, but I don't know if Igor was able to do the same for whoever.

Well, if we feel he'll be motivated, sure, I guess.

Shawn Phillips.

I think if we strike out on Igor. Ted will be in a full court press in the draft trading like a mad man.

Olshansky could be a better fit for us than Canty if he's playing up to his ability. He's a much more stout run stopper, which is what we need opposite Jenkins (who is pretty good, but not great). I think he'd be a great 1st and 2nd down guy and then on 3rd we can either let Kampman stick his hand in the dirt or put somebody else in there for pass rushing purposes.

Also, I'll admit that I see only a limited number of Chargers games, but Igor always played with some attitude in the games I watched, which I appreciated.

My friend, who watches every Bolts game, didn't say anything about an attitude problem.

I don't remember where I read it (it was earlier today, maybe yesterday), but some article I was reading said he was 'not a threat rushing the passer.' Honestly, who cares. He's a 34DE. What matters is if he can pave the way for the OLB that's standing up behind him.

I think bringing in some 3-4 starting piece during FA is a good idea, which is why I liked the idea of Canty. Give us one less thing that "urgently" needs to be addressed in this draft. If Igor worked out, that'd be fine with me. I'd give him a shot. But I will say that I like the idea proposed in the draft thread entertaining the idea of trading down, and picking up Tyson Jackson or Jarron Gilbert with one of the added picks. With the OLB depth, as DB has pointed out over and over again, and no real super-elite talent available to us at 9 (IMO), we may be able to kill two birds with one stone going that route, without feeling like we did so while sacrificing the next DeMarcus Ware.

I guess I'd feel comfortable going either way. If they feel that Igor could work out for us, then I'm cool with them taking a shot with him. For the record, I know a few people who follow the Chargers, and none of them have ever mentioned attitude problems re: Igor. Granted, I also didn't ask them about it specifically. The two years prior to this year, I remember hearing really good things about him.

As many of you know I live in SD. Igor was highly effective & praised his previous year to last. Last season Merriman went down - smith let donnie edwards (leading tackler) go, etc. and D collapsed. Igor did not play well but did not suck. When D Coor changed things got better. No one can really nail what failed exactly. I sense Igor got caught in overall malaise and can bounce back. Never had attitude issues. soild locker room guy and hard worker.

aaprigs311 wrote:

eagle13 wrote:I feel TT will land Igor and he will play more like his good year.

Also sign Tank Johnson away from Dallas for NT depth & draft DE in 3rd and we're OK.

Tank Johnson isn't big enough to play NT.

Cowboys played 3-4 last year. Tank played NT.

Vonnie Holliday is getting let go by Miami and he played DE in a 3-4 down there. He'd probably only be a 1-2 year stopgap, but he has the size and knows the system, we need bodies up front.

Would be cool if we signed both Igor and Holliday.

The Cowboys have signed Igor.