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When Ron Wolf was working, he seemed to place greater emphasis in the evaluation process on actually watching players from the sidelines.

Each summer, the retired general manager has spent several days as an on-field visitor at the training camp of the Green Bay Packers. He has taken mental notes on players, and few have made a more lasting impression on him this decade than Greg Jennings.

"I like Jennings. A lot," Wolf said last week. "He's as gifted a receiver as I've ever seen in a Packers uniform. That includes a really great receiver in Sterling Sharpe. He just has a chance to be in that rare air. But he's got to do it, and he hasn't done it yet."

"Aaron Rodgers has weapons, there's no question about that, but he also took a beating at the beginning of the year," Wolf said. "People tend to forget that now.

"He's got a tight end who is on the verge. Donald Driver is an amazing story and an amazing football player, how a guy that size can survive all those years doing his work basically in the middle of the field. And if Jennings takes advantage of his God-given talent, he could be the best receiver ever to wear green and gold."

The offensive line was charged with 30½ of the team's 56 sacks in 17 games, the most since the Super Bowl-winning squad of 1996 was responsible for 33 of 47 sacks in 19 games. The unit gave up 22 in 2008 with Rodgers at quarterback, and 12 in '07, 12½ in '06, 17½ in '05, nine in '04, five in '03, 14 in '02, 11 in '01 and 20 in '00 with Brett Favre at quarterback.

Rodgers allowed 16½ sacks (12 full sacks, nine half sacks), seven more than last year. In the first eight seasons of the decade, Favre gave up 38½ sacks, or 4.8 per season.

Daryn Colledge was next in sacks allowed with 7½, including four as a fill-in at left tackle. He was followed by Allen Barbre (5), T.J. Lang (5), Chad Clifton (4½), Josh Sitton (3), Mark Tauscher (3), Scott Wells (1½), Korey Hall (1½), Ryan Grant (1), Donald Lee (1) and Jason Spitz (1). A total of 5½ sacks weren't assigned individual blame.

The Packers ranked 29th in percentage of sacks allowed, their worst finish since ranking 27th in a 28-team league in 1990. They were 18th in 2008 and third in coach Mike McCarthy's first two seasons. In fact, the Packers ranked in the top 10 from 1997-'07.

Colledge, with 40½, led the line in "pressures" allowed. A "pressure" is defined as a sack, knockdown or hurry. Colledge's previous highs were 19 in 2006 and '08.

Following Colledge in "pressures" given up by linemen were Barbre (26½), Tauscher (18½), Sitton (18), Clifton (17), Lang (17), Wells (10½), Spitz (3½) and Evan Dietrich-Smith (1½). The line yielded 153 "pressures," up from 110 in 2008, 110½ in '07 and 96½ in '06. The knockdown total of 63 was the highest since '97.

By subjective count, the Packers allowed 104 "bad" runs in 458 carries (22.7%), down from 111 in 437 carries (25.4%) last year. A "bad" run is defined as a gain for 1 yard or less, excluding goal-line, short-yardage or kneel-down plays.

Colledge allowed the most "bad" runs with 18½, followed by Wells (11½ ); Sitton (11); Clifton (9); Tauscher (8); Spitz (5); Barbre (4½); Lang (1½); and Dietrich-Smith (1).

The wide receivers dropped 28 of 343 targeted passes in 17 games for a drop rate of 8.2%, their worst of the decade. The rate was twice that of McCarthy's first season of 2006 (4.1%) and an increase from 5.6% in 2007 and 6.7% in '08.

Jennings had the best hands of the group, dropping six of 128 passes (4.69%). It was the lowest drop rate of his career. Driver dropped 11 (of 117) passes, the most by a Green Bay player since Antonio Freeman dropped 12 in 1997. His drop rate of 9.4% was the poorest of his career as a starter. His best drop rate was 1.49% in 2007.

James Jones dropped eight of 67 passes for 11.9%, but even that was an improvement from a year ago when he dropped four of 29 (13.8%). Jordy Nelson, who dropped just one of 53 as a rookie, dropped three of 30 (10%) this year.

At tight end, Jermichael Finley dropped four of 80 (5%), Lee dropped eight of 55 (14.6%) and Havner dropped one of 13 (7.7%).

At running back, Grant dropped three of 33 (9.1%) and Brandon Jackson dropped two of 28 (7.1%).

Matthews blossomed into the team's top rusher after becoming a starter in Week 4 and having Kampman go down with a season-ending knee injury in Week 10. Matthews finished with 45½ "pressures," including 11 sacks, 16 knockdowns and 18½ hurries.

Matthews' total was less than Kampman's team-leading totals of 55, 58½ and 49 in the past three seasons. However, it was more than the team-leading total from 2005 to 1998, when the Journal Sentinel began recording this statistic.

Kampman, who finished third with 25½ "pressures," was on pace for 43½. Jenkins was third with a career-high 39.

Following, in order, were Jones (15), Barnett (15), Jolly (12), Woodson (6½), Williams (6½), Chillar (6), Michael Montgomery (4½), Pickett (4), Hawk (3) and B.J. Raji (3).

Jenkins led the defensive line in "pressures" per snap. Playing 795 snaps, he registered a pressure every 20.4 snaps. Last year, he had one every 11.6 snaps.

Following Jenkins among defensive linemen were Jolly, one "pressure" every 69.6 snaps; Pickett, one every 89; and Raji, one every 128.3.

Defensive coordinator Dom Capers blitzed five or more on 27% of passes, an increase from 19.9% last season under Bob Sanders. However, Sanders rushed six or more on 6.7% of drop backs compared to 4.5% for Capers. In all, Capers blitzed inside linebackers 280 times, cornerbacks 100 times and safeties 35 times.

The most effective rusher among inside linebackers and defensive backs with 15 or more blitz attempts was Williams, who had 6½ "pressures" in 16 tries. He was followed by Barnett, 15 in 116 blitzes; Bush, two in 16; Bigby, two in 17; Woodson, 6½ in 57; Chillar, six in 72; Collins, one in 16; Bishop, one in 22; and Hawk, three in 70.