Chillar vs Jones for ROLB?

[Marley2Hendrix]

http://www.espnmilwaukee.com/includes/n ... um=twitter

I'll admit that when Chillar was first 'filling in' at ROLB and it was being downplayed I was a bit suspicious, but I like the move. Competition is always a plus, and heck, even though I'm a big fan of Jones, I think chillar has more than a puncher's chance at the position

[Newz]

Works for me.

I think Chillar has all the tools to be good at the ROLB. He seems like he is a pretty damn good passer rusher from the LB spots in general.

[Aaron It Out]

I just want the better player to start. This is the year where you throw salaries, potential, anything else besides current on field talent out the window. If Chillar gives us a better chance to win starting than Jones does, then I'm all for it.

[ReasonablySober]

I just want the better player to start. This is the year where you throw salaries, potential, anything else besides current on field talent out the window. If Chillar gives us a better chance to win starting than Jones does, then I'm all for it.

Good post. Agreed. I like Jones, but if he gets beat out he gets beat out.

[Marley2Hendrix]

Works for me.

I think Chillar has all the tools to be good at the ROLB. He seems like he is a pretty damn good passer rusher from the LB spots in general.

that's what it has sounded like from the past few days, but really, despite memories of a few horrendously blown coverages when he was masquerading as a pseudo-safety, coming from the rams chillar's had a bit of a good rep for coverage. May the best man win, but in somewhat of a surprise twist from the beginning of the off season, I think Chillar takes it.

[ReasonablySober]

Maybe Chillar (in his 7th season) needs to be added to the breakout player list. I think whomever is playing opposite Clay is going to have the chance to put up double digit sacks. If Chillar picks up the calls and the technique he's certainly athletic enough to handle it.

[MickeyDavis]

Exactly. Big Play Clay will get all the attention, leaving many opportunities on the other side. Whoever it is better step up.

[LarryHarris]

Wish we would have drafted someone to fill this spot. That said, I'll take Chillar.

[eagle13]

wonder why coaches waited so long to try chill outside?
failed to try this during OTA's? didn't even occur to them

shades of not trying Lang at RT in last year's camp

seems coaches are a little slow re: personnel adjustments

[Marley2Hendrix]

although Bishop is still giving up big plays in camp, I think it could largely be to help unclog the ilbs

[xTitan]

This has absolutely nothing to do with the ILB's, this is all about huge holes at starting and reserve OLB's...here is my big problem, you are taking Matthews out of the position he starred at last season, possibly weakening two positions because you never addressed the urgent need of starting OLB. I like Chillar's athleticism but weighing in at only 235 is a concern, good tackles can manhandle him, Chillar came into the league fast and at 250+, curious as to why he has dropped so much weight. I always like Brad Jones as the back-up for both OLB spots, can live with that, been hearing Poppinga may be in the doghouse and on the way out, that would be good because he sux.

[Ill-yasova]

Green bat Press Gazzette

Thumbs Up

Those who wanted to pooh-pooh Brandon Chillar’s switch to outside linebacker as just a stop-gap move while starter Brad Jones was out because of a back injury look a bit silly now.

Jones was full go for practice on Thursday after injuring his back in the first practice of camp, but he didn’t have his starting job back. He worked with the second group.

That’s because the Packers have liked what they’ve seen from the outside backer combination of Chillar on the right side and Clay Matthews on the left in both the base and nickel packages, and Chillar turned in a near dominant performance under the lights on Thursday evening.

It began during a blitz period in which Chillar recorded sacks (or near sacks because hitting the quarterback is not allowed) on three of the first six plays.

Chillar didn’t take any one-on-one pass rushing reps, but in a combination blocking drill, he smoked rookie left tackle Bryan Bulaga on a stunt that would have yielded a sack or a pressure.

Then, during another team period he showed off his coverage skills by dropping and preventing Aaron Rodgers from throwing a deep cross to a tight end. That forced Rodgers to scramble.

Finally, during one of the last team periods of the night, Chillar, who was moving around and rushing from different sides, beat right tackle Mark Tauscher for a pressure of Rodgers, who had to get rid of the ball prematurely.

[RiotPunch]

I am all for Chillar starting opposite Matthews. He is a pretty relentless pass rusher, not awful in coverage either. I do like Jones though as well.

[jimmybones]

I like both guys and I agree that the better one should start. I think the staff is trying to push Jones and I like it, but if Chil wins the spot then so be it. Im pretty sure both will contribute throughout the year regardless.

I wonder why they immediately put Chillar on the right side though instead of trying him at left and leaving Matthews in the spot he's had success in. I'd love to move him around at times but if it's a permanent switch I find that kinda weird after Clay already proved he's a stud on the other side.

[chuckleslove]

From what I heard the Packers wanted Clay on the left from the start but as a rookie they put him on the right because he was left handed so it was a little more natural for him.

I really don't know for sure what their reasoning is or what impact it will have but that is just what I had heard Honestly don't even remember who I heard it from.

[eagle13]

I heard that they wanted more size on the strong side. As much as TEs move around these days - not sure it matters much.

[Reddeye]

“You’re putting your best athletes on the field. That’s what you want to do as a defense,” said Matthews, who played in the Pro Bowl after registering 10 sacks as a rookie last season. “And I think Chillar brings a different aspect. He’s not your prototype outside linebacker, but we’ve seen the guy hurdle a running back and sack the quarterback. I think that speaks volumes for his athleticism. That’s what we need out of an outside linebacker. It’s not just a big guy, it’s a guy who can do much more than just rush the passer, whether it be drop into coverage, hold the edge, blitz underneath, so on and so forth.

“He’s such a great athlete that we need to get him in there more than just playing nickel. We’ll see where it goes.”

The benefit for Matthews would be that opposing offenses won’t know where he might line up. The Cardinals, for example, made it a priority to keep Matthews from beating them, and while he did sack quarterback Kurt Warner in the playoff loss, it was the Packers’ only sack. That’s why the team is looking to generate more pressure from elsewhere so it isn’t as Matthews-dependent.

“Clay is a featured rusher in our defense and (the goal is to) create as many targeting problems or identifying issues for the offense as we can,” coach Mike McCarthy said. “Clay, he’s a premier player for us. Our linebacker group is talented, and we’re trying to find as many different ways to play those guys as we possibly can.”

Asked if he felt comfortable on the left side, Matthews replied, “I’d like to continue to keep doing both sides; it just makes me more versatile. It’s a little different, but it will come real fast. Obviously I’m used to this and that, but you just reverse it now. There’s going to be a couple hiccups here and there, but for the most part I felt comfortable and felt good.

“If I continue to move around, hopefully it presents some problems and we can capitalize on some mismatches or what-not."