Nice round up Gil. Personally feel no problem with our TE"s. A Rod has issues throwing checkdowns and to TE's in general, and I hope that changes now that Tae will get doubled up. I like the 3 TE's and Lovett. Do wish we had Josiah D, but injuries happen.
Our D-line needs the improvements the most. Keke, Adams and Lowry need to pull their weight as the saying goes. And my second big concern would be the linebackers. The middle of the field is the QB of the D...but our front seven in general needs to step up. Lastly, our wide outs need to get seperation, find the soft spots and concentrate on catching the ball first. The O-line is shining but for the bucs game. GPG

I've given up on Savage. can't tackle, always out of position. Preston Smith should not have to drop back. Turn him loose.

Gil I agree with all points , its interesting that most of the players not playing up to their potential are defensive players , coaching possibly ?

Historically, Clark comes on strong with 6-8 games left in the regular season, averaging close to a sack a game. Need it this year.

History has been earmarked for rewrite to fit a narrative that erases the previous version and adapted to what is desired to be a new truth.

Sternberger has no NFL history to rewrite, but his can easily be written to fit a desire more than truth. So let's allow truth to become clearer.

Kirksey has a history and enough of it has been written, and subsequently his first season in GB has proven that his history is true, and any rewrite with expected change in narrative will be as false as the reasons for his signing in the first place.

Savage is an 'open' history book and apparently has been read by opponents well since last season. Rewriting his history may be more effort than worth attempting.

Clark has a wonderful history, and while his injury can be the reason for his failure to relive it, the food for thought may be a slight case of new contract-itis, a disease that often strikes the newly young and rich with falls from grace worthy of historic recording, premature, and may create an equally historic denial (not undeniable).

Preston has history based more on last seasons play which set a bar far above any reasonable expectations in GB and previous before his arrival. Pettines' playbook and use of him this season likely has a hand in this short and quick rewrite to the wrong side, but if his return or second half rewrite is based on Kirksey, put the pen and ink aside, Kirksey can't help rewrite his own, as he'll likely repeat his sooner than later, in the second half of the season.

Last seasons stats are fodder for the next seasons hype of team and individual player. The percentage who repeat their written history are few based on number of league wide players. The average and below repeat at an extremely high rate and can/should be counted on to do such, and any deviation is likely an anomaly that shouldn't be written into future expectations.

Gil, with the exception of Kenny Clark you possibly could have titled this piece "5 Packers who had darn well better have a better second half of the season".

To my mind Kirksey is almost definitely a cap-casualty in waiting ($6M is cap saving). Martin and Barnes are playing solid-to-better in this space so things don't look great for Christian unless he comes out and plays as Devin White or Fred Warner incarnate. Preston Smith is another one on this precipice - with Gary making small but incremental increases in his game.

Perhaps if you did an article named "5 Packers who had darn well better have a better second half of the season" the list would be as follows (in no particular order). Josh Jackson, Dean Lowry, MVS, ESB, Montravius Adams.

I will say though, despite the fact that in the last game it was against the depleted 49-ers.... and the LT Skule was doing his best Don Barclay impersonation...... the hustle by the DL and OLB's not named Z. Smith was evident. Looking forward to the Indy game. They have a good O-line and this will be a decent test of their willingness to pressure.

I think Raven Greene will have a better second half of the season. He seems to be limited in his participation, but when the guy is on the field he tends to make an impact. If we can just get him on the field more while keeping him injury free.

Good take Gil

Kirksey should settle in and with the ascension of Barnes & Martin the Packers should have a nice ILB trio rotation moving forward.

Sternberger has had some tough breaks in his 1 1/2 seasons. When healthy you can see the talent, the duo of he and Tonyan has shown talent for sure.

Clark seems to start slowly and crescendo towards the end of the season, plus he has been dinged a bit.
No worries with big Kenny, he be good.

Let’s not give up on Savage too early, Nick Collins took at least 2 years to come on. Savage has all the tools to be great but needs some maturity. He bounces off way too many tackles and needs to learn to wrap up. I still believe he’s going to be a good one.

Preston Smith has not been the same this season. I assume he is playing more of a Fackrell role in the defense and probably doesn’t like it. Pettine needs to turn him loose and forget the coverage stuff, that’s not what the Packers are paying him the big bucks for.

I am looking forward to seeing this team peak in the seasons second half and beyond.

That is all...

In order:
Sternberger has taken a back seat to Tonyan. If he can improve his blocking, he should provide the Packers with a good one-two TE punch. Will he improve the second half? If Rodgers decides to throw to him, yes; if he decides to look for Adams and then glance around for someone else, probably not.

Kirksey was a mistake. The team thought they needed someone to replace Martinez, not realizing they had two guys already on the roster who were better than they thought. As other have noted, Kirksey is as good as gone.

Is Savage having a sophomore slump, or is he showing he was a one year phenom? Too early to get rid of him; instead, have the coaches work with him to maximize his potential, whatever it may be.

So, Clark had a Pro Bowl season during his contract year, and has regressed since signing for the big bucks? That is one way to look at the situation. The other is that he is surrounded by JAG's on the DL, that other teams are focusing on stopping him because the know no one else is a threat, and the team needs to get him some help.

Preston Smith had a career year last season. He won't be that good again. Cutting him would be mean no savings on the cap- he'd be at $8 million cap savings/$8 million dead money next season. So, they might as well keep him around, unless they can find someone better to replace him. He has a chance to make a case for keeping him around, but that would mean doing things he doesn't seem to want to do, like taking on bigger guys so the RB can't get loose around his end for big gains.

Since Gute did nothing at the trade deadline for the second year in a row on offense or defense. The current players will have more opportunity which is exactly what Sternberger needs, a lot more throws his way. Even Tonyan for that matter. I don't know about Kirksey he could pick up his game as these rooks are playing better. Savage, just has not shown me anything he should be a starting safety on the team. I think he was rushed into play too soon and has not had to earn his starting spot. Clark has a lot of room to increase his play this year as not much to talk about yet. He definitely needs upgrades around him so he can shine. I feel bad we have not done that for our defense as a whole. Preston didn't seem to show up for this season in shape. He seemed 15-20 lbs. overweight and Pettine has done his usual taking what a defender does well at and giving him something he does not excel at just like Savage and Amos. I believe all these players will play better as players around them play better themselves and competition level increases and we edge closer to the playoffs. I would not mind signing another vet to the secondary for the end game run.

Clarks numbers / production is really concerning. I know he was injured and missed some time but he is on pace to earn basically 1 million dollars per tackle. That is not good value. Momtravious barely played and has 1 less tackle on the year but two tackles for loss. When I watch games I don’t ever notice Clark anymore, he isn’t highlighted taking on double teams nor making highlight plays. He is basically Momtravious Adams this year except not as good based on Adams production on less snaps. Clark to me needs o step it up.

I do agree, as someone posted earlier he is surrounded by Jags. Lowery and Lancaster shouldn’t be on an nfl roster let alone starters. But Clark had those same duds next to him last year and was far better.

IF you watch the tape - our tightends are open a lot and AR usually will throw it to Adams - or even overthrow it to Adams - happened in the San Fran game. In the Houston game Adams and MVS were open on a 4th down and AR threw it to Tonyon to get the first which was probably the smart play. But when we were humming without Adams we were using the TE's. Now Stearnbergers blocking has been poor especially on those end arounds and receiver screens and he has taken holding penalties but so has Lewis. I would like to see AR do the perfect game against the Jags by using the TE's and hit them in stride - he has missed Tonyon a couple of times when he would have taken it to the house. If we get those guys producing like Kelce and Kittle - then it will open up even more Adams.
Preston had a good game against a hurting team - I still think that he is not really into the mental and physical shape ( I too think he is carrying too much weight ) needed this year. I am and have been for quite awhile mortified with our poor tackling. We seldom one on one stuff somebody especially with out Dbacks in the flat. Our linebackers dont jump into the hole and stop someone cold regularly and I doubt whether Kirksey will do it. What is really killing us this year is the lack of pressure - pressure leads to turnovers and leads to stopping 3rd down conversions - we seldom get many 3 and outs. Those 3 and ou ts helps us eat up the clock. The best example was the first half of our first game with the Vikes.
Finally the big guy in the middle needs to earn his big payday - I can see why he is a little slow after the groin - but he needs to be the disruptor in the middle - too often
I dont know what Mckinnely's issues are but maybe he might be a good pick up and rotational player to keep the linebackers fresh.

Jaire is definitely the defensive MVP, he is the best corner in the league right now

I would like to see him held out against Jacksonville even if he clears the concussion protocal.......we can easily beat the Jaguars without him and he is simply too vital to this team to risk another concussion so soon after his previous concussion.....

Also what is people's issue with Kenny Clark?? Like he is in a slump?? There is nothing wrong with him turn on the tape.
Yes Clatk gets double teamed and teams run away from him.....that has always been the case.....

4 out of 5 on this list play on defense.....makes me think the defensive problem has more to do with the "Jimmy and Joe's" and not the "X's and O's"......The others on this list, I still believe can step it up but Kirksley showed nothing prior to his injury...PFF even ranked him at the bottom of the NFL at his position earlier this season. He's not the answer and could be a liability down the stretch. Stay with Barnes and Martin. I'll take their dynamic playmaking abilities over the occassional rookie mistakes all day long . We have a hopeful future at the ILB position with those two.

On a separate note, MLF made a troubling statement after the Vikes loss that seemed to be ignored by the media. In his post game talk, he said this team needed to find a strong leader in the locker room and on the field. I am confident he's referring to finding that leader on the D unit. It's a scary thought that we're in Week 10 and the D is still looking for their leader bc noone has stepped up to take the reins? The Smith Bros, Kenny, Amos, Jaire(!).....it's extremely disappointing that none of these guys has assumed that leadership role. I really like this team and think, if the D can play up to their collective abilities, the Super Bowl is a reality.

But as a unit, this D must step it up, find a voice to lead them (Jaire?) and elevate themselves from being kind of good to being great.

I largely agree with the list, but I think there's more to it.
Scheme has been an issue for both Savage and Smith. I don't think their athletic ability is being used in the right way and it's entirely on Pettine for their failures.

Clark has been decent since he's been back, but is still getting back in shape and the injury affected him. No worries there.

Sternberger hasn't even played 15 games in his entire career and was ignored as a receiver for most of them. He blocked really well at the end of last year and I don't see much drop off this year from that (in fact, I'd say blocking by the offensive skill players is THE best in all of football, with he, Lewis, MVS, and Tonyan being the best).

Kirksey is done. He showed that he's not a good player and the young guys we have are better. They'll trot him out often enough for him to get hurt again or he will drop down the depth chart and be the guy who just gives the other guys a play or two off. He's a cap casualty for sure.

No Alan Lazard on this list???