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PACKERS PROJECTED STARTERS – DEFENSE<br />
LDE Ryan Pickett, 12th Year, Ohio State, UFA-06 (StL)<br />
Has played in 178 of a possible 192 regular-season games during his<br />
career, missing just nine contests due to injury.<br />
Was the only Green Bay defensive lineman to start all 16 games this<br />
season and led the line with 75 tackles (27 solo)<br />
Key <strong>com</strong>ponent of Packers’ No. 1-ranked rushing defense in 2009<br />
(franchise-record 83.3 yards allowed per game), the first time in team<br />
history that Green Bay led the league in that category.<br />
Signed with Green Bay as an unrestricted free agent in 2006 after spending<br />
five seasons with St. Louis (2001-05). Led all <strong>NFL</strong> defensive linemen<br />
with 115 tackles in 2005.<br />
NT B.J. Raji, 4th Year, Boston College, D1a-09<br />
Earned his first bid to the Pro Bowl in 2011, be<strong>com</strong>ing the first Green<br />
Bay defensive tackle since Bob Brown in 1972 to be voted to the all-star<br />
team.<br />
Has played in 51 games since 2010 (including playoffs), tied for the fifth<br />
most in the <strong>NFL</strong> by a defensive lineman over that span.<br />
Led all <strong>NFL</strong> nose tackles with 6½ sacks in 2010, the third most recorded<br />
by a nose tackle since 1990 (according to STATS LLC).<br />
Named to the Pro Football Weekly/PFWA All-Rookie team in 2009,<br />
the first Green Bay defensive lineman to be selected since DE Vonnie<br />
Holliday in 1998.<br />
RDE C.J. Wilson, 3rd Year, East Carolina, D7-10<br />
Has played in 42 games with 11 starts during his three seasons in Green<br />
Bay. Had 37 tackles (18 solo) and a career-high 2.5 sacks this season.<br />
Played in all 16 games in 2011 with two starts as he registered a careerhigh<br />
35 tackles (21 solo).<br />
Appeared in 15 regular-season games and all four playoff contests as a<br />
rookie in 2010, starting Super Bowl XLV vs. Pittsburgh with the defense<br />
employing a fourth lineman as part of its “Hippo” package.<br />
Named the Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year by Sporting<br />
News each of his final two seasons at East Carolina.<br />
LOLB Erik Walden, 5th Year, Middle Tennessee State, FA-10<br />
Has played in 68 career games with 26 starts, including 40 games and<br />
26 starts with Green Bay. Ranked No. 5 on the team with 69 tackles (38<br />
solo) this season, along with three sacks, which matched his career high,<br />
and a career-best two INTs.<br />
Became a full-time starter for the first time in his career in 2011, opening<br />
the first 15 games at ROLB and setting or tying his career highs in every<br />
major statistical category.<br />
Signed by the Packers as a free agent on Oct. 27, 2010, and went on to<br />
appear in nine games with two starts along with another three starts in<br />
the postseason.<br />
Originally a sixth-round draft choice by the Dallas Cowboys in 2008, he<br />
played in a total of 28 games for Kansas City and Miami from 2008-10.<br />
BLB A.J. Hawk, 7th Year, Ohio State, D1-06<br />
Has either led the team or finished second in tackles in six of his seven<br />
seasons in Green Bay. Led the team with 142 tackles (105 solo) in 2012.<br />
Has appeared in 110 of a possible 112 regular-season games in his<br />
career, starting 107 of them.<br />
Tied for No. 1 among <strong>NFL</strong> linebackers in 2010 with a career-high three<br />
interceptions. Earned first career Pro Bowl selection in 2010.<br />
Has posted 872 tackles (622 solo), 13½ sacks, eight interceptions, 34<br />
passes defensed, two forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries during<br />
his career.<br />
MLB Brad Jones, 4th Year, Colorado, D7-09<br />
Came on in relief of D.J. Smith, who sustained a season-ending knee<br />
injury in Week 6 at Houston, and made his first career start on the inside<br />
(13 starts at OLB) at St. Louis in Week 7. Registered 99 tackles (69<br />
solo), two sacks and a forced fumble in his 10 starts this season.<br />
Became a core member on special teams in 2011, appearing in a careerhigh<br />
15 games and recording a career-best 11 coverage tackles.<br />
Worked at OLB for his first three seasons, including his rookie campaign<br />
of 2009 that saw him start seven games and register a career-high four<br />
sacks.<br />
Began working at inside linebacker during 2012 training camp.<br />
ROLB Clay Matthews, 4th Year, Southern California, D1b-09<br />
Ranked No. 5 in the league with 13.0 sacks this season, despite missing<br />
four games due to a hamstring injury.<br />
Became the first Packer to earn Pro Bowl recognition in each of his first<br />
four seasons in the <strong>NFL</strong> (2009-12).<br />
Is the only player in franchise history to score a defensive TD (interception<br />
or fumble return) in each of his first three seasons in the <strong>NFL</strong> (2009-11).<br />
Named first-team All-Pro by <strong>The</strong> Associated Press in 2010, the first<br />
Green Bay LB to earn that honor since Tim Harris in 1989. Finished<br />
second to Pittsburgh safety Troy Polamalu in the AP’s Defensive Player<br />
of the Year voting.<br />
LCB Tramon Williams, 6th Year, Louisiana Tech, FA-06<br />
Is tied for No. 2 in the league in interceptions (15) and ranks No. 2 in the<br />
<strong>NFL</strong> in INT return yards (296) since 2010 (including playoffs).<br />
Ranked No. 2 on the team with 22 passes defensed this season.<br />
Despite suffering a shoulder injury in the 2011 season opener, went on<br />
to start 15 games last season and post career highs for tackles (65) and<br />
passes defensed (24). Also added four interceptions.<br />
With three interceptions during the 2010 playoffs, tied Joe Laws (1944)<br />
and Craig Newsome (1996) for the franchise single-postseason record.<br />
Is the only non-drafted free agent in the <strong>NFL</strong> to post four or more interceptions<br />
each of the past four seasons (2008-11).<br />
RCB Sam Shields, 3rd Year, Miami, FA-10<br />
Was limited to 10 games with eight starts this season due to injury, but<br />
registered 38 tackles (28 solo), three interceptions, 15 passes defensed<br />
(No. 3 on the team) and a sack.<br />
Made an impact in 2010 after making the team as a non-drafted rookie,<br />
earning the nickel CB job despite playing the position only one season<br />
in college.<br />
In Green Bay’s NFC Championship win over Chicago in the 2010 season,<br />
became the first rookie in <strong>NFL</strong> history to record two INTs and a sack in<br />
a postseason contest.<br />
Played primarily wide receiver and special teams during his first three<br />
seasons at Miami.<br />
SS Morgan Burnett, 3rd Year, Georgia Tech, D3-10<br />
Ranked No. 2 on the team with a career-high 137 tackles (95 solo) and<br />
was the only player on the club with a sack (two), an interception (two),<br />
a fumble recovery and a forced fumble this season.<br />
Enjoyed his first full season as a pro in 2011, joining NT B.J. Raji as<br />
the only two Green Bay defensive players to start all 16 regular-season<br />
games.<br />
In 2010, became only the second Packers rookie to open the season as<br />
a starter at safety since Chuck Cecil in 1988, joining then-teammate and<br />
three-time Pro Bowl selection Nick Collins (2005).<br />
Started the first four games of the 2010 season at SS before sustaining<br />
a season-ending knee injury vs. Detroit in Week 4.<br />
FS M.D. Jennings, 2nd Year, Arkansas State, FA-11<br />
Played in all 16 games with 10 starts this season and recorded 46 tackles<br />
(41 solo), an interception that he returned 72 yards for a TD, and<br />
five passes defensed.<br />
One of three non-drafted rookies to make Green Bay’s opening-day<br />
roster in 2011.<br />
Tied for second among Packers rookies in 2011 by appearing in 15<br />
games in his first season, be<strong>com</strong>ing a regular on special teams and<br />
recording nine tackles on the coverage units.<br />
A three-year starter at Arkansas State, he earned first-team All-Sun<br />
Belt recognition as a senior in 2010 when he set or tied career highs in<br />
almost every statistical category.<br />
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