The running back position is widely held down by journeymen type backs like James Starks.  While he has played well, would they upgrade if given the chance?  The team is also missing defensive tackle John Jolly who is serving a prison sentence.

So what will the Packers do in the NFL Draft?

packattack2011  has put together an awesome mock draft of the Pack. Check it out below:

1	Packers		Thompson, Brandon DT from Clemson Packers need another effective DE to get some pass rush. Mike Neal was supposed to replace Cullen Jenkins but cant stay healthy. Its very possible that Thompson goes earlier.
2	Packers		Ball, Montee RB from Wisconsin If Montee Ball comes out this year, he could be a steal in the second round. One mock showed him at number 16 in round one so who knows?
3	Packers		Acho, Emmanuel OLB from Texas Packers bring in an effective pass rusher to pair with Matthews and take some double teams away from him.
4	Packers		Fletcher, Donnie CB from Boston College The Packers have a decent CB group but its unspectacular. Woodson is a Hall Of Famer for sure and williams is really good, but behind them the depth isnt there. Fletcher could come in and challenge Shields for the 3rd CB spot.
5	Packers		Iloka, George S from Boise State Nick Collins neck injury could possibly be career-ending so they need some depth. Only undrafted FA MD Jennings is on the roster as a backup
6	Packers		McCants, Matt OT from UAB Packers love their linemen and why wouldnt they? They have All-Universe quarterback Aaron Rodgers and its in the best interest to keep him healthy
7	Packers		Burkett, Ben C from Northwestern The Packers are in contract talks with unsung hero C Scott Wells and they arent going well. I foresee undrafted rookie Sampson Genus being a starter at some point, but they will still need a backup if Wells flees

On defense, veteran Charles Woodson led the way along with draft picks Clay Matthews and B.J. Raji. The emergence of young corners Tramon Williams and Sam Shields was also a very nice surprise for the defense as well.

The Packers work the draft exactly as it is intended to work. They simply draft young talent, develop it, and solidify their weaknesses through their ability to find talented players each and every year. It shows you that missing on draft picks (looking at you Josh McDaniels) will cost you a Lombardi, or two, or three.

packattack2011 put together this thoughts on what the Packers will do in the 2012 NFL Draft.

Check out the mock below:

First and foremost, this piece is totally my opinion only. You should not under any circumstance bet or gamble using my opinion. This is for entertainment only.

In the first edition of “In It To Win It” I gave you guys my AFC and NFC Championship game picks.  In that article, I predicted that the Chicago Bears would roll past the Packers and meet the Pittsburgh Steelers in Superbowl 45.

Well… I was halfway right. The Bears failed to win a game they should of absolutely took in the second half (no thanks to you Jay Cutler) and the Steelers fended off the Jets 4th quarter attack.  They also covered the oh-so-important spread of 3.5 points.

Let’s take a look at this year’s championship.

Super Bowl 45: Pittsburgh (+2.5) at Green Bay (-2.5)

The first thought that comes to my mind as I see this line is WHY is Pittsburgh a 2.5 point underdog?  There is something that has to be said for experience.  The Steelers have been here twice before with largely the same supporting cast around Ben and won on this stage twice.  One could even argue that they have significantly upgraded at WR and RB since the last time we saw them in a Superbowl (Superbowl XL).

Anyways, on the field I do think that the Packers can find some success throwing the ball.  Ryan Clark and Troy Polamalu are not the best pass defenders in the world, and can be vulnerable at times.  The Packers don’t have much of a running game so this plays right into their favor.  If Woodley and Harrison cannot contain Rodgers this is going to be a long day for the Steelers.

On the other end, the Packers come into the game with one of the best pass rushes in the game.  But like I said in the previous installment of this series, if you can neutralize the rush then you can find some success against them.  Tramon Williams and Sam Shields are growing into a formidable duo right in front of our eyes but they have not played on this stage before.  Roethlisberger and Hines Ward are veterans and will find ways to get the ball down field on the young Packers CBs.  Not to mention that the Steelers young WR corps are growing up as well, and will put a lot of pressure on them especially on third down.

In the end, I do expect this to be a close game. The difference in this game is going to be Rashard Mendenhall.  If he can get some tough yards and keep the chains moving the way he did against the Jets in the first quarter the Packers will lose this game.  The best way to neutralize any quarterback is to keep him on the sideline.

I predicted before the season that the Steelers would win this year’s Super Bowl and I am not going to waiver from that pick now.  The Steelers win this behind the legs of Rashard Mendenhall, who is also the MVP of this game with 140 combined yards and 2 touchdowns. (Make sure you lay that prop on Mendenhall as MVP too).

Final Score: Steelers 27, Packers 23