Why do many fans have a negative perception of A.J Hawk?

TheGreatZepp · Joined: 27 Jan 2010 Posts: 2813 Location: Brookfield, WI

I've seen it posted and mentioned again and again, cut Hawk, draft an inside linebacker to replace Hawk, start Manning. Pretty much every option possible I've seen used as to ration out releasing Hawk. I entirely miss why Hawk should be replaced. He's damn good at what his position requires when he isn't getting asked to do too much. Knock him for his play last year but I should hope any poster who ever played on defense even if it was just pop warner should know what happens when the defensive line is getting dominated at the line of scrimmage. Hawk is a banger, he fills holes and fights through the garbage better then any other ILB on the roster active or IR. That is even when Hawk is nearly almost always the one who gets a lineman on him. He's to the linebackers what Ryan Pickett has been the last couple of years to the line. Not the big splash play guy, the fundamentally sound just good football player that sets up the defense for others. He's the type of guy a team like the Eagles are missing.

I like Hawk, he's a smart football player that sees the big picture. He does what he should to net the best result for the defense often at his statistical expense. His salary is high for what is really a two-down linebacker but in no way do I consider it unreasonable. I'd replace Bishop if forced a choice, just as much a liability as a splash player on the field. Yet Bishop seems to get only love by the majority of fans. It's Hawk that's out there not Bishop with the defense playing possibly the best short yardage defense(especially up the middle) it has since the switch to 3-4. Now that has as much to do with the defensive line as anyone but Hawk is arguably the key part of that run defense behind that line along with Matthews.

So I ask of the wise FF posters, why are there so many mixed views on A.J. Hawk. What did he do last year that was worse then then the other defenders out there on the field last year that are spared the dislike this year?
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chillparsi1 · Joined: 04 Oct 2005 Posts: 5658 Location: USC

I'm not on either side of the Hawk debate. But honestly I believe it's because he was picked #5.
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Stone65 with the sig!

vang_evo9 · Joined: 13 Aug 2011 Posts: 706 Location: Fresno, CA

Yea for me its because of #5 and IMO his salary is a bit high. I'd definitely not replace Bishop in place of him tho!

AlexGreen#20 · Joined: 13 Jun 2012 Posts: 878

1. Was picked 5th and has been a huge dissapointment for that spot.

2. Lack of splash plays while other ILBs are playmakers

3. Lack of physicality and getting dragged five yards/getting knocked around by FBs.

4. Really slow reaction time means he's only adequete in coverage.

5. Got paid, and many feel that he's overpaid a fair bit.

Kenrik · Joined: 15 Dec 2011 Posts: 182

He cut his hair

Hes not Te'o

His brother in law is Brady

Huge expectations being drafted at #5. Even though most top players drafted that year busted and/or are under performing.

gizmo2012 · Joined: 11 Mar 2007 Posts: 2345

People are complaining about AJ Hawk this year? I haven't seen it so am I missing something. Now I understand AJ has been a target in the past but I think most fans are extremely happy we at least have AJ Hawk on the field this year. He has been the most consistent LB on the team and I think most fans really appreciate it. I know I do.

Lambeauleaper61 · Joined: 30 Nov 2012 Posts: 5

He is over-paid IMO

He has always seemed to be afew steps late and then piles on

He has seemed to look stiff in the past,but lost weight and has played faster this year.

We could have had Patrick Willis in that draft down afew picks later and thats where Hawk doesn't measure up!

xDD80x · Joined: 28 Dec 2009 Posts: 936

Pugger · Joined: 01 May 2010 Posts: 4358 Location: N. Fort Myers, FL

AlexGreen#20 · Joined: 13 Jun 2012 Posts: 878

{Family Ghost} · Joined: 08 Jun 2010 Posts: 1026

It's mainly because of where he was picked and the money. Hawk is a solid player .. pretty much always has been that as a pro, but they pay him like he's an elite player at his position for some reason. That deal that they signed him to a few years ago was ridiculous baded on his lack of big time production. You want your players to play up to the level of their contracts. In this case we have to look past the contract and just be happy that we have a player who you can almost always count on to show up and turn in a decent performance.

MrBobGray · Joined: 08 Jan 2007 Posts: 1528

People are disappointed in Hawk because they still think of football as Madden, even when they're trying not too.

In his seven seasons in GB, Hawk has missed 2 games. His first 5 years he didn't miss a game, despite a badly torn groin in 2008 that greatly limited his ability to play.

In his seven seasons in GB, Hawk has played WLB, MLB, and ILB for Green Bay, as well as time in the nickle. I'm not sure if he's ever been the LB in dime. He has rarely been given the chance to pick a spot and stay in it. Additionally, in his two first seasons when he lined up at WLB (ie, the position he was drafted to play for GB) he had the following statlines:

2006: 119 tackles, 82 solo; 3.5 sacks, 6 PD, 2 INTs, 1 FF
2007: 105 tackles, 78 solo; 1 sack, 4 PD, 1 INT, 1 FF

in comparison, Chad Greenway for the Vikings had:

2006: DNP
2007: 105 tackles, 78 solo; 0 sacks, 4 PD, 2 INTs, 1 TD, 2 FF
2008: 115 tackles, 86 solo, 5.5 sacks, 5 PD, 0 INTs, 3 FF

and Lance Briggs, in his two best seasons statistically:

2006: 130 tackles, 109 solo; 1 sack, 8 PD, 2 INTs, 4 FF
2008: 110 tackles, 90 solo; 0.5 sacks, 10 PDs, 3 INTs, 1 FF

The point being here is that people give Hawk a lot of crap for not making splash plays, but when he was given the opportunity early on, he made a fair amount of them. He was third in voting for DROY that year, and honestly his statline is almost identical to the winner (DeMeco Ryans).

Since then, Hawk has been bounced around and expected to fill a multitude of different roles, and he's done it every year without missing a bit.

In 2008 he took over at MLB when Barnett went down with an injury despite having an injured groin. This was after we attempted to let Bishop play the position at MIN and he blew the game in coverage against C. Taylor.

In 2009 he bulked up to play the SILB in the 3-4, and coincidentally Nick Barnett coming back from surgery had one of his best years ever. What a coincidence.

In 2010 Desmond Bishop took over for an injured Nick Barnett, and had a monster year. Two years previous he had been terrible in the 4-3 at MLB, but suddenly following Hawk he had a Pro-Bowl year. Just like Barnett had had the year before.

In 2012, both Bishop and his back-up Smith go down. Brad Jones plays ILB for the first time at any level. The run defense is shockingly not horrible.

The point of all this being, it doesn't seem to matter who we put next to Hawk, they look good. When we put him in position to be the playmaker, instead of the guy who leads the way, he puts up stats comparable with the better players in the league. He's missed 2 games out of a possible 110, and played anywhere and everywhere we asked him. He played ST as recently as 2009, despite also being a starter, because we needed him too.

Hawk has not been a superstar, but there's a reason they signed him to that massive contract. He's the linebacker this team needs right now, but apparently not the one it deserves.

PackFan4Life · Joined: 05 Dec 2006 Posts: 3530 Location: De Pere, WI

Hawk is earning every bit of that salary. Good contract there that is fair market value. The only thing Hawk has not lived up to is the fans perception of what a #5 overall draft pick could be. I smirk a little bit when I read those arguments, because he could have a #5 overall bust as well. I will take Hawk and appreciate the fact he is core member of this defense that is making what he is worth on the team and was not a bust.

Everyone wants to hit a home run with every draft pick, especially that high. The trick is learning to appreciate a double because it is much better than a strike out.

AlexGreen#20 · Joined: 13 Jun 2012 Posts: 878

Polaris · Joined: 25 Dec 2006 Posts: 3030

I cannot speak for anybody else.

I coached football for a long time and I can tell you, just having a guy that you can count on to suit up is a big deal. It's a frustrating part of the job that week in and week out you've got guys that you'd like to have on the field but don't.

And that's why I like Hawk. He suits up. He knows his assignment. He keeps his nose clean off the field and doesn't do and say things that embarass the franchise.

People talk about Bishop, and DJ Smith, as being better than Hawk. Maybe, but not this year they aren't. I'd lots rather have Hawk in the lineup this Sunday than an injured Bishop or Smith.

If we ever have two ILBs who are better than Hawk and healthy enough to play, that'll be a good thing. But that hasn't been the case since before we drafted him, it isn't the case now, and I suspect it won't be the case next year.

Bishop is closing on 30 and just missed an entire season with significant leg problems. Smith hasn't shown he can start and finish a season. Hawk has, and that's why I expect the depth chart at the beginning of training camp to have Hawk as a starter. If he gets beat out, fine. But I wouldn't bet on it.