Thursday, June 13, 2002

ProFootballWeekly.com asks personnel expert Joel Buchsbaum for his thoughts on the hottest topics in football. 

Packers solidify defense with LB Nickerson

The Packers signed five-time Pro Bowl linebacker Hardy Nickerson to a contract on Wednesday. The 15-year veteran became available after being released by the Jaguars June 3 in a salary-cap-saving move. At 36, Nickerson amassed a career-high and club-record 230 tackles for the Jaguars in 2001 while playing in 15 games, including 14 starts.

Buchsbaum: Nickerson’s No. 1 goal is to get into the Super Bowl next year. He had two choices of teams, and both teams have a definite shot at going there — the Eagles and the Packers. But in the long run, he decided on Green Bay, and money wasn’t the factor that decided it. In fact, Philadelphia probably could have afforded to pay him more. The difference was that he felt a little bit more positive about the Packers, and he was staying in the same division he once played in with Tampa Bay. Nickerson is a real student of the game, and he’s faced every team in his division twice a year for a number of years now, knowing virtually every player he faces. If he were to go into the NFC East, he would be facing some teams that he hasn’t seen very often like the Giants and Cowboys. And the team in that division that he has actually faced the most is the team he was looking at joining, the Eagles.

Brockermeyer beefs up Broncos’ offensive line

Former Bears OT Blake Brockermeyer has reached an agreement with the Broncos on a seven-year contract. Brockermeyer, 29, is recovering from offseason shoulder and knee surgeries and will compete with another free-agent acquisition, Ephraim Salaam, for the starting left tackle job. The vacancy at left tackle was created when former starter Trey Teague signed with the Buffalo Bills as an unrestricted free agent. Brockermeyer was one of three first-round draft picks of the Carolina Panthers in their inaugural 1995 season. He played four seasons for Carolina before moving to Chicago in ’99 as an unrestricted free agent. He has started 100 of the 104 games he has played.

Buchsbaum: In what might not seem like a big move, the Broncos picked up Brockermeyer to play left tackle. Brockermeyer isn’t a great player, but in Denver’s scheme, he should be a more than adequate left tackle. Denver’s biggest problem on the offensive line last year was the OLT position with Teague manning it. One of the reasons that QB Brian Griese was rarely healthy was because he was getting hit from the blind side quite a bit, unlike when he had Tony Jones protecting him. While Brockermeyer isn’t quite as good of a pass blocker as Jones, he is good and the Broncos could use their second major free-agent signing on the line — Salaam, as a swing tackle and keep Matt Lepsis on the right side, where he is much more comfortable. These moves combined will probably have a great, great impact on the Broncos’ offensive success, a lot more than people realize.

Dolphins fill DE void with Burnett

Miami added a former Pro Bowler to their already strong defense Wednesday, signing free agent DE Rob Burnett. Burnett, a 12-year veteran and 1995 Pro Bowl selection, was cut by Baltimore in March, one of many veterans released by the Ravens to clear room under the salary cap. He was a starter on their Super Bowl winner two years ago and had 48 tackles and one fumble recovery in 13 games last season. Burnett was a fifth-round draft choice of the Browns in ’90 before they relocated to Baltimore.

Buchsbaum: The Dolphins, who lost two defensive ends in free agency, made another good move by signing Burnett. Burnett may not be the player he was two years ago when the Ravens went to the Super Bowl and Burnett had a career year, but he still has something left in the tank. The Dolphins have undecided pass rushers at defensive end. Now they have a very disciplined player who will play the run very well. He also provides positive leadership in the clubhouse, which is something that they have needed on the defensive line since losing Trace Armstrong via free agency.

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