Well, no they don’t. But maybe they should.

Take a look at Julius Peppers this year. How’s he looked roaming the linebacker spot so far in his unlikely Packers career? I’d say pretty darn well. At 34 years old, it’s not like he’s stooping over in his 6’7 frame. Dude is filling up passing lanes, occupying multiple blockers, and generally screwing with the opposing QB’s sense of spacing and timing in the midfield. Dom Capers doesn’t even need to write a list to Santa this year. Ted Thompson already hooked him up.

Trying to run Capers’ D without a second threat to Clay Matthews is like giving Aaron Rodgers only 1 WR to work with. It makes sense to invest in the DE position. If not Oakman, another potential difference-maker to the stable of Datone Jones/Mike Neal/Nick Perry (unless you believe deep down one of these guys is for sure going to take the next step).

I’ll admit I don’t watch a lot of college football. I saw the offensive PI on Notre Dame vs. FSU earlier this year, and it looks like Alabama is still good. I don’t know who the hot prospects are. But every time I see the giant freak that is Oakman (especially in my nightmares) I get a frighteningly good feeling that he could "fill it up" as a situational pass-rusher for the Pack next year.

Like Bruce Irvin or Vontaze Burfict, he might thrive in a flexible defense that won’t lean on him and already has leaders at his position (Matthews and Peppers), not to mention locker-room presences like McCarthy and Rodgers. The only knock on the guy as far as I can tell was that he was released by Penn State after three "incidents" with Bill O’Brien. The only takeaway there is that the guy was good enough to play for Penn State and Bill O’Brien, and he gave him two chances. I like it!

What do you all think? I’m not one to worry about the draft, especially not in the middle of the season, but I’d love to see a "passing of the torch" arranged for Peppers to somebody. That way of thinking has worked out well at QB.

Either this or a fat nose guard to "Gilbert Brown"-ify the run defense.