The way Pro Football Weekly hears it, Packers inside linebacker A.J. Hawk, a consistently weak link in coverage last season who was also typically a step slow against the run, could be on a pretty short leash, with second-year pro D.J. Smith having shown more than enough as a rookie to mount a serious challenge for the starting ILB job alongside Desmond Bishop. It’s also worth noting the extra competition expected from LBs Brad Jones and Jamari Lattimore, who have moved inside this offseason after playing on the perimeter last season. Team sources agree that Jones, who's undersized like Smith, should not be discounted as a potential key contributor. Jones actually did a pretty solid job after grabbing the starting ROLB at the tail end of last season. He always has been decent against the run with good leverage, as well as being very tough and instinctive. Source: Pro Football Weekly
