Today came the official news that both Aaron Kampman and Al Harris are lost for the season. Both, fall to the ills of the dreaded ACL injury. The ramifications of these injuries are far reaching for numerous reasons.

Simply…the loss of both defensive players, veteran leaders at that, is devastating to the sheer morale on this team. The Packers are a football team that has had its documented share of ups and downs the last year and a half and just when it looks as if you’re about to turn the corner, bang, this happens. To lose two guys who are such solid examples in their work ethic and performance is something that you will not be able to replace. Harris doesn’t have the flashy stats but, as Larry McCarren said on Packers OT last night, it’s the fact that teams throw away from Al Harris, that says a lot about is capability to dictate a team’s game plan. Aaron Kampman is a rock in the locker room and on the field. He’s been a square peg in a round hole admittedly this season but his motor has never quit and he’s never bad mouthed the system. His words rang clear a couple of week ago when I interviewed him, “Every defense we run is meant to stop every play the offense throws at us. You can see Dom’s (Capers) design and it’s brilliant. We can bring it from everywhere. It’s up to us to execute that plan”.

Tramon Williams will now get the call up in Harris’ place. Williams was solid when Harris went down last year with a lacerated spleen. It wasn’t until after Harris came back and Williams was relegated to a back-up, nickel and dime package role again that his play suffered a bit. Williams is smaller than Harris and, at times, does have his struggle with taller receivers but he’s not raw by any stretch of the imagination. 

Harris, at age 34 (35 on Dec. 7th) is towards the end of his career. Without the injury, it’s harder to prepare for season after season in the NFL. With the injury, this could be devastating. I must note here that Harris is a physical freak. He’s a walking specimen and if anyone can return from this type of injury, it’ll be Al. One thing to keep in mind here, Harris plays a speed position and it takes a player with an ACL tear almost a full recovery year just to get his strength and mechanics down, the speed doesn’t generally come until 2 to 3 months after that. I’m rooting for Harris to return but realistically I’m not holding my breath for him to be the same player he was before the injury. Contractually speaking, Harris has two more years left on his deal. His base salary, including roster bonuses equal $3.5 million next year and $2.75 million due in 2011.

Brad Jones, a rookie, will split time, assumedly, with Brady Poppinga to fill the void left by Kampman’s departure. Jones received accolades for his play against Dallas a week ago. The rookie, and the defense as a whole, played so well that the seed of doubt was planted in many heads that the 3-4 defense could possibly work better without Kampman in it because Jones is more of the typical outside linebacker. Yesterday, immediately following Kampman’s departure, the 49ers ran a screen right at Jones. The first year player  took two steps up-field, recognized the situation and then tracked the play down from behind. Those are the types of instincts that will hopefully allow him to grow up quickly in the NFL.

For Kampman, the injury, this type of injury could not have come at a worse time…for him or the organization. I don’t think it’s any secret that Kampman was mis-cast in the 3-4. The Packers were hoping to get him through the season, franchise tag him and then, in all fairness to both parties, trade him away. Aaron would be paid handsomely and he would have most likely ended up back in a 4-3 scheme where he once again would have been comfortable and allowed to excel. The Packers would have received another upper tier draft pick or player for his value. Now, Kampman isn’t going to get the millions he so richly deserves, the Packers won’t get the draft pick or the player they need and Kampman will probably have to hold something similar to a collegiate athlete’s “pro day” and allow scouts from other teams to come in and take a look at him and how his knee’s progressed.

Yesterday, after the win, the Packers fans filled Curly’s Pub prior to the post-game show. It wasn’t the prettiest of second halves but it was another win against a decent team and the Packers are now contenders in the Wild Card discussion. Jermichael Finley was our guest and after he left there was an air of joyous optimism, as to be expected after a Packers win, throughout the pub. After the following commercial break, I read the injury reports regarding both players. You could hear a collective gasp and then silence in the room. 300+ people had blank stares on their faces. For fans, it was the realization of the loss, how do you think the players, the teammates in the Green Bay locker room are feeling?

To win championships, you have to be good, you have to be a little lucky and you have to be healthy. When the Packers made their run to the NFC Championship game, there were statistically and realistically the healthiest team in the NFL. Today, they’re far from it. A banged up offensive line, Chillar and Kuhn both playing with giant cue-tip like clubs on their hands and now this, how much more can one team take. I do know one thing, we’re about to get an immediate look at Ted Thompson’s drafting depth. From adversity comes character….this team doesn’t need any more character.