joe, do you remember a rookie Lang getting his ass whooped by Jared Allen? **** changes after year one. Spriggs will get better.
ChilliJon posted:I get that Ross is a crafty WR that uses his feet and head to sell routes but Adoree should never get put on the ground on a route like that. Great athlete. Needs work as a corner.
You could say this about any rookie and find film to back it up. The point is, where we are picking, Jackson or Peppers are two realistic options, and simply based on production (and combine results if they matter to you) Jackson is the better player.
I wouldn't put Jackson as a strong candidate to be drafted by Green Bay. Ted likes defensive backs with height. Jackson is 5-10. The last time Thompson took a defensive back that short (or shorter) was way back in 2005. Could Thompson draft Adoree' Jackson? Sure. But based on the history I think it's pretty unlikely.
There was a Hell of a lot of tread-wear on Lang...
Orlando Wolf posted:joe, do you remember a rookie Lang getting his ass whooped by Jared Allen? **** changes after year one. Spriggs will get better.
Sure do. I also remember Mike Wahle looking pretty awful early on in his career. Spriggs could get better, but when he's protecting the franchise player I wouldn't be counting on it considering how bad he looked last year. Packers need some insurance at RG.
Jahri Evans is older than dirt and there is always a chance that a team that signs him could get "Jeff Saturday'ed." But he's a guy that always finds a way into a starting lineup, sticks there and does a good job. Last year he went to Seattle, they cut him loose (which was a bad idea considering how bad their OL was), he ended up back in New Orleans where he started every game and once again put up an average-to-solid performance (by Pro Football Focus grades). He'd be cheap and would be a really good insurance policy for Green Bay. And if the Packers signed him the offensive line roster looks like: Bakhtiari, Taylor, Linsley, Evans, Bulaga, Barclay, Spriggs, Murphy, Patrick. Already 8 deep with Patrick as the 9th developmental player.
Bulaga could also come inside putting spriggs at tackle.
Here's another possibility. Opportunity is there and all he has to do is grab it, like Lane Taylor did.
Will OLers Lamp or Feeney move up in TT's draft board now that Lang is gone?
Have to think Lamp is in play at 29 given depth at other D positions GB is targeting.
I have to admit I'm a little disappointed with how the OL is shaking out. There was a viable replacement when Sitton was released, I don't consider Barclay or Patrick to be a viable replacement...one is a proven weak link and the other hasn't played a down of regular season football. I'm assuming there are a couple guys in the draft they like, but it's still surprising to see both Lang and Tretter gone. Especially since Treeter only got 16 mil over 3 years...that's not ridiculous for a starting interior player. I give Ted the benefit of the doubt, but the OL seemingly went from a strength to a question mark real fast.
This shouldn't surprise anyone. Ted has a long history of not overspending on interior lineman. Lot of risk in that kind of money for a 30 year old with a lot of miles coming off foot surgery. Can't be afraid of moving on based on who's currently on the roster. They'll figure this out.
Sitton and now Lang, end of an era. Kinda reminds one of when Rivera and Wahle left for greener pastures. Lane Taylor was solid filling in for Sitton, hopefully they have a plan to replace Lang(Patrick, Spriggs, Vet ??).
On the flip side of losing Lang, not sure I would have felt very good if they paid a guy with his wear and tear/age $10M-$11M to re-sign.
ChilliJon posted:Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free press said Lang told him this morning he'd make a decision today. Had to think he was headed to the Lions. Just confirmed. 3 year deal with Detroit.
close to home and family.
Best of luck to TJ but I think this will be another example of watching a player move on a little early vs seeing him deteriorate and the wheels coming off from wear n' tear and injuries.
Much in the light where Ted hung on to Donald Driver longer then he should have. I think Ted learned from that. Sans Charles Woodson, not many of Ted's aging vet's came back to haunt him when he cut them. Usually, he makes the right decision at precisely the right time in that respect.
Yep. TJ loves Detroit. He's a hard core Red Wing fan. Nothing wrong with wanting to wrap up a really good career close to home. He was a good Packer. He and Sitton swapped sides in 2012(?) and neither missed a beat. I think he gutted it out last year too. I don't think he was healthy at any point of 2016.
ChilliJon posted:This shouldn't surprise anyone. Ted has a long history of not overspending on interior lineman.
There is also a lot of "I spent a draft pick on this guy so he can play" attitude in Thompson. Sometimes that works (see Adams, Perry) and sometimes that backfires (see CB last year). But it was no surprise that Lang is out of the picture after Thompson traded up in round two to draft Spriggs. Thompson doesn't use second round picks on players to have them sit on the bench.
Hopefully he is right about Spriggs because last year he did not look good.
I wouldn't have gone more than 3 years, 21 million on Lang with about 8-9 of that guaranteed. I wonder if those numbers would have worked for Lang before he got to free agency? He kept saying stuff that would have indicated that he would have taken less to stay in Green Bay but when it comes down to it talk is cheap. But for an average of 7 million per year I would have been happy to take on the wear-and-tear aspect/risk because Lang is a really good player.
Still think the Packers would be wise to troll the bottom of the free agent market for another guard.
Happy that Lang and Sitton got there money, but both have a lot of miles on them and, if you are a pass first team, it's much more important to invest in OT. I'd rather have replacement level guards and spend more money on CB, TE, RB, and ILB than have All-Pro guards that take up 20 million on the cap.
McCarthy told me at combine he sees Spriggs as tackle, Murphy could play guard or tackle. His look at guard could be more serious now.
— Mike Spofford (@mikespofford) March 12, 2017
Spriggs is a T. He's not built for the interior. I would not consider moving Bulaga inside and Spriggs to RT either. Never weaken two spots.
Its pretty much Murphys job to go and win. Ted takes an interior guy in the draft. As much as I love Forrest Lamp I don't see any way he gets past Seattle at 26 after Seattle tried hard to get Lang. Unfortunately this isn't a good year to find interior line help in the draft.
Some fans are going to over Ted letting TJ walk but when you look at the Packers OL, 2 pro bowl level tackles, a solid center and a competent guard, just ask teams like the Queens, Hags, Colts, etc if they'd trade OL's. Many a team would happily trade OL with what the Packers have.
It'll be a bit of musical chairs with Patrick, Murphy. Spriggs, and a 2017 _____ draft pick but I think GB will solidify that spot by the end of TC.
Lang will probably play well for another year or two and then wear out.
packerboi posted:Best of luck to TJ but I think this will be another example of watching a player move on a little early vs seeing him deteriorate and the wheels coming off from wear n' tear and injuries.
Much in the light where Ted hung on to Donald Driver longer then he should have. I think Ted learned from that. Sans Charles Woodson, not many of Ted's aging vet's came back to haunt him when he cut them. Usually, he makes the right decision at precisely the right time in that respect.
Agree 100%. I'll add too, that the new RG is going to be playing between a top 5 RT in Bulaga, and a very good center in Linsley. Whoever they put in between those two is going to have a lot of help, much like Taylor got this year. Taylor should improve so that allows Linsley to help the RG.
You can't pay everyone and if there was one spot on this offense you could afford to cut cost, it was guard. Yes you need competent guard play but it's just not an impact position to spend $10-12m per year on (like we did in 2014 and 2015). Guess we'll see how it shakes out.
Yeah I don't have a problem seeing Lang go, it's part of the business. Still love the guy, same with Sitton. I'm guessing it's a combination of someone they like on the roster and someone they like in the draft. I have faith this will get shored up, but the thought of Barclay starting a whole season makes me worried right now.
Spriggs is a Tackle. The high draft price paid doesn't necessarily mean he was taken to account for Lang leaving. Remember, Bahk's new deal wasn't inked yet, and they had just gone through a disasterous stretch with no real backup tackle.
I still don't think Bulaga will or should slide inside, but I have to think we'd see that before Spriggs as the opening day G.
Kyle Murphy is a T as well. But his strength is that he's a low pad run block first guy. He translates better to the interior. Thinking from most scouts was that he needed two things coming out of Stanford. Strengthen up a bit and work on his pass protection. His ability to run block was never a concern. I think Murphy will be given every shot at starting between Linsley and Bulaga. I think he'll be fine.
Enough players on the roster right now to compete for the RG spot, and competition is always good.
Bulaga had a fine season at RT, but wouldn't be surprised to see him move inside to Lang's guard position should the Packers think Spriggs has progressed enough to start at tackle.
Pretty healthy guaranteed money on the deal. My guess would be Murphy, Patrick or a player not on the roster. Only see MM shuffling the line as an option of last resort.
Good for Lang on that contract but now I can see why TT didn't match it. A lot of money, including guaranteed, to an aging guard with a load of injury history.
I can see the Lions regretting that contract sooner then later.
vitaflo posted:
That is insane. Glad TJ got paid, but I'll definitely miss him.
Rob Demovsky @RobDemovsky
Was told Packers best offer wasn't close: 3 years, $21.5M with $6.5M guaranteed. Lang would have stayed if it was close. Clearly it wasn't
According to Rap, the Lions matched the Seahawks offer. So it was the Hags and John Schneider who came up with nearly 20 mil guaranteed. Wow.
Not a gap between offers; more of a chasm. That much guaranteed money (2/3 of the contract) strikes me as crazy.
GB offer is in line with what he's worth. Schneider offer reeks of desperation. Lions matching it is insane.
As much as we have been plagued by injuries in recent years, keep in mind that we need depth, too. And from what I saw last year, we don't have much right now. I understand that tackles are critical for protecting AR, but poor guard play could get the guy mauled as well!