Clark to PS to see if he can learn to run routes. Intriguing talent...
I'm glad the NFL now allows two players to return from the IR list,. But the notion of having to designate those players at the start of the season is silly.
If you designate a WR and a CB for return and by mid-season you have multiple injuries on the OL or at OLB you are screwed, even if you have a healthy player on IR at that position.
I don't understand the point of that rule.
Re: 7 WR's.
No way unless our 7th WR is as good as a #3 or #4 on all 31 other teams.
Which, of course, that's Janis!
antooo posted:I don't understand the point of that rule.
I didn't realize you had to designate those at the beginning of the year? Sam Shields wasn't put on IR until mid-season if I recall.
RE: Allison getting ST reps for a day. Tomorrow if could be Yancey. They know what they have with Janis, very good STer and maybe #8 WR with their current depth. For the WRs, and the other players/positions fighting to make the 53, they need to know if they can play ST.
RE: 2 spots for IRDTR, teams do not have to have those spots designated before the season starts. Use them at any time, but they only get 2.
I recall teams NO longer need to designate which players on IR for possible return, backing up what Hungry5 posted.
A few places where I disagree:
-OLB's.
Tripp as I recall made a key block on Davis' TD return, and seemed to be near the ball many times. With all I've read about his training camp, he's in. Fackrell is out.
DB's.
Pipkin has had his ups and downs, but he seems to be a hustler, and I think he makes it. Or at least the practice squad for development for the future.
WR's.
Okay. There's no way that these guys don't make it: Jordy, Cobb, Adams, Geronimo, McCaffrey and Trev Davis (the latter IF he continues to show he can be our PR guy.). HOWEVER, TD has yet to show he is a viable receiver. Obviously he's young enough that we ar ehopeful that the light will come on so we can utilize his great speed. IF ... That doesn't work out ... Might he be converted to a DB???
Other WR's. It's awfully early to judge our rookies. But like many fans, I am really excited by what I think our quality and depth will be here. So I'd love to see us keep 7 guys, and am concerned about having some talent picked off our practice squad. I'd like to see Janis cut and (at this moment in time) Crockett, Yancey and Dupre compete for the 7th spot, with 2 going to the practice squad.
Frackell is not getting cut & I don't see it for Janis either.
Fackrell could be cut. Janis absolutely could be cut. Both guys better show up the next three games.
Oops, forgot to mention Michael Clark! Very Intruiging guy. I hope we don't cut him, even if he may take some time to develop. Would he be safe on the PS? I would hope so, but am not sure...
Clark is going to have to really jump off the tape and have a couple guys ahead of him stumble a bit to make the roster. He really needs a year on the PS. He checks off every measurable but he doesn't fully understand the position yet. Agreed though. Intruiging guy.
So ... Back to the idea of Trevor Davis being converted to DB if he can't cut it as a WR. Is it possible?
He's not transitioning to DB. His best bet to make the roster is to house another punt return over the next three weeks. Or put up a nice average/return.
ChilliJon posted:Fackrell could be cut. Janis absolutely could be cut. Both guys better show up the next three games.
Ted won't bail on Fackrell due to draft position, especially with absolutely no one behind him and Elliot. I really wouldn't mind if TT was watching rosters for a possible reasonable trade scenario for a mid tier guy at OLB.
Janis, I have no doubt he, along with Goodson. will suck up a ****ing roster spot. Apparently nobody else is capable of playing effective ST.
There was a play last week where Fackrell blew around the LT and then made like Lewis or Clark stumbling into a vast open meadow in Colorado. Uncharted territory. He looked lost.
Moss did him no favors by calling him out publicly. Mostly because Moss sucks. I do believe Fackrell is playing for a job the next three weeks. I'm pretty much done with Janis. Someone with skills outside of gunner is going to know that's their way of locking a spot up.
Fackrell is in year 2 and was a 3rd round pick, he's definitely not playing for his job. He was productive in limited opportunities last season, he will continue to improve. If I recall he had a pretty quiet camp and preseason and showed up in the regular season, looks like a gamer.
Receivers are supposed to really get it by year 3 and start producing, Janis doesn't seem like he's gotten it heading into year 4. Trevor Davis will have to prove he's a better returner than Janis is a gunner, a couple more big returns like he did last week and that will be proven.
Henry posted:Janis, I have no doubt he, along with Goodson. will suck up a ****ing roster spot. Apparently nobody else is capable of playing effective ST.
Thank you Ron Zook.
Fackrell has been a disappointment and the only reason he may make the cut is the investment the team has in him. Possible he's approaching Brian Brohm territory where the team realizes it's just time to cut its losses and move on.
I watched some of Detroit's game last week, and spotted Abbrederis a few times, looking exactly like he did in Green Bay.
My first thought was Janis would be just the same if he were to go elsewhere.
michiganjoe posted:Fackrell has been a disappointment and the only reason he may make the cut is the investment the team has in him. Possible he's approaching Brian Brohm territory where the team realizes it's just time to cut its losses and move on.
Absolutely. The guy has had three seasons to prove himself and... oh wait.
Packers waiting for 'cerebral' Kyler Fackrell to make plays
Pretty good piece on Fackrell and "cerebral" in this case isn't a compliment.
Henry posted:ChilliJon posted:Fackrell could be cut. Janis absolutely could be cut. Both guys better show up the next three games.
Ted won't bail on Fackrell due to draft position, especially with absolutely no one behind him and Elliot. I really wouldn't mind if TT was watching rosters for a possible reasonable trade scenario for a mid tier guy at OLB.
Yes- the idea of cutting him comes down to whether he has a player out-competing him for a roster spot. The depth chart indicates that unless a bunch of dudes I don't even know blow up, the only major threat to Fackrell's roster spot is currently in street clothes (Biegel).
I get taking a risk on shorting positions simply because there isn't much of choice in the modern NFL but why does it seem the Packers always get hit in that risk area?
I would really like to see a mid tier guy brought in.
Clark is too raw at this point for the 53. MacCraffrys play in the next few weeks will determine if he makes the cut. According to the team website Janis looks improved as a WR. But if Max can play special teams with success then he takes Janis's spot.
What is a "mid-tier guy" in this NFL though? The days when you could get a good depth player on the cheap are gone. Now your either overpaying for those mid-tier guys or the guys who cost very little aren't any better than rookies or second year players like Fackrell. Connor Barwin, who would be a mid-tier guy, cost 3.5 mil this year and produced 5 sacks in 709 snaps in 2016 (142 snaps per sack). Fackrell produced 2 sacks on 160 snaps (80 snaps per sack) and Jayrone Elliot produced 1 sack in 136 snaps. Both cost just over 2.2 million combined this year. Right now we have two guys who are younger, cheaper, and better than a mid-tier player like Barwin.
Better? No, not better.
The stats say otherwise.
My eyeballs say otherwise.
When TT is scanning the cut I hope he keeps OLB depth in mind if there is a reasonable option available.
Janis has done as much or more than McCaffrey at WR, and much more on STs
First projection was made before last week's game vs. the Eagles. Some updates after watching both that and the Redskins game last night:
OFFENSE (25)
QB (2): Rodgers (33), Hundley
Practice Squad (PS): Hill
Cut: Callahan
Comments: Hundley has acquitted himself well. Hill has been a pleasant surprise as a free agent rookie, have him on PS instead of Callahan.
HB (3): Montgomery, Williams (4B), Mays (7A)
PS: Jones (5B)
Cut: Phillips, Stanback
Comments: I think Mays has been a bit more impressive than Jones so far, so flip them here.
FB (1): Ripkowski
PS: Kerridge
Comments: No change from last time.
WR (7): Nelson (32), Cobb, Adams, Davis, Janis, Dupre (7B), Yancey (5A)
Suspended: Allison (1st regular season game)
PS: Clark
Cut: McCaffrey, Crockett, Pearson
Comments: I think Janis has solidified his spot on the 53. Really like what McCaffrey has shown, but don't see keeping two spots for WRs on PS, Clark has more upside, and think Thompson will go with his draft choices.
TE (3): Bennett (30), Kendricks, Rodgers
Cut: Peck, Byrd
Injured Reserve: Sandland
Comments: Boy, Bennett has looked good in the few series he's played last two weeks. Have wanted to see more of Kendricks, they just haven't thrown to him yet.
OL (9): OT's Bakhitari, Bulaga, Spriggs, Murphy, G's Taylor, J. Evans (33), Patrick, C's Linsley, Barclay
PS: G/C Amichia (6), G Gray
Cut: G's McCray, Pankey, T. Evans, OT Leff
Comments: Don't see a change here -- yet. But have to say Spriggs has not looked impressive at all. Neither have any of the backup OL. A real concern at this point.
DEFENSE (25)
DL (6): Daniels, Clark, Lowry, Jean-Francois (30), Adams (3), Price
Cut: Ringo, Lunsford, Fanene
Comments: Sure hope knee injury Lowry suffered last night is nothing serious. Still hoping Adams can be back at beginning of regular season versus being forced to IR (and brought back later).
LB (8): OLB's Matthews (31), Perry, Elliott, Fackrell, Biegel (4A), ILBs Thomas, Ryan, Martinez
PS: OLB Calvin
Cut: OLB's Gilbert, Letuligasenua, ILB's Tripp, Heiman, Mathews, Talley
Comments: ILBs got beat like a drum on passes last night. Neither S's -- Morgan Burnett or Josh Jones -- played a snap there. Can't wait for them to do so to shore up that obvious weakness.
DB (11): CB's House, King (2A), Rollins, Randall, Gunter, Hawkins, S's Clinton-Dix, Burnett, Jones (2B), Brice, Evans
PS: CB Pipikin
Cut: CB's Brown, Pringle, Holmes, Goodson, S's Whitehead, Taylor
IR: CB Waters
Comments: Hawkins I think looks like a lock for the 53. Pipkin's looked very good. Now have him on PS instead of Brown. Would they keep Pipkins on 53, bouncing Gunter? Need next two games to determine that.
SPECIAL TEAMS (3)
PK Crosby (32), P Vogel, LS Goode (32)
Cut: LS Hart
Comments: Vogel now looking a bit shaky. Not surprising for a rookie. But they may very well look for a veteran punter. Guessing they go with Goode's reliability over Hart's youth.
I think McCaffrey sticks instead of one of the draft choices.
Really like your analysis, sschumer.
For as much as I want the Packers to keep Callahan, there's no way they can keep 4, and Hill could indeed supplant him. Does his injury history concern you at all if your prediction is right?
I will give you an argument over McCaffrey. I just don't think the Packers can let him go, and I predict he'll actually make the 53. At the least, I think we get an extra week to keep him while Geronimo sits. I think the Packers might get a bit creative with the IR/IR-DTR if Yancey continues to be hobbled.
IMHO, I think Jones and Phillips have played better than our draft picks, but mostly because they've taken the majority of reps these first 2 games. I also think draftees have a bit of an advantage over UDFAs, so they both could wind up being 'tough cuts'. The next 2 weeks will be interesting.
Ringo may make the roster depending on Adams' injury.
And right now, I'd keep Brown over Pipkins. The only advantage he has over Gunter is speed, but he's way too raw to actually replace him on the 53, IMO.
I agree ILB is a mess. Our best hope may be the waiver wire at final cut-down.
Otherwise, I think you have pretty much nailed the defense.
McCaffrey's best shot is to supplant Davis as the punt returner and Davis helped him out last night. Think Janis! and Allison have pretty much locked up spots and beyond that anything could happen.
I watched some of Detroit's game last week, and spotted Abbrederis a few times, looking exactly like he did in Green Bay.
Injured then?
michiganjoe posted:McCaffrey's best shot is to supplant Davis as the punt returner and Davis helped him out last night. Think Janis! and Allison have pretty much locked up spots and beyond that anything could happen.
Agree, perhaps when Davis sent in video clips to Zook of his offseason work as a PR he edited out his fumbles and drops.
Good take, Steve.
Ted has to bring in some OL. The depth there is the worst I can recall since Rodgers has been the starter.
If any of the starters goes down there are huge issues.
I remember when GB's plan was to swing Bulaga to LT and let Sherrod go to RT. Bak wasn't even penciled in as a projected starter in 13. He was a one man holding machine. Then Sherrod was cut. There was no depth. Funny how things work out.
Concern we should be looking at in regards to Spriggs at T (and he's a T. Period) is if he's struggling at T in games because he's not seeing a pass rush in practice.
michiganjoe posted:McCaffrey's best shot is to supplant Davis as the punt returner and Davis helped him out last night. Think Janis! and Allison have pretty much locked up spots and beyond that anything could happen.
Why cant Cobb return punts? with the WR depth and Cobbs contribution recently, we have that luxury.
why do we have to put a rookie/inexperienced kid back there at a time when we have the opportunity to flip field position?
McCaffrey could return punts but Im not sure if his strength is an electric kick returner.
Cobb is an option, but MM has appeared hesitant to use him in that role in the regular season. Think MM is willing to sacrifice a little electricity for good decisions and ball security. Likely they'll continue to stick with Davis but his leash is pretty short and he can't afford any more mistakes.
FLPACKER posted:Janis has done as much or more than McCaffrey at WR, and much more on STs
Good point. I think IF McCaffrey can play the gunner position on ST just as well as Janis, then he MIGHT have a chance.
FWIW.... I really like McCaffrey and think he has huge upside. He plays with confidence and smarts, too. Just not sure of his football speed. Davis made a nice catch last night and also has an outside chance, ,but the dropped punt doesn't build confidence with TT.
Good problem to have however.