2018 (or is it 2019?) Free Agency Moves/Trades/Releases

Pettine must have been watching a lot of film and have some input on what he can do with what's left. Randall may have been a cancer, but you don't jettison a guy who last year was one of your best (on a bad squad) unless there's someone else who Pettine believes can step in. If Randall had been that valuable, they would have kept him and put him on notice to clean up his act.

After watching Hayward, Hyde, etc., leave and do well, I'm going to optimistically believe that Pettine is going to do better with whomever's left.

ilcuqui posted:

michiganjoe posted:

Time for Josh Jones to step up. Packers made a significant investment in him and they need to determine if he's closer to Nick Collins or Jerron McMillian.

No kidding. Kid sort of reminded me of a much more athletic and faster, but not as smert, version of the early GB version of Atari Bigby. Going for kill shots every play and not understanding the playbook ain't gonna work. 

Beat me to it

Or Charlie Peprah

We will now have new tape on defense & all 31 teams won't know what's coming on defense. That in itself is a godsend.

Do I have to replay how all the Carolina offensive players told the Packer defenders what they were running?!?!? I'll never forgive MM for the last 3-5 years.

DICK!

Not only was the defense was predictable, I thought the same about our offense. I see the addition of Graham and possibly another TE (someone who can block too) in FA as key to energize our offense. With Ty back and our versatile backfield I hope to see* a better scheme on offense under our "new" OC.

*I go in for another eye surgery after Easter, it will be my 8th! UGH

The #Steelers and former #Packers S Morgan Burnett, agreed to terms on 3-year deal worth close to $14.5M, source says. Finally a top safety off the board.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 20, 2018

Not even close to what he was reportedly asking for from the Packers.

He can go be Tomlin's injury problem.

Gave the team veteran leadership and consistency, but big plays were too few and far between. Drafted Josh Jones for just this situation and time will tell if they were correct.

Jag's flankerback Al Hurns is a free agent.

I knew that Morgan might not be resigned, but he now only makes less than 5m per year. We could have afforded that. But my guess is that his injury history and ceiling precluded a resigning.

Brown Paper Sack posted:

Jag's flankerback Al Hurns is a free agent.

He is a solid WR with nice height but not for 7mil.

PackerPatrick posted:

I knew that Morgan might not be resigned, but he now only makes less than 5m per year. We could have afforded that. But my guess is that his injury history and ceiling precluded a resigning.

Agreed.  I'm surprised the number was below an average $5M/year.  The only way you don't resign a guy of his caliber (i.e., a solid NFL starter, but not a superstar playmaker) is because you're ready to move on.  I suppose that Burnett's injury history (he hasn't played a full season since 2012) and his lack of big plays (nine career interceptions; never more than 3 in a season) justify the decision to go in a different direction.  

I have no doubt that Jones will become a very good player.  A rookie in that mess wasn't going to look very good.

21 can go anytime as far as I'm concerned.  Evans or Whitehead would have been better than his garbage.

I think you'll see more from Dix this year.

Jury is still out on Jones. Yes, has all the physical tools, but the thing that has always concerned me about him is the fact the coaches he played against, the ones who watch more tape in preparation that anyone else, did not vote him as even "honorable mention" to their all-ACC team......they thought there were 10 better safety's in the ACC. Petting needs to work some magic with him. 

DH13 posted:

I think you'll see more from Dix this year.

Correct. But the issue will be, is he re-focused and driven because he knows he can play better OR is it because he's an impending UFA and wants to cash in 2019?

I would tend to believe the latter. Which, IF HHCD does return to a 2016 form or plays even better, will make for an interesting contract decision on him from Gute. 

michiganjoe posted:

The #Steelers and former #Packers S Morgan Burnett, agreed to terms on 3-year deal worth close to $14.5M, source says. Finally a top safety off the board.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 20, 2018

Not even close to what he was reportedly asking for from the Packers.

Pretty much tells you the Packers had next to no interest in Burnett. I'd love to be a fly on the wall with some of these between Pettine and his staff. I tend to think he doesn't think a whole lot of the Packer's DB's.

packerboi posted:

michiganjoe posted:

The #Steelers and former #Packers S Morgan Burnett, agreed to terms on 3-year deal worth close to $14.5M, source says. Finally a top safety off the board.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 20, 2018

Not even close to what he was reportedly asking for from the Packers.

Pretty much tells you the Packers had next to no interest in Burnett. I'd love to be a fly on the wall with some of these between Pettine and his staff. I tend to think he doesn't think a whole lot of the Packer's DB's.

It might be that they just view Josh Jones as being the same type of player. Agree it wasn't much money for Burnett.

I think his agent probably tried to gouge the Packers, they passed, and then when he realized the market said he was worth substantially less, he took the best offer available...probably didn't even go back to the Packers for a second run. Best wishes to him, it's not like we just lost Nick Collins.

It was actually less money than the extension Burnett signed four years ago. Looking at that deal the Packers probably overpaid a bit for a pretty average player. 

I've been pretty critical of Dix, but I read an article a while back about his responsibilities in 2017. Basically it seems they had zero trust in any of the CBs, so they had him patrolling deeper than normal to prevent big plays over the top. That's why you saw so many openings in the intermediate zones, he couldn't get there in time to prevent anything or break on the ball, but he was there in time to prevent a TD (sometimes not even that). He had some effort issues IMO, but I can't imagine being in the prime of your career and basically being asked to sacrifice your stats (and a potential payday) just because the FO failed to provide adequate CBs...pretty frickin demoralizing. Basically there was no Safety in the traditional sense because he/they were playing so far off the ball. I don't believe Pettine will play that way, so I think we will get a real sense of what Dix can do in 2018. 

When factoring the DB's let go who played well elsewhere and the DB's drafted who did not pan out, the Packers have spent way too much on the position for their returns.

Just the kind of thing that results in crap talent.

Let's hope we don't see a repeat of last year for Dix.  I was shocked at how poor he looked at times.  I think motivation did look like an issue with him, I know he can be better than he was.  I never felt Dix was an elite type safety even at his best but I think he was above average when he was right. 

Still sticks in my craw that he just never reacted on that 2 point play late in the NFC Championship game vs. the Seahawks 3 years back, but he wasn't the only one who brain farted on a key play that day.

Dix had a career game that day for a rookie.  Many bigger warts elsewhere.

If we traded for Earl Thomas I think that could cover up a lot of warts at CB. I don’t know what Seattle wants for him, but I would give up a 2nd and a couple mid-round picks for him. Dix and Thomas would be a quality duo in this defense, they could cover up a lot of rookie mistakes at CB especially if Josh Jones can convert to ILB and cover TEs and Backs well. 

There is only one player left on the team from the 2013 draft (Bakhtiari).

They got three good players form the 2014 draft - Dix (2016 version), D. Adams, and Linsley.

They didn't get a single above average player from the 2015 draft -  Rollins, Montgomery, Ryan, Hundley, Ripkowski, and Ringo remain but I those are all the types of guys you can get as low cost free agents.

Those guys should be the foundation of the team. Those are the guys that should be between 24 and 27 years old.  The guys in the physical prime of their careers with experienced.

They have 4 players from those three drafts that you'd say were above average players. They had 28 picks total.

PackerPatrick posted:

I knew that Morgan might not be resigned, but he now only makes less than 5m per year. We could have afforded that. But my guess is that his injury history and ceiling precluded a resigning.

I honestly, don't believe he would've accepted that offer from Green Bay

A 2nd and a couple of mid rounds picks for Earl Thomas? Heck, I'd even throw in Geronimo Allison to make that happen.

MichiganPacker posted:

They didn't get a single above average player from the 2015 draft -  Rollins, Montgomery, Ryan, Hundley, Ripkowski, and Ringo remain but I those are all the types of guys you can get as low cost free agents

Thompson failed in 3 major ways IMO in the last 4-5 drafts. 

1.) His drafts plain and simple, weren't good enough. I won't go through the list player by player, but bottom line he just swung and missed too often in key 1st-3rd rounds. 

2.) Every GM can have a crap draft. It happens. But then when you fail to go into Free Agency and get some key vets signed to help the team now because your drafts weren't nearly good enough, you've failed as a GM. Same with not even exploring trades with other teams. All of this made #1 look that much worse. 

3.) Failing to force MM's hand and dump Capers sooner. The writing was on the wall for too long. He simply failed to act and ultimately Thompson's the boss who the buck stops with. He should have MM no choice. It was either Capers gets fired or you both go. He couldn't pull the trigger. 

Gute has his work cut out for him. In the short term, go sign Tramon and House. Hope that a key CB unexpectedly gets cut or becomes a post June 1st cap cut. It's not like it would be unheard of. Joe Haden was cut late last summer, signed by the Steelers, and played pretty well. 

Just maybe the Packers will get a similar opportunity. 

Rex Ryan absolutely gushed about two things when talking about Pettine: his ridiculous football knowledge, and laser guided attention to detail. So, I have to believe that any moves being made affecting the defense have been analyzed with a fine tooth comb by our new DC. If Burnett and Randall are gone, there’s a reason. If Wilkerson was brought in, there is a reason. 

If these moves are being made a year ago, I’d be very nervous. So much turnover, and so many young guys coming in, would scare me to death with Capers running the show. But I’m cautiously optimistic now. You need speed, and playmakers in defense. Burnett did not make big plays. Period. And while Randall had some picks, a handful of them were more the product of just being in the right place st the right time, or catching tipped passes. Did we really see him closing fast, and making impact plays that would have lead us to believe “he’s a future star?” 

I didn’t.

We need a true defense that is going to back up Aaron Rodgers. This offense will score enough points to win a ton of games. But a great defense is the ultimate equalizer, and we have to get used to the idea that it’s not going to happen in one year. We probably need two drafts to address every spot satisfactorily. We’ll be better this year, or should be. But to get where we need to be, I think we’re looking at 2019. I’m fine with that, and deep down, I think Aaron will understand it. 

MichiganPacker posted:

There is only one player left on the team from the 2013 draft (Bakhtiari).

They got three good players form the 2014 draft - Dix (2016 version), D. Adams, and Linsley.

They didn't get a single above average player from the 2015 draft -  Rollins, Montgomery, Ryan, Hundley, Ripkowski, and Ringo remain but I those are all the types of guys you can get as low cost free agents.

Those guys should be the foundation of the team. Those are the guys that should be between 24 and 27 years old.  The guys in the physical prime of their careers with experienced.

They have 4 players from those three drafts that you'd say were above average players. They had 28 picks total.

*nodding silently

lambeausouth posted:

Rex Ryan absolutely gushed about two things when talking about Pettine: his ridiculous football knowledge, and laser guided attention to detail. So, I have to believe that any moves being made affecting the defense have been analyzed with a fine tooth comb by our new DC. If Burnett and Randall are gone, there’s a reason. If Wilkerson was brought in, there is a reason.  

For this reason, I am willing to bet Pettine will give every guy on the squad a fair shake to learn his way and perform up to expectations (or perform below them).

This is a new lease on life for a lot of guys who many think are/were wasted draft pick. Fackrell, Ryan, HHCD, Josh Jones, etc. all have a chance to be top performers under the new sheriff. I am looking forward to seeing just how many guys we say "wow, where the hell did THIS guy come from?" about. 

Hope it's a bunch of them...but only time will tell.

Green Bay finished 1-10-1 in 1958. They had 5 Hall Of Famers on that 1958 team. All time great Hall of Famers. Those 5 would have looked like malcontent failure cut bait to a 1958 message board if message boards existed in 1958. 

Coaching has always mattered. 

Sorry  Chillijon, but it was seven.  Starr, Taylor, Hornung, Nitschke, Ringo, Kramer, Gregg.   

My mistake.

I meant to say coaching really matters. 

Wanna see their cards? 

Why not. 

Chongo posted:

 "wow, where the hell did THIS guy come from?" about. 

Hoping we say that about Rollins

Ironically, only Kramer, Ringo and Hornung of that group appeared on 1958 Topps Packer cards.....Starr was deep on the bench...Nitschke didn't  appear on a Packer card until 1963....

What were some of you watching last year? The 21 apologies amaze me. It really shouldn't matter what the reason is for lack of effort. Lots of good players play on bad teams. Lots. And a lot of them don't quit. Adversity hit and had he completely mailed it. Character revealed.

It was stunning to me.

Maybe, but I think Capers was so much of a problem that almost the whole D needed to be blown up. I think Dix will rebound to have a solid year; maybe not all-pro level, but more solid than last year. From all accounts, Pettine is a no-nonsense guy who looks for the little things. If there was one thing missing from this D, it was fundamentals: where to be, how to tackle, etc.

Notice that so far, none of the LBs have been cut or no DL. They are going specifically after the mess that was the DBs and S, even though that's where we were weakest. I'm hoping Pettine simplifies things, stresses the basics, and allows guys to play without thinking. If he does that, we won't miss Burnett or Randall.