Can Watkins return kicks?
@Iowacheese posted:Maybe not quite the speed. But just replaced Valdez
They also need to replace Scantling.
Y'all are acting like we just signed the second coming of Davante Adams. SW is a veteran, and that's about it. The most hyped mediocre-at-best WR ever, and I don't get it. He was a budding star for his first two years in the league (2014, 2015), but has averaged 505 yds/yr. since then. In eight years in the league, he's scored 34 touchdowns, or 4.25 touchdowns per year. In the last three years, he's scored an average of 2 touchdowns per year. He's barely been a shade better, stats-wise, than Alan Lazard, and you could argue, his production is worse than AL's. He couldn't hold onto jobs with passing-first teams in the Rams, Bills and Chiefs. I think the blood has been squeezed out of that turnip.
So yay, we signed a halfway decent #3 receiver. I know the season's not here yet, but we need to do a LOT better.
Watkins would normally be a #3 but he's our #1 right now (#2 if you say Lazard is our #1). With those two atop our depth chart it doesn't change WR being far and away our #1 need and I'd be shocked if we don't take one in the first.
@Harry Manback posted:Y'all are acting like we just signed the second coming of Davante Adams. SW is a veteran, and that's about it. The most hyped mediocre-at-best WR ever, and I don't get it. He was a budding star for his first two years in the league (2014, 2015), but has averaged 505 yds/yr. since then. In eight years in the league, he's scored 34 touchdowns, or 4.25 touchdowns per year. In the last three years, he's scored an average of 2 touchdowns per year. He's barely been a shade better, stats-wise, than Alan Lazard, and you could argue, his production is worse than AL's. He couldn't hold onto jobs with passing-first teams in the Rams, Bills and Chiefs. I think the blood has been squeezed out of that turnip.
So yay, we signed a halfway decent #3 receiver. I know the season's not here yet, but we need to do a LOT better.
also signed a vet for cheap which is saying something these days...
Any port in a storm
Build a top 3 defense.
@pkr_north posted:also signed a vet for cheap which is saying something these days...
You can buy a yodelling pickle toy for cheap too.
I don't see anyone acting the way harryback is saying. The room needed some vet stability.
@D J posted:Build a top 3 defense.
And then what, just run it every down? Even the '85 Bears and the 2000 Ravens had to score points. As it stands, no team is going to be afraid of our passing attack.
@DH13 posted:I don't see anyone acting the way harryback is saying. The room needed some vet stability.
Umm, go back and look at the previous page. You're right though, the room needed some vet stability other than the vets we have there already...and that's pretty much all we got. We have to do way better. From a talent standpoint, we have three #3 receivers. No #1, no #2, and no depth.
I feel like Watkins has been potentially linked to GB every time heâs been available in years past. Iâd be lying if I said I know everything about his game and what he brings to the table, but on the surface sounds like the signing is a good one and canât hurt. If he sucks ass then I guess we give the younger guys the opportunity.
@Harry Manback posted:Umm, go back and look at the previous page. You're right though, the room needed some vet stability other than the vets we have there already...and that's pretty much all we got. We have to do way better. From a talent standpoint, we have three #3 receivers. No #1, no #2, and no depth.
So you're gonna assume a rookie will be a #1 and another one a #2?
QB records when throwing 40+ times in the playoffs:
Brady: 14-8
Warner: 2-3
Montana: 1-2
Rodgers: 2-5
Peyton: 3-9
Marino: 1-6
Brees: 1-7
Elway: 0-1
Young: 0-2
Aikman: 0-2
Favre: 0-5
Roethlisberger: 0-8
RTFB
Watkins, Cobb, Lazard, Tonyan and a top rookie with Jones in the flat ain't that bad.
@D J posted:So you're gonna assume a rookie will be a #1 and another one a #2?
No, rookie WR rarely make that much of an impact unless theyâre going to be a star. What Iâm saying is we have to draft as many impact receivers we can in the early round, and thatâs an unfortunate result of losing the best receiver in the game and leaving the cupboard bare behind him. The Watkins signing does almost nothing to alleviate that problem. Heâs a #3 at best, among a two other #3âs. Look, I donât have a problem drafting defense, and it would be my preference too - who wouldnât love to have a #3 defense. But the fact remains we have no impact players currently at the WR position. Thatâs the problem needing to get solved first, IMHO. It may take them a year or two to have an impact, but I donât think we can wait any longer or itâs going to compound the problem. Weâll be ok if we donât draft another impact player on defense this year.
@lovepack posted:Watkins, Cobb, Lazard, Tonyan and a top rookie with Jones in the flat ain't that bad.
Ainât that good either.
@Tavis Smiley posted:I feel like Watkins has been potentially linked to GB every time heâs been available in years past. Iâd be lying if I said I know everything about his game and what he brings to the table, but on the surface sounds like the signing is a good one and canât hurt. If he sucks ass then I guess we give the younger guys the opportunity.
Canât hurt, better than doing nothing, but it doesnât help much either. Thereâ a long way to go to building a decent WR corps. Thatâs all Iâm saying.
This is why I thought the best option was to trade AR. So weâre paying a guy as bajillion dollars to throw to who? We could have received an even greater draft haul, saw what Love could do for a year, and then drafted a QB high in next yearâs draft if needed. On top of that, we would have had the ammo to build an even better defense, maybe that top 3 defense DJ refers to. AR may have theoretically been our best shot at a SB, but not with this current WR group. So, so much for that plan.
Sucks that the Watkins signing closes out any additions to the WR corp. Hate that the roster is set and itâs not even May.
Yup, they're counting on Rodgers to make Watkins a star. Even if they draft a WR in the first round, there's no guarantee that Rodgers will throw to him. In fact, you could argue that he's not going to throw to him much because he won't trust him. If the reports are correct, Rodgers talked to Watkins to bring him to GB. That means Watkins will be targeted 12 times a game, Cobb six times, Jones three times. Oh, maybe Tonyan will get a target or two and Lazard one if Watkins or Cobb are totally blanketed, but it's going to be heavy on Watkins.
Iâd definitely still target a speed/deep threat early. Watkins might be better off doing some of the Davante âX WRâ stuff.
â Zach Kruse (@zachkruse2) April 14, 2022
@lovepack posted:Watkins, Cobb, Lazard, Tonyan and a top rookie with Jones in the flat ain't that bad.
But Tonyan won't be back until that knee heals. Rookie WRs like Olave, Pickens, Watson, Williams and Tolbert can all help from Day One. Draft a TE, too. Okonkwo or Kolar should be there after the 4th Round. Use half our first and second round picks on Defense. Edge, IDL, S, LB-- any two would be good.
@PackLandVA posted:Sucks that the Watkins signing closes out any additions to the WR corp. Hate that the roster is set and itâs not even May.
Thankfully it's not set, but there's a long way to go. I don't think there's any more FA WR help coming that will make much of a difference. So now it's on the draft, draft FA, and cuts. Cuts and draft FA have a very low chance of providing a difference maker, so hopefully Gutey smokes this draft.
@Fandame posted:Yup, they're counting on Rodgers to make Watkins a star. Even if they draft a WR in the first round, there's no guarantee that Rodgers will throw to him. In fact, you could argue that he's not going to throw to him much because he won't trust him. If the reports are correct, Rodgers talked to Watkins to bring him to GB. That means Watkins will be targeted 12 times a game, Cobb six times, Jones three times. Oh, maybe Tonyan will get a target or two and Lazard one if Watkins or Cobb are totally blanketed, but it's going to be heavy on Watkins.
But Deguara could be running alone 30 yards down field and he won't throw to him because of that drop in the Niner playoff game...
@Harry Manback posted:Umm, go back and look at the previous page. You're right though, the room needed some vet stability other than the vets we have there already...and that's pretty much all we got. We have to do way better. From a talent standpoint, we have three #3 receivers. No #1, no #2, and no depth.
I agree but nobody was calling Watkins anything more than what he is. Feel free to point to specific posts.
This is one hell of a story if true. And maybe, just maybe, the reason for the Belichick message that was supposedly sent to the wrong guy beacuse that message sure put the kibosh on this plan.
A secret plan, a bombshell lawsuit, and a soccer match: Inside Tom Bradyâs un-retirement.
@DH13 posted:I agree but nobody was calling Watkins anything more than what he is. Feel free to point to specific posts.
Taken from page 31 after it was announced Watkins was signed:
"Maybe not quite the speed but just replaced Valdez." Nope. Aside from being a contradictory statement, Valdez knows the offense, has tons of speed, and arguably more production compared to Watkins during Valdez's time with the team. We did not replace Valdez with Watkins.
"What you are looking to do is replace the PRODUCTION of Adams. And there are lots of ways to do this, including this signing." Nope. This signing in no way replaces anywhere close to Adams' production.
"Good signing. Now add one more veteran and take a WR in the 2nd round and we are done." Nope. Signing Watkins gave us a veteran, nothing more. He does not negate the need to sign a receiver in the first round.
"i also think this opens the door for us to draft a wr that may be injured, pickens or williams" Nope. Besides a hard no on drafting injured receivers, signing Watkins does not allow us to take chances like that.
Maybe I should have qualified my statement by saying "some posters."
I would have taken a chance on AJ Green. Sure, he is 34, but he had over 800 yards receiving last year with Arizona. He would have been a good mentor for a rookie. Unfortunately he just signed another 1 year deal with Arizona.
I recall quite a few brain farts by A.J. green last year,past the due date I reckon . I wish we could swap him for Marvin Jones he would be a vet that can still produce - on a different note, remember Watkins is on the cheap - he could get cut if he sux or doesnât have it anymore. But I think he can do some limited stuff including getting deep, I think he got killed a lot when he went into traffic.
By him or the great QBing that Arizona has?
Fuck the WR position. Force Rodgers to play the scheme by going with this group and spend top draft capital on defense.
I want a hog to pair with Clark, Edge to give P and Gary some rest and a safety.
It doesn't make sense to keep Rodgers and then not give him any decent weapons. I would hope they would draft at least 2 pass catchers in the first 2 rounds.
The Watkins signing is fine to me. Itâs a relatively low risk, high reward type move. While my expectations arenât very high, what if he plays like Campbell? No one thought much of that signing either when it happened.
I do think if the Packers keep their 2 1s and both 2s thereâs a good chance they take at least one WR if not two. But what if guys fall? Itâs also not like they canât afford it to pass on another decent pass rusher or DE or OL if they are sitting there.
I read that the Watkins signing cost the Packers about half as much as it would have cost them to re-sign MVS. So, I like the deal.
It will be interesting to see production at the end of the year. I anticipate both will play 9 games. Watkins will have a huge first game, but MVS will save something similar for later in the season. Which one is game for the playoffs will be the true difference.
Like the signing but Watkins has had trouble staying on the field and I just hope his contract is loaded with incentives.
Watkins hasn't played a full season since 2014 (his rookie year). But he costs $6m less than MVS who also has had issues staying on the field.
Any vet that gets released on cut downs or as a cap casualty will probably look highly at GB as a landing spot. It's gonna be a rag-tag group this year but I don't think Watkins is the only vet they end up with once the season starts.