Assessing Packer Draft "Needs" as of today

If we go ILB early.....I am fine with over

 

Bold prediction: TT will draft somebody and he'll push for playing time. 

 

But seriously, someone, somewhere, will fall to the Packers and he'll be an impact guy soon out the gate. 

 

It also feels like Thompson & Co. might not see any glaring holes anymore. Safety? Hyde will make the transition, but they'll also probably draft at this position. ILB? They have a big, young contract on Brad Jones, and Hawk is Mr. Reliable. Sure, they could draft somebody who turns heads, too. NT? They signed Raji to be the starter. He'll perform better this year, but you can't go wrong with another big body to disrupt the middle. And on the rest of the DL, they just signed Peppers and Neal, and they Jones, Daniels, Boyd and Worthy. 

 

When you look at it that way this defense has most of the personnel you'd want, but if TT hits on one draft pick on defense (preferably either Safety or ILB), things could get positive real fast.

 

NOTE: I also realize they need to draft on the 'O' side of the ball, with needs at C and TE and anywhere else BPA, etc. 

I can not complain enough about the draft sliding back to May. 

 

 

 

I would change that to power runners.  The blocking up front when it counted was pedestrian.  Let's see what happens with legit starters in place on the oline.

Hank's right about the line lacking confidence in the trenches. But I think MM could have gone there more because I don't think it was bad enough not to try. 

 

And the red zone offense overall sucked. Losing Finley hurt that situation. A big TE and a big WR and a more powerful running attack would be great - but that's a lot of things. 

 

Or he could draft someone who will spend most of their rookie year on IR.

 

Is "lacking confidence" a euphamism? They more lacked "junk in their trunk".

 

Bakhtiari was a rookie who needs to (and I blelive will) get stronger.

 

Barclay is a nice swing player, but he's not a real mauler.

 

Big Ern was, well, Big Ern.

 

3/5 of the line were not good power run blockers. Add a year in the weight room to Bakhtiari, get Bulaga back and get some strength at Center (Tretter?) and it will make a big difference.

The roster still only has 6 DL listed, they kept 8 during the regular season last year. That tells me they aren't done adding DL. I think they will the draft will bring and then possibly pursue more. As far as the draft goes, I also realized that I can't think of one DL that Thompson has drafted in GB that was not a Senior. Can anyone verify that? That limits the pool to Aaron Donald (won't be there), RaShede Hageman, Dominique Easley (injured), Will Sutton, DaQuan Jones, Daniel McCullers (slug), and a lot of late rounders/UDFAs. 

Lawrence Guy, Jerel Worthless and Nick Perry were all juniors.

I knew there had to be a couple, Worthy was a junior. Nick Perry was drafted as an OLB so I didn't really count him. He's drafted underclassmen from other positions. 

"3/5 of the line were not good power run blockers. "

 

What do the stats say?   What was our conversion ratio on 3rd and less that 3 when running the ball and how does that measure up to the league? 

 

I can never find advanced NFL stats. 

Packers at DL Letroy Guion for a one year deal...so we are up to 7 now.

Letroy Guion link

 

Jeez we always sign Viking rejects. That never works out!

Give him #93.  That worked out pretty good the last time a former Vike was given #93.

I hope you forgot .  If not  and  and .

Probably not Packer Hall of Fame material, but maybe he can get himself a burger endorsement.

Haha, yeah that was meant as the line's reflection of their own ability. I think MM was afraid to run in the redzone for the very same reason. Like you said - Bulaga back, stronger Bakhtiari, Tretter or a draft pick at Center. Boom. 

 

 

What does the tape say?  Eddie was busting tackles right and left between the the 20's and chewing up yards but even he couldn't consistently run through 8 to 9 guys when it stacked against the goal line.  It's a average oline that could go to very very good oline with the infusion of just one player that isn't lunch pailin' it at RT or C.  

 

Imagine what Lacey and Rodgers could do, together, with a oline that takes it up a notch.  They don't have to be the 9ers line to completely destroy the league on offense.

Watching hawk was like ambulance chasing, just couldn't take my eyes off his chitty play.

 

Swear to God minny ran right at hawk 91% of the time because they saw he was chit.

 

ILB and S top priorities.

"Swear to God minny ran right at hawk 91% of the time"

 

Of course.. Felton made him look like a rag doll.

 

Still laugh at how bad he got destroyed on this play..

 

https://www.facebook.com/video...o.php?v=884981958750

Holy moly. Aside from staying healthy, Hawk's best attribute is getting swallowed up by blockers. 

He didn't get destroyed, he tied up the FB so that it frees up one of his teammates who can actually tackle could make the play. 

 

Nope. No matter how hard I tried I couldn't type that with a straight face, there's no defending the undefendable. He got decleated & destroyed. 

If the Packers draft an ILB high, what are the chances that they would actually play in front of Hawk or Jones?  Dom and co. seem so intent on playing guys that have been in the system instead of the Bishop's and Lattimore's of the world.

LBs will be a true measure of the much vaunted Winston Moss this year.  

Hawk is great at tieing up blockers when he blitzes.

maybe they ask Hawk to take another paycut. Need to get one from Jones too while they are at it.

here, here! to the above

Even if they take a pay cut, do you want them on the team?  An adjustment to their salary doesn't change much.  They still suck.  

looks like Hawk is going to stay with Ted as long as Ted is here. I remember Ted saying he prayed that Hawk would be there when he selected him in the draft so maybe God is punishing him and not giving him the go ahead to release him.  I know God has been punishing us for him being there.

Hawk and Jones would be good backups - familiar with the scheme, push the guys in front of them.  That's probably worth about $500k/yr. 

Brad Jones is $2mm dead money if they cut him before the season. His 2014 cap hit is $3.925mm.

 

AJ Hawk sucks is $3.2mm in dead money if cut before the season. His 2014 cap hit is $5.1mm

 

 

I doubt either of these contracts based on their past performances are going to get them cut though. Further, I don't think either of these deals keeps them from 2nd string if Lattimore or Mosely/Borland/Skov prove to be better options.

 

 

yup

I believe Hawk just got a $500k roster bonus last week.

An improved front will improve the perception of Hawk's play. Raji back at NT might also be impactful. I still think they need to address the position in the draft, though. Mosely prob won't be there, but if he is... In a heartbeat.

If Ha-Ha, Pryor, Mosley, and Ebron are gone by 21 I'd be fine with the best OL available. And if GB went OL in the first with Ebron on the board I'd be ok with it.

If they are all gone I'd like to see the best Dlineman available as our choice

IMHO If the best available player is a dlineman you have to take him because next year we will be in just as bad of shape with the lack of players under contract and Datone Jones' ability is still a huge question mark

Gotta get a thumper early.  Gotta. 

Best bet, IMHO, is to trade back...get more picks. Given TT's early round "success" we probably need volume to ensure we get some impact guys.

IMO, if he stays at 21 it will be purely BPA. Even without a S or ILB FA signing I think they are good with what they have based on the up front [re]work they're doing. Based on the FA signings I too think Thompson will look hard at trading back. If he can get 4 players in the 2nd/3rd rounds that would be outstanding.