packerboi posted:As for Bulaga, keep him and your quality back up OL problem is solved. You need a starting RG and RT. But Bulaga would make a fine rotational back up at either position.
This may be the smart move for them. Bulaga is a good player but can you trust him to play every game? And not just start but actually finish? Maybe it's just hyperbole and evidence says he's fine, but at worst need a very good backup OT. Or maybe go with your idea of putting Bulaga as your swing/top backup.
CUPackFan posted:IMO, they screwed up big on Tramon Williams. He's a $6.4m cap hit this year ($4.75m if they cut him) and he can't play CB and not sure he's that good at safety. So that prohibits them from signing a big name guy.
Completely disagree . Tramon is more than competent enough to play safety. Outside of Alexander that backfield was a hot mess. How many car salesmen did we see line up as starters? Put Tramon with a capable partner and he is more than adequate to play safety.
Somebody is going to pay Clay. I'm hoping GB can keep him and put him at MLB where I think he can be productive. I'm talking a 5 million or so per year contract though.
Funny thing is we just assume the Packers won't be in the bidding. If there is some dumbass team that's going to completely overblow his current value then, yeah, I hope they walk away. But if the contract demands remain respectable I could see the Packers in play to retain Clay. My guess is GnarlsFarkwad will be seeing what goodies they can get on the market first before committing money to Clay.
CUPackFan posted:packerboi posted:As for Bulaga, keep him and your quality back up OL problem is solved. You need a starting RG and RT. But Bulaga would make a fine rotational back up at either position.
This may be the smart move for them. Bulaga is a good player but can you trust him to play every game? And not just start but actually finish? Maybe it's just hyperbole and evidence says he's fine, but at worst need a very good backup OT. Or maybe go with your idea of putting Bulaga as your swing/top backup.
If I was a betting man I'd say Buluga would take less to be a starter elsewhere.
Maybe if it was a contending team.
Pakrz posted:Somebody is going to pay Clay. I'm hoping GB can keep him and put him at MLB where I think he can be productive. I'm talking a 5 million or so per year contract though.
Yeah absolutely. Clay will be one of those guys, like Chris Long, who catches on as a situational/rotational player and is productive, at a much lower salary than in his prime. I’d love to have him back in GB.
Pikes Peak posted:Maybe if it was a contending team.
Why? He has a ring. Bulaga is at the point in his career where hes trying to finish strong, $’s wise. He will go and do whatever pays the best and gives him the most security. Right now GB can’t afford to rock the boat with him because there’s no viable replacement. Even if we get a top Tackle in the draft, this is a team with SB aspirations, we can’t gamble on an unknown quantity at Tackle.
It sure would be nice if that big tackle from Florida fell in our laps
wrong kind of position (technically, there are a lot of positions that don't involve funking, so don't forget that)
DH13 posted:I'm warming up to digger's theory Pettine doesn't need to focus resources on OLB.
Yeah, a rare, strong draft at maybe the second-hardest position to fill but they did okay, numbers-wise, last year with an aged starter (who's a free agent) and a Fackrell (in the final year of his contract to boot) so why commit resources to the position?
Not taking advantage of the position strength would be galactically ****ing stupid. The team lacks difference makers and an elite edge rusher changes games, especially when paired with a good inside rush.
...and the Packers will have a good inside rush with Clark, Daniels & M. Wilkerson (if he returns).
A guy like Clowney or a draft pick would go a long way to helping the DBs until they can find a couple good safeties .
I doubt Wilkerson is coming back. It would have to be a very affordable contract.
I don't remember seeing Wilkerson get within 5 feet of the QB in the games he played last season.
I barely remember Wilkerson at all. I can't imagine he's due for a pay raise though.
heyward posted:I don't remember seeing Wilkerson get within 5 feet of the QB in the games he played last season.
agreed. was not worth it...was a big body, maybe knew pettine's scheme or whatever, but not much of a force...
I'll preface this post by saying this is in hindsight, but passing on Derwin James last year looks like a mistake. We often talk about how we miss a player like Nick Collins at safety. Well, there he was, waiting for us, but we went in a different direction.
Now, I really like Jaire Alexander...very good, exciting player, and he could be a great player...we don't know yet, and adding another 1st round pick looks great on paper. We need to make that count. This is a can't-miss draft, especially in the 1st round.
Having Derwin James in the backfield might have made this a lot easier this year.
pkr_north posted:heyward posted:I don't remember seeing Wilkerson get within 5 feet of the QB in the games he played last season.
agreed. was not worth it...was a big body, maybe knew pettine's scheme or whatever, but not much of a force...
He got hurt the third game of the season. Honestly, what did you people really expect at that point?
To see him get in the vicinity of the QB. That's what I expected to see in the first 3 games.
Packmeister posted:I'll preface this post by saying this is in hindsight, but passing on Derwin James last year looks like a mistake.
Agree, Derwin James looks like a solid selection. However.....Completely disagree that "passing" on him was a mistake.
You have 2 choices.....
You're not going to "fix" the entire team with one draft pick but I'm 100% in disagreement that passing on Derwin was a "mistake"
YooperPackfan posted:pkr_north posted:heyward posted:I don't remember seeing Wilkerson get within 5 feet of the QB in the games he played last season.
agreed. was not worth it...was a big body, maybe knew pettine's scheme or whatever, but not much of a force...
He got hurt the third game of the season. Honestly, what did you people really expect at that point?
should have had quite a bit in the tank, so ya, at least put some pressure up the middle to get to the qb, i remember him getting pushed aside alot or just away from the play...
Boris posted:Packmeister posted:I'll preface this post by saying this is in hindsight, but passing on Derwin James last year looks like a mistake.
Agree, Derwin James looks like a solid selection. However.....Completely disagree that "passing" on him was a mistake.
You have 2 choices.....
- Stand pat & select Derwin James
- Trade down, select Jaire Alexander & acquire ANOTHER first round pick in 2019 (Yet to be revealed)
You're not going to "fix" the entire team with one draft pick but I'm 100% in disagreement that passing on Derwin was a "mistake"
The fact we got a blue chip player in Alexander supports your argument. Personally, I think a ball-hawking safety is just as important as a shut down corner...we'll see how it goes.
pkr_north posted:YooperPackfan posted:pkr_north posted:heyward posted:I don't remember seeing Wilkerson get within 5 feet of the QB in the games he played last season.
agreed. was not worth it...was a big body, maybe knew pettine's scheme or whatever, but not much of a force...
He got hurt the third game of the season. Honestly, what did you people really expect at that point?
should have had quite a bit in the tank, so ya, at least put some pressure up the middle to get to the qb, i remember him getting pushed aside alot or just away from the play...
Speaking of Wilkerson....
https://m.cheeseheadtv.com/blo...n-to-the-packers-351
Hoping to return to the Pack. He likes Angry Bald man as DC.
5 things the Packers must do in the offseason:
1. Let Clay Matthews leave. A few years ago, I wrote about the hometown premium, where a player who has spent a long time making significant money at one stop might construe an offer from that team as insulting, even if it reflects his actual market.
I suspect the hometown premium could pop up with Matthews this offseason. The six-time Pro Bowler just finished a five-year, $66 million extension that didn't live up to expectations. In the five seasons before the extension, Matthews produced 50 sacks and 106 quarterback knockdowns. Over the five seasons covering that extension, Matthews generated 33.5 sacks and 83 hits. Matthews moved to inside linebacker for stretches of that extension, and he should be applauded for his versatility, but the reality is also that inside linebackers don't typically get paid in free agency in the way that edge rushers do.
Matthews is still a useful player, of course, and he'll have a market if the Packers don't re-sign him. But in a year in which there are plenty of other edge-rushing options in free agency and at the top of the draft, Matthews is probably looking at something in the yearly range of $5 million to $6 million if he goes to a contender.
2. Bring back Muhammad Wilkerson. The former Jets standout impressed with the Packers before going down with a broken ankle in Week 3. He had signed a one-year deal to try to rebuild his value after a disappointing end to his tenure in New York, and after the ankle injury, he likely is going to be staring down another prove-it deal. The Packers should give him a second chance to do that.
3. Bring in a free safety. The Packers traded Ha Ha Clinton-Dix to Washington and moved Tramon Williams to free safety last season. But even if you think Williams played well in his new role, he will turn 36 in March, and he can't be considered a long-term solution. Williams also has a $6.4 million cap hold, and the Packers could release the veteran to free up $4.8 million and get to $39 million in space.
The free safety market is full of options this offseason, and if GM Brian Gutekunst wants to make a return foray into unrestricted free agency, the Packers could viably add someone like Tyrann Mathieu or Lamarcus Joyner. Mathieu's playmaking ability seems particularly tantalizing for a defense that ranked 30th in interceptions per drive last season.
4. Use one of the first-round picks to draft an edge rusher. If the Packers let Matthews go, they'll run into 2019 with Kyler Fackrell and Nick Perry as their edge defenders. It's tough to think they're going to be a great duo next season.
Perry had just 1.5 sacks in nine games, and he hasn't yet completed a full 16-game campaign as a pro.
Fackrell came out of nowhere to produce 10.5 sacks, but those sacks came on just 12 quarterback hits. Typically, pass-rushers will turn about 45 percent of their hits into sacks, and players who dramatically outproduce that rate tend to decline the following year. Fackrell cleaned up on a few coverage sacks and had three sacks in which he narrowly tripped or pulled an opposing quarterback down as he passed by. Two of his sacks came against backup linemen in for injured starters. Six of his sacks came against Josh Allen and Russell Wilson, two of the league's most sackable quarterbacks -- and passers Fackrell won't see in 2019. Fackrell did have more impressive sacks -- he even picked one up against Andrew Whitworth -- but it's unlikely he'll get to double digits again in 2019.
The first round of this draft is full of front-seven pieces, and the Packers have two first-round picks after trading down with the Saints last year. Green Bay isn't in position to draft someone like Nick Bosa, but with the 12th and 30th picks, the Packers should be able to come away with at least one impact pass-rusher to replace Matthews.
5. Add at least one wide receiver. Davante Adams was targeted 169 times last season, the second-highest total in the league, behind Julio Jones. The Packers might have the worst receiving corps in football if Adams were to go down injured, as their starting wideouts would become Geronimo Allison, Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Equanimeous St. Brown. Those are three young wideouts who each flashed for a game or two in 2018, but Allison was undrafted, Valdes-Scantling was a fifth-round pick and St. Brown was a sixth-rounder. The Packers need to invest in a second wideout with Randall Cobb leaving town.
The free-agent wideout class isn't exactly appealing, although it sure seems like Golden Tate would be able to develop an easy rapport with Aaron Rodgers out of the slot. Jamison Crowder also could make sense at a cheaper price point. Using one of their four top-75 picks on a wide receiver might be more plausible. Going into the season with something beyond Adams and hope at wide receiver is critical.
Packerboi, I agree with that list but I would also add right side of the OL. TE, and ILB as priorities as well. This offense needs a TE that can stretch the middle of the field more and we all agree we need RG and RT. ILB sure Blake is a tackling machine but there are some depth issues at ILB.
As for Clay i know he has been going down hill and I wonder if perhaps he may be worth a short term contract (assuming it could be worked out but doubt it). Mainly because I don't think you can count on Fackrell to duplicate last year and there is NO WAY you can count on Nick "Glass Joe" Perry.
I totally agree on safety. I just don't think the team can count on 36 year old Williams and whoever else they have to be good enough on the back end of that secondary. They have to upgrade there.
Yep, OL has to be a top priority. The Packers have to find an answer at RG and RT.
Speaking of OL, a familiar name (and no, I am not advocating for the Packers to go get him if he's cut):
Cut T.J. Lang and Glover Quin. The move to sign Lang simply hasn't worked out due to injuries, as the former Packers standout has missed 13 games over the past two seasons with an assortment of ailments. Lang is still an effective player, but after suffering his fifth concussion in 2018 and finishing the season on injured reserve with a neck injury, it's unclear whether Lang wants to continue his career. It's difficult to see him coming back at his $11.5 million cap number under any circumstance
