Packers 2015 FA's... what would you do?

Stop closing your eyes.

If the Packers had a quality TE, I could see maybe letting Cobb walk. But the way things are now, he has to be re-signed. Can't go into next season with only two proven pass catchers.

Cobb has such a unique skill set, it's hard to assign value.  He wouldn't necessarily have success being another team's #1 but if some OC out there has grand plans of designing a chunk of offense around him, they may break the bank for him.  Chip Kelly?  Pete Carroll?  (he has enough FA's of his own to worry about), some other new coach?  That's not his value to GB but there could be someone else out there with more cap.

you know, i thought about briggs, but would he fit what we need for the system? i don't know.  i see the bills have a lot of free agent lb's this offseason...one of them would do.  they were all world against us.

TT and MM are in a bit of a pickle at ILB.  It seems consensus that Hawk and Jones will be gone/not starting/not playing significant time in 2015.  That said, they are left with Barrington who seems to still be learning on the job, and a rook.  Considering your ILB needs to QB the front 7, who takes on those responsibilities?  DC runs a complex D so I don't know that you would want to trust Barrington or a rookie there next fall.

Then again, I wonder who was making the reads and alignments after the bye this year when Hawk and Jones were spectating.  Clay?  He can't do that from OLB if plays less snaps inside.

I'd be fine with Briggs so long as he said "Fedya is a ****head" during his SNF player intro.

Cobb isn't just any WR, you have to re-sign him.

They should just leave Matthews inside.  He played better over the last eight games than the first eight games.  Not having to slam heads with offensive tackles on nearly every play probably helps him.  The defense seemed to improve significantly after he was moved inside.  If he comes back next year at ILB he'll not only have a 1/2 season of experience there but a full training camp as well.  If Peppers is still a Packer (which I believe he will be) I don't see any reason to put Matthews back outside and re-open a huge hole in the middle.  Having Matthews and Barrington inside with Peppers, Neal, Perry and Elliott on the outside is a good start.  If Matthews is bounced back outside it almost forces Thompson to spend a high draft pick AND spend money to bring at least a fairly good free agent inside linebacker because all that is left there would be Barrington and Bradford and right now Bradford is a nothing (not saying he can't be something down the road, but at this time you can't even count on him being a backup).

And if Matthews does play inside in 2015 that doesn't mean he can't go back outside someday.  If Ted hits on a first round inside linebacker this year, Barrington develops into a solid starter and Peppers leaves after the 2015 season and a hole is created at outside linebacker, there would be nothing stopping Clay from going back outside in 2016. 

His sacks went up dramatically after his moving into the hybrid ILB/OLB role. Indeed to my eyes his first half of the season was pedestrian, certainly by past Bloodline standards. I would be astonished if he isn't used that way going forward. By any measure he recaptured his role as the team's most impactful defender once that switch took place. Both MM and Dom have said repeatedly one of their objectives is to move Clay around since he is the focus of so many opponent's game plans.

I believe Burnett wore the dot.

Best OLB for GB in 2014 was Clay Matthews. 

Best ILB for GB in 2014 was Clay Matthews. 

Thats not good. At all. 

A guy like McKinney makes a lot of sense because he's an ILB that is athletic enough to swap spots with Clay at any given moment and both can play inside or out. 

Perryman is a true ILB but if GB has thoughts of moving Clay around in 2015 McKinney would be a hell of a compliment. If he's still there at 30 that is....

Disagree on keeping Clay inside.  He doesn't have to "butt heads with T every play" but he trades that for having 2 blockers from different directions coming upfield with some steam looking for him on every play.  It took a toll on him this year and I wouldn't be surprised if it had something to do with him taking a powder at the end of the last game.  Keep him inside and you wear him down faster.  I'll bet you anything he prefers to play outside for some of the same reasons.  They should keep moving him around but they have to pick their spots rather than leaning him to the inside.

I'd like any of these guys.  Not so sure about the A. A. Ron Rod Gers guy though.

The GMs of the future attack weaknesses and deficiencies via multiple angles. They don't just sign a free agent, they draft the position as well. If this happens, I think the MM/TT regime is going to have a fantastic run in 2015.

If that doesn't work, Clay can still be put back inside. I do think he belongs back on the edge getting after the QB in an ideal world. Right now I see him as the fallback plan if the multiple angles turn out to be a couple of duds.

The first half of the season the Packer's defense allowed 153.5 yards rushing per game and 4.78 yards per carry.  The second half, after they moved Matthews inside, the Packer's defense allowed 86.4 yards rushing per game and 3.6 yards per carry.

http://www.jsonline.com/sports...824z1-290152271.html

Matthews stats for the first 8 games of the season:

19 tackles, 2.5 sacks, 3 stuffs, 2 forced fumbles, 1 interception, 4 pass breakups

The last 8 games of the season:

42 tackles, 8.5 sacks, 4 stuffs, 5 pass breakups

so Hawk being on the field equates to 70 more yards on the ground per game.

we all knew it but the stats don't lie.

AJ, here's your bus ticket out of town.  I swear, if that guy is still on the roster come TC I'm gonna blow a fuse.

I do think there is value in moving Matthews around some, but in order to do that for best effect you have to not suck where he isn't.

Exactly, Herschel. The reason this worked. Perry and Neal are so much better than Hawk and Jones. IMO, both Perry and Neal are significantly better run down defenders at OLB than Matthews is.

Neal/Perry are much better setting the edge if teams run at them, but Clay is unmatched in his ability to chase down RBs from behind when they run away from his side.

Teams often leave the back-side unblocked and they can get away with it for many OLBs.... but not with Clay. Really looking forward to several upgrades at ILB

Why cut a RFA? Barclay seems to be getting the undervalued treatment. No doubt based on a healthy year for the OL. Barclay is a nice insurance card for the $$$ he's going to cost. 

Seems like a good spot for this tweet

In the words of my lil bra @ShieldSam37 we just hanging out �� pic.twitter.com/1a4T7OXsTQ

— johnny jolly (@JJolly97) February 24, 2015

I have the same outfit as Shields.  I just wore it yesterday.  

Raider fans think they are getting Cobb. 

I always took you for a dashiki kind of guy.

I don't wanna be anyone's "lil bra"...  but I wouldn't argue with Jolly either. 

what about the neck tat

Nah.  I've got one of the gay teletubby instead.

One of the teletubby's was gay?

The purple one!

I know, you're disappointed.

It's ok fedgateya if while breaking down the tape you thought they were all gay

Weren't they hermaphroditic, or at least androgynous?

quote:

Weren't they hermaphroditic, or at least androgynous?