The Packers were the most efficient drafting team from 1993-2006 according to Draft Metrics
Notable that it includes the Mike Sherman era along with most of the Wolf era and a dash of Ted Thompson.
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If that's the case, put Wolf in the Hall of Fame right now. Even the drafting albatross that was Sherman couldn't keep him from the top.
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Last 8 Super Bowl Winners:
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Last 8 Super Bowl Winners:
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According to one draft analysis I saw done around 2000 had rated Wolf as more than twice as effective at find players in the draft as the league average. The Tuna was next on the list at just under twice as effective as the league average. No one else was close.
Wolf may have been able to find players later in the draft but his history with first round picks was very underwhelming.
Wolf may have been able to find players later in the draft but his history with first round picks was very underwhelming.
Off the top of my head, here's my memory of the Wolf #1 picks:
'92 - Terrell Buckley. Very good nickel corner (after he left the Pack) who had a long career, but as a Packer he flamed out as a starter as he was exposed on the outside. Turned out to be a very good role player as a slot corner in the NFL, but you couldn't put him on an island like you prefer to do with a starting corner. Obviously, Troy Vincent was the guy that should have been picked. Not a good pick, but Buckley was a better player after the Pack got rid of him.
'93 - Wayne Simmons. Had a short career with the Pack but during the '96 season, I know one publication rated him the #1 Strong Side LB in the NFL. Tried to go the free agent route in '97, but came back to the Pack. Wasn't the same guy when he re-signed and the Pack quickly shipped him off to Kansas City. Good pick, but didn't play long, and didn't live long after retiring from the NFL either.
'93 - 1A - George Teague. Pack traded up I believe for this one. His rookie year, he looked like a really good young playmaking safety. Had a thyroid problem before '94 season and was never the same guy with the Pack. Had some decent years after the Pack released him. Okay pick in the 1st year, but who could have forseen those thyroid issues...
'94 - Aaron Taylor. In camp, Larry McCarren raved about him and said he looked like the best Offensive Lineman on the team before he ever took a regular season snap. Unfortunately, got a knee injury that put him on IR his whole rookie year. Was a solid player, but never turned into quite the guy that Larry McCarren saw in that first camp after the knee injury. Had a decent career, but shortened one thanks to bad knees.
'95 - Craig Newsome. Very good Cornerback for 2 seasons, then blew out his knee in game 1 of the '97 season. Never was the same guy after that and fizzled out by 2000.
'96 - Jon Michels. Just very shaky and never showed much of anything. Seemed like a nice enough guy, but couldn't play OT in the NFL. It is believed the Pack had targeted Ray Lewis here, but Lewis was picked just shortly before Michels. Ugggghhhhhh..... imagine what this team could have been with Ray Lewis at MLB during that time period. Might have been at least 1 more Super Bowl win if not more.
'97 - Ross Verba. Kind of a mixed bag with Verba. He had a nastiness to him which I kind of liked, but really could be exposed as a pass blocker in certain games. Not a horrible pick, but not a great one either.
'98 - Vonnie Holliday. Very solid pick who has had a long career and I believe was still playing in the NFL in 2012. Was picked instead of Randy Moss. Certainly had 1000 times the character of Moss, but was not in Moss's class as an impact player. Overall, pretty good pick here though.
'99 - Antuan Edwards. Too soft to play safety and not athletic enough for CB, just really never panned out even though he did get a few picks as a rookie.
'00 - Bubba Franks. Went to some Pro Bowls, but really was not an impact player like you see from the TE position nowadays. Strictly a red zone TE and a blocking TE. Slow as molasses. Pretty good pick, but Franks wasn't as good as those Pro Bowl appearances would make you think he would be.
'01 - Jamal Reynolds. Uggghhh. In the National Championship game of his senior year, he looked like a really good prospect. Unfortunately, he showed none of that ability with the Pack. Showed up with a bad knee and never was anywhere close to what he showed in college. Horrible, devastating pick. Kind of a shared pick between Wolf and Sherman as Wolf claimed this is who Sherman really wanted.
'92 - Terrell Buckley. Very good nickel corner (after he left the Pack) who had a long career, but as a Packer he flamed out as a starter as he was exposed on the outside. Turned out to be a very good role player as a slot corner in the NFL, but you couldn't put him on an island like you prefer to do with a starting corner. Obviously, Troy Vincent was the guy that should have been picked. Not a good pick, but Buckley was a better player after the Pack got rid of him.
'93 - Wayne Simmons. Had a short career with the Pack but during the '96 season, I know one publication rated him the #1 Strong Side LB in the NFL. Tried to go the free agent route in '97, but came back to the Pack. Wasn't the same guy when he re-signed and the Pack quickly shipped him off to Kansas City. Good pick, but didn't play long, and didn't live long after retiring from the NFL either.
'93 - 1A - George Teague. Pack traded up I believe for this one. His rookie year, he looked like a really good young playmaking safety. Had a thyroid problem before '94 season and was never the same guy with the Pack. Had some decent years after the Pack released him. Okay pick in the 1st year, but who could have forseen those thyroid issues...
'94 - Aaron Taylor. In camp, Larry McCarren raved about him and said he looked like the best Offensive Lineman on the team before he ever took a regular season snap. Unfortunately, got a knee injury that put him on IR his whole rookie year. Was a solid player, but never turned into quite the guy that Larry McCarren saw in that first camp after the knee injury. Had a decent career, but shortened one thanks to bad knees.
'95 - Craig Newsome. Very good Cornerback for 2 seasons, then blew out his knee in game 1 of the '97 season. Never was the same guy after that and fizzled out by 2000.
'96 - Jon Michels. Just very shaky and never showed much of anything. Seemed like a nice enough guy, but couldn't play OT in the NFL. It is believed the Pack had targeted Ray Lewis here, but Lewis was picked just shortly before Michels. Ugggghhhhhh..... imagine what this team could have been with Ray Lewis at MLB during that time period. Might have been at least 1 more Super Bowl win if not more.
'97 - Ross Verba. Kind of a mixed bag with Verba. He had a nastiness to him which I kind of liked, but really could be exposed as a pass blocker in certain games. Not a horrible pick, but not a great one either.
'98 - Vonnie Holliday. Very solid pick who has had a long career and I believe was still playing in the NFL in 2012. Was picked instead of Randy Moss. Certainly had 1000 times the character of Moss, but was not in Moss's class as an impact player. Overall, pretty good pick here though.
'99 - Antuan Edwards. Too soft to play safety and not athletic enough for CB, just really never panned out even though he did get a few picks as a rookie.
'00 - Bubba Franks. Went to some Pro Bowls, but really was not an impact player like you see from the TE position nowadays. Strictly a red zone TE and a blocking TE. Slow as molasses. Pretty good pick, but Franks wasn't as good as those Pro Bowl appearances would make you think he would be.
'01 - Jamal Reynolds. Uggghhh. In the National Championship game of his senior year, he looked like a really good prospect. Unfortunately, he showed none of that ability with the Pack. Showed up with a bad knee and never was anywhere close to what he showed in college. Horrible, devastating pick. Kind of a shared pick between Wolf and Sherman as Wolf claimed this is who Sherman really wanted.
Well, that's a wreck of a list. Certainly underwhelming for Wolf. Maybe he should have allowed some underling to pick in the first round. Maybe he should have let one of the GMs around here decide for him.
quote:Originally posted by Fandame:
Well, that's a wreck of a list. Certainly underwhelming for Wolf. Maybe he should have allowed some underling to pick in the first round. Maybe he should have let one of the GMs around here decide for him.
Wolf had the good sense to add a free agent or two to cover up the mistakes.
quote:
Along the way to their 1996 title, the Packers acquired the following as unrestricted free agents: ALL-PRO DE Reggie White; role player and defensive back Mike Prior (1993), defensive linemen Sean Jones (’94) and Santana Dotson (’96), plus receiver Don Beebe and returner Desmond Howard (also ’96).
All told, that’s three-quarters of the defensive line, plus a solid special-teamer, a polished veteran receiver and the Super Bowl MVP. Not a bad haul.
During that same time period, however, the Packers made some headlines with other big-name free agents who ultimately didn’t pan out. Receiver Mark Clayton (’93), running back Reggie Cobb, guard Guy McIntyre and linebacker Fred Strickland (all ’94), among others, produced minimal impact at best, and none was even around on the title team.
Perhaps that’s why the Packers would have come out on the positive side of the free-agency ledger under Wolf, even without two Super Bowl appearances. He admitted his mistakes and didn’t prolong them. Of the four aforementioned free-agent duds, only Strickland lasted more than one season (he was around for two), and he was still gone by ’96.
Fast forward to 2005, when Ted Thompson took over, and there are similarities in his track record. Free-agent signees Charles Woodson and Ryan Pickett (both ’06) were veteran leaders in the 2010 championship season, but guard Adrian Klemm (’05) and safety Marquand Manuel (’06) lasted just one season apiece.
Thompson’s only other significant free-agent signings since 2006 were linebacker Brandon Chillar (’08) and center Jeff Saturday last year. Chillar was a solid contributor on defense and special teams for three seasons but was one of more than a dozen players on injured reserve when the Packers won it all. Saturday was needed as a stop-gap at center and was replaced in the starting lineup before his one season with the Packers was complete.
quote:
In between Wolf and Thompson, of course, was Mike Sherman’s tenure, and free agency wasn’t kind to the dual coach/GM.
Sherman’s biggest whiff, and the player who probably ranks as Green Bay’s biggest free-agent bust of all time, was defensive end Joe Johnson (’02), a two-time Pro Bowler from New Orleans. Signed to a six-year, $33 million contract, Johnson suffered season-ending injuries in his two seasons in Green Bay, played in just 11 games and recording only two very expensive sacks.
The Packers tried to plug a number of holes in free agency during Sherman’s time but never found a Dotson or Pickett, let alone a White or Woodson.
Defensive linemen Russell Maryland and John Thierry (’00), fullback Nick Luchey, linebacker Hannibal Navies and defensive end Chukie Nwokorie (all ’03), and safety Mark Roman (’04) all contributed during Sherman’s string of four consecutive playoff appearances, but their contributions haven’t exactly been remembered.
Wolf's first round record was lackluster, and that's being kind.
The good ones usually do overcome their mistakes. You make a blunder by drafting Brian Brohm and redeem yourself with Matt Flynn.
quote:Originally posted by chickenboy:
Wolf had the good sense to add a free agent or two to cover up the mistakes.
The good ones usually do overcome their mistakes. You make a blunder by drafting Brian Brohm and redeem yourself with Matt Flynn.
quote:Originally posted by Tequila_Monster:
Sherman was brutal.
Sherman had his issues but that '01 draft was Wolf trying to go out with a bang, and he admitted it. The Packers staff coached the Senior Bowl that year and Sherman really liked Marcus Stroud and Chad Johnson. There was even a bit on it in The Sporting News. I remember there being surprise when Ferguson was picked over Johnson.
The interesting thing about the bit H5 posted is only one of the actual primary free agents, Joe Johnson, was an actual bust. Maybe Reggie Cobb also, he had a lot of hype coming from Tampa. Guys like Marquand Manuel, Mark Roman, Chuckie, etc. were roster filler/rotational and not premiere guys.
Wolf seemed to do best in the 3rd round.
Here's Ron Wolf commenting on his first rounders many years later
1992, CB Terrell Buckley (fifth overall selection): Buckley had three disappointing seasons in Green Bay, was nicknamed 'Toast', and was eventually released. Wolf had offensive lineman Bob Whitfield rated higher, but eventually settled on Buckley.
"The offense wanted a particular player, the defense wanted a particular player and I wanted a particular player," Wolf recalled. "And the end result, when it all broken down, the player I wanted is the player we should have taken. And the guy I wanted was Whitfield, and he's still playing (with Atlanta). That's one time I was probably right.
"We were never going to take (Eagles cornerback Troy) Vincent. If (Desmond) Howard and Buckley were gone, we were going to take Whitfield. But what happened with the pick of Buckley is suddenly, we all realized, you can't play with little defensive backs in Green Bay. You can't play with little people up there in November and December. It's too hard. We had to get big people and a certain kind of person. So maybe that failed, but in the end result, we won because of it."
1993, LB Wayne Simmons (15th overall selection): Simmons became a solid starter on a Super Bowl championship team, but was traded to Kansas City the following year.
"He filled a need," Wolf said of Simmons. "I don't know who the guys are we could have picked, but he filled a very, very important need right away and added toughness to our team. That was something our team needed and that's something that team still needs. Toughness."
1998, DE Vonnie Holliday (19th overall selection): Wolf traded up 10 spots, hoping to land safety Shaun Williams, but was delighted to find Holliday still on the board. Holliday has been a solid starter the last five years, but the unrestricted free agent recently signed with Kansas City.
"Really and truly, we made the deal to get Shaun Williams," Wolf said. "We figured Holliday would be gone. But fortunately, Vonnie was there. And that pick was easy."
2000, TE Bubba Franks (14th overall selection): Wolf narrowed his choices to Franks and linebacker Keith Bulluck, who went to Tennessee at No. 30. Franks, who has been to back-to-back Pro Bowls, was deemed more valuable because the Packers needed to replace Mark Chmura.
"I know that our feeling in the room was that it was between Franks and Bulluck," Wolf said. "And that was a tough decision. But you only had one pick out of 31 and you had to fill your needs and we thought Bubba was a good player and he's demonstrated that he is a good player."
2001, DE Jamal Reynolds (10th overall selection): Reynolds was Green Bay's highest pick since Buckley and has been an even bigger disappointment. Reynolds has done virtually nothing in his first two years, and his return in 2003 is in question.
"He's had the injury thing and that's unfortunate," Wolf said of Reynolds. "Again, say what you will but it's my fault because we jumped the board there and we should have never done that. We had (Carolina linebacker Dan) Morgan higher and we should have done that. Although Morgan hasn't exactly set the league on fire, either. He's hurt all the time. But we definitely made a mistake with Reynolds."
1996, OT John Michels (27th overall selection): Michels was brought in to replace Ken Ruettgers at left tackle, but lacked the strength and technique to succeed. Michels lasted just two years and is arguably Wolf's worst No. 1 pick.
"That's a case where you think you're a little bit smarter than you actually are," Wolf said. "We jumped the board and that's one thing I always preached in the room is you never jump the board.
"And we jumped the board to take him, more out of need than anything else. And the guy we had rated higher was a guy named (Jacksonville defensive end Tony) Brackens and we should have taken Brackens. That pick was idiotic. That was stupid."
.
1992, CB Terrell Buckley (fifth overall selection): Buckley had three disappointing seasons in Green Bay, was nicknamed 'Toast', and was eventually released. Wolf had offensive lineman Bob Whitfield rated higher, but eventually settled on Buckley.
"The offense wanted a particular player, the defense wanted a particular player and I wanted a particular player," Wolf recalled. "And the end result, when it all broken down, the player I wanted is the player we should have taken. And the guy I wanted was Whitfield, and he's still playing (with Atlanta). That's one time I was probably right.
"We were never going to take (Eagles cornerback Troy) Vincent. If (Desmond) Howard and Buckley were gone, we were going to take Whitfield. But what happened with the pick of Buckley is suddenly, we all realized, you can't play with little defensive backs in Green Bay. You can't play with little people up there in November and December. It's too hard. We had to get big people and a certain kind of person. So maybe that failed, but in the end result, we won because of it."
1993, LB Wayne Simmons (15th overall selection): Simmons became a solid starter on a Super Bowl championship team, but was traded to Kansas City the following year.
"He filled a need," Wolf said of Simmons. "I don't know who the guys are we could have picked, but he filled a very, very important need right away and added toughness to our team. That was something our team needed and that's something that team still needs. Toughness."
1998, DE Vonnie Holliday (19th overall selection): Wolf traded up 10 spots, hoping to land safety Shaun Williams, but was delighted to find Holliday still on the board. Holliday has been a solid starter the last five years, but the unrestricted free agent recently signed with Kansas City.
"Really and truly, we made the deal to get Shaun Williams," Wolf said. "We figured Holliday would be gone. But fortunately, Vonnie was there. And that pick was easy."
2000, TE Bubba Franks (14th overall selection): Wolf narrowed his choices to Franks and linebacker Keith Bulluck, who went to Tennessee at No. 30. Franks, who has been to back-to-back Pro Bowls, was deemed more valuable because the Packers needed to replace Mark Chmura.
"I know that our feeling in the room was that it was between Franks and Bulluck," Wolf said. "And that was a tough decision. But you only had one pick out of 31 and you had to fill your needs and we thought Bubba was a good player and he's demonstrated that he is a good player."
2001, DE Jamal Reynolds (10th overall selection): Reynolds was Green Bay's highest pick since Buckley and has been an even bigger disappointment. Reynolds has done virtually nothing in his first two years, and his return in 2003 is in question.
"He's had the injury thing and that's unfortunate," Wolf said of Reynolds. "Again, say what you will but it's my fault because we jumped the board there and we should have never done that. We had (Carolina linebacker Dan) Morgan higher and we should have done that. Although Morgan hasn't exactly set the league on fire, either. He's hurt all the time. But we definitely made a mistake with Reynolds."
1996, OT John Michels (27th overall selection): Michels was brought in to replace Ken Ruettgers at left tackle, but lacked the strength and technique to succeed. Michels lasted just two years and is arguably Wolf's worst No. 1 pick.
"That's a case where you think you're a little bit smarter than you actually are," Wolf said. "We jumped the board and that's one thing I always preached in the room is you never jump the board.
"And we jumped the board to take him, more out of need than anything else. And the guy we had rated higher was a guy named (Jacksonville defensive end Tony) Brackens and we should have taken Brackens. That pick was idiotic. That was stupid."
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