The official offseason draft thread

so you're saying blacks can't be farm boys? now that's stereotyping

 

 

Featuring this thread. Thanks to FLPacker's link for mock drafting

 

Most of commentary from CBS draft site...

 

21 DE STEPHON TUITT NOTRE DAME

I'm hoping we do something in FA to address safety, so not doing the standard Ha'Sean Clinton Dix.  We need a guy in the DL big time.

 

STRENGTHS: Tantalizing upside. Highly athletic frame despite massive size. Impressive combination of length, power and surprising quickness. Scheme versatility for the 3-4 and 4-3, possessing the size of most interior linemen while maintaining the quickness to provide a rush off the edge.

 

WEAKNESSES: Arrived to 2013 fall came out of shape following hernia surgery and struggled to dominate as he had as a sophomore. Lack of consistency was a concern as a junior.

53 ILB SHAYNE SKOV STANFORD

Guy makes plays, was the QB of a pretty damn fine defense.  

 

Strengths: Demonstrated more explosiveness in 2013, in his second season removed from a torn ACL. Explodes through holes in the offensive line to make emphatic tackles in the backfield. One of Skov's greatest attributes has always been aggression in taking on and shedding blockers in the hole.

 

Displayed greater patience in 2013 when breaking down with ball-carriers in the open field because he has regained his explosive closing ability. This has led to less lunging by Skov and more secure textbook tackling.

 

Weaknesses: Working to break a bad habit of lunging. Over-aggression caused Skov to take himself out of too many plays early in his career. Torn ACL in 2011, although he showed regained explosion in '13.

85 S DEONE BUCANNON WASHINGTON STATE

There's no way in the real world he lasts til 3rd round.  Big hitter, makes plays.

 

STRENGTHS: Physical, imposing hitter at 215 pounds who made his mark as a senior by producing big plays and turnovers. Well-built safety who delivers bone-rattling hits.

117 DE SCOTT CRICHTON OREGON STATE

Borderline 2nd rounder.

 

Oregon State DE Scott Crichton making NFL jump...He typically lined up outside at defensive end but played inside at nose guard against rival Oregon in an attempt to slow down the Ducks' high-powered up-tempo offense. Crichton times the snap well, showing an explosive burst off the ball to cross the face of offensive tackles. He uses his hands very well, frequently chopping and ripping through opponents' attempts to latch onto him and possesses good core strength, showing the ability to simply bull-rush would-be blockers into the pocket.  

 

Crichton possesses a well-built frame that does not lend itself well to flexibility, however, making him a bit stiff when changing directions. Further, he does not possess ideal straight-line speed for the position. His motor never quits, but he doesn't possess Clowney or Ealy's acceleration to tackle ball-carriers from behind. As such, Crichton currently stands on NFLDraftScout.com's board as a second round prospect and our No. 7 defensive end. While perhaps lacking elite upside, Crichton's well-developed game and competitive spirit make him a relatively "safe" pick who could sneak into the draft's top round. Crichton is the second OSU Beaver to head early into the NFL draft this year, joining wideout Brandin Cooks, the reigning Biletnikoff winner, who made his announcement on Thursday. - Rob Rang, NFLDraftScout.com

 

149 RB DE’ANTHONY THOMAS OREGON

I want him returning kickoffs.  I want him returning punts.  I want to throw bubble screens to him.  He's a Percy Harvin guy without the migraines.  

 

Few were as statistically productive, and there's been no more electrifying player in recent Oregon football history than De'Anthony Thomas. From his two touchdowns on two rushes in the 2012 Rose Bowl to the tone-setting kickoff return in the 2013 Fiesta Bowl, Thomas had a knack for big moments on the biggest stages. His next big stage will be an NFL stadium, as Thomas has decided to make himself available for this year's professional draft as a junior. 

 

Thomas leaves Oregon in the conversation as the best all-purpose player in school history. His 5,345 career yards trail only all-time greats LaMichael James and Kenjon Barner, with whom Thomas teamed in the Ducks' most recent Pac-12 championship season of 2011. Thomas holds Oregon records for kickoff return yards (1,885) and punt return average (17.1), and he's fourth in career scoring (278 points). Also a standout member of the UO track and field team, Thomas anchored the 4x100-meter relay that advanced to the 2012 NCAA Championships and ran the sixth-fastest time in school history, 39.89 seconds.

181 TE MARCEL JENSEN FRESNO STATE

6'5" target, known for his blocking as well.  

 

STRENGTHS: While he doesn't get as many snaps as most NFL prospects, Jensen's ability to control defenders at the line of scrimmage in the running game, as well as his size, athleticism and big mitts in the passing game are very intriguing. Jensen's size and leaping ability also make him a standout on special teams. He has four blocked kicks over his career.

 

WEAKNESSES: Playing time dipped in 2013 with Fresno State featuring more spread offense formations.

213 OLB JORDAN TRIPP MONTANA

Seems a lot to like about this kid.  Feels like a classic TT pick.

 

Jordan Tripp, LB, Montana: Tripp is expected to play in the East-West Shrine Game next month and also has a chance to be a second-day draft pick. At 6-2 7/8, 235 pounds with a 4.65 40, he has size, speed and toughness. He will probably need to play outside linebacker in the NFL

It's not a great draft for top notch safeties this year and that's a bummer because you could make a case it's the Packers #1 overall need.  Maybe they can find someone in free agency or possibly Richardson makes a leap, not sure.

 

The linebacker position is in such shambles that I personally believe they need to find two starters in the draft.   The good news is that while there may not be many elite prospects this year there are a lot of pretty solid ILBs and OLBs that will be there later in the first round through the third round. 

 

I would have thought DL would be a bigger concern but they do have some options.   I think Boyd has a lot of potential and it's my thought they have bigger plans for Daniels and Worthy.   I don't think they'll make a strong push to resign Raji but it would not surprise me to see them try to bring back Pickett for a year or two and if healthy maybe make a strong push to get back Jolly.

 

The cornerback position is interesting as well.   We all want them to step up and pay Sam Shields but he's going to command huge dollars and is he as important as Rodgers or CMIII?   I don't think so.   I think they may try to bring back Tramon at a reduced salary because he did play better down the stretch.   If Hayward can come back healthy (along with Hyde getting another year of experience) that's not such a bad group even without Shields.

 

The TE position might be the most curious group of the entire roster.  Quarless is an UFA and Finley - who the heck know what his medical condition is right now and he's made comments that he's not coming back at a discount.   We've seen some pretty decent TE's drafted in the last few seasons and right now the lack of a TE in the red zone has hurt their production.  It would not surprise me at all if TT targets a TE early in the draft.  

We all want them to step up and pay Sam Shields but he's going to command huge dollars and is he as important as Rodgers or CMIII?   I don't think so. 

Disagree

 

Next to QB & LT, CB is the most important position on any team. You can build championship teams with solid CB play.

 

A young Al Davis & his GM (Ron Wolf) believed this as well & proved it multiple times. Wolf & Davis had numerous conversations about the best way to build a team & 1st round selections. QB / CB were at the forefront of their conversations & most of their 1st rounders selected were QB or CB. LT was generally round 2 (see Clifton)

 

Sam deserves big money but his agent is Rosenturd who always tries to make a statement that he is the agent that can get more money than what a player deserves. I can see the Packers franchising him and then Rosenturd have Sam stay out of camp until he absolutely has to come in creating all kind of problems.

Agree with Boris on his point about Al and Wolf. You could add Madden as well. John was more partial to OL but he also knew the importance of lock down corners. Willie Brown, Lester Hayes....Al was hell bent on getting Mike Haynes. 

 

Doing everything possible to keep Shields in GB has to be a priority. Wouldn't mind seeing Tramon finish his career in GB either

I guess the way I see it is that without a decent pass rush it doesn't matter how good your corners are.  For most of the season our pass rush was terrible.  In a 3-4 D the linebackers are a big part of that equation and CMIII really only played about half the season.   They need more playmakers overall on D. 

I think Datone Jones and Nick Perry and Casey Hayward and Morgan Burnett all have that ability but much like on offense with Rodgers you take Matthews out of the picture and the impact is pretty dramatic. 

If they can find a way to keep Shields without breaking the bank that works for me but he's not a 10MM per year type player.

Right but they're comparing him to imply he could develop into the GBP AR.  They even call out the ability to throw on the move.  Why else make the comparison at all?  There are plenty of other QB's they could compare him to coming out of college but they didn't turn into GBP AR.

Gotta get a S and MLB in the first three rounds... Gotta.

I think they need to get a decent veteran Free Agent safety. Very good safety can be found later in the draft but may need a year or two to develop. A fast Middle Linebacker is something I think will require the use of a first round pick. 

A safety taken after the first round may need time to develop and is never a sure thing. Ted need s to nail down the safety  position above all else, that's why I think we will get a free agent safety.

Ted does sign free agents when he thinks he has too, remember Summer.

A stud safety that can contribute in a big way, and I mean in week 1 of the 2014 season, makes this entire defense better. Pass coverage is better. Run stopping is better. The pass rush gets better.

 

Draft an absolute monster interior linebacker first if we take care of safety in free agency (trade up if need be), address the offensive line next (center please. Oh, how I wish we'd grabbed Travis Frederick last year), and spend some coin to get a really solid veteran safety. Then, we're ready to rock. 

I love the Clinton-Dix pick, Boris, provided there isn't an established free agent safety that could step in immediately. Safety should be the first position we address, bar none. He was suspended for two games in 2013, but it was for receiving a loan from a coach iirc. I don't see any character issues.

 

Lacy has turned out to be a stud for us, so let's go back to the 'Bama well again. Clinton-Dix is 6'1", 207 pounds and could be the replacement for Nick Collins we've longed for. In fact, I'd be willing to move up in the draft to get him. 

At the least, we could have the happiest defense in the NFL with Ha Ha and Johnny Jolly. 

Seattle added two defensive FA players Michael Bennett and Cliff Avril that changed their defense from good to very good.  I hope TT has the same philosophy and adds some defensive FA players to upgrade the defense.

They need to sign free agents.  While you may not get blue chip players in FA, just watching the Broncos makes you realize that there is good talent out there at reasonable prices.  Broncos signed Wes Welker, Shaun Phillips, Terrance Knighton and Louis Vasquez this offseason, and all have been key performers on that team.  Maybe not blue chip difference makers, but without those four the Broncos would not be in a position to win a title.  I'm sure you can do the same if you look at every team that played this weekend. 

 

Draft and develop works if you limit your misses and injuries.  Packers havent done that in the last 3 drafts and it's pretty clear when looking at the defense, so I think it's time for TT to take a long hard look at free agency to fill holes.  

quote:

but without those four the Broncos would not be in a position to win a title

 

I'm not so sure about that

 

Welker was a nice addition but that team is loaded on both sides of the ball

So an all-pro guard and their leading pass rusher in 2013 weren't that important to their success this year?  Yeah, look it up.  Louis Vasquez was all-pro this year.  Not pro bowl........all-pro.  You think this offense deals with Clady going down without an all-pro LG?  Doubtful.  And Shaun Phillips led the Broncos in sacks.  With Miller going down, who rushes the passer if not Phillips?  Oh, and he had two sacks today.  Seemed pretty important to me in their win today. 

 

I live in Denver and follow the Broncos closely.  You could not be more wrong that this team would be fine with Vasquez, Phillips and Knighton.  That'd be like losing Sitton, CMIII and Pickett in our Super Bowl run.  Sign some free agents TT!!!!!!!

I still have this sneaking suspicion the Packers go in to next season with Hyde, Jennings, Richardson and some UDFA in competition for the spot opposite Burnett. There are a lot of needs up front and Shields may need replaced also while not even accounting for any offensive players.

This is the most wide open draft for the Packers that I can remember. Tackle was a need in 2011, rush linebacker was a need in 2012, DE was a need last year, but this year it's pretty wide open. 

 

It's going to be an interesting draft for sure. Wonder if TT might trade down? Get more picks since there's more "needs". 

I can't see TT taking a safety in the 1st round. TE? Maybe. LB, could be. Lineman, most likely.

 

Best player available - it's a lock. 

 

Projected in the 7th round there is a kid whose position is listed thusly: offensive weapon. Lol, I would take him.

Good Post CU

 

Unfortunately, none of those fine players would have chosen to play in Green Bay WI.

 

That's the part that many fans never acknowledge when they talk about Free Agency. It takes 2 to tango and Shaun Phillips is a fine example. His FA tour was one team, the Broncos, and he wanted to stay in the West and stick it to his former employer, the Chargers. The only way he comes to GB is if the Packers threw an uber-immense over-payment at him and even then its not a sure thing

 

The Packers and TT aren't completely averse to FAs - they are averse to over-paying the millionaires who are reluctant to come to the smallest outpost in sports.

Especially when they have other, more appealing choices

 

You need to start thinking like a fat chick and understand and accept how you are perceived by young millionaires predominantly from Texas, California and Floriduh.

 

Its not so much that TT is averse to FAs, its that FAs are averse to Green Bay.... and that makes it much more difficult to reel them in.

 

Why can't we be more like the Broncos ?

Because Colorado has more to offer these star athletes( legal dope smoking!) and there isn't much GB can do about that.

 

Spot on as usual Satori.

 

It takes a special player to want to come to GB, as the big city lights and warmer climates appeal to many more than those that might want to play in a small town, very cold situation.

 

I truly believe TT has tried to get some pretty good FA's to come on up to GB, but was rejected. We just dont hear about most of them. TT calls Agent and says we want your guy and Agent says Sorry Charly no can do. There have been exceptions but those are few and far between.

Chris Canty comes to mind. The more stars we get here though, the easier it will be because if players want to win, we have the best QB & one of the best OLB'ers....& now one of the best RB's & a couple of the best WR's.

 

When Reggie came here, players were shocked! & having Reggie come here brought more good players in.

 

That's definitely part of it. Good posts Satori & DD.

Here is an excerpt from packers.com Ask Vic Q&A session that touches on another aspect of FA decisions- taxes and weather

 

 

Q:   "Vic, I believe you had mentioned Cliff Avril in one of your replies. He signed for a very affordable cost with Seattle. We could have used the cost per sack of an Avril."

 

A:   "I'm not going to mention that the team was attempting to re-sign Aaron Rodgers and Clay Matthews last spring. What I will mention is that, in my opinion, draft and develop is as much a necessity for the Packers as it is a choice. I don't think Packers fans understand the disadvantages the Packers face in the free-agent market.

First of all, Wisconsin has a very stiff state income tax; Florida, for example, has no state income tax. If I'm a player with a $10 million offer from the Packers and from a team in Florida, the offer from the team in Florida is immediately worth nearly $800,000 more. Then there's the weather and the night life, etc. You bring a guy to Green Bay in March and show him around, and then he goes down to Florida to take a look around, and his agent is killing him about the state tax thing."

 

 

No state income taxes in Washington. Texas either.

have not done it in a couple of weeks but here is the latest. I wanted an OL in the 4th there was not one available in BPA.

 

I would be ok with this. Hopefully Ted gets some dline and TE help to go along with this haul.

 

1-HaHa Nix-S Alabama

2-Christian Jones-ILB FSU

3-Tajh Boyd QB Clemson

4-Yawin Smallwood ILB UCONN

 

I don't know why Ted spends so much time on the road. He can look up the best players rated through this site.

         

The fanspeak site was started by someone named patty, that may be why Ted doesn't reference it.

I thought Patty worked for the Packers. or had compromising pictures of someone connected with them. Ted may not have read the memo.

California  has the highest state tax rate of 13.3.  Green Bay is 7.65.  

 

 

It might matter a lot to some players, but I doubt it matters as much as people like to point to.  Players are notorious for pissing away money and having egos that like the biggest numbers in the papers more than on the tax returns. 

 

Couple that also with the fact that it's a fast market.  The few blue chip free agents might have the luxury of tax planning their way to the next destination. For anyone else they have to think very carefully about passing up good money anywhere.  The teams typically get to an offer and stick to it.  Bird in the hand and all that.          

 

For all the talk of the horrible winters, if I'm a fat ass lineman I'm thinking about doing hard work in training camp in August. August in Tampa or August in Green Bay?  I follow training camp pretty closely and I'm near certain it may have been over 85 three or four days of camp this year.  Not everyone likes the heat.  Some might even prefer a cooler summer.   

 

I'd point to the players getting run over in the last CBA for a couple less padded practices as an example of how much these guys really think about money.  

 

I'd also say that anyone that would choose a couple percentage points over a shot at winning is probably not the kind of guy you want to sign in the first place. 

 

Green Bay gets less free agents because they consistently offer less money to fewer free agents and invest their roster spots in competition battles between young players.   

 

 

 

Correct titm & that's why they sign many more UDFA's than most teams

 

Value....TT's core component to building a team

TT is an idiot. Trade the whole draft for Sammy Watkins. It'd be freaking awesome. 

And convert him into an ILB or a safety?? Awesome idea

Excellent points by the boss, Titm, Satori and DD.  

 

Completely understand that GB is lacking amenities for some players in the FA market. What they aren't lacking is the chance to W now, and be apart of one of the best sports franchises in the world.  For older FA's, who have $$$, this is the type of situation, that I would think they would be begging for.  Opportunities to win the Lombardi Trophy for the Packers.  

I think many of you forget what it is like to be in the mind of a 20something year old

Are you kidding?! I've forgotten what it's like to be a 40 yo.

 

#getoffmylawn

As much as we need impact players on D, it wil be tempting if TE Ebron or Amaro are there in R1

Speak for yourself gramps

Heck, I've forgotten what its like to be in the bush of a 20 something year old.

The more things change, the more they stay the same.