A question for all to ponder......

[Packerfanforever]

While I've generally been pleased with Thompson's practice of stockpiling players, I've been wondering lately if that practice isn't reaching a point of diminishing returns. The roster, right now, is so filled with young players who have potential that there's no way hang on to them all.

Are we getting to the point where the Packers are simply churning through players who are at about the same talent level and keeping players who are no better than those that they release?

 

[digsthepack]

I believe this will be the last draft in which TT stockpiles players. He had to early on to replentish youth and depth that had been depleted by the previous regime. I believe you will now see him become more focused in the draft on specific positions and/or players, and more active in bringing in select FAs.

 

[packedhouse01]

I believe this will be the last draft in which TT stockpiles players. He had to early on to replentish youth and depth that had been depleted by the previous regime. I believe you will now see him become more focused in the draft on specific positions and/or players, and more active in bringing in select FAs.

I agree with you. I really thought however that he would get into free agency this year to try and plug a few holes. This isn't the most talented team and their are question marks all over the place. He may have filled some holes with young talent, but this team may be a few years away from being competitive because of the lack of interest in free agents.

 

[warhawk]

You have to figure that when he first got here we had maybe ten to twelve good starters and no depth on the team with some older guys and a kicking unit going out the door.

What would be ideal would be to get to the point where the young guys could take a couple years like Barbre to mature and step in.

That's a much better deal than the rookies having to start like so many in '06. It's starting to turn. Harrell can rotate. Jackson can rotate. Jones as well.

What I don't see at this point is a need to go from seven or eight picks to eleven again next year.

I said earlier this year that it will not be easy for any rookie to break the starting lineup this year and even though some will definately get in the rotation that seems to be holding true.

Jones may get the nod at the #3 WR but most of them will be rotated in and not thrown in the fire HAVING to start so it's a subtle change towards a more experienced group.

 

[PWT36]

Packerfanforever--posted"

While I've generally been pleased with Thompson's practice of stockpiling players, I've been wondering lately if that practice isn't reaching a point of diminishing returns. The roster, right now, is so filled with young players who have potential that there's no way hang on to them all.

Are we getting to the point where the Packers are simply churning through players who are at about the same talent level and keeping players who are no better than those that they release? "

I would not form that above opinion, as yet, about the Packers '05, '06 and '07 draftees. Don't be so impatient with this young Packer team. That is determined ever year by pre season mini camps, OTA's , Training camps pre season games and this regular season. We will know especially how good the '05 rookies will be and how much about '06 rookies will contribute during this '07 season. The '07 rookies will make their presence known in '08 and '09. But you never know who in '07 draft class might make contributions this year..

I can remember a 17th round 1956 draft choice, who was a QB from a very poor from U of Alabama team named Bart Starr, who took from 1956 to 2nd half of 1960 season until he became a clear starter on the 1960 team. That was same team that won 5 NFL Championships in 8 years under the Great packer Coach Vince Lombardi.

How about 7b round 1999 draft choice WR Donald Driver from little Alcorn State .who took from 1999 until 2002 season to have a break out year with 70 catches for 1,064 yards and 9 TDs. In 2006, Driver had 92 catches for 1,295 yards and 8 TDs with double coverage or more at times.


Former Packer Guard Marco Rivera who was drafted in 6b round of the 1996 draft and did not make the team in 1996, but was sent to NFL Europe that year. Returned the next year in 1997 and played in 14 games for the Packers and was a mainstay at Guard for the Packers until the end of the 2004 season..

Former Packer Center Mike Flanegan was drafted in 3a round of the 1996 draft. He was injured in his first (1996) and 2nd year (1997) training camp and went on IR each year . Finally came back healthy in 1998 played in two games. In his fourth year 1999 Flanegan started 15 games and was the starting center until end of 2005 season.

You never know how far a Draftee will go in the NFL and how long he will take to get there.

 

[tromadz]

While I've generally been pleased with Thompson's practice of stockpiling players, I've been wondering lately if that practice isn't reaching a point of diminishing returns. The roster, right now, is so filled with young players who have potential that there's no way hang on to them all.

Are we getting to the point where the Packers are simply churning through players who are at about the same talent level and keeping players who are no better than those that they release?

well during this 'stockpiling' phase as you call it, not all of them are at the same level. Was Cory Rodgers at the same level as Greg Jennings? No.

In situations like this, people ALWAYS step up(and some fail horribly...thus they get the boot). Nick Collins stepped up. I didn't know who he was when we got him(I'm sure our experts here did though). I didn't think Poppinga would would step up and take the job from Ben Taylor(and that was HIS job, and it was yoinked).

Basically, people step up. Some people don't. Everyone at the same level? Hardly.

 

[PackerLegend]

nothing is guarenteed in the draft. It doesnt matter where you are drafted the 1st pick or the last. Sure higher picks generally have higher chances at sucess but alot of them still bust. Its simple the more picks the better chance of getting more players who are going to turn into something.

 

[cheesey]

This is a good thread.
I think you have to build a solid foundation before you can take the team to the next level. And fact is, there were not enough good players too do that. So TT is building the team I believe with not only some good starters, but some good depth.

 

[Packerfanforever]

I agree just a question I wanted to ask all of you. Dont you think we could suffer by releasing some very talented players? Only because we dont have enough roster spots to keep them all.

 

[Greg C.]

I think people exaggerate Thompson's tendency to "stockpile" players who are longshots or who have modest talents. While it's true that Thompson has traded down a lot in the draft, he has never traded down in the first round, and his other draft-day trades have resulted in lower picks in some rounds, but he hasn't often traded out of any rounds entirely, as Mike Sherman so often did.

It's more of a shotgun approach: The more players you have with potential, the better the chance that some of them will be good. Yet Thompson has done it without passing up his chances to acquire high-percentage blue chip-type players in the first round. I think it's a reasonable approach. It all comes down to how well Thompson is judging the talent and how good the coaching staff is at bringing out that talent. I'm looking forward to seeing how this plays out over the next couple seasons.

 

[cheesey]

I think people exaggerate Thompson's tendency to "stockpile" players who are longshots or who have modest talents. While it's true that Thompson has traded down a lot in the draft, he has never traded down in the first round, and his other draft-day trades have resulted in lower picks in some rounds, but he hasn't often traded out of any rounds entirely, as Mike Sherman so often did.

It's more of a shotgun approach: The more players you have with potential, the better the chance that some of them will be good. Yet Thompson has done it without passing up his chances to acquire high-percentage blue chip-type players in the first round. I think it's a reasonable approach. It all comes down to how well Thompson is judging the talent and how good the coaching staff is at bringing out that talent. I'm looking forward to seeing how this plays out over the next couple seasons.

Good points!
After the first round, the talent usually drops off quite a bit. So why NOT get a few more guys that you think might make it? The more you have in the later rounds, the more chance you have to pick up a hidden gem.

 

[Since69]

After the first round, the talent usually drops off quite a bit.

Well, I see your point, but that's not always the case. More often than not (I've found), the draft has 10 or 15 blue-chippers at the most and the next 40 or 50 players are ranked based on their combine workouts (which is a terrible way to do it, IMO).

So why NOT get a few more guys that you think might make it? The more you have in the later rounds, the more chance you have to pick up a hidden gem.

This I agree with completely. I think TT is doing it right. Grab a top prospect early, and trade down to get as many second-tier (which doesn't mean second-round) guys as you can. You never know who'll step up, and you never know where that next diamond-in-the-rough will come from.

This is a crude way of putting it, but the more crap you throw at a wall, the greater the chance that some of it will stick...

 

[millertime]

I have to agree with the general theme of the responses. I think that you need to have depth before you can start adding top tier FAs. I wish TT would have brought in more Frank Walker type FAs to compete. By that, I mean young FAs that may not start but add solid depth and in their mid 20s.

 

[Zero2Cool]

Build a solid core through draft and low risk FA.
Add FA's for depth and if you CAN, IF you CAN, you add a FA for starter role that doesn't ruin your cap in the future.