DRAFT POST MORTEM

[spardo62]

After reading many of the threads here it seems that many are unhappy with the performance of our front office this offseason(to-date) and I just wanted to summarize my thoughts and get some reaction:

The event of the draft is so overhyped and we hear so much "expert opinion" in the months leading up to the draft that if we do not select who the so called experts think we should pick, or if they feel that we reached for an individual, it is taken as gospel.

DT is not a **** position and does nothing to help B Favre. Well, I do not necessarily agree with this argument. While shocked and maybe a little disappointed with the selection, on further reflection it seems to make some sense. Our run defense was torched up the middle last year when we played a team that was not a bottom feeder. Strengthening the DL will allow our linebackers to be more active and hopefully keep our D off of the field more than last year.

We have not addressed the RB situation. Again, they have picked up some people who they believe can help and have some on the roster that they are impressed with. Again, after Peterson and maybe Lynch the RB crop was very similar.

Did not pull the trigger for Moss. We do not know all of the terms of this deal, but if he was unwilling to re-work his contract to come to GB, this may have been too big a a risk to take for a player with his age and background.

I will agree that at some point TT has to step up to the plate and make a move or several moves that are risky, but present a large upside. A champion cannot be built entirely through the draft and moving down to acquire more picks. I think he has done a great job of upgrading the bottom 25 players on the roster over the past 3 years, and has also for the most part left the starting 24(K/P) positions with no gaping holes. Where I do find some fault is that now that this mission has been accomplished, we need to make the next step and add quality playmakers to the starting mix. They may ultimately come from the 07, 06 or 05 drafts through maturation, etc. But we are getting close to the time when a risk may have to be taken.

 

[tabojc03]

Great post Spardo, couldn't have said it better myself. The second part of the draft is coming and we are taking players whom teams were high on that had red flags. Don't be surprised if a few make an impact on the roster to add depth. TT brings alot of these players in for visits before the draft, to have an edge to sign them after. Also, don't be surprised if moves still occur. Some teams have drafted players to replace veterans whom are still on the roster. The offseason is fun isn't it!!!!

 

[OregonPackFan]

A better defense will help Brett Favre. Probably more than a rookie WR in the first round.

 

[all about da packers]

We gave up about 230 rushing yards in week 12 against the Seahawks.

I'd say that is proof enough that our run D needed some (to say the least) help.

 

[Packnic]

i think it was lombardi who once said.

you cant lose, if the other team doesnt score.

 

[Raider Pride]

A better defense will help Brett Favre. Probably more than a rookie WR in the first round.

Very foxy point Oregon.

The way the "D" is lining up is going to get Brett more snaps, better field position to work with and more opportunities.

Let me tell you what I am looking forward to.

Better Field Position for a Better "D"

Remember the "D" starts with the punter.

* Jon Ryan- We all know he can boom it.... But this year he should be much better in placement on shorter punts near the goal line now that he has had a year not only to adjust to a SHORTER FIELD but also a DIFFERENT BALL compared to the CFL.

* A first round pick who will be a starter and will plug up the middle.

* A first round pick who not only starts and plugs up the middle, but gives more lattitude to last years first round pick who is only going to improve on a great year becuase he a year of growth and experience behind him. Hawk is going to be much better this year becuase of our first round pick this year.

* A better less restricted Hawk, Barnett and Poppinga becuase of this first round pick can help out the secondary.

I am not *****ing... We are going to have a very good "D"

PLUS... An already young team just got younger.

RP

 

[LambeauLeaper]

Well, how much younger do we need to get? We were the youngest team last year with 27 rookie/first year players (if I remember correctly). Although I was shocked with Harrell pick, it wasn't the fact that he is a DT that is worrisome - it's his injury history. You keep hearing how he was a POTENTIAL TOP 10 PICK. Well, guess what! He wasn't a top 10 pick for a reason! I don't think he played a full season his entire college career. Ability doesn't mean anything if you're on the sidelines.

As far as the other picks, it seems like the Packer Front Office mistakenly brought the college injured list and drafted from it thinking it was the normal scouting report list. I'm willing to give these guys a chance, but I think you're a REALLY optimistic person if you think the Packers really helped themselves with this draft.

 

[MassPackersFan]

We're not getting much younger this year, don't worry. Nearly every starter aged a year.

 

[all about da packers]

See LambeauLeaper, I can see where you are coming from.

The thing I respect the most about your post is that you don't like the draft, but you aren't going after others because they do, you gave your reasons and kept the personal insults out of it.

Thanks a ton for the "REALLY optimistic person", instead of saying "you guys are TT butt kissers who are morons, when talking about those of us that think the draft was good/liked the draft.


As for your concerns about injury, I think they are fair. The only thing I can respond with is that I trust the medical staff of the Packers to have cleared these guys. I trust TT in having looked through their tapes and concluded the injuries were more of a fluke than something actually wrong with the player.

I mean it is what the medical staff and GM are paid to do. I think they would have, but if they didn't then that will have been dropping the ball big time.

 

[LambeauLeaper]

I hope you're right aadp (regarding the medical staff). I actually like most of these guys talent-wise (Harrell, Jackson, Rouse, etc.). I just hope that some of these guys can go against their history and stay on the field.

I think the most disappointing pick for me is the Jones pick. Like I said in my previous post I am willing to give him a chance, but it just seemed kind of high to pick him at 78 overall. I think it just made it sting that much more to know we were close to getting Moss for a lower pick than that. Of course, that news (Moss to NE) was particularly painful, even though it seems like now it had way more to do with Moss wanting NE than GB wanting Moss.

 

[packedhouse01]

Everyone is right, this will be a wait and see draft. We won't know until we know whether this is a good group or not. I just think there were some players out there that simply had to be higher on their board that also happened to play positions where we need help. Harrell at # 16? Brandon Jackson second round? Barbre? From what I've read he's years away. I just cannot help but believe that there weren't better players available.

 

[MassPackersFan]

If we didn't take Barbre we would've had to throw a high pick at a ready left tackle in a few years. It was a boring as hell choice, but really smart and will be useful to us.

 

[Greg C.]

It's hard to get excited about an injury-prone defensive tackle. I wasn't excited when I heard about that pick, and I'm still not excited. But then, Ted Thompson's job in the draft is not to excite the fans, it's to pick the best players for the team. Only time will tell whether he's done that.

I very much agree with you, spardo, that a DT could help Favre. The players who have helped Tom Brady the most during his NFL career have mostly been on the Patriots' defensive unit. For that matter, special teams players can also make a QB look good. I think the fans who talk about getting "help" for Favre are often more interested in Favre's statistics than in the team's overall performance.

One point I don't think I agree with is that Thompson has upgraded the bottom 25 players on the roster. I think he is trying to upgrade the entire roster, but it's still not clear whether he's actually done that. I think the performance of the special teams over the next couple years will be an indication of how well Thompson has done with the lower part of the roster. The special teams did poorly under Sherman and thus far have not been any better under Thompson. There needs to be substantial improvement on the special teams this year, not to mention the offensive and defensive units, or I will start to get depressed.

I would like to see somebody put together an "all-star" draft class that the Packers could've had with their picks over the weekend. It would be easy for someone with a little more knowledge than I have. For example, you could start with Alan Branch in round one and you could throw Troy Smith somewhere in there, plus a bunch of other players who are nationally known. With these selections, you could be sure that the pundits would be saying the Packers had a great draft. Yet somehow I don't think having a great draft is as easy as reading the pre-draft issue of Sports Illustrated or any number of other publications or web sites. That's why I have a wait-and-see attitude about the draft.

 

[Arles]

It's hard to get excited about an injury-prone defensive tackle. I wasn't excited when I heard about that pick, and I'm still not excited. But then, Ted Thompson's job in the draft is not to excite the fans, it's to pick the best players for the team. Only time will tell whether he's done that.

I think this is fair. But if we had a DT at 90/100, WR at 80/100 and TE at 80/100 on the board at 16, I'd have no problem taking the DT instead of settling for the other spots out of "need".

I very much agree with you, spardo, that a DT could help Favre. The players who have helped Tom Brady the most during his NFL career have mostly been on the Patriots' defensive unit. For that matter, special teams players can also make a QB look good.

Imagine the QB Favre could be if he wasn't down 2 TDs by halftime?

I think the fans who talk about getting "help" for Favre are often more interested in Favre's statistics than in the team's overall performance.

:agree: You can throw in "media" in there along with the fans.

One point I don't think I agree with is that Thompson has upgraded the bottom 25 players on the roster. I think he is trying to upgrade the entire roster, but it's still not clear whether he's actually done that. I think the performance of the special teams over the next couple years will be an indication of how well Thompson has done with the lower part of the roster. The special teams did poorly under Sherman and thus far have not been any better under Thompson. There needs to be substantial improvement on the special teams this year, not to mention the offensive and defensive units, or I will start to get depressed.

Yep. ST and run defense were the two areas of this team that scared me the most going into the offseason. We were **** poor on coverage last season and the run defense was poor in many and downright embarassing in atleast 1/4 of our games. By adding the 2nd rated DT in the draft and 4-5 ST studs in college, I think TT felt the same way.

I would like to see somebody put together an "all-star" draft class that the Packers could've had with their picks over the weekend.

All it would be is a list of the top need guys by round according to Kiper or Scouts.inc. I doubt anyone here knows enough about each individual player to make that kind of list on their own.

It would be easy for someone with a little more knowledge than I have. For example, you could start with Alan Branch in round one and you could throw Troy Smith somewhere in there, plus a bunch of other players who are nationally known. With these selections, you could be sure that the pundits would be saying the Packers had a great draft. Yet somehow I don't think having a great draft is as easy as reading the pre-draft issue of Sports Illustrated or any number of other publications or web sites. That's why I have a wait-and-see attitude about the draft.

Brandt put it the best regarding last season. Buffalo got an "F" or "poor" grade by about every draft expert last season and ended up getting the greatest return from their draft class in 2006. All draft grades tell you are how you did vs conventional media wisdom. It seems to be that TT doesn't draft with that in mind so I doubt he will ever get credit for a good draft class (even though we've already seen dividends from guys like Jennings, Hawk, Colledge, Spitz, Collins and others).

 

[CaliforniaCheez]

1) It is too early.

2) All but the 7th round RB Wynn seem to be good character guys.

3) No matter who was drafted the Packers are a better team this week than last week.

4) As to specific players their are some positives:
a) The first round pick the last 3 draft classes have been very poor in DT's
He should be an upgrade over Allen this year and Cole next year.
b) The second round RB Jackson is a big upgrade over Morency
c) Barbre is a very good player and will solidify at LT or LG when Clifton is rplaced in 2 -3 years.
d) The Packers have their fullback of the future. We don't know if it is Hall or Wynn.
e) The Packers finally have a replacement for Rob Davis. A real player who will not take up a roster spot just for Long Snapping. It will permit the "extra" roster spot to go to a WR or D- lineman.

5) I have not seen an "expert say the packer draft was a failure. The Packer scouting team put in far more time and energy than any other draft guru.

6) This draft class was not as good as other years.

7) All the draft picks deserve the benefit of the doubt until proven otherwise like Ferguson and Barry.

8)

 

[pyledriver80]

1) It is too early.

2) All but the 7th round RB Wynn seem to be good character guys.

3) No matter who was drafted the Packers are a better team this week than last week.

4) As to specific players their are some positives:
a) The first round pick the last 3 draft classes have been very poor in DT's
He should be an upgrade over Allen this year and Cole next year.
b) The second round RB Jackson is a big upgrade over Morency
c) Barbre is a very good player and will solidify at LT or LG when Clifton is rplaced in 2 -3 years.
d) The Packers have their fullback of the future. We don't know if it is Hall or Wynn.
e) The Packers finally have a replacement for Rob Davis. A real player who will not take up a roster spot just for Long Snapping. It will permit the "extra" roster spot to go to a WR or D- lineman.

5) I have not seen an "expert say the packer draft was a failure. The Packer scouting team put in far more time and energy than any other draft guru.

6) This draft class was not as good as other years.

7) All the draft picks deserve the benefit of the doubt until proven otherwise like Ferguson and Barry.

8)

Whats the weather like in Wonderland?

 

[tromadz]

1) It is too early.

2) All but the 7th round RB Wynn seem to be good character guys.

3) No matter who was drafted the Packers are a better team this week than last week.

4) As to specific players their are some positives:
a) The first round pick the last 3 draft classes have been very poor in DT's
He should be an upgrade over Allen this year and Cole next year.
b) The second round RB Jackson is a big upgrade over Morency
c) Barbre is a very good player and will solidify at LT or LG when Clifton is rplaced in 2 -3 years.
d) The Packers have their fullback of the future. We don't know if it is Hall or Wynn.
e) The Packers finally have a replacement for Rob Davis. A real player who will not take up a roster spot just for Long Snapping. It will permit the "extra" roster spot to go to a WR or D- lineman.

5) I have not seen an "expert say the packer draft was a failure. The Packer scouting team put in far more time and energy than any other draft guru.

6) This draft class was not as good as other years.

7) All the draft picks deserve the benefit of the doubt until proven otherwise like Ferguson and Barry.

8)

Whats the weather like in Wonderland?

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[steveGB]

LOL