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El Guapo

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I like stuff too.

I liked how Diggs played in the blow-off game against the Vikings...then he didn't play at all (I believe) in the playoff loss. I don't think that any of us can really make an intelligent decision about him. I'm not sure that Gutekunst can either. As mentioned above, if we offered a team-friendly deal that wouldn't cost a thing if we cut him at the camp....sign him.
 

Pokerbrat2000

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I liked how Diggs played in the blow-off game against the Vikings...then he didn't play at all (I believe) in the playoff loss. I don't think that any of us can really make an intelligent decision about him.

I think he had 1 snap in the playoff game.

From your scenario, I can conclude that the Packers felt that based on what they saw Diggs do in practice and against the Vikings, Diggs wasn't a better option than the CB's that ended up playing in the playoff game against Da Bears.

It was a no brainer to cut him and not pay him anymore of the money that he would have been due under his contract that the Packers assumed.

It was probably worth the $500K gamble on Diggs for the Packers to see if maybe he was a solid reclamation project. However, in the end, it was money wasted. He can sign with any team that he wants, but at this point, one would have to conclude, that nobody has offered him the kind of money he thinks that he is worth.
 
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DJ Reader and Calais Campbell keep coming to mind. Reader would be the cheaper of the pair with some estimates in the 3-4Mil annual.

Calais is like Mercedes Lewis but at DT, but he still fits a specific need. Last year he played on a $5.5Mil + $2.0mil incentives deal. If I though we could get him anywhere in that similar area to follow Gannon I’d do it.
 
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Jadeveon Clowny would be an interesting signing. Some unconfirmed reports of the Lions interest in him. He’d be in that Calais Campbell $$ area most likely $4-6Mil depending on structure. Might take a +$1mil to steal him away from Dallas and partner him with Micah

Here’s another guy who shows why NOT to pay Gary $25Mil etc.
Clowny averaging 2022-2025/season
7.83 Sacks
23.08% TFL rate (very solid grade)
8.86% Missed Tackle rate (average)
Pressure every 10.75 snaps
*Rashan every 12.09 snaps

*As a comparative Preston Smith last 3 years in GB per season was
7.0 Sacks
16.06% TFL rate (average range)
9.13% Missed tackles
 
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GreenBaySlacker

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I'm overall very pleased with the moves made by gleutes and the GB brass so far. Some big moves made letting jenkins and Gary go like that. Cutting Hobbs was a surprise to me personally. I assumeis was a toxicity in the locker room contributing to that decision..... Same with Quay Walker....

I was a little surprised we didn't give LT Walker the $10m/yr...? Home grown, difficult position, reasonably affordable considering the market for starting LTs..
.. is morgan really that good to be able to push walker out like that? Or did he ask for $20m/ and get rejected? Then take $10m when faced with his options? I'd be curious....

Extending mcKinney and banks tells me two things.... McKinney is the man and we're keeping him for the foreseeable future. Also Banks "off year" was due to a injury, and they still fully believe he is capable of being a anchor for the next few years..... Freed up some unexpected cap space I didn't see coming... All good stuff.

I'm thinking this was in preparation for a new contract for Kraft, in a similar offer watson got coming off his ACL....

Adding some hardened veterans to the middle of our defense was a move I think will pay huge dividends. Not just in crunch time, but their attitude will contribute to the atmosphere I believe... Leadership... Setting the bar high, and showing grit in crunch time.... The young guys need that. Walker showing his childish ways when he didn't get the contract offer he wanted..... We can't have that chit.

Then like a switch turned off, nothing. No moves ... (?)

I can speculate we have the major holes filled. And are waiting for the value veterans to fill the rest of the holes..... Again, a great strategy... There's going to be some $3-5m/yr guys available after the draft, that would otherwise cost much more. GB is usually set with their roster, choosing to develope young players with their roster spots. But, being in position to win now. The strategic changes of how we use those roster spots will be all the difference imo....
 

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DJ Reader and Calais Campbell keep coming to mind. Reader would be the cheaper of the pair with some estimates in the 3-4Mil annual.

Calais is like Mercedes Lewis but at DT, but he still fits a specific need. Last year he played on a $5.5Mil + $2.0mil incentives deal. If I though we could get him anywhere in that similar area to follow Gannon I’d do it.
I would be over the moon for either. Fired up, ready to go.
 

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I don't dislike a ton of the moves we have made in a vacuum but at the same time in reality it feels like our approach has been very....optimistic? Hopeful?

When I consider our departing/not-returning players and incoming players it's hard for me to look at the team overall and say that we've got a better roster than the one that we ended last season with. Of course there is still the draft to come and there's still the possibility of more moves in free agency, but right now I feel like we are at a net negative...

A lot of the guys who left I had a few gripes with (Gary, Hobbs, Jenkins, etc to name a few) but at the end of the day we've got a LOT of experience leaving the building...
Walker played nearly 1000 snaps last year, 94% of offensive snaps...
Doubs played just under 800 snaps, 74%
Jenkins played 500 snaps, a smidge over 50%

On defense you've got roughly 900 snaps to Quay (80%), 650 to Gary (60%), 600 to Wooden (50%), 470 to Enagbare (40%), 350 to Hobbs (30%), etc

So it feels like - more than in recent years - we are just kind of banking on a big impact from rookies, a big step forward from last year's rookies, and a very much retooled OL to just click and work out fine. And maybe that all works out but I guess my gut feels like there is not a ton of "backing" right now to be confident in.

I know they would never say as much outwardly but this offseason in some ways has kind of felt like moving the chips around to have more resources to utilize in 2027 rather than make a serious "push" this year.
 

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I don't dislike a ton of the moves we have made in a vacuum but at the same time in reality it feels like our approach has been very....optimistic? Hopeful?

When I consider our departing/not-returning players and incoming players it's hard for me to look at the team overall and say that we've got a better roster than the one that we ended last season with. Of course there is still the draft to come and there's still the possibility of more moves in free agency, but right now I feel like we are at a net negative...

A lot of the guys who left I had a few gripes with (Gary, Hobbs, Jenkins, etc to name a few) but at the end of the day we've got a LOT of experience leaving the building...
Walker played nearly 1000 snaps last year, 94% of offensive snaps...
Doubs played just under 800 snaps, 74%
Jenkins played 500 snaps, a smidge over 50%

On defense you've got roughly 900 snaps to Quay (80%), 650 to Gary (60%), 600 to Wooden (50%), 470 to Enagbare (40%), 350 to Hobbs (30%), etc

So it feels like - more than in recent years - we are just kind of banking on a big impact from rookies, a big step forward from last year's rookies, and a very much retooled OL to just click and work out fine. And maybe that all works out but I guess my gut feels like there is not a ton of "backing" right now to be confident in.

I know they would never say as much outwardly but this offseason in some ways has kind of felt like moving the chips around to have more resources to utilize in 2027 rather than make a serious "push" this year.
I agree with this.

We're banking a LOT on internal improvement to improve the roster. There is also a lot of assumption that Kraft, Wyatt, Tom and especially Parsons will get back to full strength. Which is a huge gamble, in my opinion, based on how we've finished out the last two years.
 

gopkrs

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I don't dislike a ton of the moves we have made in a vacuum but at the same time in reality it feels like our approach has been very....optimistic? Hopeful?

When I consider our departing/not-returning players and incoming players it's hard for me to look at the team overall and say that we've got a better roster than the one that we ended last season with. Of course there is still the draft to come and there's still the possibility of more moves in free agency, but right now I feel like we are at a net negative...

A lot of the guys who left I had a few gripes with (Gary, Hobbs, Jenkins, etc to name a few) but at the end of the day we've got a LOT of experience leaving the building...
Walker played nearly 1000 snaps last year, 94% of offensive snaps...
Doubs played just under 800 snaps, 74%
Jenkins played 500 snaps, a smidge over 50%

On defense you've got roughly 900 snaps to Quay (80%), 650 to Gary (60%), 600 to Wooden (50%), 470 to Enagbare (40%), 350 to Hobbs (30%), etc

So it feels like - more than in recent years - we are just kind of banking on a big impact from rookies, a big step forward from last year's rookies, and a very much retooled OL to just click and work out fine. And maybe that all works out but I guess my gut feels like there is not a ton of "backing" right now to be confident in.

I know they would never say as much outwardly but this offseason in some ways has kind of felt like moving the chips around to have more resources to utilize in 2027 rather than make a serious "push" this year.
I also agree with you. But I see it as necessary. It's why I've been saying 27 should really be the year and that is what imho Gute should have his eye on. However, we are a good team and who knows how well we'll do this year. Golden, Parsons, Kraft and Wyatt. I just wish we would strengthen the O line which would bode well for 27.
 

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So it feels like - more than in recent years - we are just kind of banking on a big impact from rookies, a big step forward from last year's rookies, and a very much retooled OL to just click and work out fine. And maybe that all works out but I guess my gut feels like there is not a ton of "backing" right now to be confident in.

I know they would never say as much outwardly but this offseason in some ways has kind of felt like moving the chips around to have more resources to utilize in 2027 rather than make a serious "push" this year.
Skyy Moore > '25 Returners
Hargrave > Wooden

The cuts/trades needed to happen & were expected, financially.
The FA signings elsewhere were expected.
Every year is hope, prayer, & optimism, so nothing has changed.

There's a new DC in town, installing a new system. 3-4 requires different personnel, so those gone may have been square pegs? There are still players to be added, hopefully at least one 330+lb NT.
 

GreenBaySlacker

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Skyy Moore > '25 Returners
Hargrave > Wooden

The cuts/trades needed to happen & were expected, financially.
The FA signings elsewhere were expected.
Every year is hope, prayer, & optimism, so nothing has changed.

There's a new DC in town, installing a new system. 3-4 requires different personnel, so those gone may have been square pegs? There are still players to be added, hopefully at least one 330+lb NT.
Yea I think the moves this year might not look great on paper yet. We did lose a lot of players. But 2027 was going to be a blood bath of we didn't make some hard decisions this year. Seems like the real hard part is done...

The watson decision is next years decision. I'm just speculating we will be in bad position again if we try and sign everyone next year. One move like trading Watson or Reed would be preemptive but maybe a good way to get some compensation sooner rather than later.

Honestly, watson, Golden, reed starting.... Kraft and jacobs.
. Id hate to be a defensive coordinator game planning against that.

Depth like that will probably be needed for a super bowl run too tho.
 

Heyjoe4

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I like stuff too.

I liked how Diggs played in the blow-off game against the Vikings...then he didn't play at all (I believe) in the playoff loss. I don't think that any of us can really make an intelligent decision about him. I'm not sure that Gutekunst can either. As mentioned above, if we offered a team-friendly deal that wouldn't cost a thing if we cut him at the camp....sign him.
Seems like there is little to no risk by signing Diggs to a one-year, team-friendly, prove-it deal. It would use a roster spot, but the team isn't exactly loaded at CB. At the same time, no one seems to be clamoring for his services.

Have to see what the draft brings, but with Gluten's only FA move at corner being JAG Juste, there's more to be done. (Hopefully the change of scenery for Juste is what it takes to get him to starter status. Hey, a guy can dream.....)
 

Pokerbrat2000

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Seems like there is little to no risk by signing Diggs to a one-year, team-friendly, prove-it deal. It would use a roster spot, but the team isn't exactly loaded at CB. At the same time, no one seems to be clamoring for his services.

There are some risks of signing him though, especially if he is demanding some guaranteed money. Another risk, giving up a roster spot. While 90 seems like a lot of bodies, that is one less FA or UDFA you can sign.

Finally, we still don't know if Diggs is considered to be "cancer". I found this on line and something to consider.

Key Aspects of His Reputation:
  • Controversy and Distractions: Towards the end of his time in Dallas, Diggs was seen as a potential source of drama. Reports indicated a "messy ending" that included a lack of accountability and issues with coaching staff during the 2025 season.
  • Confrontation with Media: In Oct 2024, Diggs publicly confronted a reporter outside the locker room after a loss, a move that highlighted tensions, though he later apologized.
  • Professionalism Concerns: Some observers and reports indicated that during his final year, Diggs seemed to "check out" or lose the same level of commitment he once had.
 

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I suspect guys like Diggs and Sneed from every position have a half a dozen teams or so that have contacted their agents to feel out what they are looking for contract wise as well as letting them know their offers. These teams will most likely wait until they see how their draft goes and identify what holes they still need to fill. As far as the FAs go waiting could work out in their best interests also as my guess is teams are only offering vet minimum and some small bonuses with little to no guaranteed money currently. If a few teams have the same hole to fill a player could benefit from a minor bidding war after the draft. IMO.
 

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I don't have an idea if Diggs is a good ballplayer. Someone mentioned he played well in a game and then didn't play against chicago. That is strange to me. If he's just not good; that would be reason enough not to sign him. They have had some time to watch him.
 

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El Guapo

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Seems like there is little to no risk by signing Diggs to a one-year, team-friendly, prove-it deal. It would use a roster spot, but the team isn't exactly loaded at CB. At the same time, no one seems to be clamoring for his services.
When I CB-needy team like the Packers dumps someone after one game, it says a lot. Now, that may be a genius strategy by Gutekunst if his long-range goal was to sign him for 2026. However, that's a lot of gambling.
 
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Last 5 years Reader has made approx. $10.5mil/yr so, imho, will want more than Gute will pay. This type of FA deal will negatively affect '27 Comp picks. There are other, cheaper "answers" to the NT hole in the roster.
That might be accurate. Spotrac has his market around $4Mil. I was perusing through the Lions threads the other day. They seem to think his play has declined and I saw guesses in the $6Mil area but they didn’t seem to interested. Keep in mind he turns 32yrs old on July 1. Calais Campbell just came off a deal worth up to $6.5M area so I can’t imagine Reader would top that’s. BBB He’s had a recurring Quad injury 2X and it only cost him 2 games last time but age might catch up with him. Sounds like his play could meet a 4-$5Mil type deal. The $$ experts in GB would have to structure it to avoid any comp losses.
 
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Pokerbrat2000

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When I CB-needy team like the Packers dumps someone after one game, it says a lot. Now, that may be a genius strategy by Gutekunst if his long-range goal was to sign him for 2026. However, that's a lot of gambling.

Yup, I agree. Quick note though, they dumped him after 2 games. ;)

Although, they did have to at least "dump" his old contract with the Cowboys, which they had assumed by picking him up off of waivers, I believe cutting him first was the only way to do that completely. I think all the people hoping that Diggs was lighting in a bottle, were hoping he would instantly be back, on a new more team friendly deal and one that reflected his downgraded play since signing that big deal with Dallas. However, they cut him in January, he only played 34 snaps for the Packers, 33 of those in the meaningless Viking game. The Packers signed FA CB St-Juste, I think Diggs is done in GB.

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Pokerbrat2000

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BREAKING NEWS!

The Packers have signed 4 Time All-American DT Richard Kiel. Kiel played at BU from 2021-2024, but opted to enlist in the Marines instead of pursue football in the NFL, where he would have been a guaranteed #1 pick in the 2025 draft.

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HAFD!
 
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We're banking a LOT on internal improvement to improve the roster. There is also a lot of assumption that Kraft, Wyatt, Tom and especially Parsons will get back to full strength. Which is a huge gamble, in my opinion, based on how we've finished out the last two years.
We definitely are and really we should be.
IMo your 1st season at any position group is rarely anywhere close to your peak. In particular Rhyan and Belton were in completely different roles. Belton is a converted Tackle and Rhyan Guard. I just can’t expect to throw guys into that situation mid season and expect them to finish top of their game. Could it happen? Sure. Will it? Absolutely not and with rarity. Corey is the last Center that kinda took to it very quickly, but even he had a FULL season starting at Seattle. Yet even Linsley was rough around the edges and I distinctly remember Rodgers screaming at him early on. We would NEVER judge Corey on a some earlier mishaps.
No Offense to Rasheed he was a wonderful 7th Rounder, yet he was really a slightly below average LT. Blindside needs to be the strength of an OL and in no way should we settle. Morgan at his bottom is Rasheed on an average Day. If you told me Morgan would play above average in his LT start I’m not surprised one bit. Bulaga said he’s just not really a Guard as much as they want to try to make him one. His strength is his lateral Quickness and applying his athletic traits not hiding them.

There’s a 70% chance our OL ranks better than 2025 after this season imo and a 15% chance we remain stagnant.

last year we hit 1/2 season from Reed and 1/2 season from Watson and really a 1/4 season from Golden and 1/2 season from Kraft. That’s our most dynamic players at Receiver. Now respect to Doubs did a fantastic job stepping up with LOTS of opportunity fed his way. but imo his true ceiling is a good WR2 and forcing him to play a #1 actor would be short lived or artificially fed. If we get “mostly full seasons” from Golden, Kraft, Watson and Reed? There is 0% doubt in my mind we will see a higher scoring Offense. Especially if it’s in unison with better OL play.
 
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BREAKING NEWS!

The Packers have signed 4 Time All-American DT Richard Kiel. Kiel played at BU from 2021-2024, but opted to enlist in the Marines instead of pursue football in the NFL, where he would have been a guaranteed #1 pick in the 2025 draft.

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HAFD!
Richard Kiel's best days are behind him, and his best tackles were clothslining RB's. His best play was brought out by QB Burt Reynolds. ;)
 

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