Eh...I was very fair to Amon-Ra but honest. Last year he clearly excelled in a team that saw a promising second year guy then (Cephus) go down and some others they were planning on. The field opened up in front of him in a way not many rookies see happen - especially for a fourth rounder. This would be like Lazard and Watkins both going down for the year and Watson by nature is shoved out there for twice the number of snaps he probably would have been had that not happened.
Chark is an excellent WR, and I advocated for him to come here, not sure I get the "odd" way comment because I was merely sharing production over careers and just like Watkins and Cobbs numbers illustrate injury issues his do as well, HOWEVER unlike Watkins and Cobb - he is young (four years) and still has posted SOLID figures.
I'll just say that I am optimistic about our passing game for this coming season. And I believe we will do it w/o increasing receptions to the backs. Because they already have been thrown to quite a bit.
That is the difference between 30 some catches and 50+, yes. I think he was quite capable of more but feel fairly confident he’d have had at least that as a rookie here in GB.That's only like one more reception a game or less than Lazard had last season, and he missed two games even. None of this is to discredit Amon Ra, I said all along the dude was a second round worthy prospect all day long...but until he stacks a second or third good season together I'm not christening him anything. It will be curious with a healthy Cephus, Chark there and when Williams gets healthy just how much of a focus St. Brown is.
That is the difference between 30 some catches and 50+, yes. I think he was quite capable of more but feel fairly confident he’d have had at least that as a rookie here in GB.
If faced with a rookie and a 55 catch season or a 3-4 year guy with around 35, Im looking to the young guy. On the team he was with he far exceeded that and clearly looked the part doing it.
Nice work. Can't argue meaningfully about your rankings. The Packers are set to run away with the division, but new management, or almost new, in Minnesota, Detroit and Chicage could make it rougher than prior years. I didn't know Pettine was in Minnesota. Good.As I do every year after the draft, I want to rank the various positions groups within the division to see where the Packers stack up.
Quarterback: The top two are pretty simple. The Packers have the two time reigning MVP, the Vikings have a good starting QB. But the last two are hard to stack-- you're weighing Goff's floor vs. Fields' ceiling. I went with Goff, but I would not argue either way. However, given how wretched Fields' supporting cast is, I don't think he will look better even if, in a vacuum, he is better.
1. Packers
2. Vikings
3. Lions
4. Bears
Running Back: This is a really good position across the entire division. I like all four teams at this spot. But GB is #1 for me because both Jones and Dillon are very good, lead back quality players. Dalvin Cook might be better than either, but the Vikings' top 2 isn't on par. I gave the nod to the Bears because Montgomery is more established than Swift, but I don't think there's a big gap.
1. Packers
2. Vikings
3. Bears
4. Lions
Tight End: If you look at the primary TE's across the board, it becomes clear who the top two teams are at this position. Hockenson is emerging as one of the premier players at tight end in the entire league, and he's a complete player. Quietly, Cole Kmet isn't that far behind him. On the bottom end, I gave the nod to GB over Minnesota because the Packers have decent role players at all three spots (Y, H, and F), though Minnesota could have a nice option in Irv Smith Jr. if he comes back healthy in 2022.
1. Lions
2. Bears
3. Packers
4. Vikings
Wide Receiver: The Vikings easily deserve the top spot here with Jefferson being one of the league's elite young receivers in front of the still useful Adam Thielen and the emerging K.J. Osborn. The emergence of St. Brown in the slot for Detroit helps them a lot here, and they have built around him with Chark and now Jameson Williams. The Packers are #3 for two reasons, one lesser and one greater. The lesser: they have youth and potential on the roster, even if they don't have a ton of proven talent. The greater: the Bears have the worst receiving corps in football.
1. Vikings
2. Lions
3. Packers
4. Bears
Offensive Line: It goes a little overlooked because the Lions are so bad, but they have a great offensive line. Left to right, Decker, Jackson, Ragnow, Vaitai, and Sewell are all proven quality. I love the Packers on the line too, but they are counting more on growth, whereas the Lions have guys who are a year or two ahead of their Packer counterparts. Minnesota has a huge range of outcomes on the line, depending on how well Darrisaw, Bradbury, and Ingram play. They could be above average or horrible. And the Bears have a small range of outcomes: horrible.
1. Lions
2. Packers
3. Vikings
4. Bears
Interior Defense Line: Kenny Clark has needed help, and he got it. Jarran Reed is a useful veteran who will be better with fewer snaps, Dean Lowry is still capable as a rotational guy, and they're adding the draft's best interior rusher. The Vikings are respectable, able to field a good trio in Tomlinson, Phillips, and Watts. But the Lions and the Bears are both really weak here. Detroit has Brockers and then youngsters who aren't there yet, and the Bears have... no one.
1. Packers
2. Vikings
3. Lions
4. Bears
Edge Rusher: Green Bay features a high quality starting duo of Preston Smith and Rashan Gary, and they will hope that backups like Garvin, Ramsey, and Enagbare can give them quality snaps as spell players. The Vikings are similar, though I would say with a step down in terms of certainty and ability seeing as how the healthy of Za'Darius Smith and Danielle Hunter is an open question. The Lions could be making a move up this list in a hurry if rookies Hutchinson and Paschal hit. The Bears have an aging Robert Quinn and... ?
1. Packers
2. Vikings
3. Lions
4. Bears
Linebacker: If Campbell is even in the neighborhood of the player he was in 2021, then adding Quay Walker could give GB the best duo in the NFL. The Vikings also have a nice group in Kendricks, Hicks, and rookie Asamoah, but Kendricks is starting to fade. The Bears have a high quality player here in Roquan Smith, but very little else (they should trade him). The Lions are nursing along young players who are still in over their heads.
1. Packers
2. Vikings
3. Bears
4. Lions
Cornerback: Given that players take their biggest leaps between years 1 and 2, I think there's a good chance the Green Bay's top 3 at cornerback will be the best in the NFL. There's a steep drop-off after that. The Vikings have Dantzler, who is good, and they added Booth, Evans, and Chandon Sullivan. The Bears have a quality player in Jaylon Johnson and they added that cute ballerina to the lineup. The Lions are a mess at this position, largely because Okudah has not materialized, though they may have something in Oruwariye if he continues to progress.
1. Packers
2. Vikings
3. Bears
4. Lions
Safety: This was a tough call at the top because I still think Harrison Smith is the single best safety in the division, but overall I think Amos-Savage is a better tandem in 2022 than Smith and a rookie Lewis Cine. The Bears could be decent here as they added Brisker, their best draft pick of the weekend, to the position along with the decent but overrated Eddie Jackson. The Lions aren't quite as messy here as at corner or linebacker, but they still aren't very talented.
1. Packers
2. Vikings
3. Bears
4. Lions
Overall (Lower is better): If you think about this division from a broader perspective, this rings true. The Vikings still have a lot of quality pieces, but they're the same quality pieces that couldn't overtake the Packers previously, so they're probably stuck in the same purgatory of being a winning team that cusps between missing the playoffs and losing early in the playoffs. There's an outside chance that Pettine makes them worse than that even. The Lions are on the come, but there are still too many spots (QB, LB, CB, S) where they're really bad for them to compete at this point. And the Bears are in competition with Atlanta for the worst roster in the league. Don't be shocked if they win two games and pick #1 overall next year.
1. Packers: 15
2. Vikings: 22
3. Lions: 29
4. Bears: 34
Nice work. Can't argue meaningfully about your rankings. The Packers are set to run away with the division, but new management, or almost new, in Minnesota, Detroit and Chicage could make it rougher than prior years. I didn't know Pettine was in Minnesota. Good.
Did the Bears hire a new GM this year? Or is it still Poles? He is, or was, useless.The Vikings offense will be good, but their defense is fixing to get eviscerated. They'll be back in that neighborhood of .500 where they've been.
The Lions should be feisty, but they aren't there yet.
The Bears roster is an abomination.
Good thing they hung on to all those picks....wait....nevermind. Moving on...The Bears roster is an abomination.
Yes and Yes and TBD.Did the Bears hire a new GM this year? Or is it still Poles? He is, or was, useless.
This is really a complimentary argument to losing Adams and weakening our WR room.The field opened up in front of him in a way not many rookies see happen - especially for a fourth rounder. This would be like Lazard and Watkins both going down for the year and Watson by nature is shoved out there for twice the number of snaps he probably would have been had that not happened.
Did the Bears hire a new GM this year? Or is it still Poles? He is, or was, useless.
I must have been thinking of Pace. Although I saw where Poles fired a nasty gram at Fields over a comment he never made about getting a stud WR like Adams or Hill. Patience, patience, it's the Bears after all.It is Poles, but he's new this year. Previously, it was Ryan Pace.
Thanks Schultz. I was thinking of Pace on the "useless" comment.Yes and Yes and TBD.
This is really a complimentary argument to losing Adams and weakening our WR room.
Put a few guys in there who have good potential to be early risers (good production for a Rook). I think you get 1,000+ between the two together.
Then spread the ball a little more to your entrenched veterans such as Lazard, Cobb and Tonyan and I don’t really think you’d lose more than a couple hundred yards or a couple Passing TD’s compared to previous seasons. I think the media has largely underestimated MLF/#12/Gute as a formidable trio. We acquire, we coach up and we execute.
In the meantime, people largely ignore that we quietly injected 2 Starters into our Defense and Kept our entire unit intact. I’d be shocked if we didn’t finish top 10 in scoring. I’ll be disappointed if we don’t field the best Defense since that
2009-2010 group.
I must have been thinking of Pace. Although I saw where Poles fired a nasty gram at Fields over a comment he never made about getting a stud WR like Adams or Hill. Patience, patience, it's the Bears after all.
Thanks Dantes.
and Matt Ryan is now in IndianapolisThe Bears fired Matt (Nagy) and Ryan P(ace) and hired Matt (Eberflus) and Ryan P(oles).
It’s confusing.
Oh wow I didn't know that! Seems like something the Bears would do, even if unintentional!The Bears fired Matt (Nagy) and Ryan P(ace) and hired Matt (Eberflus) and Ryan P(oles).
It’s confusing.
Well at least we know Jones and Dillon are decent receivers. Just might need em.Aaron Jones will end up the #1 receiving target and he'll miss 3-4 weeks before the playoffs for arm replacement surgery.
The Packers are set to run away with the division, but new management, or almost new, in Minnesota, Detroit and Chicage could make it rougher than prior years.
Then spread the ball a little more to your entrenched veterans such as Lazard, Cobb and Tonyan and I don’t really think you’d lose more than a couple hundred yards or a couple Passing TD’s compared to previous seasons. I think the media has largely underestimated MLF/#12/Gute as a formidable trio. We acquire, we coach up and we execute.
In the meantime, people largely ignore that we quietly injected 2 Starters into our Defense and Kept our entire unit intact. I’d be shocked if we didn’t finish top 10 in scoring. I’ll be disappointed if we don’t field the best Defense since that
2009-2010 group.
There's no question in my mind the Packers will run away with the NFC North this year, and probably for as long as Rodgers plays.While new management and coaching staffs in Minnesota and Chicago might end up making it tougher for the Packers to win the division in future seasons I fully expect the Packers to win the division this season taking a look at the rosters around the NFC North.
I agree the defense should be a top unit in the league this season. There's no denying there are a ton of question marks on the offensive side of the ball though.
Well said. The D pretty much held serve when Campbell, Douglas, P. Smith, and Alexander were resigned. Adding Walker and Wyatt makes a formidable D that much better.This is really a complimentary argument to losing Adams and weakening our WR room.
Put a few guys in there who have good potential to be early risers (good production for a Rook). I think you get 1,000+ between the two together.
Then spread the ball a little more to your entrenched veterans such as Lazard, Cobb and Tonyan and I don’t really think you’d lose more than a couple hundred yards or a couple Passing TD’s compared to previous seasons. I think the media has largely underestimated MLF/#12/Gute as a formidable trio. We acquire, we coach up and we execute.
In the meantime, people largely ignore that we quietly injected 2 Starters into our Defense and Kept our entire unit intact. I’d be shocked if we didn’t finish top 10 in scoring. I’ll be disappointed if we don’t field the best Defense since that
2009-2010 group.
The Vikings have a injury prone Dalvin Cook and a star receiver in Jefferson. I think Theilen is getting old and is on the way down. Their o line is mediocre at best along with most of the remaining cast. When not under pressure, Cousins looks super. When he's rushed, he falls apart. The Vikings will score 35 one week and turn around and put up 14 the next when they face a godd pass rush. I see their offense as very inconsistent. They look like an 8 or 9 win team. BTW, the Bears still suck and I agree their roster is a joke.The Vikings offense will be good, but their defense is fixing to get eviscerated. They'll be back in that neighborhood of .500 where they've been.
The Lions should be feisty, but they aren't there yet.
The Bears roster is an abomination.
I can see the Vikings winning 8 or 9 games. But that's dependent on a healthy Cook and a healthy Jefferson. I expect they'll get better slowly, just no this year. That said they'll beat the Packers once because........ they always do. It's magical.The Vikings have a injury prone Dalvin Cook and a star receiver in Jefferson. I think Theilen is getting old and is on the way down. Their o line is mediocre at best along with most of the remaining cast. When not under pressure, Cousins looks super. When he's rushed, he falls apart. The Vikings will score 35 one week and turn around and put up 14 the next when they face a godd pass rush. I see their offense as very inconsistent. They look like an 8 or 9 win team. BTW, the Bears still suck and I agree their roster is a joke.