Free Agency: TE's

[Deleted member 6794]

What happened to the Patriots without Edelman? They still had Gronk and could not get anything done the second half of the season without him. They looked even worse than the Packers offense without Jordy Nelson, and we had no one even comparable to Gronk and just as bad of an Oline.

There's no denying Edelman was an important part of the Patriots offense. Not because he's an elite receiver though but New England lacking talent at the position.

 

[Packerlifer]

Jared Cook highlights.

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[sschind]

There are more than six tight ends in the league offering more athleticism than Rodgers. He is a dangerous red zone threat but a TE capable of stretching the field would open up short to intermediate passing lanes as well as the running game.

The Packers don't need a player like Gronkowski at the position to be succesful but there's no doubt an improvement would certainly help.

I never said more athletic. Rodell said RR would never scare anyone and I simply pointed out that the majority of TEs in the league don't scare anyone and lots of teams are looking for one that does.

Well yeah it'd help. Quite a bit actually. But theres an implecation in many posts that TE is a huge dire need and in order for our offense to be successful/elite there's no way we can do that without an upgrade from RR.

It's not like RR is some scrub who should be cut like one poster said. An upgrade would definitely be more than welcome but I wouldn't label it essential in the the scope of next season

Some people act like we can't win without a top 5 TE and if we had a top 5 TE we couldn't lose. I've said it before and I'll say it again. If the Packers wanted to have a top 5 TE they could have one, even in RR.

Upgrades at every single position will always help your team and like you said they would always be welcome but in some cases they aren't essential.

Unfortunately this isn't like duck duck goose where Ted can just pat a player on the head and say "you play for me now"

I guess that's just me settling again.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

Some people act like we can't win without a top 5 TE and if we had a top 5 TE we couldn't lose. I've said it before and I'll say it again. If the Packers wanted to have a top 5 TE they could have one, even in RR.

Rodgers will never be a top five tight end in the league, no matter how much the Packers would like him to be.

 

[PackerDNA]

Rodgers is too limited to ever be a top TE, but I agree with sschind that the position has proven to be not a requirement for this offence to be top flight.
I do put it in the 'need to upgrade' column with ILB, DL, and OL depth.

 

[sschind]

Rodgers will never be a top five tight end in the league, no matter how much the Packers would like him to be.

Its not a matter of simply liking him to be, they have to make it happen. If they really wanted him to be they could make him so. Put in plays for him and have Rodgers throw him the ball and the numbers would be there. Yeah, hes not going to be a top 5 TE with the way the Packers use the TE. I'm not sure Gronk would be a top 5 TE with the way the Packers use the position. I'm talking statistically not talent wise.

 

[Vrill]

Jared Cook is still on the market for a reason. It can't be a good reason either. This is starting to remind me of Brandon Spikes last season. Everyone here wanted to sign him, but I don't think he even played a down last year, LOL

 

[PackerDNA]

Jared Cook is still on the market for a reason. It can't be a good reason either. This is starting to remind me of Brandon Spikes last season. Everyone here wanted to sign him, but I don't think he even played a down last year, LOL

No telling for sure, but I can appreciate what you're saying , Vrill. I for sure thought he'd have signed somewhere by now. Today's speculation is the Bears have renewed interest in him as the Saints matched their offer sheet to their TE.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

Its not a matter of simply liking him to be, they have to make it happen. If they really wanted him to be they could make him so. Put in plays for him and have Rodgers throw him the ball and the numbers would be there. Yeah, hes not going to be a top 5 TE with the way the Packers use the TE. I'm not sure Gronk would be a top 5 TE with the way the Packers use the position. I'm talking statistically not talent wise.

The Packers would for sure utilize Gronk in a way so that his numbers would still be on top of the league. They don't make Rodgers one of the focal points if their offense because his talent doesn't justify doing it.

Jared Cook is still on the market for a reason. It can't be a good reason either. This is starting to remind me of Brandon Spikes last season. Everyone here wanted to sign him, but I don't think he even played a down last year, LOL

I'm quite sure Cook is still unsigned because his asking price is still too high for teams interested in him. Spikes didn't play last season because of an off the field incident, a lack of talent wasn't the reason for it.

 

[PikeBadger]

Jared Cook is still on the market for a reason. It can't be a good reason either. This is starting to remind me of Brandon Spikes last season. Everyone here wanted to sign him, but I don't think he even played a down last year, LOL

All the more reason that Ted Thompson should be reading this forum just so that he can do the exact opposite of what the keyboard GM's are advising here.
I actually find this to be very amusing reading.

 

[Half Empty]

Jared Cook is still on the market for a reason. It can't be a good reason either. This is starting to remind me of Brandon Spikes last season. Everyone here wanted to sign him, but I don't think he even played a down last year, LOL

Might want to be a little more clear. Potential legal trouble, never got a chance to play. In Green Bay, maybe his car isn't involved in a incident.

 

[Pkrjones]

Wow, dodged a bullet! Ladarius Green possibly considering retirement... http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.co...es-raise-questions-about-his-future-contract/

 

[bigbubbatd]

Wow, dodged a bullet! Ladarius Green possibly considering retirement... http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.co...es-raise-questions-about-his-future-contract/

But the TT was foolish for not signing him...

 

[Deleted member 6794]

But the TT was foolish for not signing him...

I was wondering how long it would take for a comment like that. With the Steelers seemingly not knowing about his condition there's no way Thompson did.

 

[bigbubbatd]

I was wondering how long it would take for a comment like that. With the Steelers seemingly not knowing about his condition there's no way Thompson did.

Nope but it does show why TT is more willing to sign his own guys where these things are much l more known by the team. It probably shows why the chargers let him walk and kept gates.

I know you wanted green but as of right now it would have been a very bad signing. And that is the issue with fa. It is a crap shot just like the draft

 

[Deleted member 6794]

Nope but it does show why TT is more willing to sign his own guys where these things are much l more known by the team. It probably shows why the chargers let him walk and kept gates.

I know you wanted green but as of right now it would have been a very bad signing. And that is the issue with fa. It is a crap shot just like the draft

I agree that with the information currently available it would have been a terrible signing. There's risk re-signing a team's own free agents as well though as it's possible these guys suffer career ending injuries as well (Collins, Finley being prime examples).

 

[Sunshinepacker]

Its not a matter of simply liking him to be, they have to make it happen. If they really wanted him to be they could make him so. Put in plays for him and have Rodgers throw him the ball and the numbers would be there. Yeah, hes not going to be a top 5 TE with the way the Packers use the TE. I'm not sure Gronk would be a top 5 TE with the way the Packers use the position. I'm talking statistically not talent wise.

Many fans only concentrate on the receiving part of the TE position but blocking is still a huge part of the game (not saying this describes you, Sschind, just using this post to start a point). That's why Jimmy Graham, while almost as strong a receiver as Gronk a few years ago, was never close to as good as Gronk. In the Packer's offense, Gronk would be amazing. Rodgers is a terrible blocker. Blocking is actually where I think Cook will make the biggest impact in the Packer's offense. I don't think Cook is a reliable enough receiver to count on but he's one of the better blocking TEs in the NFL and the Packers have not had that in over a decade.

 

[Sunshinepacker]

But the TT was foolish for not signing him...

Great, now people will use this as an example of why free agency NEVER works out....of course ignoring all the free agent signings that DO work out very well.

 

[bigbubbatd]

Great, now people will use this as an example of why free agency NEVER works out....of course ignoring all the free agent signings that DO work out very well.

Just like people constantly talking about how a fa could always fix the team even though many fail. TT should be more active but cook seems like a better fa signing than green right now

 

[PackerDNA]

You can't use 'after the fact' results to prop up someone or cut them down.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

Many fans only concentrate on the receiving part of the TE position but blocking is still a huge part of the game (not saying this describes you, Sschind, just using this post to start a point). That's why Jimmy Graham, while almost as strong a receiver as Gronk a few years ago, was never close to as good as Gronk. In the Packer's offense, Gronk would be amazing. Rodgers is a terrible blocker. Blocking is actually where I think Cook will make the biggest impact in the Packer's offense. I don't think Cook is a reliable enough receiver to count on but he's one of the better blocking TEs in the NFL and the Packers have not had that in over a decade.

While Cook is an upgrade over Rodgers blocking for the run that's not the primary reason the Packers signed him in free agency. The team mainly brought him in to stretch a defense with his athleticism.

 

[TeamTundra]

Great, now people will use this as an example of why free agency NEVER works out....of course ignoring all the free agent signings that DO work out very well.

No, this is an example of how you should be cautious when signing a free agent in his prime
from a team that has a need for his skill set but chooses to let him walk. I can see if it is a
money matter or the player does not want to be part of the organization, but all reports I
read on Green is that the Chargers did not extend an offer to him.

 

[Mondio]

You can't use 'after the fact' results to prop up someone or cut them down.

Maybe, maybe not. It was a concern of mine. Why was a team choosing to re-sign a guy on the decline and mostly used up over a young on the rise and relatively inexpensive guy already on the roster? The fact that SD didn't seem at all interested in getting him under contract, and instead concentrated on a guy with 1-2 seasons left in the league was a headscratcher to say the least. Maybe this is part of the reason SD had no interest? Maybe this is related to why Ted had none? Maybe it's all just a coincidence and none of it matters?

 

[Sunshinepacker]

While Cook is an upgrade over Rodgers blocking for the run that's not the primary reason the Packers signed him in free agency. The team mainly brought him in to stretch a defense with his athleticism.

How do we know that? Based on their play the last few seasons, Cook is a slightly better receiver (way more athletic but bad hands) but a MUCH better blocker. Why is it automatic that the Packer's coaches didn't base the signing mainly on improved pass protection and run blocking with a side of improved receiving?

 

[Sunshinepacker]

No, this is an example of how you should be cautious when signing a free agent in his prime
from a team that has a need for his skill set but chooses to let him walk. I can see if it is a
money matter or the player does not want to be part of the organization, but all reports I
read on Green is that the Chargers did not extend an offer to him.

Agreed. Free agency isn't a panacea. However, I was really speaking more to the crowd that determines that every negative free agent outcome is indicative of ALL free agent signings. Yes, many free agent signing don't work out. However, many DO work out.