Move CB up draft board

[Sunshinepacker]

Tramon Williams to Browns on three year deal per Schefter.

 

[Bagadeez04]

Oy I hadn't seen that. Just when things are looking up.

 

[thisisnate]

Ick. The Browns? C'mon now, Tramon...

 

[El Guapo]

If the $21 million / 3 year contract is true, then I'm not sad to see him go. I'm happy that someone gave him a lot of money as he's earned it over his career, but that's too much for our team and I'm glad that TT has restraint. Maybe TT would have played this differently knowing that Williams would get a crazy deal elsewhere, and would have kept Davon House.

As the OP here stated, this definitely moves CB up the draft board into the mix with DT, ILB. I think TE drops down into the 4-7th round priority status.

 

[Sanguine camper]

Since Hyde and Hayward are strictly slot corners the Packers will be ststarting a rookie or Goodson next season at an outside CB unless TT pulls off a trade.not sure it's a good idea to draft a CB high in the draft since inside LB is such a pressing need. Rookie CB's take time to develop so the draft is not likely to help much this year.

 

[GoPGo]

Since Hyde and Hayward are strictly slot corners...

Says who?

 

[TomBrownFan40]

If the $21 million / 3 year contract is true, then I'm not sad to see him go. I'm happy that someone gave him a lot of money as he's earned it over his career, but that's too much for our team and I'm glad that TT has restraint. Maybe TT would have played this differently knowing that Williams would get a crazy deal elsewhere, and would have kept Davon House.

As the OP here stated, this definitely moves CB up the draft board into the mix with DT, ILB. I think TE drops down into the 4-7th round priority status.

Good analysis. I suspect the 3 years is what made TT's hair turn even whiter. On the bright side, unlike DT and ILB, there are a bunch of corners rated in that 1st to 3rd round range. I could see this as one of those trade-out-and-stockpile-2nd to 4th round picks kind of drafts.

 

[net]

Both inside linebackers that started last season and one of the starting cornerbacks are gone(Williams). House, valuable backup is gone. Neither starting defensive tackle is signed. This is starting to look like the Brett Favre-Mike Sherman years where the offense could score at will but will lose because the defense gives up more.

 

[HardRightEdge]

Is the picture clearer now? It's a rebuild-on-the-fly year for the defense.

 

[El Guapo]

Is the picture clearer now? It's a rebuild-on-the-fly year for the defense.

I'm not being argumentative here, but isn't the point of the draft & develop philosophy that TT embraces to rebuild-on-the-fly consistently so you don't have wild fluctuations in performance? As long as they keep drafting well, we should always have a position or two that are thin but no desperation positions.

 

[HardRightEdge]

I'm not being argumentative here, but isn't the point of the draft & develop philosophy that TT embraces to rebuild-on-the-fly consistently so you don't have wild fluctuations in performance? As long as they keep drafting well, we should always have a position or two that are thin but no desperation positions.

2 ILBs, at least one cover corner, a nose tackle, and a DE who can play base run D and swing to NT.

That's 5, not 2.

The Packers have not drafted well on defense for several years now. There's no bench strength to draw upon except the #3 safety and serviceable backup OLBs, which don't happen to be the positions that were problems at the start of FA and continue to today.

Backing and filling is one thing; rebuilding on the fly is quite another.

I'll repeat my comment that drew so many disagrees before Williams signed with Cleveland...Thompson better have one h*ll of a draft.

 

[XPack]

As long as they keep drafting well, we should always have a position or two that are thin but no desperation positions.

Tbh, that's a really bad way of managing your team. An injury in a thin position would derail the season.

Value in the market as a general principle is laudable, but stretching it too far to become a liability even for a single season is not good management. More so when we are 'thin' in multiple areas.

 

[XPack]

Now I really hope we sign BJ Raji.
And if Mason Foster is available, then we should be in there too with a competitive bid.

Paying through the nose is bad, but a lil bit extra should be OK, this season.

 

[GreenBaySlacker]

I think the decision to let Williams go, and promote Hayward, was made 2 years ago. We just need some solid depth. Hayward will be fine IMO. Maybe even better than fine...

 

[Sunshinepacker]

Hayward will probably be a good to very good outside corner. The problem is that it appears as though the Packers now have major question marks at NT, ILB and CB. That's too many holes to hope to fill in the draft. I'm not writing off the Packers, they're still one of the best teams in the NFL. However, it appears as though the defense will continue to have major holes (I mean, Matthews and Shields now become players that can't possibly get hurt) and then we can hear about how much Dom Capers sucks. Luckily, the offense continues to get built and fans can trust that Rodgers & Co. will continue to outscore most teams.

 

[El Guapo]

There is rarely a team that is solid at every position, and if they are they don't sustain over multiple years. The current format in the NFL makes it virtually impossible. There's no question that we are thinner on defense than offense, but it's not panic territory.

 

[HardRightEdge]

Hayward will probably be a good to very good outside corner. The problem is that it appears as though the Packers now have major question marks at NT, ILB and CB. That's too many holes to hope to fill in the draft. I'm not writing off the Packers, they're still one of the best teams in the NFL. However, it appears as though the defense will continue to have major holes (I mean, Matthews and Shields now become players that can't possibly get hurt) and then we can hear about how much Dom Capers sucks. Luckily, the offense continues to get built and fans can trust that Rodgers & Co. will continue to outscore most teams.

No worries. The Packers will just outscore a weak division.

 

[captainWIMM]

As long as they keep drafting well, we should always have a position or two that are thin but no desperation positions.

We're in absolute desperate need to add two ILBs. After losing Williams we need to add another CB in the draft early even if Hayward ends up being the starter outside as Demetri Goodson would be the dime corner as of now. NT has to be addressed as well.

 

[Vrill]

FA isn't over yet. Not to mention, the draft is coming up too. This roller coaster ride isn't over yet.

 

[Wynnebeck]

No worries. The Packers will just outscore a weak division.

It's not the division we should be worried about...

 

[Wynnebeck]

.

 

[Vrill]

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[SoonerPack]

I guess we may as well call the season off and get ready for 2016 since we lost Tramon, huh? Bump that!! I am confident that the D WILL be better next year and that's not sunshine pumping. I have said for a while now that 29 can and should be playing outside and now it looks like we will get to see what he can do. He has a nose for the ball (nobody can argue that), isn't afraid to tackle and has more than enough athleticism to play the position. I can't believe that Tramon at 32 is better than Casey regardless of the "he's a slot corner" argument. I look at it this way. I rode bikes for years and have not rode one in years now. I feel confident I could get on one tomorrow and feel pretty comfortable after a few blocks. This may sound silly but bare with me. Casey played outside corner his whole life until he came to GB and the only reason he played slot is because that was his only option to get on the field. He isn't some green pea about to move from WR to CB or something. Yes, there will be a little bit of an adjustment process but that's why there are practices and pre-season games. I have FULL confidence he is going to play at a very high level and end up with 7-8 picks by the end. Here is what Mayock had to say about him after the 2012 draft:

DRAFT ANALYSIS:
Mayock's take: "He's one of the most instinctive corners in this draft. After Morris Claiborne, Hayward has the best ball skills of any of the corners in this draft. I love this pick for the Packers."

Say what you will about MM but he does know football and the first part of his comment is what I rest my argument on. Instincts. 29 has a nose for the ball and isn't some old, crafty dead-legged vet who has to rely on angles to get to the right spot. He has a combination of both ball skills and athleticism that at-long-last will get to be fully displayed this next season. Relax folks, we are better off than you think.

Onto the ILB position where I say we just keep Clay there for now. We have guys that can rush the passer and I think we can actually be better there next year so long as we get Raji and Guion back plus maybe a Jordan Phillips type via the draft. We obviously need depth there and that IS where the draft comes in. We should go and get a DT and ILB in the first 2 rounds and there you go. I have said all along that I believe in Sam B so if need be let's keep 52 back there with him and if the draft pick or either Crawford (who I still have hope for) or Joe Thomas can step up even better. I do agree about the depth issues but that's going to be the case at some position for every team every year. You simply can't have a bevy of talent at every single position and that's why IMO a certain amount of luck goes into making a Super Bowl run. You need a few good breaks (pun?) to go your way injury wise if you are going to make a run because of the depth issues. As I said, every team has deficiencies and it's just a matter of whether or not a key injury highlights said deficiency.

General Managers have to spend wisely and while I would've liked to see 38 back there is no way in hell is 7M/year worthy at this point in his career. We got 18 and 75 back and that's fantastic. We have some other guys coming up for paydays pretty soon as well so spending stupid money on an aging investment just doesn't make sense. As I stated earlier I just don't believe that Tramon will be better than Casey in 2015. I honestly just don't see that. We will all see soon enough but I am enjoying the off-season and still have full faith and confidence that we are going to have one helluva team to root for next year and be there in the end when the dust settles. There are always going to be folks on both sides of the fence and if there weren't think of how boring this forum would be?!?! Have a great one and as always G P G!!

 

[captainWIMM]

I guess we may as well call the season off and get ready for 2016 since we lost Tramon, huh? Bump that!! I am confident that the D WILL be better next year and that's not sunshine pumping. I have said for a while now that 29 can and should be playing outside and now it looks like we will get to see what he can do. He has a nose for the ball (nobody can argue that), isn't afraid to tackle and has more than enough athleticism to play the position. I can't believe that Tramon at 32 is better than Casey regardless of the "he's a slot corner" argument. I look at it this way. I rode bikes for years and have not rode one in years now. I feel confident I could get on one tomorrow and feel pretty comfortable after a few blocks. This may sound silly but bare with me. Casey played outside corner his whole life until he came to GB and the only reason he played slot is because that was his only option to get on the field. He isn't some green pea about to move from WR to CB or something. Yes, there will be a little bit of an adjustment process but that's why there are practices and pre-season games. I have FULL confidence he is going to play at a very high level and end up with 7-8 picks by the end. Here is what Mayock had to say about him after the 2012 draft:

DRAFT ANALYSIS:
Mayock's take: "He's one of the most instinctive corners in this draft. After Morris Claiborne, Hayward has the best ball skills of any of the corners in this draft. I love this pick for the Packers."

Say what you will about MM but he does know football and the first part of his comment is what I rest my argument on. Instincts. 29 has a nose for the ball and isn't some old, crafty dead-legged vet who has to rely on angles to get to the right spot. He has a combination of both ball skills and athleticism that at-long-last will get to be fully displayed this next season. Relax folks, we are better off than you think.

Onto the ILB position where I say we just keep Clay there for now. We have guys that can rush the passer and I think we can actually be better there next year so long as we get Raji and Guion back plus maybe a Jordan Phillips type via the draft. We obviously need depth there and that IS where the draft comes in. We should go and get a DT and ILB in the first 2 rounds and there you go. I have said all along that I believe in Sam B so if need be let's keep 52 back there with him and if the draft pick or either Crawford (who I still have hope for) or Joe Thomas can step up even better. I do agree about the depth issues but that's going to be the case at some position for every team every year. You simply can't have a bevy of talent at every single position and that's why IMO a certain amount of luck goes into making a Super Bowl run. You need a few good breaks (pun?) to go your way injury wise if you are going to make a run because of the depth issues. As I said, every team has deficiencies and it's just a matter of whether or not a key injury highlights said deficiency.

General Managers have to spend wisely and while I would've liked to see 38 back there is no way in hell is 7M/year worthy at this point in his career. We got 18 and 75 back and that's fantastic. We have some other guys coming up for paydays pretty soon as well so spending stupid money on an aging investment just doesn't make sense. As I stated earlier I just don't believe that Tramon will be better than Casey in 2015. I honestly just don't see that. We will all see soon enough but I am enjoying the off-season and still have full faith and confidence that we are going to have one helluva team to root for next year and be there in the end when the dust settles. There are always going to be folks on both sides of the fence and if there weren't think of how boring this forum would be?!?! Have a great one and as always G P G!!

I think you're being too optimistic about the defense's outlook for 2015. I agree with the Packers decision to not pay Tramon $7 million a year though.

 

[PackerDNA]

Williams is already in decline; he's lost a step on the deep ball. I would've liked him back; he could still, if used properly, been a very effective stop gap for next season.
But for what Cleveland gave him? Just didn't make sense for Green Bay.