Packers win the Offseason!

[Curly Calhoun]

It's only January, but the Packers are having a great offseason:

• Bears OC Adam Gase agrees to coach the Miami Dolphins;
• Lions WR Calvin Johnson is mulling retirement

Gase's departure means Cutler will be starting over with a new OC next year. That is nothing new for Cutler, it seems to happen pretty often for him. Chicago's larger issues are lack of talent almost everywhere, and whether or not they can re-sign Alshon Jeffery.

It would be a loss for the Lions if Megatron hangs up his cleats at 31, but also a loss for the NFL. He's a tremendous athlete who probably has at least a few more productive years in him, if not for Detroit than somewhere else. If there is any upside for the Lions it would be the cap-room his retirement would create for them.

In any event I am less concerned with what the other teams in our division do in the off-season than what the Packers do. If Green Bay takes care of business, then any personnel moves by the Bears, Lions, or Vikings simply will not matter.

 

[Half Empty]

The Packers, when performong up to their talent level, are still the best team in the division. They have to make up ground this offseason to the top teams in the NFC though.

I understand what you're saying here, but the first sentence initially jumped out at me as saying "on paper, they're the best", and that's what winning the off-season is usually about.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

I understand what you're saying here, but the first sentence initially jumped out at me as saying "on paper, they're the best", and that's what winning the off-season is usually about.

The Packers have already proven that they´re capable of playing way better than they did last season with the personnel they have entering 2016. So I stand by what I wrote in my previous post.

 

[Half Empty]

I tried to tone down my response, but I probably should have expressed the thoughts that (1) I would guess that there aren't any teams that couldn't play better than last season and (2) some of the recent 'dream teams' with the splashy FA signings looked like tops in their division, IF they played up to their potential. No biggie, probably just splitting hairs.

 

[El Guapo]

Well, The Bears and Vikings did get better this season while we went backwards. This off season is a big one for both coaches and players if we are to return to the top of the division.

To make that statement, you're saying that the Packers were primarily worse because of who they didn't get in free agency. While there is some merit to that, this team played much worse than they were capable. I can't imagine that anybody they would have brought in would have rectified the offensive woes.

I also truly believe that our defense was better than in prior years.

 

[jrock645]

The defense definitely took a step forward. The big question is if Dom can do it again. Biggest thing is they have to finsih and make the turnovers and splash plays that seemed to lack a bit this year.

 

[JBlood]

To make that statement, you're saying that the Packers were primarily worse because of who they didn't get in free agency. While there is some merit to that, this team played much worse than they were capable. I can't imagine that anybody they would have brought in would have rectified the offensive woes.

I also truly believe that our defense was better than in prior years.

If they played worse than capable I would blame coaching for allowing it. There were a lot of starters missing games with apparently no backups (o line, tight end, linebackers). That's either TT's player procurement or coaching; or both. The defense showed some improvement from the last few years, which isn't saying much. The defense was below average in run stopping, and gave up 88 "big plays" during the regular season. That's on Capers whether you blame players being out of position or unable to make plays while in position an average of almost 5 times a game throughout the season. It made the Fitz play that ended the season unsurprising to me.

There's a lot of improvement needed for this team to be a Championship contender imo.

 

[jrock645]

Run defense has been this D's biggest weakness since the superbowl year. I still point at the lack of a true 3-4 NT as the biggest reason, but lack of a strting caliber MLB is a huge prt too.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

If they played worse than capable I would blame coaching for allowing it. There were a lot of starters missing games with apparently no backups (o line, tight end, linebackers). That's either TT's player procurement or coaching; or both. The defense showed some improvement from the last few years, which isn't saying much. The defense was below average in run stopping, and gave up 88 "big plays" during the regular season. That's on Capers whether you blame players being out of position or unable to make plays while in position an average of almost 5 times a game throughout the season. It made the Fitz play that ended the season unsurprising to me.

There's a lot of improvement needed for this team to be a Championship contender imo.

I don´t agree that the Packers need a lot of improvement to be a Super Bowl contender but Thompson has to improve specific positions of need (ILB, TE) as well as add depth at other positions (OL, DL). If the offense is capable of performing the way it did in 2014 the defense should be good enough to win another title.