Peppers returning

[Ace]

I don't think this will shock many but he's confirmed he's playing in 2016

http://www.profootballweekly.com/20...pers-returning-for-15th-nfl-campaign/ag6bxgy/

 

[Royal Pain]

Good news. I've seen no drop off in his play and he provides veteran leadership to our younger players. Hopefully like Woodson, he can get a ring to cap off a stellar career.

 

[ChesterfieldCheesehead]

Thanks for the good eyes. I'm sure I will feel a vibrate from ESPN Rob moron Demovsky reporting this any second always an hour late reporting others stuff lol but I figured his end would hold up so far so good with TT

 

[OldSchool101]

I just wanna see old Peppers holding that Lombardi with his big ol grin.. He's reenergized this D and he's in a race with Jared Allen and D.Ware to be a top 5 career sacks leader this early 2016, with an outside chance (15 sacks) from the #4 career sack leader position.

 

[GreenBaySlacker]

Peppers said some time between now and 40, he will retire. So maybe we should negotiate an extension. Maybe take a pay cut (figuring in his decline) Big signing bonus. And get the cap number down for 2016? Lock him up for the rest of his career.

 

[CashInFist]

I don't think this will shock many but he's confirmed he's playing in 2016

http://www.profootballweekly.com/20...pers-returning-for-15th-nfl-campaign/ag6bxgy/

LOVE seeing this.

 

[NelsonsLongCatch]

That's great news. Guy is still a stud. Hope he finally gets his ring.

 

[El Guapo]

I would agree about the extension. I hope that they talk to him about it.

One thing that really frustrates me about football operations in general is when they don't talk to veterans before cutting them. Woodson is a good example of lately in our organization. People always spew out the "this is a business" line of crap. Businesses can be run like a cold, public corporation or they can be run like a mom & pop shop. The business leaders need to act boldly but with compassion.

Off my soapbox, I hope that they approach Peppers about an extension to smooth out this year's cap hit and let him know that he's got a soft landing zone for the end of his career.

 

[Mondio]

I don't think Peppers gets an extension now. We've got younger and just as important coming up in the very near furture to be pushing money out for him. He's almost to the end, and he's not our QB. I think they figured on paying him this money if his production was still there. They've planned for this so I don't foresee them putting money out further when we're already in a year when he could have very likely retired. I'm not surprised he's back, I kind of expected it. But I'm not near as confident that he'll be close to the same player and coming back the following season so I wouldn't be pushing money out to the next season either if I didn't think there was a high likelihood of him performing for me.

 

[jrock645]

I didnt think there was anydoubt, but glad its confirmed

 

[scotscheese]

"the return of peppers, opposite peppers" great proof reading

 

[TJV]

I don't think Peppers gets an extension now.

I agree but if they don't, I wonder how this plays into 2016 being the second year in McCarthy's three-year plan for the defense. They better find Peppers' replacement for 2017 in a quick hurry if 2017 is supposed to be the culmination of a three-year plan.

One thing that really frustrates me about football operations in general is when they don't talk to veterans before cutting them. Woodson is a good example of lately in our organization. People always spew out the "this is a business" line of crap. Businesses can be run like a cold, public corporation or they can be run like a mom & pop shop. The business leaders need to act boldly but with compassion.

I agree NFL teams should treat players with compassion, but in Woodson's case it looked to me at the time like the Packers weren't interested in keeping Woodson even at a much lower salary. I'm not sure how that was communicated to him or whether Woodson asked his agent to approach the Packers about restructuring. If the Packers weren't interested in keeping him at any reasonable cost, IMO they should have done him the courtesy of telling him (and his agent) in person: He certainly earned that respect. I get the idea of releasing a player one year too early rather than a year too late, but in this case they missed by a mile.

 

[Mondio]

They do, I think they're going to depend on Elliot a bit, but we need to get Clay back outside. (not that i think Elliot is Peppers at all) But if someone they think is a premier pass rusher falls at #27, I have zero hesitation in taking him for OLB over the other positions. But reports are ILB's of quality and probably immediate players should be available there too. In that case I think they go that route, get clay back outside and see if one of their young guys can steup up, or find a developmental guy later.

and of course as I type that I realize we need to seriously look at DL and OL depth or future starters (near future). screw it, this year will be like every other. I have no idea who or when they're drafting guys.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

They do, I think they're going to depend on Elliot a bit, but we need to get Clay back outside. (not that i think Elliot is Peppers at all) But if someone they think is a premier pass rusher falls at #27, I have zero hesitation in taking him for OLB over the other positions.

It seems like the coaching staff will continue to include Datone Jones in the rotation at outside linebacker as well. Once Peppers retires or his performance drops significantly the Packers better already have an adequate replacement on the roster.

 

[El Guapo]

and of course as I type that I realize we need to seriously look at DL and OL depth or future starters (near future). screw it, this year will be like every other. I have no idea who or when they're drafting guys.

TT has a pretty good success rate in the first four rounds. After that there is a pretty sharp drop (although he's done pretty good with 6th round picks too). Therefore I tend to think of needs for the top part of the draft (Rounds 1-4) and the bottom part. ILB, OLB, TE, and OL are the top positional needs in my mind. Where he drafts those players in Rounds 1-4 doesn't really concern me. Second tier positional needs are DL, WR, and S and can be addressed in the later rounds. Of course, BPA comes into play so any position is fair game at any time.

It seems like the coaching staff will continue to include Datone Jones in the rotation at outside linebacker as well. Once Peppers retires or his performance drops significantly the Packers better already have an adequate replacement on the roster.

The thing about Peppers is that he is an athletic wonder. He will last a little longer than most do, but you are right that at some point his performance will drop. It's always just a guessing game about when.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

TT has a pretty good success rate in the first four rounds. After that there is a pretty sharp drop (although he's done pretty good with 6th round picks too). Therefore I tend to think of needs for the top part of the draft (Rounds 1-4) and the bottom part. ILB, OLB, TE, and OL are the top positional needs in my mind. Where he drafts those players in Rounds 1-4 doesn't really concern me. Second tier positional needs are DL, WR, and S and can be addressed in the later rounds. Of course, BPA comes into play so any position is fair game at any time.

IMO Thompson has done an excellent job from the second to the fourth round but not so much in the first though.

 

[El Guapo]

Of course it all depends on how you assess the draft.

Good picks:
1. Aaron Rodgers
2. AJ Hawk
3. BJ Raji
4. Clay Matthews
5. Bryan Bulaga
6. Nick Perry
7. Ha Ha Clinton-Dix

Bad picks:
1. Justin Harrell
2. Derek Sherrod
3. Datone Jones

Not included: Damarious Randall

Obviously we can argue these all day. Hawk was a dependable ILB for 8 of his 9 seasons, not befitting of a #5 slot but that's still good production. Nick Perry is a good player but just can't stay healthy. Tough to say that it was a bad pick. I threw Datone into the "Bad Pick" category because he still isn't a starter, which in my mind is the first criteria to meet as a 1st round pick (I guess that should apply to Perry too but Perry shows more when on the field). Randall hasn't played two seasons so we don't have enough to judge. Early results would say he goes into the first group.

So right there TT is at 70%. You could move Perry or Hawk down but I would say either way that he's doing pretty good. I judged Mike Sherman as going 2 for 3 (67%) in the first round, Wolf at 7 for 11 (64%), Tom Braatz at 2 for 6 (33%), Forrest Gregg at 2 for 3 (67%), Bart Starr at 8 for 11 (73%), Dan Devine at 3 for 5 (60%), Phil Bengston at 1 for 3 (33%), Lombardi at 10 for 13 (77%), and Vainisi at 7 for 11 (67%).

 

[Deleted member 6794]

Of course it all depends on how you assess the draft.

Good picks:
1. Aaron Rodgers
2. AJ Hawk
3. BJ Raji
4. Clay Matthews
5. Bryan Bulaga
6. Nick Perry
7. Ha Ha Clinton-Dix

Bad picks:
1. Justin Harrell
2. Derek Sherrod
3. Datone Jones

Not included: Damarious Randall

Obviously we can argue these all day. Hawk was a dependable ILB for 8 of his 9 seasons, not befitting of a #5 slot but that's still good production. Nick Perry is a good player but just can't stay healthy. Tough to say that it was a bad pick. I threw Datone into the "Bad Pick" category because he still isn't a starter, which in my mind is the first criteria to meet as a 1st round pick (I guess that should apply to Perry too but Perry shows more when on the field). Randall hasn't played two seasons so we don't have enough to judge. Early results would say he goes into the first group.

So right there TT is at 70%. You could move Perry or Hawk down but I would say either way that he's doing pretty good. I judged Mike Sherman as going 2 for 3 (67%) in the first round, Wolf at 7 for 11 (64%), Tom Braatz at 2 for 6 (33%), Forrest Gregg at 2 for 3 (67%), Bart Starr at 8 for 11 (73%), Dan Devine at 3 for 5 (60%), Phil Bengston at 1 for 3 (33%), and Lombardi at 10 for 13 (77%).

Well, I'm absolutely fine with getting a good player in the second and third round and excited by drafting one later but in the first I expect to do better.

Unfortunately Thompson has only selecting elite players on two of his first-round picks. The jury is still out on Clinton-Dix and Randall though.

 

[HardRightEdge]

I agree but if they don't, I wonder how this plays into 2016 being the second year in McCarthy's three-year plan for the defense. They better find Peppers' replacement for 2017 in a quick hurry if 2017 is supposed to be the culmination of a three-year plan. I agree NFL teams should treat players with compassion, but in Woodson's case it looked to me at the time like the Packers weren't interested in keeping Woodson even at a much lower salary. I'm not sure how that was communicated to him or whether Woodson asked his agent to approach the Packers about restructuring. If the Packers weren't interested in keeping him at any reasonable cost, IMO they should have done him the courtesy of telling him (and his agent) in person: He certainly earned that respect. I get the idea of releasing a player one year too early rather than a year too late, but in this case they missed by a mile.

According to Woodson, the Packers did not make him an offer. A decision was made to move on that did not have to do with money. Woodson was critical of the fact that no half time adjustments were made during the Kaepernick romp-a-thon. There is a conclusion to be drawn.

 

[TJV]

According to Woodson, the Packers did not make him an offer. A decision was made to move on that did not have to do with money. Woodson was critical of the fact that no half time adjustments were made during the Kaepernick romp-a-thon. There is a conclusion to be drawn.

That and he was turning 37 in the 2013 season and missed 9 games in 2012 after breaking his collar bone about 20 months after breaking it in Super Bowl XLV.

 

[HardRightEdge]

That and he was turning 37 in the 2013 season and missed 9 games in 2012 after breaking his collar bone about 20 months after breaking it in Super Bowl XLV.

He finished the year on the field. He then signed a 1 year, $1.8 mil deal with Oakland, less than Thompson pays some special teamers. Injury risk should not have been a major concern given the scant dollars at issue.

It must have been the brilliant play of M.D. Jennings in 2012 that was bound keep Woodson on the bench in 2013.

No, he called out the coaches and got fired for it.

 

[TJV]

No, he called out the coaches and got fired for it.

I don't think that was the only factor. If he were 32 at the time and playing as he did when he was younger my guess is he would have remained in Green Bay in spite of what he said. His play had diminished and while he did get back on the field in 2012 he did break his right collarbone twice in the space of less than two years. I think all that played a part in their decision to let him go. And, although it's impossible to know, IMO if they would have known what their safety situation looked like in 2013 and the way he went on to play in Oakland (and stayed healthy), they would have renegotiated his deal.

 

[HardRightEdge]

I don't think that was the only factor. If he were 32 at the time and playing as he did when he was younger my guess is he would have remained in Green Bay in spite of what he said. His play had diminished and while he did get back on the field in 2012 he did break his right collarbone twice in the space of less than two years. I think all that played a part in their decision to let him go. And, although it's impossible to know, IMO if they would have known what their safety situation looked like in 2013 and the way he went on to play in Oakland (and stayed healthy), they would have renegotiated his deal.

Of course it's not the only factor. If he was still playing at a DPOY level such a breach of protocol would have been tolerated.

 

[sschind]

"the return of peppers, opposite peppers" great proof reading

If he's that good then hell yeah sign him to an extension.

 

[El Guapo]

Well, I'm absolutely fine with getting a good player in the second and third round and excited by drafting one later but in the first I expect to do better.

Unfortunately Thompson has only selecting elite players on two of his first-round picks. The jury is still out on Clinton-Dix and Randall though.

Agreed on the first part. However, if elite players is the expectation then I would say one must look at the entire draft regardless of round. I know that some people place high expectations on the first one, but the goal is to get 6-8 players out of each draft with the stipulated rookie cash pool. It really shouldn't matter where you get them as long as you get them. If the Packers busted every time in the first round and then drafted HOFers in the 7th round each year, I really don't think it should matter. The goal was still met.

In terms of TT's reign, I think that five players would qualify as elite: Rodgers, Matthews, Nelson, Finley, and Sitton. Out of eleven drafts that seems decent to have drafted five as it's not reasonable to expect an elite player in every draft. I wonder (out loud because I don't know the answer) how many teams have done that, or still have four elite players on their rosters? Maybe we are below the mark. Not sure. My general sense is that most teams have a couple elite players but the championship teams have lots of good players at the other positions and especially good depth.