Prioritizing Needs

[Dantés]

I think most Packer fans agree on what the main needs are on the roster. I'm curious how these needs stack up in their minds. Without placing them in order of importance, Green Bay will likely be on the lookout for:

-A QB2 to replace Hundley
-WR depth, especially with speed
-A TE1 and depth at the position
-A starting RG or OG depth depending on how one sees McCray
-RT depth depending on how one sees Murphy and Spriggs
-DL depth
-ILB depth or potentially a starter with more athleticism
-EDGE contributors
-Depth at safety
-A starting CB

So I'm curious-- how would people stack up these positions in terms of priority? What would be most important? Least? How would you suggest addressing the needs?

 

[OldSchool101]

First I’d like to say that not all the needs can be addressed in 2018. We don’t have either the salary Cap or enough early draft picks to get it all done. IMO our objective is exactly that, prioritizing. IMO we can achieve around 60% of our needs in 2018 IF we restructure our existing FA players to team friendly deals that are palatable to both parties. Sign 2-3 immediate needs players in FA (such as TE, CB and Edge) Then hit it hard in the draft for depth with hopes of a few decent starters by seasons end.

Our biggest need is a Defense that is capable of slowing down the elite QBs/Receiver threats.
QB timing is everything and while you can’t stop them every play, it’s all about disrupting timing and creating confusion. Most QBs who try to force a throw or are being battered while they are bumped in their progression and release eventually make mistakes that cause a punt or a takeaway.
The 2010 Packer Defense created turnovers with solid Corner and LB play and a healthy pass rush that disrupted timing. It showed in their 15.0 pts/GM and #2 ranked Defense. The GB Defense has only made the top 10 in 2 of the last 10 years (2009/2010) Otherwise the Pack has been:
26th, 21st, 12th, 15th, 25th, 11th, 19th and 22nd and never under 20.0 pts/GM since.

BTW, The Patriots D rankings??

5th, 1st, 10th, 13th, 10th, 9th, 15th, 8th, 5th, 8th
With just 3 years over 20pts/GM allowed and NEVER over 21.4pts since Aaron’s been in the league! That’s a gift to a great QB like Brady. Switch those 2 teams D rankings and where would Brady be today??
We have failed Aaron Rodgers. The best Offensive player you’ll ever get him IS Aaron Rodgers. Get him more opportunities and he’ll rarely let you down.

With that being said, id like to see us go out and
1. get the best Veteran FA CB available <10M/yr. trade picks for him, bribe him, coax him, steal him, kidnap him I don’t care.. get him and don’t come back to Lambeau unless you’re holding hands.
Then get another one by early round 3 draft for competition at depth and even possibly another with a later Comp pick if there’s a good one that skips to round 5.

2. Get a pure Pass rush specialist opposite CM3
I’d try to secure 1 in FA and another at pick #14

3. Solidify the O line. Just assume 2 guys will go down (because they will) grab another solid FA (Jahri Evans) type at OG/OT that may be aging but are happy to help and ask them to mentor the young guys. Then use 1-2 more picks between the 4th-7th rounding it out at 9 including our backup Center. It’s time to invest at protecting this QB for his twilight years.

4. I’d like to see us grab a QB in FA like McCown as an example. A veteran that can come in and keep us above .500. If not we may need to grab a QB this draft.

5. I’d prefer at least 1 TE and 1 WR during second day draft (assuming we have that 3rd round Comp pick)

 

[PikeBadger]

The most glaring and obvious hole on the roster is the TE position where I expect to see help brought in via both FA and the draft. Honestly, I can see them acquiring 3 of them by the end of the draft and then let the 4 decide in preseason which one gets cut. Other than the big TE hole, I suspect they’ll probably sign about 4 FA on the medium to cheap side with little guarantee money and then draft 3 linemen between both sides of the ball and use the remaining draft picks to increase overall team speed across the board at multiple positions on both sides of the ball.

Edit: I don’t view this roster as being a shambles right now but I think it needs more speed which is why I expect the draft to be heavy in that area.

 

[mradtke66]

Top weaknesses: EDGE and CB, and then TE. We don't have a difference maker at the two most impactful positions on defense. That's the quickest, most direct path to a better defense. Based on typical projection, I'd prefer a FA CB, rookie EDGE and FA EDGE, but it all depends on how the draft falls and who's available.

I'm not terribly worried about O-line depth at all. If Evans returns and/or Bulaga is healthy, we have our game-day actives: Bhak, Taylor, Linsley, Evans, Sprigs, Murphy, McCray. Feel free to swap in Bulaga/out Evans. A late round pick for competition and you've got the 8-9 who will make the final 53

Ditto D-Line. Your starters are assured in Lowry, Clark, Daniels. Adams is one more, Dial maybe the 5th. Add a mid-rounder for depth and there are your 6 interior guys.

TE is hard for rookies, typically, so again I'd prefer an FA. Who's going to be available?

So I guess I'd rank them

1. Edge
2. CB
3. TE
4. WR

 

[azrsx05]

This team has way too many needs and has been build up for years. How long have we needed a TE for now? Rushers have been almost non existent for years. They should've known that Hundley just doesn't have it from all those years invested in him. They allowed the WR mess get way out of hand. Over $30 mil in receivers for the best QB in the league is insane.

 

[LambeauLombardi]

Sign AJ McCaron or Chase Daniel
Trade for Josh Gordon (still on rookie contract through this year)
Find some good blocking TE. If you're lucky Pats will trade away Gronk (more possible than you'd think)
Keep Bulaga and move him to RG (hopefully he'll take pay cut)
Spriggs will start, bring in backup in draft/FA
Pray everyday Texans cut Watt. Get a home town discount for 3 years.
ILB is good. Martinez is amazing and find someone to rotate with Ryan.
Assuming Clay doesn't take pay cut, move on from him and draft this position in 1st round.
I'd risk playing Jones and HaHa often. They have too much potential not to be playing regularly. I don't care how you pick up depth here.
If Richard Sherman is cut, get him? I'm in on a 2 year deal.

To get cap for just some of this to happen Jordy, Cobb, and Clay need pay cuts or they're gone. The needs will be prioritized mostly on what happens with these 3 guys.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

Here's how I would rank the team's priorities this offseason:

1. edge rusher
2. cornerback
3. tight end
4. wide receiver
5. right tackle
6. right guard
7. inside linebacker
8. backup quarterback
9. defensive line
10. safety (that one might move up if the Packers don't re-sign Burnett)

The most glaring and obvious hole on the roster is the TE position where I expect to see help brought in via both FA and the draft.

While the Packers definitely need to improve at tight end there are more pressing needs on the defensive side of the ball.

Sign AJ McCaron or Chase Daniel
Trade for Josh Gordon (still on rookie contract through this year)
Find some good blocking TE. If you're lucky Pats will trade away Gronk (more possible than you'd think)
Keep Bulaga and move him to RG (hopefully he'll take pay cut)
Spriggs will start, bring in backup in draft/FA
Pray everyday Texans cut Watt. Get a home town discount for 3 years.
ILB is good. Martinez is amazing and find someone to rotate with Ryan.
Assuming Clay doesn't take pay cut, move on from him and draft this position in 1st round.
I'd risk playing Jones and HaHa often. They have too much potential not to be playing regularly. I don't care how you pick up depth here.
If Richard Sherman is cut, get him? I'm in on a 2 year deal.

To get cap for just some of this to happen Jordy, Cobb, and Clay need pay cuts or they're gone. The needs will be prioritized mostly on what happens with these 3 guys.

You will be extremely disappointed if you truly believe there's any chance the Packers will acquire Gronkowski, Watt and Sherman this offseason.

 

[Dantés]

Here's how I would rank the team's priorities this offseason:

1. edge rusher
2. cornerback
3. tight end
4. wide receiver
5. right tackle
6. right guard
7. inside linebacker
8. backup quarterback
9. defensive line
10. safety (that one might move up if the Packers don't re-sign Burnett.

That’s just about how I would put it together as well.

 

[Reggie White Cheese]

If Joshua Jackson (sp) is available when we pick at 14 (he is a corner from Iowa) I am sure you all knew, do we take him over edge rusher? Frankly if Roquan Smith, LB, Georgia is available at 14 I would take him but to each it's own, My list would be switch tight end with receiver but all else is well with me.

 

[Half Empty]

Do you have to be so confrontational?

 

[Mondio]

I'm not going to really prioritize, because it depends on so many things and who's available. I'd like to see DB be addressed thru FA, and a good one this time. Then go early for Edge rusher, then any of TE, DL, or WR
Then OT, Safety and ILB. I guess if there's a powerful guard they really like, I wouldn't care either, but I gotta believe between McCray who did fine and Bulaga, and Murphy, one of those guys should be able to handle the RG position. That's assuming Evans does in fact retire or move on. I'd take him back for another year though if he's open to it.

 

[LambeauLombardi]

Here's how I would rank the team's priorities this offseason:

1. edge rusher
2. cornerback
3. tight end
4. wide receiver
5. right tackle
6. right guard
7. inside linebacker
8. backup quarterback
9. defensive line
10. safety (that one might move up if the Packers don't re-sign Burnett)



While the Packers definitely need to improve at tight end there are more pressing needs on the defensive side of the ball.



You will be extremely disappointed if you truly believe there's any chance the Packers will acquire Gronkowski, Watt and Sherman this offseason.

Just my dream, not reality.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

I wouldn't be that excited if the Packers once again use a top pick on a CB. Go after one in Free Agency and hedge your bets that he, King, Randall and whoever else benefits by not only a new DC, but by an improved pass rush. How to get that improved pass rush will be the key to the off season IMO. Pick #14 should provide us with the opportunity to get one of the top 5 Edge Rushers in the draft, so I would go that route.

People seem to be focused on draft needs, but I would put the following needs even ahead of that.

1. New DC (check).
2. Figure out the contracts/status of Matthews, Cobb, Nelson.
3. Resign Brooks, Evans, Dial, House and Rodgers.
4. Depending on #2 and #3 hit the FA market knowing what you need for 2018.
5. Sign the best FA TE the team can afford.
6. Use the 12 draft picks to end up with 6-8 drafted rookies by trading up when necessary.
7. WR has to be a big focus of this years draft, with the 2nd or 3rd pick.

 

[Wi. Mike now in Florida]

I reading all this on what we need to build a championship team and wondering to myself how did we ever get in such a mess.☹

 

[brandon2348]

I reading all this on what we need to build a championship team and wondering to myself how did we ever get in such a mess.☹

It's called "Ted Thompson" and "Dom Capers"

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

I reading all this on what we need to build a championship team and wondering to myself how did we ever get in such a mess.☹

I wouldn't go quite so far as to call it a mess, but some failed draft picks while focusing mainly on the defense in those drafts has left us sucking hind **** a bit. I am hoping the Packers have more talent on the defensive side of the ball than Capers could extract and Pettine taps into that.

 

[brandon2348]

I wouldn't go quite so far as to call it a mess, but some failed draft picks while focusing mainly on the defense in those drafts has left us sucking hind **** a bit. I am hoping the Packers have more talent on the defensive side of the ball than Capers could extract and Pettine taps into that.

The only reason it's not a total disaster is Packers have some good draft capital and can create cap space rather quickly if needed. The roster however at this stage is very flawed but it's January so we see.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

The only reason it's not a total disaster is Packers have some good draft capital and can create cap space rather quickly if needed. The roster however at this stage is very flawed but it's January so we see.

I would debate the "very flawed" part, but its subjective. Are they in "great" shape, no, but how many teams in the NFL really know what kind of shape they are in until resigns, free agency and the draft takes place? Gunt and the Packers definitely have some work to do, but they have some key building blocks already in place to build around.

 

[brandon2348]

I would debate the "very flawed" part, but its subjective. Are they in "great" shape, no, but how many teams in the NFL really know what kind of shape they are in until resigns, free agency and the draft takes place? Gunt and the Packers definitely has some work to do, but they have some key building blocks already in place to build around.

Hence me posting it is "January" and with that I'm excited to see what Gute can do. Things feel different already so just gotta wait to see what it all leads too.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

Hence me posting it is "January" and with that I'm excited to see what Gute can do. Things feel different already so just gotta wait to see what it all leads too.

I think so far Pettine has me the most excited. Of course I think had the Packers just fired Capers and hired Mickey Mouse I might be equally excited.

 

[Mondio]

I reading all this on what we need to build a championship team and wondering to myself how did we ever get in such a mess.☹

well just recently here are a few things that happened. The best TE on the FA market was signed and he quit. A guy that most everyone would have said was a good quality starter at TE was just marginal at blocking and couldn't catch a cold. An all Pro DB in the prime of his career had his career ended by concussion. We've seen a glut of injury in 3 position groups in the past 2 seasons at DB, OLine and RB. There aren't enough FA's, cap money and draft capital to move on without skipping a beat. Some guys got older, some didn't perform like they had and were being paid to do and we lost a HOF QB for half a season. But I guess a good team would just move on and win championships?

 

[GleefulGary]

Our roster is not VERY flawed. Come on. The hyperbole is ridiculous.

 

[gbgary]

imo the priority order is:

edge (thru the draft)
cb (probably draft but who knows)
ol (free agency)
te (free agency)
wr (draft)

 

[Dantés]

I agree with most here that EDGE should be the biggest priority. Matthews was strong in 2017, but he's another year older. Perry was solid when on the field, but is often off of it. Thompson really blew it when he let Jones and Peppers walk and didn't replace all those snaps. He lucked out in Brooks falling in his lap, so it's a little disturbing that it could have been much worse.

Because of the amount of money tied up in the position, it would make sense that the biggest step taken in addressing the position would come through the draft. However, if value shows itself on the FA market, that's great. Matthews' $ will come off the books before long anyways. Regardless, I would like to see them taking a flier on a guy like Trent Murphy and seeing if they can get value there.

Cornerback would be my #2, as it is for many others. I do think King has a bright future, but you really start three corners in this league. Even assuming that Randall picks up where he left off, they need another starter. Because of the need for immediate front-line help, I would turn to FA here (Fuller, Johnson, Gaines, Amukamara, Breeland, etc). With a veteran to pair with King and Randall, coupled with a defensive system that can actually be executed, the Packers have a shot at actually fielding a respectable unit. They can then draft another corner to throw into the depth mix with Hawkins, Pipkins, Brown, Rollins, etc.

TE is certainly the weakest position on the roster at the moment, but its value relative to pass rusher and cornerback makes it the 3rd priority for me. I think they need to attack it with both FA and the draft. Trey Burton is appealing as a pass catcher. Lee Smith is a good blocking TE.

WR seems destined to be a draft target given all the money tied up at the position. Somewhere in the top 100, I'd like to see a pick spent on a player with speed and PR skills. It does not seem like it's going to come together for Trevor Davis and the Packers really need a field stretching element in their offense.

Then you get into the areas where you're talking about depth (RG included based on my opinion of McCray). One dark horse position is ILB. Pettine's defenses have usually done quite a bit with this spot, and while I think Martinez is a pretty good player, he has defined limitations. I would not rule out an impact linebacker at #14 if a player like Edmunds or Smith is there. They need more range and athleticism in the middle of the field.

 

[XPack]

My ranking of OPs positions:

1. A starting CB
2. EDGE contributors
3. A starting RG or OG depth depending on how one sees McCray
4. ILB depth or potentially a starter with more athleticism
5. A QB2 to replace Hundley
6. WR depth, especially with speed
7. RT depth depending on how one sees Murphy and Spriggs
8. DL depth
9. Depth at safety
10. A TE1 and depth at the position

I wouldn't mind doubling up on CB and Edge picks too!