NOMOFO
Cheesehead
- Joined
- Jan 3, 2014
- Messages
- 1,105
- Reaction score
- 76
Not even an attribution? http://www.packerforum.com/threads/the-sunshine-patriot.48885/#post-528647
TT only wants "young and cheap" but what did “he” just pay Rodgers and Matthews? And it’s ironic that Smokeycheddar accuses Thompson of depending upon “crossed fingers, lucky charms, and prayer” when that is more applicable to those franchises that heavily depend upon UFA, praying all the pieces fit. A GM depending upon luck would be one who trades up in the draft time and time again; reaching to that player he’s sure is going to be a star. Thompson’s style is more cold and logical, the opposite of what Smokey alleges.
I didn’t watch an entire Raiders game this season but I watched every play of Woodson’s career in Green Bay. IMO he was a shadow of himself his last year with the Packers and his style was not conducive to playing safety. He grabbed a lot and had clearly lost a step IMO. Hayward emerged in his rookie season as the “wild card” Woodson played so well for so many seasons. I’m not saying Hayward was as good of course, but he displayed instincts and a nose for the ball.
IMO the mistake was not letting Woodson go, it was not acquiring a mid-priced UFA safety to pair with Burnett. The expectation was that the winner of the MD Jennings/McMillian battle would be good enough, but some of us thought it made more sense to sign a vet and there were a few mid-priced safeties available. The need to fill that hole with a vet is even greater this season since the only player currently at that position we could hope to step up is Sean Richardson. I have high hopes for him, but he shouldn't be depended upon to be the answer IMO. For the team to improve, MD Jennings has to be replaced or be relegated to the end of the roster. He started every game and didn’t have an INT but even more damning, he was not credited with a single pass defensed.
Thompson has said in the past that rookies should not be depended upon for immediate help, that’s the role of second or third year players familiar with the system. And he has said filling an immediate need is the role of a UFA. I hope he finds a way to do so at safety this off season. Of course we shouldn’t expect it to be one signed during the first week of UFA, but just like last season, it doesn’t need to be. If Capers is still the DC and his system requires experienced vets, Thompson should give him one to pair with Burnett if at all possible.
Regarding rookies immediately helping, of course that’s the hope but it shouldn’t be the expectation, even for a draft and develop team. Look at the 2010 draft class. The one draftee who looked like he could make an immediate impact, third rounder Burnett, started the first four games, got injured and was IR’d. Obviously not necessary for the title run. First rounder Bulaga made a great contribution but only ended up doing so because Tauscher started four games, got injured and was IR’d. Does anyone believe the Packers wouldn’t have won a title with a healthy Mark Tauscher at RT? Quarless played after Finley was IR’d and caught 21 passes and scored a TD in the regular season. CJ Wilson played but wasn’t a critical part of the DL. Mike Neal played in 2 games, injured his shoulder and was IR’d in week 7. Newhouse didn’t play (thank goodness). James Starks made a huge contribution of any rookie in 2010, but without Ryan Grant’s injury on opening day, he would not have been necessary. Unless you define an immediate impact as being available on the bench in case a starter goes down, none of the draftees of 2010 qualify. IOW, if the Packers had the luck of being as healthy as some of this year’s playoff teams, there would have been no need for an immediate impact from any of the rookie class of 2010.
yep... I agree with almost every point. Like I said, sometimes it's a matter of being honest with ourselves. It's always the arm chair QBs that scream the loudest. Few Packer fans complained about Woodson being let go. The general
consensus was that he lost not one but a few steps. Now all of sudden we looked poor in the secondary, for a number of reasons, (lack of pass rush being A-NUMBER ONE in my mind) and we are going to pretend we wanted Woodson all along? Really?