What if??

[CHIpackFAN]

What if TT and MM are very willing to put Hyde at the S position and totally disregard the position in the draft until the later rounds? I have a strange feeling that they want to see how the D would be if everyone stayed healthy. I think the D will be improved just by having everyone back and healthy, IMO. Last years draft was Defense heavy, could this draft be slightly geared to replace Finley, Jones and Jennings? Could it be a mixture of Offensive and Defensive players? This is the type of draft to build a juggernaut on Offense.

 

[Ace]

What if TT and MM are very willing to put Hyde at the S position and totally disregard the position in the draft until the later rounds? I have a strange feeling that they want to see how the D would be if everyone stayed healthy. I think the D will be improved just by having everyone back and healthy, IMO. Last years draft was Defense heavy, could this draft be slightly geared to replace Finley, Jones and Jennings? Could it be a mixture of Offensive and Defensive players? This is the type of draft to build a juggernaut on Offense.

This years draft needs to be defensive heavy as well. ILB, S, CB (2 reasons- Tramon entering FA year & possibility of Hyde to part time CB), and probably some depth guys on the DLine. Other then that TE needs to be addressed and a WR at some point then 1 or 2 depth OLine guys. I'd be shocked if this draft wasn't D heavy again, and I'm perfectly fine with it.

 

[HyponGrey]

What if TT and MM are very willing to put Hyde at the S position and totally disregard the position in the draft until the later rounds? I have a strange feeling that they want to see how the D would be if everyone stayed healthy. I think the D will be improved just by having everyone back and healthy, IMO. Last years draft was Defense heavy, could this draft be slightly geared to replace Finley, Jones and Jennings? Could it be a mixture of Offensive and Defensive players? This is the type of draft to build a juggernaut on Offense.

More like the mid rounds, but yeah, this seems likely. Remember, the Safeties we picked up in those defense heavy years are pretty much gone.

 

[TJV]

Four of the top five picks in last year’s draft and six of the 11 players drafted play offense. (And it’s a good thing since Lacy and Bakhtiari were among them.) While Datone was the first pick I don't think that qualifies as a “defense heavy” draft; if anything I’d call it a fairly balanced with a slight emphasis on offense. (The 2012 draft was extremely defense heavy with the top 6 picks on that side of the ball.)

The Packers go into this draft with four of the top 100 picks. They could divide those four evenly among offense and defense and pick a WR, TE, S, and ILB although it’s unlikely it’ll happen that way. And if the draft is as deep as some think, they may uncover another gem like Hyde, who was picked at #159 in the second half of round 5. IOW, I don’t think Hyde’s status at safety will necessarily dictate whether the draft has an emphasis on either side of the ball but I hope the Packers can land one of their top choices at safety no matter the plans for Hyde there.

 

[HyponGrey]

I don't think this draft is deep at anything except WR and maybe NT. It's actually pretty weak outside of those classes

 

[TJV]

In early March I was listening to the Score radio and a draft "expert" said at the combine he heard a personnel guy from the Steelers with 30 years experience say this is the deepest draft he can remember. I heard that same sentiment - that it's an extremely deep draft if not the deepest in memory - expressed by another "expert". I'm not an expert or even a "draftnik" so I don't know, but some who think they do know think it's a deep draft.

 

[HardRightEdge]

The depth shows up after the top 15 picks down into the 3rd. round. Or so I hear.

 

[HyponGrey]

The depth shows up after the top 15 picks down into the 3rd. round. Or so I hear.

You can get 2nd/3rd round receiver talent in the 5th this year.

 

[Einstein McFly]

As long as they take a nose tackle or two, I'll be happy. It seems like a good year for a lot of things. I wouldn't bet against TT trading down if he sees it that way too.

 

[rodell330]

Need a safety and more depth on the DL than anything. Hope jolly is 100% and can be back .

 

[JBlood]

I agree defensive help is needed, especially at safety and ILB, but so is offensive line help. There is no established center, 1 elite guard, no elite tight end, and the young tackles (none elite at present) are again unsure if, or where they'll be playing. The offense starts with the line, and it's again in a state of flux. If Rogers goes down again as a result, it won't make any difference what our defense does. So I also see TT trading down-maybe more than once- for a couple more picks, and draft equally on offense and defense with 10-12 picks.

 

[HyponGrey]

I agree defensive help is needed, especially at safety and ILB, but so is offensive line help. There is no established center, 1 elite guard, no elite tight end, and the young tackles (none elite at present) are again unsure if, or where they'll be playing. The offense starts with the line, and it's again in a state of flux. If Rogers goes down again as a result, it won't make any difference what our defense does. So I also see TT trading down-maybe more than once- for a couple more picks, and draft equally on offense and defense with 10-12 picks.

MM has already confirmed Bakhtiari @ LT and Bulaga @ RT, Sherrod is the obvious swing T, and Barclay is already listed at T/G and will probably compete for the C job (waste of time). Lang is a much better G than you're giving him credit, so the OL isn't in as much "flux" as you say. The bold are the only legitimate concerns I see.

 

[PackfanFB]

What if TT and MM are very willing to put Hyde at the S position and totally disregard the position in the draft until the later rounds? I have a strange feeling that they want to see how the D would be if everyone stayed healthy. I think the D will be improved just by having everyone back and healthy, IMO. Last years draft was Defense heavy, could this draft be slightly geared to replace Finley, Jones and Jennings? Could it be a mixture of Offensive and Defensive players? This is the type of draft to build a juggernaut on Offense.

That's a big "if" and we cannot keep crossing our fingers and hoping that happens. We have major injuries every single year, especially on defense, including our best player, Matthews. I would love to see them healthy but I'm not counting on it. Without a doubt, we need to shore up the middle of our defense, our ILBs and Safeties. We can get by with Hawk and Burnett (at SS) but we need to address FS even if Hyde makes the move because we have no depth at all there. Banjo is not the answer, he made the team simply because we had no other options. I'd rather get a FS in rounds 1, 2 or 3 and have Hyde as a security blanket and allow him to keep moving around and play multiple positions.

As for ILB, we need to replace Jones, plain and simple. He is horrible against the run, makes no plays in coverage and looks lost most of the time. He has zero instincts for the position, which is probably why he was not an inside backer in college or in the pros up to a year or two ago. We chose not to address this position in FA so it has to be done in the draft with a guy like Mosley, Shazier or even a Borland/Skov type if necessary.

Building on that, I agree with other posts about a deep WR class this year. I do not see the need to take a WR in the first round because the WRs in the 2nd, 3rd and 4th, IMO, offer as much talent. We could get a WR with one of 3rd rd picks and/or in the 4th and adequately address our need. As for TE, I think we need to be careful about overreaching for someone and do not see it as being as big of a need as most people. To me, we can get to the Super Bowl with Quarless as our starting TE, we cannot get to the Super Bowl with Brad Jones at ILB and/or a failed-Hyde experiment at FS with Chris Banjo in the on-deck circle or some 5th-6th round pick.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

I agree defensive help is needed, especially at safety and ILB, but so is offensive line help. There is no established center, 1 elite guard, no elite tight end, and the young tackles (none elite at present) are again unsure if, or where they'll be playing. The offense starts with the line, and it's again in a state of flux. If Rogers goes down again as a result, it won't make any difference what our defense does. So I also see TT trading down-maybe more than once- for a couple more picks, and draft equally on offense and defense with 10-12 picks.

Rodgers wasn´t injured because of the OL not blocking McClellin, he was scrambling out of the pocket.

 

[JBlood]

Rodgers wasn´t injured because of the OL not blocking McClellin, he was scrambling out of the pocket.

Right. Why was he scrambling? If he were a statue like Brady he'd be sacked every passing down.

 

[JBlood]

MM has already confirmed Bakhtiari @ LT and Bulaga @ RT, Sherrod is the obvious swing T, and Barclay is already listed at T/G and will probably compete for the C job (waste of time). Lang is a much better G than you're giving him credit, so the OL isn't in as much "flux" as you say. The bold are the only legitimate concerns I see.

You're more confident than I about the tackles. Bak may turn into a special player, but all of them for now are average at best. I'm not impressed with Lang. Bulaga and Sherrod will have to rebound from significant injuries, which still make them big question marks to me. We haven't had a dominant o-line since MM took over, which again makes me wonder about the coaching.

 

[HyponGrey]

You're more confident than I about the tackles. Bak may turn into a special player, but all of them for now are average at best. I'm not impressed with Lang. Bulaga and Sherrod will have to rebound from significant injuries, which still make them big question marks to me. We haven't had a dominant o-line since MM took over, which again makes me wonder about the coaching.

Even you have to admit the blocking vastly improved when Hilg took over as OL assistant

 

[JBlood]

Even you have to admit the blocking vastly improved when Hilg took over as OL assistant

No argument, he may be our best hope for developing a decent center, but the line is still no where close to being upper tier in the NFL. And the best QB in the game deserves better. I hope I'm wrong and this year's line is terrific.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

Right. Why was he scrambling? If he were a statue like Brady he'd be sacked every passing down.

Actually he's ranked right in the middle of the league in time until he gets sacked or starts to scramble.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

You're more confident than I about the tackles. Bak may turn into a special player, but all of them for now are average at best. I'm not impressed with Lang. Bulaga and Sherrod will have to rebound from significant injuries, which still make them big question marks to me. We haven't had a dominant o-line since MM took over, which again makes me wonder about the coaching.

I agree that Bakhtiari wasn't as good as a lot of people might think. He filled in admirably for a rookie after Bulaga went down, but he was one of the worst LT in the league, especially in run blocking.

Don't agree with your evaluation of Lang though. I think he and Sitton form one of the best guards tandem in the league.

 

[HardRightEdge]

I agree that Bakhtiari wasn't as good as a lot of people might think. He filled in admirably for a rookie after Bulaga went down, but he was one of the worst LT in the league, especially in run blocking.

Don't agree with your evaluation of Lang though. I think he and Sitton form one of the best guards tandem in the league.

I don't think anybody is going to confuse Lang with a Pro Bowler, but he stepped up his game last season and is quite adequate for our purposes. Maybe the threat of being moved to center provided some motivation.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

I don't anybody is going to confuse Lang with a Pro Bowler, but stepped up his game last season and is quite adequate for our purposes. Maybe the threat of being moved to center provided some motivation.

Possible. After MM's comments during the offseason about Lang being an option at center I expect an All-Pro season at guard out of him in 2014 now.

 

[HyponGrey]

I think I'm every bit as scared of Lang playing Center as Lang is.

 

[JBlood]

Actually he's ranked right in the middle of the league in time until he gets sacked or starts to scramble.

Rogers gets a lot of the blame for holding onto the ball too long, but if you take away his scrambling, he's no longer special. Russell Wilson has the longest time to pass, and the longest time to be sacked--mostly due to his scrambling ability. Pro Football Focus ranks offensive linemen by "time to throw" for tackles, guards, and centers; and rates them by number of sacks, hits, and hurries allowed at 2, 2.5, and 3.0 sec after the snap. At all 3 levels only Sitton grades high on their lists. There's a lot of room for improvement in our offensive line, imo.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

Rogers gets a lot of the blame for holding onto the ball too long, but if you take away his scrambling, he's no longer special.

Rodgers is a great pocket passer as well.

Russell Wilson has the longest time to pass, and the longest time to be sacked--mostly due to his scrambling ability.

Wilson takes the most time to throw the football in the league, but he´s not the top ranked QB in time until he´s sacked nor until he scrambles.

Pro Football Focus ranks offensive linemen by "time to throw" for tackles, guards, and centers; and rates them by number of sacks, hits, and hurries allowed at 2, 2.5, and 3.0 sec after the snap. At all 3 levels only Sitton grades high on their lists. There's a lot of room for improvement in our offensive line, imo.

I have a PFF account as well, but can´t find those stats you´re talking about here.