By: Matt Bove
After weeks of speculation, the Packers have signed one of their two superstars to a mega contract.
According to The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's Tom Silverstein, the Packers and linebacker Clay Matthews have reached an agreement on a five-year extension worth $66 million, which will make Matthews the highest paid linebacker in the league, surpassing Demarcus Ware. Matthews tweeted out a photo of himself signing the contract extension with the team.
"Trivial amongst the most recent trivial news, but happy to continue my career in Green Bay." Matthews wrote.
The Packers traded up to the 26th overall pick to select Matthews out of Southern California in the 2009 NFL Draft. In four seasons with the Packers, Matthews has 42.5 sacks, seven forced fumbles and four interceptions.
"Clay has been a productive member of our team and we are pleased to be able to come to an agreement that will extend his Packers career," Packers GM Ted Thompson told Tom Silverstein.
Matthews was heading into the final year of his rookie deal and was scheduled to make $.373 million, so the Packers urgently needed to sign him long term to avoid having him hit the open market. Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers will likely be next to sign a mega deal that makes him the highest paid player in NFL history.
This five-year extension is in addition to the year remaining on Matthews' original deal, which means that Matthews is now signed through the 2018 season.
Packer Blog For WisconsinSportsTalk.com
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
Saturday, April 13, 2013
2013 NFL Draft OLB Rankings
By: Matt Bove
With only Clay Matthews, Nick Perry, and Dezman Moses on the roster outside linebacker depth will be a thing needs to address in the upcoming 2013 NFL Draft. I think the top three of Matthews, Perry and Moses are solid, but obviously the Packers need some more depth.
Perry's development as a pass rusher opposite Matthews is one the biggest keys for the upcoming season. Perry had two sacks in four games last year and, he was really starting to come on before a wrist injury ended his season. Also, he was very good at setting the edge in the run game. I think with another year to learn the position Perry will take a step forward towards becoming a very good outside linebacker.
Since they spend a first round pick on Perry last year and have Matthews, the Packers are unlikely to draft an outside linebacker early in the draft, but they will be looking for depth later on. The draft will probably work out there will not be an outside linebacker worth taking for the Packers at pick 26 anyways. Here are my top 10 outside linebackers for the 2013 NFL Draft. (3-4 OLB's only as that is what the Packers run)
1. Dion Jordan- Oregon
Height: 6'6"
Weight: 243
Jordan is an absolute freak who is in contention to go number two overall to Jacksonville. Jordan played at defensive end, outside linebacker and even cover slot receivers at Oregon. His length, size, speed and athleticism make him a rare breed. Rushing the passer, Jordan is an explosive edge rusher with a quick first step and turns the corner well. He will need to get stronger to add some power and counter moves, but his speed rush should be lethal right away. Against the run, Jordan's long arms helped him extend and disengage blockers. However, you cannot rely on that in the NFL against lead blockers, so he will need to improve his strength. Jordan also shows no lack of effort, as he has a high motor and made plays on coming from the backside. In coverage he is extremely fluid with loose hips. Jordan's athleticism and versatility makes him the easy choice for my number one outside linebacker.
2. Jarvis Jones- Georgia
Height: 6'3"
Weight 241
Jones was extremely productive at Georgia last season with 85 tackles, 14.5 sacks and seven forced fumbles. However, his spinal stenosis diagnosis has scared some teams off. Like Jordan, Jones is an explosive athlete and playmaker off the edge. Jones is a more polished pass rusher than Jordan at this point, but Jordan's versatility Jones' injury concerns puts Jordan over him. Watching him at Georgia, he was an animal and had a non-stop motor. Jones was very effective in stunts and twists at Georgia as well as rushing from the edge. In the run game, unlike Jordan, Jones has short arms so he has trouble getting off blocks and needs to improve his strength.
3. Damontre Moore- Texas A&M
Height: 6'4"
Weight: 250
Moore was a consensus Top 10 pick before the Combine, but his stock has been dropping ever since. He only did 12 bench reps and only ran a 4.95 40-yard-dash at the Combine. However, Moore is a classic example of people making to many conclusions about him in gym shorts rather than watching the tape. He was very productive at Texas A&M last season with 85 tackles and 12.5 sacks. Moore is more than just a speed rusher rushing the passer, although he did show enough speed to win off the edge because of his impressive quick first step. He used an array of pass rushing moves, including a nice spin move, a powerful bull-rush, and the ability to rush the inside. This makes him the most complete pass rusher in the draft at this point. Against the run, Moore has the strength and power to hold up against blockers and can disengage blockers very well. He will fall in the draft because of his combine numbers, but teams may live to regret that.
4. Barkevious Mingo- LSU
Height: 6'4"
Weight: 240
Mingo is a very raw player who relied solely on his athleticism at LSU. Learning how to play 3-4 OLB could be a challenge for him. Mingo, like Bruce Irvin last season, will not be able to play on running downs early on, as he still has to get a lot stronger and improve his technique. Mingo has a lean and athletic frame and possess elite speed of the edge. His acceleration end explosiveness are unmatched in this draft. Unfortunately , he doesn't have many other moves yet other than just using his speed.
5. Jamie Collins- Southern Miss
Height: 6'4"
Weight: 250
There is a big drop off from Mingo to Collins, as this year's 3-4 outside linebacker is pretty top heavy. Collins had a great year last year for Southern Miss, as he had 92 tackles and 10 sacks. He was a beast at the Combine, including an incredible 41.5" vertical jump. However, he is more of a freak athlete than a polished player at this point and his motor was inconsistent at Southern Miss. He is a project, but has the potential to develop into a very good player. He is very explosive and has good closing speed, but his pass rushing package is limited at this point.
6. Corey Lemonier- Auburn
Height: 6'3"
Weight: 255
Lemonier will have some issues converting to a 3-4 outside linebacker due to his lack lack of fluidity in changing direction in open space. As a pass rusher, he uses a good mix of speed and power to get to the quarterback. He ran a 4.6 40-yard dash at the Combine, which will intrigue teams. He is a big hitter who looks for the knockout blow a lot. He will just be a situational pass rusher early on.
7. Trevardo Williams- Connecticut
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 241
At this point Williams is strictly a pass rusher, as you do not know whether he can drop into coverage or whether he has the strength to play the run. He is an explosive athlete with a quick first step and is great at jumping snap counts. However, due to his strength and size limitations he is just a pure speed rusher with no power moves.
8. Chase Thomas- Stanford
Height: 6'3"
Weight: 244
Thomas is unlike most of the guys listed so far, as he is a limited athlete. He is great against the run and just plays the game relentlessly. He has a very high football IQ and is just a very active player. He isn't much of a pure pass rusher with speed off the edge, but he was able to pressure the quarterback through stunts and blitzes.
9. Brandon Jenkins- Florida State
Height: 6'3"
Weight: 251
Jenkins suffered a LisFranc injury in Florida State's first game, but he declared for the draft anyways. Jenkins is another speed rusher off the edge, but lacks the bulk and the strength to play the run well. A fairly common theme in this year's class.
10. Sean Porter- Texas A&M
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 231
Porter is a versatile player who possess a very nice frame. He is very fluid in space and showed ability to rush from the inside and outside. Needs to play more physically. Porter isn't special at anything but solid in a lot of areas.
With only Clay Matthews, Nick Perry, and Dezman Moses on the roster outside linebacker depth will be a thing needs to address in the upcoming 2013 NFL Draft. I think the top three of Matthews, Perry and Moses are solid, but obviously the Packers need some more depth.
Perry's development as a pass rusher opposite Matthews is one the biggest keys for the upcoming season. Perry had two sacks in four games last year and, he was really starting to come on before a wrist injury ended his season. Also, he was very good at setting the edge in the run game. I think with another year to learn the position Perry will take a step forward towards becoming a very good outside linebacker.
Since they spend a first round pick on Perry last year and have Matthews, the Packers are unlikely to draft an outside linebacker early in the draft, but they will be looking for depth later on. The draft will probably work out there will not be an outside linebacker worth taking for the Packers at pick 26 anyways. Here are my top 10 outside linebackers for the 2013 NFL Draft. (3-4 OLB's only as that is what the Packers run)
1. Dion Jordan- Oregon
Height: 6'6"
Weight: 243
Jordan is an absolute freak who is in contention to go number two overall to Jacksonville. Jordan played at defensive end, outside linebacker and even cover slot receivers at Oregon. His length, size, speed and athleticism make him a rare breed. Rushing the passer, Jordan is an explosive edge rusher with a quick first step and turns the corner well. He will need to get stronger to add some power and counter moves, but his speed rush should be lethal right away. Against the run, Jordan's long arms helped him extend and disengage blockers. However, you cannot rely on that in the NFL against lead blockers, so he will need to improve his strength. Jordan also shows no lack of effort, as he has a high motor and made plays on coming from the backside. In coverage he is extremely fluid with loose hips. Jordan's athleticism and versatility makes him the easy choice for my number one outside linebacker.
2. Jarvis Jones- Georgia
Height: 6'3"
Weight 241
Jones was extremely productive at Georgia last season with 85 tackles, 14.5 sacks and seven forced fumbles. However, his spinal stenosis diagnosis has scared some teams off. Like Jordan, Jones is an explosive athlete and playmaker off the edge. Jones is a more polished pass rusher than Jordan at this point, but Jordan's versatility Jones' injury concerns puts Jordan over him. Watching him at Georgia, he was an animal and had a non-stop motor. Jones was very effective in stunts and twists at Georgia as well as rushing from the edge. In the run game, unlike Jordan, Jones has short arms so he has trouble getting off blocks and needs to improve his strength.
3. Damontre Moore- Texas A&M
Height: 6'4"
Weight: 250
Moore was a consensus Top 10 pick before the Combine, but his stock has been dropping ever since. He only did 12 bench reps and only ran a 4.95 40-yard-dash at the Combine. However, Moore is a classic example of people making to many conclusions about him in gym shorts rather than watching the tape. He was very productive at Texas A&M last season with 85 tackles and 12.5 sacks. Moore is more than just a speed rusher rushing the passer, although he did show enough speed to win off the edge because of his impressive quick first step. He used an array of pass rushing moves, including a nice spin move, a powerful bull-rush, and the ability to rush the inside. This makes him the most complete pass rusher in the draft at this point. Against the run, Moore has the strength and power to hold up against blockers and can disengage blockers very well. He will fall in the draft because of his combine numbers, but teams may live to regret that.
4. Barkevious Mingo- LSU
Height: 6'4"
Weight: 240
Mingo is a very raw player who relied solely on his athleticism at LSU. Learning how to play 3-4 OLB could be a challenge for him. Mingo, like Bruce Irvin last season, will not be able to play on running downs early on, as he still has to get a lot stronger and improve his technique. Mingo has a lean and athletic frame and possess elite speed of the edge. His acceleration end explosiveness are unmatched in this draft. Unfortunately , he doesn't have many other moves yet other than just using his speed.
5. Jamie Collins- Southern Miss
Height: 6'4"
Weight: 250
There is a big drop off from Mingo to Collins, as this year's 3-4 outside linebacker is pretty top heavy. Collins had a great year last year for Southern Miss, as he had 92 tackles and 10 sacks. He was a beast at the Combine, including an incredible 41.5" vertical jump. However, he is more of a freak athlete than a polished player at this point and his motor was inconsistent at Southern Miss. He is a project, but has the potential to develop into a very good player. He is very explosive and has good closing speed, but his pass rushing package is limited at this point.
6. Corey Lemonier- Auburn
Height: 6'3"
Weight: 255
Lemonier will have some issues converting to a 3-4 outside linebacker due to his lack lack of fluidity in changing direction in open space. As a pass rusher, he uses a good mix of speed and power to get to the quarterback. He ran a 4.6 40-yard dash at the Combine, which will intrigue teams. He is a big hitter who looks for the knockout blow a lot. He will just be a situational pass rusher early on.
7. Trevardo Williams- Connecticut
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 241
At this point Williams is strictly a pass rusher, as you do not know whether he can drop into coverage or whether he has the strength to play the run. He is an explosive athlete with a quick first step and is great at jumping snap counts. However, due to his strength and size limitations he is just a pure speed rusher with no power moves.
8. Chase Thomas- Stanford
Height: 6'3"
Weight: 244
Thomas is unlike most of the guys listed so far, as he is a limited athlete. He is great against the run and just plays the game relentlessly. He has a very high football IQ and is just a very active player. He isn't much of a pure pass rusher with speed off the edge, but he was able to pressure the quarterback through stunts and blitzes.
9. Brandon Jenkins- Florida State
Height: 6'3"
Weight: 251
Jenkins suffered a LisFranc injury in Florida State's first game, but he declared for the draft anyways. Jenkins is another speed rusher off the edge, but lacks the bulk and the strength to play the run well. A fairly common theme in this year's class.
10. Sean Porter- Texas A&M
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 231
Porter is a versatile player who possess a very nice frame. He is very fluid in space and showed ability to rush from the inside and outside. Needs to play more physically. Porter isn't special at anything but solid in a lot of areas.
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
Packers Draft Possibilities: Offensive Line
Count me as one of the many people who think who desperately need help on our offensive line. I do like Bulaga as our RT, but when we drafted him I figured he would end up going to LT, but he's done so well on the right side I think that the Packers and TT might be hesitant to move him somewhere else and shake his confidence. I also think that we are strong at Guard with Josh Sitton and T.J. Lang. Lang needs to be able to stay at guard because our depth behind that is weak, and Lang is not a strong offensive tackle. After that we come to a whole bunch of question marks. Last year our other starters on the line were LT-Marshall Newhouse, and C-Jeff Saturday. Saturday is no longer on the team with us. That's not necessarily a complaint, because he was awful last year and was benched at the end of the year, a pro bowl nod, because no one knows any Centers, but he was bad. Newhouse is not a starting LT in the NFL. He simply has not moved well enough for us to continue thinking he is a long term solution at LT, and should not start there for the 2013 season. Last year in the game against the Seahawks alone, we gave up 8 sacks. 4 to Chris Clemons, 2 a piece to Bruce Irvin & Brandon Mebane. Putting the fail mary aside, we should not give up 8 sacks in a game, and that really hurt our chances. Our other offensive lineman include the following: Don Barclay, Andrew Datko, Evan Dietrich-Smith, Garth Gerhart, Joe Gibbs, Kevin Hughes, Derek Sherrod, and Greg Van Roten. Barclay started four games for us last year and was relatively decent, but not up to the standards we would hope to achieve on our line. He also had 2 postseason starts. Datko was on the practice squad all of last year, if he's an improvement I'll take him on the team this year. EDS is a player that the Packers will keep because we like to rotate him in and out offensively and can play Guard and Center. Gerhart was on the Browns practice squad last season and was signed in January. Signed Gibbs from the UFL last season to the practice squad. Hughes was a practice squad player for the Chargers (2012) and Rams (2011). Then we have the enigma that is Derek Sherrod. As a rookie he came in and started to play LT and develop his skills because of an injury to Clifton. Broke his leg against Kansas City, hasn't been back healthy since. And that was from December 2011, tough to count on him back 100% to start this fall. Then there is Greg Van Roten, who played some but didn't start a game in our wacky offensive line that we had this past season. Since free agency is basically picked clean. Let's look at who the Packers might have as options in the draft.
First, I'm fairly certain that all of the major offensive lineman that I would love are going to be gone at pick 26, and I don't think Ted Thompson will trade up for Joeckel, Fisher, Johnson, Warmack, or Cooper. Fluker is probably off of the board too. So that means the best players at the position will already be gone, the same as when we drafted Bulaga (24), and Newhouse (32), both in the first round.
As of right now. The only person who has us taking an offensive lineman in the first round is Charlie Campbell who works over at Walter football. That pick would be used to draft Menelik Watson (OT Florida State, 6'5" 310 lbs, 34" arm). As you can tell, his size is quite impressive. This sounds like someone who should be off of the board before we pick, but the problem is that he has very little football experience. He has played two seasons, 1 at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo, CA, and then at Florida State, where he started 12 games as a right tackle. The only reason I would accept drafting Watson is if we are playing Bulaga at LT, because he has much more experience, and playing Barclay at RT while Watson learns the position. Those are some risky moves when you can get someone to play immediately with the first round pick. Watson is also 24, which means that he will not have as much time in the league as someone who is younger. He doesn't particularly blow me away, and the only way I think we will draft him is if we trade down into round two and get another pick from early this draft.
Next up is Barrett Jones from Alabama, a 2nd round option as listed by Rob Warner over at fftoolbox.com. Jones is coming off of a lisfranc injury from this past season. He won the Rimington trophy (Best Center) in 2012, and the Outland trophy (Best Interior Lineman) in 2011. He is 6'4", 306 lbs. Because of the injury Jones did not participate at the combine. He is smart, finished his degree at Alabama in accounting in just 3 years. Also, one thing that the NFL draft profile for his does is compare him to Daryn Colledge. He could be a long time Center for us, which would be amazing, but I think his injury probably projects him into lower rounds, as he has prior medical issues as well. I don't want to use a 2nd rounder on him, but would be fine with 3rd or 4th, because of those issues. Last time the Packers drafted a Center, we drafted Scott Wells in the 7th round of the 2004 NFL draft. I hope we get Barrett, but we won't take him too early.
Later round potential:
Brian Schwenke C-Cal 6'3" 314 lbs. Currently seen as a fourth rounder over at Walter Football by Walter himself. One issue that we could potentially have with Brian is he is a true Center, and doesn't give us multiple options like Mike McCarthy and Ted Thompson have done with their offensive lineman lately. But the Packers have had issues at Center, so Schwenke in the 4th round could be a major solution. My favorite thing from the combine drills is that he had a great 3 cone drill, putting up a time of 7.31.
Khaled Holmes C-USC 6'4" 305 lbs. Not a whole lot out there on this kid. Started on the interior for the past 3 seasons on the offensive line. He was a finalist for the Rimington (Barrett Jones won) and played at Center at USC for the past two years. He was hurt (strained pectoral muscle) doing the bench press for the combine. I'm not terribly sold on him when there are better options, but projected to be a 4th-5th rounder at this time.
Brian Winters G-Kent State 6'4" 315 lbs. He played LT in college, but because of short arms is expected to make the move inside. That means he should be more athletic, and at his pro day he did spend some time under center also. Winters also strained a pectoral muscle at the combine. Apparently the Steelers, Giants & Ravens all sent coaches to his pro day.
I'll be completely honest, if it was up to me, we would draft Barrett Jones, even if it involves moving around to get him. Jones has good size, played multiple positions in college, and if the only question mark is medical history, then I can deal with that. I'm just not sold on some of the later prospects, especially since the Packers shy away from guys who can only do one thing. But like I was saying earlier, we definitely need to do something to improve.
First, I'm fairly certain that all of the major offensive lineman that I would love are going to be gone at pick 26, and I don't think Ted Thompson will trade up for Joeckel, Fisher, Johnson, Warmack, or Cooper. Fluker is probably off of the board too. So that means the best players at the position will already be gone, the same as when we drafted Bulaga (24), and Newhouse (32), both in the first round.
As of right now. The only person who has us taking an offensive lineman in the first round is Charlie Campbell who works over at Walter football. That pick would be used to draft Menelik Watson (OT Florida State, 6'5" 310 lbs, 34" arm). As you can tell, his size is quite impressive. This sounds like someone who should be off of the board before we pick, but the problem is that he has very little football experience. He has played two seasons, 1 at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo, CA, and then at Florida State, where he started 12 games as a right tackle. The only reason I would accept drafting Watson is if we are playing Bulaga at LT, because he has much more experience, and playing Barclay at RT while Watson learns the position. Those are some risky moves when you can get someone to play immediately with the first round pick. Watson is also 24, which means that he will not have as much time in the league as someone who is younger. He doesn't particularly blow me away, and the only way I think we will draft him is if we trade down into round two and get another pick from early this draft.
Next up is Barrett Jones from Alabama, a 2nd round option as listed by Rob Warner over at fftoolbox.com. Jones is coming off of a lisfranc injury from this past season. He won the Rimington trophy (Best Center) in 2012, and the Outland trophy (Best Interior Lineman) in 2011. He is 6'4", 306 lbs. Because of the injury Jones did not participate at the combine. He is smart, finished his degree at Alabama in accounting in just 3 years. Also, one thing that the NFL draft profile for his does is compare him to Daryn Colledge. He could be a long time Center for us, which would be amazing, but I think his injury probably projects him into lower rounds, as he has prior medical issues as well. I don't want to use a 2nd rounder on him, but would be fine with 3rd or 4th, because of those issues. Last time the Packers drafted a Center, we drafted Scott Wells in the 7th round of the 2004 NFL draft. I hope we get Barrett, but we won't take him too early.
Later round potential:
Brian Schwenke C-Cal 6'3" 314 lbs. Currently seen as a fourth rounder over at Walter Football by Walter himself. One issue that we could potentially have with Brian is he is a true Center, and doesn't give us multiple options like Mike McCarthy and Ted Thompson have done with their offensive lineman lately. But the Packers have had issues at Center, so Schwenke in the 4th round could be a major solution. My favorite thing from the combine drills is that he had a great 3 cone drill, putting up a time of 7.31.
Khaled Holmes C-USC 6'4" 305 lbs. Not a whole lot out there on this kid. Started on the interior for the past 3 seasons on the offensive line. He was a finalist for the Rimington (Barrett Jones won) and played at Center at USC for the past two years. He was hurt (strained pectoral muscle) doing the bench press for the combine. I'm not terribly sold on him when there are better options, but projected to be a 4th-5th rounder at this time.
Brian Winters G-Kent State 6'4" 315 lbs. He played LT in college, but because of short arms is expected to make the move inside. That means he should be more athletic, and at his pro day he did spend some time under center also. Winters also strained a pectoral muscle at the combine. Apparently the Steelers, Giants & Ravens all sent coaches to his pro day.
I'll be completely honest, if it was up to me, we would draft Barrett Jones, even if it involves moving around to get him. Jones has good size, played multiple positions in college, and if the only question mark is medical history, then I can deal with that. I'm just not sold on some of the later prospects, especially since the Packers shy away from guys who can only do one thing. But like I was saying earlier, we definitely need to do something to improve.
Saturday, March 30, 2013
Packers Quiet Offseason About To Get Loud
By: Matt Bove
So far in free agency, the Green Bay Packers have not signed any significant unrestricted free agent. Did you really expect anything else? Apparently people have, because the outrage on Twitter about Ted Thompson not signing everybody has been loud. The common theme is that NFC rivals like the Bears, Vikings, Seahawks and 49ers are getting better, while the Packers sit on their hands. However, the Packers seemed primed to lock up two players that those teams or any team would rather have then the free agents that they signed.
According to Tom Silverstein of the Milwauke Journal-Sentinel, the Packers will indeed sign Aaron Rodgers and Clay Matthews to long-term contracts in the very near future. While Thompson does not like to sign big money free agents anyways, this is the main reason why the Packers have not signed any significant unrestricted free agent.
Rodgers' new contract is expected to be around $24 million per year, which would surpass Joe Flacoo's six-year, $120.6 million deal and make Rodgers the highest paid NFL player ever. Meanwhile, I would expect Matthews' deal to be around $13 million per year. Obviously, the cap implications will not be known until the deals are signed, but the Packers needed to keep every million they could under the cap for these deals.
The reality is that all these teams that went on free agent shopping sprees would much rather pay Rodgers and Matthews what the Packers will be paying them. They are worth passing over the Steven Jackson's, Ahmad Bradshaw's and Michael Huff's of the world. Those are replaceable players and Rodgers and Matthews are irreplaceable.
In the NFL, players like Rodgers and Matthews never see free agency. If a player is a free agent there is usually a reason for it, as teams just do not let the elite players go. You have to draft elite players if you want to have them. Free agency laden teams of the past like the Eagles, Cowboys, Redskins, Jets, and the Raiders have not won anything and now the Dolphins will see the same fate. Do Mike Wallace and Dannell Ellerbe equal Rodgers and Matthews? Not even close.
Another complaint with this is that the Packers already had Rodgers and Matthews, so they are not getting better by locking them up. They are not adding new players, so how have they been improving? Well, signing Rodgers and Matthews long-term gives the Packers the best chance they have to win future Super Bowls. You need elite players like them to have a chance. Yes, they will be taking up a significant portion of the cap, but so will all the elite quarterbacks sooner or later. Thompson will have to continue to draft talented players around them, so they can get talented players on the cheap.
Fans often forget the develop part of draft and develop. Not only will the Packers add a new draft class, but young players like Casey Heyward, Nick Perry, Dezman Moses, Jerron McMillian, M.D. Jennings, Davon House, DuJuan Harris, Randall Cobb, and Marshall Newhouse should continue to improve. That is how the Packers get better. A veteran laden team will not have many players making year to year improvements.
Now, I am not saying that you should not sign any free agents. I would have loved to sign Michael Huff, and I think Ozzie Newsome got a bargain in him for only $2M a year. In my opinion, Newsome is the best GM in the NFL because he builds through the draft, but knows when to dip into free agency. Also, he realized that his franchise quarterback Joe Flacco was more valuable than replaceable players he let go like Ed Reed, Bernard Pollard, Anquan Boldin, Cary Williams, and Dannell Ellerbe.
We have gone through the same exercise this offseason that we do every offseason. Other teams sign free agents, while the Packers are patient, and then in the season the Packers are championship contenders, while some of those teams do not even make playoffs.
Now, I do understand the concern about how good Seattle and San Francisco are. They have the luxury of having their quarterbacks on rookie deals, so they can spend money elsewhere at the moment. They are extremely talented, but championships are not won in March. They may be ahead of the Packers now, but a lot can happen between now and January. We learn this every year.
So far in free agency, the Green Bay Packers have not signed any significant unrestricted free agent. Did you really expect anything else? Apparently people have, because the outrage on Twitter about Ted Thompson not signing everybody has been loud. The common theme is that NFC rivals like the Bears, Vikings, Seahawks and 49ers are getting better, while the Packers sit on their hands. However, the Packers seemed primed to lock up two players that those teams or any team would rather have then the free agents that they signed.
According to Tom Silverstein of the Milwauke Journal-Sentinel, the Packers will indeed sign Aaron Rodgers and Clay Matthews to long-term contracts in the very near future. While Thompson does not like to sign big money free agents anyways, this is the main reason why the Packers have not signed any significant unrestricted free agent.
Rodgers' new contract is expected to be around $24 million per year, which would surpass Joe Flacoo's six-year, $120.6 million deal and make Rodgers the highest paid NFL player ever. Meanwhile, I would expect Matthews' deal to be around $13 million per year. Obviously, the cap implications will not be known until the deals are signed, but the Packers needed to keep every million they could under the cap for these deals.
The reality is that all these teams that went on free agent shopping sprees would much rather pay Rodgers and Matthews what the Packers will be paying them. They are worth passing over the Steven Jackson's, Ahmad Bradshaw's and Michael Huff's of the world. Those are replaceable players and Rodgers and Matthews are irreplaceable.
In the NFL, players like Rodgers and Matthews never see free agency. If a player is a free agent there is usually a reason for it, as teams just do not let the elite players go. You have to draft elite players if you want to have them. Free agency laden teams of the past like the Eagles, Cowboys, Redskins, Jets, and the Raiders have not won anything and now the Dolphins will see the same fate. Do Mike Wallace and Dannell Ellerbe equal Rodgers and Matthews? Not even close.
Another complaint with this is that the Packers already had Rodgers and Matthews, so they are not getting better by locking them up. They are not adding new players, so how have they been improving? Well, signing Rodgers and Matthews long-term gives the Packers the best chance they have to win future Super Bowls. You need elite players like them to have a chance. Yes, they will be taking up a significant portion of the cap, but so will all the elite quarterbacks sooner or later. Thompson will have to continue to draft talented players around them, so they can get talented players on the cheap.
Fans often forget the develop part of draft and develop. Not only will the Packers add a new draft class, but young players like Casey Heyward, Nick Perry, Dezman Moses, Jerron McMillian, M.D. Jennings, Davon House, DuJuan Harris, Randall Cobb, and Marshall Newhouse should continue to improve. That is how the Packers get better. A veteran laden team will not have many players making year to year improvements.
Now, I am not saying that you should not sign any free agents. I would have loved to sign Michael Huff, and I think Ozzie Newsome got a bargain in him for only $2M a year. In my opinion, Newsome is the best GM in the NFL because he builds through the draft, but knows when to dip into free agency. Also, he realized that his franchise quarterback Joe Flacco was more valuable than replaceable players he let go like Ed Reed, Bernard Pollard, Anquan Boldin, Cary Williams, and Dannell Ellerbe.
We have gone through the same exercise this offseason that we do every offseason. Other teams sign free agents, while the Packers are patient, and then in the season the Packers are championship contenders, while some of those teams do not even make playoffs.
Now, I do understand the concern about how good Seattle and San Francisco are. They have the luxury of having their quarterbacks on rookie deals, so they can spend money elsewhere at the moment. They are extremely talented, but championships are not won in March. They may be ahead of the Packers now, but a lot can happen between now and January. We learn this every year.
Sunday, March 17, 2013
Biggest Free-Agency Busts in Green Bay Packers History
By Bob Fox
The modern version of free agency started in 1993, when the Green Bay Packers hauled in the biggest fish in the ocean for the NFL. That would be the free-agent signing of defensive end Reggie White.
Before 1993, the NFL had something called Plan B free agency for four years, starting in 1989. Plan B allowed all NFL teams to preserve limited rights of no more than 37 players on each roster.
Before that, the only way a player could become a free agent was by playing out his option. That meant playing to the end of your contract with a given team. Former Packer greats Ron Kramer and Jim Taylor did just that. The Packers received a first-round draft pick in both cases when Kramer (Detroit Lions) and Taylor (New Orleans Saints) left Green Bay.
In the modern era of free agency, however, the Packers have definitely hit gold—twice. Once with White, and then again with defensive back Charles Woodson, who the Packers signed in 2006. Both players ended up as the NFL's Defensive Player of the Year, and both helped the Packers win a Super Bowl, too.
But the Packers have also had their share of busts in free agency.
Here are some of the more high-profile free-agent missteps in Packers history.
Joe Johnson
The biggest free-agent bust in Green Bay history has to be defensive end Joe Johnson, who formerly played with the New Orleans Saints.
The Packers and Mike Sherman gambled on the aging veteran in 2002 to help improve the pass rush of the Packers.
Certainly, the resume of Johnson was solid. He had 50.5 sacks for the Saints in eight seasons. Johnson was also named as an All-Pro once, plus was named to four Pro Bowl teams.
But that all changed in Green Bay. Johnson was often injured in the two years he played for the Packers and had only two sacks in just 11 games.
Besides hurting the Packers with his lack of production, Johnson also took a big bite out of the Green Bay salary cap, as he got a $6 million signing bonus as part of his $36 million contract.
Adrian Klemm
Ted Thompson's first year (2005) as general manager in Green Bay was certainly not the high point of his front-office career. The Packers finished 4-12, quarterback Brett Favre had his worst year ever up to that point of his career and head coach Mike Sherman ended up getting fired.
The issues with the team started in free agency, as Thompson allowed the two prolific starting guards (Marco Rivera and Mike Wahle) to leave. Both players were very steady in Green Bay, but the cost to keep them was too rich for Thompson's liking.
Thompson used free agency to help lessen the losses of Rivera and Wahle. He signed Adrian Klemm (New England Patriots) and Matt O'Dwyer (Tampa Bay Bucs) to help fill the void. However, O'Dwyer didn't even make the team, while Klemm was mediocre at best at left guard.
The 2005 season was the first and last season Klemm played with the Packers, as he ineffective and inconsistent.
From 2002-2004, the Packers had one of the very best rushing attacks in the NFL. In 2005, the Packers finished 30th in the NFL in rushing. Favre also threw a career-high 29 interceptions in the passing game.
Thompson knew that the Packers needed to shore up the offensive line after that dismal year, and he drafted three offensive linemen in the 2006 NFL Draft.
Mark Roman
Safety Mark Roman (Cincinnati Bengals) was another free agent Mike Sherman signed in his very last year as general manager in 2004.
Like the Joe Johnson signing, this relationship only lasted two years.
Roman did not exactly put himself in a good light in 2004. He had no interceptions and didn't force a fumble. He also looked lost in coverage and missed way too many tackles.
The Packers finished 25th in the NFL in pass defense in 2004.
That all led to the embarrassing 31-17 loss to the Minnesota Vikings in the 2004 NFC Wild Card Game at Lambeau Field. The Green Bay secondary was shredded by quarterback Daunte Culpepper, who threw four touchdown passes that day, including two to Randy Moss.
Roman played with the Packers again in 2005, and although he did play better, it was his last season in Green Bay.
Pat Terrell
When one remembers safety Pat Terrell's time with the Packers, it's hard not to recall his last play on the field.
It was the 1998 NFC Wild Card Game in San Francisco, with only 25 seconds left on the clock. The Packers had stormed back to take a 27-23 lead with less than two minutes remaining in the game. But now the game came down to one last play.
Quarterback Steve Young of the 49ers threw a strike to Terrell Owens on a deep post pattern, culminating in a game-winning 25-yard touchdown pass.
Owens caught the pass just in front of Terrell, who closed too late to break up the pass, as the Packers lost 30-27.
Terrell was signed by general manager Ron Wolf form the Carolina Panthers to help provide some leadership at safety, as Eugene Robinson had left the Packers to join the Atlanta Falcons in free agency.
All-Pro safety LeRoy Butler was still around, but the Packers wanted more experience, as second-year safety Darren Sharper was still learning the ropes.
Terrell started only three games in that year for the Packers at free safety, as the Packers had to move Sharper to cornerback for three games due to an injury to Craig Newsome.
The infamous pass from Young to Owens was the last play of Terrell's short Green Bay career.
Bob Fox is a featured columnist at Bleacherreport.com and shares content here at GBPackeraddictts.com
The modern version of free agency started in 1993, when the Green Bay Packers hauled in the biggest fish in the ocean for the NFL. That would be the free-agent signing of defensive end Reggie White.
Before 1993, the NFL had something called Plan B free agency for four years, starting in 1989. Plan B allowed all NFL teams to preserve limited rights of no more than 37 players on each roster.
Before that, the only way a player could become a free agent was by playing out his option. That meant playing to the end of your contract with a given team. Former Packer greats Ron Kramer and Jim Taylor did just that. The Packers received a first-round draft pick in both cases when Kramer (Detroit Lions) and Taylor (New Orleans Saints) left Green Bay.
In the modern era of free agency, however, the Packers have definitely hit gold—twice. Once with White, and then again with defensive back Charles Woodson, who the Packers signed in 2006. Both players ended up as the NFL's Defensive Player of the Year, and both helped the Packers win a Super Bowl, too.
But the Packers have also had their share of busts in free agency.
Here are some of the more high-profile free-agent missteps in Packers history.
Joe Johnson
The biggest free-agent bust in Green Bay history has to be defensive end Joe Johnson, who formerly played with the New Orleans Saints.
The Packers and Mike Sherman gambled on the aging veteran in 2002 to help improve the pass rush of the Packers.
Certainly, the resume of Johnson was solid. He had 50.5 sacks for the Saints in eight seasons. Johnson was also named as an All-Pro once, plus was named to four Pro Bowl teams.
But that all changed in Green Bay. Johnson was often injured in the two years he played for the Packers and had only two sacks in just 11 games.
Besides hurting the Packers with his lack of production, Johnson also took a big bite out of the Green Bay salary cap, as he got a $6 million signing bonus as part of his $36 million contract.
Adrian Klemm
Ted Thompson's first year (2005) as general manager in Green Bay was certainly not the high point of his front-office career. The Packers finished 4-12, quarterback Brett Favre had his worst year ever up to that point of his career and head coach Mike Sherman ended up getting fired.
The issues with the team started in free agency, as Thompson allowed the two prolific starting guards (Marco Rivera and Mike Wahle) to leave. Both players were very steady in Green Bay, but the cost to keep them was too rich for Thompson's liking.
Thompson used free agency to help lessen the losses of Rivera and Wahle. He signed Adrian Klemm (New England Patriots) and Matt O'Dwyer (Tampa Bay Bucs) to help fill the void. However, O'Dwyer didn't even make the team, while Klemm was mediocre at best at left guard.
The 2005 season was the first and last season Klemm played with the Packers, as he ineffective and inconsistent.
From 2002-2004, the Packers had one of the very best rushing attacks in the NFL. In 2005, the Packers finished 30th in the NFL in rushing. Favre also threw a career-high 29 interceptions in the passing game.
Thompson knew that the Packers needed to shore up the offensive line after that dismal year, and he drafted three offensive linemen in the 2006 NFL Draft.
Mark Roman
Safety Mark Roman (Cincinnati Bengals) was another free agent Mike Sherman signed in his very last year as general manager in 2004.
Like the Joe Johnson signing, this relationship only lasted two years.
Roman did not exactly put himself in a good light in 2004. He had no interceptions and didn't force a fumble. He also looked lost in coverage and missed way too many tackles.
The Packers finished 25th in the NFL in pass defense in 2004.
That all led to the embarrassing 31-17 loss to the Minnesota Vikings in the 2004 NFC Wild Card Game at Lambeau Field. The Green Bay secondary was shredded by quarterback Daunte Culpepper, who threw four touchdown passes that day, including two to Randy Moss.
Roman played with the Packers again in 2005, and although he did play better, it was his last season in Green Bay.
Pat Terrell
When one remembers safety Pat Terrell's time with the Packers, it's hard not to recall his last play on the field.
It was the 1998 NFC Wild Card Game in San Francisco, with only 25 seconds left on the clock. The Packers had stormed back to take a 27-23 lead with less than two minutes remaining in the game. But now the game came down to one last play.
Quarterback Steve Young of the 49ers threw a strike to Terrell Owens on a deep post pattern, culminating in a game-winning 25-yard touchdown pass.
Owens caught the pass just in front of Terrell, who closed too late to break up the pass, as the Packers lost 30-27.
Terrell was signed by general manager Ron Wolf form the Carolina Panthers to help provide some leadership at safety, as Eugene Robinson had left the Packers to join the Atlanta Falcons in free agency.
All-Pro safety LeRoy Butler was still around, but the Packers wanted more experience, as second-year safety Darren Sharper was still learning the ropes.
Terrell started only three games in that year for the Packers at free safety, as the Packers had to move Sharper to cornerback for three games due to an injury to Craig Newsome.
The infamous pass from Young to Owens was the last play of Terrell's short Green Bay career.
Bob Fox is a featured columnist at Bleacherreport.com and shares content here at GBPackeraddictts.com
Friday, March 8, 2013
NFL Draft Running Back Rankings
By: Matt Bove
The 2013 NFL Draft running back class is one of the weakest positions in the draft this season. The only running back I have a first round grade on is Alabama's Eddie Lacy and even he isn't guaranteed to be selected in round one. It seems as the thought that as the NFL has evolved into the passing league that it has become, that all the best athletes are playing wide receiver and cornerback. This was evident at the NFL Combine, as only Knile Davis and Onterio McCalebb ran a sub 4.4 40-yard dash and neither are big time prospects. The Packers do have a need at running back, so they will certainly be scouting this position hard.
1. Eddie Lacy- Alabama
Height: 5'11.5''
Weight: 223 lbs
I normally would not be an advocate of the Packers selecting a running back in round one with Aaron Rodgers at quarterback, but I would certainly be on board if the Packers selected Lacy with the 26th overall pick in the draft. Lacy would bring the physicality that the Packers have been lacking at running back for awhile now. Lacy is a great between the tackles runner and would solve a lot of Green Bay's 3rd-and-short woes. Lacy is certainly not one of the more elusive running backs you will ever see, but he is a bull running through tackles and has enough elusiveness to get by with that. His one trademark elusive move is his spin move, which he made tacklers in college look foolish on. Lacy will always fall forward and has great balance. He put on an absolute show on the biggest stage in the National Championship game and averaged a stellar 6.8 yards per carry for Alabama last season. Also, what I like about him is that he has only 355 career carries in college, while a lot of the other running backs in this draft were way overworked in college.
2. Giovanni Bernard- North Carolina
Height: 5'8
Weight: 199 lbs
Bernard ran for 1,228 yards and 6.7 YPC at North Carolina last season. With his size, the obvious question is how effective Bernard can be in between the tackles. With that size comes durability issues, as Bernard missed two games for North Carolina last season. Bernard was great out of the backfield for the Tar Heels, as he caught 92 passes in the last two seasons for them. He lacks the breakaway speed you would like for a running back of his size, but he combines good vision with great elusiveness. The video shows that Bernard is good at setting up his runs and finds his holes to run through with great patience. Just a very natural and smooth runner.
3. Jonathan Franklin- UCLA
Height: 5'10
Weight: 201 lbs
Franklin set a single season UCLA record last season by running for 1,734 yards. Franklin's foot speed and amazing acceleration immediately jumps out on video. Franklin is lethal on the edge turning up the sideline and away from defenders. He will have huge big play potential at the next level .Franklin's cutting ability is excellent and he does not lose much speed while cutting. His cutting is the key to his tackle breaking because he won't be running many people over at his size. Also, Franklin gets to the line and through the holes very quickly. His biggest issues are fumbles, pass protection and his lack of bulk.
4. Andre Ellington- Clemson
Height: 5'10
Weight: 197 lbs
Similar to Franklin, Ellington has excellent acceleration on the edge. He only ran a 4.61 at the NFL Combine, but he plays much faster than that. For his size, Ellington is adept at working between the tackles and squeezing through holes. Also for his size, Ellington will not back down and he will be very physical. He had a few great runs where he kept his balance after contact. Given how hard Ellington runs and his size, durability is a question. Also, he needs to improve his patience in allowing blocks to develop.
5. Christine Michael- Texas A&M
Height: 5'10
Weight: 220 lbs
Michael has great upside but attitude and off the field issues will hurt his draft stock. He overslept and missed some of his team meetings at the NFL Combine. Also, he was in the doghouse his senior season at Texas A&M. On the field, Michael is very quick to the hole and possess excellent vision. Also, he has a great combination of elusiveness and power. He was able to break arm tackles with great balance and he flashed a nice spin move and stiff arm. Michael comes with some risk, but he could end up being a steal.
6. Mike Gillisee- Florida
Height: 5'11
Weight: 208
Gillislee is a sleeper for me, as most draftniks do not have rated this high, but he really stands out watching him. Gillisee carried Florida's offense last season with little talent surrounding him. He showed great vision, some ability to make people miss in the open field and great breakaway speed. He has a quick burst through the hole and can make a lot out of only a small hole. Along with his elusiveness, Gillilsee welcomes contact and does not back down. He does not finish off his runs great at the end and sometimes looks for the home run too much.
7. Montee Ball- Wisconsin
Height: 5'11
Weight: 215 lbs
Lots of Packers fans are familiar with Ball because of his stellar career at Wisconsin. Ball won't be as successful at the next level, but he should still be solid. He has great size and bulk and uses that strength to fight off tacklers. Ball sets up his blocks well, as he is is very solid in between the tackles. He lacks explosive lateral moves, which will be the reason why he will not be a special NFL running back. Another problem is that he had is that Ball stayed for his senior year at Wisconsin and they rode him hard. He may have too much tread on his tires already to have a very long career.
8. Joseph Randle- Oklahoma St.
Height: 6"1
Weight: 200 lbs
Randle was very productive at Oklahoma St., but I am not as high on him as a lot of people. A lot of his success was due to the spread offense of Oklahoma St. and he had some huge holes to run through. Also, Randle can run too high at times, is stiff and is not a very natural runner. He is very good at finishing carries with power and falling forward. Randle does have solid speed to turn the corner with, but he loses to many one on one battles. He is very productive as a pass catcher due to the offense he played in.
9. Marcus Lattimore- South Carolina
Height: 6"1
Weight: 218
At this point, I would rather take the risk on Lattimore rather than guys like Stepfan Taylor and Le'Veon Bell, who I don't see a lot of upside for. I wouldn't risk taking Lattimore before the fourth round, but anywhere after he is not a bad risk to take. Lattimore had a gruesome knee injury last season and tore several ligaments. However, it is being reported that he is making a good recovery. When healthy, Lattimore is built like a truck and is a true beast running the football. His physical running style has to due with the injuries Lattimore has had, as he often times is the one delivering blows on defenders. He does must of his damage between the tackles and does not turn the corner much. Lattimore has a nice combo of unexpected foot quickness, cuts and acceleration.
10. Cierre Wood- Notre Dame
Height: 5'11
Weight: 213
Wood is another sleeper for me. I watched every Notre Dame game last season, which has something to do with it, but I really like this kid's potential even though I thought he should have stayed in school another year. Wood shared carries with Theo Riddick at Notre Dame, but I think Wood has more talent and will be better suited for the NFL. He averaged a stellar 6.7 YPC for the Irish in 2012. Wood is a very natural runner and is laterally very elusive with quick feet. He used those quick feet to make sharp steps and side step oncoming tacklers. Also, Wood is very patient in waiting for holes to develop. He is one of my favorite values in this draft.
The 2013 NFL Draft running back class is one of the weakest positions in the draft this season. The only running back I have a first round grade on is Alabama's Eddie Lacy and even he isn't guaranteed to be selected in round one. It seems as the thought that as the NFL has evolved into the passing league that it has become, that all the best athletes are playing wide receiver and cornerback. This was evident at the NFL Combine, as only Knile Davis and Onterio McCalebb ran a sub 4.4 40-yard dash and neither are big time prospects. The Packers do have a need at running back, so they will certainly be scouting this position hard.
1. Eddie Lacy- Alabama
Height: 5'11.5''
Weight: 223 lbs
I normally would not be an advocate of the Packers selecting a running back in round one with Aaron Rodgers at quarterback, but I would certainly be on board if the Packers selected Lacy with the 26th overall pick in the draft. Lacy would bring the physicality that the Packers have been lacking at running back for awhile now. Lacy is a great between the tackles runner and would solve a lot of Green Bay's 3rd-and-short woes. Lacy is certainly not one of the more elusive running backs you will ever see, but he is a bull running through tackles and has enough elusiveness to get by with that. His one trademark elusive move is his spin move, which he made tacklers in college look foolish on. Lacy will always fall forward and has great balance. He put on an absolute show on the biggest stage in the National Championship game and averaged a stellar 6.8 yards per carry for Alabama last season. Also, what I like about him is that he has only 355 career carries in college, while a lot of the other running backs in this draft were way overworked in college.
2. Giovanni Bernard- North Carolina
Height: 5'8
Weight: 199 lbs
Bernard ran for 1,228 yards and 6.7 YPC at North Carolina last season. With his size, the obvious question is how effective Bernard can be in between the tackles. With that size comes durability issues, as Bernard missed two games for North Carolina last season. Bernard was great out of the backfield for the Tar Heels, as he caught 92 passes in the last two seasons for them. He lacks the breakaway speed you would like for a running back of his size, but he combines good vision with great elusiveness. The video shows that Bernard is good at setting up his runs and finds his holes to run through with great patience. Just a very natural and smooth runner.
3. Jonathan Franklin- UCLA
Height: 5'10
Weight: 201 lbs
Franklin set a single season UCLA record last season by running for 1,734 yards. Franklin's foot speed and amazing acceleration immediately jumps out on video. Franklin is lethal on the edge turning up the sideline and away from defenders. He will have huge big play potential at the next level .Franklin's cutting ability is excellent and he does not lose much speed while cutting. His cutting is the key to his tackle breaking because he won't be running many people over at his size. Also, Franklin gets to the line and through the holes very quickly. His biggest issues are fumbles, pass protection and his lack of bulk.
4. Andre Ellington- Clemson
Height: 5'10
Weight: 197 lbs
Similar to Franklin, Ellington has excellent acceleration on the edge. He only ran a 4.61 at the NFL Combine, but he plays much faster than that. For his size, Ellington is adept at working between the tackles and squeezing through holes. Also for his size, Ellington will not back down and he will be very physical. He had a few great runs where he kept his balance after contact. Given how hard Ellington runs and his size, durability is a question. Also, he needs to improve his patience in allowing blocks to develop.
5. Christine Michael- Texas A&M
Height: 5'10
Weight: 220 lbs
Michael has great upside but attitude and off the field issues will hurt his draft stock. He overslept and missed some of his team meetings at the NFL Combine. Also, he was in the doghouse his senior season at Texas A&M. On the field, Michael is very quick to the hole and possess excellent vision. Also, he has a great combination of elusiveness and power. He was able to break arm tackles with great balance and he flashed a nice spin move and stiff arm. Michael comes with some risk, but he could end up being a steal.
6. Mike Gillisee- Florida
Height: 5'11
Weight: 208
Gillislee is a sleeper for me, as most draftniks do not have rated this high, but he really stands out watching him. Gillisee carried Florida's offense last season with little talent surrounding him. He showed great vision, some ability to make people miss in the open field and great breakaway speed. He has a quick burst through the hole and can make a lot out of only a small hole. Along with his elusiveness, Gillilsee welcomes contact and does not back down. He does not finish off his runs great at the end and sometimes looks for the home run too much.
7. Montee Ball- Wisconsin
Height: 5'11
Weight: 215 lbs
Lots of Packers fans are familiar with Ball because of his stellar career at Wisconsin. Ball won't be as successful at the next level, but he should still be solid. He has great size and bulk and uses that strength to fight off tacklers. Ball sets up his blocks well, as he is is very solid in between the tackles. He lacks explosive lateral moves, which will be the reason why he will not be a special NFL running back. Another problem is that he had is that Ball stayed for his senior year at Wisconsin and they rode him hard. He may have too much tread on his tires already to have a very long career.
8. Joseph Randle- Oklahoma St.
Height: 6"1
Weight: 200 lbs
Randle was very productive at Oklahoma St., but I am not as high on him as a lot of people. A lot of his success was due to the spread offense of Oklahoma St. and he had some huge holes to run through. Also, Randle can run too high at times, is stiff and is not a very natural runner. He is very good at finishing carries with power and falling forward. Randle does have solid speed to turn the corner with, but he loses to many one on one battles. He is very productive as a pass catcher due to the offense he played in.
9. Marcus Lattimore- South Carolina
Height: 6"1
Weight: 218
At this point, I would rather take the risk on Lattimore rather than guys like Stepfan Taylor and Le'Veon Bell, who I don't see a lot of upside for. I wouldn't risk taking Lattimore before the fourth round, but anywhere after he is not a bad risk to take. Lattimore had a gruesome knee injury last season and tore several ligaments. However, it is being reported that he is making a good recovery. When healthy, Lattimore is built like a truck and is a true beast running the football. His physical running style has to due with the injuries Lattimore has had, as he often times is the one delivering blows on defenders. He does must of his damage between the tackles and does not turn the corner much. Lattimore has a nice combo of unexpected foot quickness, cuts and acceleration.
10. Cierre Wood- Notre Dame
Height: 5'11
Weight: 213
Wood is another sleeper for me. I watched every Notre Dame game last season, which has something to do with it, but I really like this kid's potential even though I thought he should have stayed in school another year. Wood shared carries with Theo Riddick at Notre Dame, but I think Wood has more talent and will be better suited for the NFL. He averaged a stellar 6.7 YPC for the Irish in 2012. Wood is a very natural runner and is laterally very elusive with quick feet. He used those quick feet to make sharp steps and side step oncoming tacklers. Also, Wood is very patient in waiting for holes to develop. He is one of my favorite values in this draft.
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
Packers Draft Possibilities: Draft a Kicker?
One of the major bad surprises of the 2012 season was the inconsistent kicking accuracy of Mason Crosby. Last year his kicking percentage was 63.6%. That is 10% lower than any of his previous years on the Green Bay Packers. He certainly was not his high quality self that we had been seeing before this past season. Kickers come and go, it certainly isn't worth paying the top kickers from the past season in free agency, because they are usually just as inconsistent. Now, let's take a look at some of the facts. The Packers drafted Crosby in the 2007 NFL Draft, 6th round, 193rd overall. He was the third kicker taken off of the board. If the Packers want to follow a similar matter, then what are we going to do in this year's draft?
Right now I think that the Packers top kicker prospect is a young man from Oklahoma State, Quinn Sharp. One thing Sharp can consistently do is have a kickoff be a touchback, which is something that should sound familiar to Packer fans as Mason Crosby does this all the time. In his 4 year career, he had 220 touchbacks in 384 kickoffs. 70% touchbacks for his Senior season. This is something that I think we have definite value in because we have Percy Harvin and Devin Hester still currently in our division, and they are both excellent kick returners. Last year he hit 88% of his field goals (22/25). I think if we could get him in the 6th or 7th round that would be excellent. Plus because he is a kicker and punter he would be able to challenge Masthay as well as Crosby. There would be a lot of value to push our special teams starters with a late round pick. Plus there is this video of Sharp kicking a 62 yard practice field goal at Oklahoma State. Clearly some of the editors in Detroit seem to think that it would be an excellent idea for them to bring him in also. There are some other kickers that Green Bay could look at, that are kickoff specialists and field goal kickers, but I think that they could end up getting signed as an undrafted free agent.
Right now I think that the Packers top kicker prospect is a young man from Oklahoma State, Quinn Sharp. One thing Sharp can consistently do is have a kickoff be a touchback, which is something that should sound familiar to Packer fans as Mason Crosby does this all the time. In his 4 year career, he had 220 touchbacks in 384 kickoffs. 70% touchbacks for his Senior season. This is something that I think we have definite value in because we have Percy Harvin and Devin Hester still currently in our division, and they are both excellent kick returners. Last year he hit 88% of his field goals (22/25). I think if we could get him in the 6th or 7th round that would be excellent. Plus because he is a kicker and punter he would be able to challenge Masthay as well as Crosby. There would be a lot of value to push our special teams starters with a late round pick. Plus there is this video of Sharp kicking a 62 yard practice field goal at Oklahoma State. Clearly some of the editors in Detroit seem to think that it would be an excellent idea for them to bring him in also. There are some other kickers that Green Bay could look at, that are kickoff specialists and field goal kickers, but I think that they could end up getting signed as an undrafted free agent.
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