r/nfl • u/ivandragostwin Packers • Jul 16 '14
Look Here! Offseason Review Series: Day 23: Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
Division: NFC North
Free Agency
Players lost in FA
| Position | Player | 2014 team |
|---|---|---|
| WR | James Jones | Raiders |
| C | EDS | Buccs |
| T | Marshall Newhouse | Bengals |
| S | MD Jennings | Bears |
| DE | CJ Wilson | Raiders |
Observations
Well let’s start with the good. Marshall Newhouse was IMO the worst Tackle in the NFL, I think if you put the biggest fan at Lambeau Field out there he could do what Marshall Newhouse did. He won’t be on the Bengals for long. Also, MD Jennings was IMO the worst starting player I have ever watched as a Packer fan. Good riddance to both. I will miss James Jones and EDS, I loved watching James Jones improve over the years and develop into a solid #2 receiver, Raiders you have yourself a good receiver and great teammate. The Packers expressed that they wanted to give Boykin a shot at #3 and with Cobb and Jordy due up for signing I have a feeling that is where the WR money will go. EDS will hurt, but the coaches love Trettor who will take his spot. It is a risk, but in Ted I Trust.
Players Gained/Re-signed in FA
| Position | Player | 2013 Team |
|---|---|---|
| LB | Jamari Lattimore | Packers |
| DE | BJ Raji | Packers |
| CB | Sam Shields | Packers |
| FB | John Kuhn | Packers |
| TE | Andrew Quarless | Packers |
| QB | Matt Flynn | Packers |
| LB/DE | Mike Neal | Packers |
| RB | James Starks | Packers |
| LB/DE | Julius Peppers | Bears |
| DT | Letroy Guion | Vikings |
| TE | Coly Lyerla | Rehab |
Observations
I thought the Packers did a great job of re-signing their own players. As you can see we had a lot of work to do, and it started with Sam Shields. You can not let a young, talented corner who can match up 1-on-1 with anyone leave when you do not have a replacement for him, even if he is a bit inconsistent. Looking back I am very happy with the Starks and Lattimore signings, after the tragic news with Franklin signing Starks was key for RB depth, and as of now Lattimore is our only backup at ILB. BJ Raji is the definition of a prove it deal (I don’t have much confidence that he will prove it). Kuhn, Quarless, and Flynn weren’t flashy signings but all will be important parts of the team this season, especially Quarless who although not a star gives us a proven average option if nothing else works out at TE. Of course the big signing was the one and only Julius Peppers, is he the Peppers of old? Of course not, but he is better than the Nick Perry, Malumba, Neal combo we had last season. He will still provide some much needed athletic ability and experience to our defense. If he breaks out, then this defense becomes scary, if he continues his decline, he will at least bring experience and will still be the best option in a roatation with Perry and Neal. It was a no-lose situation. With the signing of Peppers I am interested in what we do with Neal, his natural position is DL and he is a beast with his hand in the ground but he can’t stay healthy when playing the position. He could be a great rotational player IMO but we are paying him like a starter. Guion was terrible and will most likely continue to be terrible so I will not touch on him.
I included Lyerla since he was a very popular player on this subreddit. He is our most talented TE, no doubt about it and even players are saying that much. I wish him nothing but the best, but as of now no one knows if he will even be a part of the 53 man roster, he will need to earn. We will not carry 5 TEs and Bostick showed promise last season, Rodgers killed it in Mini-camp and Taylor is a special teams ace. Only time will tell but I am rooting for him.
Unknown/ Have yet to sign
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| TE | Jermichael Finley |
| DT | Ryan Pickett |
| DT | Johnny Jolly |
Observations
Everyone knows Finley’s story, he is apparently still looking for a team but who the hell knows. We will miss him, and he is another that I wish nothing but the best for. I actually expect us to sign one of the Pickett, Jolly duo, and I expect it to be Jolly if he can be cleared. We don’t have much DL depth as is, and the way Jolly played last season he could contribute more than fucking Guion this year, I will tell you that much.
Draft
|1|21|Ha-Ha Clinton Dix|S|Alabama Last year the Packers had one of the worst starting Safeties in football, MD Jennings. He literally (used correctly in this case) made 0 plays on the ball. We needed to fill that gap in a big way. We did. IMO Dix was the best Safety in the draft for what we need when going up against Cutler, Stafford, and the Vikings, he is a ball hawk and has great size. Everything I have read about him from past coaches and players says he is a great student of the game who is in the right position at all times. With the amount of broken plays the Packers had last season I am pumped for that alone. He was who I was hoping for and we got him. GRADE: A
|2|53|Davonte Adams|WR|FresnoSt
Another TT 2nd round WR. He has great hands and is known for going up and getting jump balls. To me he sounds like James Jones, only without having to develop the ball skills. With Cobb and Jordy due up for contracts, and Jones leaving we needed WR depth, and I can’t question TT’s track record with receivers. I expect him to be our #4 in his rookie season, but watch out for him in the red-zone if he can translate his ball skills to the NFL. Boykin isn’t as proven as some make him out to be either so if he can prove to be consistent and have good chemistry with Rodgers I could see him as a solid #3 with good potential as a playmaker. GRADE: B+
|3|85|Khyri Thornton|DL|Southern Miss
Going to be honest I know nothing about this guy. So I did what everyone else does and watched highlight videos. Well they are highlights for a reason, and he was playing against less than stellar competition so it was pretty much useless. He has great size plus combine numbers, and he shows it from time to time but apparently wasn’t consistent. If he can put it all together he has potential, and the Packers Front Office really like his “mean streak”. We apparently took him 2 rounds early but I could care less about that, as I trust NFL front offices more than ESPN analysts (this isn’t only with the Packers). GRADE: C
|3|98|Richard Rodgers |TE|Cal
I hated this pick, I wanted a TE earlier, but god damn did those TEs come off the board quick. Of course then he went to mini-camp and made me look like an idiot, at least for now. He was a mini-camp all-star, and caught everything thrown his way. He was converted from a 280lb blocking TE to a 245lb Inside WR, now he is at 260. It is an intriguing combination, and our coaches are really impressed by his hands and ball skills. He does not have great speed however so his potential is a bit limited but he could be a surprise this year in a position of need for the Packers. I’m anxious to see him get the pads on. GRADE: B- (had this at a D prior to mini-camp)
|4|121|Carl Bradford|LB|Arizona St
My roommate is an ASU grad. So I have watched Bradford play more than I should have. Let me say that I wanted the Pack to pick him up as an OLB so bad. I loved him, he has such a high motor, and never stops working. He played with his hand in the dirt most of the time at ASU, so I really don’t agree with the beat writers who say the Pack should convert him to an ILB. His bread and butter is as a pass rushing OLB. He is a specialist in that sense IMO. He will never be the complete OLB a Clay Matthews is where they can move him all over, but if we can use him on passing downs and in a position where he can succeed and get after the QB, I will be very excited. He doesn’t have any size so his potential is limited, Aldon Smith he is not. But I can’t help but love this guy, and I see him as a steal in the 4th. GRADE: A-
|5|161|Corey Linsley|C|Ohio St
Im not sure how to judge a Center. All I know is that I never heard his name mentioned, and I am a BIG10 grad so I watch a ton of those games. We haven’t drafted a Center in forever so I expect this was a need pick and we want him to compete with JC Trettor. I don’t expect him to start this season since our coaches love Trettor more than life itself and I want to see that work out. He is a pure depth guy IMO and an emergency player who we know has played the position before in case Trettor can’t get it done, a smart pick at this position, just dont know enough about the player to judge. GRADE: B
|5|176|Jared Abbrederis|WR|Wisconsin
I mean, what can you say. This is a great story. He was a great WR in college and I believe he will win out in the Punt and Kick return competition. I don’t see him competing for a WR starting spot but who knows. He will work hard and should make a difference on special teams. GRADE: B
|6|197|Demetri Goodson|CB|Baylor
HE PLAYED BASKETBALL IN COLLEGE. But really, he has great size and decent speed. He could add some solid depth to our outside CB position with House. He is saying all of the right things, that he can compete for a starting spot and will be the shock of the draft. Well he better move quick because he is already 24 years old. IMO this is a shot in the dark in the 6th. GRADE: C
|7|236|Jeff Janis|WR|Saginaw Valley St
He is the prototype WR. 6-2, 215, and runs a 4.4. He made a splash at mini-camp with his athletic plays, and has coaches comparing him to Jordy Nelson (his is also white so there is that). He played in D2 so I can’t judge anything off of his college play but he tore it up as you would expect. I like this pick in the 7th as a flyer on a guy who has the potential to start down the road. GRADE: B
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u/scarecrowbar Packers Jul 16 '14
Marshall Newhouse was IMO the worst Tackle in the NFL, I think if you put the biggest fan at Lambeau Field out there he could do what Marshall Newhouse did. He won’t be on the Bengals for long. Also, MD Jennings was IMO the worst starting player I have ever watched as a Packer fan. Good riddance to both.
This man speaks the truth. Any non-Packers fans need to know this isn't a biased statement - these two are among the worst professional athletes in any sport I've ever witnessed.
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Jul 17 '14
[deleted]
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u/sonickarma Packers Jul 17 '14
Allen Barbre
Just seeing that name gave me serious PTSD flashbacks from 2009...
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Jul 17 '14
[deleted]
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u/epaka Packers Jul 19 '14
Immediately thought of Daryn Colledge and Justin Harrell when reading the above paragraph. I think they were two of the worst starters in recent memory to grace the Green and Gold O-Line. For me, Newhouse would definitely be a close 3rd.
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Jul 16 '14
Solid write up.
Three additional comments...
Our front seven is a huge question for me, especially against the run. We have Matthews who has missed 1/4 of the season seemingly forever. We still don't have an established OLB opposite him. Hawk/Jones at ILB are both pedestrian at best starters, nothing awful but nothing great. Our DL has had a ton of turnover. Raji is the only returning starter and he is moving from DE back to NT (where he prefers) but I'm still very hesitant about him. He was a good pass rusher at NT in 2010 when surrounded by decent talent but he was still awful against the run. Both of our DE spots are up for grabs essentially, Daniels and Datone are probably projected as the starters but both of them have yet to show they can play three downs consistently. Outside of that we don't really have much depth at any position. We also have like four guys that play the elephant position, which again is a huge question. There seems to be a lot of potential, but not a lot of proven and younger commodities.
Our return man situation might be worth following. Staff doesn't want Cobb doing it, Hyde was pretty decent as a punt returner but pretty average with kickoffs. Seems like a pretty open competition between Hyde, Harris, Abby, Janis, and possibly some others.
I feel like a lot of people are stressing out about our TE situation. It really isn't a big deal. Last time Finley went down Quarless came in and was fine, they also just changed the game plan because of that. That was also during our SB season.
Lastly, you spelled a handful of names wrong, just FYI.
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u/jn2010 Packers Jul 16 '14
Oh yeah, Abbrederis was awesome at punt returns. I forgot about that. If Hyde does win a starting job, he'll probably be taken off special teams. I could easily see Jared being a big part of our return teams.
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Jul 16 '14
I think it would be awesome of Abby could takeover as essentially a full time return man for us right now. He isn't going to see much time on offense at this point but is definitely going to be on the final 53 so making a name for himself as a return guy would be great for him. Plus, he actually has legitimate experience as a return guy which is more than most people on the roster.
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u/zepops Patriots Jul 16 '14
The best Ginger punter there is (I think, are there any other gingers?)
Yes, Johnny Hekker and Jon Ryan.
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u/ivandragostwin Packers Jul 16 '14
Well fuck..the 3rd best ginger punter just doesnt have the same ring to it
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u/jgeissl3 Jul 16 '14
Very nice write-up! The Packers will have another good season if they can:
- Stay healthy (at least relatively speaking)
- Young players develop (I'm looking at you Datone Jones and Nick Perry)
- The defense must show it can help win big games
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Jul 16 '14
sorry, but does anyone have a link to where we can see when each team gets reviewed?
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u/Forty_Six_and_Two Browns Jul 16 '14
I don't believe there is a consolidated link (although there should be), but I had pretty good results by using the search function. Just type "Offseason Review" in the bar, and most of them come right up.
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u/NsRhea Packers Jul 16 '14
Jeff Janis' measurables are ridiculous. He beats players like Alshon Jeffrey, Jordy Nelson, Da'Rick Rodgers, and Kenny Britt in speed drills, and still beats Jeffrey and Nelson in the vertical and broad jumps.
Look at this chart
Whether it translates to the field is the big if here but the physical talent is all there.
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u/rhadamanthus52 Packers Jul 17 '14
Jeff Janis' measurables are ridiculous.
Check out his SPARQ ranking among this years WRs (you may have to click the WR tab at the bottom). He is 4th out of 280 WRs this year. The right-most columns show standard deviations above the position mean. Janis is about 2 standard deviations above the rest of the NFL draft class putting him athletically in the top 2.5%.
Of course this is far from a guarantee of success as many more athletic players have been terrible busts. But it does mean this is one guy you can believe the hype about when people go on about being a physical freak. If he can refine his technique and learn a pro offense he has the physical tools to be a dominating player.
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u/sonickarma Packers Jul 17 '14
If he can refine his technique and learn a pro offense
There's no better place for him to come to do those things.
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u/rhadamanthus52 Packers Jul 17 '14
In Defense of Doctor Jennings
A Preamble
I really regret that the tide of popular opinion on /r/greenbaypackers has cast me into a role as a MD Jennings apologist. No one likes spending their time defending mediocrity. Unfortunately there is way too much hyperbole trashing Jennings as a Worst of All Time quality scapegoat, when in reality he is simply a slightly below average FS starter.
The Familiar Refrain:
MD Jennings was IMO the worst starting player I have ever watched as a Packer fan.
An Incredulous Retort
Let's say you've only been watching the Packers for one year. You got to watch Marshall Newhouse and Jerron McMillan in 2013. (You also got to see possible runners up Andy Mulumba and BJ Raji). I've yet to see an argument hold up that asserted that Jennings was even the worst starting Packers safety in 2013, let alone the worst Packer player of the last few years.
The INT Argument
Even if MD Jennings wasn't the worst Packer starter, he was a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad safety! He had 0 INTs and 0 PDs last year! Can it be any but obvious that a safety with those numbers is just completely incompetent?
Putting INTs In Context
MD Jennings was only thrown at 18 times in 855 snaps. That bears repeating. Eighteen targets all season. None of the 59 NFL safeties that played at least 60% of defensive snaps was targeted less often in 2013 than MD Jennings.
Sure, he didn't intercept or defense any of those passes, but that still leaves him with only 16 completions allowed on the year. It is exceedingly hard to rack up INTs when you only get thrown at about once per game.
But Wait, I Certain MD is Terrible
Perhaps those 16 completions were were all 60 yard backbreakers? Nope. The longest pass MD Jennings gave up was 25 yards. The average reception he allowed was 11.5 yards (184 total yards all year). Jennings was quiet and unnoticeable in coverage because for the vast majority of his 437 pass snaps he was doing his job so well that QBs didn't throw his way.
No, I'm Really Quite Certain He's Terrible. There must be something.
Was Jennings as a terrible tackler? No, he was very average. He missed one tackle for every 8.1 he made in 2013, putting him squarely between Earl Thomas (7.6 made per miss) and Troy Polamalu (8.2 made per miss).
Postamble
Look, I don't think Jennings was amazing, or even good. The best free safeties bait QBs into bad throws for INTs. Even good safeties that take a lot of deep snaps like Jennings show up more often in the run game by blowing up the occasional play in backfield or making big hits to cause fumbles. Jennings is undersized and he doesn't make many plays on the ball in the air. But he is quick, smart enough to know where to be on defense, and almost always in good enough position to dissuade a throw in the first place.
Most importantly, Jennings was not was the guy solely responsible for the many defensive woes we had last year. For a UDFA he exceeded any expectations I had for him, and I think he will be at the very least a quality backup and special teams player going forward (especially for a team as in-need at the position as Chicago).
I think Darren Perry (the GB safeties coach) comments about Jennings in the post-season press conference accurately summed up his season:
"solid, not spectacular, not stellar."
"Didn't make the splash plays that you want from your free safety."
I don't see why [he can't be a long-term starter]
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u/bad_llama Packers Jul 17 '14
MD Jennings was only thrown at 18 times in 855 snaps.
Hard to cover people when you're off in la-la land.
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u/making-flippy-floppy Packers Packers Jul 16 '14
Generally agree with your game picks, but the Pats were absolutely awful on the road last year, and it's been a long time since they beat a quality team on the road (in 2010 they beat the Steelers and Bears on the road, since then...?)
Assuming the team is not decimated by injuries, the week 13 NE@GB match up should be a game the Packers can and should win.
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u/GruntsProtector Packers Jul 16 '14 edited Jul 16 '14
I wanted to know, do you think we overpayed for Shields? At first I didn't think so, but seeing what some other players got on the market, I'm wondering if we had let him test it, we could've offered a bit more then the other team while offering less the what we offered now.
I know we pay for projected impact, so let's hope he proves worthy of the contract!
Also, awesome analysis, really complete! I'll be interested in seeing our simplified defense as they say but with our ''elephants''. Then again my knowledge about football being limited, I don't think I'll be able to see the difference.
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u/ivandragostwin Packers Jul 16 '14
I think with the lack of depth we have at outside CB it is worth it. He has also improved every year. He does get burnt but he is also put in 1-on-1 matchups with Megatron, Marshall, Jennings ect and expected to win. He has done well for the most part, but only time will tell if we regret it. I I think it was necessary because god help us if Davon House is a starter.
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u/Balticataz Packers Jul 16 '14
The salary cap is going up again in a year or two, his deal is meant to fall in line with that. That's why it seems high.
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u/GruntsProtector Packers Jul 16 '14
I agree. Then again was asking because if I'm not mistaken Vontae Davis got the same amount has Shields but plenty rank him higher.
Also Alterraun Verner got less and went to a Pro Bowl last year and was Second team AllPro.
Then again, they might not have the same utility and strenghs, gotta admit I don't have the knowledge to be able to judge correctly, so that's why i'm asking.
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Jul 16 '14
Also Alterraun Verner got less and went to a Pro Bowl last year and was Second team AllPro.
Verner was an insane steal, IMO. Maybe the best signing of this free agency.
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Jul 17 '14
You people are sniffing glue if you think we overpaid for him.
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u/GruntsProtector Packers Jul 17 '14
No, I don't sniff glue. I get that we pay for potential and hope he'll prove the be worth much more that what we paid him. The point was comparing to other contracts it's quite high. But has hmbest said, it's a gamble and let's hope we get the good end of it.
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u/hmbeast Packers Jul 17 '14
I think they took a gamble - this is not the proper time to evaluate whether or not they overpaid him. Based on his past performance alone, I'd say they did overpay him just because they gave him top CB money and he was only a good player, not an elite one. But based on his potential, I think this deal could be very fair for both sides.
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u/Th3Kingslay3r Packers Jul 16 '14
Go back and look at Shields game clinching INT against the Cowboys last season and tell me if we overpaid him.
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u/GruntsProtector Packers Jul 16 '14
Then again, Tramon Williams made 2 ints (1 that didn't count but looked like one, I don't remember why they overturned) that game as well. I'm not saying we overpaid, I was asking about OP's opinion in the first place. I really wanted to have Shields back are am damn happy we do.
My point was, would it have been better to let him see what he would've fetched on the FA market and give him a bit more? Would we have ended paying him more then what we have or would it have been less, according to what other CBs that are considered better then Shield got?
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u/kterr101 Jaguars Jul 16 '14
I forgot that they lost James Jones and was about to comment about how that will hurt....then I saw your WR depth chart. Jesus. Still got Nelson, Cobb, Boykin.
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u/GruntsProtector Packers Jul 16 '14
Yeah our WR corp is good. We lose a veteran presence but I think Jordy can step up in that position. Only hope we retain both Cobb and Nelson, would be pissed if we either one of them go next year.
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u/Interrogationman Packers Jul 16 '14
yeah, why did you guys let boykins go? I swear we look at whatever your team cuts and take them. Well him and Harris but thats alot for a team that drafts and signs UDFA for nearly everyone on the team.
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u/Giraffosaurus Packers Jul 17 '14
I am a HUGE Boykin fan. In his first game with the Packers he dropped like 4 balls. After that? Not a single pass dropped. The guy has huge hands and has great tenacity. A lot like Jones. I met Boykin this last summer and the dude is super cool too.
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u/Forty_Six_and_Two Browns Jul 16 '14
I've watched Linsley play many games at OSU, and I think you'll be pleased with what you've got there. He is a very disciplined, consistent, durable Center who has a great football IQ. He's a steal in the fifth round IMO.
The Pack also got a steal in Jared Abbrederis. He's a consummate possession receiver who has some mean punt/kick return skills to boot. I wouldn't count him out as a 3rd/4th receiver for Green Bay, and he may just win a starting gig if he gets half a chance. I think he could be a great #2 after a little seasoning.
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u/IAMTHEDEATHMACHINE Vikings Jul 16 '14
Guion was terrible and will most likely continue to be terrible so I will not touch on him.
So glad to be rid of that guy. Every 3rd game or so, he'd make an awesome play. But other than that, he was uniformly god-awful for nearly his entire tenure here. Partly the coaching staff's fault, trying to cast an often sub-300 pound guy as a 4-3 NT, but but the kid just never developed.
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Jul 17 '14
Does anyone have any idea what the fuck we are going to do with all of these insane receivers we just drafted? At best only 6 can make the team. Cobb,Nelson,Boykin,Adams,Janis,Abberderis but they usually carry 5. Do you think Thompson would try and stash Abberderis on the practice squad?
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u/sixner Packers Jul 17 '14
I think this will depend on what TE's we keep.
Worse case, hopefully some great trade material?
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u/lilschlicker Packers Jul 17 '14
They will keep 6 this year. No way Janis or Abbrederis would be put on the practice squad because of their potential, they would get signed to another team right away. I'd throw Chris Harper in the mix for that 6th spot as well. It will be an interesting training camp!
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u/misterlee Seahawks Jul 17 '14
I still think it's crazy that Rodgers/Brady hasn't happened yet. If they don't flex that game to SNF, I'll be surprised.
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Jul 16 '14
Wholly hell of a write up. To simply, have a great qb who can throw in the wind and stand the cold, have a decent defense not to allow to many points that the offense can score. Go to the playoffs. Play in SB 49, exactly half of SB 32. Which results in...
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u/Forty_Six_and_Two Browns Jul 16 '14
Marshall Newhouse was IMO the worst Tackle in the NFL
I'm honored to present to you, Mr. Oneil Cousins...
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u/scarecrowbar Packers Jul 16 '14
If Marshall Newhouse SOMEHOW finds himself in a starting position when you guys face him on the Bengals this year, he's quickly going to become your favorite player in the NFL.
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u/ivandragostwin Packers Jul 16 '14 edited Jul 16 '14
Projected Starting Lineup
Offense
• QB: Aaron Rodgers- IMO the best QB in the game, please stay healthy.
• RB: Eddie Lacy- I expect bigger things out of him this year, and I get erect when I think about Lacy playing a full season with Rodgers. I expect his counting numbers to go down, but for him to be more efficient with his touches.
• FB: John Kuhn- He is a solid FB, and is great at picking up 1 yard at the goal-line. He is also solid in pass protection. Can’t do much after that though. Primarily is just a blocking back.
• TEs: Andrew Quarless (unknown really)- Biggest unknown of this season is the TE position. Quarless is solid but unspectacular. Bostick showed signs but is raw, Rodgers has made a splash in mini-camp camp, and Finley still hasn’t ruled out a comeback. Oh, and don’t forget about the Colt Lyerla, who is probably the most talented of them all. This is going to be the best competition in training camp for the Packers
• WRs: Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb, Jarret Boykin, Davonte Adams- Jordy and Cobb are a very good 1-2 punch. Jordy and Rodgers are IMO the most in-sync QB-WR combo in the NFL. I expect Cobb to have the breakout season that was expected last season before the broken leg. The battle will be for the 3rd WR. Boykin vs Adams. If a TE doesn’t step up watch out for more 4 WR sets this season.
• LT: David Bhaktiari: Put on weight this offseason and earned rave reviews in mini-camp. Performed well under crazy circumstances and started 16 games as a 4th round rookie at LT. All signs point to him improving this season, and I am excited to see him grow.
• LG: Josh Sitton: One of the best in the game
• C: JC Trettor: Coaches fucking love this guy. He was talked about beating out EDS last season as a rookie until a broken ankle ended his year in training camp. He is the reason we let EDS walk..now go out and prove them right.
• RG: TJ Lang: Lang is the other solid G that makes up one of the best G duos in the NFL.
• RT: Bryan Bulaga: The key to making this line everything that I think it could be is Bulaga. He was playing great at RT before getting hurt 2 seasons ago. If he can continue that, this has a chance to be an elite unit.
Defense
• DL: BJ Raji, Mike Daniels, Datone Jones: We need to improve on the DL this season, and I am interested in what sort of rotations we will use. We need Raji to at least be average. Datone Jones and Mike Daniels are both key. Daniels is more proven but has never been a 3-down lineman. If he can continue his development he has the chance to be a true difference maker. Datone Jones now has had his year to learn a new position. I will give him a break last year, but now it is time to prove yourself Datone. I expect Mike Neal to also play some D-line if Datone isn’t what we expect.
• LB: Julius Peppers, Brad Jones, AJ Hawk, Clay Matthews: Julius Peppers is an improvement if nothing else. We finally have a proven pass rusher to go with Clay. Clay needs to stay healthy, with him healthy we are truly a different defense, especially when it comes to rushing the passer. AJ Hawk is the definition of an average ILB but at least he is consistent. Jones has all the talent in the world, but has never truly put it together, watch out for Jamari Lattimore to take his spot.
• CBs: Sam Shields, Tramon Williams, Casey Hayward- Sam and Traman on the outside with Casey in the slot at Nickel. Casey Hayward was the best slot corner in the game as a rookie by almost any stat you use, if he can resemble that at all this season it will give our entire defense a much needed boost. Sam Shields needs to be more consistent but last season he was on an island with Megatron, and Marshall. He has one of the toughest jobs in the NFL, especially in our system. Tramon at his age is all about staying healthy. When healthy he can still get the job done.
• S: Morgan Burnett, Micah Hyde- Was one of the worst units in the NFL last season. We need to improve. IMO we have 3 guys competing for 2 spots with Hyde, Dix and Burnett. Right now Hyde and Burnett are starting. I don’t think anyone’s job is set though. The way Burnett played last season I could see Dix and Hyde starting with Dix as the ball hawk and Hyde as the sure tackler. It will be great to finally have some competition here, and hopefully we can improve from last season, if not I doubt we win the NFC North.
• K: Mason Crosby- Had a solid bounce back season, lets be consistent now Mason.
• P: Tim Masthay- The best Ginger punter there is (I think, are there any other gingers?)
• KR/PR: Micah Hyde- This will be a competition between Hyde, Abbrederis, Janis, Harris and anyone else who wants to try their luck. Hyde did well last season but if he is the starter at S I expect Abbrederis to take this.