Week 1 Preview: Green Bay Packers at San Francisco 49ers

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It has finally arrived, and football will be with us until February 5th.  There is no better season, than football season.  I never take much stock in the preseason, but it is worth noting the Packers finished with a 1-3 record.  I have a lot of questions going into the season and Week 1, so let’s dive in and hopefully get some answers.

579

Everyone should know this number.  The Packers defense allowed 579 yards against them in the playoff loss to the 49ers.  Colin Kaepernick personally ran for 181 yards, a rushing record for a quarterback in the playoffs.  So, what has changed for the Packers on defense?  I really think 1st round draft pick, Datone Jones, will be a difference maker for the Packers early and often.  He has the ability to break through and disrupt the read option in the backfield.  Nick Perry is back after being on the IR for half the season last year.  He is a definite improvement over Erik Walden (signed with Colts).  I will be intrigued to see if his pass coverage has improved with another year under his belt.  Let’s not forget, the Packers coaching staff studied the read option all off season and took a trip to Texas A&M to help learn more about it.  I truly hope they are more prepared for it this time around.  As long as the Packers can stay healthy on the defensive side of the ball, I really feel they will be stronger than most people are giving them credit for.

The Offensive Line

Let’s face it, the offensive line is going to be a question mark all year.  Their blocking in the preseason, left a lot to be desired.  With a rookie at left tackle and a second year pro at right tackle, it will be imperative that Rodgers gets rid of the ball quickly.  Especially in the first half, the ball should be gone within 3 seconds and the Packers need to be able to run the ball with some effectiveness.  The 49ers defense is still one of the best in the league and their front seven is their strong suit.  In order for the Packers to pull off a win, the ground game needs to be a priority.  If they can establish the run, strong play action plays follow and the front four cannot assume Rodgers is throwing every down.  The biggest key to victory today is through the ground.

Is Aaron Rodgers still the MVP?

Okay, before everyone calls me unspeakable names, take a little time and think about last year.  We are all very used to Aaron Rodgers being perfect.  Last year, he was VERY good, but there were several occasions where he missed on throws that should have been made.  Really think about it and you will start to remember some of those times.  We have been so spoiled by quarterbacks over the past 20 years, but if this team is going to make another run at the Super Bowl, Aaron Rodgers cannot be very good, he has to be the MVP.  Everyone knows he has it in him, but I think he needs that chip on his shoulder mentality again this year.

Today’s game is going to be a dog fight.  The 49ers are great team with a great head coach.  We will finally have some answers we have been waiting for all season.  My final prediction for today’s game: 49ers – 38 Packers – 31.  It should be quite a game, but I don’t think the offensive line will hold up, I don’t think we have enough on defense to stop their offense consistently, and I think Colin Kaepernick will rush for over 100 yards today.  All that being said, it will still be a good year to be a Packers fan!

Until next time, Beer, Brats, and Championships.

- Steve Perhach (@Stevie2Westside)

Follow us on Twitter (@WISportsBlog) for up to date news on the Brewers, Packers, Badgers, Bucks, and Golden Eagles. We feature live, in-game commentary, breaking news, previews and post game discussions. Follow the entire Wisconsin Sports Blog writing team on Twitter: @AndrewVrchota, @jheldred, @JoeP_Norton, @olewr7, @Stevie2Westside, @TABrown23, and @10iskristin.

The Grood, The Bland, and The Fugly - An NFL Preview (AFC edition)

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The 2013 NFL season is a scant two weeks away, and I have yet to dispense my likely inaccurate opinions of the teams that reside within. Thus, it is time for me to dispense said opinions, whether the internet needs (or wants) them. I considered a power rankings of sorts (which I might do during the season), while also considering doing an in-depth preview. But those things are boring and lame-o. Or more accurately, everyone else does them and does them better. So I've come up with something new, a three-tiered system of ranking teams I like to call The Grood, The Bland, and the Fugly.

Your humble author

While the name of this article may look (to some) like the incoherent results of Rocky Dennis slamming his face on a keyboard, I think it makes perfect sense. I've organized the 32 NFL teams in three separate categories; Grood (a combination of great and good), Bland (mediocre, uninteresting, or not quite good enough), and Fugly (unwatchable tire fire). The categorization of the teams is based solely on my opinion, and I will have no shame in running away from that opinion when a team I think is good starts 0-7 and fires everyone. I'm also grading these teams in a vacuum; I think the Cowboys are good, but I could easily see them finishing fourth in the NFC East because all the teams in that division might be good. 

Also I have a weakness for red-headed quarterbacks, because I am a ginger as well. So that might come up later. Anyway, let's take a look at the AFC.

The Fugly

Jacksonville Jaguars

In 2012 the Jags had the distinction of finishing tied with the Chiefs for the worst record in football at 2-14. Sadly, unlike the Chiefs, they lost out on the first overall pick in the draft, still suck, and even worse, no one knows who plays on their team. I'm serious. I could walk up to any random NFL fan and ask them what team Paul Posluszny or Justin Blackmon play for and the response would be "I don't know, one of those....um....teams. Florida?" I actually had to look up who their first-round pick was (Luke Joeckel), because I was under the impression that players drafted by them just cease to exist. 

As for their 2014 fortunes, I expect them to be bad again. Surprisingly, I don't hate Blaine Gabbert, and I think he might turn out to not be the worst quarterback in football. I like Maurice-Jones Drew and Cecil Shorts. Tyson Alualu is a good player. They could easily double their win total, but my calculator app says that they would still only win four games. Also, their owner has a mustache. 

Oakland Raiders

I want so many things for the Raiders. I want Sebastian Janikowski to attempt and make an 80-yard game-winning field goal. I want to see Matt Flynn succeed. I want Darren McFadden to recapture his 2010 glory while simultaneously avoiding crutches. I want to see the corpse of Al Davis propped up on the sidelines again. I want to see a crazy Raiders fan run onto the field and attempt to stab Phillip Rivers (I said ATTEMPT). I want to see those great uniforms in a Super Bowl again. 

But I won't get what I want, because the Raiders are bad and God doesn't like them. 

San Diego Chargers

Speaking of Phillip Rivers and stabbing, we get to watch him throw to no one in particular with that weird javelin-style toss for yet another season. Rivers has been bad for two seasons now, but I suspect that has less to do with Rivers and more to do with the Chargers' front office trying to assemble the worst team possible. I think people assume the Chargers will be good every year because they have the best uniforms ever and seem to play a lot of night games. But this team is awful. I'm convinced that Rivers will hit free agency someday perceived as damaged goods and then have a late career renaissance with another team solely because of the titanic difference in talent. I dare you to look at San Diego's roster and try to find a good skill-position player. Their roster is chock full of scrubs that I wouldn't have taken late in my Madden franchise drafts five years ago.

Tennessee Titans

I came so very close to putting the Titans into the Bland category, because I have this weird feeling they'll be kinda okay. I have no real reason as to why I feel that way. In fact, they were completely awful in every facet of the game.

CONSISTENCY

They were blown out a lot last year, didn't do much in the way of addressing their defense, and Jake Locker is their quarterback. On the plus side, they play in a fairly mediocre division and have some nice pieces on offense. So they could easily steal a couple extra wins and somehow finish with a 7-9 or 8-8 record, all while fooling people into thinking they aren't that bad. But they're bad. Just not Jets bad. 

New York Jets

The Bland

Buffalo Bills

I find this team incredibly interesting, which belies the category they're in. I don't think they'll be good, at least not yet. But I think they're spunky, and they should have some really exciting moments. They're probably a team whose games I'll keep switching to on Sunday Ticket. They have great backfield depth (CJ SPILLER), an athletic young quarterback (EJ MANUEL), a great defensive line (NAMES OF DUDES), good special teams (TOUCHDOWNZ), and an excellent safety in Jarius Byrd (PAID). They also don't have much overall depth, play in the same division as the New England Patriots, and also happen to be the Bills (despite their best intentions). As such, their 2013 ceiling is probably limited. But the future is bright, I think.

Pittsburgh Steelers

The Steelers are a quality organization with a storied history and a sexual predator at quarterback. They are one of those teams that seem to be good every year, but it turns out that last year they weren't very good. I don't think they'll be good this year either. The defense is thin and aging, the offensive line is an issue (again), the running game is nondescript, and Ben Roethlisberger has few weapons to throw to. Throw in the fact that they're in a tough division and it adds up to an unappealing season. Big Ben is still good enough to steer them towards vague playoff contention, but even if he can stay healthy all year I don't buy the Steelers as much more that a .500 team. Yawn.

Miami Dolphins 

I want the Dolphins to be good, but I don't think they're quite there. Most of this is tied to the fact that Mike Wallace is on the team, and I hate Mike Wallace. Not personally, I just hate him as a player and as an effigy of my failures as a fantasy football player. I do like Ryan Tannehill quite a bit and I like what they got going defensively, but unless Lamar Miller and Brian Hartline start voraciously ripping apart opposing defenses, I can't imagine them overtaking the Patriots in the AFC East. Like the Steelers, I can see them hanging around on the periphery of the playoff race, but I think the hype is a year too early. Also, NEW UNIFORMS.

NO MORE NUMBER SHADOWS

Indianapolis Colts

The 2012 edition of the Bad Team That Won A Lot of Games, the Colts decided to follow up their surprising playoff run by signing a bunch of awful players to stupid contracts. Mediocre offensive tackle Gosder Cherilus hits the market? SIGN HIM UP. Can't sign your punter? FRANCHISE TAG. Erik Walden puts up one of the single most embarrassing playoff performances for a defensive player ever? FOUR YEAR DEAL. Need stability at running back? AHMAD BRADSHAW. Despite GM Ryan Grigson's best efforts, the Colts will still be decent because Andrew Luck is awesome. In fact, they might still finish with an excellent record because that offense should be really good and the schedule looks easy. But that defense is going to be awful, and I don't think they'll be so lucky (pun unavoidable) in close games again. 

Cleveland Browns

Browns quarterback Brandon Weeden

I think the Browns will be kinda good this season, and I have nothing to base this opinion on. The defense should be solid, and the offense consists of some nice parts, but they're in a tough-ish division and they're still a football team that plays in Cleveland. I like Brandon Weeden, mostly because he's a redhead but also because he has a rocket arm and was the NFL's first 43-year old rookie (citation needed). He had a bad rookie season but now has a competent offensive coordinator in Norv Turner. Trent Richardson is good, Josh Gordon and Jordan Cameron have plenty of potential, Joe Haden and Phil Taylor are Pro-Bowl-level defenders that you've probably never heard of. Their overall depth and lack of experience will keep them from competing for the division, but I could see a sneaky 8-8 finish.

Baltimore Ravens
They won the Super Bowl and everything, and that's cool, but the truth is the Ravens aren't all that great of a football team. Don't take that the wrong way; they are a quality organization with an excellent coaching staff that played exceptionally well in the playoffs. They earned their Super Bowl victory. But over the larger sample of the regular season they were middle-of-the-pack offensively and defensively and didn't improve much in the offseason (if at all). For an annual playoff contender, they don't really have a whole lot of elite players (Ray Rice, Haloti Ngata, Marshal Yanda), but on the other hand they don't really have that many bad players. Cillian Murphy Joe Flacco is a decent (and now overpaid) quarterback who vacillates between good and bad games with no real rhyme or reason, but is probably good enough to keep the offense from completely tanking in the wake of the Anquan Boldin (trade) and Dennis Pitta (injury) losses. The defense will probably be ordinary again. They could finish 7-9 or 12-4 and it wouldn't surprise me.

The Grood

Kansas City Chiefs
As much as I like their improvements, I don't want to buy into all the hype that's surrounding the Chiefs. I get the feeling that they are the team everyone expects to improve and yet doesn't improve. But someone in the AFC has to be good, and Kansas City certainly has the talent. The problem is a lot of the talent was their last year and the team sucked. Of course they get enormous improvement at quarterback (Matt Cassel/Brady Quinn to Alex Smith) and an even bigger improvement at head coach (Romeo Crennel to Andy Reid), and their division is awful outside of the Broncos. If the defense plays to their talent level, they could accidentally get a #4 seed. Good work, rest of AFC.

New England Patriots

Few teams have had as bad an offseason as the Pats, and yet they could still easily go 12-4 and lock up their division around Thanksgiving. You can thank the decreased power level of the AFC for that, but the Pats themselves deserve a lot of credit for how they build their team. Not many teams could lose two elite pass-catchers and see a third get injured and still be competitive, but the Patriots have been through this kind of thing before. Even with a bunch of rookies and short white guys running around and trying to catch passes, the offense should still be excellent with a deep backfield, solid offensive line, and Tom Brady throwing the ball. The defense and special teams aren't great but generally make enough plays to keep them from embarrassing themselves.

Houston Texans
The Texans remind me of a couple recent (sort of) Super Bowl winners, the 2000 Ravens and the 2002 Buccaneers. Passable offense, smothering defense. Matt Schaub is probably a better quarterback than either Brad Johnson and Trent Dilfer, Andre Johnson is certainly better than any receiver that played on either the Ravens or Bucs, and the Texans' special teams aren't as good as the Ravens' was, but there seems to be a similar formula at play here. It hasn't translated all that well in the playoffs for the Texans, but if the AFC scuffles as I expect it to, this is as good a chance as any for Houston. Other than that lazy analysis, I have nothing else to add about this team. All that I ask is that they play someone other than the Bengals in the first round of the playoffs.

Denver Broncos
Blah blah blah, Peyton Manning, a zillion receivers and running backs, Von Miller's suspension, rabble rabble rabble. The defense might be a little ugly but whatever. They're winning double-digit games.

Cincinnati Bengals

Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton

I've been to Cincinnati once. I was a kid and my dad took us there on a business trip. I remember almost nothing about the trip itself (we drove all the way from Minnesota to Ohio) or what we did in Cincinnati (a zoo?), save one thing; the chili. Cincinnati is famous for their absolutely awful chili. It's sweet (but not in a good way) and a little watery, and they dump it on top of spaghetti noodles or innocent, unsuspecting hot dogs. They put cheese on it, which is an unfortunate waste of cheese. Sometimes there were crackers. We ate it multiple times at multiple restaurants, and every time it was disgusting. It has a bizarre secondary flavor that I cannot describe and I haven't experienced it in anything else. For some reason my mom tried making it a few times and it's probably why I was a rebellious teenager.

I don't eat much chili since it gives me heartburn, but I don't mind it if it's homemade or really good. Cincinnati Chili is not good. Cincinnati Chili is awful. Don't ever eat it.

Tune in next week for the NFC preview.

Until next time, Beers, Brats, and Championships.

 - Jerry Eldred (@jheldred) 

Follow us on Twitter (@WISportsBlog) for up to date news on the Brewers, Packers, Badgers, Bucks, and Golden Eagles. We feature live, in-game commentary, breaking news, previews and post game discussions. Follow the entire Wisconsin Sports Blog writing team on Twitter: @AndrewVrchota, @jheldred, @JoeP_Norton, @olewr7, @Stevie2Westside, @TABrown23, and @10iskristin.

Packers 7 Round Mock Draft 5.0

We are less than two days away from the NFL Draft. It's a very exciting moment for football fans as they see their teams draft players that could potentially fix holes, patch problems, replace old parts, and strike gold with the next MVP. I've previously completed four other Mock Drafts for the Green Bay Packers, profiling potential picks the Packers could be looking at. After studying the college talent pool, here is what I have come up with for the Packers and what you can expect starting this Thursday night. But first, take a look at the previous mock drafts before reading this article (recommended).

Packers Mock Draft 1.0
Packers Mock Draft 2.0  
Packers Mock Draft 3.0
Packers Mock Draft 4.0

To start this very detailed Mock Draft, it's going to start out with a move that most Packer fans will not favor if it does end up happening. This move will only work if one major factor plays out, which could very well play out. That factor is Geno Smith.

The Packers have a lot of holes to fill and there really isn't anyone the Packers will want to take at the 26th pick in the first round. Taking a look at the draft order, there are three teams that could spoil this move, one of them being their potential trade partner. First, the New York Jets. Rex Ryan and the front office seem dead set on Mark Sanchez, however they could end up feeling the pressure from their fans and take Geno Smith to compete for the quarterback job. But, it's very unlikely they take him with either of their first round picks (9, 13). If you think the Jets have problems on offense, I won't even get into their defense. They need to replace Revis and someone develop a pass rush.

The second team that could rain on the Packers parade is the Buffalo Bills. The Bills will be taking a quarterback with the 8th overall pick and they could very well pick Geno Smith, except that he doesn't fit their offense well at all. The Bills run a West Coast offense, which is more appealing to quarterbacks on the board like Matt Barkley and Ryan Nassib. They could ignore that and still take Geno as the best QB on the board, but again it's unlikely.

The third and final team that could spoil things for Green Bay is the Philadelphia Eagles, who I have as the Packers trade partner. The Eagles have the 4th overall pick, but their quarterback need doesn't amount to taking one at the 4th pick. They have bigger holes to fill, like protecting their quarterback for example on the offensive line. But, I don't think that will stop the Eagles from getting a shot at Geno Smith. He would mess well with Chip Kelly's style of offense, and would be backup to Michael Vick which almost guarantees he'll get a few starts this season and eventually take over as the full time starter. Geno could easily fall out of the Top 10, heck even the Top 20 if it all plays right. (See: Alex Smith/Aaron Rodgers draft). All of the other teams drafting are very stable at the quarterback position. Let's take a look: (Teams are in order of the draft)

1. Alex Smith, Chiefs
2. Blaine Gabbert, Jaguars
3. Matt Flynn, Raiders
4. (Philadelphia Eagles)
5. Matthew Stafford, Lions
6. Brandon Weeden, Browns
7. Carson Palmer, Cardinals
8. (Buffalo Bills)
9. (New York Jets)
10. Jake Locker, Titans
11. Philip Rivers, Chargers
12. Ryan Tannehill, Dolphins
13. (New York Jets)
14. Cam Newton, Panthers
15. Drew Brees, Saints
16. Sam Bradford, Rams
17. Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers
18. Tony Romo, Cowboys
19. Eli Manning, Giants
20. Jay Cutler, Bears

21-25 are picks that are owned by the Cincinnati Bengals who have Andy Dalton, another pick by the Rams, two picks by the Vikings who have Christian Ponder, and one pick by the Colts who have Andrew Luck. This draft is not quarterback heavy, nor is the quarterback a big need currently in the NFL. Smith is a starter-quality quarterback, so being a backup isn't ideal for him.

So you see, Geno could fall hard in this draft, which is where we land with the Packers.......... and with the 26th pick, the Green Bay Packer elect to trade their first round pick to the Philadelphia Eagles for the Eagles' second and third round picks. And with that, here is the rest of the Packers Mock Draft.

Round 2 Pick 35 (from Eagles): Bjoern Werner, DE, Florida State - I said in the previous mock draft that the Packers would have no chance to get Bjoern Werner. Well, this trade with the Eagles makes it possible. The Packers are clearly going to focus on the defensive line in this draft. It was quite evident this offseason. They brought in Chris Canty and Steve McLendon to meet with them, who unfortunately didn't strike a deal with Green Bay and signed elsewhere. The fact the Packers kicked some tires with defensive lineman shows it's a concern for them. It wouldn't hurt the Packers to look for defensive line help. Jerel Worthy had knee surgery at the end of the season, Raji was a little banged up last year, and C.J. Wilson needs someone to compliment him better. Pass rush pass rush pass rush. When talking about Werner's figurative engine, he's got a Hemi. Great blocker and great instincts. He might be outsized a few times, but that happens with a lot of players.

Round 2 Pick 55: Cornelius Washington, DE/OLB, Georgia - I can't even begin to tell you how much Washington's stock has risen in this draft class. When I first started looking at mock drafts back in January, Washington was maybe a 6th or 7th round pick, some even had him as a undrafted free agent. Then, in mid to late February, he started popping up as a 4th or 5th rounder. Finally, after his pro day he jumped up again. This time, he was being tossed in as a 2nd or 3rd round pick. He had the fastest 40 yard dash at the Combine for his position. Washington is listed as a defensive end, but would likely convert to an outside linebacker for Green Bay. Erik Walden is gone, and no one could be happier then me. What's even better is that horrid contract the Colts gave him. A.J Hawk's contract was restructured (cut in half) because of his rather high salary. Desmond Bishop and Nick Perry will be coming back from injury. Washington is another pass rusher, which is a need for the Packers as Clay Matthews needs someone to compliment him opposite of him.

Round 3 Pick 67 (from Eagles): J.J. Wilcox, S, Georgia Southern - As I've said previously on Twitter and in blogs, the Packers have had a void in the defensive back field since losing Nick Collins a few years back. Charles Woodson was cut by the Packers this offseason. They will need to address this in the draft at some point, and I don't have a problem with them doing it here, especially with the extra pick thanks to the Eagles. The Packers should look for a versatile player who could play either corner or safety, but preferably safety to add depth to Jennings, Burnett, and McMillian. The Packers are said to be extremely high on Wilcox and will take him here if available. Wilcox has great instincts and reads offenses well. Attacks the line really well on running plays. He has good hops and great hand-eye coordination.

Round 3 Pick 88: David Quessenberry, G/C/OT, San Jose State - If I had to say one of these picks would be a lock for the Packers, it would be David Quessenberry. According to multiple sources, the Packers have recently expressed major interest in drafting David. I've been a huge supporter of his since February. What he brings to the table is remarkable and exactly what the Packers need. The Packers had major problems at the offensive line after letting Scott Wells walk away, so they'll have to address that area in the draft. Evan Dietrich-Smith seems to be the center of the future for the Packers, but in case that doesn't turn out for Green Bay, Quessenberry is an option as he plays all three offensive line positions. The Packers need to beef up the tackle position this offseason as well. I'm not a big fan of Marshall Newhouse nor do I see him as a viable option at left tackle going into next season. There have been rumblings this offseason that the Packers are considering moving Brian Bulaga over to left tackle next season.

Round 4 Pick 122: Stepfan Taylor, RB, Stanford - James Starks has yet to prove that he can stay healthy for a full season. Alex Green has done nothing with the opportunities sent his way. Cedric Benson and Ryan Grant will likely be gone after this offseason. Although DuJuan Harris was impressive down the stretch in his few games where he shined, I'm not sure if he is ready to take on a full starting workload. McCarthy said in an interview that Harris could be the starter, but it's his spot to earn in training camp. Still, the Packers may address the running back position early in the 2013 NFL Draft. Taylor is a great running back prospect in this draft and is seriously underrated. He's a great ball catcher and has great down field awareness with great explosive legs. If the Packers want to fix their running game without wasting it on a high draft pick, Taylor is their man.

UPDATE (4/25): Brandon Saine was released yesterday after failing his physical. Saine injured his knee last season vs. the Texans and was shut down due to it. With Saine gone, the Packers will need to add a running back for depth, even if they go about re-signing Cedric Benson. Training camp will make the cream rise to the top.

Round 5 Pick 159: A.J. Klein, ILB, Iowa State - As the Packers need to add depth at outside linebacker, they also need to start thinking about inside linebacker as well. I'm not sure how long the Packers are going to have AJ Hawk. I don't mind him, but with all the injuries we had at linebacker last year it makes sense to add more depth. Ted Thompson likes Klein. Ted scouted him during the East-West Shrine game. Klein was a standout player and caught Ted's eye. The Packers would benefit with drafting Klein in the 5th round here, especially with another pick just 8 spots away.

UPDATE (4/25): With the departure of D.J. Smith yesterday after he failed his physical, this pick makes a lot more sense now then it ever did before. Smith played only 6 games last season before injuring his knee. Desmond Bishop needs to prove he is healthy after his hamstring injury last year. Klein provides a nice safety net.

Round 5 Pick 167 (Compensatory): Ace Sanders, WR/KR, South Carolina - I think we all know the reasoning for this pick. Greg Jennings is with the Vikings. In addition, Donald Driver announced his retirement from the NFL and made it official February 6th, 2013. It looks like the Packers will need to look to add a wide receiver in the draft. The Packers have made it clear that Randall Cobb will not be returning kicks next year. Ace Sanders has elite speed and is said to be dangerous once he has the ball in his hands. For only being 5'7", he has good vision and sets up for blocks really well. Good hand-eye coordination and has really good hands. He isn't afraid to cut across to the middle of the field as he has good toughness and concentration. He would fit in well as our new kick returner as well as a number four or five wide out.

Round 6 Pick 193: Demetrius McCray, CB, Appalachian State - With the exit of Charles Woodson and looking back on what I said earlier, the Packers need some depth when it comes to our defensive backs. And, with news coming out from the Packers that Tramon Williams will have to potentially compete for a spot on next year's depth chart at cornerback, McCray would give Williams some good competition. McCray ran a 4.46 and jumped a 36" vertical at the NFL Combine. He has a knack for interceptions, having 10 in his college career. He's got great speed. Good on redirection and making good choices on routes.

Round 7 Pick 232: Garrett Gilkey, OT, Chadron State - Same reason to add Quessenberry. The Packers needs oodles of depth for lineman, as it is clearly the most vulnerable position on our team for the past couple of seasons. If we going to be paying Aaron Rodgers a sixth of our team's salary cap, we better put the right people in front of him to protect our investment. The Packers are set at the guard position with TJ Lang and Josh Sitton. The tackle position is the one that worries me a lot, so adding extra depth won't hurt us at all. Garrett Gilkey is 6 foot 6 inches tall and weight just over three hundred and twenty pounds. He's going to have to mature a bit to make it, but with his natural size and talent the Packers should be comfortable drafting him.

Until next time, Beers, Brats, and Championships.

- Andrew Vrchota (@AndrewVrchota)

Follow us on Twitter for up to date news on Brewers, Packers, Badgers, Bucks and more. Live in game commentary, breaking news, previews, and post game discussion. @WISportsBlog @AndrewVrchota, @JoeP_Norton, @SMahon2Go, @Mik3_Schu, @jheldred, @olewr7, and @Stevie2Westside. Finally, find us on Instagram! (wisportsblog)

Steve's 7 Round Packers Mock Draft

The 2013 NFL Draft is only two days away, so it is time to break out the ultimate Packers draft.  All of the Packers picks will be explained and used in either a trade or a draft pick.

To start off the Packers draft activity, the Green Bay Packers have accepted a TRADE with the Buffalo Bills.  The Bills receive the Packers 1st round pick (26) for the Bills 2nd round (41) and 3rd round (71).  I don’t believe the Bills will take Ryan Nassib, QB from Syracuse with the 8th overall pick.  The run of quarterbacks will start late in the 1st round and the Bills want a QB of the future.  It doesn’t hurt that Nassib just scored a 41 on the Wonderlic test this week. 

With the 41st selection in the 2013 NFL Draft, the Green Bay Packers select Eddie Lacy, RB, University of Alabama. 

The Packers have a huge hole to fill at RB, however Lacy is a reach in the 1st round.  Lacy will be a great value pick early in the 2nd round.  Lacy is faster than he looks and can receive the ball out of the backfield.  He was successful in Alabama and would be  perfect fit for Mike McCarthy’s offense.

With the 55th selection in the 2013 NFL Draft, the Green Bay Packers select DT, Kawann Short, Purdue University.

It is no surprise that the Packers need help on the defensive line.  Jerel Worthy is coming off of surgery, so he is still a question mark.  The Packers have not really hit on a defensive lineman besides Raji lately, so it is time to take another stab at it.  Short has potential to be a long time starter for the Packers.

With the 71st selection in the 2013 NFL Draft, the Green Bay Packers select Travis Frederick, C, University of Wisconsin.

Jeff Saturday was a colossal bust.  He had a great career, but should have retired instead of joining the Packers.  Dietrich-Smith filled in fine, but taking a center early in the 3rd round is a steal for the Pack.  Frederick would challenge DS for the starting position right away and everyone knows, competition at positions is never a bad thing.

With the 88th selection in the 2013 NFL Draft, the Green Bay Packers select J.J. Wilcox, S, Georgia Southern.

News out of Green Bay says the Packers are very high on Wilcox.  Hard to tell now a days what is a smoke screen and what is not.  The Packers do need help at the safety position and Wilcox can come in and compete right away.  The Packers have been looking for an answer at safety since the loss of Nick Collins.

TRADE : The Packers send 2014 4th round pick, 2013 5th round pick (159) and 2013 6th round pick (193) to the New York Jets for their 4th round pick (106).

With the 106th selection in the 2013 NFL Draft, the Green Bay Packers select Marquise Goodwin, WR/KR, Texas.

Aaron Rodgers was vocal about not wanting Randall Cobb returning kicks or punts.  It would not be a shock to see the Packers take a kick returner that can work on his receiving game over the next few seasons.  Goodwin is a talented return man that could start returning immediately and let Cobb focus on the offensive side of the ball.

With the 122nd selection in the 2013 NFL Draft, the Green Bay Packers select Luke Marquardt, T, Azusa Pacific.

Marquardt is a beast of a man.  6’8”, 315 pounds, holy cow.  He is still very raw and would need a little time to develop, however his frame is worth taking him in the late 4th round.  Marquardt has been on the rise the last month or two.  Originally, he had a 7th round grade, but the potential is there and he has risen quite a bit in value.

With the 167th selection in the 2013 NFL Draft, the Green Bay Packers select Nico Johnson, ILB, University of Alabama.

Some may argue that the Packers have LB depth, however with Desmond Bishop coming off injury, as well as DJ Smith, it definitely would not hurt.  Johnson is a smart player, playing in Nick Saban’s 3-4 style defense and he started the last years without missing a game. High quality backup right away, with time to develop into a starter.

With the 232nd selection in the 2013 NFL Draft, the Green Bay Packers select Sam Brenner, G, Utah.

Brenner seems to be right up Ted Thompson’s alley.  The Utah guard started the first two games of the 2012 season at RG and finished the final 10 games at LT.  Another body to throw into the offensive line mix.

There it is.  The Packers have restocked and are ready for the 2013 season!  If Jordan Rodgers goes undrafted, look for the Packers to sign Aaron’s younger brother and put him on the practice squad.  The Packers will most likely sign a few other undrafted free agents right away and hopefully finding a few gems.  Happy almost draft day everyone!!

Until next time, Beers, Brats, and Championships.

- Steve Perhach (@Stevie2Westside)

Follow us on Twitter for up to date news on Brewers, Packers, Badgers, Bucks and more. Live in game commentary, breaking news, previews, and post game discussion. @WISportsBlog @AndrewVrchota, @JoeP_Norton, @SMahon2Go, @Mik3_Schu, @jheldred, @olewr7, and @Stevie2Westside. Finally, find us on Instagram! (wisportsblog)

Packers Nation, Take a Deep Breath

This offseason has gone exactly as Ted Thompson had planned.  Maybe not to the t, but pretty close.  Draft and develop.  Draft and develop.  No matter how many times TT comes out and says this, Packers fans erupt in madness when NFL Free Agency opens every offseason.  The fans are frustrated by the lack of free agents signed by the Packers and letting some of their own players get away for modest prices.  He let Charles Woodson go?!  He wouldn’t pay Greg Jennings?!  Fans were enraged, calling for his head.  Let’s take a step back and look at what TT HAS done for the Packers.

He does not overspend on players.  The NFL salary cap is a delicate issue and TT knows how to play with it.  He let Charles Woodson walk because as valuable as Woodson is, he is not worth the $10 million cap hit.  So many teams go out into free agency to fill needs and end up over paying (Hello, Colts and Erik Walden).  In the long run, the Packers are much better off, paying their own players who perform, which is exactly what TT does.  Aaron Rodgers is due the largest contract in NFL history and contracts for Matthews and Raji are not far behind.  TT is trying to put together as much cap space as possible for players he KNOWS will contribute.

You have no idea who this is.

He knows how to draft.  Every GM has a few misses in the draft, but let’s focus on the positives for a minute.  Aaron Rodgers (best pick yet) Greg Jennings, James Jones, Randall Cobb, Jermichael Finley, Casey Heyward, Bryan Bulaga, James Starks, BJ Raji, Clay Matthews, TJ Lang, Brad Jones, Josh Sitton, Desmond Bishop, Mason Crosby, AJ Hawk, Daryn Colledge, Nick Collins.  All big impact players and he drafted countless other role players that fit well in the Packers scheme. Don’t forget about all of the undrafted rookies he signs that turn into talents such as Frank Zombo, Sam Shields, Don Barclay, Dezman Moses, to name a few.  The man flat out drafts well and this is why the Packers have been so good since he took over in 2005.

He puts a winning team on the field.  TT has a knack for finding talent and putting the team possible out there to represent the green and gold.  Since 2005 (the year TT took over GM) the Packers are 78-50, tied for 5th best in the NFL.  Now, if 2005 is taken out (team was 4-12) because that wasn’t really TT’s team on the field and start in 2006, the Packers are 74-38, second to only the New England Patriots.  Throw in a Super Bowl victory, three division titles and five playoff appearances in TT’s tenure, Packers fans don’t have much to complain about.

Packers fans need to take a deep breath and have some faith.  TT knows what he is doing.  Barring a major injury, the Packers should win the NFC North again and be in the playoffs.  All Packers fans should be ecstatic that TT is their GM.  It could be a lot worse, since 2006, the St. Louis Rams are 30-81-1. The Packers don’t sign free agents, get used to it! 

Until next time, Beers, Brats, and Championships.

- Steve Perhach (@Stevie2Westside)

Follow us on Twitter for up to date news on Brewers, Packers, Badgers, Bucks and more. Live in game commentary, breaking news, previews, and post game discussion. @WISportsBlog @AndrewVrchota, @JoeP_Norton, @SMahon2Go @ryan_937, @Mik3_Schu, @jheldred, @B_Toom_3, @olewr7, and @Stevie2Westside. Finally, find us on Instagram! (wisportsblog)

Packers 7 Round Mock Draft 4.0

Here it is. The last last one. The Packers 7 Round Mock Draft 4.0. The Combine is over. Pro Days are wrapping up. Free agency is pretty much over and as many expected, the Packers laid low during the whole process. If you would like to catch up on the previous three mock drafts I've done for the Packers, feel free to click the following links.

Packers Mock Draft 1.0
Packers Mock Draft 2.0
Packers Mock Draft 3.0

Round 1 Pick 26: Damontre Moore, DE, Texas A&M - It wouldn't hurt the Packers to look for defensive line help. Jerel Worthy had knee surgery a month ago, Raji was a little banged up last year, and C.J. Wilson needs someone to compliment him better. The first round is going to be a tough decision for the Packers because the pick is so late and the exact viable needs the Packers are looking to draft will more than likely going to be gone. For example, the Packers would love to get their hands on D.J. Fluker (OT), Chance Warmack (OG), or Bjoern Werner (DE) but it is very unlikely the three of them make it out of the Top 20. So, this pick is essentially more of what the Packers will have to settle for of what's left unless they value someone who could go early second round and want to gamble a bit. (See next pick for example.) Damontre Moore is a defensive end out of Texas A&M. The Packers need to improve on pass rushing and Moore is the guy for that job. Moore has the potential to rank among the league's top pass rushers as he can play both the 4-3 defensive end or as a stand-up pass rusher out of the 3-4. He also obtains a very good spin move, allowing him to go inside or outside to prevent a run game.
(Previous Pick: Eddie Lacy, RB, Alabama)

Round 2 Pick 55: Eddie Lacy, RB, Alabama - I originally had Lacy going first round for the Packers, but it sounds like Lacy could fall to the second round and still be available for the Packers to draft as he did not participate at the Combine, which results in his stock to go down. James Starks has yet to prove that he can stay healthy for a full season. Alex Green has done nothing with the opportunities sent his way. Cedric Benson and Ryan Grant will likely be gone after this offseason. Although DuJuan Harris was impressive down the stretch in his few games where he shined, I'm not sure if he is ready to take on a full starting workload. McCarthy said in a recent interview that Harris could be the starter, but it's his spot to earn in training camp. Still, the Packers may address the running back position early in the 2013 NFL Draft. Eddie Lacy heading into the NFL Combine has been compared to a few running backs that are in the NFL now, but the two I keep hearing is Frank Gore and Michael Bush. Lacy values the potential of what Green Bay could offer him and his career. He was quoted saying this at the Combine:

“I feel as though they wouldn’t just be able to spread the field out,” said Lacy on the prospect of joining the Packers. “They’d have to actually have to defend the run as well. If Aaron Rodgers is the quarterback, you’re not going to put nine guys in the box. So it’ll kind of balance out.”

Eddie Lacy did not work out at the Combine due to a small hamstring tear but will partake in Alabama's Pro Day. If his injury doesn't seem to be a major concern, I wouldn't mind Green Bay drafting him as the first running back in the 2013 draft, especially if free agency isn't an option for Ted Thompson (which it clearly wasn't). The Packers still could take Lacy first round if they want to gamble a bit, but I think at this point Lacy could be an option second round.
(Previous Pick: Terrance Williams, WR, Baylor)

Round 3 Pick 88: Marquise Goodwin, WR/KR, Texas - I think we all know the reasoning for this pick. Greg Jennings is with the Vikings. In addition, Donald Driver announced his retirement from the NFL and made it official February 6th, 2013. It looks like the Packers will need to look to add a wide receiver in the draft. The Packers have made it clear that Randall Cobb will not be returning kicks next year. Marquise Goodwin, a former track athlete, could be our new kick returner as well as a wideout and deep threat to add to Aaron Rodgers' arsenal. He has great speed, which was evident at the NFL Combine as he ran a 4.27 40. He also showed he had great hands as he caught nearly every pass thrown his way during his senior season as well as at the Combine. The Packers are likely to address the WR hole early, and Goodwin would be a good pick here for Green Bay.
(Previous Pick: David Quessenberry, G/C/OT, San Jose State)

Round 4 Pick 119: Oday Aboushi, G/OT, Virginia - The Packers had major problems at the offensive liveafter letting Scott Wells walk away, so they'll have to address that area in the draft. Evan Dietrich-Smith, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, has been in talks with the Packers to sign long tern with the Packers and be the center for out future. Even if EDS signs, we will still need some sort of depth at center in case the inevitable occurs, an injury. The Packers need to beef up the tackle position this offseason as well. I'm not a big fan of Marshall Newhouse nor do I see him as a viable option at left tackle going into next season. There have been rumblings this offseason that the Packers are considering moving Brian Bulaga over to left tackle next season. At 6-5⅜, 308 lbs, Oday Aboushi can play both guard and tackle on the offensive line, so that should appeal to Ted Thompson. He can play left or right tackle. He plays very aggressive and physical. He is exactly what Green Bay needs for an offensive lineman. Just a quick note to finish...if David Quessenberry (G/C/OT) somehow makes it through the third round and is still available for this pick for Green Bay, expect the Packers to pounce on the San Jose State utility offensive lineman.
(Previous Pick: Cornelius Washington, DE/OLB, Georgia)

Round 5 Pick 152: David Bass, DE/OLB, Missouri Western - Hopefully I'm not the only one who thought Erik Walden's 4 year/16MM contract with the Colts was absolutely hilarious. He was a free agent and will likely be one of the biggest busts of this year's offseason. (Did the Colts even watch the game with Green Bay vs. San Fransisco?) With his departure, there would be a void at the line backer position. A.J Hawk's contract was restructured (cut in half) because of his rather high salary. Desmond Bishop and Nick Perry will be coming back from injury. Brad Jones is in talks with the Titans. There are a lot of questions surrounding the linebackers on the Packers and they need answers. In the fifth round, David Bass would be a great pick and a possible steal. He would be the pass rushing outside linebacker that the Packers so desperately need to compliment Clay Matthews. Bass has excellent college career numbers with 39.5 sacks and 56 tackles for loss as a four-year starter.
(Previous Pick: Kwame Geathers, DT, Georgia)

Round 5 Pick 167 (Compensatory): Luke Marquardt, OT, Azusa Pacific - (See: Oday Aboushi above.) Note: I originally had Marquardt as a possible undrafted free agent for 3.0. Since then, Luke's draft stock has skyrocketed. I wouldn't be surprised if he was taken off the board in the fourth round, to be honest. He's 6-foot-8 inches tall and three-hundred fifteen pounds. The Packers need some serious upgrades at the line if they want their soon to be hundred million dollar quarterback healthy. The Packers get this extra pick in the fifth round for the departure of quarterback Matt Flynn last season. Because of Flynn's playing time with the Seahawks last year, the Packers were only rewarded with a fifth round pick rather than the expected fourth round. Thanks, Russell.
(Previous Pick: Jordan Reed, TE, Florida)


Round 6 Pick 193: Earl Wolff, S, N.C. State - The Packers have had a void in the defensive back field since losing Nick Collins a few years back. Charles Woodson was cut by the Packers a few weeks ago. They will need to address this in the draft at some point, and I don't have a problem with them doing it late. The Packers should look for a versatile player who could play either corner or safety, but preferably safety to add depth to Jennings, Burnett, and McMillian. Wolff is a guy that could mesh well right away with Green Bay, as long as our pass rush improves significantly next year. He's got great arm strength and has great back pedal ability. He had 340 tackles in his Sophomore thru Senior seasons at North Carolina State. He's great when it comes to run defense. If he works on his change in directions/cuts, he'll be a great snag late in the draft.
(Previous Pick: Zeke Motta, S, Notre Dame)

Round 7 Pick 232: Michael Williams, TE, Alabama - In 3.0 I had Green Bay taking a tight end way earlier in the draft. Fourth round to be exact. But, since Greg Jennings is gone, it seems as though Jermichael Finley is now going to be staying with the Packers instead of being cut like it was originally expected. The Packers still took a hit in the tight end depth chart as they lost Tom Crabtree to free agency to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Crabtree was mostly used primarily for blocking as well as on special teams. Crabtree's shining moment as a Packer was his touchdown catch on that trick 4th and 26 fake field goal play last season. Michael Williams is a much better blocker than Crabtree and could be used as a goal line option for Rodgers because of his size and great hands. This isn't necessarily are needed pick in this spot, but it will be something Green Bay will consider with their last pick of the 2013 NFL Draft.
(Previous Pick: Caleb Sturgis, K, Florida)

Undrafted Free Agent Watch 

Mike Shanahan, WR/TE, Pittsburgh - Ted Thompson loves himself some versatile players and Shanahan is exactly that. He's 6-foot-4 tall which gives him size. He also offers strength and very reliable hands. He was recruited to Pittsburgh to be a basketball player, but turned it down to play football. The defense he picked up while playing basketball shows in his strength and blocking in football.

Travis Long, DE/OLB, Washington State - This move is to simply add depth to our linebackers as we lost Erik Walden and could potentially lose Brad Jones as well. Plus, we really lacked depth at linebacker last season as it seemed they are were injured at some point during the season.

Braden Wilson, FB, Kansas State - This won't be a popular choice, but it may be time to start looking at replacing John Kuhn. He's owed $2.3 million in the final year of his deal in 2013, so it is quite possible the Packers could start looking for his potential replacement.

Justice Cunningham, TE, South Carolina - This simply because we may or may not take a tight end in the draft. If we don't, Justice Cunningham would serve the purpose of what we lost in Tom Crabtree.

Jordan Rodgers, QB, Vanderbilt - Nostalgia purposes only here. But, it would be pretty cool. Packers need some comfort in a back up quarter back if Rodgers were to go down ever. Graham Harrell hasn't showed me much of anything that would hint he could step up to the plate. Jordan, Aaron's brother, could provide that cushion. If not, a veteran free agent signing or trade may be in order.

Dan Conroy, K, Michigan State - "Mason is our guy." I don't know about you all, but I was really sick of hearing that from Mike McCarthy last season. That fact that it was a weekly quote all season long shows there are questions at our kicker position, which is one of the more highly important and vital positions on the football team. The Packers could sign Conroy as someone to get Mason Crosby focused in training camp after the forgettable season Crosby had in 2012. Conroy has the strength and the accuracy to give Mason Crosby a good potential battle in training camp.

Until next time, Beers, Brats, and Championships.

- Andrew Vrchota (@AndrewVrchota)

Follow us on Twitter for up to date news on Brewers, Packers, Badgers, Bucks and more. Live in game commentary, breaking news, previews, and post game discussion. @WISportsBlog @AndrewVrchota, @JoeP_Norton, @SMahon2Go @ryan_937, @Mik3_Schu, @jheldred, @B_Toom_3, and @olewr7. Finally, find us on Instagram! (wisportsblog)

What Ted Thompson Could Do With Four Million Dollars

It's been one of those weeks if you are a Green Bay Packers fan. It's been another "Ted Thompson" free agency period that we have become so accustom to where Ted sits back and doesn't pounce on any big free agents. It's a sign of confidence that I highly admire in Thompson. My own philosophy is that teams that are desperate are the one's who feverishly sign as many free agents as possible and break the banks and salary caps. Ted has an extraordinary amount of trust in his homegrown talent and is hesitant to sign free agents year after year.

This piece I have put together does not insist that I think Ted Thompson should go out and get free agents, nor do I think he will. This is simply to take a look at what is left out there that (in the case Ted does open up his check book and spend a little) could help the Packers in areas where they wouldn't have to waste a draft pick on. Heading into the draft, Our biggest needs are offensive line, defensive line, safety, and linebacker.

According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the Packers are sitting around 22 million in cap room. (Was at 18.7 million until today when A.J. Hawk's pay cut was announced that he went from 7.05 million to 3.6 million) Ideally, the Packers would end up spending that on extensions for Aaron Rodgers and Clay Matthews. Also, with the draft approaching, teams usually spend about 5-6 million on their draft picks. With that said, it is expected that the Packers could continue cutting some players on the roster. One move that Green Bay could take a look at is cutting Tramon Williams, who is set to make just under a down payment on a house of 6 million dollars in 2013. He's 30 years old which isn't terrible for a defensive back. His number declined in from 2011 to 2012. It has been rumored that he may have to compete for a starting spot heading into trainings camp this year. The possibility is definitely there.

So, going with that and a few other cuts (Marshall Newhouse, for example), let's say Ted Thompson has a good 10 million dollars sitting on his desk staring him in his eyes. 5 million for free agency, the other 5 million for draft picks. What kind of talent is out there that Ted could get the most for his money? Basically, TT is Macklemore and free agency is his thrift shop. Let's see how Ted could pop some tags.

Ted Thompson on his offseason vacation enjoying a soft drink with two locals.

Rashad Jennings - RB - Age: 27 - 2012 salary: $574,612
Ted's 2013 Contract Offer: 2 Years, $1,500,000 ($250,000 signing bonus) 

Rashad Jennings spent most of his 2012 backing up Jaguars star running back Maurice Jones-Drew until MJD was injured and Jacksonville went with a running back by committee for the rest of the season. Jennings saw more touches, but not as many as scouts would have liked to see to see Jennings' full potential. It's worth noting that the Jaguars had the second worst record in the NFL last year, thus gave up on their season quite early. Rashad is a big, power runner which would compliment the Packers' speedy DuJuan Harris really well. He's a great blocker and a great pass catcher. He can also break for big runs at straight speed as well as break through arm tackles like it's nothing. His durability is a question, but so was Cedric Benson's and we ended up signing him last year. Speaking of Benson, Ted paid under a million dollars for Cedric so I can't imagine he wants to spend more than that on another runner. The upside for Rashad Jennings and the Packers is far to great to ignore.

Danario Alexander - WR - Age: 24 - 2012 salary: $490,000
Ted's 2013 Contract Offer: 4 Years, $4,000,000 ($1,000,000 guaranteed)

Alexander caught everything last year, including Champ Bailey

Where do I begin here? Let's get the negatives out of the way first I suppose. He's had five knee surgeries during his football career, starting when he played for Missouri. Last year in November, Alexander was asked on how his knees feel and commented that "My left knee felt just like my right knee...No thought goes into how it feels, and no effort is spent trying to baby it. Same with the hamstring. After everything I’ve dealt with, I consider myself blessed to feel this way." Shortly after this interview with San Diego Union-Tribune, Danario had one of the best two-month stretches by any wide receiver in recent memory. In November to December, Alexander racked in 37 catches for 657 yards and 7 touchdowns. He definitely shined in a very lackluster Chargers offense. He finished the season with the highest per-play efficiency rankings among receivers for many analysts. So essentially, if he can pass your team's physical inspection, he sound be a nice, cheap steal in this free agent class. The Packers need for him is obvious. Greg Jennings went to the Vikings. Donald Driver retired. The Packers need depth at wide receiver as James Jones' contract is set to expire after this season and Jordy Nelson's the next after. Alexander could be a legit deep threat for Aaron Rodgers, which could add yet to the already elite arsenal for our offense.

Sebastian Vollmer - OT - Age: 28 - 2012 salary: $650,000
Ted's 2013 Contract Offer: 2 Years, $2,000,000 ($650,000 guaranteed)

Here is Vollmer ripping Chris Long's head off.

By now you should all know I'm not a fan of Marshall Newhouse. But, if you didn't, well now you do. Bryan Bulaga is going to get a look at left tackle during training camp, which puts a partial void at the right tackle position. I like Don Barclay, don't get me wrong. However, I know our track record with offensive linemen and injuries so in my eyes the extra depth can always help. Sebastian Vollmer is six-foot-eight, three hundred thirty pounds. He bounced back from an injury in 2011 and had an outstanding season in 2012 for the Patriots. He's very good at both run and pass blocking. Vollmer is quite versatile as he can play both left and right tackle. Ted wouldn't have to spend much on Vollmer, and giving him a look would be very smart if they want to keep Aaron Rodgers around for a while. Eric Winston is another free agent offensive tackle on the market, but would likely require a contract where he would be making a few million dollars a year, which is something Ted wants to avoid as he doesn't like big gambles and "all-ins" for free agents.

Michael Hoomanawanui - TE - Age: 24 - 2012 salary: $540,000
Ted's 2013 Contract Offer: 3 Years, $1,900,000 ($700,000 guaranteed)

We lost Tom Crabtree to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, which was poor management by the Packers for not tendering him. But, it's water under the bridge now. The Packers have four other tight ends, with Jermichael Finley at the top of the depth chart. Then you have the injured Andrew Quarless, the unproven D.J. Williams, and Ryan Taylor who has caught one pass for 11 yards in 3 NFL seasons. Hoomanawanui was 3rd in command with the Patriots last year under Gronkowski and Hernandez. Hoomanawanui is a much better blocker than Crabtree, is a better offensive threat than Crabtree, and has a way cooler name than Crabtee. I say Ted grabs him, just so I can see all of the Packer fans attempt to spell his name on social media outlets.(especially since "traitor" was so difficult).

With these four signings, Ted Thompson just spent $3,633,000 with just over 6 million to use for draft picks. Now these would be perfect scenarios, however they aren't at all farfetched. The Packers might take the high road and focus strictly on the draft to patch their holes, but I wouldn't be surprised if we brought in one or two players to help our needs.

Until next time, Beers, Brats, and Championships.

- Andrew Vrchota (@AndrewVrchota)

Follow us on Twitter for up to date news on Brewers, Packers, Badgers, Bucks and more. Live in game commentary, breaking news, previews, and post game discussion. @WISportsBlog @AndrewVrchota, @JoeP_Norton, @SMahon2Go @ryan_937, @Mik3_Schu, @jheldred, @B_Toom_3, and @olewr7. Finally, find us on Instagram! (wisportsblog)

Packers Needs By Position: Defense/Special Teams

Yesterday, I looked at the Packers’ needs on offense. Today, I’ll look at the defense and special teams. Let’s go.

Defensive End

•   Mike Neal
•   Mike Daniels
•   Jerel Worthy
•   CJ Wilson

Neal, Daniels, and Worthy are all in the same boat; young players that have shown flashes of dominance but can’t maintain a high level of play over the course of a game. Neal has been around longer and has had more injury issues as well as a suspension, so he’s probably on thinner ice than the other two. Wilson is a solid run defender but doesn’t bring much in the pass rush department. An upgrade would be useful here.

Free agency doesn’t offer much, and certainly not in the 3-4 end category. The team brought in Chris Canty (who’d likely be an end in the Packers’ system) for a visit, but he’s pretty average and they haven’t offered a deal yet. Mike Devito, Richard Seymour, and Ricky Jean Francois would be fits, and Israel Idonije and Jonathan Fanene could probably handle a transition to the 3-4. I’ve always liked Trevor Scott and Matt Shaughnessy but they’re both too undersized for the scheme. All four of the current ends are Ted Thompson draft picks, and it seems likely he’d address the position that way, though a reunion with Cullen Jenkins would have been nice, however he signed with the Giants today. Oh well.
Need: High

Defensive Tackle

•   Ryan Pickett
•   BJ Raji
•   Jordan Miller

Pickett is still useful but is well past his prime. Raji is their best lineman but hasn’t quite been the dominant force they need him to be. After a tremendous 2010, BJ’s performance has dropped off the last two seasons. Miller hasn’t seen any regular season snaps and is likely a non-factor.

There are some free agents with 3-4 mileage but the team isn’t going to replace Raji or Pickett, unless the team decides it’s time to cut Pickett. Isaac Sopoaga is a pretty good player and can play tackle or end, he’d be a hell of a fit but will have a high price tag. A rookie to groom behind Raji and Pickett seems like a probable thing that will happen.
Need: Low

Inside Linebacker

•   Desmond Bishop
•   DJ Smith
•   AJ Hawk
•   Brad Jones (FA)
•   Rob Francois
•   Terrell Manning
•   Micah Johnson

What A.J. Hawk thinks of your run game.

Bishop and Smith should probably be the starters if healthy. Both are coming off knee injuries so that’s not a given. Hawk is an average player who’s a cut candidate because of his price tag. He played well during the Super Bowl run but has had a rough couple of years since. Jones (who’s a free agent) has always been more of a 4-3 OLB type than a 3-4 ILB but performed admirably when forced into action. Ideally, he’s a backup. Francois is a good special teamer who has played well when given defensive snaps but was passed over last year for some reason when injuries happened. The reluctance to play him was rather puzzling. Manning hasn’t been able to get on the field since being drafted.

Free agency won’t be a thing. Not much out there to begin with. Probably a couple draftees/UFAs for competition and depth but unless Bishop and Smith are slow to recover I don’t see a major move happening.
Need: Medium

Outside Linebacker

•   Clay Matthews
•   Nick Perry
•   Frank Zombo (RFA)
•   Erik Walden (FA)
•   Dezman Moses
•   Jamari Lattimore

Eat your hearts out, literally.

Matthews kicks balls, metaphorically speaking. Everyone else......much less so, both literally and figuratively. Perry was drafted to be a bookend to Clay but sustained an ACL injury and missed most of the season, meaning the awful backups had to play. Walden has the occasional big game but overall was pretty bad and was an absolute disaster in the playoff loss to the 49ers, contributing to the defeat in a big way. He has no grasp of what contain is. Fortunately, he’s a free agent. Moses and Zombo play hard but aren’t good enough to be any more than backups. Lattimore isn’t anything to get excited about.

Even with Perry around the team can’t put itself in the same position it was in last year, especially considering Matthews isn’t exactly an ironman either. This seems like a position where free agency may be necessary. Paul Kruger is a hot (and probably expensive) free agent name but Shaun Phillips and Connor Barwin are solid players that can take some pressure off of Matthews. As is the theme, the draft is an option but with Perry around they already have a young prospect with starting potential. Either way depth is an absolute necessity.
Need: High

Cornerback

•   Tramon Williams
•   Sam Shields (RFA)
•   Casey Hayward
•   Davon House
•   Jarrett Bush
•   James Nixon

Williams has been average at best the last two seasons, and that’s kind. He’s not the aggressive playmaker he was, and isn’t physical in coverage anymore. He’s already been told he has to compete for a starting job, and rightfully so. Hayward had fantastic rookie season, and House showed promise after basically redshirting the previous year. Shields was also excellent despite some missed time and eased some concerns after a sluggish 2011. Bush is the special teams ace that shouldn’t see many defensive snaps.
 
The team has their five corners. Moving on....
Need: Low

Safety

•   Morgan Burnett
•   MD Jennings
•   Jerron McMillian
•   Sean Richardson
•   Chaz Powell

Like cornerback, there’s some promise here. Jennings and McMillian both showed some flashes, Burnett looked solid and was probably underrated amid the 2011 defensive disaster. All three could use a little work in run support, and Burnett at times seems hesitant to make plays on the ball. The team seems to like Richardson, who was a college teammate of Hayward’s. He could see a bump in playing time much like Jennings did in 2012. Jarrett Bush can also fill in here, though once again that’s far from optimal. Overall, none of these guys look like a star, but at worst they should be average players going forward.

While adding a free agent seems extremely unlikely, it’s a terrific class. It wouldn’t be outlandish for the team to bring in a veteran for depth or look to add a playmaker in the wake of Charles Woodson’s departure, but there’s better ways to spend cap space. Spending a draft pick here seems iffy unless it’s a best-player-available scenario.
Need: Low-ish

Kicker

•   Mason Crosby

Well all know Crosby had a bad year. In fact, 2011 was Crosby’s only actual good year, and he was bad enough in 2012 to even it out. His accuracy will probably never be great, but his leg cannon is a weapon on kickoffs and he’s still a threat to make a field goal from any distance.

Of the free agents, Steven Hauschka is the only guy I even remotely like, and his skill set isn’t all that dissimilar from Crosby. They won’t sign a FA anyways, it’s far more likely they bring in a camp body just to provide competition. They’re financially committed to Mason, so I doubt a change happens.
Need: Medium

Punter

•   Tim Masthay

Masthay is really, really good. Seriously, you guys.
Need: Nope

Long Snapper

•   Brett Goode

Most of you probably didn’t even know who the Packers’ long snapper is, which is as good a thing as you can say about a long snapper.
Need: Does anyone ever need a new long snapper?

Until next time, Beers, Brats, and Championships.

- Jerry Eldred (@jheldred)

Follow us on Twitter for up to date news on Brewers, Packers, Badgers, Bucks and more. Live in game commentary, breaking news, previews, and post game discussion. @WISportsBlog @AndrewVrchota, @JoeP_Norton, @SMahon2Go @ryan_937, @Mik3_Schu, @jheldred, @B_Toom_3, and @olewr7. Finally, find us on Instagram! (wisportsblog)

Packers Needs By Position: Offense

With NFL free agency and the draft nearing, I decided to look at the Packers’ roster and break down where
upgrades are needed, and how big those needs are. While GM Ted Thompson doesn’t use free agency as a
primary way of acquiring players, he’s shown a willingness to fill significant needs with free agents for the right
price (Charles Woodson, Ryan Pickett, Cedric Benson, Jeff Saturday). With mock drafts being plentiful this
time of year, I didn’t include any specific prospects that the Packers may target, as Thompson drafts are a little
unpredictable and he’s the kind of GM that prefers to draft the best player available. So without further ado, let’s
break down the offense.

Quarterback

•   Aaron Rodgers
•   Graham Harrell
•   BJ Coleman

The Packers are clearly set at the top at this position. Fans wring their hands at the thought of Harrell having to
see time if Rodgers is hurt, but frankly we don’t really know what he is. There’s not really much information to
be gleaned from a handful of preseason performances (some good, some bad) and scant regular season
snaps. No one knows Harrell better than the team, and they’ve been committed to him as the backup. That
pretty much tells me all I need to know. Coleman is a strong­-armed project who’ll need to make some big
strides to even make the regular season roster, much less usurp Harrell.

Could they upgrade at backup QB? Sure. But I don’t think the upgrade is really worth paying someone like Matt
Cassel or Jason Campbell a few million dollars when the money could be better spent extending Rodgers or
Raji. They could hypothetically draft someone, but they spent a pick on Coleman in 2012 and they have more
pressing needs elsewhere. Need: Low

Aaron Rodgers and a sandwich.

Running Back

•   Alex Green
•   DeJuan Harris
•   James Starks
•   Cedric Benson (FA)
•   Ryan Grant (FA)
•   Brandon Saine

It feels like this position has been a black hole forever. All of these guys have shown at least glimpses at some
point, but it’s hard to commit to any of them. Benson and Grant are probably gone, and rightfully so. Saine is
redundant with Green around, and Starks looks like he’s regressed. Harris closed out the season really well,
and is probably a lock to return. Green isn’t great at anything but decent at everything, and the team could do
worse if he’s the third back. Other than those two, I don’t see any of these guys returning.

Steven Jackson and Ahmad Bradshaw are high­ profile free agents, but Jackson has a lot of miles on him and
Bradshaw has chronic foot problems. Reggie Bush is an intriguing option, but is likely to be overpaid and
defines the word “inconsistent”. Rashard Mendenhall and Shonn Greene are awful. Unless DeAngelo Williams
is cut by the Panthers, none of the free agents are either good fits or worth what they’ll be paid. The draft is fairly
deep with talented backs, and I’d rather the team draft a couple guys in the middle round than spend big
bucks on an aging player. Either way, the team needs to at least find someone to platoon with Harris
Need: High

Fullback

•   John Kuhn

Whatever.
Need: Low

Wide Receiver

•   Greg Jennings (FA)
•   Jordy Nelson
•   James Jones
•   Randall Cobb
•   Jarrett Boykin
•   Jeremy Ross
•   Donald Driver (Retired)

The team loses Driver and likely Jennings at the position, but are still pretty much set. That’s not to say they
won’t miss Jennings’ route running and big play ability, but the trio of Nelson, Jones, and Cobb is good enough to get them to the promised land. Boykin is a strange case in that he’s pretty much a late­career version of
Driver; not fast or particularly adept at getting separation, but has great hands, is a willing blocker, and runs
routes well enough. Ross made some big plays as a returner (and on very bad one), and could very well take
over the returning duties from Cobb full­ time.

This is a ludicrously good free agent crop at wide receiver, but short of bringing back Jennings it seems highly
unlikely the Packers will sign anyone. Ted Thompson has a history of bringing in tons of undrafted free agent
types, and I wouldn’t be against using a mid­ to late­ round pick on a receiver. Anything else seems like folly.
Need: Low

Tight End

•   Jermichael Finley
•   Andrew Quarless
•   DJ Williams
•   Ryan Taylor
•   Tom Crabtree
•   Brandon Bostick

Finley is a lightening rod for fan hatred, but in all reality he’s an average tight end. He has some big ­play ability
and can get open, but has bad hands and his blocking is below average. Defenses devote a lot of attention to
him due to his ability, which presents some additional value. There’s been rumors for months that he’ll be cut,
but unless the team finds an upgrade it’s probably a bad idea. None of the backups are starting material.
Crabtree and Williams can block a little but both have awful hands (even worse than Finley, believe it or not).
Quarless can’t stay on the field. Taylor is a great blocker but isn’t much of an athlete. Bostick is alive, I guess.

The free agency class is fairly deep. Jared Cook is going to get paid in a big way. Tony Gonzalez will either
retire or return to Atlanta. Martellus Bennett and Delanie Walker are Jermichael Finley’s spirit brothers. Dallas
Clark is done. Brandon Myers, Dustin Keller, and Fred Davis are all pretty interesting. Davis and Keller are good receivers that have some injury concerns. Myers had a great year in Oakland and is a terrific blocker with good
hands, and due to the free agent depth could be had at a good price. He’s the only guy I’d be willing to actively
pursue, most everyone else is very flawed or will cost too much. Like running back, the draft pool is deep and a
contributor could easily be found in the early­ to mid ­rounds.
Need: Medium

Offensive Tackle

•   Marshall Newhouse
•   Bryan Bulaga
•   Derek Sherrod
•   Andrew Datko
•   Don Barclay
•   Kevin Hughes

This is a hard position to evaluate. Newhouse is pretty average but is cheap and is getting better, if only
marginally so. Bulaga is pretty good (aside from the Seattle nightmare) but is coming off an injury, and Sherrod
is a total wild card who is also recovering from injury. Barclay filled in admirably but has a long way to go as a
pass blocker. Datko is a development guy. None of the starters are bad, but none have shown real dominance
either.

The free agent class has some whoppers. Jake Long, Sebastian Vollmer, Eric Winston, and Andre Smith are
all franchise tackles or close to it. Jermon Bushrod, Phil Loadholt, Sam Baker, Gosder Cherilus, Bryant
McKinnie, and Ryan Harris are solid starters, but if I’m spending money on this position it would have to be a
significant upgrade. Long and Vollmer are intriguing to me and I would fully support spending money on either
one, as both are big upgrades and are young and talented enough to be worth it. Once again, the draft is deep
at tackle and the second and third rounds should be loaded with starting ­level talent. It seems more likely
Thompson will target players in the draft but a splurge on a free agent wouldn’t be an awful plan either.
Need: Medium

Offensive Guard/Center

•   TJ Lang
•   Josh Sitton
•   Evan Dietrich­ Smith
•   Greg Van Roten
•   Garth Gerhart
•   Joe Gibbs (?!)

Unlike offensive tackle, guard and center are both fairly set. Sitton and Lang are both Pro Bowl ­level players,
and Dietrich­ Smith is solid at center. Depth is an issue, though EDS, Lang, and Roten are all versatile players.
The free agent class is decent, but I wouldn’t really consider any of them. Ted generally drafts a couple bodies a
year and was able to find EDS, Barclay, and Roten as UFAs, so that seems like the most likely route to finding
depth. Need: Low

Part 2, defense is being worked on as we speak. Stay tuned for that.

Until next time, Beers, Brats, and Championships.

- Jerry Eldred (@jheldred)

Follow us on Twitter for up to date news on Brewers, Packers, Badgers, Bucks and more. Live in game commentary, breaking news, previews, and post game discussion. @WISportsBlog @AndrewVrchota, @JoeP_Norton, @SMahon2Go @ryan_937, @Mik3_Schu, @jheldred, @B_Toom_3, and @olewr7. Finally, find us on Instagram! (wisportsblog)