Ol' Bag of Donuts » Packers Draft News & Notes

Wrapping up the past…um…few days in Packerland

admin — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 04:16:07 +0000

So it’s been a minute since I’ve last written for the site.

It feels like I’ve been saying that a lot lately. That’s because, well, I have.

My reasons are, of course, legit. First it was vacay-time; then I got sick; and, finally, I’ve been out of town attending my parents’ 50th wedding anniversary. I don’t forsee any future delays, so we should be good to go from now until the start of training camp (just 12 days away – holy crap).

Again, we apologize for the overall lack of consistency with the posts lately.

So, with that said, let’s wrap-up the past handful of days’ activity surrounding the Green Bay Packers.

Team releases financial numbers

Last Wednesday, the Packers released their financial numbers for the past fiscal year. As a publicly-owned team, they kind of have to. The numbers showed the team had a significant drop in overall profit, from $20.1 million for the 2009 fiscal year to $9.8 million for the 2010 fiscal year.

The team attributed the dip in overall profit to rising player salaries. Considering the fact that the Packers dished out roughly $80 million in new salaries over the offseason – combined with rising numbers for players like Aaron Rodgers – I’m not surprised. In short, it’s becoming more and more expensive to run a football team.

In order to survive, the team must create new ways to bring in bucks. The idea of hosting an annual Big Ten Championship football game would certainly help, as would adding more seats. I think it’s a lock that more seats will eventually be added, but I’m less sure on the Big Ten title game. It’s a great idea, but I have such little faith in those running college football. I’m sure they’ll figure out a way to screw it up.

The team seems committed to keeping ticket prices reasonable and I have a feeling that will continue. But don’t be surprised if there’s a slight rise in concession prices at some point in the near future. By charging a buck or two more for things, the team can bring in a lot more money. Ultimately, I have no problem with that.

Not surprisingly, the league and the NFLPA are making a big deal of the numbers. But the Packers numbers aren’t necessarily indicative of the rest of the league, so I’m not sure why. This team truly is unique in regards to almost everything – market size, fan interest, etc. - so both sides would be wise to avoid making the Packers an example of anything.

What to do now that Jolly is gone

Gene wrote about the Jolly suspension Friday. Seeing as how I had zero internet access, I’m glad he did.

And even though it’s been a few days, I figured I’d weigh in quick. Obviously, Jolly’s absence is big. He’s a great fit for the 3-4 and had a really good season last year. I love how, when a player is suspended, everyone instantly downplays his importance. Don’t. Jolly would have been a crucial piece to the defense in 2010 and beyond.

That said, I have faith that someone will emerge out of the group of Mike Neal, C.J. Wilson, Jarius Wynn and – why not? – Justin Harrell. Actually, two players from that group will have to emerge for the line to avoid running out of gas come December. Well, there’s four options, so the odds are in Green Bay’s favor.

My best guess is that the team will use the first couple of weeks of camp to figure out if those two options are in-house. If not, it wouldn’t surprise me one bit to see Ted Thompson tap some of the team’s depth elsewhere in order to bolster the d-line. Tight end (Donald Lee), offensive line (Jason Spitz, Daryn Colledge) or safety (Atari Bigby) are all areas he could look to.

Either way, the line should be alright, so don’t go panicking. You should still be every bit as high on this team as you were before Mr. Purple Drank got shelved for the year. I know I am.

Team signs third-round pick Morgan Burnett

I’d just like to say this: See, Atari, safeties can sign contracts.

I got to be on Cheesehead Radio…and here’s proof

Thursday, the fine folks at Cheesehead Radio had yours truly on as a guest. My LeBron/Judas article, the story of OBOD and, yes, my recent Twitter tussle with Desmond Bishop (who went on record to say he does NOT want to kill me, thank God) were all discussed.

Here’s the link. Sorry about my voice sounding so Lempesis-y. This is why I’m a writer. And thanks again to the CHTV folks for having me on. My Thursday nights are usually open, guys, so…you know, I’m just saying…hint, hint.

Congrats to our contest winners!

Last week, we had our “Name That Packer” trivia contest here at OBOD.

Two lucky folks were able to answer correctly, winning themselves t-shirts from Sconnie.com.

Kathy Wutkowski nailed our first question after just one clue, correctly guessing Edgar Bennett.

We purposefully made our second question much, muuuuch harder to answer. After a day of misses, JonBob over at JonBobsPackBlog correctly guessed cornerback/safety/bain of EVERYONE’S existence Jarrett Bush.

Kathy will receive a “The Mighty Clay” shirt while JonBob will receive a “We’ll never forget you Brent” shirt. We’re working on getting those out to you guys as soon as we can.

Thanks to Adam for running the contest while I was away, and thanks again to the folks at BrentFavre.com for their assistance.

Finally…

We’ll begin our “Friendly Fire” training camp series this week, with our “Know Your Enemy” series on the other NFC North teams soon to follow.

Actually, that’s all I had for that one.

-Chris Lempesis

Jolly or Jenkins? One won’t be back in 2011

admin — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 06:55:20 +0000

The Green Bay Packers put a significant emphasis on the defensive line in this year’s draft.

By selecting Mike Neal (Purdue, second round) and C.J. Wilson (East Carolina, seventh round), the team made it clear it felt more size and depth needed to be added up front. And by officially moving B.J. Raji (RAJI!) and Ryan Pickett to nose tackle and defensive end, respectively, the Pack will look a lot different as they enter year two of the 3-4 scheme.

This current look will probably only last for the 2010 season, though.

That’s because two key members of the line, ends Johnny Jolly and Cullen Jenkins, are both entering free agency after this season. Jolly signed his one-year RFA tender – worth $2.5 million – last week. Under the current CBA, he wouldn’t be scheduled for unrestricted free agency until after 2011, but you have to think the Players Association will get that rule changed by the time a new CBA is agreed upon.

Jenkins, meanwhile, will earn $3.2 million in the last year of the four-year, $16 million contract he signed in 2007.

Green Bay is clearly hoping one of the two rookies or 2009 sixth round pick Jarius Wynn – no, I’m not doing the “If he’s healthy, Justin Harrell could bring something to the table, too” dance, like some fans are – will play well enough this season to make either Jolly or Jenkins expendable.

Obviously, how those two players perform this season will play a major part in who stays and who goes. Since it’s only, you know, June, we can’t determine that yet. But we can look at some factors that may provide some clues as to which way the team is currently leaning.

First, let’s look at the type of player each is.

Jolly is a powerful – make that ridiculously powerful – lineman. His quickness is perhaps a bit underrated, yes, but Jolly makes his name on his ability to flat-out overpower the man in front of him. He’ll likely never be a big-time pass-rusher – he had just one sack last season and has just two for his career – but he’s still an asset in pass defense. His 11 pass knockdowns last season broke the club record of nine, ironically set by Jenkins in 2007. In many ways, he is a prototypical 3-4 end – not overly flashy, but strong enough to eat up blocks and free the linebackers behind him.

Jenkins is not a weak man by any stretch, but he doesn’t appear to have the raw strength of Jolly. Of course, he’s got very good quickness and has shown he knows how to get to the quarterback, be it 3-4 or 4-3 (his 4.5 sacks last season is a lot for a 3-4 end, believe it or not). He’s a good fit for the scheme, but perhaps not quite as much as Jolly is. Remember, pass rushing skills are a plus, not a requirement, for 3-4 ends.

Let’s now take a look at the ages of each player. Jenkins turned 29 in January, while Jolly turned 27 in February. Not much of a difference in most areas of life, but in the NFL, two extra years of youth can sometimes play a big part in making such decisions.

So far, it would seem the edge goes to Jolly, right? Yes, but this third area could shift things a bit: Negatives on each player.

There are two major knocks on Jenkins: His injury history and his tendency to wear down as the season progresses.

Big things were expected of him in 2007, but he wasn’t very good (outside of the pass knockdowns). Injuries nagged him for most of the season and he finished with just one sack (plus 1.5 sacks in the divisional round win over Seattle). He was lining up a Pro Bowl-type year in 2008 before a torn pectoral muscle put him on injured reserve just four games in.

The tendency to wear down was obvious last season. After putting up 3.5 sacks and three forced fumbles through the first six games, Jenkins all but fell off the map for the final 10: One sack, no forced fumbles. Pass rushing is a luxury for linemen in this scheme, yes, but it wasn’t just there that Jenkins disappeared. You seemed to notice him less and less in every area as the season went on.

And Jenkins was also one of the players that voiced their displeasure with the way Dom Capers was scheming things near the midway point of the season. He quieted down as the defense took off, but you have to wonder if he’s still unsure of his role. After all, he’s a better fit for the 4-3.

Those two knocks are certainly significant, but they pale in comparison to the major knock on Jolly: His character.

The drug charges currently looming against Jolly are certainly troublesome, as is the fact that his trial is seemingly never going to actually happen. Truth be told, though, I’d be willing to look past that. Remember, this is the NFL, and Jolly would definitely not be the first young player to make a foolish off-field mistake involving drugs (allegedly).

The thing I can’t look past, however, is the fact that Jolly is still making foolish mistakes (see: the photos where he appears to be drinking even though he was told not to by the judge). Those photos, in part, earned him an extremely strict curfew from the judge in his case and those are the things that make me wonder if he can ever actually be counted on.

I’m not the only one who feels that way, either. The rumors have been out there for awhile now that people within the organization are worried about handing over a big contract to Jolly. The drug issues play a part in those feelings, but there’s also concern that Jolly has a poor work ethic and could be the type of player to mail it in upon receving that big signing bonus (now more relevant than ever with the current Albert Haynesworth saga in Washington).

And whether or not he’s found guilty in this case, Jolly is almost certain to receive a suspension of some sort from Roger Goodell (even if he’s found innocent, I’m guessing he’ll have to sit out two games). That means the margin for future error with him will be zero – not good if you’re talking eight-figure signing bonuses.

When you add all of this up, it seems like Jolly is a better candidate to stay until you consider the off-field stuff. Jenkins might not be the better fit for the scheme, but he’s a safer choice. It’s true that the team could keep both players – franchise Jenkins and re-up Jolly – but that is not going to happen. Pickett and Raji already both make big money and the team has invested a lot in the young guys, particularly Neal.

Again, the 2010 season will likely provide the final verdict. But for now, Jenkins has the edge.

-Chris Lempesis

Putting the final bow on Green Bay’s 2010 draft

admin — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 07:03:07 +0000

(Before we begin: This will be my last post related to the 2010 draft. I want to thank you all for following us over the past month. We’ve had a blast and we hope you have, too. I’ll be taking a couple of days off after this and will check back in with you guys and gals later in the week.)

For seemingly months, I told anyone who would listen that the Green Bay Packers needed to “hit a home run” with their 2010 draft.

There are two reasons why I would say such a thing:

A) The Packers are so, so close to being a Super Bowl-caliber team.

B) Green Bay has a general manager (Ted Thompson) who absolutely detests free agency. Not necessarily a bad viewpoint, but when you take such a stance, your drafts pretty much always have to be top-notch.

When you look at what the Packers did in this draft, though, you’d be hard-pressed to find many round-trippers.

Think I’m upset? Guess again.

Now that I’ve had a few days to examine what Green Bay did – and why it did it – I think it took an incredibly smart approach. The Packers opted for a safe, smart draft. The seven players that comprise this class won’t, unlike last year, make many draft analysts stand up and applaud. And if you hated Thompson before, this class isn’t going to change your opinion of the man.

Look a little closer and you’ll see that this group has the chance to make a rather significant impact, both next season and for years to come.

Some people were upset with the selection of tackle Bryan Bulaga in the first round. They’ll point to players like wide receiver Dez Bryant and outside linebacker Sergio Kindle and tell you one of them should have been picked instead. Bryant and Kindle are certainly “sexy” names who bring their fair share of home-run power, no question about it.

But offensive line – particularly left tackle - was, arguably, Green Bay’s biggest area of need heading into the draft. Yes, Chad Clifton was re-upped. And, yes, he’s still more than able to get the job done. He could break down at any second, too. Even if he doesn’t completely fall apart, he’s money in the bank to miss at least two to four games next season (likely closer to the latter). What happens if he gets hurt? Do you really want to try Daryn Colledge over there again? Or – gasp – Allen Barbre, currently the team’s third-string LT?

Give me a break. Adam likes to say that offensive linemen taken in the first round have the lowest bust rate of any position on the field – and he’s right.

And as I’ve said before, protecting Aaron Rodgers has to be the organization’s top priority for the next decade (or more). He simply can not endure any more 51-sack seasons. He won’t hold up. No one could. Bulaga, at some point this season, is going to play. He will be solid and come 2011, he’s going to take over the job and own it for the next 10 years. He won’t make the highlight reels like Bryant or Kindle will, but he’ll make sure Jared Allen and Julius Peppers don’t, either.

People will tell you that Thompson should have opted for an outside linebacker or cornerback after the Bulaga pick. I can’t lie – part of me agrees with those people. But I also see why he focused on defensive line and safety in rounds two and three instead.

Thompson decided the best way to help Green Bay’s linebackers was not to add more linebackers, but to add more beef upfront.

Look, we all love the four main guys on Green Bay’s d-line right now. We also can not ignore the fact that those four guys wore down significantly as the season progressed – and that was with all four of them staying healthy for the most part. Mike Neal (second round) – along with C.J. Wilson (could be yet another seventh-round steal) – will allow the Packers to have a legitimate rotation at that position now. The players will have more energy, meaning the line will be better equiped to control blocks, both late in the game and late in the season.

The non-Clay Matthews players at outside linebacker (Brad Jones, maybe Brandon Chillar, etc.) have the talent. The picks Thompson made on the line now ensure they will have space to run in, as well. Even average linebackers can become playmakers if given the space.

Why safety over corner? Well, the Packers already have an outstanding starting duo in Charles Woodson and Tramon Williams. The rest of that group is riddled with injury concerns, yes, but the safety group – while not as heavily dissected by fans/media members – was even more of a question mark.

Simply put, Atari Bigby is nothing more than slightly above average. He gets hurt a lot and when he’s healthy, often gets caught out of position or flatfooted in coverage. The Packers could not go into 2010 with Bigby as the unquestioned starter. They needed depth, at the very least, as Derrick Martin and Jarrett Bush are the current backups. Morgan Burnett (third round) is a ballhawk with natural ball skills and the ability to deliver the big hit. I believe he will take over the starting strong safety spot by week six.

He didn’t address corner or linebacker in the later rounds, either, but I still like what Thompson did with the rest of the draft. Tight end Andrew Quarless (round five) has the upside to warrant a fifth round selection, even with his character concerns. If the coaches can light a fire under this guy’s butt, Donald Lee’s time in Green Bay is up. Guard Marshall Newhouse (round five) will provide depth and allow the team to rid itself of one of its failed “projects,” either Breno Giacomini or Barbre.

Running back James Starks (round six) is a proven pass-catching threat. Had he stayed healthy last season, he likely would have been a second or third round pick. That’s great value that late. And I’ve already mentioned Wilson, a two-time first teamer in Conference USA.

I opened this post with a baseball reference, and now I’ll close it with one.

It’s clear to me that Thompson looked at his roster and decided he had his home run threats already in place (Rodgers, Greg Jennings, Jermichael Finley, Matthews, Woodson, Nick Collins, etc.). Even with those heavy hitters, though, he found some holes in the lineup – some easy outs, if you will.

He used this draft to fill those holes. The easy outs have now been replaced with solid singles and doubles hitters.

Those players will only serve to make the home run threats that much more dangerous. As a result, the Packers appear to be a team that can kill you at any spot in the lineup.

In other words: Strap in, kids. This season’s going to be fun.

-Chris Lempesis

Thompson answers more questions with final day selections

admin — Sun, 25 Apr 2010 06:34:32 +0000

Who would have thought that four late-round selections could answer so many questions?

Certainly not yours truly.

But such is the case with the Green Bay Packers and the four players they took to close the 2010 NFL Draft. Each of those players, in their own way, will alter the Pack’s roster.

How so? Well, let’s take a look:

Tight end Andrew Quarless’ selection in the fifth round means the end is near for either Donald Lee or Spencer Havner. My money’s on Lee.

For whatever reason, Lee hasn’t been the same since Brett Favre left. He just hasn’t shown the same confidence. The result of that is far too many dropped balls and Jermichael Finley surpassing him on the depth chart. Quarless – despite his numerous character issues - is a big target with very good speed for the position. He’s also, like Lee, primarily a receiving tight end. Green Bay has no need for three pure receivers on the roster. Lee also has a much higher salary than does Havner and, unlike Havner, Lee provides no special teams value whatsoever. Once Havner’s shoulder injury heals, my guess is Lee is released.

Guard/tackle Marshall Newhouse’s selection in round five gives the Packers 12 offensive linemen, as of now. Green Bay will not keep that many linemen, meaning at least two players are on the way out. There are only a few candidates.

First, here’s who is 100 percent safe: Chad Clifton, Mark Tauscher, Scott Wells, Josh Sitton, Bryan Bulaga and T.J. Lang. I’d say Jason Spitz, Daryn Colledge and Newhouse are 80 percent safe. That leaves three players, all of whom are in trouble: Evan Dietrich-Smith, Breno Giacomini and Allen Barbre. There is no way Giacomini and Barbre both stick on the roster. Both could get cut, but I think it’s more likely only one does. As of now, I’d guess Barbre is gone. We already know he’s terrible; Giacomini still has some potential because of his size. That leaves Dietrich-Smith as the other likely goner. But he’s got versatility and I could see a scenario in which the team tires of Colledge’s B.S. and ships him out for whatever it can get. In that case, ED-S sticks.

Running back James Starks’ selection in the sixth round likely means the Packers will not get serious in their pursuit of former Eagle Brian Westbrook.

First, a disclaimer: I really had no interest in the Packers signing Westbrook. His best days are clearly behind him and he’s likely one hit to the head away from having to retire. Even if he avoids a concussion, he’d be a good bet to get hurt, in some form or another, much sooner rather than later. Starks appears to be an injury risk, as well, but at least he’s got youth on his side. And he fills the same pass-catching role that Westbrook would have at a much cheaper price (I think Westbrook still wants to get paid and isn’t going to settle for a veteran minimum, like some fans do).

Defensive end C.J. Wilson’s selection in the seventh round means the team has likely all but given up on Justin Harrell. It also means the Packers understand both Johnny Jolly and Cullen Jenkins might not be back in 2011.

Wilson, along with Mike Neal, selected on day two, give the Packers seven non-Harrell players at d-line – Jolly, Jenkins, Ryan Pickett, B.J. Raji, Neal, Wilson and Jarius Wynn. The main four, plus Neal, are 100 percent certain to be on the roster. Wilson is likely an 80 percent certainty. That makes six, with Wynn likely the odd man out. Harrell first has to clear the medical hurdle (doubtful). Then, he’d have to surpass both Wynn and Wilson in order to make the roster (I highly doubt the Packers keep more than six linemen). In other words: See ya, Justin. As for the Jenkins/Jolly situations, I don’t think it’s an accident that Ted Thompson drafted two d-linemen when he just happens to have two linemen with expiring contracts (and, in Jolly’s case, pending legal trouble). He’s clearly setting the team up in case those two are gone. As I’ve written before, that’s a definite possibility for 2011…you know, if there’s football in 2011, that is.

That wraps up our day three coverage. I’ll return Monday with a look at the draft from a league-wide perspective.

Thanks for sticking with us throughout the past three days, gang. I hope you had as much fun as we did.

-Chris Lempesis

Running back, defensive end round out Green Bay’s draft

admin — Sat, 24 Apr 2010 22:02:53 +0000

The Green Bay Packers’ 2010 draft is complete.

The Pack’s final two selections focused equally on offense and defense. In the sixth round, Green Bay selected Buffalo running back James Starks (No. 193 overall). With their final pick of the draft, the Packers took East Carolina defensive end C.J. Wilson (No. 230 overall).

First, Starks. Here’s what we know about him, as of now:

6-feet, 2-inches and 211 pounds. 4.50 40-yard dash time, 36-inch vertical leap and 15 bench press reps at the combine.
Missed all of 2009 season as a result of a shoulder injury. Likely a much higher pick had he stayed healthy.
In 2008, ran for 1,333 yards (4.9 average) and 16 touchdowns. Also caught 52 balls for 361 yards and one score. Earned first team All MAC honors for his efforts.
Positives: Good fit for the zone blocking scheme. A one-cut and go runner. Very good hands and will fill Green Bay’s need for a pass-catching back.
Negatives: Injury history even before the shoulder cost him all of ‘09. Runs extremely upright and leaves himself open to big hits.

Now on to Wilson. Here’s some quick-hit info:

6-feet, 4-inches, 278 pounds. 4.75 40-yard dash time and 32 bench press reps at the combine.
Extremely productive college career. 52 tackles, five sacks and one forced fumble as a senior. For his career, he recorded 26 sacks and two forced fumbles.
Best year was his junior year, with 64 tackles and 10 sacks.
First team All Conference USA in both 2008 and 2009.
Positives: Ideal five-technique end in a 3-4 scheme. Strong as a freakin’ bull. Shows dynamic pass rushing skills and is stout against the run.
Negatives: A ‘tweener. Needs to play tougher on a more consistent basis.

In addition, I just happened to catch the latter part of head coach Mike McCarthy’s post-draft press session on the radio (forgot to mention it, but I’m actually in Appleton for the weekend). Here are the more interesting tidbits:

Bryan Bulaga will play exclusively at left tackle, initially serving as a backup to Chad Clifton. Allen Barbre will also exclusively play at LT.
T.J. Lang will draw 70 percent of his playing time at right tackle, behind Mark Tauscher. The rest of his time will be spent at left guard. Breno Giacomini will also be there at RT.
Has faith in tight ends coach Ben McAdoo’s ability to work with fifth round pick Andrew Quarless.
The left guard battle will be between Daryn Colledge and Jason Spitz. Spitz will also draw some time at center.
This upcoming training camp will be “the most competitive” McCarthy’s had since he’s been in Green Bay.
He seems to have faith in Brad Jones at LOLB. He suggested that Brandon Chillar could also play there.
Team is looking at adding a fourth quarterback as the Packers did not draft one.

Once again, we’ll be back later tonight with a day three wrap-up.

-Chris Lempesis

Packers focus on offense with fifth round picks

admin — Sat, 24 Apr 2010 18:31:07 +0000

Day two of the 2010 NFL Draft was all about defense for the Green Bay Packers.

With their first two picks of day three – both coming in the fifth round – the Packers shifted to the other side of the ball, selecting Penn State tight end Andrew Quarless and TCU guard Marshall Newhouse.

Quarless was the first of those two picks (No. 154 overall). For now, here’s what we know about him:

At 6-feet, 4-inches and 254 pounds, with a 4.57 40-yard dash time, 32-inch vertical jump and 23 bench press reps, Quarless certainly has the physical tools to make a mark at the next level.
Last season, he put up 41 receptions for 536 yards and three scores. He saved his best for last, too, recording eight grabs for 88 yards against LSU in the Capital One Bowl.
So then why was he still available in round five? You guessed it: Character issues. Quarless was suspended three different times in college (underage drinking, DUI and marijuana possession). There are also concerns about his overall effort level.
Following the pick, Mel Kiper said Quarless had “first round talent” and Todd McShay said, “He can be as good as he wants to be.” Clearly, he’s got some skills. It will be up to the coaches to make sure he keeps his head on straight.

Now to the second of Green Bay’s picks, Newhouse (No. 169 overall):

He’s listed at 6-feet, 4-inches, 319 pounds. He played tackle in college, but is thought by many to be guard material in the pros. He was a standout performer during East-West Shrine Game practices at multiple positions along the line.
Three-year starter for TCU. Earned third team All American and first team All MWC honors in 2009.
Ran a 5.00 40-yard dash and did 25 bench press reps at the combine.
Positives: Fundamentally sound. Quick enough feet and decent strength. Versatile (shocking, I know).
Negatives: Has difficulty understanding complicated defensive sets. Needs to play faster.

So there is some quick-hit information on Green Bay’s two picks. Adam will be back later on to wrap up the Pack’s sixth-and-seventh round selections. After that, we’ll fully wrap up day three and tell you what it all means for the Packers.

-Chris Lempesis

Some possible last day targets for the Pack

admin — Sat, 24 Apr 2010 13:30:45 +0000

Very shortly, the third and final day of the 2010 NFL Draft will commence.

The Green Bay Packers have four picks today – two in the fifth round, one in the sixth and one in the seventh. The Packers sent their fourth round selection to Philadelphia to trade up for safety Morgan Burnett on Friday.

Here are some possible players who could be available – or players who, at the very least, would look good in green and gold:

Jonathan Dwyer, RB, Georgia Tech
Eric Norwood, OLB, South Carolina
Perrish Cox, CB, Oklahoma State
Ricky Sapp, OLB, Clemson
Alterraun Verner, CB, UCLA
Dominique Franks, CB, Oklahoma
O’Brien Schofield, OLB, Wisconsin
Cameron Sheffield, OLB, Troy
Brandon Lang, DE/OLB, Troy
Dekoda Watson, OLB, Florida State
Thaddeus Gibson, OLB, Ohio State
Joe McKnight, RB, USC
LeGarrette Blount, RB, Oregon
Joique Bell, RB, Wayne State

As usual, we’ll be checking in throughout the day (and definitely right after each of the Packers’ selections).

Happy final day of the draft, everyone!

-Chris Lempesis

Selections of Neal, Burnett tell much about the condition of Green Bay’s 3-4 scheme

admin — Sat, 24 Apr 2010 06:39:49 +0000

If you were to ask Green Bay Packers fans which direction the team could – and likely should – go on day two of the draft, most would have said defense, specifically cornerback and outside linebacker.

Well, as it turns out, Ted Thompson agreed with those people on the first part.

He did not share their sentiments on the second part, however.

By targeting defensive line and safety with Green Bay’s day two selections, Thompson showed he has much more confidence in his team’s outside linebackers and corners than most fans/analysts do.

And when you really think about it, Thompson’s viewpoint makes quite a bit of sense.

Yes, the Packers need to find someone to pair opposite Clay Matthews at OLB. But, as I’ve written numerous times this offseason, I really think Brad Jones can be that guy. As a seventh round pick, he showed some serious flashes last season. He could easily make the jump this season.

Even if he fails, there are some options. Brandon Chillar could move over from inside linebacker, as could A.J. Hawk. And, as Adam pointed out to me over the phone, Jeremy Thompson’s still an option if his neck heals up.

Same goes for the corner spot. Charles “2009 NFL Defensive Player of the Year” Woodson and Tramon Williams make for an elite starting tandem. The injury issues surrounding Al Harris, Pat Lee and Will Blackmon are all concerns, yes, but you have to think at least two of those guys will stay healthy. And Brandon Underwood could always develop into a player, too.

I do not mean to suggest Green Bay is above adding some depth at these spots, mind you. But, in contrast, look at the defensive line/safety spots for a second.

The Packers have a solid front four in Johnny Jolly, Cullen Jenkins, B.J. Raji and Ryan Pickett, no question about it. But remember last season when Pickett was hurt and had to miss some time? The other three had to play almost every snap and the result was increased fatigue and decreased impact.

Green Bay got lucky that Pickett’s injury wasn’t significant. Had it been – or had any of the other three been injured – the entire defense would have struggled.

The selection of Purdue’s Mike Neal, while perhaps a reach, assures tremendous depth on the d-line for the short-term. For the long-term, it covers the Packers as Jenkins and Jolly are scheduled for free agency after this season (and Jolly, of course, could still end up in the clink on those drug charges).

And the more I learn about Neal, the more I like. He’s a tough, hard-nosed player who knows how to tackle. He’s got a quick first step and can pressure the quarterback (always a plus from 3-4 ends). He’s strong as a freakin’ bull, able to bench press 500 pounds. I’m worried about the consistency issues, but with insane d-line coach Mike Trgovac all over him, I don’t think that will be much of a problem in the end.

Now, let’s look at the safety position. We all love Nick Collins, obviously, but Atari Bigby has spent much of his time, post-2007, being either injured or ineffective. The Packers needed someone to seriously challenge Bigby for his job – or, at the very least, provide depth. Remember, the backups at safety, as of now, are Derrick Martin and Jarrett Bush.

Gulp.

The selection of Georgia Tech’s Morgan Burnett, a player I’ve liked for the past two weeks, accomplishes both those goals. Burnett can play either safety spot. That means he can challenge Bigby right away, which I think he will (prediction: He’s starting by week six). Even if he loses out to Bigby initially, he’s a massive upgrade in terms of depth at two positions.

In other words, he was absolutely worth trading up for.

The selections of Neal and Burnett – along with Bryan Bulaga in the first round Thursday – were smart, safe, solid picks, meant to provide immediate depth and future starters. It’s very easy to see Thompson’s mindset after these three picks.

He’s more interested in tightening up what he already has than finding replacements. You know who operates like that? Someone who thinks his team is Super Bowl ready.

After the past two days, I think he’s right.

-Chris Lempesis

Burnett already third on depth chart?

admin — Sat, 24 Apr 2010 03:21:48 +0000

The pick of Mike Neal in the second round left a few double checking their cheat sheets. Maybe picked ahead of where most had him, but don’t let that fool you. The kid can play and fits a need along the defensive line. After Jenkins, Jolly and Pickett, all the team has really is Raji. He will also contribute right away.

But enough about Neal, let’s talk about the Packers’ third round pick Morgan Burnett, safety out of Georgia Tech. Thompson traded up 15 spots to get him, trading pick #86 (third round) and #122 (fourth) to Philadelphia for pick #71. Second straight year Thompson made a significant trade up in the top three rounds and you can’t blame him here, Burnett can ball. The first time Burnett’s name surfaced on this site was nine days ago when Chris profiled him as someone the Packers should definitely keep their eye on in rounds two and three.

To quote our big Aristotle – “Overall, there isn’t much about Burnett to dislike. His speed and nose for the ball are things that can’t really be taught. He’s a hitter and, perhaps most importantly, he’s versatile…He’ll be hard to ignore in the second round and impossible to ignore if he’s still on the board in round three.”

Could Chris have hit the nail on the head anymore with Burnett? Cornerback was an obvious need this draft with Harris coming off an injury and him along with Woodson not getting any younger. Well, at least there is depth with Tramon Williams and the potential of Will Blackmon and Pat Lee. At depth for safety it is basically Derrick Martin and cornerback/safety/bain of my existence Jarrett Bush. Now that is scary.

At 6′1, 210 lbs, Burnett can be force in the secondary and is a credited ballhawk. Some say he is not the ideal strong safety to pair with Collins, but in Capers’ scheme, safeties are interchangeable and not pegged as free or strong. With the aforementioned lack of depth at safety, Burnett should immediately be the top back up to Collins and Bigby. Hell, with the way Bigby played last year he may he even push for a starting job.

All in all this is a great pick by Thompson. He addressed an area with a serious lack of depth with a talented playmaker. Burnett has the speed and ball skills (14 career picks at GT) to make an impact right away. If he can, he is well worth trading a fourth round pick to move up for.

Also, rumor has it that the Bears were very interested in Burnett two picks later. Not saying it was a planed moved by the Packers to move up ahead of them or merely just a coincidence. But if there was a rivalry to make that kind of block move in the NFL, or pro sports for that matter, it is these two teams. There won’t ever be any friendly early-round trading like the Lions and Vikings did last night. Just adds another level of intrigue.

Chris will be back later tonight to give you a full recap of tonight’s picks and thoughts on the draft.

Can’t wait for rounds 4-7? If so, maybe a little old school Aussie grunge can help you till tomorrow. Silverchair – Tomorrow

-Adam Somers

Pack tabs Neal in round two…too high?

admin — Sat, 24 Apr 2010 00:23:07 +0000

For our scouting profiles series, we did one – and only one – post on defensive linemen.

One of the players we featured was Purdue’s Mike Neal.

At that time, we had Neal as a fourth or fifth round selection. Apparently, the Green Bay Packers had him ranked much higher. The Packers snagged Neal with their second round selection (No. 56 overall).

I honestly don’t know any more about Neal now than I knew when I wrote the profile on him, which can be found here. As I write this, we’re in the process of learning more about Neal and we’ll have a ton more for you later this evening.

For now, my knee-jerk reaction is this: I know d-line is a need, but with so many of the top corners and safeties still available, it seems like Neal was taken (at least) a round too high.

What say you, Packers fans?

Again, we’ll be back after the third round selection. If Ted Thompson makes one, that is.

-Chris Lempesis