2019 Free Agent Discussion

[Nick_gb]

Berry hasn't played FS since his rookie season -- I think he's more a fit for what Cleveland is looking for currently then what we are looking for. We signed our "Eric Berry" when we inked Amos.

[Packers Select]

My annual free agent re-post:

Does anybody remember when I was discussing free agent right tackles before we resigned Bulaga, and bluesuede came in and said, "The thing about FA RTs is that, you tend to like your own more than everyone else's."

Good times. Simpler times.

[Gopackgonerd]

12 minutes ago, Nick_gb said:

Berry hasn't played FS since his rookie season -- I think he's more a fit for what Cleveland is looking for currently then what we are looking for. We signed our "Eric Berry" when we inked Amos.

I think Amos and him both can play both positions. If anything having them both would be better than any combination of safeties we had last year.

[Leader]

Evan Massey: An increasing chance Clay Matthews will return to the #Packers. He is still testing the market, but Green Bay has had positive talks with his agent. Only time will tell, but Matthews at ILB is a good fit.

Andy Herman: A roaming Clay is the best Clay. Start him inside, have him rotate a little bit with Fackrell and the Smiths and get him around 500-700 snaps per season. There’s a lot of value in that.

@Packerraymond - would CMs return qualify as GB not needing to draft EDGE @12 for you?

[OnaBadger58]

4 minutes ago, Leader said:

Evan Massey: An increasing chance Clay Matthews will return to the #Packers. He is still testing the market, but Green Bay has had positive talks with his agent. Only time will tell, but Matthews at ILB is a good fit.

Andy Herman: A roaming Clay is the best Clay. Start him inside, have him rotate a little bit with Fackrell and the Smiths and get him around 500-700 snaps per season. There’s a lot of value in that.

@Packerraymond - would CMs return qualify as GB not needing to draft EDGE @12 for you?

Banking on Clay to be productive for an entire year at this point seems a bit dangerous. OLB is still a need for this team imo. 

[Nick_gb]

8 minutes ago, Gopackgonerd said:

I think Amos and him both can play both positions. If anything having them both would be better than any combination of safeties we had last year.

I think youre asking a lot of Berry coming off an achilles injury.

[Leader]

1 minute ago, OnaBadger58 said:

Banking on Clay to be productive for an entire year at this point seems a bit dangerous. OLB is still a need for this team imo. 

True dat - and CMs not gonna be around forever - but at 12 (?) or could we designate a lower draft slot to the position given recent adds (and theoretically....) CMs return?

[vegas492]

Concerning Chauncey G-Johnson....

"Play Speed - Plays fast in terms of processing and movement although there is some variance in terms of processing accuracy. Can cover considerable ground and rapidly close down distances. Has the quickness and speed to match steps in man coverage.

Flexibility - Fluid and twitchy. Smooth mover with clean transitions and rapid change of direction ability. Dynamic ability to plant and drive. Explosive mover with no hesitation or segmentation."

I've watched a couple safeties.  Those two traits above clearly popped on tape to me.  He plays fast, he takes good angles.  Good hitter.  Can cover and he can move laterally.  The only other one I watched that I would say was near the same level was Adderly.  And I didn't think Adderly's straight line speed was as good as CGJ.

Lucas looked slow.  Thompson looked slow.  And I didn't watch Thornhill.  Given his combine, I probably need to.

But yah, much to like about CGJ's game.

[MacReady]

Glad to hear it about Clay.  I will never forget that play his rookie season where he ripped the ball from Peterson's hands and ran it back for a touchdown (and the NFL doesnt even credit him for it).

All-time favorite Packer, and I still think he has value.  More now that we have the Smiths.  

[Leader]

2 minutes ago, vegas492 said:

Concerning Chauncey G-Johnson....

"Play Speed - Plays fast in terms of processing and movement although there is some variance in terms of processing accuracy. Can cover considerable ground and rapidly close down distances. Has the quickness and speed to match steps in man coverage.

Flexibility - Fluid and twitchy. Smooth mover with clean transitions and rapid change of direction ability. Dynamic ability to plant and drive. Explosive mover with no hesitation or segmentation."

I've watched a couple safeties.  Those two traits above clearly popped on tape to me.  He plays fast, he takes good angles.  Good hitter.  Can cover and he can move laterally.  The only other one I watched that I would say was near the same level was Adderly.  And I didn't think Adderly's straight line speed was as good as CGJ.

Lucas looked slow.  Thompson looked slow.  And I didn't watch Thornhill.  Given his combine, I probably need to.

But yah, much to like about CGJ's game.

Undoubtedly - I dont have a feel for the spectrum of players out there. Its just not gonna happen. So I'm picking and choosing guys that "read" like the type players I'd want. CGJ has exactly that read.

Mock Drafts are weird. Read one a few days back and they pegged this Safety going to us @30. I read it and thought: why in the **** would I want that guy?

First - he was ranked as the 70th best player overall and the 7th Safety. HUH? So why in the **** would be want him at the end of the first round?????????
The read is of a KILLER who stinks in coverage. His "Worst Trait" is BALL SKILLS!

Johnathan Abram

Range - Adequate range and good long speed, just doesn't play rangy in coverage. Not his style. Much more of a vertical attacking safety than a sideline-to-sideline ball hawk. Belongs closer to the line of scrimmage, lacks the instincts, processing and ball skills to be ideal in a single-high role despite his speed.

Ball Skills - Zilch. Can't find the ball with his back to it, which results in him frequently playing through the receiver and getting penalized. Doesn't have the instincts or anticipation in zone coverage to jump many routes. 2 interceptions in college, one on a miscommunication throw right to him against Ole Miss and the other he ripped away from a teammate while arriving late to a jump ball.

Man Coverage - Clunky in his transitions against route runners who know what they are doing. Panics and grabs at the top of routes, generating flags galore (or should-be flags). Struggles to stay in phase out of the route break. T.J. Hockenson separated from him a few times in man. Does flip his hips and run vertically with receivers pretty well, long speed could be an asset against more athletic tight ends.

Fluidity/Agility - When he overcommits, struggles to redirect in space. At his best moving in a straight line, he can flip and run, but plays too aggressive to change directions quickly. Tight in the hips and doesn't bend angles to finish very well.

Tackling - Has made huge strides in his tackling from the 2017 season, when he missed tackles left and right. Will still miss a few from time-to-time, but is generally reliable and can get runners down outside his frame and with big hits. Runs the alley with a vengeance, and has learned to throttle down and come in more under control.

Run Defense - Can play around the line of scrimmage or come from deep and be effective as a run defender. Won't work off of offensive lineman blocks, but I've seen him toss tight ends in multiple games. Can be a little undisciplined and over-pursue up the field, leaving cutback lanes. Runs the alley hard coming from deep, will punish runners who stop their feet near the boundary. Violent playing style and good size lend themselves to the gritty work around the box.

Route Recognition - Super aggressive to blow up receiver screens. Can also be caught biting on underneath routes and looking into the backfield even as the last line of defense. Has to be more disciplined with his eyes in coverage. Has flashes of good recognition, but too often just looking for the next thing to hit.

Versatility - Doesn't have the range or instincts to be really effective deep and is still unrefined in man coverage. Has tight end matchup potential and the ability to play in the box and blitz. Should be a special teams demon as a rookie.

Competitive Toughness - One of the most physical and aggressive players in the draft. Gets after it every snap, wants in on every tackle, every exchange with a blocker is a cage match. Talks trash constantly. The other team is the enemy in his mind. Heralded for his emotional leadership and intensity, but toes a fine line, getting ejected twice for targeting, fighting in the Ole Miss game and even getting ejected from Mississippi State's spring game for an unbelievable devastating hit on a teammate. He's crazy.

Athleticism/Size - Outstanding size and speed for the position, but it will be interesting to see how quick and fluid he is in agilities at the Combine. Pro-ready frame and doesn't look like he misses many lifts.

BEST TRAIT - Run Defense/Tackling

WORST TRAIT - Ball Skills

RED FLAGS - None

This man would sooner put you in the hospital than put the ball in the end zone. Abram plays a certifiable crazy brand of football, showing outstanding physicality and competitive toughness regardless of where he lines up. Still, his limitations in coverage show up too often and he won't make many plays on the ball. I'd love to have him on my team as a box safety with the potential to develop in man coverage as a big slot defensive back, but the value for a player like that doesn't exactly line up with Abram's first round hype.

[vegas492]

Part of me wants to move on from Clay.  He just couldn't get it done last year.  Tried hard, flew around, didn't finish plays.  Time to move on from the old guard.

But I get really interested in him if he will play ILB part time.  Few years ago, he didn't much care for being in the middle.  I hope he sees now that he could flourish in there and have a great final act to his career.

With how Pettine likes to blitz his ILBs, it fits Clay.  And I've always thought he was pretty good in coverage.  

Imagine we get him back....and we draft an edge somewhere that can play.  You could have a field day with that front 6 or 7.  You'd never know who was really coming.  Martinez/Matthews/ Z Smith/ P Smith/ Fackrell.  Throw Clark or Daniels as the lone "true" DL with those guys and that would be pretty fun to watch.

[FinneasGage]

7 minutes ago, Outpost31 said:

Glad to hear it about Clay.  I will never forget that play his rookie season where he ripped the ball from Peterson's hands and ran it back for a touchdown (and the NFL doesnt even credit him for it).

All-time favorite Packer, and I still think he has value.  More now that we have the Smiths.  

Prime Clay was the funnest packer player in my lifetime 

[incognito_man]

2 minutes ago, vegas492 said:

Part of me wants to move on from Clay.  He just couldn't get it done last year.  Tried hard, flew around, didn't finish plays.  Time to move on from the old guard.

But I get really interested in him if he will play ILB part time.  Few years ago, he didn't much care for being in the middle.  I hope he sees now that he could flourish in there and have a great final act to his career.

With how Pettine likes to blitz his ILBs, it fits Clay.  And I've always thought he was pretty good in coverage.  

Imagine we get him back....and we draft an edge somewhere that can play.  You could have a field day with that front 6 or 7.  You'd never know who was really coming.  Martinez/Matthews/ Z Smith/ P Smith/ Fackrell.  Throw Clark or Daniels as the lone "true" DL with those guys and that would be pretty fun to watch.

I feel the same. Part of me is like "let's just move on" but it would be weird seeing him in other colors.

and I feel like he has something to offer more around the 300-500 snaps/season mark (rather than 750).

[vegas492]

Johnathan Abram

So...I did watch some of his stuff.  If you don't like Josh Jones, you aren't going to like him.  He's a hitter.  True strong safety with box skills.  If you want a safety to play a hybrid LB role, he's a beast.  I saw him miss quite a bit, though.  But...he's fast coming forward, big hitter.  Hips were okay for a safety, but I thought Josh Jones looked better when flipping hips and having to turn and run.

I didn't see him cover well at all.  And I rarely saw him trying to cover space.

He's not what I want at safety.  He would have been an animal back there 15-20 years ago.

[Green19]

Saw reports Everson Griffin might be cut by the Vikings. Any interest there for people?