Das Gute - Year 1 in Review

[{Family Ghost}]

I like the direction he's going .. far more aggressive than his predecessor, and seems to be looking at every angle possible to improve the Green Bay Packers.  My initial reactions on the draft is that it's going to be a big success, but of late it seems some of the players have hit the wall.  Year two for those players should tell the tale.  I'd give Gute a B.

[AlexGreen#20]

30 minutes ago, Leader said:

I think the GBPs decided to play (and pay) out the string with CM based primarily on the lack of overall depth at the position plus his ability to provide play (and cover) at the ILB position. Should the team have been more aggressive snagging some OLB/Edge talent? Perhaps so. Which is why most folks think the position is at the top of our needs / wish list now.

You think we couldn't have gotten that production for 6 million even on the sky rocketing open market?

[Leader]

1 hour ago, AlexGreen#20 said:

You think we couldn't have gotten that production for 6 million even on the sky rocketing open market?

From another player? Perhaps so. But that determination (to keep him) was made before the season began. In a way you're considering his production this year, looking backward and asking "Couldnt we have gotten better for less?"

Outside of a general sense, I dont propose to know the salary scale for top / mid / low tiers of players at that position. Not an area of interest for me actually.

CM made good coin this year. Nobody's questioning that - but the team had the cash - the players signature on the bottom of a contract and (I presume) an expectation he'd have a better year overall.

If they'd known in advance what his 2018 production would have been - perhaps they'd have made a different decision in Training Camp or pre-regular season.

[incognito_man]

I think the Haha trade is probably an A-grade at worst. He's not very good for his new team, he wasn't coming back, and I feel comfortable saying it was a good attitude to be rid of.

[MacReady]

I think he didn't do enough to give us a chance on this season, but that set us up to be in a strong position going forward.

His job providing a competitive roster this year gets a D. 
His job setting up the franchise going forward gets a B. 

This following offseason is how he will be judged for the rest of his time here. 

[vegas492]

I think we are looking at results right now.  Missing one key thing...attempts.

He tried, hard, in free agency to bring in some other pieces.  I give him an A for free agency just because the man tried, and tried hard.  So I'll bump him some just for the effort that was made there.

Draft wise...I like the B+ to A- range.  Probably bump a little in orchestrating that trade that netted GB another first round pick.  That extra pick affords GB a lot of leeway in the draft.  They can move up and get an impact guy at EDGE...if they so choose.  Again, it is about the options that the GM has created.

Trades.  Man, I dig the activity.  I wish he would have gotten more for Ha Ha.  But...I'm pretty good with the 4'th and it is looking better and better every week.  Getting anything for Hundley and Monty was great.  The Randall deal?  I hated the return on that one.  Knew he had to go, but still, he was active.

I like that he's getting other guys now...like Siragusa at guard.  JAG now...a warm body, but they get a couple weeks to see if they want him to stick around.  4'th round guard, right?  Should be some moldable clay there.  

I don't know where to actually put a grade as the draft cannot really be graded yet, but I do very much like and appreciate the activity he's brought to the front office.

[AlexGreen#20]

47 minutes ago, Leader said:

From another player? Perhaps so. But that determination (to keep him) was made before the season began. In a way you're looking at his production this year, looking backward and asking "Couldnt we have gotten better for less?"

Outside of a general sense, I dont propose to know the salary scale for top / mid / low tiers of players at that position. Not an area of interest for me actually.

CM made good coin this year. Nobody's questioning that - but the team had the cash - the players signature on the bottom of a contract and (I presume) an expectation he'd have a better year overall.

If they'd known in advance what his 2018 production would have been - perhaps they'd have made a different decision in Training Camp or pre-regular season.

Isn't it the GM's job to be able to forecast what happens to these guys though?

I feel like you have to almost give a GM separate grades, one at the time and one in hindsight. 

I liked this year's decisions much better at the time than I do in hindsight. That's probably understandable. 

But it also begs the question, your average fan can make the correct decision at the time with all the info available. If you're going to be the smartest guy in the room and sit in the big chair, shouldn't you be hitting better than your average fan with the benefit of hindsight?

[AlexGreen#20]

1 minute ago, vegas492 said:

I think we are looking at results right now.  Missing one key thing...attempts.

He tried, hard, in free agency to bring in some other pieces.  I give him an A for free agency just because the man tried, and tried hard.  So I'll bump him some just for the effort that was made there.

Draft wise...I like the B+ to A- range.  Probably bump a little in orchestrating that trade that netted GB another first round pick.  That extra pick affords GB a lot of leeway in the draft.  They can move up and get an impact guy at EDGE...if they so choose.  Again, it is about the options that the GM has created.

Trades.  Man, I dig the activity.  I wish he would have gotten more for Ha Ha.  But...I'm pretty good with the 4'th and it is looking better and better every week.  Getting anything for Hundley and Monty was great.  The Randall deal?  I hated the return on that one.  Knew he had to go, but still, he was active.

I like that he's getting other guys now...like Siragusa at guard.  JAG now...a warm body, but they get a couple weeks to see if they want him to stick around.  4'th round guard, right?  Should be some moldable clay there.  

I don't know where to actually put a grade as the draft cannot really be graded yet, but I do very much like and appreciate the activity he's brought to the front office.

That's moronic.

Dan Snyder tries in Free Agency.

[vegas492]

1 minute ago, AlexGreen#20 said:

That's moronic.

Dan Snyder tries in Free Agency.

Moronic to be happy that the front office has actually tried?  

If you want to bring Snyder into this, then you are talking results.  And grading results.  Which aren't good. (for Snyder) I think one could opine that Snyder paid a lot more cash to get those guys in.

Gute seemed to have a price and stuck to it.  It hit a few, missed a few.  I for one like that he was active.  Gives me hope that he will continue to be active.  Doesn't mean he will sign the big guys, but at least we will be in more conversations. 

[KingOfTheNorth]

Just now, vegas492 said:

Gute seemed to have a price and stuck to it.  It hit a few, missed a few.  I for one like that he was active.  Gives me hope that he will continue to be active.  Doesn't mean he will sign the big guys, but at least we will be in more conversations. 

I completely agree with your grade on Gutes 1st attempt on the FA market. He was disciplined and aggressive throughout the FA process.

[vegas492]

9 minutes ago, vegas492 said:

Gute seemed to have a price and stuck to it.  It hit a few, missed a few.  I for one like that he was active.  Gives me hope that he will continue to be active.  Doesn't mean he will sign the big guys, but at least we will be in more conversations. 

 

2 minutes ago, KingOfTheNorth said:

I completely agree with your grade on Gutes 1st attempt on the FA market. He was disciplined and aggressive throughout the FA process.

Disciplined aggression.  I love it!  

I think one could use Wilkerson as an example.  He came in...left and went a lot of other places.  Maybe he was trying to up his price and wanted to be here all along.  Maybe it even worked some.  But that deal and how it went down is a nice example of wanting a guy, but being disciplined in the approach.  Sure with hindsight and the injury it wasn't a good signing, but, it was a low risk thing.  

I wouldn't be opposed to giving Mo the same deal next year.

[Leader]

50 minutes ago, AlexGreen#20 said:

Isn't it the GM's job to be able to forecast what happens to these guys though?

I feel like you have to almost give a GM separate grades, one at the time and one in hindsight. 

I liked this year's decisions much better at the time than I do in hindsight. That's probably understandable. 

But it also begs the question, your average fan can make the correct decision at the time with all the info available. If you're going to be the smartest guy in the room and sit in the big chair, shouldn't you be hitting better than your average fan with the benefit of hindsight?

Okay - thats fair. Here's where I come from.

I'm a believer in the "team concept" - which in this context means that Gute is talking to his people: FO to coaches - to get a feel for upcoming schemes and player projections. Or let me put it another way - I certainly hope he is. I would think any reasonable, intelligent and results driven person in that position (not named Gruden) would probably interact with others to reach........in this instance, CMs projected 2018 prospects.

Then they have to consider where they're gonna devote resources. Then - and moving forward. Maybe it was thought - like in a business sense - 2018 wasnt the year to put resources into the position. Needs demanded them elsewhere.

Do I know any of this to be true (outside the conceptual outline?) - no - and you wont ever catch me proposing that I do.

I think (generally) Gute is turning the roster over - top to bottom - which takes time.

What his or the FOs schedule for expected results is? Dont know.

[Scoremore]

1 hour ago, Outpost31 said:

I think he didn't do enough to give us a chance on this season, but that set us up to be in a strong position going forward.

His job providing a competitive roster this year gets a D. 
His job setting up the franchise going forward gets a B. 

This following offseason is how he will be judged for the rest of his time here. 

Totally disagree.  Thought he put together a roster worthy of making a championship run.   He patched all our holes with the exception of OLB.  Our guys are OK there just not exceptional.  Injuries once again reared their ugly head and depleted the roster.  I was very impressed with the moves he made.  Gute had a great draft and signed some key free agents.  Injuries are not Gute's fault I blame our crap training staff for that.  Only criticism is he didn't address S.  Had a couple of FA's that could have helped us.  This team had it remained healthy could have made a deep run this year.  

Aaron goes down with a knee in the very first game.  We lose big MO.  King out with a hammy.  Cobb out with a hammy.  Taylor injured.  Daniels goes down.  Perry goes down.  Allison goes down.  Graham breaks his thumb.  It goes on and on.  Nothing new recurring theme every damn year.  They need to seriously evaluate the damn trainers.  They suck and have cost us year after year.  Hammies and groins.  Groins and hammies.  Enough already.  Some of these injuries aren't on them but many are.

[cannondale]

I'm still in shock that we used FA and the team isn't bankrupt. 

[coachbuns]

1 hour ago, Outpost31 said:

I think he didn't do enough to give us a chance on this season, but that set us up to be in a strong position going forward.

His job providing a competitive roster this year gets a D. 
His job setting up the franchise going forward gets a B. 

This following offseason is how he will be judged for the rest of his time here. 

I agree with the B for going forward.

This year a D is pretty low all considering.  He spent money on Graham with varying results depending who you talk to.  He spent money on Wilkerson who got hurt: who knew that would happen.  He spent money on Williams, Breeland and Bell.  Goodness, there wasn't much to pick from and he did pretty well from which he had to choose.  What would you have done instead to improve the grade from a D?   Can't do it in one season with just picking up players from the scrapheap.