NFC North Rivals 2019 Talk

[Heinz D.]

4 hours ago, dll2000 said:

Where are Packers playing him?

He'll  have to be an OLB, don't you think? Which will be a position change and almost certainly require him to lose weight. So...big adjustments for an under producing college player. 

Terrible, terrible pick. 

[dll2000]

4 hours ago, soulman said:

I've read many articles that have found this to be true of pass rushers in particular.  It would appear that even in college you either have a knack for it or you don't.  It tough to coach into those who don't have that knack even with NFL coaching.

Floyd may be a good example of this.  He was not a dominant edge rusher at Georgia and has not shown he can be a dominant pass rusher in the NFL but as long as Mack is Floyd will bring consistent pressure and get some sacks when he rushes.

In a certain sense his versatility is actually a benefit since it's tougher to predict whether he'll rush, fall off in coverage, or spy a mobile QB and chase him down if he breaks out of the pocket.  He's not Mack because he's not the same player as Mack.

I was not a big fan of Floyd selection either. 

[Heinz D.]

26 minutes ago, dll2000 said:

I was not a big fan of Floyd selection either. 

Still a MUCH better college player than Gary, though. 

[soulman]

1 hour ago, dll2000 said:

I was not a big fan of Floyd selection either. 

Nor was I, or at least not as a pure edge rusher.  Many SEC "Tweener" types like Floyd have been drafted as pure rushers and failed.

But in Floyd's case I think he was fortunate to have been taken by the Bears.  Fangio was able to utilize him more like he was used at Georgia and as a result we have a more versatile OLB who can cover yet still rush and pressure when called for.  He may not be the pure sack artist Mack and others are but one thing he's very good at is also having the speed and athleticism to chase down mobile QBs who scramble away from trouble.  When you play Aaron Rodgers twice a year and many other teams are drafting QBs who can run having an OLB like Floyd who can limit that mobility is a plus.

I also give credit to Pace for realizing what he had in Floyd and what he didn't have which led him to making the trade for Mack.

If Floyd can give us 16 games of performing like he did the last 8 or 9 of 2018 I believe our evaluations of him will be on the rise.  Even though Pace picked up his option he still has to keep earning it through his negotiations for an extension and beyond.  Pace can always terminate it prior to the start of the 2020 league year so in effect he's still in his "contract year".  I don't believe his character or motivation have ever been an issue.  It's been his availability at 100% and his grasp of his role in the defense that have limited him somewhat.  He should be past both now or at least we can hope so.

[soulman]

5 hours ago, Heinz D. said:

He'll  have to be an OLB, don't you think? Which will be a position change and almost certainly require him to lose weight. So...big adjustments for an under producing college player. 

Terrible, terrible pick. 

I would think they would tend to use him as an ROLB much like Denver uses Chubb.  The only question may be does he have Chubb's ability to pass rush without an edge partner like Von Miller playing opposite him?  In size and speed both Gary and Chubb are fairly similar.

But with a guy like Gary there's also the possibility of having him add 15-20lbs and making him into a 3-4 DE and possibly moving him inside as a 3 tech DT on obvious passing downs.  He may be tough for OGs to handle playing inside and pass rushing as a one gap DT.

Whatever Pettine decides to do with him it seems to me that GB bought in far more on Gary's potential than on his college production.

[dll2000]

14 hours ago, Heinz D. said:

He'll  have to be an OLB, don't you think? Which will be a position change and almost certainly require him to lose weight. So...big adjustments for an under producing college player. 

Terrible, terrible pick. 

My guess is they try him at OLB and quickly move him to 3-4 DE.

[dll2000]

https://www.twincities.com/2019/05/14/vikings-sign-first-round-pick-garrett-bradbury-restructure-eric-kendricks-deal/

Vikings so hard against cap that they have restructure deals to sign draft picks.

[BEAR FACE DOWN ARROW]

2 hours ago, dll2000 said:

https://www.twincities.com/2019/05/14/vikings-sign-first-round-pick-garrett-bradbury-restructure-eric-kendricks-deal/

Vikings so hard against cap that they have restructure deals to sign draft picks.

How did the GB cap situation work out? I recall there was some concern there. 

[Sugashane]

1 hour ago, dll2000 said:

https://www.twincities.com/2019/05/14/vikings-sign-first-round-pick-garrett-bradbury-restructure-eric-kendricks-deal/

Vikings so hard against cap that they have restructure deals to sign draft picks.

This is what Pace and Co is going to have to bust their butts and be very pragmatic to avoid in a few years.

We have Tru -- a young emerging QB - who will probably briefly be the highest paid QB in the NFL. Mack is a first ballet HOF player. Eddie Jackson looks to be Ed Reed's reincarnate. Roquan looks to be the next HOF MLB to go in line of Urlacher, Singletary, Butkus. These guys are likely all going to be, just as Mack, the highest paid players at their positions in the league when extended. Then you have guys like Whitehair and Daniels who are looking like longterm studs at their spots, Fuller will be 30 so his biggest deal is done, but as his game isn't based on speed he could have another big deal easily as our number 1 CB. Nichols could be a well compensated player if he keeps progressing.Cohen is a weapon but how much will he command? He isn't Bell or Elliott, he is a weird hybrid player. Miller is going to be paid like a number one if he can stay healthy.

 

All these guys are going to get paid, and our guys are going to want to be paid well for being good to elite. So I am betting Pace is going to have to be "heartless" with some deals and trade or let some talent walk for compensatory picks. Of course there will be ways to work around things, but Pace is going to have to continue nailing the draft  to keep the roster stacked anywhere like it is now.

[dll2000]

3 minutes ago, RunningVaccs said:

How did the GB cap situation work out? I recall there was some concern there. 

They look like they will be tight too.  Tight is not over though.

Kinda sucks that every team in our division including Detroit thinks they are a contender and is spending accordingly.

I guess we know next year they will be stuck mostly with what they have so they better like it. 

 

[dafreak]

18 hours ago, Heinz D. said:

He'll  have to be an OLB, don't you think? Which will be a position change and almost certainly require him to lose weight. So...big adjustments for an under producing college player. 

Terrible, terrible pick. 

Agree, perhaps the worst pick of the first round. Good for Bears fans though!  

[Heinz D.]

18 hours ago, soulman said:

But in Floyd's case I think he was fortunate to have been taken by the Bears.  Fangio was able to utilize him more like he was used at Georgia and as a result we have a more versatile OLB who can cover yet still rush and pressure when called for.  He may not be the pure sack artist Mack and others are but one thing he's very good at is also having the speed and athleticism to chase down mobile QBs who scramble away from trouble.  When you play Aaron Rodgers twice a year and many other teams are drafting QBs who can run having an OLB like Floyd who can limit that mobility is a plus.

I also give credit to Pace for realizing what he had in Floyd and what he didn't have which led him to making the trade for Mack.

Preach.

9 hours ago, dll2000 said:

My guess is they try him at OLB and quickly move him to 3-4 DE.

He'd have to gain weight AND strength in that scenario. That happens he'll likely bust. Hard. 

[soulman]

Interesting.  Is the Packers front office becoming like the Bears of old under Mikey McCaskey and/or Ted Phillips?

Report: Matt LaFleur didn't have full-control of hiring coaches

ByBrian Jones May 14, 10:09 AM

 

https://247sports.com/nfl/chicago-bears/Article/Matt-LaFleur-assistant-coaches-no-full-control-hiring--132023641/?utm_source=247Sports Newsletter&utm_medium=Newsletter&utm_campaign=190516_094043_Chicago Bears&utm_content=Link&liveconnect=C3-52-7D-DF-F0-AF-8E-1A-53-7F-74-41-9D-F1-31-5F190516_094043ChicagoBears

 

Matt LaFleur is expected to do some big things as the new head coach of the Green Bay Packers. However, he might not have as much control as other head coaches in the league when it comes to his staff.

According to Tom Silverstein of PackersNews.com, LaFleur was not the only one to make decisions on hiring assistant coaches. Silverstein points of when LaFleur wanted to hire Darren Rizzi as the special teams coach. Rizzi interviewed for the position, but the Packers offered him a smaller contract than requested despite the Packers knowing what Rizzi wanted in order to sign.

"LaFleur was excited about hiring highly regarded Miami special teams coach Darren Rizzi, who was not returning to the Dolphins and had told the Packers he would come up for an interview but was not going to sign for less than three years and total of $4.5 million," Silverstein wrote. 

"Rizzi was told to come. He and LaFleur hit it off in their interview, the source said. But when it came time to talk about a contract, the Packers offered Rizzi less than he was seeking and Rizzi felt he had been led astray."

That led to Rizzi signing with the New Orleans Saints and he signed for three years and $4.5 million. Silverstein also pointed out that LaFleur interviewed former Packers offensive line coach James Campen for two days and it looked like he was going to keep tight ends coach Brian Angelichio and defense pass game coordinator Joe Whitt. However, none of the coaches were retained including Whitt who was fired. Silverstein said those coaches were let go because they were part of former head coach Mike McCarthy's staff and Russ Ball, the team's executive vice president and the director of football operations, played a role in it. However, Packers president and CEO Mark Murphy denied any of these claims.

“Matt was allowed to make his own decisions,” Murphy said.

This is part of the power structure Murphy put in place last year when he hired Brian Gutekunst as the new general manager. What it comes down to is Murphy is the one Gutekunst, LaFleur and Ball answer which is something you don't see a lot in the NFL. 

Packers reporter Rob Reischel of Forbes talked to Murphy about the change last year and he said he's liked what he's seen so far.

“Well, we’ll see how things play out,” Murphy said. “But my hope was it would improve communication.

“And quite honestly, with a new general manager, a first time general manager, putting him in a position where he can have success and really focus on the most important part of his job, which is the draft and acquiring players and determining the 90-man (roster) and the 53-man roster, I think it’s worked well so far.”

One thing to note about the coaching staff is Murphy was the one to hire LaFleur instead of Gutekunst. So if things don't improve for the Packers this season, Murphy will take the heat for the decisions he has made the last two years.

Edited May 16, 2019 by soulman

[dafreak]

1 hour ago, soulman said:

Interesting.  Is the Packers front office becoming like the Bears of old under Mikey McCaskey and/or Ted Phillips?

Report: Matt LaFleur didn't have full-control of hiring coaches

ByBrian Jones May 14, 10:09 AM

 

https://247sports.com/nfl/chicago-bears/Article/Matt-LaFleur-assistant-coaches-no-full-control-hiring--132023641/?utm_source=247Sports Newsletter&utm_medium=Newsletter&utm_campaign=190516_094043_Chicago Bears&utm_content=Link&liveconnect=C3-52-7D-DF-F0-AF-8E-1A-53-7F-74-41-9D-F1-31-5F190516_094043ChicagoBears

 

Matt LaFleur is expected to do some big things as the new head coach of the Green Bay Packers. However, he might not have as much control as other head coaches in the league when it comes to his staff.

According to Tom Silverstein of PackersNews.com, LaFleur was not the only one to make decisions on hiring assistant coaches. Silverstein points of when LaFleur wanted to hire Darren Rizzi as the special teams coach. Rizzi interviewed for the position, but the Packers offered him a smaller contract than requested despite the Packers knowing what Rizzi wanted in order to sign.

"LaFleur was excited about hiring highly regarded Miami special teams coach Darren Rizzi, who was not returning to the Dolphins and had told the Packers he would come up for an interview but was not going to sign for less than three years and total of $4.5 million," Silverstein wrote. 

"Rizzi was told to come. He and LaFleur hit it off in their interview, the source said. But when it came time to talk about a contract, the Packers offered Rizzi less than he was seeking and Rizzi felt he had been led astray."

That led to Rizzi signing with the New Orleans Saints and he signed for three years and $4.5 million. Silverstein also pointed out that LaFleur interviewed former Packers offensive line coach James Campen for two days and it looked like he was going to keep tight ends coach Brian Angelichio and defense pass game coordinator Joe Whitt. However, none of the coaches were retained including Whitt who was fired. Silverstein said those coaches were let go because they were part of former head coach Mike McCarthy's staff and Russ Ball, the team's executive vice president and the director of football operations, played a role in it. However, Packers president and CEO Mark Murphy denied any of these claims.

“Matt was allowed to make his own decisions,” Murphy said.

This is part of the power structure Murphy put in place last year when he hired Brian Gutekunst as the new general manager. What it comes down to is Murphy is the one Gutekunst, LaFleur and Ball answer which is something you don't see a lot in the NFL. 

Packers reporter Rob Reischel of Forbes talked to Murphy about the change last year and he said he's liked what he's seen so far.

“Well, we’ll see how things play out,” Murphy said. “But my hope was it would improve communication.

“And quite honestly, with a new general manager, a first time general manager, putting him in a position where he can have success and really focus on the most important part of his job, which is the draft and acquiring players and determining the 90-man (roster) and the 53-man roster, I think it’s worked well so far.”

One thing to note about the coaching staff is Murphy was the one to hire LaFleur instead of Gutekunst. So if things don't improve for the Packers this season, Murphy will take the heat for the decisions he has made the last two years.

Wow, sounds like a mess. Everything is in place for a train wreck.

[soulman]

44 minutes ago, dafreak said:

Wow, sounds like a mess. Everything is in place for a train wreck.

Tough to call it just yet but you have to wonder about the wisdom of having a CEO whose going over his GM's head to hire a HC AND won't hire coaches his HC badly wants to have or keep.  And I don't buy Murphy's bit that it was all up to LaFleur anymore than I believe John Fox was ever Ryan Pace's first choice for HC after he was hired.

Not only does this remind me of how we ended up with Emery/Trestman over maybe hiring Toub or Arians and keeping Marinelli as DC and Emery also insisting on replacing him with Mel Tucker but it also harkens back to when Mikey was in charge and he announced hiring Dave McGinnis before they had agreed on a contract and the level of McGinnis' authority over hiring his staff.  That McCaskey was notoriously cheap about coaching hires.

Thank God we no longer have that problem and it's showing up in the W/L column.  Not only do we have one of the better rosters in the NFL but we also have one of the best coaching staffs.

Edited May 16, 2019 by soulman