2019 Draft Thoughts

[Chili]

12 minutes ago, deathstar said:

We signed Amos, with this logic why would we draft Savage?

These guys are FS. Amos is more like a SS.

[JaireAlex]

Chicago bombed it. They gave up picks and $$$$ for Mack and then MOVED UP (!!!!) for a RB in a weak RB class for their first pick. And took another RB besides. The icing on the cake will be when "Juice" outperforms their RBs, which is possible but not given.

 

Mack is a negative not a positive. Picks plus $$$$ is a great way to find yourself back in the cellar soon. But to target the weakest part of the draft is firable. Makes Gute look like the genius of the NFC though. I was shocked at what Chicago gave up for a non QB FA, but just as shocked at how they drafted in a deep edge-DL class.

[JaireAlex]

Review of picks. Gute and everyone in the pressers said they went strict BPA. I see that 100%. MLF also said they had a couple choices at every pick and ACTUALLY got most the guys they had targeted. That almost NEVER  happens. Very very lucky. I do wonder who the other choices were at each pick. From MLF's presser also sounds like they had a couple heated disagreements at a couple spots.

1) Gary. Dude got ridiculous, very undeserved bad publicity. Concensus top ten. Perfect fit. Great value at twelve. Very very young, younger than age. A kid who just needs to grow up. Could be the best of the draft. Should be solid at least. Very decent floor with him.

2) Savage. Gute said he thinks he can be "that" guy. Hope he's right. That would be the steal. If not, he is still an excellent fit and great baller. You move up for a once in five years prospect. That's what they hope for. But that is definitely projection. Again, a high floor and very nice fit with Amos and Pettine. One of few safeties who can play every spot. Won the DB award at Senior Bowl.

3) Jenkins. Only pick that wasn't better than the spot. He's 24. That makes him round two. But he can be a plus guard and back up all spots. Usually we draft developmental and young guys. This screams "we need help NOW." The line is priority and in worse shape than fans think. Good pick but would have preferred a move back myself. Turner, Madison, and Jenkins are very much needed help on this OL. Solid pick and biggest help at the weakest spot on Offense.

4) Jace. After Hock the best fit for Rodgers in the draft. AR will love him. Great hands and routes. Rich Rod worked really well with AR. This is a HR and the TE we've been waiting for. Be happy. Nice value. Top of the board per Gute.

5) Keke. Wow. How was he here? Best value by far. Better than Dramont Jones and maybe every DL after round one. Another great fit. Every single pick to this point is such a fit.

6) A try hard. 6th round value. Older. SPARQ.

7) Juice. Blocking and catching are mere projection. But great vision and a very nice cut. Glad we got a pure runner (with "potential" 3rd down). Needed a backup for MLF here. Could be a 6th round stud like Jones. Much faster than timed. (And Chicago is stupid)

8) Summers. solid backup and special teams. ONLY real injury concern. But 7th.

UDFA -- Shocked we didn't get one of the WRs here. GB scoured the draft at receiver. Almost cannot believe it really. 10-20 draftable WRs went UDFA. I thought we would get a returner/slot guy like Hart or Thompson. Didn't even sign the guys we tried out. Something is not right here. Wonder why GB couldn't sign anyone. Not a big worry since we have 9 guys in that room and last year's class is already very good. Still I expected someone smaller with serious speed and there are plenty of guys that could have at least been brought in for camp.

Edited April 28, 2019 by JaireAlex

[Chili]

 

[Leader]

30 minutes ago, JaireAlex said:

UDFA -- Shocked we didn't get one of the WRs here. GB scoured the draft at receiver. Almost cannot believe it really. 10-20 draftable WRs went UDFA. I thought we would get a returner/slot guy like Hart or Thompson. Didn't even sign the guys we tried out. Something is not right here. Wonder why GB couldn't sign anyone. Not a big worry since we have 9 guys in that room and last year's class is already very good. Still I expected someone smaller with serious speed and there are plenty of guys that could have at least been brought in for camp.

Maybe we didnt get a UDFA because they saw how full the room was already and decided to take their shot at a different roster.

[spilltray]

Top to bottom, I think they did well.

1. Gary - moan about his lack of stats all you want. Watch him and get back to me. He played well as a power end but physically looks like an edge. I see a good football player on tape. I'm not sure if he'll end up being a high end pass rusher, but I see every reason to think he could, and confident he can be a decent player, even if I'm not sure where his best role will be.

 

2. Savage - A FS type who likes to hit? Sounds great. The cost to move up was good to. Not really much not to like about this pick.

 

3. Jenkins - here I like the player but hate the slot. He looks like a solid player but he's a g/c prospect and 44 is enough of a premium pick. That's my only complaint here 

 

4. Sternberger I like at this slot for GB. He has nice hands and should be an option to attack the middle of the field. 

 

The late rounds we're solid. Good athletes, nice prospects. Williams late is a nice pickup at RB. Obvious ability, even with the red flags. We will see if any of them stick and develop.

[squire12]

32 minutes ago, JaireAlex said:

Review of picks. Gute and everyone in the pressers said they went strict BPA. I see that 100%. MLF also said they had a couple choices at every pick and ACTUALLY got most the guys they had targeted. That almost NEVER  happens. Very very lucky. I do wonder who the other choices were at each pick. From MLF's presser also sounds like they had a couple heated disagreements at a couple spots.

1) Gary. Dude got ridiculous, very undeserved bad publicity. Concensus top ten. Perfect fit. Great value at twelve. Very very young, younger than age. A kid who just needs to grow up. Could be the best of the draft. Should be solid at least. Very decent floor with him.

I viewed him as a tweener.  Hope the staff puts him in a spot and let's him acclimate to the NFL game.  Fits the edge mold that Pettine appears to prefer.

32 minutes ago, JaireAlex said:

2) Savage. Gute said he thinks he can be "that" guy. Hope he's right. That would be the steal. If not, he is still an excellent fit and great baller. You move up for a once in five years prospect. That's what they hope for. But that is definitely projection. Again, a high floor and very nice fit with Amos and Pettine. One of few safeties who can play every spot. Won the DB award at Senior Bowl.

Very excited to see him play.  He jumps off the screen when you watch him.  Should help the entire secondary improve.  Safety position in 2018 left a lot of plays on the field with Brice and HaHa.

32 minutes ago, JaireAlex said:

3) Jenkins. Only pick that wasn't better than the spot. He's 24. That makes him round two. But he can be a plus guard and back up all spots. Usually we draft developmental and young guys. This screams "we need help NOW." The line is priority and in worse shape than fans think. Good pick but would have preferred a move back myself. Turner, Madison, and Jenkins are very much needed help on this OL. Solid pick and biggest help at the weakest spot on Offense.

I get the concern with older, but if you get a starter for the majority of the rookie deal and a likely 2nd contract player, that is more than enough.  As @CWood21 noted, GB rarely give 3rd contracts to players (Rodgers, Nelson, Crosby, Woodson).  Agree that Jenkins likely pushes for snaps at 1 of the OG spots.

32 minutes ago, JaireAlex said:

4) Jace. After Hock the best fit for Rodgers in the draft. AR will love him. Great hands and routes. Rich Rod worked really well with AR. This is a HR and the TE we've been waiting for. Be happy. Nice value. Top of the board per Gute.

3rd TE that gets to mature physically and develop.  Lots of plus attributes.  College production matters here.

32 minutes ago, JaireAlex said:

5) Keke. Wow. How was he here? Best value by far. Better than Dramont Jones and maybe every DL after round one. Another great fit. Every single pick to this point is such a fit.

Really like this pick as well,  looking to 2020 with this pick really with Daniels and Lowry being FA next seadon.  If he gets rotational snaps in 2019, he is either earning them or GB has injuries in the DL.

32 minutes ago, JaireAlex said:

6) A try hard. 6th round value. Older. SPARQ.

Lottery time.  Like Jenkins, if you get 3-4 good roster worthy years, it is a plus.  H/W/S is there to work with.  Trust the staff to develop it.   Core ST option as well

32 minutes ago, JaireAlex said:

7) Juice. Blocking and catching are mere projection. But great vision and a very nice cut. Glad we got a pure runner (with "potential" 3rd down). Needed a backup for MLF here. Could be a 6th round stud like Jones. Much faster than timed. (And Chicago is stupid)

Hearing the story about his mom, I think his off field issues are behind him.  Seems to be dedicated to make the most of his chance.  Cut and go type runner.

32 minutes ago, JaireAlex said:

8) Summers. solid backup and special teams. ONLY real injury concern. But 7th.

ST option.  Athletic and tackles well.

32 minutes ago, JaireAlex said:

UDFA -- Shocked we didn't get one of the WRs here. GB scoured the draft at receiver. Almost cannot believe it really. 10-20 draftable WRs went UDFA. I thought we would get a returner/slot guy like Hart or Thompson. Didn't even sign the guys we tried out. Something is not right here. Wonder why GB couldn't sign anyone. Not a big worry since we have 9 guys in that room and last year's class is already very good. Still I expected someone smaller with serious speed and there are plenty of guys that could have at least been brought in for camp.

I think UDFA WR might see a pretty crowded room.

Adams, allison, MVS, EQ, Moore, Davis, Kumerow.  All have seen NFL snaps or were draft picks by GB.  Not much room really.   

Returner good be Alexander, Josh Jackson, Davis

[JaireAlex]

23 minutes ago, Leader said:

Maybe we didnt get a UDFA because they saw how full the room was already and decided to take their shot at a different roster.

I would like to think that. It's possible they didn't like any of the UDFAs or guys they brought in. I just have a real hard time believing it.

And NE stole their UDFA TE Beck. But I am not worried about TE and Gute even said it wasn't a priority. Jace was just there and it was a deep TE draft.

Seems they couldn't sign their guys this year. That's just my personal take. After all the time spent on WR, I am surprised. It was heavily reported and obvious. I know they were outbid by AR for Isabella. Pauline talked a lot about that predraft. But not to bring the UDFAs in. And that WR room has a couple very iffy guys. Who's our return man???

Edit: Don't get me wrong. Aside from UDFA, I thought this was GB's best draft I ever followed. Love the value and picks. And they got all "their guys". Even had choices. That never happens, esp for GB.

Edited April 28, 2019 by JaireAlex

[Chili]

Out of all the predraft visits, these are the ones that ended up joining us.

1. Jace Sternberger (TE) -- April 1

6. Randy Ramsey (EDGE) -- April 4

15. Ka'Dar Hollman (CB) -- April 15

27. Curtis Bolton (ILB)

 

Edited April 28, 2019 by Chili

[Golfman]

2 minutes ago, Chili said:

Out of all the predraft visits, these one the ones that ended up joining us.

1. Jace Sternberger (TE) -- April 1

6. Randy Ramsey (EDGE) -- April 4

15. Ka'Dar Hollman (CB) -- April 15

27. Curtis Bolton (ILB)

 

I hope that is not a bad omen right there. 

[Mr. Fussnputz]

Maybe I'm wrong, but some people were assuming that a pre-draft visit meant the Packers were liking a guy. You have to remember, maybe the pre-draft visit made the Packers not like a guy. Pre-draft visits work both ways. 

[ROBOKOP]

Well, over time I have learned to take a tempered approach to how I view the draft.  Objectively, most of the pre-draft hype surrounding certain players which is the basis for most mock drafts isn't the best or most accurate information out there.  Meanwhile, there are hundreds if not thousands of people that get paid a lot of money to evaluate these players from many different angles and perspectives.  Even with all of this information with measurable, physical talents, and statistics, it will still always be a gamble making a draft pick.  It is up to each team to weigh in how much of a gamble they are willing to make.  Do you take the physical specimen with a huge upside, or do you take the hard worker with a good head on his shoulders?  At any rate, I think this offseason has a lot to be excited about.  The Packers have grown stale the past few years and as fans we have chased a false hope of things getting better.  Now with new leadership on the entire team and new talent infused in many positions, there is an actual tangible reason for hope.  Some might be disappointed that the Packers didn't draft the next Julio Jones, but you cannot argue that the team didn't get better this past weekend.  The defense has a lot of new faces and young talent and it is now up to Mike Pettine to mold this group into an effective force.  We can cross our fingers and hope Rodgers as well as others are inspired by a refreshing new outlook on offense instead of the old tired playbook.  So in the end, there are a lot of variables, but we will all be watching on opening day with a lot of anticipation to see the finished product at work.      

[JaireAlex]

8 minutes ago, Mr. Fussnputz said:

Maybe I'm wrong, but some people were assuming that a pre-draft visit meant the Packers were liking a guy. You have to remember, maybe the pre-draft visit made the Packers not like a guy. Pre-draft visits work both ways. 

Absolutely. 

Just the plan at WR this off season did not work. I feel the room is very well stacked. But they definitely need at upgrade at return man and small slot ---- I mean we don't have one. Raiders jumped us for Renfrow and AR outbid us for Isabella. I do think Keke is waaaaaay better value than Renfrow. But other teams knew the plan there. We weren't exactly hiding it. The whole league knew what position we were targeting 

[coachbuns]

17 hours ago, PackGymRat said:

MVS has speed and I am high on him. The fact that he didn’t get a higher use on offense makes me stumped wether it was MM being stupid or other factors such as route running issues.

MM relied soley on his receivers getting open on their own.  No bunches, no picks, no movements ... nothing.  I'm looking for big improvement this year but not holding my breath; a new system and another year under the belt hopefully has good results.  

[Spartacus]

Good news is the rest of the NFC North didn't really get better.