2021 GB Roster & Free Agents

[Norse65]

I think we’re ok.  We were two plays away from the game last year and have much the same team. No major losses we shouldn’t already be able to replace.  A high impact defensive player in the first round or anywhere along the way and I see a solid team. And it’s not an old team. 

 I believe this team could become dominant with the right pick or picks at CB, DT, or another speedy aggressive  ILB/OLB.   I’ll trust that the FO have a plan. I believe this will be a long drawn out player acquisition season because of our cap situation.

I think the FO finds itself at a bit of a crossroads. They need to see Love play this offseason and if Rodgers can maintain at a high level. There are big decisions in the wind in the near future. All of these future crucial decisions affect the present cap strategy. I’m a fan and I do of course want to win now, but I certainly do understand that the job of the FO is full of more future considerations than my own narrow view. 
 

 

[craig]

1 hour ago, packfanfb said:

So, other than our upcoming rookie group, the Packers are basically looking at the EXACT same team other than: 

1. Corey Linsley
2. Jamaal Williams
3. Montravius Adams
4. Raven Greene
5. Tyler Ervin
6. Will Redmond
7. Lane Taylor

Plus a few other guys who were only with the team part of the year last season.

And Wagner.  Switching out 8 guys, most of whom played a lot of snaps, isn't really that EXACT same.  The two change groups will be OL and secondary.  Linsley and Wagner out, plus Bakhti hopefully for a limited duration, that's my biggest area of concern.

But the secondary too.  Redmond and Raven played a lot of snaps last year, combined almost 700 snaps.  Add in Jackson, over a thousand.  How MLF, Gute, and Barry figure to replace all those snaps will play a huge role in how the defense unfolds. 

And that's assuming Sullivan comes back.  Probable, yes; but to my recall he hasn't re-signed, yet, has he?  As a contract-match guy, it's not 100% impossible that some team might make him an offer that Gute might NOT end up matching?  I doubt it, but he isn't a sure thing yet, right?  

Obviously some early draft capital will go to secondary.  I wonder whether Gute will end up resigning Redmond or Raven?  I'm just really curious about what they're going to do about secondary.  As we well know from Rodgers, MM, and MLF, offenses tend to pick on the weakest links.   So what happens with secondary roles 5-6-7-8 this offseason and once play resumes is really fascinating to me. Especially since secondary seems to be one of the more injury-vulnerable position groups, speed and quickness and change of direction is so crucial, the odds are pretty high that  guys from the 6-7-8-9 spots on the current secondary ladder will get used.  Will they keep Jackson?  Will they use him more, or entrust snaps to him other than as boundary CB?  If they keep him at boundary only, will they still use him more by using Jaire or King in roles other than boundary more often?  I'm just really, really curious about how that will shake out and who Gute adds at what price.  

Glad to have Lancaster back.  The DL guys created zero pressure, so that's a huge concern.  But Lancaster is OK in run, and I'm less concerned about run defense than

[packfanfb]

3 minutes ago, craig said:

And Wagner.  Switching out 8 guys, most of whom played a lot of snaps, isn't really that EXACT same.  The two change groups will be OL and secondary.  Linsley and Wagner out, plus Bakhti hopefully for a limited duration, that's my biggest area of concern.

But the secondary too.  Redmond and Raven played a lot of snaps last year, combined almost 700 snaps.  Add in Jackson, over a thousand.  How MLF, Gute, and Barry figure to replace all those snaps will play a huge role in how the defense unfolds. 

And that's assuming Sullivan comes back.  Probable, yes; but to my recall he hasn't re-signed, yet, has he?  As a contract-match guy, it's not 100% impossible that some team might make him an offer that Gute might NOT end up matching?  I doubt it, but he isn't a sure thing yet, right?  

Obviously some early draft capital will go to secondary.  I wonder whether Gute will end up resigning Redmond or Raven?  I'm just really curious about what they're going to do about secondary.  As we well know from Rodgers, MM, and MLF, offenses tend to pick on the weakest links.   So what happens with secondary roles 5-6-7-8 this offseason and once play resumes is really fascinating to me. Especially since secondary seems to be one of the more injury-vulnerable position groups, speed and quickness and change of direction is so crucial, the odds are pretty high that  guys from the 6-7-8-9 spots on the current secondary ladder will get used.  Will they keep Jackson?  Will they use him more, or entrust snaps to him other than as boundary CB?  If they keep him at boundary only, will they still use him more by using Jaire or King in roles other than boundary more often?  I'm just really, really curious about how that will shake out and who Gute adds at what price.  

Glad to have Lancaster back.  The DL guys created zero pressure, so that's a huge concern.  But Lancaster is OK in run, and I'm less concerned about run defense than

Forgot about Wagner. I wouldn't mind bringing him back unless we draft an OT in the top 3 rounds. 

Don't want Redmond back because he sucks. Wouldn't bring Greene back either, the guy can't stay healthy. Time to move on there. 

I agree about Lancaster. He's not a bad player. He's limited, but useful. 

Packers are going to have to HIT in this draft, especially the first 3 rounds. We need players there who can contribute this season. Can't have another 2020 draft. 

[craig]

I'm probably dumb and something of a heretic.  But I'm good with bringing Lancaster back.  I'm sure he costs little.  I'm less concerned than much of Packer fandom about the d-line's run-capacity.  I'm actually as or more concerned about it's lack of interior pass pressure.  Obviously we're not going to have a dominant d-line, both run and pressure.  So, *if* we go far, it will need to occur without assuming a crushing dominant d-line like Tampa had.  Maybe that's a showstopper, but we know we can at least win 13 season game without it.  

So I'm glad to have Lancaster back cheap.  I thought in several of the playoff (Tampa) and late-season games (Tennessee), that the Packer run-contain was fine as is, with the existing personnel.  When they committed to it.  (Snacks didn't really factor much.). And that was all without Keke.  So while bringing largely the same group back wouldn't inspire, I'm not sure it would be a show-stopper for winning 13 games or getting through the first playoff round?  

Hopefully we do add somebody effective, somehow.  But I kinda think that some adjustments in defensive scheme could allow run defense to be adequate most of the time.  The key, if so, might be whether the secondary can cover the pass, if we prioritize or scheme to better contain run.  

Would be fun if Gute magically conjured up a gem in the draft.  Or if Keke took a significant step.  Or if Previlion emerged as a suprisingly capable guy.  Or if Barry has some ideas and usage of stunts and things that somehow boost the efficiency.  

Edited March 30, 2021 by craig

[Rainmaker90]

5 minutes ago, packfanfb said:

Forgot about Wagner. I wouldn't mind bringing him back unless we draft an OT in the top 3 rounds. 

Don't want Redmond back because he sucks. Wouldn't bring Greene back either, the guy can't stay healthy. Time to move on there. 

I agree about Lancaster. He's not a bad player. He's limited, but useful. 

Packers are going to have to HIT in this draft, especially the first 3 rounds. We need players there who can contribute this season. Can't have another 2020 draft. 

I would love to have a rookie positively contribute this year to the team. 
 

The reason why we lost to Tampa is not because of that. We left a lot of plays on the table and some of our stars didn’t play like stars.

The Packers need to worry about playing their best ball at the right time. The 2021 season isn’t/shouldn’t come down to who we draft this April. 

[Leader]

14 minutes ago, packfanfb said:

Forgot about Wagner. I wouldn't mind bringing him back unless we draft an OT in the top 3 rounds.

I think I read somewhere that he got like 60% of the snaps at OT......

Not sure about that.....but think that was the read.

[packfanfb]

36 minutes ago, Rainmaker90 said:

I would love to have a rookie positively contribute this year to the team. 
 

The reason why we lost to Tampa is not because of that. We left a lot of plays on the table and some of our stars didn’t play like stars.

The Packers need to worry about playing their best ball at the right time. The 2021 season isn’t/shouldn’t come down to who we draft this April. 

The draft can dramatically influence your season. The Bucs probably don't win the Super Bowl without Tristan Wirfs. Winfield was also a huge part of their defense as a rookie. Even Tyler Johnson made some huge plays in their playoff run (huge catch against NO in the divisional round, drawing the flag on King in our game). 

[incognito_man]

1 hour ago, packfanfb said:

Forgot about Wagner. I wouldn't mind bringing him back

He should have been a higher priority re-signing than King IMO.

[Gypsy1027]

2 minutes ago, incognito_man said:

He should have been a higher priority re-signing than King IMO.

I absolutely agree! A cheap, reliable starter at right tackle. Unless his knee surgery did not go well, he should have been signed and sealed already.

[cannondale]

Apparently Joe Barry is Buddy Ryan. He better be

[packfanfb]

5 minutes ago, cannondale said:

Apparently Joe Barry is Buddy Ryan. He better be

Internal development is going to be everything. Without adding outside talent, you're just betting on your own guys to get better. 

1. Preston Smith -- we need 2019 version
2. Kevin King -- we need 2019 version
3. Krys Barnes -- take a step in year 2
4. Kamal Martin - take a step in year 2
5. Gary -- another step in year 3
6. Savage - another step in year 3
7. Keke - another step in year 3

Finally, we need Z, Jaire and Clark to play like Pro Bowl/All Pro players as leaders of the defense. 

If several of these things don't happen, whether it's Barry, Pettine or whoever, we'll pretty much just be the same defense. 

[Refugee]

Lancaster and a long snapper are Grade A trolling by Gute for the fans who are freaking out in the offseason. Both are reasonable signings to the 90, especially at low $.  I only hope that they make the team if they are markedly better than the competition but there had better be some competition on the DL after draft/signings.

No idea if the PS rules will be adjusted this year but Lancaster is a guy I would love there. 

Edited March 30, 2021 by Refugee

[cannondale]

16 minutes ago, packfanfb said:

Internal development is going to be everything. Without adding outside talent, you're just betting on your own guys to get better. 

1. Preston Smith -- we need 2019 version
2. Kevin King -- we need 2019 version
3. Krys Barnes -- take a step in year 2
4. Kamal Martin - take a step in year 2
5. Gary -- another step in year 3
6. Savage - another step in year 3
7. Keke - another step in year 3

Finally, we need Z, Jaire and Clark to play like Pro Bowl/All Pro players as leaders of the defense. 

If several of these things don't happen, whether it's Barry, Pettine or whoever, we'll pretty much just be the same defense. 

One can hope. But I'd imagine 5 out of those 7 are who they are

[vegas492]

1 hour ago, incognito_man said:

He should have been a higher priority re-signing than King IMO.

 

59 minutes ago, Gypsy1027 said:

I absolutely agree! A cheap, reliable starter at right tackle. Unless his knee surgery did not go well, he should have been signed and sealed already.

Wagner still being a free agent shows that he should not have been a higher priority than King.

Wagner is a guy you bring in after the draft and maybe after camp.  Just like Veldheer.  Hopefully like Snacks.  Insurance.

We can bag on King all day long, but he's a starting corner in this league and he's still young.  

[vegas492]

49 minutes ago, packfanfb said:

Internal development is going to be everything. Without adding outside talent, you're just betting on your own guys to get better. 

1. Preston Smith -- we need 2019 version
2. Kevin King -- we need 2019 version
3. Krys Barnes -- take a step in year 2
4. Kamal Martin - take a step in year 2
5. Gary -- another step in year 3
6. Savage - another step in year 3
7. Keke - another step in year 3

Finally, we need Z, Jaire and Clark to play like Pro Bowl/All Pro players as leaders of the defense. 

If several of these things don't happen, whether it's Barry, Pettine or whoever, we'll pretty much just be the same defense. 

I'm waiting for Jaire to grab hold of the defense and declare that this is his unit.  Get a little mouthy.  Play angry.  Challenge teammates.  

I typically don't like that kind of thing, but if this defense is going to get better, I think Jaire has that cocky/arrogant side that would motivate his teammates on the field.