The Looking Ahead Thread

[Bucksfans1and2]

The way I look at it

QB is fine, Rodgers. and while Harrell isn't great BJ Coleman is behind him ready to step in next year.

RB is questionable. I'm personally an Alex Green fan and think he has massive potential should the line ever get it right. Behind him Starks is adequate and Benson is marginally better than Starks. Whether Benson is brought back is a big question, probably will come down to the money, in which case I see Benson finding work elsewhere. Wouldn't at all mind a more traditional back than Green selected in the middle to late rounds.

FB is irrelevant. I dislike Kuhn and think he's overpaid. Don't care enough to do anything more than maybe bring in a street free agent to compete with him for the spot.

TE is a question mark for me. I'm ready to cut ties with Finley. Guy is paid too much and does too little. Doesn't block, doesn't catch consistently and doesn't run the right route way too often. Quarless is more receiver than blocker though he does try, and Crabtree has developed into a decently balanced TE, but he doesn't have star potential. DJ Williams remains MIA during the regular season and Ryan Talor is a ST player only. Wouldn't at all mind an early pick on a balanced TE with star potential.

WR is solid despite probably losing Jennings and Driver. Wouldn't at all be opposed to another guy being taken early, especially if it's good value at the time. Getting a guy who needs to be covered by a legitamate boundary corner means that Cobb and Jones are in the slot against teams #3 and #4 corners. They're doing fine against #2s and #3s imagine what they'd do against the really bad CBs that most teams have at #4.

Offensive Tackle, I trust TT. I believe Sherrod will be the guy when he gets a chance. It won't be this year but it would be nice to solidify the position for the future. The problem with drafting a LT is that it's a premium position and guys who are going to be good/great ones get taken way before the Packers get a chance to pick. Probably just going to end up with an average LT, which is exactly what we have in Newhouse, (yes he's progressed to average). Bulaga is very good just as long as you don't put him in position to fail like we have been when he's had his "bad games. Like to see him overcome that, but it's just not his game. Tackle is fine, and even if it isn't, Sherrod is going to get a fair shake at that LT spot. Would be stunned if one was taken early, especially because I think that the staff can stomach Newhouse at LT.

Guard, we're set. TJ and Josh have been alright, but playing next to Saturday is tough. Guy needs constant help, with the calls and with blocking. I can understand how an inexperienced guy like TJ is having a rough go of it this year. The difference between Wells and Saturday is striking. Wells made the guys around him better, Saturday does the opposite.

Center is a definite need. Saturday needs to go before his body deteriorates any further and he drags down the entire line leaving Rodgers to get killed. Guy just doesn't have it anymore. I wouldn't mind at all taking a Center in the first round if the guy is going to be elite, not sure how TT feels about the positional importance which will probably dictate this pick as much as the market for Centers. EDS might get a shot but I think everybody prefers he stays as the swing interior lineman.

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NT is staffed with Raji as a starter and Picket most likely sliding in to play a relief role as he gets more worn down with age. Could see a midround pick being spent on a space eater inside, because Pickett won't play forever.

DE is probably already staffed. Worthy is good, Daniels will get a look before a decision is made with him. Mike Neal seems to be performing admirably and CJ Wilson is the second stoutest run defender on the team after Pickett. Unless Star Loutelli falls I have a hard time seeing a DE being selected early. All are under 26.

OLB is solid. Clay is the second best defender in the NFL and Perry looked good before he got hurt. He's only going to get better as he gets more experience and Kevin Greene continues to work with him. Some depth couldn't hurt because neither Walden nor Moses should be trusted to start in case of an injury.

ILB is what it is. Bishop is good when healthy, Hawk and Smith are both decent, and Jones is the best coverage Inside backer on the roster. Maybe Terrell Manning comes through as something too. No true stud in this group, but enough decent players that it isn't the end of the world.

CB is young and talented, House and Hayward both look real good in limited snaps. Tramon is still around and will be for a few more years. Shields looks like a decent CB. Bush is still a beast on specials. Even if Woodson is gone next year you could probably head into the year with just this group, wouldn't mind picking up a guy late but not really a need.

Safety, I like McMillian and Burnett. Jennings is decent depth but could use another guy and if a legitimate stud is available, I could easily justify spending an early pick.

Specials are fine

[Marley2Hendrix]

Evan Silva ‏@evansilva
SI's Peter King mentioned Dwayne Bowe & Steven Jackson as trade candidates. But KC, STL would want "at least" a 3rd-rounder to give them up.

[Kerb Hohl]

I know that you're speaking more to Jackson, and on the other thread, I noted that I'm not a fan of trading for him at his age for a 3rd, the way he's playing.

As for Bowe, I'm sure it was just included in the article that you're posting and you're not suggesting it is relevant to us, but for **** and giggles I'll respond to the thought: Given that we have shown we can throw without Jennings, I'll tough it out through the bye without Jordy and hopefully get Jennings back in week 12 or 13..

[El Duderino]

Yea, Jackson has a ton of carries on those legs of his and he's in the last year of his deal. A 3rd is a hefty price tag for potentially less than eight games.

The trade in retrospect which Ted whiffed on was Marshawn Lynch. I'd certainly rather have him than the third spent on Alex Green and Lynch wasn't in the last year of his deal. Oh well, hopefully next draft Thompson will finally hit on a back. That's been the position he's failed the land any real playmakers at.

[RiotPunch]

Oh well, hopefully next draft Thompson will finally hit on a back. That's been the position he's failed the land any real playmakers at.

Andre Ellington or Kenjon Barner, please.

[HurricaneKid]

The trade in retrospect which Ted whiffed on was Marshawn Lynch. I'd certainly rather have him than the third spent on Alex Green and Lynch wasn't in the last year of his deal.

I keep reading this. Its upsetting me that folks don't grasp exactly what they are suggesting.

Alex Green 4 yrs 2.58M
Marshawn Lynch 4 yrs 31M.

So its more "I would rather have M Lynch than":

Alex Green
Jordy Nelson
Jarrett Bush
Erik Walden
Dez Moses


Because those are the FAs they signed and the draft pick they used with what they would have given Lynch. Thats not to say they wouldn't have extended Nelson anyways, but comparing a guy they have under contract for this year and two more at 600k/ to a guy that had to be extended at a cost of ~8M/ is absurd.

[ReasonablySober]

The trade in retrospect which Ted whiffed on was Marshawn Lynch. I'd certainly rather have him than the third spent on Alex Green and Lynch wasn't in the last year of his deal.

I keep reading this. Its upsetting me that folks don't grasp exactly what they are suggesting.

Alex Green 4 yrs 2.58M
Marshawn Lynch 4 yrs 31M.

So its more "I would rather have M Lynch than":

Alex Green
Jordy Nelson
Jarrett Bush
Erik Walden
Dez Moses


Because those are the FAs they signed and the draft pick they used with what they would have given Lynch. Thats not to say they wouldn't have extended Nelson anyways, but comparing a guy they have under contract for this year and two more at 600k/ to a guy that had to be extended at a cost of ~8M/ is absurd.

Yea, that's wrong.

Jordy Nelson signed his extension on October 2, 2011.

Lynch signed his contract on March 5th, 2012.

They could have had Lynch for a season and a half and then simply let him walk. Or they could have franchised him for $7 million.

[emunney]

I would rather have Lynch than:

AJ Hawk.

Case closed.

[Marley2Hendrix]

I would rather have Lynch than:

AJ Hawk.

Case closed.

, I understand OP's point, but that was my exact reaction as well when reading his Lynch for Nelson et al., argument.

[HurricaneKid]

The trade in retrospect which Ted whiffed on was Marshawn Lynch. I'd certainly rather have him than the third spent on Alex Green and Lynch wasn't in the last year of his deal.

I keep reading this. Its upsetting me that folks don't grasp exactly what they are suggesting.

Alex Green 4 yrs 2.58M
Marshawn Lynch 4 yrs 31M.

So its more "I would rather have M Lynch than":

Alex Green
Jordy Nelson
Jarrett Bush
Erik Walden
Dez Moses


Because those are the FAs they signed and the draft pick they used with what they would have given Lynch. Thats not to say they wouldn't have extended Nelson anyways, but comparing a guy they have under contract for this year and two more at 600k/ to a guy that had to be extended at a cost of ~8M/ is absurd.

Yea, that's wrong.

Jordy Nelson signed his extension on October 2, 2011.

Lynch signed his contract on March 5th, 2012.

They could have had Lynch for a season and a half and then simply let him walk. Or they could have franchised him for $7 million.

It was hard to do since most players were signed earlier or were on rookie deals. But the point remains. NFL teams are built from the draft because you can control their costs and you get the players at their physical peaks.

[El Duderino]

The trade in retrospect which Ted whiffed on was Marshawn Lynch. I'd certainly rather have him than the third spent on Alex Green and Lynch wasn't in the last year of his deal.

I keep reading this. Its upsetting me that folks don't grasp exactly what they are suggesting.

Alex Green 4 yrs 2.58M
Marshawn Lynch 4 yrs 31M.

So its more "I would rather have M Lynch than":

Alex Green
Jordy Nelson
Jarrett Bush
Erik Walden
Dez Moses


Because those are the FAs they signed and the draft pick they used with what they would have given Lynch. Thats not to say they wouldn't have extended Nelson anyways, but comparing a guy they have under contract for this year and two more at 600k/ to a guy that had to be extended at a cost of ~8M/ is absurd.

Yea, that's wrong.

Jordy Nelson signed his extension on October 2, 2011.

Lynch signed his contract on March 5th, 2012.

They could have had Lynch for a season and a half and then simply let him walk. Or they could have franchised him for $7 million.

That's one reason why i like DeAngelo Williams much more than Jackson. If Ted acquired Wlliams, he could potentially be more than a one year rental like Lynch. His salary next year is only 4.75 million and none of it is guaranteed given Carolina paid all of his bonuses. That's less than Hawk makes.