Rapoport: Packers To Be Big Spenders On D

[BUCKnation]

With the guys we have, I actually think it would be smart to have 4 RB's. All of them are talented in their own way. Lacy is going to need more rest this season and a hopefully healthy Starks and Harris can help in that respect. Franklin will be nice to have too.

[emunney]

I don't think we'll end up keeping all four backs.

I could see it happening if:

1. One of them shows big strides in picking up the blitz.
2. We get a TE that can also function as a fullback. Kind of the reason I wanted Garrett Graham when he was available as I think he is an excellent "jack of all trades" type TE. Not great at any one thing, but at least average at everything.

3. No more Kuhn. 2 back backfields with Starks and Lacy.

[Godgers]

I don't think we'll end up keeping all four backs.

I could see it happening if:

1. One of them shows big strides in picking up the blitz.
2. We get a TE that can also function as a fullback. Kind of the reason I wanted Garrett Graham when he was available as I think he is an excellent "jack of all trades" type TE. Not great at any one thing, but at least average at everything.

3. No more Kuhn. 2 back backfields with Starks and Lacy.

That would be beastly and awesome.

[Ayt]

I don't think we'll end up keeping all four backs.

I could see it happening if:

1. One of them shows big strides in picking up the blitz.
2. We get a TE that can also function as a fullback. Kind of the reason I wanted Garrett Graham when he was available as I think he is an excellent "jack of all trades" type TE. Not great at any one thing, but at least average at everything.

3. No more Kuhn. 2 back backfields with Starks and Lacy.

That sounds awful.

[Ill-yasova]

3. No more Kuhn. 2 back backfields with Starks and Lacy.

That sounds awful.

No. No it doesn't.

[Ayt]

So you want to see one of those two lead blocking for the other?

We'll see that two back set as often as we did last year which was never.

[Newz]

So you want to see one of those two lead blocking for the other?

We'll see that two back set as often as we did last year which was never.

I actually agree that the two back sets with Lacy/Starks doesn't sound that great. If you are in the shotgun and you have backs flanking Rodgers, I think it'd be more beneficial to have Lacy and another guy who is also a good receiver and more of a speed threat like Harris or Franklin. While Starks is good at running the ball, he isn't very well rounded... and that's fine, he's still valuable.

But if you are going to line up two legit tailbacks, I think they typically both need to be well rounded players when it comes to running and receiving... and having a difference in speed/power helps as well, IMO.

[emunney]

I'd rather see Starks and Lacy in the backfield together than Kuhn and anybody. Lead blocking? Ok, because we run so many FB lead plays, right? This would be about misdirection and splitting up the eyes on the backfield. I disagree about these guys not being well rounded backs. Starks is not Ryan Grant.

[Newz]

I'd rather see Starks and Lacy in the backfield together than Kuhn and anybody. Lead blocking? Ok, because we run so many FB lead plays, right? This would be about misdirection and splitting up the eyes on the backfield. I disagree about these guys not being well rounded backs. Starks is not Ryan Grant.

I think Lacy and Harris are very well rounded, while Franklin hasn't had much time... but I believe he has good hands as well.

Starks just seems like more of a pure runner as opposed to a guy you want receiving out of the backfield. Maybe I'm wrong, but I've just never really seen the guy do it. If he was good at it, you'd think they would set him up for it more.

[emunney]

He's always looked natural catching the ball to me. Also caught 127 balls in college and his coaches have always praised his receiving skills.

[Newz]

He's always looked natural catching the ball to me. Also caught 127 balls in college and his coaches have always praised his receiving skills.

Yeah, like I said... maybe I'm wrong. I just haven't seen him be used in that way in the NFL yet. Maybe it's just our coaching stuff doesn't play to that part of his game even though he's good at it. But Lacy had ten less catches last year than Starks does for his entire four year, thirty-five game career.

[Ill-yasova]

He's always looked natural catching the ball to me. Also caught 127 balls in college and his coaches have always praised his receiving skills.

Yeah, like I said... maybe I'm wrong. I just haven't seen him be used in that way in the NFL yet. Maybe it's just our coaching stuff doesn't play to that part of his game even though he's good at it. But Lacy had ten less catches last year than Starks does for his entire four year, thirty-five game career.

Starks and Lacy are both very capable receivers while I don't want to see them in an I-formation anytime soon a split-back formation could be effective in certain situations. After the snap fake a toss to Lacy and hand off up the middle for Starks is one example. A play action fake to Starks that results in a swing pass to Lacy is another example off the top of my head. I'm not saying this should be a heavily used feature in our offense but it's an interesting wrinkle to throw in when it could be used to exploit a defense in certain situations.

[emunney]

He's always looked natural catching the ball to me. Also caught 127 balls in college and his coaches have always praised his receiving skills.

Yeah, like I said... maybe I'm wrong. I just haven't seen him be used in that way in the NFL yet. Maybe it's just our coaching stuff doesn't play to that part of his game even though he's good at it. But Lacy had ten less catches last year than Starks does for his entire four year, thirty-five game career.

Yeah, Starks was a backup for many of those games and a higher % of his touches have been receptions. Starks only has 38 more carries than Lacy.

[emunney]

FWIW, I'm not suggesting ANY two back backfield should become a staple of our offense. Broadly, I'm just saying that any role Kuhn is playing can be replaced and then some by one of our other, much more talented backs.

[Newz]

He's always looked natural catching the ball to me. Also caught 127 balls in college and his coaches have always praised his receiving skills.

Yeah, like I said... maybe I'm wrong. I just haven't seen him be used in that way in the NFL yet. Maybe it's just our coaching stuff doesn't play to that part of his game even though he's good at it. But Lacy had ten less catches last year than Starks does for his entire four year, thirty-five game career.

Yeah, Starks was a backup for many of those games and a higher % of his touches have been receptions. Starks only has 38 more carries than Lacy.

Yeah, you are probably right. So that formation would work equally as good as with Franklin or Harris... maybe better since Starks appears to (most likely) be a better player than either of them.

Guess I just never viewed him as much of a receiver.

[crkone]

Lacy was surprisingly competent at picking up the blitz, allowed 3 pressures in 110 pass blocking snaps compared to 3 in 70 for Kuhn. Franklin allowed 0 pressures in 10 pass blocking assignments.