Grade the 2020 Packers Draft

[WeekapaugGroove]

Overall I think Gute had a select few guys he wanted and panicked to go and grab them early. It wasn't necessarily BPA but he reached for a few. Should have taken Queen in first and trade back up for his QB in early 2nd. It is a risk but would have looked better.

Queen 1st
Love 2nd
WR or someone else? 3rd
Deguara (TE) in 5th?
Then his run of the mill guys after

Without trading picks from next year I don't think there was a path for both Queen and Love. Only way you get Queen was moving up since he ended up going before 30, so the 4th is gone there. Then I really think someone comes back up into the late 1st for Love so for the pack to be that team it likely cost them next year's 1st plus sweetener.

I agree with Trees point earlier that ideally they waited another year for a QB, it makes more sense with Rodgers contact. But I can also acknowledge if they really think Love is an elite talent then you take him sinse that's the most important position in sports. Heck they would have had to move up to even get Hurd in the 2nd and from an upside standpoint I do think love is a tier above Hurd.

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[WeekapaugGroove]

Idk, most playoff teams are 1-2 guys away from being serious SB contenders, but rarely if ever are those 1-2 guys rookies. Which is why I never really base my draft grades on any sort of production that I think these guys will provide in Year 1.

Probably even more true this year with COVID19 limiting the off-season program.

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[Treebeard]

Idk, most playoff teams are 1-2 guys away from being serious SB contenders, but rarely if ever are those 1-2 guys rookies. Which is why I never really base my draft grades on any sort of production that I think these guys will provide in Year 1.

I can see the point of rookies not being expected to be the missing piece, especially those drafted at the end of the respective rounds (it's reasonable to see earlier picked players as more likely to contribute).

Where I'm puzzled by the Packers method is that they sunk a big sum of cap cash into upgrading the defense last year, to the point where there wasn't as much left in the kitty to turn any corners this year. At the same time, they drafted Gary, a developmental guy, at the same position they just spent a fortune on in FA's. Obviously, as we've seen, the defensive upgrades weren't enough.

We're they in effect trying to have it both ways? Try to compete last year with a TT/Mac team (plus select improvements) meanwhile already starting the rebuild to the Gute/LaFleur team and accepting the potential dip in performance for a year or two? Last years team over-achieved to an extent, but that was the high-water mark for TT/Mac group of players. That's what it is looking like to me after the draft.

[Ron Swanson]

I don't see any positions where we really downgraded, unless you think guys like Graham, Martinez, and Fackrell were any big losses (I certainly don't). Bulaga is probably the only departure that I have any concerns about replacing. They spent a boatload of cap room in free agency last season and this is the consequence of doing so a year later (a relatively un-inspiring offseason of "improvements").

I think the front office and MLF are just banking on internal improvement from a lot of the Year 2 and 3 guys more than most fans feel comfortable with. They like this receiver group (MVS, Lazard, EQ, Funchess) a lot more than 99% of the fanbase does. I guess I'll trust them until they give me a reason not to.

[Treebeard]

I don't see any positions where we really downgraded, unless you think guys like Graham, Martinez, and Fackrell were any big losses (I certainly don't). Bulaga is probably the only departure that I have any concerns about replacing. They spent a boatload of cap room in free agency last season and this is the consequence of doing so a year later (a relatively un-inspiring offseason of "improvements").

The removals of Graham, Martinez, and Fackrell should be replaceable. Bulaga is working on borrowed time from a mileage standpoint. LaFleur's veteran rest program seemed to benefit him and keep him on the field more. I'll be surprised if he plays as many snaps in the coming season (whenever that may be). Still he was a top performer when he was on the field. Josh Jones would have been a nice consolation prize there.

Your're right about the limits to FA additions this year, as so much was spent last year. The Smiths and Amos look like money well spent, but Turner had had enough ups and downs where he's a disappointment to me. He alternately looked pretty good or pretty bad.

I think the front office and MLF are just banking on internal improvement from a lot of the Year 2 and 3 guys more than most fans feel comfortable with. They like this receiver group (MVS, Lazard, EQ, Funchess) a lot more than 99% of the fanbase does. I guess I'll trust them until they give me a reason not to.

I guess we'll see. Not like there's much choice at this point.

[M-C-G]

It is weird, IF they could have landed a WR, again, even a Peoples Jones, I think I would give this a B. Just bothers me to move forward with the same profile of WR given how 1 dimensional everyone other than Adams looked last season. I am going to hope that St. Brown or that Canadian guy are some kind of X factor.

As far as the OL, I really like what they did. They basically used late round picks for guys that either weren't physically ready for the NFL or maybe not technique ready for the NFL for a year. I think that is a winning strategy to use pretty much every year in the trenches, find guys with 80% of what you need, give them a year or two to try and develop the other 20% and see if they can become starters.

[ReasonablySober]

Still baffled by people hung up on the 4th.

You continue to look at the pick in a vacuum. Trading up affected the other stuff we were going to do, at least according to BG.

Quote: "Asked if he attempted to move up during the second round to take a receiver – like Baylor’s Denzel Mims, who had been linked to the Packers before the draft – Gutekunst said the price tag to move up was too high after the team surrendered its fourth-round pick to go up and take Utah State quarterback Jordan Love at No. 26 overall on Thursday night."

So, the lack of the 4th may have specifically cost us getting a receiver as well. At a minimum it was still a player when we had other needs. No, it's not the end of the world, but it's certainly fair game to second guess.

I don't know if I believe anything BG said, post-draft though, in fairness.

I also read up on the Spriggs debacle pre-draft, where we punted a fourth to trade up and get him based on glowing reviews by Gute. I mean, small price to pay for our tackle of the future, but it doesn't always turn out that way...

It's a WR vs the franchise QB they were locked in on. Again, no brainer decision.

[CWoodfan]

I don't see any positions where we really downgraded, unless you think guys like Graham, Martinez, and Fackrell were any big losses (I certainly don't). Bulaga is probably the only departure that I have any concerns about replacing. They spent a boatload of cap room in free agency last season and this is the consequence of doing so a year later (a relatively un-inspiring offseason of "improvements").

I think the front office and MLF are just banking on internal improvement from a lot of the Year 2 and 3 guys more than most fans feel comfortable with. They like this receiver group (MVS, Lazard, EQ, Funchess) a lot more than 99% of the fanbase does. I guess I'll trust them until they give me a reason not to.

I agree that losing Graham, Martinez, and Fackrell is no big deal and would even go so far as to say I see upgrades possibilities when it comes to all 3.

However, "they" also liked their WRs more than 99% of the fan base did in 2019.

That, and the fact that the only WR with above-average speed was a complete flop in 2019 despite getting every opportunity to perform, is enough reason for me not to trust that the current group of WRs is requisite for a team allegedly competing for a SB.

And I say that while agreeing that Funchess is an upgrade over Allison.

[Ron Swanson]

No doubt they severely miscalculated how ready guys like MVS, Allison, and Kumerow were at the outset of last season. Personally think that Allison, Kumerow, and Darrius Shepherd are just bums. Not talented or skilled enough and there's a reason they all went undrafted. I could only listen so many times about how much Bob Tonyan was "killing it" in practice while showing absolutely nothing on the field. Lazard and Funchess seemed destined to be nothing more than #3 guys.

But everyone here seems to have written off MVS and EQ as well. I think it's a little premature for that. Both guys have shown flashes and have all the tools to be legit complementary threats opposite Davante. Sometimes you have to let guys develop for more than one year in a new offense.

[BJ Sandered]

I think more than anything the Packers Front Office and coaches, at least I hope, realized that they weren't really "one or two moves away" and so they are willing take a step back this next season in order to focus more on developing some of the prospects for the future. If that is the case, then I can at least understand some of the moves or non moves better.

[M-C-G]

I think more than anything the Packers Front Office and coaches, at least I hope, realized that they weren't really "one or two moves away" and so they are willing take a step back this next season in order to focus more on developing some of the prospects for the future. If that is the case, then I can at least understand some of the moves or non moves better.

I suspect that is the plan. My guess is they are thinking, Rodgers is payed a fortune, let's see if he can carry the team a year or two while building blocks are put in place for his departure.

[Finn]

Just awful. So bad. Can't believe we have Gute as a GM. Trust me, I know a lot about this stuff and it was one of the worst drafts of all time

Wooosh

So, sarcasm.

[humanrefutation]

I think more than anything the Packers Front Office and coaches, at least I hope, realized that they weren't really "one or two moves away" and so they are willing take a step back this next season in order to focus more on developing some of the prospects for the future. If that is the case, then I can at least understand some of the moves or non moves better.

I wonder how people would have reacted if this team finished closer to 10-6 - their expected win-loss - over their 13-3 record. Hell, they got lucky with missing Mahomes and the Lions shanking away their game against us. They could have easily been a 9-7 or 8-8 team. Would they have been still clamoring for us to add that "piece or two?"

Truthfully, there is no obvious right answer to that question. It would have been really easy for Gute and LaFleur to try to ride the win-now train. I doubt they would have gotten much negativity at all with that strategy. But what they've done here is bold. It remains to be seen if it'll be considered stupid.

[Ron Swanson]

I don't expect to go 13-3 and sweep the division again next year but constantly calling last season a fluke is just hyperbolic pessimism. I see a talented, but young roster not too dissimilar to Favre's last year in 2007. Maybe it goes the same way and we have a "down" year like in 2008 before the uptick, but like last season, my baseline expectation is a division title (they should be the favorites) and a playoff berth. Anything less is a failure.

[BJ Sandered]

I think more than anything the Packers Front Office and coaches, at least I hope, realized that they weren't really "one or two moves away" and so they are willing take a step back this next season in order to focus more on developing some of the prospects for the future. If that is the case, then I can at least understand some of the moves or non moves better.

I wonder how people would have reacted if this team finished closer to 10-6 - their expected win-loss - over their 13-3 record. Hell, they got lucky with missing Mahomes and the Lions shanking away their game against us. They could have easily been a 9-7 or 8-8 team. Would they have been still clamoring for us to add that "piece or two?"

In all honesty, we couldn't play a full game to save our lives last season and arguably should have lost several games that we won because of it. The offense especially was so hot and cold every game. They'd have a great first half and then a bad to terrible second half or vice versa. And like you said, fortunate things like not having to play against Mahomes helped us as well.

Truthfully, there is no obvious right answer to that question. It would have been really easy for Gute and LaFleur to try to ride the win-now train. I doubt they would have gotten much negativity at all with that strategy. But what they've done here is bold. It remains to be seen if it'll be considered stupid.

This is true. With so much cap space being designated towards Rodgers bloated contract and the fact that we're still only going into the second year of an almost entirely new coaching staff, there probably isn't some easy answer. I don't want to waste Rodgers twilight years the way we wasted Favre's but because of a lack of talent in areas and the aforementioned reasons (ergo no cap space), it's not as simple as any of us would like it to be.

[Treebeard]

The Lions and Bears will struggle. The Vikes lost several key players but appear to have reloaded nicely. Still, they may be a year out from regrouping. IF that holds true, the Packers win the division, but after that, I think they're in trouble

[sdn40]

The defense against competent teams will still be the downfall ....... as usual

[DrWood]

I think more than anything the Packers Front Office and coaches, at least I hope, realized that they weren't really "one or two moves away" and so they are willing take a step back this next season in order to focus more on developing some of the prospects for the future. If that is the case, then I can at least understand some of the moves or non moves better.

I wonder how people would have reacted if this team finished closer to 10-6 - their expected win-loss - over their 13-3 record. Hell, they got lucky with missing Mahomes and the Lions shanking away their game against us. They could have easily been a 9-7 or 8-8 team. Would they have been still clamoring for us to add that "piece or two?"

Truthfully, there is no obvious right answer to that question. It would have been really easy for Gute and LaFleur to try to ride the win-now train. I doubt they would have gotten much negativity at all with that strategy. But what they've done here is bold. It remains to be seen if it'll be considered stupid.

And they could just as easily have gone 15-1. They lost to the Eagles by one score, and laid an egg against a bad Chargers team.

[humanrefutation]

I think more than anything the Packers Front Office and coaches, at least I hope, realized that they weren't really "one or two moves away" and so they are willing take a step back this next season in order to focus more on developing some of the prospects for the future. If that is the case, then I can at least understand some of the moves or non moves better.

I wonder how people would have reacted if this team finished closer to 10-6 - their expected win-loss - over their 13-3 record. Hell, they got lucky with missing Mahomes and the Lions shanking away their game against us. They could have easily been a 9-7 or 8-8 team. Would they have been still clamoring for us to add that "piece or two?"

Truthfully, there is no obvious right answer to that question. It would have been really easy for Gute and LaFleur to try to ride the win-now train. I doubt they would have gotten much negativity at all with that strategy. But what they've done here is bold. It remains to be seen if it'll be considered stupid.

And they could just as easily have gone 15-1. They lost to the Eagles by one score, and laid an egg against a bad Chargers team.

Sure. But would that have been an actual reflection of their talent as a team? I don't think anyone would say so. And that's the point - that their record may not have been a fair reflection of the team on the field last year. So perhaps Gute thought that they were more than just a piece or two away.

[JayMKE]

You don't give up on winning just because you're a piece or two away, if you make the playoffs with a QB like Rodgers then you got a chance. I don't like or trust Gute, LaFleur, or Murphy at this point; their motivations do not seem purely about winning.