Packers offseason

[Blackhat]

Eagles are killing it right now, they are going to be the front runners as they should be.   Added topline CB, RB, OT.


Guess Ted Thompson still thinks his job ends once the draft is over.  Won't use the money at his disposal and free agency as a tool to become better.

He should thank his lucky stars he has the best head coach/defensive coordinator combo in the league in McCarthy and Capers who can make solid players out of TT's scraps.

Really worried GB may be worse than most think this year after getting younger and less proven at many positions.  With TT's inactivity (besides giving our kicker  friggin 15 million dollars-one that's not even that clutch) I'm worried.  Lets remember this was only a 10-6 team before they went on an unbelievable run.

[MUBBau]

The Packers are adding a topline RB (Grant) and TE (Finley) to a Super Bowl winning team. They might not be adding free agents but they are adding players who weren't playing for that 10-6 team. Sure you can't count on players returning 100% from an injury but you can't also count on every free agent signing to work out.

[NersEllenson]

Hard to argue with what Ted Thompson's done in Green Bay as his program/system have led to a Super Bowl title.  Think it actually is a benefit to Green Bay with regard to what Philly has done.  Philly is now getting all the press, Green Bay is practically an afterthought at this point - which rarely happens to a defending Super Bowl champ that reloads at all key positions.

Having said that, I thought giving AJ Hawk that contract extension was a very poor decision.  Though Cullen Jenkins was a 31 year old D-Lineman - he still made lots of impact plays..and in my opinion would have been a better investment of those dollars.  Ordinary linebackers can be found more easily than high impact D-lineman.

[GGGG]

The Packers locked up most of their own. They are loaded with talent. Good young talent. How anyone could be critical of thompson is beyond me. This is how most NFL teams want to build themselves.

[Hards Alumni]

Just so we are all on the same page here.

Eagles adds:

Cullen Jenkins - 30 years old
Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie - 25 years old
Jason Babin - 31 years old
Nnamdi Asomugha - 30 years old
Vince Young - 28 years old
Ronnie Brown - 29 years old
Evan Mathis - 29 years old

Now, I wouldn't call Ronnie Brown a top line RB.  He is good, but remember what happens to RBs (especially oft injured ones like Ronnie) around age 29-30... they fall off quickly.

While I will concede that the Eagles bought a decent team, nothing other that their CBs really give me much worry as a Packer fan. 

Jenkins is good, but I feel like he was more of a system player.

I still think the Packers are the favorites... the Eagles made a 'splash', but when was the last time a team added this many free agents and won it all?

[🏀]

Just so we are all on the same page here.

Eagles adds:

Cullen Jenkins - 30 years old
Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie - 25 years old
Jason Babin - 31 years old
Nnamdi Asomugha - 30 years old
Vince Young - 28 years old
Ronnie Brown - 29 years old
Evan Mathis - 29 years old

Now, I wouldn't call Ronnie Brown a top line RB.  He is good, but remember what happens to RBs (especially oft injured ones like Ronnie) around age 29-30... they fall off quickly.

While I will concede that the Eagles bought a decent team, nothing other that their CBs really give me much worry as a Packer fan. 

Jenkins is good, but I feel like he was more of a system player.

I still think the Packers are the favorites... the Eagles made a 'splash', but when was the last time a team added this many free agents and won it all?

2010-2011 NBA Champions Miami Heat

[MU B2002]

Just so we are all on the same page here.

Eagles adds:

Vince Young - 28 years old

VY is awful.  They better pray Vick can stay healthy. 

[ringout]

Eagles are killing it right now, they are going to be the front runners as they should be.   Added topline CB, RB, OT.


Guess Ted Thompson still thinks his job ends once the draft is over.  Won't use the money at his disposal and free agency as a tool to become better.

He should thank his lucky stars he has the best head coach/defensive coordinator combo in the league in McCarthy and Capers who can make solid players out of TT's scraps.

Really worried GB may be worse than most think this year after getting younger and less proven at many positions.  With TT's inactivity (besides giving our kicker  friggin 15 million dollars-one that's not even that clutch) I'm worried.  Lets remember this was only a 10-6 team before they went on an unbelievable run.

Really?  I mean Really?  What does he need to do to satsify you?

[Blackhat]

I'd start with not giving a below league average FG% kicker 15 million dollars. 

I am also opposed to his rigid philosophy of never using free agency in order to improve the team.  Also has made severe blunders like past punter situation, Barbre with no back ups.

It's not a popular time to criticize TT I understand and I will give credit where credit is due, he is a good drafting GM.   It doesn't change my belief that his inflexibility to use all avenues to improve this team and not (re)sign proven veterans is damaging.

 I also believe McCarthy and Capers make Midas blush...they can coach up most players and plug them into their dynamite offensive and defensive systems.

[reinko]

I'd start with not giving a below league average FG% kicker 15 million dollars. 

I am also opposed to his rigid philosophy of never using free agency in order to improve the team.  Also has made severe blunders like past punter situation, Barbre with no back ups.

It's not a popular time to criticize TT I understand and I will give credit where credit is due, he is a good drafting GM.   It doesn't change my belief that his inflexibility to use all avenues to improve this team and not (re)sign proven veterans is damaging.

 I also believe McCarthy and Capers make Midas blush...they can coach up most players and plug them into their dynamite offensive and defensive systems.

You seem enamored with this Mason Crosby contract, you realize only $3 mil is guaranteed right?

[shiloh26]

Baseball this is not.  Its really difficult to just buy a winning franchise in free agency.  Templates for recent success (Packers, Patriots, Steelers, Giants, Colts, Saints) all show that you have to build internally, making targeted FA moves (Packers, Steelers rarely make a splash, Pats always seem to take chances on semi-washed up guys like Seau, Taylor, Ochocinco, Haynesworth, etc).  

I will concede that the Eagles had a great offseason, and will even better than last year, when they were already the scariest playoff team we played.  Asomugha and Samuel across from each other really frees up creativity along the defensive front.  Rodgers-Cromartie in the slot helps combat elite passing teams like the Packers and Saints.  However, I don't think any of the other moves are really that "impact."  I could easily see them regretting giving that money to Brown, Jenkins, and Young in 12 months.  That team still only goes as far as Michael Vick's style of play keeps him on the field.

I am actually surprised that Cullen went to a 4-3 team.  He was decent as a DT, but he really shined as a 3-4 end.  As far as the Packers go, I was okay with the Hawk signing... he takes a lot of flak, but he actually played very well last year, and we currently have no middle linebacker depth with Chillar and Barnett out.  I was most surprised about signing James Jones.  He seems like one of the most expendable players on the entire roster, especially after Nelson seemed to become a favorite of A-Rod's and drafting Randall Cobb.  I would have rather used that $ to re-sign Brandon Jackson, who I think settled into a very helpful role as 3rd down/screen pass/pass block back last year.  

[GGGG]

But Stone, I'm not sure what holes they needed to fill.  Maybe a replacement for Cullen Jenkins, but they've drafted well enough to fill that hole internally.

This team is so young...and so deep...that I think the days of the Barbre problem are over.

And he does resign proven vetrans.  Examples are Traman Williams, Nick Collins, AJ Hawk, Desmond Bishop, Greg Jennings, etc.  

[Blackhat]

We paid Crosby elite money in relation to his peers, he hasn't earned it.  He's below average.  That money could've gone toward Jenkins coming off a career year.  Instead we've got a couple pups at DE with no track record beside already serious injury histories.

[GGGG]

Cullen Jenkins is a 30 year old DE with a history of injuries.  He's the exact type of guy you don't overpay.  Remember that Thompson *did* sign Jenkins to the four year contract that ended last year.

[GGGG]

Not to mention, I am listening to Boers & Bernstein out of Chicago, and they are right now openly talking about how nice it would be to follow a team that drafts so well that they don't have to worry about free agency.  They are talking specifically of the Packers.

[jmayer1]

We paid Crosby elite money in relation to his peers, he hasn't earned it.  He's below average.  That money could've gone toward Jenkins coming off a career year.  Instead we've got a couple pups at DE with no track record beside already serious injury histories.

Jenkins also has a serious injury history. For the guaranteed money he got, I would have liked to resign him, but TT will use that money to resign younger guys that he thinks are worth it, as is his strategy. A DL rotation of Raji, Pickett, Green, Neal, Wynn, and Wilson is still pretty damn good in my opinion. The biggest question mark is obviously Neal, they need him to be healthy.

Crosby's guaranteed money is only $3 million, as was stated before. I'm still not the biggest fan of that contract but I'll give TT the benefit of the doubt.

Saying that he's lucky to have Capers and McCarthy is a joke (who do you think hired McCarthy btw). They are very good coaches but the Packers have possibly the most talented roster in the league, with the majority of that talent yet to hit or just entering their peak.

With all the moves the Eagles made, there is very few positions I think they are more talented at than GB. I'd take their running backs over GB's (McCoy is a stud) but I think I like GB's players better at every other position, including secondary as a whole, although I haven't sat down and went over the rosters position by position.

[tower912]

To criticize a team built through the draft and by developing its own for not being more aggressively pursuing free agents, particularly when said team is world champions, seems counter-intuitive at best.    That is like being critical of the SF Giants for not making sure they had an equally good replacement for Posey waiting in the wings, or criticizing the heat for relying too heavily on Nowitski.    Really?

[GGGG]

I will also add that one of the reasons I think they re-signed Jones, despite drafing Cobb, is not just to protect themselves in case of injury, but also because of Driver.  If he doesn't come back from his injury as hoped, he may find himself gone.  He has a big contract number the next two years that might be better spent giving Jordy Nelson an extention after this year, and Jennings an extention after next.

[Spotcheck Billy]

We paid Crosby elite money in relation to his peers, he hasn't earned it.  He's below average.  That money could've gone toward Jenkins coming off a career year.  Instead we've got a couple pups at DE with no track record beside already serious injury histories.

Crosby's stats re: percentage of field goals made is deceiving because of his strong leg. He probably has many more attempts of FG over 50 yards than most. He has made 10 of 21 attempts of 50+ yards in his career including one at 56 so he is asked to attempt those at the end of the half/game when there is nothing to lose with a miss.

If you take out his 50+ yard attempts his career is 97 FGM on 116 attempts or 83.6% and of course many of those are in poor weather conditions, just trying to put in perspective of the whole picture, I'm happy with Crosby especially now that my biggest concern about him should be improved by moving kickoffs up to the 35.

[Hards Alumni]

Crosby's stats re: percentage of field goals made is deceiving because of his strong leg. He probably has many more attempts of FG over 50 yards than most. He has made 10 of 21 attempts of 50+ yards in his career including one at 56 so he is asked to attempt those at the end of the half/game when there is nothing to lose with a miss.

If you take out his 50+ yard attempts his career is 97 FGM on 116 attempts or 83.6% and of course many of those are in poor weather conditions, just trying to put in perspective of the whole picture, I'm happy with Crosby especially now that my biggest concern about him should be improved by moving kickoffs up to the 35.

This is a fantastic argument.