Packers Stock Report: Time to Prepare for the NFL Draft Edition
Not even a mustachioed Aaron Rodgers would have saved the Packers on Thanksgiving.
Would Aaron Rodgers even be able to save this Packers team?
The former MVP can cover up a lot of blemishes, but I don’t think even he could patch up the festering wound that is 2013 Green Bay Packers.
The Packers can’t tackle, cover the middle of the field, prevent big plays, get off the field on third down, contain the run, pass block, pass, or stop Jeremy Freaking Ross on special teams.
Yeah, I know. If Rodgers turns just one of the Lions turnovers into a touchdown and a two-score lead in the first half, the entire game changes.
But even if he did that, the Packers defense was so overmatched that I don’t think it would have mattered.
I could go on and on wondering if having Rodgers would have mattered on Thanksgiving, but it’s a pointless exercise. At this point, Packers fans are better off just preparing for the NFL draft in April.
On to the stock report:
Rising
Nobody.
Steady
Sam Shields
Shields had absolutely no chance stopping the slant to Calvin Johnson, but neither does anyone else when they’re lined up one-on-one against one of the best receivers of all time. When Johnson and Matthew Stafford challenged Shields down the field, the free-agent-to-be stood strong and even out-battled Johnson for an interception in the end zone.
Clay Matthews
We haven’t seen him dominate a game for four quarters since returning from a broken thumb, but he’s making something happen every now and then.
Josh Sitton
Kudos to Sitton for calling the Lions a bunch of names before the game. Extra kudos to Sitton for standing behind what he said after the game. I never understand why we ask athletes questions, then get mad when they either a) give an honest answer like Sitton did or b) recite some mind-numbingly boring cliche. I’ll take open and honest over boring and cliched any day.
Mason Crosby
No offense to Crosby, but I’m sick of seeing him in the rising or steady categories. When a kicker or punter ends up in one of these categories, it means there aren’t many offensive or defensive players playing well.
Eddie Lacy
He didn’t have any room against the Lions, but it sure was fun to watch him knock over Vikings defenders. Lacy has been the least of the Packers problems during this awful stretch.
Falling
The rest of the Packers roster, coaching staff and front office.
17 Comments On “Packers Stock Report: Time to Prepare for the NFL Draft Edition”
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Josh Sitton should have keep his mouth shut. As a member of a team, he should not give the opposition a rallying cry. Those scumbags proceeded to dismantle our whole O-line including Sitton. Perhaps Sitton is indicative of this whole squad – people, playing for themselves acting on their own. We are definitely not working together in any aspect of a game that is built on the concept of team.
Yes, for sure Sitton should have kept his mouth shut, but he was the only O-line guy who played OK-ish… not great, but OK. Once again, Newhouse was awesome in his incompetence. When they pull you after a series or two in favor of Lane Taylor, you have a problem. Bakhtiari had his worst game to date. When EDS went out, Lang was a liability at center. (People who criticize his poor shotgun snaps, however, might not be remembering that he has an injured hand). Barclay was in his first game back from injury, and it showed.
So it doesn’t surprise me that they got whipped. But long term, I think Bulaga and Bakhtiari at tackle, Sitton and Lang at guard and EDS at center, with Barclay in reserve, isn’t a bad group.
The Packers have Three 4th round, one 5th round, and one non-drafted FA players, on the Their O-Line, that lined up against the Lions 3 players drafted high in the 1st round (Ansah #5, 2013 draft, Fairley #15 in the 2011 draft, and Suh #1 in the 2010 draft). The Lions drafted LT Riley Reiff #23 in the first round in the 2012 draft who pretty much owned CM3 all day. Mathews did manage a couple of good plays.
Well, the Lions have been BAD for a long time, of coarse they have a line like that. Soon all those guys and even Levy, will be needing more money. Even with all that talent on the O-line they’ve been whipping boys. You also have to consider Matthews is still playing with a cast. His game is his hands and speed. He’s a violent player with his hands and can’t really do what he does 100%.
I’m not saying that reinforcements can’t be made, but it’s hard to criticize TT for drafting both Bulaga and Sherrod in the first round. So it’s not like TT hasn’t given any attention to the O-line. And you can’t really criticize TT that Bulaga and Sherrod have both been injured. Neither one of them was thought to be an injury risk coming out of college. When Bulaga has been on the field, he was worthy of the pick.
Well gang,this is one year when the “best player available”in the draft will be the route to go!!
“Best player available” is almost always the route to go, IMO.
But your comment raises an interesting question. Next draft is one of the deepest at QB is recent years. I’d guess that five will be taken in the first round, which might put the Packers in position to grab one. So here’s the question: Do you stick with your ‘best player’ approach and take a QB? Try to trade out?
That would be really stupid. Taking Rodgers was not only the BPA but it also filled a need, albeit a small one, since Favre was getting near the end of his career. There was in all likelyhood going to be a change at the helm within Rodgers’ rookie contract. That is hopefully not the case with Rodgers. Any rookie we draft now will likely become a FA before he gets a chance to take over. If we draft a QB inthe first round what are the odds that with little playing time will develop into a commodity that we can trade for at least a similar pick. Slim to none I’d say. We have a team that could probably benefit from BPA at almost every position but I would say QB and maybe RB would be two that we would not.
GB has enough holes that BPA should correspond with a need. GB needs to hit on a very good player especially in Rd 1 who not only is good but stays on the field. Priority IMHO is: DE, S, OT, OLB, ILB (who can cover, please God), NT, TE, C. In a perfect world, a stud def. player would be available: I think the offense will be ok with Rodgers next year if we resign EDS or have a good replacement. GB can gamble that 2 NFL quality OTs will emerge from Bulaga, Sherrod, Bakhtiari, but if there should be a good OT that drops, GB needs to seriously consider him.
Well Al I will always love the Packers and we should be used to injury problems but watching this happen is PAINFULL!!!!!!!!!!
Can we draft a strength and conditioning coach???
We’ll get that with a new coach. even if MM is retained, they’ll get new conditioning personal.
Those who keep saying ‘if’ Rodgers was playing these games would have had different outcomes….yes,the score board may have read differently but not necessarily in the Packers favor.
Eyes need to be opened and a reality check in order…the RZ offense wasn’t that good with Rodgers due to the usual predictability which we all know has had Rodgers bothered while playing and even more so while he hasn’t been able too.
As for the defense,there are still many who convince themselves that this defense was actually playing good because of ‘stats’.Many who enjoy and revere the all too infrequent plays of those who were supposed to lead this defense and yet after a ‘wow’ play against those who were already sub par to us,our assumed heroes simply fade to black only to be seen on the sideline with yet another injury or return to the field of battle completely unarmed and ready to do so.
Now we have those who close their eyes again and conjure up beliefs that Rodgers will return and the miracle will be forthwith…sheesh.
I like many,know how great Rodgers is but to even ask him to shoulder this catastrophe that is the Packers at this point in the season is merely reckless and serves no purpose other than to allow some to scream aloud more ‘what ifs’ after a victory of no meaning in an already utterly lost season.
As to the draft,most know we need a Safety but it appears those same people are willing to rely again the pass rush reins to Perry and Neal as absolutly no mention of getting a ‘real’ OLB has been uttered.
I can’t even begin to fathom why and marked with the ‘if’ would the packers or any fan think of drafting a QB in the 1st rd regardless of who is available to be a backup to Rodgers.Do these fans serious think the fiasco that was this as to backup QB will again occur next season…yikes!Again the norm is to place blame on the QB but this path cannot be easily taken unless you can erase the utter bad play in the trench along with the total lack of game scheme by MM as to the offense.
If what some say is true,’they quit’what makes anyone sure that the level of play would have even equaled the already low level seen in the trench when Rodgers was playing.
Earlier in the season many siad the based on the play witnessed by some we played would be easy victories and my response was,what makes you feel those teams will still be playing poorly later on, well,they aren’t and we are and we now a better Pitt, Dal and Chi along with Atl and a QB in Ryan who is loving right now the fact that he can acquit himself of a previous loss vs GB even if not of meaning.
“IF ONLY”…..Oh Boy!
Well Adam, if your list is true, we get a new GM!!! I’d put Jordy Nelson in the steady ans well as Cobb, especially with Rodgers. I like Datone Jones and Love Daniels motor. I think no matter what we can assume Capers will either be asked to retire or shown the door. The thing abut Capers and it held true here, he’s great for two years, then it’s all downhill. I’ve already been looking at mock drafts and most have the Packers drafting at #17. If they shut down Rodgers, and I think they should, leave Cobb on IR, they’ll be in the top 10 of each round. Bakhtiari has been out of position all year. He has to much trouble with speed rushers. Put him at RT or even Guard, after a year in a NFL weight room and 16 games he’ll be much improved. The Packers can’t count on Bulaga staying healthy, or Sherrod either but I think Sherrod could still salvage his career. Lattimore showed he can play, but they still need help inside. They need a big fast WR, TE, Saftey, and corners. I’d be surprised if Shields is gone and Williams is still here. Raji should be shown the door as well as Kuhn, Neal, Bush, and even James Jones if he’s looking for to much money. Jones has been a pleasant surprise and is a excellent compliment to Nelson and Cobb. Boykin showed us he’s a decent possession receiver this year. With the right coaching staff and a GM who doesn’t think UDFA is as good as a FA, this team will be back on top next year.
It’s not all bad guys. Yes, this year is probably over.
But the future is still bright. Much better than the other schlubs in our division anyway.
Relax.
Lets be totally realistic here folks.
Eliot Wolf will be the next GM of the GBP.
He is not quite ready yet.
TT will be keeping his chair warm until he is ready.
There will be NO change at the GM.
That said, maybe with so many holes revealed in the roster at this point perhaps TT will acquire a few mid level veteran bodies this off-season to help plug the gaps so AR can have a fighting chance at another SB.
There will be some changes made but they will likely not be all the changes begged for on internet comment boards.
Some realistic possibilities…
New OC with play-calling experience
New DC could go either way on 4-3 or 3-4
New strength and conditioning philosophy either with new staff or new staff
Complete review of MM philosophy of coaching merry-go-round. Bennett NOT RB coach and is WR coach? How has that worked out? Fontenot TE coach and NOT OL coach? How has that worked out? Clements OC and NOT QB coach? How has that worked out? Ben McAdoo QB coach and NOT TE coach? How has that worked out? Campen still coaching OL with NO development at all? How has that worked out? Alex Van Pelt RB coach? How has that worked out?
MM has made a shambles of the offensive coaching staff due to his personal philosophy of “cross-training”. He needs to be held accountable for the regression.
Look at the failures on D. Look at the coaches. ILB – Winston Moss, I like Trgovac but the DL is seriously underperforming. KGreen is OK with the OLB’s. I like Whitt and Perry but some of the talent given to them is hollow – House I mean you, Burnett I mean you, TWilliams I mean you post-injury, MD, McMillian, simply not NFL talent.
ST needed to be flushed out 3 years ago, there is no surprises here except for the extremely poor management exhibited by MM in keeping SLOWcum around given the perennial poor performances. I can forgive making a bad hire so long as it is acknowledged and corrected. MM has shown far too much loyalty to his coaches and has not created accountability for performance.
OK. Lets put some thought into this. We need a rational way to evaluate the roster. As a fan, our best option is to use Pro Football Focus. They grade every play in every game by every player. They are well respected, used by the media and teams to double check their own grades. I subscribed and will share what I found. These ranks are per position. Our WR’s are good. Nelson 5th best WR, Cobb 25th, Boykin 42nd, Jones 80th. At TE Finley 89th ( wasted $8Million ), Bostick 97, Taylor 105, Quarless 112. HB Lace 7, Starks 37. FB Kuhn 4. OT Barclay 89, Newhouse 99, Bahktiari 105. Sitton 3, Lang 17. OC D-Smith 11. DE Daniels 8, Wilson 50, Jolly 70, Jones 72, Raji 74 (please don’t pay him). DT Pickett 34. OLB, Matthews 33 (rank hampered by hand), Perry 41, Mulumba 71, Palmer 72, Neal 74. ILB, Lattimore 8, Jones 33, Hawk 110 (4th from last). Corner, Williams 18, Hayward 60, Bush 98, Shields 110, House 137, Hyde 139. Safety, Banjo 121, Burnett 129, Jennings 142, McMillan 158.
What stands out. Our 3 tackles are not good enough to start for any other team and Newhouse shouldn’t be on an NFL roster. Bahktiari and Barclay are not good enough to play but might have enough talent to develop. Why are Thompson and McCarthy jeopardizing the season playing Newhouse?
Why does Thompson pay Finley $8Million, by this time we know who he is.
Thompson really wants to pay Raji $8 – _ $10 Million. How foolish.
The Neal experiment should be over. He has not performed, he was over drafted, check the draft again, most didn’t have him going before the 6th or 7th and some didn’t have him being drafted. Huge mistake at 2.
Why is Hawk still playing. Why is he still on the roster. The ILB in a 3/4 is supposed to clean up on tackles. Not Hawk!
The most effective changes possible to the roster right now is benching Hawk and Newhouse. They do not belong in the NFL let alone on a roster and starting. In other analysis using PFF I analyzed all current players going back to 2008. Newhouse was the worse player closely followed by Hawk. It is strange that Hawk was benched the first game last year and then thereafter played most snaps. Is this a decision from higher up than the coaches. Jones is much better than Hawk in all phases of the game and at least should be the nickel and dime ILB.
Shields doesn’t deserve big money at this ranking!
We need new safeties to go along with better tackles and ILB play. These 3 changes would go a long way to significantly improving the Pack and giving Rogers a chance to win several Super Bowls.
I don’t thing signing big dollar Free Agents is the way to go. But, signing average at their position free agents for $2 = $3 contracts to significantly improve the roster is a must. Thompson’s strategy leaves to many wholes in the starting lineup to win as much as the team should with the best QB in the league.