April 13, 2014 /
Adam Czech
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Adam - ALLGBP.com, Adam Czech, Packers, Surviving Sunday
Surviving Sundays with no Packers football.
Last season it was Mike Daniels. The season before it was Randall Cobb. If the Packers are going to contend for a Super Bowl in 2014, at least one player will have to make the leap from potential to breakout star.
Here are the top contenders:
WR Jarrett Boykin
Boykin is probably at the top of most people’s most likely to break out lists. He was successful last season and he has Aaron Rodgers throwing him the ball. Teams will be ready for him in 2014, though. If he’s going to make the leap, he’ll have to do a better job of getting separation.
DL Datone Jones
Unlike Boykin, Jones is probably near the bottom of most people’s lists. Fans soured on Jones late last season and, apparently, so did the coaching staff as fellow rookie Josh Boyd got more snaps down the stretch. I still have high hopes for Jones and I think he can fulfill those hopes. You need to be patient with young defensive linemen. They rarely break out in their rookie seasons. Let’s see what year two brings for Jones.
CB Davon House
We’ve been waiting for House to take the next step for a while now, haven’t we? If he doesn’t take it in 2014, he probably never will. House’s size appears to make him an ideal fit in Green Bay’s defense, but whenever he strings together some good plays, he follows it up with a couple of stinkers and winds up on the bench. With Tramon Williams, Sam Shields, Micah Hyde and Casey Hayward on the roster, House doesn’t have much room for error.
LT David Bakhtiari
We all groaned when Bryan Bulaga went down and the rookie Bakhtiari ended up starting at left tackle. By the end of the season, those groans turned into “Huh. That kid can play.” Yes, it was a good debut for the kid whose last name I hate spelling, but his ceiling is higher than just a feel-good, surprising rookie playing well in a tough spot. The Packers offense can be a whole lot better if Bakhtiari transforms from promising rookie to left-tackle anchor.
TE Brandon Bostick
Based on what little I’ve seen of him, Bostick seems to do everything well except catch the ball. He especially seems to struggle with drops in traffic. If he develops his hands, especially in tight spaces, I like what he can do in the passing game.
LB Jamari Lattimore
Remember when Lattimore had a few good games in place of Brad Jones and we all pegged Lattimore as the next breakout guy? He faded down the stretch, and now we’ve kind of forgotten about him again. I have no inside info (or “sources,” as the big shots on Twitter would say), but I don’t think Lattimore was healthy late last season. It’s going to be another long year on defense if A.J. Hawk and Jones once again get most of the snaps at inside linebacker. Lattimore will get a chance to show what he can do and we’ll probably find out for sure if he’s the real deal or not.
DL Jerel Worthy
Wouldn’t it be nice if Worthy bounced back from his ACL injury and broke out? My expectations are low on Worthy for multiple reasons: 1) He wasn’t that great as a rookie, 2) he’s coming off a serious injury and 3) Ted Thompson hasn’t exactly been hitting the ball out of the park with his defensive line draft choices lately.
DB Micah Hyde
If Hyde hangs onto that late interception against the 49ers, Hyde’s star would be shining much brighter than it already is after a solid debut season. Even though he couldn’t come up with that big pick, he still could be a difference-maker on defense, either at safety or as a slot corner. Hopefully he avoids the second-year injury bug that struck down Casey Hayward.
Packers news, notes and links
- Why haven’t the Packers re-signed Matt Flynn yet? Are we really going to play the backup quarterback game again? I hate when the backup quarterback becomes an actual issue. Fans overreact to the issue and the whole ordeal gets annoying. Sign Flynn and get it over with.
- Stop whatever it is you’re doing and listen to this No Huddle Radio podcast with Dan Shonka from Ourlads NFL scouting service. You’ll be up to speed on NFL draft prospects in no time.
- The Packers exhibition schedule includes games against James Jones, Charles Woodson and the Raiders, John Dorsey and the Chiefs, as well as the Titans and Rams. Yawn…
- John Rehor gets the debate flowing once again this week with a post about the Packers passing game. What if Randall Cobb gets hurt again? What if Jordy Nelson also goes down? What’s up at tight end? Depth could be an issue in the Packers passing game for sure, but we’ll see what the depth situation looks like after the draft.
- This is one of the most boring stretches of the offseason in recent Packers history. I suppose that’s a good thing. It means players are staying out of prison and there aren’t any soap-opera like situations like we’ve experienced recently with Brett Favre and Greg Jennings. Kind of makes blogging about the team a challenge, though. Thanks for sticking around and reading ALLGBP.com during these slower times.
Non-Packers links and other nonsense
- RIP Ultimate Warrior. Here’s hoping you’re shaking the ropes in the big ring in the sky.
- I quit drinking soda pop in high school and I’ve never regretted it. This piece about the history of soda in the United States is fascinating and re-affirms that I made a good choice. That said, if you want to drink soda, drink soda. Making laws to discourage people from consuming soda is silly.
- You can make fertilizer out of wind energy? Yup, you can make fertilizer out of wind energy.
- Yes, we are all stupider because of politics.
April 6, 2014 /
Adam Czech
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Adam - ALLGBP.com, Adam Czech, Packers, Surviving Sunday
Surviving Sundays with no Packers football.
Take a look at this NFL mock draft at Drafttek.com. There are three tight ends selected before a running back is chosen with the 50th overall pick.
Last year in the actual NFL draft there were two tight ends selected before the first running back was snatched off the board (Giovani Bernard at No. 37).
When I was growing up, running back was the glamour position. When we went out for recess to play football (this was back when you could still play tackle football at recess), everyone pretended to be Barry Sanders or Emmitt Smith, not some tight end. Most teams wouldn’t dream of taking a tight end over a promising running back in the draft.
Times have changed. Running back is a de-valued position in today’s NFL. That’s not breaking news. But has the de-valuing gone too far?
The top two teams in the NFC last season, Seattle and San Francisco, based their offense around bruising running games. The Packers turned to rookie Eddie Lacy to keep their heads above water after Aaron Rodgers broke his collar bone. Even with Tom Brady at quarterback, the Patriots pounded the ball on the ground early in the season, outrushing opponents in three of the first four games and starting 4-0.
Even on pass-happy Denver, with Peyton Manning at quarterback and a stable of exceptional receivers and tight ends, running back Knowshon Moreno finished with almost 1,600 total yards from scrimmage.
For a while, the NFL also appeared to be de-valuing the safety position, but that might be changing.
Only three safeties were picked in the first round from 2008-11. In the last two drafts, four safeties have gone in the first. In the opening days of NFL free agency, the top safeties on the board flew off the shelf for big money.
I think a lot of teams are emphasizing the safety position again because they see the importance of versatility in today’s game. Safeties are often best suited to handle multiple tasks: provide coverage over the top, match up against a tight end, play the slot, stop the run, drill whoever has the ball, occasionally blitz, etc. Take a look at the Seahawks and 49ers again — both were strong at safety.
While free agent safeties signed quickly and for big bucks, most of the productive running backs on the market are still out there, waiting for some team to show interest.
To be fair, there isn’t the running back equivalent of a Jarius Byrd still waiting to sign. The group of running back free agents wasn’t stacked with players who remind you of Adrian Peterson or Jamaal Charles. And maybe we’re seeing a resurgence of safeties because there are simply a lot of talented safeties coming out.
That said, I still wonder if we won’t see running backs make a comeback in the next three years. That’s usually how markets work. People de-value something so much that it eventually starts rising in value again after smart people invest at the market’s lowest point.
While most teams are off trying to plug holes here and there or find the next great pass rusher, they’re not paying attention to the running back position. “You can find running backs later in the draft,” most of these teams are probably saying.
They’re not wrong, but a good football player is a good football player. Passing up on a running back you think is really talented in favor of a more questionable talent at another position simply because “you can find a running back later in the draft” isn’t the way to go. As more and more teams appear to be doing this, eventually a few general managers will recognize it and seize on the value opportunity, taking running backs off the draft board earlier than the recent norm and starting a resurgence at the position similar to what we’re seeing at safety.
The position likely won’t be elevated to what it was during the days of Sanders and Smith, but I bet it makes a comeback.
Packers news, notes and links
- The Packers are the only team in the NFL who have yet to sign an unrestricted free agent (other than their own). Yes, GM Ted Thompson inked outsiders Peppers and Letroy Guion to deals, but they were released from their previous teams, not unrestricted free agents who hit the market after they played out their contracts. Why is this a big deal? Because by not signing any unrestricted free agents, Thompson isn’t hurting his chances at receiving a desirable compensatory draft pick for his own free agents that have departed (James Jones and Evan Dietrich-Smith).
- Speaking of compensatory draft picks, the Packers will get an extra third-round pick and another fifth-round pick to compensate for the loss of Greg Jennings and Erik Walden during last year’s free-agent period. So Thompson picked Jennings in the second round in 2006, got a ton of production out of him, let him walk, and received an extra third-round pick. Thompson signed Walden off the street in 2010, got some mileage out of him, let him walk, and ended up with a fifth-round choice. That’s what you call squeezing all the value you can out of a player.
- That said, I hope Thompson isn’t passing on unrestricted free agents he thinks could help the Packers just so he doesn’t damage his chances for a good compensatory pick.
- Warm up those vocal chords, we’ve got another year of chanting KUHHHHHHHHHHHHNNNNNNNN! Hopefully re-signing Kuhn doesn’t mean we’ll see more fullbcak dives…
- Bovada, a popular sports betting website (*cough* gambling online is illegal and is in no way endorsed or encouraged by ALLGBP.com *cough*) puts the over/under at nine for the number of sacks Julius Pepper will have this season with the Packers. That seems high. I’d pound the under (if doing so were legal). But that doesn’t mean Peppers will have a down year if he doesn’t reach nine sacks. I still think he’ll make an impact.
- CheeseheadTV has all the dates for the Packers offseason program.
- John Rehor wrote a throught-provoking piece about Ryan Braun receiving a standing ovation on Brewers’ opening day and how Braun’s reception differs from the scorn many Packers fans feel toward Brett Favre. I even tried to pick a fight with John in the comments section. I only venture into the comments section on posts that are really good, so you know John’s post on this topic is really good.
- Have you listened to this week’s podcasts over at the Packers Talk Radio Network yet? If not, what are you waiting for? Included in this week’s batch of pods is an interview with Packers safety Sean Richardson on Cheesehead Radio.
Non-Packers links and other nonsense
- If you’re looking for a quick and easy way to get up to speed on the NFL draft, listen to the Greg Cosell episodes of the Ross Tucker Football podcast.
- If you want to dig deeper into the draft, order the CheeseheadTV draft guide.
- Anja Niedringhaus, an Associated Press photographer, was killed in Afghanistan this week. She wrote this amazing story back in 2011.
- Mike Tanier over at Sports on Earth wrote the best piece I read all week about Desean Jackson.
- This is way off-topic, but if any readers are in college or know of someone in college that is interested in agriculture, have him or her check out the MCGA AGvocate scholarship/leadership program.
March 30, 2014 /
Adam Czech
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Adam - ALLGBP.com, Adam Czech, Packers, Surviving Sunday
Surviving Sundays with no Packers football.
At this point in the NFL offseason, what would you say is your biggest concern about the 2014 Packers?
For me, it’s the safety position. When Morgan Burnett is the best safety on the roster, there are issues. Yes, the draft is right around the corner, but you never know if a) the Packers will be in a position to draft a safety who can start right away or b) if whatever safety they draft will be any good.
But forget about your biggest concern for the time being. What do you see as potential concerns that few people are talking about?
Because those are probably the concerns that will come to fruition in 2014. With all the roster turnover and other unknowns from year-to-year in today’s NFL, it’s impossible to predict in March what an NFL team might be scrambling to try and fix in November.
At this time last year, we were all worried about the Packers not being big enough to stand toe-to-toe with physical teams like the 49ers or Seahawks. Then halfway through the season, we were worried about the Packers being too big to compete with teams like the 49ers and Seahawks.
I remember back before the 2010 season being worried about an undrafted rookie named Sam Shields serving as the Packers nickel cornerback. An undrafted rookie playing a key role on a team with Super Bowl aspirations. That’s insane!
Then Shields goes out and has a good season and picks off two passes in the NFC Championship to send the Packers to the Super Bowl.
I wouldn’t be at all surprised if Burnett is playing well once November comes around, a young safety is holding his own next to Burnett, and the Packers problems at safety are problems no more.
Teams can make grand plans to plug holes in March, and fans can do the same on blogs and social media, but once the season starts, all bets are off. A few key injuries or important players underperforming ruins the most thought-out plans.
My under-the-radar concern for the Packers is offensive tackle.
David Bakhtiari had a good rookie season, but what if he doesn’t take a step forward in 2014? Or what if the injury bug strikes him down in his second year like it did to Casey Hayward in his second season?
Bryan Bulaga is coming off a nasty knee injury and hasn’t been able to stay healthy his entire career. Derek Sherrod has only been healthy for a handful of games. Don Barclay battles hard, but he’s far from a sure-thing at tackle. Plus, Barclay could be in the mix to take over at center.
It’s perfectly fine to worry about the Packers safety position. Ditto for center and tight end. But keep in mind, it’s only March. There’s a good chance we’ll have other worries come November.
Packers news, notes and links
- It sounds like the Packers might want to use Micah Hyde at multiple positions. There’s also been talk of using Julius Peppers, Nick Perry and/or Mike Neal in multiple spots. If part of the Packers problems on defense is an over-complicated scheme, is asking guys to learn multiple spots really such a good idea?
- Mike McCarthy thinks he’s only at halftime of his Packers coaching career. I hope he’s right. If he’s around for another nine years, it means the Packers are winning. Like with any coach, we like to pick at McCarthy for playcalling and clock management decisions. Often, that criticism is deserved. But McCarthy is a helluva coach. The Packers rarely have to deal with team drama and keep winning despite being wiped out by injuries more often than McCarthy and any of us would like. Give me the even-keeled, focused and no-nonesne McCarthy over someone who is emotional, whiny and confrontational like Jim Harbaugh.
- What was your favorite C.J. Wilson moment?
- Several mock drafts have the Packers taking TE Eric Ebron, LB C.J. Mosley or S Ha Ha Clinton-Dix in the first round of the NFL draft. All three are talented players, but all three also have possible red flags. Brian Carriveau at CheeseheadTV has more details.
- Be sure to check out this week’s “From the Benches” podcast at PackersTalk.com.
- The Packers brought in free agent G/C Mike McGlynn for a visit this week. Fortunately, McGlynn has been signed by the Redskins.
- I’m sure you’ve all seen this already, but it’s worth watching again: Aaron Rodgers celebrates with the Wisconsin Badgers after their Sweet 16 victory.
Non-Packers links and other nonsense
- The new version of Action PC Football is out. If you’re looking for an addicting replay text sim, this game fits the bill.
- I’ve enjoyed Nate Silver’s new Fivethirtyeight.com website, but it’s very similar to what Wonkblog was at the Washington Post. Also, why is Silver so damn petty and sensitive?
- 49ers CB Chris Culliver has been charged with felony possession of brass knuckles. They’ve been using brass knuckles in professional wrestling for as long as I can remember and nobody has ever gotten charged with a felony. Sheesh.
- Book recommendation: “Up, Up and Away” Jonah Keri’s history of the Montreal Expos.
March 23, 2014 /
Adam Czech
/
Adam - ALLGBP.com, Adam Czech, Packers, Surviving Sunday
Surviving Sundays with no Packers football.
Mike Tanier is one of my favorite, and one of the most underrated, NFL writers on the web. Earlier this week he had a brilliant idea that I am now going to rip off, expand, and give a Packers’ slant.
Tanier tried to come up with the worst mock draft ever. He did a pretty good job, too. Most of his selections made little sense and would probably cause fanbases to unleash a stream of Twitter rage should their teams actually draft any of the players Tanier suggested.
For the Packers, Tanier selected LSU quarterback Zach Mettenberger. Why? Because the Packers need a backup quarterback and what better place to find one that in the first round of the NFL draft!
Tanier’s worst mock draft ever only lasted one round and covered all 32 NFL teams. I’m going to take a shot at creating the worst mock draft ever for all seven rounds, but only pick for the Packers.
Will I strike gold and recreate the awfulness of the Justin Harrell first-round selection in 2007? Do I have the knowledge and foresight to find someone as terrible as Jerron McMillian in the middle rounds? My goal is to have draft pundits lauding me for finding the next great awful player in the second round like Ted Thompson did with Brian Brohm in 2008.
Here we go:
1st round
Tre Mason, RB, Auburn
Because when you have Eddie Lacy, James Starks, Jonathan Franklin, DuJuan Harris and glaring holes on defense, you should definitely draft another running back in the first round. Perhaps if the Packers stock their roster with running backs, Aaron Rodgers will become expendable and Thompson can trade him to Seattle for the Seahawks entire defense. Oh, and any time you can draft a running back in the first round who “lacks exceptional skills” and is compared to Marion Barber III by NFL.com, you have to do it.
2nd round
David Yankey, G, Stanford
Who cares if Josh Sitton and T.J. Lang are doing fine at both guard positions? The Packers need more guards! And drafting Yankey might entice the Packers to move Lang to center, because whenever the Packers start unnecessarily shuffling offensive linemen around, it always works out well.
3rd round
Kirby Van Der Kamp, P, Iowa State
The Jaguars have drafted a punter in rounds 3, 4 or 5 three times since 2001. Since Jacksonville has had so much success on the field over this time period, it’s about time that someone copied its strategy of drafting punters. Besides, Aaron Rodgers is way too chummy with current Packers punter Tim Masthay. It’s obvious that Rodgers purposely doesn’t convert on third down sometimes just to ensure that Masthay has a chance to punt and feel useful. By kicking Masthay off the team and replacing him with a new hot-shot punter who Rodgers hates, the Packers will also be indirectly upgrading their offense.
4th round
Walt Aikens, CB, Liberty
We’re already in the fourth round and we haven’t even picked anyone would might able to take the Packers defense from bad to terrible. Since the Packers already have a bunch of capable cornerbacks on the roster, let’s draft another one. And let’s make sure he’s from a powerhouse school known for churning out NFL cornerbacks like Liberty. Finally, let’s make sure he’s got a cool Wisconsin-sounding name like “Walt.”
5th round
Trey Millard, FB, Oklahoma
John Kuhn hasn’t been re-signed yet, so the Packers need to fill a gaping hole at the all-important position of fullback. “Millard” doesn’t make for an easy fan chant like “Kuuuuuuuhn,” but he’ll have to do.
6th round
Alden Darby, S, Arizona St.
The Packers safeties were completely useless last season, so it only makes sense to wait until the sixth round to draft a safety in the worst Packers mock draft ever. And if you want to make the selection really bad, make sure the safety you draft is 5-11, 195 pounds. Yup, Darby has all the tools necessary to follow in the footsteps of M.D. Jennings, Jerron McMillian and Charlie Peprah.
7th round
Alex Fenske, QB, St. Thomas
St. Thomas has turned into a Division III football powerhouse in Minnesota, taking over the top spot from St. John’s once legendary coach John Gagliardi retired. Fenske played in seven games as a sophomore last season, completing 60 percent of his passes and throwing nine touchdowns. Mike McCarthy and the Packers coaching staff love to take a project quarterback and turn him into a starter. Fenske would be the ultimate project. If McCarthy can take a zit-faced kid from a DIII school in Minnesota and make him a starter in the NFL, that would be almost as impressive as winning the Super Bowl. I don’t even think Fenske is eligible for the NFL draft since he was only a sophomore last season, but the Packers should draft him any way. Roger Goodell won’t notice this minor rules infraction since he will probably be too busy designing the a futuristic space-age obstacle course that will replace the traditional kicking of the extra point in the NFL.
Packers news, notes and links
- A lot of news about Packers’ contracts this week: B.J. Raji’s deal only is worth $500,000 in guaranteed money and James Starks’ deal is worth $3.165 million. Which player do you think will have the better season in 2014? Starks looked like he was fired out of a cannon every time he touched the ball last season. Raji started off ok, then fizzled. I’m going to go with Raji, only because you never when Starks might get injured again.
- Oh, and Letroy Guion’s contract is for less than $1 million in guarantees.
- The Packers are still about $14 million under the salary cap. That should be plenty to re-sign Jordy Nelson or Randall Cobb to an extension before the season starts. Which one would you sign first? I’d lock down Nelson. He’s too good of an all-around receiver to let hit the open market. I’d make damn sure I left enough wriggle room in next year’s cap to re-up with Cobb when the time came, also.
- Brian Carriveau at CheeseheadTV writes about playing Clay Matthews more at inside linebacker after the addition of Julius Peppers. If the Packers want to be more multiple, it’s worth a shot. Given his injury history, I don’t care for Matthews getting beat up over and over again on inside blitzes, but mixing it up every now and then will be fine.
- Speaking of Brian Carriveau, we talked to him on the ALLGBP.com No Huddle Radio podcast this week about the upcoming CheeseheadTV Draft Guide. Be sure to also listen to this week’s ‘Ol Bag of Donuts podcast. Those guys always deliver.
- The film “Last Day at Lambeau,” which chronicles Brett Favre’s final days with the Packers, is finally available online.
Non-Packers links and other nonsense
- All that oil money up in North Dakota buys some good basketball players. (I kid, I kid 🙂
- Bros are the worst.
- My all-time favorite meat market (Thielen Meats in Pierz, Minn.) was damaged by a fire. Thielen’s has the best bacon you will ever eat. I mean the best. Hopefully they’re back up and running again soon.
- This is an interesting read about the long-term unemployed. If Jersey Al ever fires me for insubordination, hopefully I’m able to find a new job within six months.
March 16, 2014 /
Adam Czech
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Adam - ALLGBP.com, Adam Czech, Packers, Surviving Sunday
Surviving Sundays with no Packers football.
The following is a transcript of a hidden camera conversation from Packers GM Ted Thompson’s office on the opening day of NFL free agency.
(Knock on the door. The Packers front office team enters Thompson’s office. Thompson is watching “True Detective” on his office television)
Thompson: Why did nobody tell me about this “True Detective” show before? This is amazing. I didn’t know Woody from Cheers was such a good actor. And how about Matthew McConaughey?! The guy can actually act when he keeps his shirt on. Yellow King?! I want to change our nickname from the Packers to the Yellow Kings!
Scout: Um, sir….we didn’t tell you about the show because you only allow us to watch film of college players nobody else has ever heard of. And free agency is now officially open.
Thompson: Shhhh! This episode is more intense than the last few minutes of Super Bowl XLV.
Scout: But sir, we’ve already lost Lamarr Houston and Arthur Jones. They’re off the market.
Thompson: Really? They signed like 7 seconds after free agency officially opened? That’s some quick negotiating. Because no NFL team would ever cheat and use the three-day window to talk to agents to actually work out a contract, right?
Scout: Ummm…..
Thompson: How much did they go for?
Scout: Houston for $35 million to the Bears and Jones $30 million to the Colts.
Thompson: BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!! That’s hilarious. No, seriously. How much did they sign for?
Scout: Sir, I was being serious.
Thompson: Dammit, you do this every year. You tell me who signed right after free agency opens and you make up some wild and silly number. Just tell me the real number.
Scout: But sir, that is the real number. I wasn’t kidding. Every year we have this same conversation 5 minutes after free agency opens.
Thompson: How about that other guy people want us to sign…what’s his name. Something to do with birds…
Scout: Jarius Byrd, sir. He signed with New Orleans for $54 million.
Thompson: I see. I can’t wait to see the headlines after the Super Bowl: “Jarius Byrd leads Saints to Super Bowl win.” Or maybe “Lamarr Houston makes people forget about the ’86 Bears.”
Scout: Sir, don’t you think we maybe should’ve gotten in on some of these signings? People are getting mad on Twitter.
Thompson: I haven’t been on my super secret Twitter account for a few days.
Scout: Couldn’t handle all the profanity directed your way about free agency?
Thompson: Nah. Didn’t want to see any “True Detective” spoilers. Do you really think Rust is the Yellow King?
Scout: Sir, right now a lot of people think you’re Matthew McConaughey in “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days,” not Matthew McConaughey in “True Detective.” Silly and annoying instead of brilliant and fascinating.
Thompson: Will they feel the same way after we win another division title this season?
Scout: If we flop in the playoffs again, yes.
Thompson: People need to keep their pants on. Free agency lasts longer than one day.
Scout: But people are getting restless.
Thompson: Good. That means that they care. They’re passionate. They’re fans. So what if they’re a little misguided? We’re not setting foreign policy or passing human rights legislation. Playing armchair GM and getting riled up about your favorite team is part of what makes our game fun for people.
Scout: So, what did you think of the Alexandra Daddario nude scene in “True Detective?”
Thompson: I watched it like 19 times! Wait…I mean…what are you talking about? I must’ve been watching film on that fullback from Middle Tennessee St. that I want to draft on a different television when this nude scene you speak of occurred…
(Editor’s Note: this post was written before the night before the Julius Peppers news broke.)
Packers news, notes and links
- B.J. Raji is back on a 1-year, $4 million deal. If you’re mad that Raji’s back, stop it. One-year deals are harmless. Find somewhere else to direct your anger.
- Losing center Evan Dietrich-Smith isn’t a bad area to direct whatever rage you feel about Raji. Dietrich-Smith isn’t an all-pro, but he’s a good player. And he signed a reasonable contract. Perhaps Dietrich-Smith decided he just wanted to play elsewhere, but 4 years, $14 million was a perfectly reasonable offer for Dietrich-Smith. Does Thompson turn the center job over to J.C. Tretter or find a veteran in free agency?
- The Packers also re-signed DL/OLB Mike Neal and TE Andrew Quarless this week. I seem to be in the minority, but Neal doesn’t do much for me. It’s a 2 year, $8 million deal, so I have no problem bringing him back on those team-friendly terms, but I don’t think he’s the answer, or a major part of the answer, to fixing the Packers pass rush. Yes, Neal played well toward the end of last season and he was also learning a new position. But he still popped up regularly on the injury report (even though he played through those various injuries) and wasn’t consistent enough, in my opinion. Quarless, another low-risk deal, merits another look at tight end.
- The Pro Football Draft preview publication presented by CheeseheadTV is on sale now. I highly recommend picking up a copy and having it by your side while you watch the NFL draft in May.
- The Green Bay Press Gazette asks: “Why isn’t Ted Thompson more like Ron Wolf?” Well, if you only look at results, the two GMs are very similar. From ALLGBP.com’s Kris Burke: Ted Thompson vs Ron Wolf after nine years: Ron Wolf: 92-52 record. … Ted Thompson: 86-57-1. … Both have one ring. … Ron Wolf: 9-5 in playoffs. … Ted Thompson: 6-5 in playoffs. … Ron Wolf: Three division titles. … Ted Thompson: Four division titles. … Ron Wolf had one non-losing season, Thompson had three (though 2005 was not necessarily his fault).
- I feel like I’ve been very defensive about Thompson on this site recently. It gets old hearing the constant clamoring every year whenever (insert name of free agent) signs elsewhere. But Thompson isn’t above criticism. If he doesn’t in bring a few guys from the outside to bolster the defense, I’ll take my shots at Thompson and they will be deserved.
- Here’s another kinda criticism of Thompson: I’m getting sick of hearing from Packers beat reporters that the “Packers had genuine interest in (insert name of free agent who just signed elsewhere).” It feels like the Packers are just feeding info about possible free agents to the beat guys to make it seem like they genuinely tried to sign (insert name of free agent who just signed elsewhere) when, in reality, they didn’t try all that hard. If you are genuinely interested in a free agent, and you think he can help the team, then get his butt into Green Bay and sign him. Enough with the “Ah shucks, we just missed him” nonsense.
- Late addition,,, Yes, the Packers signed someone…
Non-Packers links and other nonsense
March 9, 2014 /
Adam Czech
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Adam - ALLGBP.com, Adam Czech, Packers, Surviving Sunday
Surviving Sundays with no Packers football.
With Sam Shields locked up for the next four years, it’s time to focus on the Packers other free agents.
News of the Packers offering B.J. Raji a short-term contract to return as the team’s nose tackle brought out all kinds of reactions. Many Packers fans want nothing to do with Raji after he fell off the face of the earth midway through last season.
Other Packers fans are willing to stick with Raji if all it takes a relatively cheap, low-risk one-year deal.
I’m in the latter category. There is rarely such a thing as a bad one-year contract. If Raji flops again next season, you’re not tied to him long-term. If he’s horrible in training camp, and a good portion of the contract isn’t guaranteed, the Packers can just cut him.
That might make me sound like a Raji defender, but I am anything but. There were several times in the second half of last season where I wanted Ted Thompson to enter the Packers defensive huddle and cut Raji on the spot. He was that bad.
One talking point from Raji defenders that drives me crazy is the notion that it’s his job to “occupy blockers” so the middle linebackers can make plays. Yes, often in a 3-4 defense, it is the job of the defensive lineman to absorb double teams and sacrifice a little bit of personal glory to free up teammates.
But most people don’t understand what “occupying blockers” really means. It doesn’t mean you stand there and belly bump with other fat guys. It doesn’t mean you simply take up space. It doesn’t mean you never get to make a tackle for a loss or pressure the quarterback.
It definitely doesn’t mean you end up on your backside or blown off the ball like Raji is all too often.
The best way to “occupy blockers” is to kick their ass, to win your match-up, whether it’s against a single offensive lineman or a double team. Knock your man back a step and force the running back to alter his course, even if it’s a minor detour. Anchor yourself in the hole. Split that double team.
A 3-4 defensive lineman who does that often enough will get a tackle behind the line or a sack every now and then. He’ll also be doing a fine job of “occupying blockers.”
Raji hasn’t won many individual matchups since 2010. Yes, it’s might be unfair to expect him to put up big sack numbers or pile up tackles. But his lack of production recently isn’t because he’s been busy “occupying blockers.” He’s just been getting beat.
That said, if the Packers want to give him one more year to figure things out, I’m cool with it.
Packers news, notes and links
- WTF is Aaron Rodgers doing in this picture?
- The Packers need to re-sign Evan Dietrich-Smith. Sure, J.C. Tretter might be a viable replacement, but is it really wise to hand over the center job to a kid who snapped his ankle during a fumbling drill in mini-camp? Of course, declarations of re-signing any player comes with the caveat of “if the price makes sense.” Here’s hoping the price makes sense to bring back Dietrich-Smith.
- Jason Wilde continues to hold out hope that Morgan Burnett can turn into a quality safety and live up to the contract extension he signed last offseason. It was around year four that Nick Collins morphed into a pro bowler for the Packers after an up-and-down start. I don’t see Burnett in Collins’ league, but like Wilde, I’m not giving up on Burnett yet.
- This tweet from Sam Shields got Packers fans hopes up. Unfortunately, those hopes were dashed a few hours later. Thankfully, I checked Twitter while I was waiting for my wife to finish feeding the baby Saturday evening, and I saw that the Packers and Shields have agreed to a 4 year, $39 million contract. That’s a lot of money, but a deal that the Packers probably had to make. Here’s hoping Shields makes the leap from an up-and-coming cornerback to elite.
- Brian Carriveau at the new-look CheeseheadTV makes his case for the Packers to sign free-agent safety Jarius Byrd. Not happening, in my opinion.
- The Packers Talk Radio Network did another mega podcast this week, and once again, it’s a must-listen. This one features an interview with NFL insider and former Packers vice president Andrew Brandt.
- John Kuhn is set to hit the free-agent market. Besides the Vikings, who enjoy signing as many ex-Packers as possible, who is going to sign Kuhn? He doesn’t really fit on any other team besides the Packers.
- Um, Mr. Barnwell? You forgot about David Bakhtiari, who started as a rookie at left tackle for the Packers all of last season. Might want to consider that before opining about the Packers signing tackle Anthony Collins and assuming that Derek Sherrod (Derek Sherrod!) is penciled in as a starter next season.
Non-Packers links and other nonsense
- Former AWA wrestling jobber Buck “Rock ‘n Roll” Zumhofe tried to flee after being convicted on 12 charges of criminal sexual conduct this week. Zumhofe molested a close female relative over a period of several years. Disgusting.
- Take a few minutes to read this piece from Matt Bowen about the other side of NFL free agency, the side that isn’t all about multi-year deals and mega contracts.
- The season finale of HBO’s True Detective airs tonight. However, this person already figured out who the Yellow King is.
- This is true on many issues: Facts and science often cause people to become even dumber than they already are.
March 2, 2014 /
Adam Czech
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Adam - ALLGBP.com, Adam Czech, Packers, Surviving Sunday
Surviving Sundays with no Packers Foo
The WWE Network debuted on Monday and my wife immediately began filling out divorce papers.
I try to limit my classic wrestling viewing to the television in our room before bed or my iPad if I have a free minute or two in the living room. With WWE Network, I can now literally watch old (and new) wrestling whenever I want. On my phone, in the car, at church, during family dinners, or waiting to check out at the grocery story. Thousands of hours of wrestling footage is at my fingertips.
There is no way my wife is going to be able to deal with me watching wrestling when we’re supposed to be having a serious conversation about buying a new house or finding a good school for our kid.
While I’m reliving classic moments like this, my wife will be packing up her things and relocating as far away from me as possible.
I wonder if the NFL would ever give something like the WWE Network a try? On the surface, it makes sense that they would. But if you really think about it, you realize how silly the league would be to abandon the golden goose it currently has with its traditional television package.
In 2013, the WWE made about $168 million from its television deal. That’s a great deal for the networks that air WWE programming like Monday Night Raw and SmackDown, and not all that great of a deal for WWE.
Ninety-percent of WWE viewers watch shows like Raw and SmackDown live or less than a day after airing. That’s on par with professional sports like football or basketball. The majority of WWE viewership is also under 34 years old and ethnically diverse, two key components that prominent advertisers are looking for. Networks are also looking for more “DVR-proof” programming, or shows that are watched live instead of recorded and watched days or weeks later.
So why doesn’t the WWE have a more lucrative TV deal? Because it’s professional wrestling, duh! Nobody — especially fancy schmancy television executives and big corporate advertisers — has ever taken professional wrestling seriously. Sure, they might back-handedly acknowledge its solid track record of reliable TV ratings and a dedicated and loyal fanbase, but they’re not going to back it up with dollars.
It’s just dumb wrestling. You know, men in their underwear pretending to beat each other up. In the eyes of the big-wigs, only idiots watch wrestling; not people who are well off and might be interested in buying nice cars, shopping at decent stores or enhancing a respected brand.
Vince McMahon and the higher-ups at WWE likely realized that they’re never going to get the giant TV deal they feel they’re worth. So, McMahon — the man who invented Wrestlemania and put wrestling on the mainstream’s national radar — figured he might as well see if creating his own Netflix-style mobile network could boost revenues to where he wants them to be.
The NFL doesn’t need to take such risks. Its TV deal literally prints money.
The NFL currently has a TV deal that runs through 2022 and totals $27 billion. Football makes more in about a month with its TV deal than WWE made in all of 2013. Give up a good portion of that just to create their own network and deal with pricing, marketing, customer service, infrastructure and who knows what else? It ain’t happening.
I could maybe see something similar to the WWE Network happening with the NFL’s out-of-market Sunday Ticket package. Right now, DirecTV holds exclusive rights to Sunday Ticket, but that agreement ends in 2014. Perhaps the NFL could opt for some type of multi-platform delivery system that allows fans to access out-of-market games whether they have DirecTV or not.
But even that could open up several cans of worms: Will the NFL build its own “network” to stream games? What would the networks who are paying $27 billion to the NFL think of this? Isn’t it just plain easier for the NFL to collect a giant check from DirecTV and let them worry about delivering the package and everything else that comes with it?
In a perfect world, NFL fans would have it just as good as wrestling fans currently have it with the WWE Network. What NFL fan wouldn’t want the ability to access any game he wanted from any device for a reasonable price? But unless the market forces the NFL to adopt something similar to the WWE Network, it’s never going to happen. No matter how happy it might make us fans.
Packers news, notes and links
- No surprise here: It sounds like Sam Shields will hit the open market. Now before you start panicking, remember that Shields is not yet a dominant corner and he’s missed games with various injuries every season of his young career. The Packers also still have Tramon Williams, Micah Hyde, and a returning Casey Hayward. It’s not the end of the world if Shields bolts of Green Bay. Don’t get me wrong, I hope the Packers re-sign Shields — they should re-sign Shields — but it’s not the end of the world if they don’t.
- The NFL salary cap is officially set at $133 million and the Packer have about $34.7 million in cap space. Prepare for the free-agent spending spree, right? I doubt it. I’m guessing a good chunk of that cap space goes toward news deals for Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb and to re-sign Sam Shields and a few of the other 17 free agent Packers. I could see Ted Thompson signing a few free agents during the second or third wave of free agency, but I’ll be shocked if he breaks the bank for anyone in that first tier.
- We finally know what was up with Johnny Jolly’s neck at the end of the season. Turns out, he had a neck fusion procedure similar to what safety Sean Richardson underwent early last year. Neck fusion surgery ended Nick Collins’ career and may end Jermichael Finley’s career. Richardson returned, however, and it sounds like Jolly has a good chance to resume playing as well. Will the Packers want to bring back a defensive lineman on the wrong side of 30 who is coming off a major surgery? We’ll see.
- Washington State safety Deone Bucannon could wind up with the Packers if both Ha Ha Clinton-Dix and Calvin Pryor are off the board by the time the Packers pick at No. 21 in the NFL draft. Brian Carriveau at CheeseheadTV goes in-depth on Bucannon in this excellent post.
- It sounds like the Packers want to bring back LB Jamari Lattimore, but not for the $1.389 million price tag of a restricted free-agent tender. Lattimore could wind up back on the Packers roster the same way Robert Francois did last offseason: by re-signing for slightly more than the minimum once free agency opens. I’d like to have Lattimore back. He’s good on special teams and capable of filling in at inside linebacker for short stretches.
- The Packers re-signed safety Chris Banjo and signed running back Michael Hill this week.
- This Darren Sharper thing keeps getting uglier and uglier.
- Need something to keep you entertained while you’re shoveling snow or cleaning off the roof? Check out the latest round of podcasts from the crew at the Packers Talk Radio Network.
Non-Packers links and other nonsense
- Holy crap I don’t ever want to go to prison.
- Breaking news from the world of fast food and expanding waistlines: Taco Bell will soon start serving breakfast and McDonald’s might serve its breakfast menu all day.
- The Packers have been plagued by injuries the last four seasons, but thankfully, no Packers player has come down with this injury…yet.
- Hannibal Buress is one of the best (and most underrated) stand-up comedians around and he absolutely killed on the Tonight Show this week.
February 23, 2014 /
Adam Czech
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Adam - ALLGBP.com, Adam Czech, Packers, Surviving Sunday
Surviving Sundays with no Packers Football
So yesterday I accidentally scheduled my Surviving Sunday post to run on Saturday. It was a brain freeze similar to what happens when Mike McCarthy calls for the fullback dive on 3rd-and-short.
Hopefully you enjoyed your Saturday edition of Surviving Sunday. Now that it actually is Sunday, here is a bonus Sunday edition of Surviving Sunday.
Packers news, notes and links
- Reports surfaced on Saturday that Packers free agent cornerback Sam Shields is seeking a deal similar to the 4 years, $22.4 million contract signed by the Bears’ Tim Jennings. If that’s truly the case, then the Packers need to get this deal done ASAP. I’m guessing the overall guarantee on Shields’ deal would be bigger than Jennings’, but even if that’s true, that’s a perfectly fair deal for both sides and still leaves the Packers salary cap room to make other moves this offseason.
- Might new Giants offensive coordinator and former Packers QB coach Ben McAdoo try to sign James Starks and Evan Dietrich-Smith away from the Packers? It’d be nice to keep Starks around, but with Eddie Lacy on the roster and DuJuan Harris and Jonthan Franklin returning from injury, Starks is more of a luxury than a necessity. Then again, Starks ran at turbo speed last season. Given his injury history, a part-time role is probably best for him and he sure excelled filling in for Lacy. I don’t like playing musical chairs at center, but is Dietrich-Smith worthy overpaying if another team dumps a big offer on him? I don’t think so. I’m willing to see what J.C. Tretter can do at the position.
- According to a study from Rick Gosselin at the Dallas Morning News, the Packers have lost a league-high 153 games by injuries to preferred starters over the last two seasons. So what are Mike McCarthy and the Packers going to do about it? Who knows. In this interview with Jason Wilde, McCarthy vowed to figure out what’s going on and make changes. He said the same things last offseason. The most logical change at this point might be to just hire the training and medical staff from Stanford University.
- If you’re still holding out hope that the Packers will sign Jarius Byrd to fix their issues at safety, this Tweet might squash that hope.
Non-Packers links and other nonsense
- This is an interesting read about losing the passion you have for your favorite team once you grow up. I wonder how many young Packers fans see their passion dwindle once they get older?
- I’m really looking forward to Jeff Pearlman’s new book on the Showtime-era Lakers.
- Does this offer even apply to writers who publish Surviving Sunday posts on Saturday?
February 22, 2014 /
Adam Czech
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Adam - ALLGBP.com, Adam Czech, Packers, Surviving Sunday
Surviving Sundays with no Packers Football
Note: Relax, no need to go check your calendar – it’s not Sunday. Just a little scheduling snafu. Look for a bonus edition tomorrow, though…
I’m going straight to the Packers news and commentary this week. No time for a long intro rant or rave. There is snow to shovel. More and more snow to shovel.
By the time this winter is over, my back is going to snap in half from shoveling and Dr. Pat McKenzie will refuse to clear me in time for training camp.
Packers news, notes and links
- Tyler Dunne at the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel talked to a bunch of folks about Sam Shields. Is Shields worth a mega-contract? You might not find a faster corner in the league. But Shields also has missed games every season with various injuries. And he has a little ways to go before truly being one of the league’s top corners instead of having the potential to be one of the league’s top corners. As with any free-agent decision, it all comes down to value. I’d like to see Shields re-signed, but if he walks, the Packers still have Tramon Williams, a returning Casey Hayward, Micah Hyde and Davon House at cornerback.
- Mike Mccarthy sounded optimistic in an interview at the NFL Scouting Combine that Jermichael Finley would play again. Finley had the same two vertebrae fused that ended Nick Collins career. I’m rooting for Finley to make it back, but I still have doubts that, if he does return, it’ll be with the Packers. Either way, I’m curious what kind of offer he gets in free agency if he is cleared.
- Ted Thompson also spoke at the combine. As usual, he said nothing.
- I agree with John Rehor over at Packerstalk.com: Let’s calm down about Ted Thompson preparing to go all nutso in free agency. I don’t see it happening. I do think Thompson will sign a few guys. There has been value in some under-the-radar veterans in recent years that don’t completely blow up a team’s payroll. Thompson has missed the boat on some of these guys and won’t want to miss it again. At least I hope he won’t…
- As always, when you’re at Packerstalk.com, check out the latest podcasts from this week.
- This is an interesting post from Brian Carriveau at CheeseheadTV examining Nick Perry and the three-point stance. Should Perry go back to putting his hand on the ground as a defensive end instead of standing up as an outside linebacker? Who knows. Either way, he needs to stay healthy. That’s priority No. 1.
- Ian Rappoport from NFL.com reported this week that one of the Packers top priorities is signing Jordy Nelson to a contract extension. Thompson will probably have to open up his wallet after re-signing Nelson (4 years, $14 million) for way below what his market value eventually became halfway through the 2011 season. Randall Cobb wants a new deal too, but it sounds like those talks haven’t started yet. I say sign both of these guys ASAP.
Non-Packers links and other nonsense
- If you’re not watching HBO’s True Detective, you’re missing out on an amazing hour of television every week.
- This Brian Williams mashup to “Rapper’s Delight” is good, but I prefer The Wolfe of Wall Street Meshuggah face.
- What’s the first old-school wrestling pay-per-view that you’re going to watch when the WWE Network launches on Monday? I’m going to watch Wrestlemania VIII. Ric Flair vs. Macho Man Randy Savage was a classic.
- Looking to maximize your profits on selling Girl Scout cookies? Set up shop in front of a pot dispensary.
February 16, 2014 /
Adam Czech
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Adam - ALLGBP.com, Adam Czech, Packers, Surviving Sunday
Surviving Sundays with no Packers Football
New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter announced this week that he will retire after the 2014 season. I’m not a Yankees fan and I usually root against the Bronx Bombers in the playoffs, but I always liked and respected Jeter.
Jeter was really good. He came across as a nice guy. He never got into legal trouble. He chased around beautiful women. And he projected an aura of coolness without coming across as overly arrogant. There really wasn’t anything to dislike about the guy.
As a Packers fan, what’s the closest comparison to Jeter in the NFL? What player caused the Packers a lot of grief over the years, but you still liked, respected, and even found yourself cheering for if he wasn’t playing the Packers?
Here are mine:
Barry Sanders
I don’t think you can call yourself a football fan if you didn’t enjoy watching Sanders. Yes, he had all the fancy footwork and juke and jive moves, but he would also put his head down and crash forward. An amazing spectacle on the field and a class act off of it.
Adrian Peterson
It’s absolutely terrorizing to watch Peterson manhandle the Packers defense. He’s a total mismatch for the light-hitting and reactionary Dom Capers D. But man, everything about Peterson just screams football. He’s the perfect package of grace, grit, explosiveness, elusiveness, resiliency and toughness.
Charles “Peanut” Tillman
It’s maddening to watch Tillman punch the ball out and force fumbles against the Packers. It’s a thing of beauty when he does it to other teams. Tillman has forced 40 fumbles in his 10-year career, including a mind-boggling 10 in 2012.
Larry Allen
This one is kind of obscure, but I always respected the Cowboys offensive line during their glory years and Allen was an absolute monster paving the way for Emmitt Smith. Allen could bench 705 pounds, squat 905 and became a hall-of-famer in 2013. He’s not the first player that comes to mind when thinking about players that gave the Packers trouble, but he deserves to be on the list.
Let me know who makes your list in the comments section.
Packers news, notes and links
- The Packers shuffled around a few members of their coaching staff this week and added a few new faces. Are the moves meaningful change? Or something that isn’t that big of a deal, but we need to talk about it since we’re in the downtime of the offseason? My money is on the latter. John Rehor covers the topic over at PackersTalk.com.
- This report says the Packers will be spenders in free agency. A couple thoughts on that: 1) I’ll believe it when I see it; 2) How much will the Packers have left to spend if they re-sign a number of their own free agents? 3) The report says the Packers want to get lighter on the defensive line. I wrote about the Packers being too fat up front back in December; 4) The author of the report loses a lot of credibility when the refers to B.J. Raji as a “standout defensive lineman.”
- According to a survey of NFL mock drafts conducted by the fine folks over at CheeseheadTV, the Packers will take Nortre Dame nose tackle Louis Nix in the first round. Nix is 6-foot-3, 340 pounds so he doesn’t exactly fit the narrative of the Packers getting leaner and more athletic up front. He also tore his meniscus last season.
- Mike McCarthy’s comments on Michael Sam — the Missouri prospect who revealed he was gay this week — are yet another reason why I’m proud to have McCarthy coaching my favorite team.
- Aaron Nagler (formerly of CheeseheadTV and now at Bleacher Report) and Matt Miller (BR’s NFL draft guru) have a new podcast called #Football that I highly recommend.
- This news on Darren Sharper is disturbing. We think we really know these guys….
Non-Packers links and other nonsense
- From a police report in the town where I grew up: “Woman stated she was woken up by being hit in the face with a burrito and that the male subject broke her computer. Officers learned that both subjects were highly intoxicated. The man said he would pay for a new computer. Both subjects said they were going to watch a Christmas movie and that everything was OK.”
- The Wells report on the Richie Ingonito/Jonathan Martin/Miami Dolphins situation is mind-boggling. My high school and college buddies and I rip on each other a lot, and sometimes the language can get colorful and lines crossed, but it’s nothing like this. Racism, homophobia, threats of violence, general douche-baggery. Ugh. It’s all in there.
- Packers guard T.J. Lang asks us to not lump in all NFL players with what’s happening in Miami.
- And the brown medal goes to…
- Chipotle, a big giant corporation, is attacking American farmers for being…big giant corporations. I don’t know what’s more ridiculous: the fact that Chipotle thinks we’re stupid enough to buy into its nonsense or the fact that, well, a lot of people are stupid enough to buy into this nonsense. Since you’re reading ALLGBP.com, I know you’re not stupid. If you appreciate American farmers, stop supporting Chipotle. Eat at an actual local restaurant, not one that pretends to be.
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