Breaking Down the NFC North, 2024

Voyageur

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John Kuhn was indeed a valuable FB. The Packers do not use one any longer.
Actually, LeFleur is working along the lines of using A.J. Dillon in that capacity. He's talked about it fairly recently. Whether or not it actually happens, we probably won't know until we get deep into the preseason.
 

milani

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Actually, LeFleur is working along the lines of using A.J. Dillon in that capacity. He's talked about it fairly recently. Whether or not it actually happens, we probably won't know until we get deep into the preseason.
That could extend his career. He would be called upon for a lot of blocking. Near the goal line the play action and toss to the FB can be a weapon.
 

Heyjoe4

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Yeah. Well it wont be 5 strict seasons on Rookie $$. It’s often at best 4 and most often either your QB gets a legit contract before that or flails and is gone. But 4 years is a more reasonable, yes. I see your point. It’s wonderful if you can get a + Starter at QB under 5% of Cap.

You obviously want to get that early return. However as seen with Trevor it doesn’t always work out that way. Either it takes a minute to get momentum as far as production OR if they overcome that obstacle your QB wants to be paid before that 5th year option (and if successful for a couple seasons they should)
Yeah not every rookie plays like Burrow or Stroud. Lawrence is a great example of a guy who has played ok under his rookie deal, but certainly at no great value given his performance. And the Packers never really got Love on a true rookie deal. although I'd argue the time behind Rodgers was well worth it.

It's just not that easy for QBs to go from rookie to elite. Actually it's rare to get to elite/franchise QB status. So back to Chicago, as talented as they are, their pivot guy is a rookie. I think he'll do a lot better than Bryce Young, but won't be surprised if it takes a year or three.
 

Voyageur

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The question the Packers need to ask themselves is whether they are willing to risk putting the team in the hands of a QB who "might not" be as good as what his first year under center was.

Sign him now, and save, let's say $25 to $30 million over a 5 or 6 year period, or risk it to wait and see if he is that good, and end up paying 3 to 4 times that amount extra. You might get Love for $50 mill a year for 6 years now, but that figure could be $55 to $65 mill if he knocks it out of the park this year.

These are the decisions that either make or break so many GMs, because so much of their total salary budget is focused on one player. Either way, Gute is not going to sleep well until it's all over, and then, he might not sleep well anyway, if he figures he screwed up in either direction.

Even after the decision is made, and if you put all that money into a guy, the injury situation can totally wipe the investment out.

The joys of being a GM.
 

Krabs

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No disrespect meant to Caleb's Regurgitation, I love the rivalry, and hope you have a season you are pleased with.

FTR the Vikes are the only team in the division to never have won an NFL championship. True fact.
That's factually incorrect. MN won the 1969 NFL Championship, which was the final championship game prior to the AFL-NFL merger. It's kind of a odd one though because the Super Bowl did exist. There wasn't an NFC Championship game yet. The "NFL Champion" was determined in the Super Bowl begging with Super Bowl V. MN did lose in the Super Bowl IV to the Chiefs. No one really counts this as a championship outside of MN. :)
 

Packer Fan in SD

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TY for the info, you all are correct, it is, in fact, my own bias that refuses to recognize losing in the SB still makes you the NFL champ.

MY angst on this matter comes from growing up in Wi on the border of Minny, so the tv stations showed the Vikings if they both played at the same time. I hated having to listen on the radio. Plus old age dampens the memories.
 

Voyageur

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That's factually incorrect. MN won the 1969 NFL Championship, which was the final championship game prior to the AFL-NFL merger. It's kind of a odd one though because the Super Bowl did exist. There wasn't an NFC Championship game yet. The "NFL Champion" was determined in the Super Bowl begging with Super Bowl V. MN did lose in the Super Bowl IV to the Chiefs. No one really counts this as a championship outside of MN. :)
It wasn't the final championship. They lost the Super Bowl.
 

Voyageur

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My response to the Vikings fan that tosses that up is: "Did they win or lose the last game they played that season?" The conversation usually ends there. Still, they cling to that "lost" Thorpe.
Unless you win the last game of the season for all teams, you in the end, are a loser. Four trips to the Super Bowl, and not one trophy has to be a sick feeling. It's shared by the Vikings and the Bills. Just couldn't quite make it across the finish line.
 

Krabs

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Unless you win the last game of the season for all teams, you in the end, are a loser. Four trips to the Super Bowl, and not one trophy has to be a sick feeling. It's shared by the Vikings and the Bills. Just couldn't quite make it across the finish line.
They won the Ed Thorp trophy. ;)
 

Voyageur

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Who is Ed Thorpe?
Thorp was a referee for the NFL back in the 20s. He died young, but was liked and respected by the owners and players around the league. Everyone thought of him as the best official, and fair with everyone.

He died a short time before a new season started, and the owners had decided on a trophy for the winners. There would be a traveling trophy which would be engraved with every year's winner, and it would be passed around. There would be a second trophy that was the same, but a lot smaller, that each team would keep.This was the ultimate trophy before there was a Super Bowl trophy.

Since Green Bay won it more than anyone else, when it was discontinued, because there was a Super Bowl, and trophy, the Packers got to keep the original traveling Thorp because they were the last ones to win it. It was similar in concept to the Calder Trophy which goes from winning team to winning team in the NHL.

Interestingly enough, there are two historical Championship trophies that no longer are in existence. The Thorp, and the Super Bowl Trophy. The Packers own both of them. The Super Bowl trophy was named after Lombardi before Super Bowl III when the Jets won it. The original no longer existed.

Just another important part of history that adds to the Packer legend.

Added Note: I forgot to mention that the engravers erroneously put the name Thorpe on it, in their mind, thinking of Jim Thorpe. A different cat. They didn't do spell checks in those days.
 

milani

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Thorp was a referee for the NFL back in the 20s. He died young, but was liked and respected by the owners and players around the league. Everyone thought of him as the best official, and fair with everyone.

He died a short time before a new season started, and the owners had decided on a trophy for the winners. There would be a traveling trophy which would be engraved with every year's winner, and it would be passed around. There would be a second trophy that was the same, but a lot smaller, that each team would keep.This was the ultimate trophy before there was a Super Bowl trophy.

Since Green Bay won it more than anyone else, when it was discontinued, because there was a Super Bowl, and trophy, the Packers got to keep the original traveling Thorp because they were the last ones to win it. It was similar in concept to the Calder Trophy which goes from winning team to winning team in the NHL.

Interestingly enough, there are two historical Championship trophies that no longer are in existence. The Thorp, and the Super Bowl Trophy. The Packers own both of them. The Super Bowl trophy was named after Lombardi before Super Bowl III when the Jets won it. The original no longer existed.

Just another important part of history that adds to the Packer legend.

Added Note: I forgot to mention that the engravers erroneously put the name Thorpe on it, in their mind, thinking of Jim Thorpe. A different cat. They didn't do spell checks in those days.
Thanks for sharing. The Good, they die young.
 

El Guapo

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Added Note: I forgot to mention that the engravers erroneously put the name Thorpe on it, in their mind, thinking of Jim Thorpe. A different cat. They didn't do spell checks in those days.
When Mrs. El Guapo and I got married, one of her distant aunts gave us some meaningless clock from one of those Things Remembered stores that used to be in malls. They had it engraved of course with her name.....and my older brother's! We have similar names with his having an additional letter. She hates the clock but I think that it's priceless, a wedding gift with her name and his instead of mine name. It's like the upside down bi-plane stamp or the Frank Thomas no-name baseball card.
 

Voyageur

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When Mrs. El Guapo and I got married, one of her distant aunts gave us some meaningless clock from one of those Things Remembered stores that used to be in malls. They had it engraved of course with her name.....and my older brother's! We have similar names with his having an additional letter. She hates the clock but I think that it's priceless, a wedding gift with her name and his instead of mine name. It's like the upside down bi-plane stamp or the Frank Thomas no-name baseball card.
Some heirlooms should never leave family. I have several of them. My kids have been informed that those that each of them get must be kept to remember that we were all here, for future generations.
 

sschind

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When Mrs. El Guapo and I got married, one of her distant aunts gave us some meaningless clock from one of those Things Remembered stores that used to be in malls. They had it engraved of course with her name.....and my older brother's! We have similar names with his having an additional letter. She hates the clock but I think that it's priceless, a wedding gift with her name and his instead of mine name. It's like the upside down bi-plane stamp or the Frank Thomas no-name baseball card.
I've tried running all the different versions of the name Guapo and I couldn't find any with an additional letter. Could it be his first name is Ela.
 

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