2017 Draft/FA Needs - Ranked

[Pokerbrat2000]

I truly hope Thompson passes on Peppers if he's still on the board by the time the Packers pick. He doesn't address any of the team's biggest needs at all.

I would be fine getting a player like Peppers, but only if TT resigns some key Packers and addresses the other needs (CB and OLB), first through free agency or some type of pre-draft trade. But we both sound like a broken record saying it.....it won't happen.

Peppers is going to be a luxury type pick, which is why I do actually see him possibly free falling to someone like the Patriots, if he gets by the first 20 picks. I know Dallas will be looking to improve their defense, but not sure Peppers fits that need.

 

[Arthur Squires]

I truly hope Thompson passes on Peppers if he's still on the board by the time the Packers pick. He doesn't address any of the team's biggest needs at all.

He is an uber talented football player. But I somewhat agree with you. I'm sure Dom doesn't but I understand what you mean.

 

[sdh09e44]

Just saw a report the Texans are not expected to franchise tag AJ Bouye. They have around 21 mil in cap space. Still enough to get a long term deal done but if he wants 10-12 mil, they won't have any room to do one other thing. Interesting situation

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

Just saw a report the Texans are not expected to franchise tag AJ Bouye. They have around 21 mil in cap space. Still enough to get a long term deal done but if he wants 10-12 mil, they won't have any room to do one other thing. Interesting situation

I thought I saw that the CB Franchise tag is $15.7 M, so if he wants less ($10-12M) won't be an issue. Using your numbers, that still leaves the Texans with $9-11M.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

He is an uber talented football player. But I somewhat agree with you. I'm sure Dom doesn't but I understand what you mean.

While Peppers is for sure an uber-talented athlete I'm not convinced about him being that kind of football player.

Just saw a report the Texans are not expected to franchise tag AJ Bouye. They have around 21 mil in cap space. Still enough to get a long term deal done but if he wants 10-12 mil, they won't have any room to do one other thing. Interesting situation

There's no doubt Bouye had an excellent season in 2016 but signing him to a huge contract is a risk as he has only performed at that level for a single season.

 

[sdh09e44]

I thought I saw that the CB Franchise tag is $15.7 M, so if he wants less ($10-12M) won't be an issue. Using your numbers, that still leaves the Texans with $9-11M.

Then minus the 5 or so for the rooks. After that, not much to do anything as in not much to bring in any other FAs like they usually like to do. Maybe they'll clear some space for Bouye via Jonathan Joseph, but then you have Clowney and Hopkins in 2018 due for some of most expensive deals in their postions. They'll need at least 30 mil in space to lock those guys up.

Who knows though. It's one of those things, that how the Texans deal with him will tell you everything you need to know. If they don't wanna pay him then then it tells you they think their front 7 was the straw that stirred the drink and Bouye was the beneficiary of that. Leaving a team like us with a potential bad signing. TT is aware of that and that's probably why he won't sign him.

 

[PikeBadger]

Just saw a report the Texans are not expected to franchise tag AJ Bouye. They have around 21 mil in cap space. Still enough to get a long term deal done but if he wants 10-12 mil, they won't have any room to do one other thing. Interesting situation

Sounds like they could use Russ Ball in their office.

 

[PikeBadger]

He is an uber talented football player. But I somewhat agree with you. I'm sure Dom doesn't but I understand what you mean.

Would be hard to pass up a guy like Peppers at even pick 12 imo if his intangibles are in order. A creative coaching staff could put his talent and skills to work in a lot of ways.

 

[Half Empty]

Any significance to 'even pick 12'?

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

There is always a guy or 2 like Peppers in the draft, all over the place on Mock drafts and nobody is quite sure when he will go. Personally, I think Peppers could be a very valuable and dynamic tool for a team that has the luxury of not needing a day 1 starter at a specific position. I see him being a lot like Arizona's Deone Bucannon, able to play safety or a hybrid LB, while also returning kicks/punts. While I don't think the Packers will find a day 1 starter at #29, I don't see TT doing enough in the Free Agent Market to allow the Packers the luxury of selecting Peppers, even if he happens to be available.

 

[C-Lee]

I want Sidney Jones.

 

[PikeBadger]

Any significance to 'even pick 12'?

Imo, Jabril Peppers is a top 10 talent in every draft class. If used creatively, he's going to make high impact plays for some NFL team. This cat is very dangerous with the ball in his hands. If I were drafting in the top half of the draft I'd be having very serious discussions with the head coach and all three coordinators on how to use him and get the ball in his hands 10 times a game.
I don't know what he's like in terms of coachability. I'd be worried about that from some of his body language I witnessed last year.

 

[brandon2348]

There is always a guy or 2 like Peppers in the draft, all over the place on Mock drafts and nobody is quite sure when he will go. Personally, I think Peppers could be a very valuable and dynamic tool for a team that has the luxury of not needing a day 1 starter at a specific position. I see him being a lot like Arizona's Deone Bucannon, able to play safety or a hybrid LB, while also returning kicks/punts. While I don't think the Packers will find a day 1 starter at #29, I don't see TT doing enough in the Free Agent Market to allow the Packers the luxury of selecting Peppers, even if he happens to be available.

All that and he is faster then Bucannon. He would make the defense "faster" day 1 and is one of those hybrid guys you can line up in multiple places.

I'd be so so happy if TT got aggressive and grabbed Peppers and then got more agressive and traded back up to grab Haason Red****. Wow, talk aboug giving this defense a face lift. "Speed" and "playmakers". Give me as many as can get. We dont need anymore "role playerz".

 

[Pkrjones]

D. Buchanon is 6'-1", 220 and a very solid tackler. Burnett, Dix and Jabril Peppers are all 6'-1", 207-209 and are natural safeties. Don't know if any of them can or would gain another 10-15 lbs. to play 1/2LB/1/2S hybrid. Burnett tried in '16 and may be great at that role if he can stay healthy while battling thru OL's & FB's.

Jabril Peppers runs 4.34 (or faster... we'll see next week) while Burnett & Dix were upper 4.5's prior to their draft. I would think J. Peppers is best suited as a Safety where his closing speed would be maximized.

Also would think if he's still on the board at 27 or 28 that the Bears would be trying desperately to trade-up as he would instantly make them considerably better.

 

[PackerDNA]

Yeah, I recall that conversation.

But I would persist that you're overstating that case. There has never been a front office with the capability of filling out a great roster without the benefit of their first round picks.

50% of the pro bowlers, by your source, were found in the first 32 picks. The rest were spread across the combination of the ~220 remaing draft slots and ~512 free agents darts that teams collectively take each year. 32 vs. ~732.

You're emphasizing the raw numbers of pro bowlers between round 1 and everything else without considering how much different the pools are.

Didn't Seattle in recent years trade off their 1st rounders and go something like 4 or 5 years without a 1st rounder?

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

Didn't Seattle in recent years trade off their 1st rounders and go something like 4 or 5 years without a 1st rounder?

2013, 2014, 2015 it would appear. So 3 years

2013 they traded it to the Vikings for Percy Harvin

2014 they once again traded their #1 (32nd) with the Vikings for the 40th and 108th picks

2015: They traded their #1 to New Orleans for Jimmy Graham

 

[PackerDNA]

2013, 2014, 2015 it would appear. So 3 years

2013 they traded it to the Vikings for Percy Harvin

2014 they once again traded their #1 (32nd) with the Vikings for the 40th and 108th picks

2015: They traded their #1 to New Orleans for Jimmy Graham

Thanks, Pokerbrat2000.

 

[brandon2348]

Speed in the middle of the defense is a necessity and not a luxury so I don't consider Peppers a "luxury pick". We need Nick Collins speed in the middle and "J.Peppers" supplies that immediately. Then we finally need to get a ILB that can fly and make plays all over the field as well. I like Haason Red****. You can then start actually plugging a corner like a Casey Hayward for example on the outside and hit "home runs" and get the results everyone wants. Of course the pass rush needs to be addressed as well.

Simply trying to just plug a 1st round corner into the current mess wont improve the results all that much. Doesn't work that way.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

Speed in the middle of the defense is a necessity and not a luxury so I don't consider Peppers a "luxury pick". We need Nick Collins speed in the middle and "J.Peppers" supplies that immediately. Then we finally need to get a ILB that can fly and make plays all over the field as well. I like Haason Red****. You can then start actually plugging a corner like a Casey Hayward for example on the outside and hit "home runs" and get the results everyone wants. Of course the pass rush needs to be addressed as well.

Simply trying to just plug a 1st round corner into the current mess wont improve the results all that much. Doesn't work that way.

Like I said, if TT somehow pulls a Jekyll and Hyde act in the FA market and addresses all of our current needs, than it gives him more flexibility going into the draft of using picks on guys like Peppers. But if TT goes into the draft needing CB, OLB, TE, RB, DL, OL......Peppers, IMO would be a luxury pick that may not help save the 2017 defense.

Have to have 4 wheels, an engine and a steering wheel, before you can deck out your car with a killer sound system.

 

[brandon2348]

Like I said, if TT somehow pulls a Jekyll and Hyde act in the FA market and addresses all of our current needs, than it gives him more flexibility going into the draft of using picks on guys like Peppers. But if TT goes into the draft needing CB, OLB, TE, RB, DL, OL......Peppers, IMO would be a luxury pick that may not help save the 2017 defense.

Have to have 4 wheels, an engine and a steering wheel, before you can deck out your car with a killer sound system.

'

I know but there really isn't a burner in the whole secondary. I mean how many times did you see this defense get beat over the middle on 3rd down? Everyone remembers the big over the top plays but there were even more over the middle on 3rd down.

I just think drafting a corner in the first round in this draft is a mistake because it's so deep there. I am seeing Sidney Jones mocked to us all over the place and I hate it. I mean what is a 180 pound corner gonna do for us next year? At least go after a guy like Desmond King if that's the case.

 

[Dantés]

Didn't Seattle in recent years trade off their 1st rounders and go something like 4 or 5 years without a 1st rounder?

Well two things...

1) That doesn't mean they went without a 1st round pick. They turned that pick into other picks or into players. They still got something out of them.

2) Even Seattle, a team that has done as well outside of round one and in FA as anyone, would not be the team they are without their first round picks. Earl Thomas, for instance, is the entire key to their historic defense and without him they fell apart down the stretch this season. Their first round guard went down in the playoffs and the backup promptly stepped on Wilson's foot and produced a safety. They allowed James Carpenter to leave and their OL became the achilles heel that hampered their ability to excel all season.

 

[Ted Thompson's Mind]

People screaming for me to only spend on defense doesn't realize offense dictates whether or not they are on the field.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

People screaming for me to only spend on defense doesn't realize offense dictates whether or not they are on the field.

LOL.....spend it all on the offense than Ted!! Make it an offense that can convert every single drive with 8 points, because we are going to need it!

Can you also find a K who can convert onside kicks 100% of the time too, because we are going to need him as well.

Damn, I always thought it was the defense that dictated how often the offense got to come out on the field!

 

[PackerDNA]

Well two things...

1) That doesn't mean they went without a 1st round pick. They turned that pick into other picks or into players. They still got something out of them.

2) Even Seattle, a team that has done as well outside of round one and in FA as anyone, would not be the team they are without their first round picks. Earl Thomas, for instance, is the entire key to their historic defense and without him they fell apart down the stretch this season. Their first round guard went down in the playoffs and the backup promptly stepped on Wilson's foot and produced a safety. They allowed James Carpenter to leave and their OL became the achilles heel that hampered their ability to excel all season.

Agree with your post, but got a kick out of the first part. You're really reaching there. The thing is this; if you have no picks in the 1st round, you have no 1st round pick.
I do see your point, though.

 

[Dantés]

Agree with your post, but got a kick out of the first part. You're really reaching there. The thing is this; if you have no picks in the 1st round, you have no 1st round pick.
I do see your point, though.

And if you traded your first round pick, you had a first round pick to trade. Not sure how that's a reach.