2017 Draft/FA Needs - Ranked

[Mark Andrew Hooley]

Only problem with all this is that we don't need a prospect. We need someone to be a game changer rushing the passer. Unless Matthews returns to his old self and Jones and Perry both have huge years.

 

[brandon2348]

yea i don't think he is gonna be there at 29. The guys we have talked about are probably the most likely pass rushers that will be available, watt anderson red**** or someone mentioned the guy Willis from Kansas State. Nice prospect who would probably be around in the 3rd.

I have Willis as a sleeper too. We all seem to be on the same page. lol. Someome needs to get TT on this page.

 

[brandon2348]

I recently watched his game film from the Badgers game @ lambeau. Did not look like he did a good job of getting to the Qb and into the backfield, which like we have talked about, is what we need at DT.

That's all I saw of him but highlight tapes usually wow you, idk

He is rising but he might be one of those guys with all the measurables but isnt a player.

 

[Patriotplayer90]

I love Willis as a prospect and he seems like a Packer pick. He's flying a little under the radar and a lot of casual fans might be upset with the pick, but I'd be psyched. I'm trying to figure out why Adams grades so high, but players like Watkins are ranked ahead of him. He seems like the best player on that side of the ball for Auburn and the numbers back that up. I bet we'll see a big rise in his projection in the coming weeks.

Willis would be a great pick.

 

[sdh09e44]

He is rising but he might be one of those guys with all the measurables but isnt a player.

It was very early in the season and idk how he did as the year went on so who knows . I just love guys from big time SEC schools, that's why I did some research on him. Well coached players who have played in marquee games against top talent.

 

[GreenBaySlacker]

Hey guys! Former Charger Fan here from San Diego (Packers were my childhood team)
I consider myself a draftnik and consider myself a fairly consistent presence on the Chargers forums for all draft discussions.
Since I now hate the Chargers I'll be looking to do more of the same with you guys!!

My initial thoughts: I need to study the Packers more as I haven't followed them closely in years, but it seems as if they could use a corner, pass rusher, just about any defensive player... but you know ho really has me salivating are the TEs in this draft. Njoku or O.J. Howard are sitting there and I am all about these prospects. IMO they are the best T.E. prospects to come out maybe since Vernon Davis. Njoku is a FREAK athlete that, if I recall correctly, has the 2nd highest high jump for The U football team ever... and is on the cusp of olympic qualifier high jumps.
O.J. plays with similar play speed and is an absolute gem of a run blocker. Very well rounded player.
I know the need for corner weighs heavily, but if you get a chance of one of these two guys I'd have to take my shot.
What do you guys think?
(I know that Cook is a FA)

Those TEs sound great. I still want to see Cook resigned. But theres nothing wrong with developing a top tier rookie to take his spot when he is done.

 

[sdh09e44]

I remember hoping Howard was gonna come out last season. Said oh well, maybe we can have a shot at him in 2017. Then tons of holes opened up on defense and there is no reason to draft him, butt, hodges, or njoku.

Plus I think Cook is more than good enough. Rodgers is so good that any average TE will flourish with him. I am thinking we let RR go after next season and then draft his replacement.

 

[brandon2348]

It was very early in the season and idk how he did as the year went on so who knows . I just love guys from big time SEC schools, that's why I did some research on him. Well coached players who have played in marquee games against top talent.

He is listed as a 5 technique - 3 technique guy. The junior coming out of out Oklahoma State "Vincent Taylor" is a 1 techique- 3 technique. With Pennel gone Taylor might be a better choice.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

Chicken and egg when it comes to pass rush and coverage. I tend to value the rush over the coverage, but they're symbiotic to be sure. Both need to be addressed heavily in the offseason. Seems to me that the best approach would be a veteran corner and a high end pick at pass rusher, but that's really going to be determined by who is available.

In my opinion the best approach would be to address both positions in free agency and early in the draft.

 

[Dantés]

In my opinion the best approach would be to address both positions in free agency and early in the draft.

Would you consider extending Perry as addressing the position in FA, or are you looking for another veteran? If so, who do you have your eye on?

 

[Deleted member 6794]

Would you consider extending Perry as addressing the position in FA, or are you looking for another veteran? If so, who do you have your eye on?

I would like the Packers to re-sign Perry and add another veteran free agent. It would be amazing to get Chandler Jones but he will most likely demand too much money. Jabaal Sheard and maybe John Simon might be decent options at a reasonable cost.

 

[Dantés]

I would like the Packers to re-sign Perry and add another veteran free agent. It would be amazing to get Chandler Jones but he will most likely demand too much money. Jabaal Sheard and maybe John Simon might be decent options at a reasonable cost.

I would think that signing another veteran on top of Perry would mean cutting Matthews. Maybe not. Alex Okafor is an interesting name as a guy who is still young and could have some untapped potential.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

I would think that signing another veteran on top of Perry would mean cutting Matthews. Maybe not. Alex Okafor is an interesting name as a guy who is still young and could have some untapped potential.

Okafor played at a decent level in 2016 but was mostly a disappointment during his first three seasons in the league. Simon is a more talented player who is only 26 years old as well.

 

[Dantés]

Okafor played at a decent level in 2016 but was mostly a disappointment during his first three seasons in the league. Simon is a more talented player who is only 26 years old as well.

Simon is a better run defender, but Okafor offers more pass rush potential. Either would be fine, but I think you're getting Okafor for less and don't see a big value gap between the two. That's if they even pursue another veteran edge player. I can envision them keeping Perry, keeping Matthews, using a high draft pick on the position, and calling it good.

 

[Mondio]

i wouldn't be surprised if they re-signed Datone either. He's not going to cost much. I think Perry will be re-signed. I think money should be spent on either pass rusher or DB and the other will be addressed in the draft. I'd rather a pass rusher, I think it's more important. We got sacks this year, but they were very selective. We didn't get them because of our relentless pressure that's for sure. I think our sack number and INT numbers are a bit misleading as consistent pressure, to me, is more important. It affects more throws and as a bigger effect on the QB I think over the course of the game rather than what our defense does with zero pressure for much of it and hitting on 2-4 plays a game.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

In my opinion the best approach would be to address both positions in free agency and early in the draft.

This is the way I feel as well. Sometimes I think people expect way too much out of early round rookies. In the Packers case, early round rookies who are picked late in the round. When was the last time a Rookie made a big impact for the Packers in their first year? Probably Clay Matthews? So while you hope you can find a player who provides an immediate impact on the team, history has shown you better not rely on it. That being said, with the state of the CB and OLB positions, I just don't see how TT can realistically expect a stronger defense in 2017 without using other options available to him besides the draft.

 

[GreenBaySlacker]

i wouldn't be surprised if they re-signed Datone either. He's not going to cost much. I think Perry will be re-signed. I think money should be spent on either pass rusher or DB and the other will be addressed in the draft. I'd rather a pass rusher, I think it's more important. We got sacks this year, but they were very selective. We didn't get them because of our relentless pressure that's for sure. I think our sack number and INT numbers are a bit misleading as consistent pressure, to me, is more important. It affects more throws and as a bigger effect on the QB I think over the course of the game rather than what our defense does with zero pressure for much of it and hitting on 2-4 plays a game.

Agree on Datone. I also think it would be wise to offer him a 4 year, 3-4mil/yr deal as a journeyman, instead of a 1 year prove it deal. That could allow him to actually prove it, and force us to pay more to keep him...

My opinion is that we drafted Datone as a under sized DE, and a speed rusher. I seen him as our version of Aldon Smith, whose speed, and power combo was dominating, when he came in fresh as a speed rusher, against tired Olinemen. Since then GB actually put him at the monster OLB spot like Aldon was. (anyone remember giving me greif for making the Aldon Smith comparison, and saying he could be a OLB? lol) ANYWAYS!!! Datone was a project player when we drafted him. And he is just now finding his spot... In the next 4 years he will become the player we thought we drafted, IMO.
So to justify the 4 years we spent developing Datone, and the 1st round pick spent on him. We need to lock him in for 4 years, and cash in on that investment... He will pay off.

1 year prove it deal, and he ends up with 10 sacks because Peppers isn't there taking all the snaps... Now we have a player with 1 good year who will expect 10mil/yr to be resigned long term... At that point, I don't know what to do. Risk/reward ratio gets worse IMO.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

Agree on Datone. I also think it would be wise to offer him a 4 year, 3-4mil/yr deal as a journeyman, instead of a 1 year prove it deal. That could allow him to actually prove it, and force us to pay more to keep him...

Datone Jones hasn´t done anything to justify offering him $3-4 million on a long term contract.

 

[GreenBaySlacker]

Wilfork..... give him 300 snaps instead of the 600 he had this year with the Texans. And we will do very well on defense... Clowney broke out without Watt on the line... I would bet my left nut that without Wilfork, Clowney doesn't do squat!

Then after 600 snaps, the old giant man was wore down by the playoffs. Give him 300 snaps, and all of a sudden Wilfork has some spark left for the final push IMO... And we will get a stud run stuffer for 300 snaps.

That's the kind of NT that forces the double team, and still beats it from time to time. Causeing the ripple effect through the whole defense. THAT is what we need to open up our OLBs.... Not better OLBs. IMO.

Id love to see BJ Raji come in after a year of mental and physical rehab. Im sure the constant grind on those giant bodies doesn't allow them to ever be 100% healthy. Sometimes the constant grind just ruins the whole ability of the player to be effective. Raji was over used!!! He was out there all the time. And 29 or 38 like Wilfork, it don't matter. those giant men need a rotation to keep them effecting for a 20 week push.

Guion too. He would be much more effective if he had a counter part to split reps...

 

[PackerDNA]

It boggles my mind that anyone advocates resigning Datone Jones. The biggest reason seems to be 'he'd be cheap'. At a buck eighty he'd be overpaid. We need to stop bringing back the same underacheiving , non performing, non productive dead weight every year.

Here's a crazy idea; quit wasting cap and roster space on dead weight and get better players.

 

[GreenBaySlacker]

Datone Jones hasn´t done anything to justify offering him $3-4 million on a long term contract.

I wouldn't say that... He earned a 1st round pick. He has shown flashes of ability in a limited role...

I would also point out that 3-4 mil for a 2nd contract is a journeyman OLB minimum wage...

That said, I think he has the potential to break out in the next 4 years. That's why I would personally roll the dice on him and offer a slightly larger salary, for a longer period of time, so we can get a couple years of good bargain, when he does break out... With Peppers gone, I assume he will get many more opportunities to do so. And if GB can get some good DL rotation, the OLBs will open up... The stats will come IMO.

 

[GreenBaySlacker]

It boggles my mind that anyone advocates resigning Datone Jones. The biggest reason seems to be 'he'd be cheap'. At a buck eighty he'd be overpaid. We need to stop bringing back the same underacheiving , non performing, non productive dead weight every year.

Here's a crazy idea; quit wasting cap and roster space on dead weight and get better players.

Sounds like the same argument made when talking about Bahk last year........

My opinion of Bahk (and Perry) last year parallels my opinion of datone now. Both were under sized project players(perry a DE turned OLB)... All took 4 years to find their spot... You cant develop a player for 4 years, and give up as soon as all the hard work is done...

Last year I was optimistic that Perry would be a stud. His injuries seem to be less and less. And he was really effective when out there. I seen the defense as a whole, play much better with him out there... Had we offered him a 4 year 6 mil deal last year, instead of a 1 year prove it deal... He would be on the roster the next 3 years for 6 instead of the 10 he will surely get this year with a long term deal...

Datone hasn't shown the potential that Bahk and Perry shown. But he has shown flashes. And at a journeyman salary, he would be a solid cog in the machine.

 

[PackerDNA]

I wouldn't say that... He earned a 1st round pick. He has shown flashes of ability in a limited role...

I would also point out that 3-4 mil for a 2nd contract is a journeyman OLB minimum wage...

That said, I think he has the potential to break out in the next 4 years. That's why I would personally roll the dice on him and offer a slightly larger salary, for a longer period of time, so we can get a couple years of good bargain, when he does break out... With Peppers gone, I assume he will get many more opportunities to do so. And if GB can get some good DL rotation, the OLBs will open up... The stats will come IMO.

Dear God, why not just give him $20M and another 10 years.

 

[GreenBaySlacker]

Dear God, why not just give him $2and another 10 years.

Why do you act like 3-4 mil for a OLB is a lot? Its not.....

And what are you going to say when Datone goes somewhere else, and breaks out? nothing?

We need OLBs. We need a monster to help replace Peppers... 3-4 mil is what it costs for anyone other than a rookie. Deal with it.

And whats your opinion of Mathews 15mil he makes next year?

 

[Mondio]

It boggles my mind that anyone advocates resigning Datone Jones. The biggest reason seems to be 'he'd be cheap'. At a buck eighty he'd be overpaid. We need to stop bringing back the same underacheiving , non performing, non productive dead weight every year.

Here's a crazy idea; quit wasting cap and roster space on dead weight and get better players.

I"m not advocating, I said we probably would, and the reason is he should be relatively in expensive. He has disappointed, only because he has shown he's capable of a lot more than he's producing, but overall, there are guys all over this league just like him. Good Rosters and poor ones, have guys like Datone. He's not their cornerstones, he's a rotation guy. if he's paid like one, I won't care if he's here or not, because the odds are overwhelmingly high, that his replacement will probably be just like him or worse somewhere on this roster because no team is going to be starter quality at every position on the depth chart.