I solve the Packers ***** pass rush right here

[NelsonsLongCatch]

I wouldn't mind taking a flyer on Jerry Hughes if the price is right. He's young enough to rebound.

 

[FrankRizzo]

I wouldn't mind taking a flyer on Jerry Hughes if the price is right. He's young enough to rebound.

Absolutely.
Unlike a Brandon Graham, Derek Sherrod, Andrew Quarless, he hasn't had any serious injury or anything. He's just not a fit as a stand down DE in the NFL.
I thought then, as did Teddy, that he WAS a fit for Capers' 3-4. I believe he will (could) make Capers look like a smarter coach.

 

[JoshuaRHuffman]

Yea I like the idea of bringing in Jerry Hughes if he's a FA.

 

[Jules]

Take Jerry Hughes.Take him.
He is not going to make it in Indy.

 

[NelsonsLongCatch]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Somebody call Ted and tell him what's up.... We call can't be wrong.

 

[Jules]

Won't take much either to get him. A ham sandwich might suffice. They tried to move him before the trade deadline.

 

[jaybadger82]

ESPN draftnik Mel Kiper released his first mock draft for the 2012 NFL Draft on Friday. The Packers sit with the No. 28 pick and Kiper has them selecting Illinois linebacker Whitney Mercilus.
Kiper wrote:

“It was masked somewhat by reputation, but no team in the NFL had a lower sack rate than Green Bay during the regular season. And it was on display again in the playoffs — the Packers simply can’t create pressure without bringing blitzers, leaving the secondary vulnerable. Mercilus (pronounced “merciless”) played to that description at Illinois this past season. I see him standing up as an outside linebacker after playing with his hand on the ground in college. At 6-foot-4, 265 pounds, he has a good profile for the position, and he really knows how to get to the quarterback. The question on him is he really exploded this season, so the body of work is lighter than some, but the Packers need to find some pass-rush help and Mercilus is a good value here based on his current grade.”

A pass-rusher is clearly the top need for the Packers and an outside linebacker opposite Clay Matthews is probably more valuable than a defensive end. Pro Football Weekly senior editor Nolan Nawrocki has said Alabama’s Courtney Upshaw and South Carolina’s Melvin Ingram would be the top two to fit the Packers scheme. Upshaw’s stock has risen since the National Championship game and Kiper has him going No. 10 to the Bills. He has Ingram slotted to go No. 12 to the Seahawks.

I've been talking about my love for Ingram to everyone that will listen to me... like that football player.

 

[KYPacker]

Nice write up and I would take those scenarios right now for the most part, but Osweiller isn't going to be around anywhere near the 4th round. McShay said he was the fastest rising QB on his board and as we saw last year, teams are going to jump the gun on QB's who show any signs of being competent. Osweiller won't make it out of the 2nd rd.

Would love for us to get Hughes, because I know he will come extremely cheap and be very low risk. If we kept Wells and somehow got a top 40 pick for Flynn (don't see it happening), I wonder what we would go after with that pick if we had already chosen a DE/OLB with 28 as we all expect. Defensive back would be my best guess.

 

[FrankRizzo]

Nice write up and I would take those scenarios right now for the most part, but Osweiller isn't going to be around anywhere near the 4th round. McShay said he was the fastest rising QB on his board and as we saw last year, teams are going to jump the gun on QB's who show any signs of being competent. Osweiller won't make it out of the 2nd rd.

Would love for us to get Hughes, because I know he will come extremely cheap and be very low risk. If we kept Wells and somehow got a top 40 pick for Flynn (don't see it happening), I wonder what we would go after with that pick if we had already chosen a DE/OLB with 28 as we all expect. Defensive back would be my best guess.

Yeah, it is amazing how fast Osweiller is apparently moving up right now!
Anyway, we don't "need" a QB there because Graham Harrell is pretty good, and they seem to like Hill, who they just signed this week. I just don't like lefty QBs though (except Steve Young lol).

I need us to get Jerry Hughes.
Big Gilbert Brown was a castaway from the Vikings.
He became a mainstay and fan-favorite for us.
I think Hughes can be the same, but this time from the Colts.
Dude is extremely athletic.

 

[TJV]

Interesting initial post, FrankRizzo. IMO Wells is more likely to stay than leave via UFA, even if he does test the market. I think he has more value to the Packers than to other teams.

I know what you mean – Flynn is worth more than a pick at the end of the third round - but I’d be careful calling such a pick a “chump” pick. Josh Sitton, Desmond Bishop, TJ Lang, Marshall Newhouse and James Starks all were selected after the third round. And it’s worth a reminder that so was Matt Flynn.

If Walden doesn’t get jail time (I don't think he will), IMO he’ll return but he’ll have to make the team if he’s in camp this year. Neither Jones, Walden, nor Zombo are the answer opposite Clay unless one of the them dramatically improves and that’s extremely unlikely IMO. But having them compete for the backup LB jobs makes sense IMO. IMO So'oto has the best chance of emerging at ROLB of those on the roster but they obviously can't rely on that.

Lee was drafted because the draft is a crap shoot and sometimes even a top-ten pick flames out, let alone a second rounder. If Thompson can tag and trade Flynn he could screw up that pick too, but I like his chances. Good point about Grant and that probably applies to Lee and Green: how much interest will they receive on the open market? And is Green worth a roster spot in any event?

Bush is one of the best gunners in the league and they used him more on D than most expected. He’s a backup at CB and safety. If he doesn’t demand too much I think he’s back, too.

Driver can’t stay at his $5M salary but if I were Thompson I’d offer about $1.5M. Trading Jones would be great but he received little or no interest in the market last off season.

Thompson and free agency? That’s really difficult to predict except to say Thompson won’t be a player in the initial high priced frenzy. I have no idea what the Titan’s front office thinks of Jason Jones but I wonder how many others who read “When healthy…” at the beginning of your description thought, ‘oh no…’?

As for the draft, this far out when I see the players the mock drafts have the Packers taking, I think the chances that player will be the pick are very slim. I find mock drafts interesting, but I’ll bet right now Ted Thompson has no idea where players will end up on his board. At this point what I’m hoping for most is that players on the offensive side of the ball take up a disproportional number of the picks before the Packers pick in the first round.

 

[FrankRizzo]

From McGinn:

Ten days ago, D-line coach Mike Trgovac said some in the organization have been talking about giving Mike Neal a shot at OLB next season. Although Neal maintained his weight of 295, he's a committed body builder who probably could drop weight to do it. The Packers would have to determine if he has the athleticism to stand up.

 

[Helmets]

From McGinn:

Ten days ago, D-line coach Mike Trgovac said some in the organization have been talking about giving Mike Neal a shot at OLB next season. Although Neal maintained his weight of 295, he's a committed body builder who probably could drop weight to do it. The Packers would have to determine if he has the athleticism to stand up.

Funny. Would love to see Neal covering Sproles or Woodhead out of the backfield...