The silver linings

[Deleted member 6794]

The likelihood that a veteran shutdown corner is added to the team is extremely low. It's TT, everyone wants one of those, other teams have more money to offer, and there are maybe 1 or 2 available. You saw what NY had to give up to get a CB and OLB, and that's just not TT's cup of tea.

Thompson for once has to outbid other teams to add a veteran shutdown cornerback and impact outside linebacker this offseason. Otherwise the defense will continue to struggle in 2017.

 

[tynimiller]

Thompson for once has to outbid other teams to add a veteran shutdown cornerback and impact outside linebacker this offseason. Otherwise the defense will continue to struggle in 2017.

I believe a #1 CB would have honestly maybe pushed us over the cusp...however outbidding other teams for the top 1 or 2 guys is not the answer IMO. I'd rather give up serious picks than do that as it cripples a team long term...I am just starting to analyze and make opinions on the CBs hitting the market....

To the OP though silver linings are as follows:

-AR as stated

-Monty I believe is our RB off season "pick up" with our offensive minding pass forst type offense he is perfect it. Michael can be the attack change guy and Rip is a great breather as his pass blocking has been good and he has proven he can get the nasty yards usually. Leverage is there to look at Lacy and say this is what we will do, if you say no thanks and bye.

-If we don't trade a guy away...the year Adams had was amazing for future and Geronimo hoping isn't a flash in the pan type (ala Boykin). Also yes due to injuries but I enjoyed seeing Janis out there and not getting coached or yelled at for wrong routes and such...may still have a future.

-Perry, dude plays more like this is just flat out AWESOME and makes Peppers and Clay moving on eventually not as big of a hit.

-While I still want a better coverage option than Joe Thomas I am still wanting a better option. I love what Jake Ryan is doing and is not making me look like a fool for saying we got a steal when we drafted him.

-Talented roster that just needs a couple pieces

 

[Deleted member 6794]

I believe a #1 CB would have honestly maybe pushed us over the cusp...however outbidding other teams for the top 1 or 2 guys is not the answer IMO. I'd rather give up serious picks than do that as it cripples a team long term...I am just starting to analyze and make opinions on the CBs hitting the market....

The Packers will gain an additional $9 million in cap space by releasing Shields enabling Thompson to sign a shutdown cornerback to a lucrative long-term contract.

 

[tynimiller]

The Packers will gain an additional $9 million in cap space by releasing Shields enabling Thompson to sign a shutdown cornerback to a lucrative long-term contract.

For sure...but some of that no doubt is going to Cook and Perry for sure too. I expect a signing of a CB....just curious if he'll try and find a Jared Cook style signing or try a big one.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

For sure...but some of that no doubt is going to Cook and Perry for sure too. I expect a signing of a CB....just curious if he'll try and find a Jared Cook style signing or try a big one.

The Packers should use the entire cap savings by releasing Shields on the cornerback position. The team has sufficient cap space to address other positions in need of an upgrade.

 

[tynimiller]

The Packers should use the entire cap savings by releasing Shields on the cornerback position. The team has sufficient cap space to address other positions in need of an upgrade.

Not against it personally, Lord knows we need an actual #1. I think we have solid #2s and 3s and such in the secondary but simply need better top side player or players.

 

[sschind]

That's ok. I understand. Did you get a hat and shirt?

I would have gotten a T-shirt but none of the stores around me carried a style I liked.

 

[sschind]

I believe the Packers turn into one of the favorites to win the Super Bowl when adding a veteran shutdown cornerback and impact outside linebacker as well as drafting another talented player early at both positions. The offense is talented enough to carry the team to another title with a slightly above average defense.

I think lots of teams turn into one of the favorites if they can add that.

 

[sschind]

The Packers should use the entire cap savings by releasing Shields on the cornerback position. The team has sufficient cap space to address other positions in need of an upgrade.

I agree. 2017 was the last year on Shields' contract so we should treat the position like we would have treated Sam Shields. If not for the concussion I think he would have been a prime candidate for a 3 year extension beyond 2017 and a lessening on the cap hit in 2017. I think we should find a player of Sams ability, or better, and offer him something in the neighborhood of what Sams "new" contract would have been or even more if the player is that much better.

I don't know what those numbers would be or who that player would be but since we would have had to deal with the position anyway after 2017 we might as well take care of it now and be done with it for 4 years.

 

[PackerDNA]

I agree. 2017 was the last year on Shields' contract so we should treat the position like we would have treated Sam Shields. If not for the concussion I think he would have been a prime candidate for a 3 year extension beyond 2017 and a lessening on the cap hit in 2017. I think we should find a player of Sams ability, or better, and offer him something in the neighborhood of what Sams "new" contract would have been or even more if the player is that much better.

I don't know what those numbers would be or who that player would be but since we would have had to deal with the position anyway after 2017 we might as well take care of it now and be done with it for 4 years.

Excellent reasoning.

 

[brandon2348]

I agree. 2017 was the last year on Shields' contract so we should treat the position like we would have treated Sam Shields. If not for the concussion I think he would have been a prime candidate for a 3 year extension beyond 2017 and a lessening on the cap hit in 2017. I think we should find a player of Sams ability, or better, and offer him something in the neighborhood of what Sams "new" contract would have been or even more if the player is that much better.

I don't know what those numbers would be or who that player would be but since we would have had to deal with the position anyway after 2017 we might as well take care of it now and be done with it for 4 years.

I like Stephon Gilmore. He is a no.1 corner and plays on an island. I like that he is currently playing in cold weather Buffalo. He had a down season last year but lots of negative fallout with Ryan and Co. Bills haven't franchised him. He will be around Shields money i would expect.

 

[Packer96]

NFC NORTH DIVISION CHAMPS AGAIN after a one year hiatus which gave Vikings fans a temporary sense of relevancy... only to be shot out of water when the universe righted itself.

Big deal, we have the top QB in the league, we win our sorry *** div. year after year and then get bounced in the playoffs, year after year.

 

[Patriotplayer90]

Big deal, we have the top QB in the league, we win our sorry *** div. year after year and then get bounced in the playoffs, year after year.

A participation trophy is just as valuable. People pretend that half the teams in the league wouldn't be in the same position if they had AR. We need a staff to take them over that hump.

 

[weeds]

I think a good number of our posters also call in to sports talk radio. We've heard it all before ... So...just what is YOUR plan aside from parroting the usual schtick?

 

[sschind]

I like Stephon Gilmore. He is a no.1 corner and plays on an island. I like that he is currently playing in cold weather Buffalo. He had a down season last year but lots of negative fallout with Ryan and Co. Bills haven't franchised him. He will be around Shields money i would expect.

I don't know anything about Gilmore so I'll take your word for it but the concept is exactly what I was talking about. Pretend that Gilmore was Sam Shields. What would you do with Sam Shields if it were not for his health concerns. If you would offer him an extension for X amount of dollars offer that same deal, basically, to Gilmore. Now you may have to go a bit higher to outbid someone else but Ted has the tendency to pay his own guys maybe a bit more anyway so it shouldn't be that much different. Don't use the departure of Sam Shields as a place to save money on the salary cap or even to spend it elsewhere. Use the departure of Sam Shields to use the money saved to add a comparable if not better replacement. Just like WIMM said as well, use it all.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

The likelihood that a veteran shutdown corner is added to the team is extremely low. It's TT, everyone wants one of those, other teams have more money to offer, and there are maybe 1 or 2 available. You saw what NY had to give up to get a CB and OLB, and that's just not TT's cup of tea.

The defense has been adding talented young players early in the draft for years, and they have pretty much been middle of the road the entire way. It doesn't take that long to turn a defense around.

Other teams have more money or other teams will offer more?

TT should have the funds to compete with any team on a FA CB, it's just a matter of WILL he?

 

[brandon2348]

I don't know anything about Gilmore so I'll take your word for it but the concept is exactly what I was talking about. Pretend that Gilmore was Sam Shields. What would you do with Sam Shields if it were not for his health concerns. If you would offer him an extension for X amount of dollars offer that same deal, basically, to Gilmore. Now you may have to go a bit higher to outbid someone else but Ted has the tendency to pay his own guys maybe a bit more anyway so it shouldn't be that much different. Don't use the departure of Sam Shields as a place to save money on the salary cap or even to spend it elsewhere. Use the departure of Sam Shields to use the money saved to add a comparable if not better replacement. Just like WIMM said as well, use it all.

Gilmore is a former no. 10 draft pick. IMO has the skill set to do what Capers wants his no.1 guy to do. I agree, it makes total sense to bring in a comparable player with that money delagated to Shields or upgrade if possible. Plus, Gilmore is 26.

Now lets say the younger corners have been playing well and it appearead they could pick up the slack left by Shields you could then use the money somewhere else.

You could also use the money on bringing in nobody which drives some of us Packer fans crazy. Especially when you have a huge void and nobody on current roster that can pick up the slack created by the departure then solely address the situation in the draft which is cheaper. The problem is you wont know what certain players will be available when you draft and now your gambling to fill the void with a rookie with no proven success in the NFL which in some cases can blow a season.

There are risks with a free agent as well but most can be put to rest if due diligence is done. At least you have proof of performance in the NFL. I think with the Packers there is a certain level of concern of how the player will respond to how they do things.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

I think lots of teams turn into one of the favorites if they can add that.

A lot of teams lack the elite quarterback necessary to compete for a Super Bowl.

Other teams have more money or other teams will offer more?

TT should have the funds to compete with any team on a FA CB, it's just a matter of WILL he?

There are 15 teams having more cap space than the Packers entering this offseason. I agree Thompson has enough money available to outbid others to bring in a #1 cornerback though.

 

[tynimiller]

I have zero qualms with people clicking "disagree" but man add some dialogue and explain thoughts...this is a forum afterall.

I second the Gillmore at CB...if we go after one of the tops. Butler out there if NE let him go is a tough thought as I just not 100% on him being as good as he has played of late. Upgrade though and wouldn't oppose it.

 

[Half Empty]

Sometimes, for a short post, it's easy to get the drift and hence the Disagree rating. However, given the post to which you refer, I have to agree that's it's a matter of 'huh?'.

 

[sschind]

Gilmore is a former no. 10 draft pick. IMO has the skill set to do what Capers wants his no.1 guy to do. I agree, it makes total sense to bring in a comparable player with that money delagated to Shields or upgrade if possible. Plus, Gilmore is 26.

Now lets say the younger corners have been playing well and it appearead they could pick up the slack left by Shields you could then use the money somewhere else.

You could also use the money on bringing in nobody which drives some of us Packer fans crazy. Especially when you have a huge void and nobody on current roster that can pick up the slack created by the departure then solely address the situation in the draft which is cheaper. The problem is you wont know what certain players will be available when you draft and now your gambling to fill the void with a rookie with no proven success in the NFL which in some cases can blow a season.

There are risks with a free agent as well but most can be put to rest if due diligence is done. At least you have proof of performance in the NFL. I think with the Packers there is a certain level of concern of how the player will respond to how they do things.

I agree that there are a lot of paths Ted could take with Shields or more specifically the money freed up from his release. IMO the best one and the smart one would be to take the Gilmore approach, or someone comparable. Its not like Sam is leaving at the end of a contract and we are looking at replacing him from whatever money we have sitting around. He is leaving and essentially giving us the money we need, or at least a good portion of it to find his replacement. We need to use that money to find his replacement and not use it somewhere else.

It's like if you total your only car. If the insurance company writes you a check for 25 grand it might not be the best idea to spend that 25 grand on a new boat knowing you are still going to need a car. You could spend half of it on a car and the other half on a boat but if that half will not buy you an adequate replacement for the car you lost you take a step back in that area. Yeah you have a boat but is the increase in that area enough to offset the decrease in the other.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

I agree that there are a lot of paths Ted could take with Shields or more specifically the money freed up from his release. IMO the best one and the smart one would be to take the Gilmore approach, or someone comparable. Its not like Sam is leaving at the end of a contract and we are looking at replacing him from whatever money we have sitting around. He is leaving and essentially giving us the money we need, or at least a good portion of it to find his replacement. We need to use that money to find his replacement and not use it somewhere else.

It's like if you total your only car. If the insurance company writes you a check for 25 grand it might not be the best idea to spend that 25 grand on a new boat knowing you are still going to need a car. You could spend half of it on a car and the other half on a boat but if that half will not buy you an adequate replacement for the car you lost you take a step back in that area. Yeah you have a boat but is the increase in that area enough to offset the decrease in the other.

Good analogy. Given the state of the CB position this past season, IMO the Packers need to invest ALL of that "insurance money" and possibly even some more into a brand new reliable car. If they risk driving into next season aboard the scrap heap they currently have and even with a rookie driver (#1 CB draft pick), it could make for yet another long bumpy ride in 2017.

 

[brandon2348]

I agree that there are a lot of paths Ted could take with Shields or more specifically the money freed up from his release. IMO the best one and the smart one would be to take the Gilmore approach, or someone comparable. Its not like Sam is leaving at the end of a contract and we are looking at replacing him from whatever money we have sitting around. He is leaving and essentially giving us the money we need, or at least a good portion of it to find his replacement. We need to use that money to find his replacement and not use it somewhere else.

It's like if you total your only car. If the insurance company writes you a check for 25 grand it might not be the best idea to spend that 25 grand on a new boat knowing you are still going to need a car. You could spend half of it on a car and the other half on a boat but if that half will not buy you an adequate replacement for the car you lost you take a step back in that area. Yeah you have a boat but is the increase in that area enough to offset the decrease in the other.

I would rather them bring in a ecperienced day 1 shut down guy and then draft someone to develop in 3rd round or so.

 

[GreenBaySlacker]

The Packers have one of the most talented rosters in the league. The front office needs to address the cornerback and outside linebacker position with at least one veteran free agent each for the team to be considered a legitimate Super Bowl contender next season though.

I feel like we need to get a more dominant Dline to help the OLBs get open... Theres no question we had some great OLB talent in 2016... So why didn't we get pressure with them down the stretch?

To start the year we seemed to get the sacks... Then went limp when the defense got hurt. Seemed to have the pressure to start the winning streak going, until Pennel got sat week 14...

The scheme trying to help compensate the injured/weak secondary, couldn't do SQUAT because the dline wasn't effective at forcing double teams. OLBs got blocked... Cant compensate for weak CB play, with weak DL play.

 

[brandon2348]

I feel like we need to get a more dominant Dline to help the OLBs get open... Theres no question we had some great OLB talent in 2016... So why didn't we get pressure with them down the stretch?

To start the year we seemed to get the sacks... Then went limp when the defense got hurt. Seemed to have the pressure to start the winning streak going, until Pennel got sat week 14...

The scheme trying to help compensate the injured/weak secondary, couldn't do SQUAT because the dline wasn't effective at forcing double teams. OLBs got blocked... Cant compensate for weak CB play, with weak DL play.

You always wanna get better but sometimes you gotta prioritize. The D-line IMO was one of the bright spots overall but if there was one thing they didnt do it was push up the middle in pass game. The hope would be that Kenny Clark can make a jump in year two. I have Packers addding Carlos Hawkins in my mock which he is another guy that can take up bodies and would provide a fresh body in the rotation to help create more push up the middle in pass def.

As far as our OLB's are concerned I believe we need a minny overhaul. Peppers showed signs of age and he should be gone. Thankfully Datone Jones should be gone. Matthews has been on the decline as well. Perry was great but even got slowed down by the club he was wearing. There gonna need Fackcrell to get bigger this offseason and work out Clays contract. Jayrone Elliot Is serviceable. I think if they can add a Haason Red**** as an edge guy it would go along way to spark pass rush amongst other things.