One Veteran Wide Receiver Won’t Turn The Green Bay Packers Season Around
By GilMartin
The Green Bay Packers are 3-4 on the season and are entering Sunday’s game in Buffalo as double-digit underdogs for the first time since Aaron Rodgers took over as the team’s starting quarterback in 2008. The 2022 season has been a big disappointment for the Packers which is now just entering the tougher part of their schedule.
With the NFL trade deadline fast approaching, the Packers have been rumored to be looking to acquire a veteran wide receiver to help boost their struggling offense. Unfortunately, if the Packers lose to the Bills on Sunday, the addition of one receiver won’t be enough to turn this season around.
The need for an upgrade at receiver is clear. The team started the season with a lot of question marks at the position after Davante Adams was traded to the Raiders but since then, injuries have further depleted the team’s receiving unit.
The list of injuries is hurting an already questionable unit. Randall Cobb is on IR. Allen Lazard will miss this Sunday’s game with a shoulder injury. Christian Watson missed training camp and several games this year with an assortment of injuries. He may be ready to return Sunday against the Bills. Sammy Watkins also missed four games after suffering an injury in Week 2. He returned against the Commanders last week but was on a play count.
Cobb, Watkins and Lazard are the three remaining wideouts that quarterback Aaron Rodgers trusts most. The offense has averaged only 18.3 points per game this season, 23rd in the league and has struggled to keep drives going.
The question is what will a receiver cost and would one receiver really make enough of a difference to help this team become contenders this season?
There are certainly receivers out there who would improve the wide receiving unit. Chase Claypool is a name that’s been rumored to be linked to the Packers and the former Notre Dame star would give the Packers size and experience at wide receiver.
But even if Claypool or another veteran joins the team, what would it cost the Packers to acquire Claypool or a similar player. The answer is at least a second-round draft pick. But would what Claypool or a similar player gives the Packers be enough to turn this season around?
Keep in mind that even a veteran receiver would need time to learn the playbook and to develop chemistry with Rodgers. The impact would not be immediate. After the game in Buffalo, the Packers will have nine games remaining on the schedule. If it takes two or three weeks to get the new player integrated into the offense (and that may be a generous estimate), the team will have only six games left on the schedule. Is that enough time for this player to truly boost the offense’s production? And if so, is it by enough to turn the games from losses to wins in the remainder of the season?
In addition, the draft pick or picks they trade away to acquire this player will hurt the Packers down the road. Aaron Rodgers has likely signed his final contract with the Packers. He has mentioned that he is close to the end of his career and he may retire after this season or the next. The longest he’ll play is through the 2024 season which is the last year of his current deal.
The Packers are in win now mode. GM Brian Gutekunst went all in to help this team win a Super Bowl last season and again this offseason. The Packers were the number one seed in the NFC the last two years but lost key playoff games. This year, they haven’t played anything like contenders in 2022. They are below .500 and while not out of the playoff picture, they would need to go 7-2 or maybe 6-3 in their final nine games to have a realistic chance just to get into the playoffs.
It's unlikely adding one veteran receiver would turn this team around that drastically. Meanwhile, the loss of the draft pick (or picks) sent away to acquire that player would be costly to the Packers inevitable rebuild once Rodgers retires. The veteran would also cost the Packers valuable cap space. The team will have plenty of dead cap space if Rodgers or offensive tackle David Bakhtiari retire. They are already up against the cap. Adding a veteran receiver will make that cap situation worse.
I am all for winning now. That’s what this Packers team was built to do. But right now, it would take a lot more than one veteran receiver to get this team where it wants to go. The cost of bringing in that player would also be too costly in the long run.
The Packers should sink or swim with the team they have unless the player they bring in is cost effective and can be an immediate difference maker.
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Comments (63)
ImaPayne
October 29, 2022 at 11:09 am
One anything wont turn this team around. To me this is the house that Gutt made and the roosters are coming home to lay eggs. Gutt the genius is the reason for this downfall, his so called draft picks aren't so great.
First clue, when your fifth six and seventh round draft picks make the starting team you know something aint right.
Johnblood27
October 29, 2022 at 11:53 am
where to begin... ok - with the obvious.
You are dead wrong. On all counts.
murphy OBVIOUSLY called for the AR signing and contract. Gutey went along with the orders from his boss.
5 6 and 7 rounders making the team??? where have you been since the salary cap was implemented? low priced roster filling is the game that HAS TO BE PLAYED when a team has several superstars that demand large contracts - like AR, bakh, Kenny, campbell and ja.
Guteys drafting hasn't been bad at all, he is right in the upper middle of successful GM's and their draft selection successes. Every Gm has misses. It is called reality, get in touch with it.
Coldworld
October 29, 2022 at 12:33 pm
Agreed. This was the inevitable make up of this team once Adams refused to resign and Rodgers accepted. At that point, loaded cap now and in the future meant we needed a ridiculously stellar draft not only in the number of good picks but ones that excel in year one. Highly improbable for any team in any year.
Secondly, we have a coach and a QB who approached the off season with a veteran focus and the same attitudes as prior years and did nothing to accelerate the ability of the rookies to contribute by tailoring roles and adjusting a system premised in veteran reads. Finally we designed an O around the average and brittle I talent. One so stripped down and cautious it actually makes it harder to sustain drives by run or pass. We further compounded that by not actually running consistently or in volume.
In short we made a ridiculous decision in February that required both luck and a strident change in attitudes and approach from the coaches. None of that occurred. The always likely result is playing out. We wouldn’t have been much worse with Love or anyone at QB. We would be s lot better placed to address the end of the era. Rodgers might be a lot better with a difference coach and roster.
There’s no hiding place from the decisions and coaching that got us here. The rest of the season is almost certain to get uglier. The one thing that might change things would be coming out and going for it all out. That might shake things up and give the players a chance to disprove the lack of faith I. Some quarters, even if we lose. We all surely know now that LaFleur is far more likely to trot out the same self-defeating caution as he has all year. If so, this could blow the few remaining cobwebs off the fiction that is Murphy/LaFleur.
LLCHESTY
October 29, 2022 at 11:59 pm
Given Love's penchant for throwing interceptions I think it could be a lot worse. Like 1-6 worse. Maybe that would be better long term but they'd have to be ready to give up on Love and take another QB. Hard to see that happening unless he was a complete disaster.
Coldworld
October 30, 2022 at 09:58 am
What’s our record since the Bucs figured our O out? Love, however good or bad likely gets better. He might even get a game plan designed for him too. Really don’t think it would be that big a difference.
As to receivers. I think we will run at it. I think we go for Cooks. He’s proven, has speed. I think we compound that by reworking a deal that has him paid ridiculous money next year for a player who is much better than MVS but definitely not Adams and will be 30 next year. Alternatively we blow the draft capital for a rental.
It won’t matter to our leadership, because I think we are now in “save our skin” mode as their idiocy is exposed to all. Now they will do anything so that they can at least pretend any of this made sense by backing into the playoffs and hoping to keep the pretense into next year and then wringing out the farce into the last years of Murphy at the expense of what comes after and more cal constraints.
I’d prefer Jeudy, but we won’t fork out that much draft capital I fear. If we have to have a receiver, he’s one we can pay and who is young and get better. He’d be the right choice but I think they want help for themselves now and not to give up too much. That is wrong thinking. Claypool isn’t good enough for now or an option I suspect we’d want for the future. Green would just be an obvious signal of desperation at this point.
I think the ordure has hit the fan in Lambeau and we are going to go out and do anything to paper that over. That will be followed by BS to explain away the season once we miss or get dumped from the playoffs. We should have signed MVS and had him from day one. Cooks or Jeudy even won’t do as much as his vertical stretch could have for the first 8 games. Then Murphy starts begging Rodgers to stay another year and repeat the futility at the cost of the years that follow by triggering a further 60 million in guaranteed salary.
Bad, disgraceful in fact, leadership in action. We are heading into the wilderness long term because we can’t face up to a past wasted. Fire the lot of them. At some
point complicity becomes active culpability. That is true of anyone in the Board at this point, executive or not. Shame on you for allowing this to spiral even this far. Murphy’s tenure will turn out to be the anti-Harlen. It’s a great shame as is his waste of Rodgers, but in the end the franchise matters more and the future. We will see how Title Town does in the new 70s. If it struggles, that land will not have vast residual value.
Ferrari-Driver
October 29, 2022 at 12:38 pm
Spot on Blood. No wonder I make it a point to read your posts.
KenEllis
October 29, 2022 at 12:01 pm
From the article: "The Packers are in win now mode. GM Brian Gutekunst went all in to help this team win a Super Bowl last season and again this offseason."
In Green Bay, going ALL IN apparently means trading your only viable receiving option for draft picks and replacing him with Hammy Watkins and 3 inexperienced rookies, none of them 1st rounders of course.
The chickens have come home to roost for a GM who has shown a complete inability to draft receiving talent.
Oh and Gutey should never, ever trade his 3rd round pick because he might miss out on his next Jace Sternberger, Josiah Degaura, or Amari Rodgers - and yes it is painful just typing in those names.
Coldworld
October 29, 2022 at 12:42 pm
Murphy brought back Rodgers and predicted his 4th MVP. Gute had a roster for after the last dance was revisited. Murphy knew that. Gute was conspicuously silent. We had no means left to go all in with by then. It made no sense in paper and it’s making no sense in the field and still it seems to befuddle many. It was and in plain sight.
KenEllis
October 29, 2022 at 02:05 pm
Gute has a roster competing with the Bears and Lions for last place in a shitty division.
Gute inherited a HOF QB, a top 2 WR, Aaron Jones, and Bak at LT. Oh yeah, and Tonyan at TE.
Those players are now getting old, injured, or are out the door (other than Jones).
Gute has added Dillon, Lazard, and of course Jordan Love.
The Jace Sterberger, Josiah Degaura, Amari Rodgers, etc. picks have all failed. Dillon is wildly overrated.
Too soon to tell about Watson or Doubs.
Anyone trusting Gute to add talent to this offense is either ignoring his 5 year track record or delusional.
Untylu1968
October 29, 2022 at 05:17 pm
Are roosters the actual egg layers?
LeotisHarris
October 29, 2022 at 05:51 pm
Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?
LLCHESTY
October 30, 2022 at 12:13 am
I used that line over at Acme this week and this was one of the responses I got:
"and thus continues the long dumb history of comparing a game to war. actual war. "
Now I know there are some young kids out there that haven't seen the movie but c'mon, The Germans?? 😲
LLCHESTY
October 30, 2022 at 12:02 am
I wondered about that one myself. Not when I was growing up but it's a new age, I guess we can let the chickens choose their gender!
Rebecca
October 30, 2022 at 08:20 am
No, it’s the Packers’ “Roster” that’s laying eggs, and Farmer Matt ain’t outstanding in his field this year.
CHEESEHEADDALLAS
October 29, 2022 at 09:19 pm
Lose draft choices for a player that are gm should have drafted instead of a bench worming qb good call jack ass good call
Leatherhead
October 30, 2022 at 06:12 pm
You do realize that roosters don’t lay eggs?
vin0770
October 29, 2022 at 11:21 am
With that logic we’d be just the same with DA, he’s only one receiver! I think you don’t get the trickle down effect on the defense when you have a true scary number one. And I’d gladly give up an unknown commodity of what a second round might be vs the known of a Claypool that is a legitimate number one.
porupack
October 29, 2022 at 11:31 am
I agree with this, very sound logic. A known commodity in hand is better than 2 in the bush. Just get better each week, and get in the playoffs where all teams clear their records and are equal contenders. Trying and failing is better than not trying and not knowing. Hmmm, what other folk wisdom might help Gute to get Claypool. Ok...here: just do it baby.
Coldworld
October 29, 2022 at 12:35 pm
Claypool isn’t Adams. Claypool is very far from that character and not the same skill level either. He’s a decent receiver, but that’s not getting us anywhere meaningful.
Last year this argument might have had a leg to stand on. This year it’s a castle in the air.
13TimeChamps
October 29, 2022 at 12:13 pm
If Claypool were a legitimate number one, why would he be available? Teams don 't get rid of their No.1 receivers, especially those in their early 20's who are still on their rookie deals.
Claypool has averaged right around 60 rec/year and is on pace for that again this year. He has never cracked 1000 yds. Hardly the resume of a "legitimate number one", much less a "true scary one".
LLCHESTY
October 30, 2022 at 12:07 am
Plus they have him playing in the slot a lot this year because Johnson and Pickens have passed him on the depth chart. A Pittsburgh writer said he's a low effort player that cuts off routes and doesn't come back to the QB when he scrambles. #3 on the Steelers depth chart, #1 in Packer fans hearts I guess.
No thank you.
packer132
October 29, 2022 at 11:32 am
A vet wide receiver will help but that's not the only problem. LaFleur needs to run the ball and for some reason does not. Also, defense is missing interceptions and tackles which needs to improve. Many of the starters are not playing as they can, and not sure why there is no fire or urgency. On paper, the roster looked good going into week #1. Injuries will happen, and WR was not deep to begin with. The talent is there, it's the coaches who are not adjusting game plans on offense and defense to match the team they are playing. A win in Buffalo against the best team in the league would be huge to start the turnaround. It will take every player to block, tackle, catch, and throw with few errors. Can the Packers do it?
Johnblood27
October 29, 2022 at 12:02 pm
My dear fellow Packer fan, even if "every player to block, tackle, catch, and throw with few errors", the lack of a solid gameplan and the inability to adapt in-game to the opponent - has and will continue to- doom this team to failure.
In other words, all the player improvement in the world seemingly cannot overcome the shortfalls of this current coaching staff from the HC down to the training staff.
HC - incompetent, even as a cheerleader
OC - MIA
DC - pathetically overmatched
OL - missing the OC, confused and wandering
WR - is there a coach here?
RB - AJD missing holes, no integration into passing game
TE - zero impact, why is davis still on this team?
LB - clear regression and rookie mistake prone
DL - more horses isn't supposed to mean more horseshit
DB - lost and confused
I am so far off this coaching staffs bandwagon I cannot even see it in the distance...
Is there any chance that Murphy might retire early as a mercy offering to the GBP fans?
Since'61
October 29, 2022 at 01:21 pm
Johnblood - Murphy is here until AR retires. Thanks, Since '61
Coldworld
October 29, 2022 at 01:27 pm
How long is that, in your opinion? Is Rodgers here as long as Murphy?
Johnblood27
October 29, 2022 at 02:30 pm
Rodgers would probably retire on Monday if MLF had the balls to start Love Sunday night.
Johnblood27
October 29, 2022 at 02:32 pm
My best guess is that Murphy is here until his mandatory retirement no matter what AR does in the meantime.
LeotisHarris
October 29, 2022 at 06:00 pm
I believe this to be true. We just can't have abrupt change at 1265. We can't! That kind of behavior would very much upset the Esther Circle at St. Johns, as well as multiple Kwik Trip and Ariens higher-ups. There will be a nice retirement party for Mark in the Atrium, complete with a full-sheet cake from Festival Foods.
stockholder
October 29, 2022 at 11:35 am
One WR could turn things around. But for how long? And at what cost? John Jefferson ? Remember Him? The packers can't put too much into one guy. Seems Gutey likes to over-pay people! When he still needs to be a bargain shopper. And that is his problem in Rd 3 of his drafts. It should be clear who has talent, and who is a underwear Olympian. Still you have a MVP QB and you can't find a RT? And How many times has PR come up?
jannesbjornson
October 29, 2022 at 12:58 pm
Can't whiff on your high picks.
lou
October 30, 2022 at 09:27 am
Yes Jefferson even paired with Lofton and Coffman could not do it. He had one decent year then ate himself out of the NFL, he put so much weight on his last chance with the Brown's was as a tight end.
Duneslick
October 29, 2022 at 11:56 am
Finally someone who doesnt join the bandwagon blindly. Maybe they win 1 more game if they trade for a top receiver. Still dont make the playoffs, pick later in the next draft, give up draft capital and is a rental as they could not or would not want to pay them the money they would get next year
splitpea1
October 29, 2022 at 12:23 pm
A couple of weeks ago I thought it might be worthwhile to add a veteran receiver, but now, no. There are too many question marks surrounding this team, and the "win now" mindset is close to evaporating into a fantasy. The veteran WR might make the remainder of the season more bearable, but that wouldn't be worth the various costs associated with the acquisition.
"If it takes two or three weeks to get the new player integrated into the offense..." That IS generous because the Packers make everything more difficult than it needs to be, generally speaking.
If we lose to the Bills, the Packers will be stuck with accelerating the draft and develop process. That means Doubs, Toure, and Watson (if he can ever stay on the field long enough) in the receiver department; on defense, Wyatt and Enagbare should be getting more snaps.
The one outside acquisition that could help us, at least in a small and cost-effective way, would be a punt returner.
LLCHESTY
October 30, 2022 at 12:22 am
I think of they IR'd Watson before the Jets game and signed Fuller they beat Washington. Yes he's an injury waiting to happen but he's also very good at tracking and catching deep passes. His catch rate in 2020 when he averaged 16.6 YPC was 20% higher than MVS. That's more than a little.
barutanseijin
October 29, 2022 at 01:11 pm
Where does Murphy put winning on his list of priorities? I doubt it’s the only thing, or even number one.
From the showbiz angle, a veteran receiver might keep eyeballs swiveling towards the Green Bay Packers.
Since'61
October 29, 2022 at 01:27 pm
I wonder how many other defensive units in the league have 7 #1 draft picks 6 of which are starting players and getting the results that the Packers defense is getting. Either some of those #1 picks were not what they were purported to be or if they are then their coaching is awful.
IIRC the Lombard I defense had 2 first round picks, Adderley and Robinson and yet they were the best defense in the league for several season and the best post-season defense ever not to mention that 6 of the defensive are in the NFL HOF. Coaching maybe the reason? Anyone?
Can't use Time of Possession as an excuse. The Packers average TOP so far in 2022 is 30.6 minutes per game. Before the Washington game the average TOP was 32.0 minutes per game. So our defense has not been on the field too long yet this season. Thanks, Since '61
Coldworld
October 29, 2022 at 01:31 pm
Coaching is definitely a key reason reason. However, a lot of that comes from the wider team level malaise. This is more than just scheme and call.
Cwilly
October 29, 2022 at 02:47 pm
Everything you just said is spot on. Hence why I don’t agree with this article. The packers aren’t hitting on their top picks consistently enough to not merit trading one of those picks for a proven talent. Trading for Claypool makes sense. Just make sure you extend him and at least you have a proven receiver and not a project that might not even work out. With all the first round talent on defense it really doesn’t make sense we still are an average defense at best. The packers have nothing to lose trading a pick that actually is proven compared to what they could get with their history of drafting is all!
Leatherhead
October 29, 2022 at 07:02 pm
"I wonder how many other defensive units in the league have 7 #1 draft picks 6 of which are starting players and getting the results that the Packers defense is getting."
I share your wonder. But let's be clear about the results we're getting:
We're 14th in scoring defense, but that's not adjusted for points scored on the offense or special teams. We're 7th in yards. We have given up the fewest passing yards in the league.
I remember the good old Lombardi days too, but I also remember guys like Sayers and Tarkenton making plays against them. Teams scored points. They didn't win every game by shutout.
Since'61
October 29, 2022 at 07:58 pm
Of course teams scored in Lombardi’s defense they were professional football players. However the Lombardi was never ranked lower than 3rd in league from 1961-1967. More importantly was their level of play in the post season.
9.7 PPG which I believe remains the best in NFL history, at least for 10 or more post- season games.
As for the current defense, statistically they’re not terrible but is a good example of stats not telling the entire story. They are not getting stops when they need to get them. They are giving up long drives of 7 -8 minutes or more. Plus they are taking penalties which have killed them.
In fairness I will say that our defense has played well enough to win versus the Giants and Washington if our offense was playing up to last season’s or even 2020 standards. But we know the offense was going to struggle at least early this season based on OL injuries and on an inexperienced WR corps. This is why how well they play against the Bills will be critical for the rest of the season. If the Packers can hang in with Bills or win outright we can have hope for the season. But if they continue to play without a sense of urgency and beat themselves with mistakes and bad penalties then we are probably in for a long season.
I expected the Packers to be 5-2 at the worst at this point. Now we are seriously staring at 3-5. Hoping for 4-4.
Thanks, Since ‘61
LLCHESTY
October 30, 2022 at 12:25 am
If you include who they've played against into the equation they are terrible. By DVOA they slid from 23rd to 25th after the Washington game. 11th vs the pass and 31st vs the run. If they were a top 5 defense against the also ran QBs they've played they'd be 5-2 right now. The hype turned to shite.
"There are some bad defenses that simply don't have a ton of talent, or are bad at specific things - but which teams are just running bad scheme, tons of mental errors, lacking in adjustments, etc.?"
"Considering the talent level, it might be the Packers. They are 25th in defensive DVOA."
They are pretty good against opposing teams #2 WRs, so they can't their hat on that.
https://twitter.com/Pro__Ant/status/1585268488020627456?t=FWGoU9xk2UPDAM...
13TimeChamps
October 30, 2022 at 08:52 am
"As for the current defense, statistically they’re not terrible but is a good example of stats not telling the entire story."
Very true. Other than Cousins, who put up a decent...not great...stat line against GB's defense, who else have they played to achieve these lofty pass defense stats:
Justin Fields, one of the worst starting QB's in the league statistically.
A 45 year old Brady, with 3 of his top WR's out.
Bailey Zappe, backup.
Daniel Jones
Zach Wilson
Taylor Heinicke, backup.
Hardly a murders row of NFL QB's. Plus, opposing offenses know how bad GB's run defense is, giving up 140 yds/game and almost 5 yds/rush. Why pass and risk an incompletion or interception when you can just hand it off and gain 5 yards a pop and march down the field.
Let's wait until after facing some top QB's like Allen, Prescott, Hurts, et al before getting too excited about giving up the least amount of passing yards.
The_Baloney_Stops_Here
October 30, 2022 at 10:21 am
Exactly LH. The offense has given up a pick 6, ST gave up a blocked punt for td, and theres been a few muffed punts that left the defense in bad sports and ultimately led to points. Defense has actually been pretty good for the most part. Also worth noting, its hard for the defense to play well for 4 quarters when theyre on the field for entire 2nd halves. This team's struggles begin and end with the offense. Rodgers, Lafleur, the receivers, oline, everyone needs to remove their heads from their asses and start playing ball like the high paid pros they are.
Ferrari-Driver
October 29, 2022 at 01:54 pm
A contributing factor to the difficulties the Packers are having is by designed by the NFL years ago and is called the NFL annual draft. Teams that go 13-3 and tend to play that way for years are just like the old school yard baseball pickup games we played as kids where one of us catches the bat and we go hand after hand to the top. The winner then gets to choose first and then alternate all the way down the line.
The Packers have been in the lower bracket primarily due to have two hall of famers at the most important position in the game. Rodgers doesn't look quite like the 2021 MVP at 38 years old and over recent years we never got a chance to draft those blue chip linemen and top tier players coming out of college. Nevertheless, it's a credit to organizations like the Packers, Steelers, and Patriots to have managed as well as they have over the years.
It's a lot like old father time; the NFL wants equality and the NFL draft contributes to that objective immensely.
TarynsEyes
October 29, 2022 at 02:04 pm
I don't care what the FO does, unless the players play better, Coaches coach better that are here now, this team is going nowhere fast this season.
Promote guys, trade for them, no matter, the issues are still there with players and coaches failing at their jobs.
Qoojo
October 29, 2022 at 03:15 pm
Yep. Drops and mental mistakes. HC wants to be a buddy to everyone and is held hostage by an aging QB. Slow to recognize players that simply are not good enough. To me, it's striking at how bored the players look.
Offensively it's always one of AR off target, receiver drops, OL penalties and not recognizing simple stunts, and turnovers.
Then it's beyond bizarre how the coaching staff can fail to recognize getting Jones the ball more, or how they go away from plays that the opposition never stops.
brenner
October 29, 2022 at 02:24 pm
Whether Rodgers retires this year or when his contract expires, packers still have to pay him so there is no future at least for the next 2 years. That's why I say to damn the torpedos and go get not 1, but 2 wrs. Maybe some Bahk insurance too. Cooks should be had for a 3 and 4, and maybe jeudy can be had for a 3 and love. As for taking 3 weeks to get up to speed, I think cooks could be ready for the lions game if the deals done soon, and jeudy basically plays in this offense already. Not to mention hack maybe wants some Wilson insurance with a QB he knows. And why not go for the hat trick and get Beckham signed? Of those 3 jeudy would be the only one on the team next year and all we'd be missing is a QB that'll never play, and a few draft picks that are likely to be misses anyway. As a bonus Rodgers would have zero room to make excuses about the receivers.
Guam
October 30, 2022 at 08:06 am
Ever heard of the salary cap?
The_Baloney_Stops_Here
October 30, 2022 at 10:25 am
Packers cant afford Cooks and Jeudy is notorious in Denver for being an arrogant moron with an even worse work ethic per Broncos beat writer Cecil Lammy. Neither are likely or even worth it.
Johnblood27
October 29, 2022 at 02:55 pm
Take a look at all of Guteys draft picks.
https://cheeseheadtv.com/blog/ranking-every-brian-gutekunst-draft-pick-a...
I would submit that there around 10-12 pretty good picks
I would also submit that there are 10-12 bust-crappy picks.
The remaining 13-17 selections yielded roster filling back-ups and special teams performers.
Not the record of the worst guy that ever drafted for the Green Bay Packers.
Cripes, go back and look at Lombardi's drafts... disasters...
Ferrari-Driver
October 30, 2022 at 05:37 pm
You are right on Lombardi. He could make them play the game and he was loaded with the great picks made by Jack Vainisi in 1958 and 1959. Just look up those drafts and they are perhaps the best we've ever made. However Blood is spot on when he said the Lombari drafts were weak. The superstars that the Packers had during the 1960's came from the Vainisi drafts.
jhtobias
October 29, 2022 at 06:14 pm
I really don't think the roster is untalented what so ever except for w and te .
This is a coaching culture issue . All you have to do is look at teams like the giants jets vikings etc and do they really have more talent?
The_Baloney_Stops_Here
October 30, 2022 at 10:30 am
Notice those teams dont have an overpaid and washed up team cancer weighing them down. Theyre a team that believes in each other. Period. Put Rodgers on either of those teams and they would have the same lifeless looks on their faces because thats the kind of culture 12 foments.
Dragon5
October 29, 2022 at 06:41 pm
Forest needs to burn to promote new growth. Crash & burn is no fun, but it is, unfortunately, inevitable.
No surprise (incompetent) org didn't have the cajones to SELL HIGH on AR12...still time to SELL HIGH on AJ33, but they'll probably hold on to the pipe dream even after getting gored Sunday night.
What irks me is why did Tae turn so sour that he would leave such a featured gig? No faith in HC? Sour relationship with GM? There's darkness there that will evenutally be brought to light and I believe it to be one of the largest puzzle pieces missing to further understand our quagmire.
EnemyTerritory
October 30, 2022 at 03:27 pm
I don’t think why @dams left is a great mystery. Why have none of the fantastical WRs the NFL over chosen to go elsewhere rather than joining QB1 in GB? Seems like the GOAT in TB was able to attract players…
Shenanigans
October 29, 2022 at 06:55 pm
They have good players all around. But they lack motivation. Claypool (prefer)or DJ Moore would definitely up everyone’s game.
Give them what they want & get it done.
AJ Green is just a clone of Sammy Watkins. Useless & injured every other game.
Packsackers
October 29, 2022 at 07:25 pm
They couldn't draft or find a good WR if their lives depended on it. Their scouting, talent evaluation and coaching are highly suspect given all the failures and busts they've drafted at the position. Dump the whole regime and start over before we wind up back in the 80's and lucky to go .500
Thegreatreynoldo
October 30, 2022 at 03:53 am
This is a very pessimistic group. Is that price really all that terrible? Not sure if Claypool is the best target, but he seems to be the one being discussed. So he would be $673K for the rest of the 2022 season and $1.5M in 2023. He'd be cheap and none of it is guaranteed.
I'm not sure how good Claypool is. His struggles this year with Trubiskey and Pickett at QB might be understandable, though Pickens is having a strong year. Claypool was pretty good with the corpse of Rothlisberger in 2021 and he was pretty solid (873 yards and 8.0 yards/target) with Rothlisberger in 2020, who was just average at that point. I have seen a video clip of Claypool pulling up on a route, so that's concerning to me, and more importantly, it is likely to really bother AR.
If it takes a second, that is significant. GB might get a year and a half or more out of Claypool, and might get a day three pick back if and when he leaves, or not.
The safe thing is to do nothing. That's why I advocated for trading for Robbie Anderson, risking a 6th and $690K for this season (his $12M in 2023 was not guaranteed). Yes, Anderson might be trouble, but he might be an answer. Considering all the mangling of the cap, a 6th and $690K to call didn't see like to much to me.
FAN24583
October 30, 2022 at 11:27 am
Gute is on the clock! Don’t get a WR or 2. Then you are fired!!!
CHEESEHEADDALLAS
October 30, 2022 at 06:57 pm
He should have been gone after his bone head draft in 2020 Almost as bad as when they hired Ray Roads to be head coach.
CHEESEHEADDALLAS
October 30, 2022 at 06:58 pm
He should have been gone after his bone head draft in 2020 Almost as bad as when they hired Ray Roads to be head coach.
Lare
October 30, 2022 at 03:31 pm
Gutekunst will follow the route of his mentor-TT. He won't add any WRs as it would make him look bad for not adding WRs in the preseason.
FAN24583
October 30, 2022 at 04:52 pm
Doing nothing/staying pat is a loser mentally! The draft is a crapshoot, you’re better off trading future draft picks which may or may not pan out for a proven weapon. Also trading for a WR would give the packers a shot in the arm they desperately need at this time. Still waiting for you to be bold - you may have until the trade deadline to change what is coming for your future employment. I would have already fired you.