"Which of these is the greater position of need for the Packers? Assuming Amos is gone, it's Safety for me. It was the greatest position of weakness last year and will only get worse without Amos. Don't get me wrong, I'd love a pass-catching weapon at a tight end, but I would consider that a luxury more than a necessity."

I would agree with you on this Al. And I would add to your reasoning that there are many very good tight ends in this year's draft and I really believe we will draft at least two of them. I say 'at least' as I believe some years back they did select three in the draft.

There is no guarantee that if a safety is selected in the first round that he will work out though. I am a fan of selecting the best player available. If that means a WR, then take the WR. If position of need is equal to the best player available, then, of course, take the position of need player!

" Speaking of the Raiders, I predicted weeks ago on a CheeseheadRadio podcast that the Raiders would emerge as the top destination for Rodgers if he wishes to be traded. While all the focus was on the Jets or the 49ers, I kept wondering why Vegas wasn't being mentioned. "

I was of the opinion that the 49ers would not be the place where Rodgers would end up as it is the NFC.

I am hoping that the Raiders and Jets and possibly another team(s) would go all out to get Rodgers and we would reap the benefits of that competition in the form of draft picks and a player or two. It seems here at CheeseheadTV that many posters are selling the value of Rodgers a bit short. I would agree that last year would have been so much better for us if he would have been traded but we could still do well this year.

There are just too many reasons why we should trade him asap. Headlining the reasons are the Cap, that Love is looking better and that we will have to pay $20 million to keep Love for his 5th year.

“…an experience that has been known to produce hallucinations. I wonder if he will see the face of Davante Adams, beckoning him to come to Las Vegas.”

Strong stuff to lead off this morning, Al. Well done.

“TE or S - Which of these is the greater position of need for the Packers?”

Both are equal positions of need. But I believe history has shown that quality drop-off curve is steeper for safeties than tight ends the later you go in the draft. When you look at the draft position of top tight ends, it’s all over the place. And a first round safety is likely to contribute more in year 1 than a tight end is, given the typically more difficult transition to NFL for most tight ends.

My ideal scenario: Tyree Wilson (with LV’s #7) and Brian Branch in the 1st, and Luke Musgrave in the 2nd to go with Darren Waller, acquired in the trade of Rodgers.

Gotta just draft the best player available and use FA to get serviceable starters if needed. Not stars . Starters. Slot on in eagles vs packers scenarios but I do think they did jettison Amari pretty quickly - mid season cut during second season is pretty quick.

Rodgers... Last year Ayahuasca, this year a 4 day darkness retreat. This sounds about right to me. My hope for Rodgers during this "Retreat" is he gets a answer. Something like playing for at least 2 or 3 more years so the Raiders, Jets, or even Panthers offer up MORE, believing he'll be there at least 2 years minimum. Hey, it could happen. Common Mark Davis or Woody, come and get him!!

Admitting when your wrong... Hmm... This shit didn't happen when Harlon and Wolf were here. Mike Holmgren left for Seattle and Wolf hired Ray Rhodes. Knowing that was a huge mistake he fired Rhodes after ONE year and hired Sherman. IMO Sherman wasn't a bad hire, but he was a HORRIBLE GM once Wolf left. Ted came in 2005, trimmed the fat, and was in the NFCCG by 2007. I still have some faith in Gute, especially after last years draft which I think will prove to be EXCEPTIONAL. I also think Gute would have NEVER hired LaFleur in the first place. UNTIL the Packers have a Team President in the mold of Bob Harlon and a GM left alone to DO HIS JOB, this stuff is going to get worse and worse. Hey, Murphy has done some good things but when it comes to players, coaches, the product on the field he needs to stay the hell out of the way.

Al's "Keepers" list seems about right to me. Nixon has got to be kept, Ford and Hollins are keepers too. Barnes for depth would be smart. All those Al mentions should be relatively cheap, except maybe Nixon but they should be able to keep him. I'd put a 2nd round tender on Nijman but if someone signed him to an offer-sheet I think I'd let them have his and grab that 2nd round pick. Especially if it net's an early 2nd round pick.

TE or Safety... Trade Rodgers and the Packers should be able to get both a TE & Safety, PLUS a Edge, Tackle, and maybe another WR, possibly before the end of the 2nd round if Yosh is signed away.

I agree that safety is the biggest need, but I'm also torn on spending significant resources to get one, knowing Joe Barry is the DC. He will waste whatever resources are invested in that position.

When I saw that the Saints were going to feed LV some draft capital in return for Carr, that really started to make me believe that LV might actually call on this. Any added picks for Carr makes a move easier for LV to stomach. Despite what appears to be a positive relationship with Saleh, I never thought the Jets would be a suitable destination for 12 if he agreed to move on simply because he's a west coast guy. In the end, it's all conjecture until someone actually makes a substantive statement about negotiations and trades, anyway.

Every other entertainer on the back end of their career has a residency in Vegas...why not 12?

I would say TE is the bigger concern, but it's not a focal point of the Packers' passing game (and hasn't been for ages) and blocking, in-line TEs are available cheap.

BTW--I wonder if Sean Payton is having any buyer's remorse after seeing that he's going to a Denver team without any picks.

You have described the difference between the Packers and Eagles perfectly. To use a metaphor, the Eagles are a tech company, jumping on every new innovation and dumping products that are yesterday’s news. The Packers are a life insurance company, sticking with the traditional products that your grandfather bought 100 years ago and building expensive concrete and glass skyscrapers when all their employees telecommute.

Looking at the Eagles, Chiefs and other young contenders, it is apparent that the Packers need to start a total rebuild. Get some draft picks from the Raiders, shed some contracts and protect Jordan Love with a good O-line.

My bigger concern is that we have a weak head coach who isn't building a strong staff. The departures should tell us something. Even Rodgers comment about Bisacci alludes to the "coach who commands respect rather than a guy being liked". Given what Al said about this organization being slow to rectify problems, we could be in for a longer rebuild than we would like.

Tear the bandaid off boys and roll up the sleeves.

Dark Days.
Whatever. ICGAF what Aaron Rodgers does, as long as he takes his routine elsewhere.

I’m fed up having to constantly hear about a guy who always wants all the air in any room he inhabits. All eyeballs on him. For what, exactly?

I mean, yeah, he can throw a great ball every once in a while, but, give me a freaking break. How about us Packer fans use “me,” as the royal “we,” here?:

- What have you done for me lately? -

What took so long?
I’m saving that for when they start naming NFC teams.

Admit when you’re wrong and move on.
Jace Sternberger, Oren Burks & Montravius Adams walk into a bar…

Keepers.
I agree 100%. All of them, including Tonyan, because…

EDGE, S, OT, TE, CB, WR - maybe even C.

I might keep Amos around as well, because I believe EDGE and OT are huge needs. Gary’s injury exposed our total lack of depth, and the fact that Preston Smith is not the answer.

Adrian Amos was targeted only 18 times through our first 9 games. He was targeted 32 times in our last 8 games, after Rashan blew his knee.. Amos' Yds/Comp ballooned from just 2 double digit games in same span to 6 in those last 8 games. His Missed Tackle % remained unchanged and sure, as did his scoring D.

Letting Adrian Amos walk at this point feels too much like the time TT let Micah Hyde leave in FA. Amos still has one hell of a lot of game left in his tank, and he's proven himself to be one of the best SS in the game, when there's decent pressure up front.

Every DB in the house was compromised last season after Gary went down. We need pass rush, and maulers/pass pro.

I’d pound those trenches (plural, because we don't know what they're going to do with Bakhtiari nor Nijman) for all it’s worth in April’s draft.

I could see GB moving Rasul to Safety, especially if Amos leaves. Then, we would still need Safety help because we do not know what GB will do with Savage. Safety is definitely in play for GB, this draft. If Rasul is moved to Safety, GB could go for a CB to fill Rasul's old spot, there. I also feel we need an Edge Rusher as we do not yet have a timetable for Rashan Gary's return. We also need a TE, because Lewis and Tonyan could be gone. An OT would be nice, as well, unless we find out whether or not Sean Rhyan, Caleb Jones and Rasheed Walker can fill that spot if Tom and Nijman can't go. Do we go BPA in the first round, no matter what position the draftee plays?

Part of your sentence Al. "it's Safety for me. It was the greatest position of weakness last year."

It looked the weakest because it was exposed by the real "greatest position of weakness" a consistent front-line pass rush. Let me sit back there all day and I'd be able to throw a pass you could catch for a first down Al. All Pro safety or not.

The gift that keeps giving. For Sure!
But he still has that Athletic competence
in what ever he does.
While you shout Four.
He stays on course.
The eagles did know when to draft a QB.
Gutey didn’t!
Not to mention when to draft a WR.
And he still doesn’t. I want weapons.
Not a QB to sit the bench.
I can see your keepers.
But let's go with durability first.
The TE or Safety you want, is Need.
But before you take one.
Will they hold up per size and weight?
Are secondary has had injuries.
They were to be head and “SHOULDERS"
above the other guys Gutey didn’t take.

Barry is a problem, but he is a symptom of LaFleur. LaFleur is a problem, but he is a symptom of Murphy. Rodgers wasn’t a problem, but Murphy allowed him to become one then made the calamitous mistake of keeping him at vast future cost even when all they had done rendered that highly implausible.

As Al implies, but doesn’t state in a clear statement, the Packers last decade or so lands squarely on Murphy. Mark Murphy’s tenure has been a disaster since Ted got too Ill. It’s time to face up to that. History and the next few years aren’t going to be kind to Murphy or the cronies he’s gathered. They choose the next iteration of him.

Structurally and in football terms, Rodgers has obscured a leadership taking wrong turns of the worst sort for years. The result is no further Super Bowls and further rot behind him. Bad for him, for us as fans and worse for the future. The future is indeed dark.

This team won’t get better till everything collapses, and team Murphy is actively pursuing a course calculated to accelerate towards that wall. Rodgers going would help cap wise. But not until Murphy and LaFleur go will we have a chance to reach our potential. Murphy’s replacement will be critical to setting this team and organization on the road to recovery in any lasting sense. That starts with reinstating the Harlen separation of powers and then radically shaking up the culture that in turn manifests in coaching choices and through that, into the team on the field.

Dark Days- I don't care what Rodgers chooses to do with his personal time. Whatever floats your boat. I will say, it's somewhat concerning the extremes he goes to in search of "self love" :)

TE or S- I've had safety at the top of my list, but after reading T7Steve's post I agree with his statement. The Pack needs to get the big nasties right on both sides of the line. That in turn will make it easier to assess the skill positions.

Dark Days -
Its amazing how literally everything Rodgers does is criticized by people. You have people talk about players needing to make sure they keep their mental health in check. Rodgers does something that he feels is great for his mental health, and the pitchforks come out. I'm not referring to what Al wrote here, just with what I have seen on twitter. Rodgers does things that the majority of people likely wouldn't. And rather then understand why he is doing it or what he actually is doing, most just make fun of him about it. Look he can do whatever the hell he wants. He is a grown ass man that can do whatever he feels he needs to do. What he does in his life has no impact on mine. If he needs to go sit in the dark, then go sit in the dark.

What took so long -
I'm going to love watching this place and twitter have a meltdown when Rodgers ends up staying in GB. I'm at the point I don't care if he comes back or gets traded. I would rather he come back, but if he goes he goes. If I were to put money down on where he goes, I think I would place it on the Raiders first. Next would be the Jets.

Admit when you're wrong and move on -
All these moves that the Eagles did, the biggest one that mattered was getting Hurts right. Without Hurts the team struggled. The Eagles lost 3 games this season. 2 of them were when Hurts wasn't playing. Getting the QB right is the most important move. The Eagles did a great job of setting themselves up for the future. They are playing in the super bowl and have the 10th pick in the draft.

Keepers -
They should be able to keep Ford, Wilson, and Leavitt fairly cheap. As for other FA's. I don't expect them to be after to many.

TE or S -
Well they need both. The greater need is based on if Amos is gone, they have to get a S. If Amos is back TE is the greater need. But they really need both. TE is a very strong need on offense. They need a guy that can get some separation and be a threat downfield and/or in the redzone. The offense really missed that element of the game. If they resign Tonyan, they don't need to draft a TE quite as high. But if they don't resign him, they have a big need for a TE.
As for the draft, they have to draft both. Safety is likely to have a bigger impact early on compared to a TE. TE's typically take longer to reach the level we need them at. That being said they need to invest in each positions.

Can't disagree with a word you said Al. The thing is all of this should have been done last year. It's a form of a scam to keep trotting out the same old, same old and pretend that it's capable of winning it all.

Look at the Eagles and Kansas City who are the two best teams in the NFL. Compare those two teams player for player to the Packers. The Packers have few '5-star' players...Jaire is one, but they don't have enough top shelf talent to even win the division much less the Super Bowl.

Good thing I lived through the 70's and 80's. I know how to steel myself for the days ahead.

Dusty Evely wrote a nice piece addressing Aaron and the Darkness. Check it out on his newsletter: https://dustyevely.substack.com/

Self-reflection is always a good thing and often not easy, but Jesus H. Christ, four days in the dark! Remember when God told Reggie White to sign with Green Bay? Oh, how I long for simpler times.

I disagree that the Raiders are Rodgers' preferred destination. If Rodgers is really serious about winning a super bowl, he will want to go to the Jets. The Jets have the better roster night and day over the Raiders. It would be the difference between playing with the 4th ranked defense vs the 26th ranked defense.

Not only is the Raiders' defense is barren at almost every position, and their offensive line, except for their LT, is very bad. The Jets at least have some good pieces, like Alijah Vera Tucker and Laken Tomlinson, and if Rodgers is traded to NY I see Bakhtiari likely to go with him. At this stage of his career, Rodgers can't afford to get sacked so much.

You mentioned Davante Adams as the reason Rodgers wanted to go, however I think having Garrett Wilson, Elijah Moore, and potentially even Allen Lazard to throw to would be just as enticing when you consider the fact that Nathaniel Hackett (who runs more of a west-coast offense) is the Jets' Offensive Coordinator.

The Jets have said they're all in on Rodgers, and because the Raiders have higher picks, they will likely have to and be willing to offer us a better deal than the Raiders can for Rodgers. Plus, we won't play the Jets for 3 more years at most. It makes the most sense to trade him to New York.

Both Tight End and Safety are the top 2 needs, and the Packers only have two or three guys under contract at each of those positions for next year. However, Safety may be more of a need come draft day, as if Rodgers goes to the Jets, I could see them giving us one of their Tight Ends, like Tyler Conklin (a great blocker and receiver), in return for Rodgers)

I read the article, I read all the comments. Y'all bring up some great points. (Not you sh...) ;P

My biggest problem is, I see a 2 or 3 year mini rebuild while remaining competitive if indeed we do trade AR12. I don't see a way we don't trade AR12, but I thought that last offseason too... I was pissed when Gutey drafted Jordan Love because I thought the timing was totally %'ed up, but since he did, it's now time to jettison our FHOF QB for all the draft capital we can get. Raiders and Jets seem to be the front runners in any upcoming bidding war, but I could see a couple other teams who could slip in and drive up the price.

The higher the price the better. (Please God, don't let Murphy and Gutey screw this up!)

Jordan Love will obviously have his growing pains. Young QBs who finally get their shot almost always still have some learning to do, which leads us back to the adage games are won and lost in the trenches. I still believe that to be true. We have plenty of draft picks as it is, not to mention the picks coming from trading AR12 or any other veterans Gutey might feel he needs to trade.

Protect your QB. Get after the opposing QB and build for the future. I see no reason we can't be back in the mix in '24 and '25. '23 will be a developmental year for Love, our rookies, and other young players, but by '24 and '25 we should realistically be in a position to be more than competitive.

I'm not saying we don't need a Safety or TE, we do, but not sure we need to (or should) draft either in the 1st round. OT/DL/OLBer would be more beneficial in the long term for the health of the Packers core players, IMO. The priority for '23 should be to protect Love, so he doesn't have to run for his life. Give him a clean pocket to work from so we can actually see if he is our future or not.

Getting after opposing QBs should be our second highest priority. Then we can work on S/TE/WR/RB. Yes, we need all the weapons we can get for Love, but a better OL and more pressure on opposing QBs will go a long way to making Love's professional life easier.

My biggest fear right now is Gutey wants to trade AR12, Murphy decides to run it back over everyone's objections, and totally destroys Love's future, the Packers future, and we're still in cap hell when Murphy retires, with no QB and no future.