Pack-A-Day Podcast - Episode 579 - How to Address Each Position This Offseason

On today's show, Andy Herman discusses how to address each position during the upcoming offseason.

On today's show, Andy Herman discusses how to address each position during the upcoming offseason.

Download & Subscribe on iTunes

 

PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO OUR CHEESEHEAD NATION WEEKLY NEWSLETTER HERE.

__________________________

Andy is a graduate of UW-Oshkosh and owns & operates the Pack-A-Day Podcast. Andy has taken multiple courses in NFL scouting and is an Editor for Packer Report. Andy grew up in Green Bay and is a lifelong season ticket holder - follow him on Twitter @AndyHermanNFL!

__________________________

NFL Categories: 
3 points
 

Comments (20)

Fan-Friendly This filter will hide comments which have ratio of 5 to 1 down-vote to up-vote.
albert999's picture

February 24, 2020 at 09:44 am

Draft Isaiah Simmons...Clemson!!!

-1 points
1
2
Turophile's picture

February 24, 2020 at 12:25 pm

Ah, the guy who will be gone in the top 10 picks.
Time to wake up, sleepyhead, you've been dreaming !

2 points
2
0
albert999's picture

February 24, 2020 at 07:56 pm

I am awake and I like my dreams
Send Martinez and #30 for him

-1 points
0
1
dobber's picture

February 24, 2020 at 08:16 pm

You can't trade a player who is not under contract.

1 points
1
0
albert999's picture

February 24, 2020 at 10:58 am

Sign Damon Harrison let go by the lions as they don’t want to pay him and he wants to play for a winning team!

-2 points
1
3
Turophile's picture

February 24, 2020 at 12:28 pm

Average player and 31 years old. Not awful, but not much of an upgrade either.

0 points
1
1
albert999's picture

February 24, 2020 at 07:56 pm

Average comment

-2 points
0
2
dobber's picture

February 24, 2020 at 08:17 pm

Also showing signs of breaking down and will not come cheaply.

0 points
1
1
Turophile's picture

February 24, 2020 at 12:22 pm

Your talk about the RBs never included RB Tyler Ervin, who made quite an impact on the return game. He certainly had more of an impact on the team than Dexter Williams, who you did mention.

The part about the running backs where I disagreed with you, was how little you thought of Jamaal Williams. While he isn't another Aaron Jones, he is reliable, versatile, he does run hard, and has veteran value to the Packers BECAUSE he isn't Jones, as that means his next contract will be much more modest then the $14m pa type of money that Jones might command. Keeping Williams allows some veteran continuity while you explore this draft with a couple of late RB picks, somewhere in rounds 5/6/7 (which was the part of your RB podcast that I did agree with).

Another disagreement was you wanting "at least three" WRs. Two I can go with, not three. The Packers have the 1/4/5/6 type WRs already. What they need is a true no.2 receiver. A slot guy should be the second WR taken, and we are talking later in the draft for that one. Any more than that and you are probably wasting picks, because Adams is the no.1 and the 4/5/6 can easily be found between MVS, Lazard, ESB, Kumerow. No matter how many WRs are draftable this year, over-investing is a waste. In round 2, Someone like Mims or, if lucky, Aiyuk (Reagor is probably gone) would be my primary WR addition, with a slot guy taken later in the draft if the value is there.

More disagreement on the DL. To me, this is the premium position to improve and my disagreement stems from doubting that a big jump can be made with a veteran (because of how much the good vet DLs cost). I'd spend a no.1 pick on the DL if Gallimore or Blacklock were available.......... and alternatively use a 2nd rounder on Davis, Madubuike or Davidson. The D line needs more than just Clark to be above average..........and Lowry, M.Adams and Lancaster are all pretty darn average, so I am not happy with the quality there at all.

For veteran FA, the prime position to improve (imo) is at TE. A veteran TE is generally less expensive than a vet WR, and I would prioritise it over WR. I expect M.Lewis to be kept for one last year. I hope for good things from Sternberger and little to nothing from Tonyan and Looney (which is why more help is needed there).

DL is also a possiblility for veteran addition, but the Packers can only really afford one decent outside vet contract - but there are a few DLs likely to be available that might upgrade the D line alongside Clark. With Lancaster and Clark I don't want a later-round run stopper who cannot pressure the pocket - I want another Alpha (or at least a beta) player who can provide some pass rush, not JAG additions. While there ARE likely to be exciting veteran DL available, their price will be huge. The lesser veterans are much cheaper for a reason and the alphas are really beyond the capability of the Packers to sign.

My favourite veteran acquisition of all would have been ILB Littleton, but he probably costs too much, even if he was the Packers one big signing.

In short - keep Bulaga, Veldheer, Ervin and M.Lewis. Let Graham, Taylor and Martinez walk, get in a decent vet TE, draft DL, WR, ILB (coverage type or S/ILB tweener), then in some order RB, ILB (run-stopper), IOL, another RB, developmental CB, slot WR and anything else that is good value. New contracts for Bakhtiari and Clark during 2020 and A.Jones allowed to leave after the 2020 season. Some of these decisions are tough, especially decisions on players I like (like Martinez and Jones), but the NFL IS a tough and unforgiving business.

2 points
3
1
stockholder's picture

February 24, 2020 at 05:52 pm

Wow - I disagree. RBs- Sign Jones, Williams has merit. WRs draft 4.= 2 slot, 2 wide. The only good TE is a drafted TE ! ( I had enough of failures there.) Screw your DL picks. No muscle, No Brains. Any Fa DL will be better for this club!! And If Pettine gets canned. They will Kiss the 3-4-4 good bye! Littleton - better money then Martinez. Draft LBS in between WRS. In Short: you can get a good OL in the later rounds. Gutes biggest mistake would be over-drafting/reaching the OT position. We only have 3 picks in the top 90. I strongly suggest you consider Alabama players this year.

0 points
0
0
Turophile's picture

February 24, 2020 at 06:46 pm

RB isn't a position to overpay on. Just because you love Aaron Jones (and yes, I like him too) doesn't mean that $14m pa is worth paying. Why not ? Because RBs have such a short shelf-life, can often play well in their rookie year, and are easier to find than many other positions.

When you can only pay a handful of players the big bucks, RB is not a premium position. Big money should go to QB, LT, RT, edge rusher, DL, maybe WR.

0 points
0
0
albert999's picture

February 24, 2020 at 07:58 pm

Wrong
RB is worth all the money if you have a Top tier guy like any other position

2 points
2
0
Turophile's picture

February 25, 2020 at 04:24 am

Ah. An absolute opinion with no attached reasoning or justification. I'll be sure to change my thinking because of it.

0 points
1
1
Thegreatreynoldo's picture

February 25, 2020 at 04:44 am

Ervin: He has six career rushing attempts in four years. There is no reason to mention him specifically under the RB section. Does he have any vision? Power? Blocking ability? Andy suggests re-signing him and mentioned that he might have some utility in the offense, but I think at this point he can only be considered as a gadget player and pass receiver. He only has 23 receptions in four years, so I don't know about his route running. His 69.6% catch % is okay rather than good for a running back. Jamaal is 75%, Dion Lewis 81.5%. Ervin's 4.4 yds per target is not good. The sample is small, so I hope we do re-sign him and find out.

Jamaal: Not sure there is much disagreement, really, except for tone. His yds/rec (7.8 and 6.5) is really my concern. His yds/target is acceptable. He won't force defenses to account for him nor punish defenses if they don't. I won't be wanting to pay him Dion Lewis or Coleman 2nd contract money.

DL: An Alpha would be nice but you acknowledge that GB probably can't afford an Alpha. Keeping Bulaga, Veldheer, Ervin, and Lewis means GB would be hard-pressed to afford a Michael Pierce, either. Perhaps a Pennel type. If GB let Veldheer go, they probably can afford Pierce. Thoughts?

I am not a big draftnik. Waiting for the combine, too. I don't see that many DL prospects. My fear is that GB's draft position won't match with the DL remaining on the board.

TE: If GB signed a big name TE who can block, I'd consider letting Lewis walk. I'd like to keep Lewis and the price probably will be fine, but at this point I'd be pinching pennies.

WR: Three WRs is a lot. I'd have to love the prospect to take another in the 3rd or 4th. I don't care about the 6th and 7th rounds. They are good for FBs, TEs, OGs, and flyers. I am always tempted to just consolidate them into one or two picks.

Crosby ($4M~), Bulaga ($7.5M), Henry ($7.5M~), Ervin ($1M) plus $3M for the Clark extension means GB is done unless Gute generates more cap space. Not too many ways of doing that, and most are all-in moves, like extending Linsley and Bakh, or converting salary to bonus on Davante's contract.

6 "holes" to fill: K, RT, WR, ILB, DL, TE. Check for K. Five to go. Probably can fill two of them in FA.

1 points
1
0
Turophile's picture

February 25, 2020 at 06:14 am

Well thought out response TGR. always look forward to your thoughts (even when I disagree with parts).

0 points
0
0
Thegreatreynoldo's picture

February 25, 2020 at 05:12 am

I just read this on another site:

No need to reach for a WR!
Daniel Jeremiah has 27 WR’s graded with 3rd round grades or higher. Compare that to the NFL average year when they draft 31 over 7 rounds. Out of 27 only about 15 will actually go in the top 3 rounds, leaving a dozen or more with 3rd round grades available in rounds 4/5/6/7. Consider Jeremiah had a 2nd round grade on Terry McLaurin last year eho went in round 3.

Posted by Rak47 on Feb 25, 2020 | 2:15 AM

Looking at Jeremiah's top 50 prospects, he has 9 WRs in the top 50. Hmmm, that leaves 18 for the bottom of the 2nd and the entire 3rd round. Could be the best prospect in the fourth is a WR. KC Hamler, Jeremiah's 41st highest rated prospect, measured 5' 08.5 and 178 pounds. Figured he'd be on the smaller side in terms of height and wingspan, but at least he had decent sized hands.

0 points
0
0
stockholder's picture

February 25, 2020 at 07:48 am

Jeremiah is always off. The Wrs are some of the most talented in 20 years.

0 points
0
0
dobber's picture

February 25, 2020 at 07:55 am

It will also push talented players at other positions later into the draft...

0 points
0
0
stockholder's picture

February 25, 2020 at 11:42 am

True. Using a mock simulator. I came up with this. #30 Higgins WR //#62 Uche Edge //#94 Weaver LB //#126 C. Johnson WR//#157 Pittman Jr. WR //#172 S. Pollard C //#188, Gibson RB /#189 Thomas WR // #201 Davion Taylor LB // #219 C. Heck OT ///

0 points
0
0
Fredrik87's picture

February 27, 2020 at 10:57 am

Agreed On DL being a major need but I don't consider either Gallimore or Blacklock to be worth a first.
Galimore just never really impressed me all that much and Blockocks technique concerned me.
Jordan Elliott is my favorite none Kinlaw/Brown DL man in the draft.

Also there are a couple of DL men in FA who shouldn't break the bank but have a huge impact.
D.J Reader and Javon Hargrave. They are both elite run stuffers and excellent pass rushers .
Depending on what they cost and what else we do in free agency they could easily be worth signing.

0 points
0
0