To look forward and deliver all our faithul..
A BF Mock
V.001
Potent Notables
Packers finish 7-10, miss the playoffs, pick 11 (likely to beat all tie-breakers for our low strength of schedule)
Jets just miss the playoffs and we get pick 47.
Packers enter 2024 with $22.6M in active cap space.
Joe Barry is let go.
Coaching Changes
Bill Belichick - Defensive Coordinator
While no one could ever think this is likely, it is plausable. Bill likely to not be back in NE. He is 71 going on 72, not ready to quit just yet, and may no longer want the full time stress of being a HC and GM and instead scaled it back and just do what he loves, coaching defense. He has spoken very highly of LaFleur in the past the joint practices seemed to have been a success. He also speaks super highly of Green Bay and its history and importance to the league. Any ways, just for funsies, he comes in for maybe only his last 2-3 years and hopefully can help right this ship.
Releases
David Bakhtiari - Sad, but we can't pay his ~21.5M in salary in '24, move saves us $21.M in 24.
(Up to $44.1M in cap space)
Extentions
Kenny Clark - 4 years - $76 million (3 year 61m extention , was due 15.5M in base salary, his '24 cap hit comes down $4M)
Rashan Gary - 4 years - $96 million ($16M in '24 cap)
Aaron Jones - 3 years -$27 million (2 year 15M extenion, $12M salary existing in '24, rework to a $9M a year annually and keeps Jones locked up for likely the rest of his career) (frees up $2M in cap space in '24)
Jon Runyan Jr - 3 years $33 million (Would love to not pay him, but we have no talent on roster ready to step in. Myers is an FA in a year as well, so still a definite need to replenish IOL in the draft.
Darnell Savage Jr - 1 year $5 million (Playing better this year, pretty much a guaranteed start here again, betting on himself to have an even better year and be able to cash in the following offseason)
Free Agents
Kyle Dugger - 3 years $30 million (Bigger safety, excelling in run support, follows Wild Bill to Titletown.)
Leaves with around 12M in cap space for the incoming rookie class, in year transactions, and rollover.
Draft
1 Maason Smith - DT LSU 6'5" 315
Crazy talented, high profile player out of HS. Made the All-SEC Freshman team, was out his sophomore year with an ACL, back this year. Hard to tell if he will end up this high come draft time, with basically no tape yet since freshman year.
Maason Smith is a versatile defensive lineman whose size fits the mold of an interior defensive lineman, but he also has the athleticism to play as a defensive end effectively. At LSU, Smith played both the IDL position and the edge position seemingly equally and has had plus-level plays at both positions. Playing the edge position, Smith is good at setting the edge against the run, keeping his outside arm free, and being able to turn runs back inside to the help of the defense. His arm length allows him to get the extension needed and stay in good position to maintain the leverage needed to play the edge position.
Rushing the passer from the edge position, Smith shows a quick first step and the ability to occasionally win the edge against offensive tackles, which is impressive for his size. Playing the IDL position, Smith showcases an explosive first step that he uses to gain momentum and leverage against interior offensive linemen in both the run game and rushing the passer. Rushing the passer from the IDL position, it appears that Smith has an apparent athletic advantage over most interior offensive linemen and Smith uses this explosive first step to set up his speed to power bull rush or he can use his athletic ability to continue to win past the offensive lineman with a spin move or swim move. Against the run, Smith is able to get good penetration into the backfield and has the athleticism/lateral agility to redirect to get to the ball carrier.
The areas of Smith’s game that I would like to see the most improvement in are his strength and ability to be physically dominant along the defensive front. In the run game, Smith will have reps where his pad level is too high and it affects his ability to be strong and anchor at the point of attack. Smith has the size and length to be dominant against the run, and the simple improvement of his pad level could positively impact his ability to do so.
Overall, Smith has the rare combination of size and athleticism which will lead to coaches wanting him to play multiple positions along the defensive front. However, it appears that Smith’s most athletically advantageous position is the IDL position. That is where he should get the majority of his snap share.
2a Jordan Morgan - OT Arizona 6'6" 320
Pros: Jordan Morgan plays with a physical demeanor and style. He displaces and washes edge rushers during run-blocking sequences. He pops out of his stance with a nice roll from his hips to make contact with his defender. He fared well in his match-up against Cameron Thomas. Morgan uses his length and punch placement to keep rushers at bay. His athleticism shines when pulling on screens and running plays. His hands are impressive—Morgan can counter and reset during combative sequences. His hand power allows him to latch and control his opponents. For an OL of his size, he has decent feet to mirror rushers. He displays the ability to absorb power and anchor with his strong lower body.
Cons: Jordan Morgan’s lateral strides can be a bit restricted and segmented. With his strong and powerful hands, his punches are thrown with wide spacing. He does not consistently cover his chest, especially in the run game. He tends to attack defenders with high leverage in the run game, decreasing his overall balance. Improving his knee bend to eliminate waist bending will help him. His change of direction once he is committed outside is concerning. Twitchy rushers can stress his upfield shoulder and footspeed.
2b Braelon Allen - RB Wisconsin
Braelon Allen has an NFL build and stature. His game is predicated on power and physicality. Allen is scheme-versatile, as he is experienced in running zone and gap/power concepts. When attacking downhill, he displayed lighter and more nimble footwork than expected to change lanes between the tackles.
His physicality is easy to see, and Allen runs through would-be tacklers with ease. His contact balance is phenomenal. Combined with his powerful leg drive, he rarely goes down on first contact. Allen attacks the line of scrimmage with good patience to allow his blocks to engage and lead him to daylight. He does a good job of decelerating to cut back across the face of nearby defenders.
Allen struggles to negotiate and create for himself versus quick backfield penetration. If the defense can create a quick surge before he picks up momentum, he can be corraled. He is not overly elusive or quick to make defenders miss in a phone booth/tight quarters. Allen’s long speed is average. He should not be relied upon to generate many explosive plays (20-plus yards).
3 Javon Bullard - S Georgia 5'11" 185
Instinctive, adept at reading routes and anticipating throws, and strong in zone coverage.
Aware zone cornerback who also shows promise in man coverage, flashing physical hand usage at the line and straight-line speed to stay with receivers downfield.
Has a nice blend of length, speed, and quickness. He’s at his best mirroring routes underneath, showing fluid movement skills and the ability to change directions on a dime.
Does a good job getting his head around in time when playing with his back to the line of scrimmage. Has the ability to cover quickness underneath.
Can get up under a receiver’s chin and has the speed to flip his hips and run downfield. Bullard has quick hands to jostle receivers early. But he’s at his best peeking into the backfield.
Has the change-of-direction ability to mirror underneath but did solid work out of press and off coverage.
4 Isaiah Adams - IOL Illinois 6'5" 320
In two games this season, no guard has been better than Adams. This past Thursday’s game against Kansas was an unbelievable performance for the 6’4” 320-pound offensive lineman.
He gave up zero pressures and was dominant in the run game. Adams consistently sustained his blocks and worked well on the move. Adams has been in complete control this season, and it looks like he’s taken the next step in his second year in the Big Ten.
His technique is better, he looks more athletic, and his natural power is as good as anyone’s in the country.
5 Jaylan Ford - LB Texas 6'3" 242
Texas linebacker Jaylan Ford has developed into one of the most impactful second level playmakers in all of college football, boosting his stock as he prepares for the jump to the next level.
Amid the Longhorns’ resurgence as a program, Ford is one of the needle-moving defenders who has illustrated a high level of football IQ. With a three-down skill set, Ford appears aligned for a boost in value because he’s not a player who poses personnel limitations on the second level.
Ford shows great feel as an underneath zone defender. His ability to collision route stems and simultaneously feel other eligibles working in his peripheral vision has led him to be one of the most impactful coverage linebackers in the country since the start of 2022. But Ford gets this done without being a hybrid safety type — he’s got a true linebacker build, and projects clearer to life in the box than most other college coverage LBs.
The third down/passing down skill set extends to pressure opportunities as well. If you’re a fire-zone heavy team in obvious passing situations, you’ll like the timing ability of Ford to sync his attack with the snap, and the way he slashes and rips through contact in the box to press to the quarterback. He’s not the most explosive or fluid linebacker in the class, but he’s an impressive athlete with the traits to translate well to the next level.
This is an explosive tackler in tight quarters, too. He’s flashed the ability to serve as a tone-setting hitter, and brings violent finishes through his pads. I appreciate the motor and rally skills to hustle to the football when he’s playing downhill.
6 Bryce Foster - C Texas A&M 6'4" 330
Foster's defining attribute as a prospect is his awe-inspiring power, which shows through on tape and is verified off the field as he is the shot put and disc Junior Olympic National Champion and national record holder.
Foster, who has his eyes on the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. On the field, Foster has earned the nickname 'The Mountain' for his size and ability to bully defensive linemen. His versatility and experience are great attributes but his undeniable strenth and power up front make him a rare find.
7 Benjamin Yurosek - TE Stanford 6'4" 242
Stanford’s Benjamin Yurosek has been a steady contributor for the Cardinal throughout his career and looks to be one of the better tight ends in the 2024 NFL Draft. Yurosek has above-average length and size while also possessing good overall athleticism.
Yurosek is a versatile player in the Cardinal offense and was utilized all over the formation throughout his career. He was most often used in the slot or detached off the line of scrimmage where he essentially served as an “F” in the Cardinal’s 12-personnel offense.
Yurosek flashes very good speed and quickness as a pass-catcher and can quickly put stress on the defense. He comes off the ball quickly and is able to accelerate instantly. He shows an ability to create separation vertically down the seam and is outstanding on speed turns, as he can flip his hips without losing acceleration. Yurosek has very good short-area quickness and burst and is an explosive athlete overall. He has excellent hands and catches the football cleanly and away from his body both on the run and through traffic. Yurosek is excellent after the catch, showing a second gear to defeat angles and he runs very with good power and contact balance to break tackles.
While Yurosek certainly has NFL traits when it comes to his ability as a pass-catcher, he must continue to develop his route-running ability as he doesn’t consistently run crisp routes. Oftentimes, he is rounding the top of the stem rather than breaking down and exploding in and out of cuts, which allows defenders to stick with him. Additionally, Yurosek wasn’t asked to run a full route tree at Stanford so there is a developmental aspect to him as a prospect that must be accounted for.
Yurosek displays good effort and toughness in the run game but he lacks the size, mass, and strength to be a consistent run blocker at the next level. He is very good at blocking on the move and can locate defenders at the second level, but he can be a liability when head up against defensive ends on the line of scrimmage.
Overall, Yurosek has an intriguing skill set that should profile as a productive receiving tight end, but his lack of size, strength, and development will likely result in him maxing out as a solid No. 2 tight end. [/quote]
Depth Chart
QB Jordan Love - Sean Clipboard
RB Aaron Jones - Braelon Allen - Emanuel Wilson
WR Christian Watson - Jayden Reed - Samori Toure Malik Heath
WR Romeo Doubbs - Dontayvion Wicks - Grant Dubose
LT Rasheed Walker - Jordan Morgan
LG Elgton Jenkins - Sean Rhyan
C Josh Myers - Bryce Foster
RG Jon Runyan Jr - Isaiah Adams
RT Zack Tom - Josh Walker
TE Luke Musgrave - Ben Sims - Tucker Kraft - Benjamin Yurosek
DE Davante Wyatt - Karl Brooks
NT TJ Slaton - Maason Smith
DE Kenny Clark - Colby Wooden
OLB Rashan Gary - JJ Enegbare
ILB Quay Walker - OJ McDuffie
ILB DeVondre Campbell - Jaylan Ford
OLB Lukas Van Ness - Preston Smith
CB Jaire Alexander - Eric Stokes - Carrington Vallentive
CB Rasul Douglas - Keisean Nixon
S Darnell Savage - Javon Bullard
S Kyle Dugger - Anthony Johnson Jr.
