General Packers News 2020

[TheGreenMan]

Anyone else read the SI story about Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila? Yikes, he really went off the deep end...

https://www.si.com/nfl/2020/07/14/kabee ... y-incident

I just read it. I never knew any of that about him. Wow.

I heard about his incident at the school, and nothing really after.

He seems to have lost it.

Make sure to keep reading into chapter 2.

[wallyuwl]

No fans at family night. Not surprising, but what's the point without fans? I guess they just want the money from the sponsors (Chevy, WLUK, Oneida Nation, Fleet Farm, Crllcom, etc) to put a practice on tv.

[Packfntk]

No fans at family night. Not surprising, but what's the point without fans? I guess they just want the money from the sponsors (Chevy, WLUK, Oneida Nation, Fleet Farm, Crllcom, etc) to put a practice on tv.

No WLUK, for 2 years now. It’s at NBC.

But they aren’t going to do family night.

[YoHoChecko]

Rodgers and Danica Patrick broke up.

Single Rodgers is a better player than coupled Rodgers so far, so let's hope there's no one new yet

[lupedafiasco]

Rodgers and Danica Patrick broke up.

Single Rodgers is a better player than coupled Rodgers so far, so let's hope there's no one new yet

I heard he’s with some girl name Something Woodley now. Actress type.

[YoHoChecko]

Rodgers and Danica Patrick broke up.

Single Rodgers is a better player than coupled Rodgers so far, so let's hope there's no one new yet

I heard he’s with some girl name Something Woodley now. Actress type.

Oh. Well there goes that.

She's the one from the Divergent series and that show a while back about teenage pregnancy. Not a great actress, really. But oh well

[go pak go]

Rodgers and Danica Patrick broke up.

Single Rodgers is a better player than coupled Rodgers so far, so let's hope there's no one new yet

I heard he’s with some girl name Something Woodley now. Actress type.

Oh. Well there goes that.

She's the one from the Divergent series and that show a while back about teenage pregnancy. Not a great actress, really. But oh well

I thought she was cute in the movie the Decendants. But I don't think she is that cute anymore.

I mean Woodley and Rodgers are probably more in line with their personal beliefs and political stance as Woodley is suuuuuuper liberal and pro-environment. Like and I hate saying that because I think everyone should be pro-environment (I mean why wouldn't you be), but she takes it to that extreme level. I could see Rodgers liking that.

But honestly I thought Danica was a catch. I was sad to hear about the breakup for both parties.

[go pak go]

Rodgers and Danica Patrick broke up.

Single Rodgers is a better player than coupled Rodgers so far, so let's hope there's no one new yet

Weren't Munn and Rodgers a pretty heavy thing in 2014?

[Backthepack4ever]

Rodgers and Danica Patrick broke up.

Single Rodgers is a better player than coupled Rodgers so far, so let's hope there's no one new yet

Weren't Munn and Rodgers a pretty heavy thing in 2014?

Word is he already has another..... But hell if I know its true. Or if I care

[TheGreenMan]

Rodgers and Danica Patrick broke up.

Single Rodgers is a better player than coupled Rodgers so far, so let's hope there's no one new yet

Weren't Munn and Rodgers a pretty heavy thing in 2014?

Word is he already has another..... But hell if I no its true. Or if I care

I've never noticed any difference in play when he's with someone.

It's the porn stache that elevates his level of play. You know he means business when he's playing with:

[Cdragon]

[wallyuwl]

He looks OLD.

[YoHoChecko]

Packers claimed two players on waivers from Miami today: defensive tackle Gerald Willis and edge rusher Jamal Davis. Both players went undrafted in 2019 and spent a brief period on NFL practice squads before ending up on the Dolphins’ active roster late in the season.

Davis profiles as a lean but athletic pass-rusher with good movement skills. A defensive end at the University of Akron, he posted 5.5 sacks, 16 tackles for loss, and an interception as a senior. At the 2019 Combine, Davis performed well, posting a 4.60-second 40-yard dash, a seven-second-flat 3-cone drill, and jumps of 39 inches (vertical) and 122 inches (broad). All of those numbers were above the 80th percentile for edge rushers (per Mockdraftable) and gave him an overall RAS of 9.47. After bouncing around to three AFC South teams from May through December, Miami signed him off the Titans’ practice squad and he played in three games late in the season, seeing only a handful of snaps as a deep backup.

Willis, who is the younger brother of Washington safety Landon Collins, started his college career at Florida but was dismissed from the team early on. He moved on to Miami, where he played out the remainder of his college career, though he took the 2017 season off to “refocus himself.” However, a strong senior season in 2018 saw him earn second-team All-America honors from Sports Illustrated with 18 tackles for loss — most among FBS defensive tackles — and four sacks.

https://www.acmepackingcompany.com/2020 ... per-report

Anyone notice that neither of these two guys show up on the Packers website? There's no news saying they've been released or waived or anything... I'm wondering if COVID prevented them from taking an in-person physical so the transactions aren't official until they show up for camp and take their physical? Seems weird.

[NCF]

Packers claimed two players on waivers from Miami today: defensive tackle Gerald Willis and edge rusher Jamal Davis. Both players went undrafted in 2019 and spent a brief period on NFL practice squads before ending up on the Dolphins’ active roster late in the season.

Davis profiles as a lean but athletic pass-rusher with good movement skills. A defensive end at the University of Akron, he posted 5.5 sacks, 16 tackles for loss, and an interception as a senior. At the 2019 Combine, Davis performed well, posting a 4.60-second 40-yard dash, a seven-second-flat 3-cone drill, and jumps of 39 inches (vertical) and 122 inches (broad). All of those numbers were above the 80th percentile for edge rushers (per Mockdraftable) and gave him an overall RAS of 9.47. After bouncing around to three AFC South teams from May through December, Miami signed him off the Titans’ practice squad and he played in three games late in the season, seeing only a handful of snaps as a deep backup.

Willis, who is the younger brother of Washington safety Landon Collins, started his college career at Florida but was dismissed from the team early on. He moved on to Miami, where he played out the remainder of his college career, though he took the 2017 season off to “refocus himself.” However, a strong senior season in 2018 saw him earn second-team All-America honors from Sports Illustrated with 18 tackles for loss — most among FBS defensive tackles — and four sacks.

https://www.acmepackingcompany.com/2020 ... per-report

Anyone notice that neither of these two guys show up on the Packers website? There's no news saying they've been released or waived or anything... I'm wondering if COVID prevented them from taking an in-person physical so the transactions aren't official until they show up for camp and take their physical? Seems weird.

Yeah, that is weird and I am sure you are right about why, as well. As [mention]Drj820[/mention] pointed out in another thread, if roster maximums are reduced, I wonder if these two transactions never end up going through.

[YoHoChecko]

Yeah, that is weird and I am sure you are right about why, as well. As @Drj820 pointed out in another thread, if roster maximums are reduced, I wonder if these two transactions never end up going through.

Yeah, I'd noticed it before when doing some preliminary 53-man rosters, but this time it came up specifically because I was looking to make that list of who might be in danger of the first-ten cut, and I was like "wait, where are those guys we claimed from the Dolphins?"

That would be a bummer to wait around all offseason under someone's contract rights and then have it terminated months later without ever starting. Not that they would have dfinitely found other offseason homes, but they at least would have had the chance to.

I wonder if they're allowed to participate in the distanced-offseason if they aren't officially on the roster

[Yoop]

this will get ugly if some of this stuff happens, never understood not taking a highly rated receiver to pair with Adams, what did Rodgers do to cause a GM to trade up for Love,

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/2020-nfl-p ... 53619.html

[YoHoChecko]

this will get ugly if some of this stuff happens, never understood not taking a highly rated receiver to pair with Adams, what did Rodgers do to cause a GM to trade up for Love,

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/2020-nfl-p ... 53619.html

Honestly I'm so bored with the same negative offseason takes around the media.

It's like we all somehow collectively decided that getting a defense and running game to help your QB... isn't helping your QB anymore. It's a lazy reactionist take repeated everywhere. I could address things point by point, but the one that really sticks in my craw is the "they're not better anywhere" thing. We've gone over it all offseason.

The depth chart is definitively better at:
Wide Receiver
- Funchess > Allison
- EQSB > Ryan Grant

Running Back
- AJ Dillon > Tra Carson?
- Full Season Tyler Ervin > Half Season Tyler Ervin

Interior OL
- Lane Taylor is back healthy
- Two-three draft choices

Quarterback
- Jordan Love > Manny Wilkins

They probably broke even, at least, by replacing veterans at
Inside Linebacker
- healthy Kirksey > Blake Martinez
- Kamal Martin -?- BJ Goodson

Tight End
- Jimmy Graham was old and only ok
- Sternberger back from IR and in 2nd year
- Third round pick, Deguara

The team's depth chart has gotten worse at
Cornerback
- Losing Tramon with no incoming replacement means probably breaking even, at most, since Tramon was still very effective.

Overall, the team is clearly improved over last year; maybe not by the degree people hoped. We still didn't improve the DL and the WR improvement looks more like baby steps when most wanted a leap. But it's still improvement.

Our RECORD may get worse--we have many signs of regression toward the mean, such as close game record and point differential, etc.

But the quality of the talent on the football team has improved, if ever so slightly, while the coaching staff is entering year two. There's no reason to keep banging the drum that the team got worse or didn't get better, as virtually every media outlet is. I'm so sick of everyone being so obsessed with the Jordan Love storylines that they have to define everything else by it.

The team is in a championship window. They reached the NFC Championship game with a 1st-year coach and they slightly upgraded or at least attempted replacement at every shortcoming. Even at DT they did something (Hester and Willis are underwhelming additions, though).

[NCF]

Thanks, [mention]YoHoChecko[/mention]. I agree with a lot of your summary.

One thing I REALLY, REALLY believe is that Devin Funchess will be a 3rd down and potentially RZ monster. Everything they thought they could get from Graham at TE and Allison at WR busted hard, but Funchess basically revives those same skill sets in one player. When its 3rd and 5 and you need 6 yards and there are 2 guys glued on Adams, I think that is where Funchess will be the guy that wins those one-on-ones. And, just like Carolina, you run those slants and ins just enough to get those DB's comfortable and then you run the double moves. Lazard may be a piece for the future (I am still skeptical) and the others have their niches, but I think Funchess will really be a nice addition to that group that I expect to look night and day different from last year despite only minor changes.

[NCF]

Also, one more thing on the WR's. It didn't work out this year, but I think many are forgetting what the circumstances were around most of our WR acquisitions over the WR glory years:

2006

NEED: Obvious. Just traded away Javon Walker. Had Driver and crap coming off a 4-12 season.

RESULT: Traded down passing on draft darling Chad Jackson and then took OL Daryn Colledge before finally settling on Greg Jennings with pick #52.

2007

NEED: According to the media. Brett pining for Randy but later called the group the most talented he has worked with before the season even started.

RESULT: Drafted James Jones in Round 3 at Pick 78.

2008

NEED: Relatively low. Driver in prime and Jennings just broke out.

RESULT: Passed on DeSean Jackson among others and traded down before drafting Jordy Nelson at Pick 36.

2009 & 2010 - No WR's drafted.

2011

NEED: Super low, but Driver needed to be replaced (and was) by the current crew.

RESULT: Sat patiently and drafted Randall Cobb at Pick 64.

2012 & 2013 - No WR's (of note) drafted.

2014

NEED: Low. Nelson a star, Cobb in prime, and Jones steady-eddy.

RESULT: Sat patiently and drafted Davante Adams at Pick 53.

2015 - Drafted Montgomery in Round 3.

2018 - Drafted J'Mon Moore in Round 4.


I guess my point with this trip down memory lane is under the TT/Gutekunst regimes, they have never been overly aggressive to draft WR's and in multiple cases they even traded down and passed on the media darlings to take other WR's later. Maybe it does say something about how we value WR's and our ability to find them without using prime picks.

If you look at this draft, after Mims went to the Jets, there is a WR dead spot until the Raiders took some projects 20-ish picks later in the 3rd-round. I think Gute did what this staff has always done and would have pulled the trigger on Mims if he made it another couple of picks, but it just didn't work out. As this shows, though, despite this legendary WR class, good ones can be found in Round 2 and later any given season, so maybe we just have to wait another year and have a little more luck until we find our next great WR.

[BF004]

As much as we weren’t high on Graham or Martinez, I think it’s a stretch to think we broke even at those positions.

Judging by contracts handed out, I’d say other NFL GMs don’t think we stayed even keel there and likely will get worse.

Could Sternberger be amazing and Kirksey stay perfectly healthy and be a game changer? Of course, but I’d say on paper we got worse at both positions as it stands today.