Grading the 2020 Packers Draft

[AmishMafia]

First, I am a Love fan. I believe if he did not have a new coach and a mostly new starters on offense in his last season, he replicates the prior year and is a top 5 pick. And yes, Joe Burrow, Herbert, and Tua were in that draft.

At the time of the pick, Rodgers abilities were in significant decline. His attitude and leadership had also seriously suffered. I think it was the drafting of Love that made him focus on football again. Packers went from 13-19 over the previous 2 years of course 13-3 the next 3 seasons. Now much of that can be attributed to MLF and some to Gute, but some can be attributed with the improved play by Rodgers.

I believe that drafting Love is what made Rodgers play better. Having his successor on the roster reminded him that he wasn't guaranteed anything and his job was performance based. So I think he worked hard to get in shape, learn the plays, in an effort to show the organization that they were wrong.

In that, I think Love was a great pick.

[Yoop]

Lupe pretty much covers it in his post.

After 3 years one poor start is not good value for that pick.

If that's true, then you could say pretty much the same for Rodgers. He looked better in rather limited play his third year, just as Love has. Until Love gets a real chance to show what he can do, he deserves an incomplete grade.

He deserves what he’s contributed to this team. Just because he hasn’t played doesn’t mean his contract isn’t ticking. He can turn it around but as things stand this is an F pick. No way around that.

for me the F revolves around need, the situation differs from when Ted drafted Rodgers, for 1. Rodgers was considered by many as the best QB in his draft class, Love barely got honorable Mention as a first round prospect, 2. Favre had threatened retirement even before Ted became GM, so when Rodgers dropped Ted was justified in drafting him, Guty picking Love had zero justification, other then what appeared revenge for Rodgers actions and comments concerning what happened with the McCarthy firing and the hiring of Lafleur, one of the best WR classes of a decade which our offense absolutely could have used and Guty drafts a clip board holder.

It's a good thing for him I don't own this team, he'd have been fired on the spot.

[Yoop]

First, I am a Love fan. I believe if he did not have a new coach and a mostly new starters on offense in his last season, he replicates the prior year and is a top 5 pick. And yes, Joe Burrow, Herbert, and Tua were in that draft.

At the time of the pick, Rodgers abilities were in significant decline. His attitude and leadership had also seriously suffered. I think it was the drafting of Love that made him focus on football again. Packers went from 13-19 over the previous 2 years of course 13-3 the next 3 seasons. Now much of that can be attributed to MLF and some to Gute, but some can be attributed with the improved play by Rodgers.

I believe that drafting Love is what made Rodgers play better. Having his successor on the roster reminded him that he wasn't guaranteed anything and his job was performance based. So I think he worked hard to get in shape, learn the plays, in an effort to show the organization that they were wrong.

In that, I think Love was a great pick.

we'll see if Love was a great pick.

Love didn't jump start Rodgers career, a more friendly passing scheme did, and if you think he was so washed up in 2018 you weren't paying attention to actually why McCarthy was fired, McCarthy had been hiding a great running attack, and used passing schemes we lacked receiver talent to make work.

as soon as Rodgers and Lafleur got on the same page Rodgers was back to MVP form, it was the decadence of the Mike McCarthy offense for the appearance of decline you think you saw from Rodgers.

look I get the hate for Rodgers you and others have, and the unfounded allure of the young and unproven Love, but you guys are creating fiction in order to shade a 1st ballot HOF QB who Love can only dream to emulate.

[AmishMafia]

I dont hate, just a realistic look. I am a big Rodgers fan to even his college days. I wanted him to start earlier knowing full well we would not win another SB with Favre.

When contradicted you always go to his first ballot HOF status or back to back MVPs. What is he now should be the question. And if you think he is even close to his level from 10 years ago, you are fooling yourself.

More than QB play, we need a leader. Someone positive on the field and not rolling their eyes and glaring at the HC. Or pointing fingers at a WR, or not throwing to an open WR because he ran the wrong route the play before and you want to punish him. Someone sitting on the sidelines with the OC or WRs and going over game time images. Not kicking back daydreaming.

[Pugger]

Lupe pretty much covers it in his post.

After 3 years one poor start is not good value for that pick.

If that's true, then you could say pretty much the same for Rodgers. He looked better in rather limited play his third year, just as Love has. Until Love gets a real chance to show what he can do, he deserves an incomplete grade.

Packers brass were pushing Favre out the door cause they knew what they had in Rodgers.

Packers brass are also holding on for dear life when it comes to Rodgers.

But anyway right now (2023) it was a bad pick. That doesn't matter if Love is good or bad - the pick itself was bad which is on management not the player.

An incomplete grading is silly because it could be incomplete until the person physically can't play football anymore. Maybe Amari Rodgers somehow comes back to the packers and is rhe greatest wr of all time. Might happen. Incomplete grading.

Favre pushed himself out the door by retiring. I'd wager had Brett not "retired" he would have been our starter in 2008. But once he made that tearful announcement the brass was more than ready to hand off the reins to 12.

When they drafted Love Rodgers wasn't playing all that great. Who knew Rodgers' play would rebound resulting in back to back MVPs.

[Pugger]

If that's true, then you could say pretty much the same for Rodgers. He looked better in rather limited play his third year, just as Love has. Until Love gets a real chance to show what he can do, he deserves an incomplete grade.

He deserves what he’s contributed to this team. Just because he hasn’t played doesn’t mean his contract isn’t ticking. He can turn it around but as things stand this is an F pick. No way around that.

for me the F revolves around need, the situation differs from when Ted drafted Rodgers, for 1. Rodgers was considered by many as the best QB in his draft class, Love barely got honorable Mention as a first round prospect, 2. Favre had threatened retirement even before Ted became GM, so when Rodgers dropped Ted was justified in drafting him, Guty picking Love had zero justification, other then what appeared revenge for Rodgers actions and comments concerning what happened with the McCarthy firing and the hiring of Lafleur, one of the best WR classes of a decade which our offense absolutely could have used and Guty drafts a clip board holder.

It's a good thing for him I don't own this team, he'd have been fired on the spot.

Revenge? Rodgers hadn't been playing all that great. Gute and company saw a chance to draft a QB they felt had promise so they made the deal and moved up. IMO the jury is still out if it was worth the move to draft Love. It took 3 seasons of grooming before Rodgers became the elite QB we had all these years.

[lupedafiasco]

I dont hate, just a realistic look. I am a big Rodgers fan to even his college days. I wanted him to start earlier knowing full well we would not win another SB with Favre.

When contradicted you always go to his first ballot HOF status or back to back MVPs. What is he now should be the question. And if you think he is even close to his level from 10 years ago, you are fooling yourself.

More than QB play, we need a leader. Someone positive on the field and not rolling their eyes and glaring at the HC. Or pointing fingers at a WR, or not throwing to an open WR because he ran the wrong route the play before and you want to punish him. Someone sitting on the sidelines with the OC or WRs and going over game time images. Not kicking back daydreaming.

Right now Rodgers is a year removed from back to back MVPs and struggled with a bad group of receivers and a bad offensive line.

The receivers are very young and may very well take a leap next year but the mistakes this season evident. There was a clear lack of experience between QB and the younger players. On top of that we tried making Lazard a WR1 and that was a huge mistake. Then we brought in Watkins who was just bad. Cobb is clearly at the end of his career.

The offensive line started off awful. When they played well the offense played well. The season finale featured one of their worst performances of the year, if not the worst.

I can’t believe that Rodgers somehow dropped off in a year that badly. Most of us that didn’t believe in the “Rodgers is undefeated without Adams” knew this was going to be a huge drop off in passing efficiency. That’s the nature of having rookie receivers, 2 really bad veteran receivers, and a weak group of TEs.

And to tie it all together we could have fixed that in this draft to have the players to take over when losing Adams. We didn’t do that.

[Yoop]

If that's true, then you could say pretty much the same for Rodgers. He looked better in rather limited play his third year, just as Love has. Until Love gets a real chance to show what he can do, he deserves an incomplete grade.

Packers brass were pushing Favre out the door cause they knew what they had in Rodgers.

Packers brass are also holding on for dear life when it comes to Rodgers.

But anyway right now (2023) it was a bad pick. That doesn't matter if Love is good or bad - the pick itself was bad which is on management not the player.

An incomplete grading is silly because it could be incomplete until the person physically can't play football anymore. Maybe Amari Rodgers somehow comes back to the packers and is rhe greatest wr of all time. Might happen. Incomplete grading.

Favre pushed himself out the door by retiring. I'd wager had Brett not "retired" he would have been our starter in 2008. But once he made that tearful announcement the brass was more than ready to hand off the reins to 12.

When they drafted Love Rodgers wasn't playing all that great. Who knew Rodgers' play would rebound resulting in back to back MVPs.

I did Pugger, the decline we saw from Rodgers in 017 and 018 imho was mostly scheme related, how often back then did members here and media comment just how everything we did looked hard to accomplish on offense? defense to matter of fact, point is Rodgers was extending practically every pass play, bidding time for someone to get open, Mikes repertoire of short passing schemes was a slant pass, zilch deception or motion, we lacked the receivers to stretch the field, we lacked a seam stretching TE, Mike practically refused to run the football, Rodgers carried a permanent scowl on his face for two seasons, not so much because of McCarthy and his lack of adjustments, that too, but imo mostly because Ted (rest his soul) hadn't provided better receiver talent for Mikes spread vertical pass schemes a better chance for success.

Change was needed top down the end of the 2017 season, not with just Ted, or Capers, ( both possibly 2 or 3 years to late) but with McCarthy too, it didn't take half a season for Lafeur and Rodgers to turn this offense around, is revenge to strong a word, after the fuss Rodgers made thru out 2018 season and the drafting of Love, Rodgers talk of holding out the day of the 2020 draft, I don't know how you can think it hadn't been a back and forth revenge scenario.

again Pugger, imho the draft of Rodgers and now later with Love have absolutely nothing in common, we assume that both where about equal in there second seasons, but I don't agree to much with that either, I remember a more poised Rodgers in the games, Last year Love still had the deer in the headlights uncertainty, this year the small sample he's looked better.

even as good as Rodgers looked year 3, once Bert said he was retiring, Teddy T was hedging his bet, he went looking to draft a QB, and did with the ill famous Bro ham Pick and later with Flynn, so he took 2 swipes at a insurance policy

now since I consider Love even a higher risk replacement, it seems retaining the dilapidated, non vaxing, Ayahuasca tree oil junkie a sure thing, and if not, Guty will spend mucho draft pick capitol on insurance QB's

[bud fox]

If that's true, then you could say pretty much the same for Rodgers. He looked better in rather limited play his third year, just as Love has. Until Love gets a real chance to show what he can do, he deserves an incomplete grade.

Packers brass were pushing Favre out the door cause they knew what they had in Rodgers.

Packers brass are also holding on for dear life when it comes to Rodgers.

But anyway right now (2023) it was a bad pick. That doesn't matter if Love is good or bad - the pick itself was bad which is on management not the player.

An incomplete grading is silly because it could be incomplete until the person physically can't play football anymore. Maybe Amari Rodgers somehow comes back to the packers and is rhe greatest wr of all time. Might happen. Incomplete grading.

Favre pushed himself out the door by retiring. I'd wager had Brett not "retired" he would have been our starter in 2008. But once he made that tearful announcement the brass was more than ready to hand off the reins to 12.

When they drafted Love Rodgers wasn't playing all that great. Who knew Rodgers' play would rebound resulting in back to back MVPs.

They had 3 years to see Rodgers and there are videos of management coaching saying that they knew early they had something special.

They thought Rodgers was declining, they thought Love was a special talent but I don't believe they have seen what they wanted in these 3 years. That is why Rodgers got the contract and why he remains the best qb option.

[Labrev]

look I get the hate for Rodgers you and others have, and the unfounded allure of the young and unproven Love,

tbh no, you really do *not* get the "hate" (read: sober criticisms) for Rodgers.

[Yoop]

look I get the hate for Rodgers you and others have, and the unfounded allure of the young and unproven Love,

tbh no, you really do *not* get the "hate" (read: sober criticisms) for Rodgers.

TBH, hate may be to strong a word, delusional is probably more accurate, did ya watch the Niners today, Rodgers can still do everything Purdy did in that offense, that is basically our offense, give him that blocking, those skill position players and Rodgers is MVP form again

just trying to be realistic here, forget the money and Rodgers still gives us our best chance to win, and thats the only thing I care about.

[Scott4Pack]

Here’s my take, if that’s okay.

Round 1: Jordan Love (B)
The fact that Love hasn’t played much is more of a testimony to the health of the guy in front of him than it is about his own playing ability. Yeah, you want to see first round picks play more and play plenty and even have significant impact. But we could’ve said the same about a guy named Rodgers a few years ago too. Give this pick a C if your team truly had an urgent need for an impact player at the time of the selection. This Packer team didn’t. So, it’s a B.

Round 2: AJ Dillon (B)
Dillon had what I’d say is a down year, for him. But he’s showing that he can being plenty of power to the offense if featured correctly. He is a very solid RB who can change games once the weather turns cold. What more can you ask from a skill guy?

Round 3: Josiah Degaura (B)
He does what he’s supposed to do. Not many splash plays. But that’s what the coaches want. He’s a guy who is supposed to block, help reveal how defenses are playing, and occasionally catch a ball. Play ST plenty too. That’s a very serviceable TE. Maybe many teams would want more immediate impact from a round 3 selection. But this guy does his job more than well enough. He’s also a step up, IMHO, than the guy he replaced (Richard Rodgers).

Round 4: Traded for Love (B)
See above. And remember that this is a starting QB in the near future. There is a lot of value in that.

Round 5: Kamal Martin (F)
Totally agree about this being a failed pick.

Round 6a: Jon Runyan (A)
Starting caliber OLinemen don’t grow on trees. Just because GB is adept at finding these guys shouldn’t be a knock on Runyon. He’s actually good. And that is hardly a given for anybody picked in round 6.

Round 6b: Jake Hanson (D)
It seems like the game hasn’t slowed down for Hansen. So I’ll give him a worse grade than you did. He still has a chance in the NFL. But he needs to show something to a team very soon.

Round 7a: Vernon Scott (C)
I have a hard time giving an F for any 7th round selection. Almost all of those guys are developmental prospects. If you get anything on game day from them, then you’ve done a good job. Scott had few opportunities. Much of his time was on ST. Nothing stood out. So give him a D if you must. But this isn’t a wasted pick.

Round 7b: Jonathon Garvin (B)
This guy has come in to play in spots. And he has had a few splash plays too. That’s good for a developmental guy.

[wallyuwl]

Here’s my take, if that’s okay.

Round 1: Jordan Love (B)
The fact that Love hasn’t played much is more of a testimony to the health of the guy in front of him than it is about his own playing ability. Yeah, you want to see first round picks play more and play plenty and even have significant impact. But we could’ve said the same about a guy named Rodgers a few years ago too. Give this pick a C if your team truly had an urgent need for an impact player at the time of the selection. This Packer team didn’t. So, it’s a B.

Round 2: AJ Dillon (B)
Dillon had what I’d say is a down year, for him. But he’s showing that he can being plenty of power to the offense if featured correctly. He is a very solid RB who can change games once the weather turns cold. What more can you ask from a skill guy?

Round 3: Josiah Degaura (B)
He does what he’s supposed to do. Not many splash plays. But that’s what the coaches want. He’s a guy who is supposed to block, help reveal how defenses are playing, and occasionally catch a ball. Play ST plenty too. That’s a very serviceable TE. Maybe many teams would want more immediate impact from a round 3 selection. But this guy does his job more than well enough. He’s also a step up, IMHO, than the guy he replaced (Richard Rodgers).

Round 4: Traded for Love (B)
See above. And remember that this is a starting QB in the near future. There is a lot of value in that.

Round 5: Kamal Martin (F)
Totally agree about this being a failed pick.

Round 6a: Jon Runyan (A)
Starting caliber OLinemen don’t grow on trees. Just because GB is adept at finding these guys shouldn’t be a knock on Runyon. He’s actually good. And that is hardly a given for anybody picked in round 6.

Round 6b: Jake Hanson (D)
It seems like the game hasn’t slowed down for Hansen. So I’ll give him a worse grade than you did. He still has a chance in the NFL. But he needs to show something to a team very soon.

Round 7a: Vernon Scott (C)
I have a hard time giving an F for any 7th round selection. Almost all of those guys are developmental prospects. If you get anything on game day from them, then you’ve done a good job. Scott had few opportunities. Much of his time was on ST. Nothing stood out. So give him a D if you must. But this isn’t a wasted pick.

Round 7b: Jonathon Garvin (B)
This guy has come in to play in spots. And he has had a few splash plays too. That’s good for a developmental guy.

I want some of what you are smoking.

[go pak go]

look I get the hate for Rodgers you and others have, and the unfounded allure of the young and unproven Love,

tbh no, you really do *not* get the "hate" (read: sober criticisms) for Rodgers.

TBH, hate may be to strong a word, delusional is probably more accurate, did ya watch the Niners today, Rodgers can still do everything Purdy did in that offense, that is basically our offense, give him that blocking, those skill position players and Rodgers is MVP form again

just trying to be realistic here, forget the money and Rodgers still gives us our best chance to win, and thats the only thing I care about.

I think about 12 quarterbacks or more in the league could be MVP in the 49ers offense (including Jordan Love).

I mean the last pick in the NFL draft rookie is doing really well in that offense.

[APB]

The 2020 draft wasn’t great by any means, that’s for sure. But neither was yours. You’d be calling for your own head if you were GM.

[go pak go]

The 2020 draft wasn’t great by any means, that’s for sure. But neither was yours. You’d be calling for your own head if you were GM.

His 3rd day was pretty good with Wilson and Duvernay. Though I thought Duvernay was taken much earlier in the actual draft wasn't he? Third round I believe?

[Labrev]

Yeah, we'd have to have taken Wilson and Duvernay in the 2nd and 3rd to actually get them. You can take Ayuik out because he was long gone in the 2nd and put one of them there.

And since Blacklock sucks, it's mainly a question of who you'd rather have between those two, or JRJ and a few role players (Dillon, Deguara).

[lupedafiasco]

The 2020 draft wasn’t great by any means, that’s for sure. But neither was yours. You’d be calling for your own head if you were GM.

Someone let APB know 23 hacked his account. No one else brings up old &%$@ like that dude does.

If that was our draft I would have done significantly better. Missed on the 1st but hit on most of them after. A lot better than what Gute did in this one considering it’s his actual job to do so.

[go pak go]

The 2020 draft wasn’t great by any means, that’s for sure. But neither was yours. You’d be calling for your own head if you were GM.

Someone let APB know 23 hacked his account. No one else brings up old &%$@ like that dude does.

If that was our draft I would have done significantly better. Missed on the 1st but hit on most of them after. A lot better than what Gute did in this one considering it’s his actual job to do so.

So you're yelling at someone who brings up old &%$@ on a thread that you cherry picked old &%$@ on someone else.

I don't think it's real fair to say yours was better than Gute's when yours was completely unrealistic overall. But yes. Gute's draft was quite terrible in 2020. There is only one thing that can salvage it.

[Yoop]

It's called disassociation when you divert the focus of the topic or complaint back on the complainer, it's what people do to defend the reason for the complaint, Guty's 2020 draft didn't help this team at all, even if Love pans out, it'll be 4 years before we even get a inkling of proof, 4 years more of near zero help for this offense.

Lupes draft was easily more productive in that time frame, again Guty's had 2 drafts that hardly helped this team at all.