Packers Huddle

Just curious where we all are with everyone right now. Individual or group expectations?

Despite the personnel we do have, any happy with the reports coming out yet, more or less nervous than before?

Judging by the poll you actually mean 2022, right?

I said all our draft picks from the last two years plus Winfree. I don't think Watkins, Cobb or Lazard will be a Packer next year as I expect some turnover at the position.

Some hype, especially in recent days about Winfree, again. I am selling that. I just think Toure has the better long-term potential and the inside track for the 7th spot.

Amari Rodgers is an interesting one, but I still think he basically gets a free pass.

Lazard, Watkins, Cobb, Doubs, Rodgers, Toure with Watson on the PUP.

Toure, Winfee, Taylor all could vie for that 6th spot.

I went with Lazard, Watkins, Cobb, Doubs, Watson on PUP, Rodgers, and Toure.

My thinking is the Packers are always too conservative with injuries for their own good. Watson will stay on PUP for a bit. It also gets Toure on the roster and its easier to sneak a waiver guy onto the practice squad mid season than during cuts IMO. Winfree has proven he can slip by onto the practice squad already. I dont think he offers much in terms of speed on STs for that to make a difference either.

To me Lazard, Cobb, Doubs, Rodgers, and Watson are all locks once hes off PUP. I could see them cutting Watkins but to me that would be a huge mistake. I think if they give him the opportunity he should be our #1 WR just based on the talent level but I could see them pushing the limited and uninspiring Lazard into that role based on familiarity.

go pak go wrote: ↑

10 Aug 2022 16:01

I said all our draft picks from the last two years plus Winfree. I don't think Watkins, Cobb or Lazard will be a Packer next year as I expect some turnover at the position.

Oh. So now this is a 2022 question.

No longer a 2023 question.

We keep 7.

Lazard
Watkins
Cobb
Doubs
Watson
Rodgers
Winfree/Toure

We need to see some PS games though to see if someone makes themselves uncuttable.

NCF wrote: ↑

10 Aug 2022 16:00

Judging by the poll you actually mean 2022, right?

I edited it to say 2022.
---
I personally think we may end up with a WR or two that's not on the roster now. Watson, Lazard, Doubs, and Cobb are locks, no one else is.

We have not seen any preseason games yet but:

Lazard, Watkins, Watson and Doubs are locks. --- 4 ----

Cobb and Rodgers have the same role and skill set. I don't think they both make it. Cobb will make the 53 and Rodgers will not - unless Cobb gets hurt which is a distinct possibility. --- 5 ---

I think Toure will be lost if they try to sneak him onto the PS. --- 6 ---

Winfree is my final choice if they keep 7. I think they will keep 4 RB's rather than 8 WR's.

Well, what I want and what I expect are two different things.

I would PUP Watson and ease him into the mix over the weeks, unleash him later as a secret X-factor weapon when we make a run and play that MVS role; Watkins is a cut candidate once Watson is ready to go.

And I would trade Rodgers, I like Toure for that role better long-term and Cobb is the better option there too short-term, I just see nothing special about his game even with him playing well. Let Amari make plays this preseason and ship him to a team desperate for some WR help, will accept a 3rd (if it's a team bad enough to need him, will probably be a higher 3rd that we used on him) then tell myself that Toure was last year's third-rounder and Rodgers was some try-hard flier seventh-rounder who I flipped for a third.

If the offers for Rodgers don't appeal, though, I would have no real hesitation cutting Watkins. I would be willing to bring him back afterwards, but meh. By that point, I am probably banging down OBJ's door, first.

So, me = Lazard, Watkins (for now), Cobb, Doubs, Winfree, and Toure; PUP: Watson.

But I expect they will go... Lazard, Watkins, Cobb, Doubs, Rodgers, Toure, and Watson, then try their best to convince Winfree to return on PS and tell him they see a future for him here, but live with the likely reality that he will go to Chicago or Denver.

I think Toure is looking too good for them to risk cutting him. Assuming he doesn't suddenly nosedive, I think he's safe.

When you take three WRs in a draft, one of whom was a very high second-rounder (bordering on a late 1st) then you don't lose too much sleep over a guy like Winfree leaving, because you feel pretty good knowing that Watson, Doubs, Rodgers and Toure are the future.

I’m going to throw the wild card in there with Hyman. He will stick because of his ST value.
;-)

I may have quite a different opinion on how the WR group will shake out and the individuals will be utilized without having much difference of opinion at all about which 7/8 are fighting for the spots.

I see the positions playing out like this.
I specify positions versus roles because obviously, Watkins and Winfree likely won't even combine to match Adams' production, but I think they will play his position. And the two guys I have filling the X role while others find them to be marginal roster choices.

I think there will be more plays called to highlight or feature or make the first read come from Lazard, but I think in the base offense, when healthy, he will continue playing the same positions and the same locations he primarily has played in the offense before. I could be wrong because in games without Adams in the past, Lazard has often filled that spot.

But I really think Watkins and Winfree are X guys--and I think Doubs has the potential to be that guy but I doubt he will get much usage that way. I see him playing more of the MVS position, but he will open up the offense and allow more plays to be called which feature the MVS position in intermediate and short routes, while MVS never truly mastered those types of routes and thus was limited to a smaller role.

I think Winfree, healthy, is a roster lock. I'm not sure why anyone doesn't. He's consistently been the 2nd best WR on the team all spring and summer. My primary question is whether Winfree or Watkins earns the starting job at that position, not if they make the team.

NCF wrote: ↑

10 Aug 2022 16:02

Some hype, especially in recent days about Winfree, again. I am selling that. I just think Toure has the better long-term potential and the inside track for the 7th spot.

Amari Rodgers is an interesting one, but I still think he basically gets a free pass.

I like Toure's long-term potential, as well, but I think he's an easy PS stash. He'll be a lovely slot receiver for Jordan Love in 2023 and beyond. He's barely made a dent in camp practices, though his Family Night reception was big time., Maybe he's a gamer.

BF004 wrote: ↑

10 Aug 2022 15:55

Despite the personnel we do have, any happy with the reports coming out yet, more or less nervous than before?

I love this WR room. I think that they will be a strength by the end of the season, not a weakness.

I still could see adding Beckham because he would be out half the season, not take a roster spot, be brought along slowly, and add a spark for the playoffs. But that would be a luxury. It wouldn't surprise me or disappoint me either way. With him or without him, I think we have an intriguing array of skillsets, body types, strengths and weaknesses. I think Rodgers trusts and has realistic expectations for a lot of these guys. It's a really good situation.

What do we learn every training camp, and then promptly forget come spring? That we the fans always overrate our young receivers!

Toure is a 7th rounder, I bet we can get him to the PS. Every team has a late-round guy like him with potential.

Watkins is a vet, he's good when he's healthy. I would be shocked if he's cut, barring injury.

Lazard, Cobb, Doubs, and Watson are locks.

Rodgers is the wild card, but I highly doubt they would give up right before year 2. Year 2 jumps are a thing, after all.

Crazylegs Starks wrote: ↑

10 Aug 2022 21:55

Rodgers is the wild card, but I highly doubt they would give up right before year 2. Year 2 jumps are a thing, after all.

Rodgers isn't a wild card for roster status. He's a wild card for production, but he's making the team. I'd bet my house on it.

I think we're keeping 7 this year. It was interesting hearing Gutey talk yesterday about how you can be more flexible with roster numbers at various positions because of the big practice squad and the number of elevations and protections allowed.

I could see them going heavy at WR and light, say, on the secondary or even OL depth if they think they can keep those guys on the PS more easily. They talked about it as basically a 69-man roster, but with considerations for the active 53 and gameday 48. Maybe that means we go light at WR and gamble that we can keep someone, but the guys who need the most development (Watson) or improvement (Amari) are also the high-draft assets that would be scooped up immediately.

The only debate here is Winfree, who I think might be stashable on the PS, but I also think he's one of our top 3/4 WRs right now, so wouldn't have him on the block at all. I think we're keeping 7 on the 53. I'd be shocked if we don't, honestly.

I had not thought of trading Rodgers. If someone wants him that makes it an easy option.

There is no way Watson is on PUP to start the season and based upon where he is and what he had done, he is likely to be activated this weekend or Monday. He was rehabbing and not favoring either leg and did not even have a sleeve on. The Packers paid a 1st round price to move up and get him, there is no way you stash a healthy 1st rounder on the PUP for 4 or 5 weeks in order to keep your 50-something ranked players. Watson may not be necessary to make the playoffs so they could do without him for 5 weeks but they ARE going to need him in the playoffs and delaying his development by 5 weeks could easily be the difference between a Super bowl and 1-and-done. Maybe you guys don't understand it, but he is the as much a physical freak at WR as anyone since Megatron. Plus he is not a head case or a diva.

YoHoChecko wrote: ↑

10 Aug 2022 22:13

Crazylegs Starks wrote: ↑

10 Aug 2022 21:55

Rodgers is the wild card, but I highly doubt they would give up right before year 2. Year 2 jumps are a thing, after all.

Rodgers isn't a wild card for roster status. He's a wild card for production, but he's making the team. I'd bet my house on it.

I think we're keeping 7 this year. It was interesting hearing Gutey talk yesterday about how you can be more flexible with roster numbers at various positions because of the big practice squad and the number of elevations and protections allowed.

I could see them going heavy at WR and light, say, on the secondary or even OL depth if they think they can keep those guys on the PS more easily. They talked about it as basically a 69-man roster, but with considerations for the active 53 and gameday 48. Maybe that means we go light at WR and gamble that we can keep someone, but the guys who need the most development (Watson) or improvement (Amari) are also the high-draft assets that would be scooped up immediately.

The only debate here is Winfree, who I think might be stashable on the PS, but I also think he's one of our top 3/4 WRs right now, so wouldn't have him on the block at all. I think we're keeping 7 on the 53. I'd be shocked if we don't, honestly.

Agreed. Plus we can go light on QB, RB/FB.

My prediction is we go:

QB: 2
RB: 3 (with Hill on PUP)
FB: 0
TE: 4 (with Tonyan on PUP)
WR: 7
OL: 9

That's a very reasonable roster for us and it still puts you at the desired 25 on offense. I think the decision ultimately will come down to Winfree vs Toure for that 7th spot. And the preseason games will have a lot to do with it.

go pak go wrote: ↑

11 Aug 2022 12:58

That's a very reasonable roster for us and it still puts you at the desired 25 on offense. I think the decision ultimately will come down to Winfree vs Toure for that 7th spot. And the preseason games will have a lot to do with it.

If it does come down to Winfree vs Toure, I'd put the odds at like 85:15 in favor of Winfree. Like the guy has been playing with the starters this whole time. Toure has barely caught passes from Rodgers at all.