Packers Huddle

I waited a couple of hours before I came in here to discuss the game. I wanted to calm down and think it over. I am so disappointed in the way the season ended but we really shouldn't be surprised. There were a few things that doomed us.

The first is obvious and it has been a problem all season. It was a shame it came to bite us in the rear in this important game but it was bound to happen sooner or later. I like MLF but if he doesn't do something about our not so Special Teams this offseason he's a damn fool. This should have been addressed months ago. The difference in the game was 2 blocked kicks. One took 3 points off the board right before the half and another gave SF a freebie touchdown. The D played pretty well. They really only gave up 6 points. If we had even an average ST unit the final score of that game would have been 16-3.

Losing Dillon really hampered our offense. Jones is great but the combo of his speed and Dillon's power is what really made this offense hum. And we HAVE to find a true #2 WR option besides Adams. SF did a better job than most limiting his effectiveness tonight. Rodgers had Devante tunnel vision and rarely looked elsewhere. Too bad we didn't have MVS. AR had a couple of lousy passes but without a decent running game Rodgers was under siege back there and was throwing under pressure a lot. When our running game sputtered it effected our passing game big time.

Why did MLF not put Yosh Nijman at LT and not return Turner to RT instead? Yosh played well at LT all year. I suppose MLF wanted experience on the line. It is troubling that Bak couldn't go. I'm beginning to worry that he may never be right. Should it be concerning that his knee is still bothering him?

lol yeah I mean if MLF doesn't fire Drayton, then MLF himself should be fired. Don't really care about a 39-10 record.

LOTS of blame for this game.

STs was ST.
Offense was narrow-minded, not dynamic at all.
STs was ST again.
And, we didn’t score a TD that last time in the Red Zone. That was gonna be a very likely killer. We should’ve iced the game just there.

Our STs next year will be fine. We will be a completely different team next year.

2022 will be all about defense, STs and the run game. And our resources and attention to these areas will be as much.

Yes Mo will get fired. Yes he will get replaced.

The Packers will follow the direction of the Bears next year with how they win games. Keep the score low. Don't beat yourself and figure out how eek out close games. If they don't figure that out, we will lose a lot of games.

MLF has a tough job on his hand next year. I wish he did with a ring on his finger. Unfortunate his historical reign ended in failure. His real job starts next season. It's going to be tough.

Couple of things need to happen if Rodgers is coming back:

Drayton needs to be fired.
You have to get a playmaker WR/TE in the first round.

Everything else is really there. Seriously. I think that's why people need to stop making excuses for Rodgers.

TheGreenMan wrote: ↑

23 Jan 2022 07:43

Couple of things need to happen if Rodgers is coming back:

Drayton needs to be fired.
You have to get a playmaker WR/TE in the first round.

Everything else is really there. Seriously. I think that's why people need to stop making excuses for Rodgers.

Well no. The thing that needs to happen if Rodgers comes back is he plays for significantly less so we can keep the roster around him and he no longer is the proverbial "leader" of the team.

He just can't do it. He can't take a team where he is so much of the cap and lead them to victory.

If Rodgers chooses not to do that, we all know how the final few years will play out in GB.

TheGreenMan wrote: ↑

23 Jan 2022 07:43

Couple of things need to happen if Rodgers is coming back:

Drayton needs to be fired.
You have to get a playmaker WR/TE in the first round.

Everything else is really there. Seriously. I think that's why people need to stop making excuses for Rodgers.

Everything else won’t be there if Rodgers returns, though. A Rodgers return will force a roster purge that will significantly weaken the offense, defense, and ST from a player perspective.

go pak go wrote: ↑

23 Jan 2022 07:37

Our STs next year will be fine.

Not trying to be contrarian, but I dont see how this can be considered a given at all. The STs has been a mess for decade outside of Crosby. I think thats because we dont hire and pay guys like Rizzi when its reported they would take the job at a certain wage.

Will we low ball the next guy? Will we fire Drayton and just promote someone else within his staff like we did the last time the job opened up (insanity).

Point being, I see it as no automatic that STs is healed.

APB wrote: ↑

23 Jan 2022 07:53

TheGreenMan wrote: ↑

23 Jan 2022 07:43

Couple of things need to happen if Rodgers is coming back:

Drayton needs to be fired.
You have to get a playmaker WR/TE in the first round.

Everything else is really there. Seriously. I think that's why people need to stop making excuses for Rodgers.

Everything else won’t be there if Rodgers returns, though. A Rodgers return will force a roster purge that will significantly weaken the offense, defense, and ST from a player perspective.

I suppose it's time to start digging into these offseason discussions. Aaron Rodgers, on his own is one of the least impactful decisions that the Packers have from a pure cap standpoint. If he's cut, traded, retires, or extended, his cap hit is likely to be the same. The only thing that cannot happen is playing under his current deal. All this to say, whether Aaron is back or not, this team is getting gutted regardless. Salary cap reality and Aaron's cap hit is one of the most manageable through multiple avenues.

APB wrote: ↑

23 Jan 2022 07:53

TheGreenMan wrote: ↑

23 Jan 2022 07:43

Couple of things need to happen if Rodgers is coming back:

Drayton needs to be fired.
You have to get a playmaker WR/TE in the first round.

Everything else is really there. Seriously. I think that's why people need to stop making excuses for Rodgers.

Everything else won’t be there if Rodgers returns, though. A Rodgers return will force a roster purge that will significantly weaken the offense, defense, and ST from a player perspective.

Unless we can convince Rodgers to restructure his final year and back pay him after the 2022 season. He has to know he needs a good team around him - like every other successful QB in league history - if he wants another ring. I submit his best chances of that are at 1265 if we can keep this core together. Where else could he go in a trade where he would be this close to the promised land if we can do some financial magic for one more run? Is the cap going up next year?

Drj820 wrote: ↑

23 Jan 2022 08:00

go pak go wrote: ↑

23 Jan 2022 07:37

Our STs next year will be fine.

Not trying to be contrarian, but I dont see how this can be considered a given at all. The STs has been a mess for decade outside of Crosby. I think thats because we dont hire and pay guys like Rizzi when its reported they would take the job at a certain wage.

Will we low ball the next guy? Will we fire Drayton and just promote someone else within his staff like we did the last time the job opened up (insanity).

Point being, I see it as no automatic that STs is healed.

No you're right. It has been a significant issue. Could argue it has cost us at least 2 rings.

It was poorly worded by me. I have seen the ole "knee jerk reaction" of keep everything the same and fix STs and we will be fine. I guess I am just not in the mood to discuss STs for the future because it's something that can get fixed if you really want to fix it and ultimately it doesn't matter for 2022 anyways.

I'm very bearish on the Green Bay Packers in terms of being a championship level team moving forward. Expectations have adjusted significantly. At best this is a 10-win, sneak in as a wildcard or poor division winner. At worst we are picking in the top 10 or top 5 even in the 2023 draft.

Pugger wrote: ↑

23 Jan 2022 08:31

APB wrote: ↑

23 Jan 2022 07:53

TheGreenMan wrote: ↑

23 Jan 2022 07:43

Couple of things need to happen if Rodgers is coming back:

Drayton needs to be fired.
You have to get a playmaker WR/TE in the first round.

Everything else is really there. Seriously. I think that's why people need to stop making excuses for Rodgers.

Everything else won’t be there if Rodgers returns, though. A Rodgers return will force a roster purge that will significantly weaken the offense, defense, and ST from a player perspective.

Unless we can convince Rodgers to restructure his final year and back pay him after the 2022 season. He has to know he needs a good team around him - like every other successful QB in league history - if he wants another ring. I submit his best chances of that are at 1265 if we can keep this core together. Where else could he go in a trade where he would be this close to the promised land if we can do some financial magic for one more run? Is the cap going up next year?

Listen to his words. He all but admitted he isn't interested in a rebuild next year.

That would have to happen in GB regardless of how little Rodgers earns.

The era is over.

Pugger wrote: ↑

23 Jan 2022 08:31

APB wrote: ↑

23 Jan 2022 07:53

TheGreenMan wrote: ↑

23 Jan 2022 07:43

Couple of things need to happen if Rodgers is coming back:

Drayton needs to be fired.
You have to get a playmaker WR/TE in the first round.

Everything else is really there. Seriously. I think that's why people need to stop making excuses for Rodgers.

Everything else won’t be there if Rodgers returns, though. A Rodgers return will force a roster purge that will significantly weaken the offense, defense, and ST from a player perspective.

Unless we can convince Rodgers to restructure his final year and back pay him after the 2022 season. He has to know he needs a good team around him - like every other successful QB in league history - if he wants another ring. I submit his best chances of that are at 1265 if we can keep this core together. Where else could he go in a trade where he would be this close to the promised land if we can do some financial magic for one more run? Is the cap going up next year?

Don't mean to be short, Pugger, but I am going to be sticky about this Aaron Rodgers cap issue until people get it.

- They don't have to convince him of anything, they can restructure his deal if they want to.
- They can give him a big money extension which probably creates more cap relief than trading him would.
- They can't keep this core together. As easy as it is to settle Aaron's cap, it's impossible to settle everyone else's. This team is going to undergo more change than we have witnessed in a decade.
- I think Aaron can stay or go and his chances are the same. A lot went wrong around Aaron yesterday, but I think he will find plenty wrong in the mirror, this morning, as well.
- Yes, the cap is going up but so our are player expenses to the tune of being nearly $50M over the cap before re-signing any of our FA's. Not only can we not afford to re-sign those guys, but we literally cannot afford to keep the guys we already have under contract.

go pak go wrote: ↑

23 Jan 2022 08:37

Listen to his words. He all but admitted he isn't interested in a rebuild next year.

I didn't listen and I won't. Your recap does not surprise me, though. All-in apparently meant in the short term and now, in the sting of defeat, I don't think that is all-in enough.

Just got up to see the results. Maybe too early, but my biggest question is the thread title - 2020 Post-Morten?

NCF wrote: ↑

23 Jan 2022 08:40

go pak go wrote: ↑

23 Jan 2022 08:37

Listen to his words. He all but admitted he isn't interested in a rebuild next year.

I didn't listen and I won't. Your recap does not surprise me, though. All-in apparently meant in the short term and now, in the sting of defeat, I don't think that is all-in enough.

I didn't either. I can't get myself to do it.

But it was in a tweet.

Half Empty wrote: ↑

23 Jan 2022 08:42

Just got up to see the results. Maybe too early, but my biggest question is the thread title - 2020 Post-Morten?

May as well say 2011 Post Mortem. They are all the same.

Blow it up.

- Let go or trade away every player who will not still be in their prime after we give them a second contract and it expires, with limited exceptions.
- Deal Rodgers and Adams away together for a blockbuster deal.
- Take advantage getting Rodgers off the books and of MVS and t'Onion's down years, bring them back on "prove it" deals. Love will need someone to throw to. Also EQ will probably be a nice bargain deal with familiarity.
- Figure out if Bakhtiari's knee will actually heal or if he's a Lemon, act accordingly.
- Let Jordan know he's the guy as early as you can and that he's got to show us something this season. If he doesn't the resources from a Rodgers trade and/or our draft capital to upgrade the QB spot, keep trying at that position until you hit.

NCF wrote: ↑

23 Jan 2022 08:39

Pugger wrote: ↑

23 Jan 2022 08:31

APB wrote: ↑

23 Jan 2022 07:53

Everything else won’t be there if Rodgers returns, though. A Rodgers return will force a roster purge that will significantly weaken the offense, defense, and ST from a player perspective.

Unless we can convince Rodgers to restructure his final year and back pay him after the 2022 season. He has to know he needs a good team around him - like every other successful QB in league history - if he wants another ring. I submit his best chances of that are at 1265 if we can keep this core together. Where else could he go in a trade where he would be this close to the promised land if we can do some financial magic for one more run? Is the cap going up next year?

Don't mean to be short, Pugger, but I am going to be sticky about this Aaron Rodgers cap issue until people get it.

- They don't have to convince him of anything, they can restructure his deal if they want to.
- They can give him a big money extension which probably creates more cap relief than trading him would.
- They can't keep this core together. As easy as it is to settle Aaron's cap, it's impossible to settle everyone else's. This team is going to undergo more change than we have witnessed in a decade.
- I think Aaron can stay or go and his chances are the same. A lot went wrong around Aaron yesterday, but I think he will find plenty wrong in the mirror, this morning, as well.
- Yes, the cap is going up but so our are player expenses to the tune of being nearly $50M over the cap before re-signing any of our FA's. Not only can we not afford to re-sign those guys, but we literally cannot afford to keep the guys we already have under contract.

Didn't he agree to return this year and next and then become a FA? Unless we can find a trading partner this spring he is either playing for us, we trade him or retiring.

Labrev wrote: ↑

23 Jan 2022 08:44

Blow it up.

- Let go or trade away every player who will not still be in their prime after we give them a second contract and it expires, with limited exceptions.
- Deal Rodgers and Adams away together for a blockbuster deal.
- Take advantage getting Rodgers off the books of MVS and t'Onion's down years, bring them back on "prove it" deals.
- Figure out if Bakhtiari's knee will actually heal or if he's a Lemon, act accordingly.
- Let Jordan know he's the guy as early as you can and that he's got to show us something this season. If he doesn't the resources from a Rodgers trade and/or our draft capital to upgrade the QB spot, keep trying at that position until you hit.

I'm with most of this, except there is almost nothing they can do to extract value from Adams. He will walk for nothing. Bak, there is nothing to act on. Trading him or cutting him will cost more than keeping him. Even if it takes another 12 months to figure out he is done, there is nothing we can do to act now.

I will go back to your first point and say no half measures. If we are blowing this team up then bring out the A-bomb. I don't want to hear about veteran leadership or a guy needed here or there. Everything that happens next year should be about correcting the cap for the future. All holes should be plugged with rookies or UDFA's and we suffer through one season in order to open new windows for the future. No trying to stay afloat next year while rebuilding.