MintBaconDrivel
10 years ago
During the 2009 NFL Draft the Green Bay Packers had their choice between WR Michael Crabtree or DT B.J. Raji. The Packers chose Raji.

Raji has played in 76 games and started in 63 of them.
Sacks: 10.5
Tackles: 91
Passes defensed: 8


Crabtree has played in 72 games and started 70 of them.
Receptions: 319
Yards: 4,053
TD: 25


Raji is on IR and Crabtree is still playing.



Did the Packers make the right selection with Raji?
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PackFanWithTwins
10 years ago
Greg Jennings, Donald Driver, James Jones, Jordy Nelson, Jermichael Finley

Why would they have even thought about drafting a receiver.
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wpr
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10 years ago

Greg Jennings, Donald Driver, James Jones, Jordy Nelson, Jermichael Finley

Why would they have even thought about drafting a receiver.

Originally Posted by: PackFanWithTwins 



This.

It doesn't really matter if in hindsight Crabtree looks like the better player. They had a huge need on the DL and they had little or no need for yet another receiver. Raji had the int and scored the TD that helped put GB into the SB. That is enough for me.

Best player available is a myth. Many or most GMs say it but they don;t mean it. You can't draft 7 receivers every year because they have more talent than comparable players when it is your turns to select.

If you want to play the what if game, what if Crabtree was drafted and blew his knee in the first year in GB? Uncle Teddy can't help it that he drafts DL that stink.
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+1
Zero2Cool
10 years ago

Greg Jennings, Donald Driver, James Jones, Jordy Nelson, Jermichael Finley

Why would they have even thought about drafting a receiver.

Originally Posted by: PackFanWithTwins 



The good general managers try drafting the best player available. Sometimes they feel the best player available is going to be available several spots back or maybe a round back and they trade down to add more picks. Why draft a WR when that's your most solid position? Seems obvious, you can't keep them all and you never know about an injury. If the rookie (who is on the cheap) is performing very well you can then trade one of your other more expensive WR for a position of need or more draft picks.

I'm in the group that drafting B.J. Raji was a no brainer. I believe Ted or someone close to him said they had them both ranked equal and that Raji was a better fit for them. In other words, with both being graded the same, then the positional need took precedent.

dhazer was livid the Packers took Raji over Crabtree. I also believe that every time Crabtree makes a catch, he sheds a tear too.
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TheKanataThrilla
10 years ago
I don't believe we win the Superbowl without Raji. His play has declined, but he was a beast in those early years.
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wpr
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10 years ago

The good general managers try drafting the best player available. Sometimes they feel the best player available is going to be available several spots back or maybe a round back and they trade down to add more picks. Why draft a WR when that's your most solid position? Seems obvious, you can't keep them all and you never know about an injury. If the rookie (who is on the cheap) is performing very well you can then trade one of your other more expensive WR for a position of need or more draft picks.

I'm in the group that drafting B.J. Raji was a no brainer. I believe Ted or someone close to him said they had them both ranked equal and that Raji was a better fit for them. In other words, with both being graded the same, then the positional need took precedent.

dhazer was livid the Packers took Raji over Crabtree. I also believe that every time Crabtree makes a catch, he sheds a tear too.

Originally Posted by: Zero2Cool 



Yeah I am sure dhazer thinks it was a Rajigate of epic portions that they didn't take Crabtree.
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nerdmann
10 years ago

I don't believe we win the Superbowl without Raji. His play has declined, but he was a beast in those early years.

Originally Posted by: TheKanataThrilla 



Yeah, which is to say, when he was playing his actual position.

Let's say they drafted Crabtree (who had a broken foot btw. Injury concerns anyone?) and then tried to bulk him up to play TE, because after all we were already loaded at WR.

How would that have played out?
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TheKanataThrilla
10 years ago

Yeah, which is to say, when he was playing his actual position.

Let's say they drafted Crabtree (who had a broken foot btw. Injury concerns anyone?) and then tried to bulk him up to play TE, because after all we were already loaded at WR.

How would that have played out?

Originally Posted by: nerdmann 



Didn't the injury cause Crabree to drop. He was suppose to go top 5 if i recall correctly.

We had Finley at TE who the organization was quite high on so again it seems like a wasted pick.

Switching to the 3-4 also had a lot to do with the pick.

+1
steveishere
10 years ago
Raji has played well for us for at least some of his career at a more important and harder to find position. Plus we ended up with Cobb anyway who is better than Crabtree. I'm fine with the choice.
Zero2Cool
10 years ago

Raji has played well for us for at least some of his career at a more important and harder to find position. Plus we ended up with Cobb anyway who is better than Crabtree. I'm fine with the choice.

Originally Posted by: steveishere 



If they had Michael Crabtree, maybe they take Justin Houston instead? I suppose that poses the question Crabtree + Houston vs Raji + Cobb ... lol
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