is there are now glaring needs either for starters or depth at TE, DL, ILB, WR, OL, G, and CB.
Originally Posted by: musccy
Er. They also need improvement at OLB and P, in my opinion.
all those 2016 draftees filling the extent of those needs in 2016 (even after accounting for "continuing improvement by those already on the roster").
Originally Posted by: Wade
If everyone is healthy, do the Packers really have needs at WR and CB, after all they basically have a stud vet (if fully healthy) and a whole lot of talented young guns who have shined at times.
The Packers might/will have needs at G and OLB next year, but while all the vets are signed as of right now, I think they're in decent position there.
So those list (to me) are down to TE, DL, ILB, OT and maybe P, RB and S
- At TE they have Rodgers, Backman and Henry who a number of people thought looked better than Backman in training camp (but didn't have as much upside potential if Backman devolops), but all are less than 3 years in and have shown nice potential to possibly grow some more.
- DL, Pennel, Boyd and Ringo... I'm not sure how much growth Boyd and Ringo have, and I don't fully trust Pennel right now, as I think he has two strikes in two years in the NFL, and one more and he's suspended for a year. Might take two more guys to help.
- ILB, Ryan, Barrington, Thomas and Palmer... surely not the best list, but I don't think it's as horrible as fans make it out to be... then again, maybe I'm thinking about them with Matthews in their aiding them... but Ryan and Barrington are good thumpers and Thomas seemed to take a step up in coverage and grew some. If you find the right guy (which the Packers have struggled at doing at ILB) it might just take one more good ILB to solidify the unit.
- OT... yeah... help is needed, there is just Tretter and Bulaga can't be trusted to play 16 games.
- RB... yeah Lacy is losing weight, but he's also going to be a FA and at times RBs get injured or banged up and need healthy depth to let them rest up.
- S... when everyone is healthy Safety position is (mostly) great... but as shown a bit by Burnett going down some last year early, if one of the starters is out the Packers are in some trouble as the depth isn't there... and all due respect to Hyde, he doesn't yet seem natural back at true Safety yet and might not ever be. Also I felt like Hyde had a down year at the nickel/dime role, and he's a FA and how the Packers haven't been resigning their back-up DB, he could be gone and they're yet with just Banjo.
So my list of needs (in order)
DL, OT/C*, ILB, DL, TE, S, OLB, RB, P, CB, G, WR, QB
* = I have C up with the OT because I think Tretter is currently the top back-up for both, and selecting one of the two positions would then (in theory) let Tretter focus in on the other.
Really Punter is the X-factor here... because they're (hopefully) only keep one... (I still find it hard to believe than Sherman kept two, then again, I guess that's what you get when your 3rd round rookie draft pick punter doesn't win the starting job)...
But if they get to the later rounds and some guy can clearly improve on Masthay, then maybe that goes up on the need board, if no one, then maybe drops off the board completely.