Each time I watch the openning clip for madden 10 I keep seeing Polumalu's ints and thinking to myself "I want one". If theres one thing Ted Thompson hasn't ever really had much success on in his drafts is his drafting of secondary.

I had high hopes for rouse to be that sort of player but with his injury this pre-season I think it will hinder his development greatly and wont ever be able to reach his potential.

Bigby I have never really taken a liking too. He hits hard and can make the occational play but he seems stupid and gives away dumb penalties and seems like he disappears often.

Nick collins is a playmaker and I love him as our safety but (IMO)he isn't going to get the game changing int that Polumalu would get when the team needs a turnover. (And yes I understand Polumalu and Reeds are like 1 in a million kind of players but I still want one)

I think next years draft (and I know this is early) I would like to see Ted try pick up a stand-out safety in the early rounds although he hasn't really seem to hit on his DB's in past drafts. (but its still early for them and they still have time to impress)

Anyway what do you guys think?

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I'd love a kick-ass safety. However, I'm not sure Ted will go for broke on one in the draft, as I understand (I don't think I'm making this up, but that could be the case), that he doesn't place real high value on safeties. so he probably wouldn't be apt to try and grab one with a first round pick. He feels the same about WRs, if memory serves.

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I get what you are saying but you don't just get one of those guys out of every draft. I would put Nick Collins in the top 10 at least for NFL safety's for game changing playmaking ability. He can lay the wood and ballhawk with the best of them in the nfl at the moment IMO.

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Collins is a great safety, but Thompson has had little success drafting secondary personnel outside of him. I continue to think that Bigby isn't the answer at the other spot, he takes too many chances and he's incredibly slow.

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How was he supposed to have much success drafting guys at positions where they have no chance at all of starting? I would say draft or no draft our secondary is pretty damn good. I would consider that success. Bigby is obviously the weak link in the secondary but it's not like he is even a horrible player.

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Do the Packers really need to spend a first round pick on a WR? The position that Ted Thompson has drafted the best for has been WRS all second rounds or later (Nelson/Jennings both second rounders). So wouldn't it be a waste if Thompson used a first rounder on a WR especially considering the Packers don't need to draft another one high anyway.

Jennings/Driver are both making pretty good money for WRs. Of course once Driver either retires or isn't resigned its possible that Ted Thompson intends to only have one high priced WR.

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He really didn't do that bad on corners and safeties. I think that he went after the very rough high potential guys, because there's no need for us to get an inmediate starter. It worked out great with Tramon Williams (UDFA, 2006) and Nick Collins. Both not amazing players at first, but they are working their way up quite well. Collins might not even have hit his ceiling just yet.

Blackmon was mainly a return specialist out of college. He was actually converted from a CB to a WR his final year at Boston College. He was picked on athleticism and PR/KR skills. I think that latter one worked out pretty well for him.

Then you have players like Rouse, Underwood etc. All pretty late round picks. There's a high miss chance on them. Lee, another very raw player with tons of potential (in a bump and run scheme). And, obviously, Bigby. An UDFA who bounced around practice squads before joining us. Again, very raw in 2005 when first picked up, but showed a lot of potential.

I think that Ted Thompson will be able to find a guy who seems more like a sure started. Something like Malcolm Jennings. For now, though, he seems to prefer to go the hidden diamond way for the secondary. Something I have no problem with, as long as he has some players lined up to step in when our current corners retire.

The first thing I have to say is it's a team game... and just because a GM hasn't found a super star at all positions doesn't mean they aren't doing well. As far as CB goes I think the Packers have one of the deepest groups of CB in the NFL. Of those he only drafted Blackmon, Underwood and Lee (who's on the IR). While no big names who needs a big name right away with Woodson and Harris in front? Just give them time and try to devolop them... one of them should devolop just ike how Williams has who I think was an UDFA pick-up by Thompson.

Personly when Blackmon was drafted I thought he'd be a WR or FS... and in fact I still think those would be better positions for him. Underwood has potenial and isn't afraid to get physical which is very good from a CB because ususally they are afraid to get physical with bigger guys not Underwood... and yes the kid needs to put on some more healthy weight but it's his rookie season... let him get a year of the offseason... and Harris is pretty skinny too... and Lee showed great potenial in last year's preseason, if he can stay healthy he could become something great.

As far as the Safties go I think Collins is one of the best in the game but still not clearly the best. I mean all you have to do is listen to former Packers great (or at least IMO) LeRoy Butler talk about Collins play and know he's one of the best. Bigby this preseason seems to have made no mistakes but no big play ether. Now I don't know much about Martin other than what some Ravens fans say but he sounds like a more talented Jarrett Bush to me that fits S better. As for Rouse.... I'm not sure how he made the team... he has a lot of upside but even more mistakes.

So as far as not having a Polamalu or Reed... I'm just happy we have what we do including Rodgers, Jennings, Driver, Grant, Colledge, Spitz, Clifton, Jenkins, Pickett, Jolly, Raji, all the ILB, Kampman, Collins, Woodson, Harris and Williams...

As far as this up coming draft I like

OT Bryan Bulaga, Iowa
DE Carlos Dunlap, Florida
DT Gerald McCoy, Oklahoma
DT Ndamukong Suh, Nebraska
NT Terrence Cody, Alabama
CB Trevard Lindley, Kentucky
S Eric Berry, Tennessee
S Taylor Mays, USC

Not sure the chance of one of them dropping down to the Packers but this draft coming up looks deep at DT which the Packers can use at NT or DE in the 3-4 D and the Packers need more depth on DL and both Pickett and Jolly are in contract years and Jolly has legal matter this next offseason to deal with. With the depth at DT I could see one of them dropping to the Packers... also I didn't look at the 4-3 DE that could become 3-4 OLB but there are some that sound interesting and Kampman is in his contract year and no one else has stepped up at OLB. I think Mattews will but I question Thompson... so if Kampman goes there could be an opening.

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