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6 years ago

A few potential playmakers’ careers were cut painfully short by injury after being selected in the top four rounds of the NFL Draft. The last vision of Jermichael Finley  in a Green Bay Packers  uniform was the former Texas Longhorn lying on the ground in the fourth quarter of an October 2013 game against Cleveland. Carted off the field with a spinal cord injury, the Packers faithful never again saw the blossoming playmaker catch passes from Aaron Rodgers .
Unlike some other notable draft picks in the Ted Thompson era, Green Bay was able to get six seasons from Finley before losing him to a career-ending injury. For the Packers, it was especially unfortunate as they had endured a handful of adventurous seasons with Finley before earning a consistent level of production. Battles with drops and the press defined Finley’s first few seasons in Green Bay before settling into a dangerous receiving rotation with Greg Jennings , Jordy Nelson , Randall Cobb , and Donald Driver. With the exception of a few glimpses of vertical potential from Jared Cook  in 2016, Green Bay has had difficulty replacing Finley’s presence in the offense as both a receiver and decoy.
But Finley was not the only game-changing talent lost to severe injury. During a stretch in which the Packers were only a few weapons away from extra Super Bowl  appearances, one cannot help but think about some of the lost pieces.
Nick Collins
While Green Bay was able to get seven years from their three-time Pro Bowl  safety, Collins was taken from them far too prematurely. Prior to suffering a neck injury against Carolina in 2011, Collins had started all 16 games in the previous three seasons and had truly become a dynamic player. Intercepting 17 interceptions over those three campaigns, Collins’ production has been unmatched by any Packer since. Even his replacement Ha Ha Clinton-Dix , who put together a Pro Bowl campaign in 2016 with five interceptions and had 14 picks over his five seasons with the team, was not the same steady player.
Like Finley, Green Bay is still in search mode to find an equal substitute for Collins’ talent level and fit. Truly trending toward becoming one of the top-five defensive backs in the game at the time of his injury, Collins’ physical presence alone has been missed for the past seven seasons, not to mention his turnover-creating prowess.
Terrence Murphy
If the Texas A&M standout had been able to run out of the Lambeau Field tunnel for more than two regular season games in his pro career, the 2005 Packer draft could have been one of the all-time greats. But Murphy, picked after Rodgers  and Collins in the second round of that year’s draft, was only able to suit up for three games before losing his career to a bruised spinal cord - the same injury as Finley.
Things could have turned out much differently for Green Bay had Murphy remained on the field. Thompson was especially proficient at finding second-round receiving gems during his Packers tenure and Murphy was the first selection of that bunch. The loss of depth due to Murphy’s injury helped push Green Bay toward drafting Jennings the following year, James Jones  (third round) the next season, and Jordy Nelson  a year later. More than that, the Packers might have lost a difference-maker. Murphy was able to win vertically, over the middle, and on screens in college while also returning kicks. He brought a level of internal confidence to the game that would have been a great fit for the final years of Brett Favre  in Green Bay.
While the Packers have not been short on quality receivers in the past decade and a half, Murphy is the ultimate what-could-have-been offensive piece during that era.
Johnathan Franklin 
Seeking reinforcements at running back in 2013, the Packers drafted Eddie Lacy  in the second round and Franklin in the fourth. Lacy’s decline began somewhere in the middle of year three, which would have provided ample opportunity for Franklin to step into the lineup as more than a third-down fixture. Instead, Franklin’s career was finished after 11 games of his rookie season.
Franklin, looked kindly upon by Mike McCarthy as a “classy” and “positive” person, suffered a neck injury that closed the running back’s career before it even started. The UCLA product had one memorable game as a Packer, rushing for 103 yards against Cincinnati when injuries to other running backs called him into action. A player who had skills as a rusher as well as a receiver out of the backfield, Franklin could have been the kind of running back to emerge from the group of Lacy, Ty Montgomery , and James Starks  over the past five years. Unfortunately, the Packers were never able to truly utilize Franklin in their offense.


Continue Reading @ Shawn Wagner 

Shawn Wagner wrote:



There have been more than a few players lost to injury. It always makes me wonder what if-
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Porforis
6 years ago
And also all those seasons with seemingly the entire O Line either out with an injury or playing with an injury. I even recall a time or two where we had to bring in a non-lineman to play in an emergency. Had a more than a few seasons where our DBs and CBs in particular were just decimated. Same with WRs, but it didn't hurt us nearly as much since we've been so incredibly deep at that position most years.
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Martha Careful (2h) : 1 round 7 min, with one extra minute if there is a trade. 2nd round 4 minutes, 3rd -3, 2 thereafter IMO
Martha Careful (2h) : Agree
dfosterf (3h) : Great idea imo
dfosterf (3h) : 1st round to 7 minutes with one extension
dfosterf (3h) : NFL comissioner wants to shorten the 2st
Mucky Tundra (8h) : @jalenreagors They’re discussing if Sheduer can go back to college on NFL Network LMFAOOOOO
beast (10h) : Great point Martha
beast (10h) : Buddy Ryan used to say if a candy bar goes missing, there are two to blame, Rex and Rob 🤪 jk 😁
Martha Careful (12h) : Bum Phillips used to say there are two ways to get better. Get better players or get players to play better. We have a new DL coach
Zero2Cool (12h) : Yes. Look at the losses last year. They can win.
beast (13h) : Can Packers win with their current DL?
bboystyle (14h) : waiting for a pass rusher.
dfosterf (17h) : 5 minutes between picks in the 3rd
dfosterf (17h) : 3rd. Hate this phone
dfosterf (17h) : 4rd
dfosterf (17h) : 5 minutes in the 4
dfosterf (17h) : 7 minutes between picks in the 2nd round
Martha Careful (17h) : Sorry to bitch, but the headline writers in that section absolutely mislead, or don't know how to read. It is maddening
Martha Careful (17h) : No thanks. Not a dependable guy to be in the right place and run the right route. Dumb as a box of rocks.
Zero2Cool (18h) : Losing 2nd round pick for a one year rental, not ideal. Especially a headcase.
TheKanataThrilla (18h) : Pickens for Jaire may be interesting. Definitely not sure we want Pickens long term.
dfosterf (18h) : No.Absolutely not
Zero2Cool (18h) : NO NO NO NO NO NO!!1 🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬
dhazer (18h) : scenario: Our main prospects are off the board when our pick comes around, do we just throw a 2nd round pick at Pittsburgh for Pickens
TheKanataThrilla (19h) : Hopefully she had some comfort that her son will be live his dream when she passed away. Sad news.
Mucky Tundra (20h) : Damn that sucks
Zero2Cool (20h) : News about Derrick Harmon mom, saddening.
Zero2Cool (21h) : Mark Murphy: "I predict we will trade up once and down twice."
beast (23h) : Rip the Packers and getting the fans yelling and booing him
beast (23h) : Super competitive Bears fan and WWE "superstar" wrestler, Seth Rollins is supposed to announce a Bears pick and absolutely rip Packers
packerfanoutwest (25-Apr) : Golden
beast (25-Apr) : I want DT Derrick Harmon, Oregon
Mucky Tundra (25-Apr) : And I can't be looking at my phone
Mucky Tundra (25-Apr) : Hey I'm at work lol
Zero2Cool (24-Apr) : btw, new site chat won't delete auto like
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TheKanataThrilla (24-Apr) : I am wondering if there is some type of autoclear when there isn't activity after a certain amount of time.
Mucky Tundra (24-Apr) : What happened in the chat? Me and Zero posted a few things earlier and they're all gone
dfosterf (24-Apr) : 10-15 min bs plus flyover
dfosterf (24-Apr) : Yes
Zero2Cool (24-Apr) : 7pm is when this kicks off????
buckeyepackfan (24-Apr) : I told him. IT'S VONTE MACK , no matter what!
buckeyepackfan (24-Apr) : He asked me who I thought The Browns were taking.
buckeyepackfan (24-Apr) : 2. Would of had to wear Browns gear all week. NOPE I'll watch from my living room.
buckeyepackfan (24-Apr) : He wanted to know if I would go. 2 things, would have had to fly from Detroit to Green Bay. Nope
buckeyepackfan (24-Apr) : All expense paid trip to the draft. He will be in the Browns section. I told him to say hi to J-10VE for me 😃😃i
buckeyepackfan (24-Apr) : For a call from my nephew, he won an sllexp
TheKanataThrilla (24-Apr) : Hope to see everyone in the Chat tonight!!! Go Pack Go!!!
TheKanataThrilla (24-Apr) : Jeanty would be a great pick-up for the Bears. I see Warren mocked to them as well who I think would be a great selection.
Zero2Cool (24-Apr) : GameDay Chat is open. Posting bits an tids in there.
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