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5 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
5 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.
Fan Shout
TheKanataThrilla (5m) : Getting Carter and Nolan Smith in the first round in 2023 was pretty darn good
Mucky Tundra (13m) : for some reason i'm thinking of a draft where the Eagles where in the mid 20s and a top player fell all the way to them
TheKanataThrilla (14m) : I think so. I would need to look it up. Think it may have been Carolina's pick.
Mucky Tundra (14m) : i'm not sure who i'm thinking of now
Mucky Tundra (14m) : oh fuck me i messed that up
Zero2Cool (15m) : Jordan Davis was 13th overall
Zero2Cool (15m) : Carter was 9th overall
Zero2Cool (15m) : Eagles had 15th and 10th selections, moved to 13 and 9 to get Davis and Carter back to back
Zero2Cool (17m) : Eagles traded up for Carter, didn't they?
Mucky Tundra (26m) : Obviously he was a huge risk but getting a top 5 talent on the dline in the mid 20s is fortuitous
Mucky Tundra (27m) : Jalen Carter falling into their lap certainly helps
TheKanataThrilla (29m) : And we could only wish to have this type of D
TheKanataThrilla (30m) : It's not like Philly has had low draft picks, but has managed to get themselves a top notch pass rush. We spend so much draft capital of D
packerfanoutwest (31m) : another crap halftime show
TheKanataThrilla (32m) : I think it is over, but then I think of Atlanta and want Philly to go in with the same intensity in the second half
Mucky Tundra (40m) : And with a Pass Rush that might as well be on a milk cartoon and no Jaire
Martha Careful (41m) : I cant help but feel good about how well the Packers D played in Philly during the playoffs
Mucky Tundra (51m) : this game is over
Mucky Tundra (55m) : This might be the kill shot here
Mucky Tundra (1h) : oh that's such a bad penalty for KC after getting the 3rd down stop
TheKanataThrilla (1h) : Philly DL has come to play
TheKanataThrilla (1h) : Ceoper DeJean with the INT scored...bad memories of draft night
Mucky Tundra (1h) : ok scratch that
Mucky Tundra (1h) : Game feels like last years Super Bowl: 49ers started off in control, moved the ball well but didn't have much of a lead to show for it
TheKanataThrilla (1h) : KC jumped and they call it on Eagles. WTF refs
TheKanataThrilla (1h) : If he was offside why did you let him pop the QB?
TheKanataThrilla (1h) : I like that Eagles are controlling time of possession so far.
Mucky Tundra (1h) : If the Eagles are going to win, this is how they do it: jump all over the Chiefs and don't let it turn into a close one
TheKanataThrilla (1h) : Bad throw created that penalty.
TheKanataThrilla (1h) : Amazed Philly got that hit to the helmet call.
packerfanoutwest (2h) : refs just called an OPI,,,bullshit
dhazer (2h) : final score Chefs 24 Eagles 21 Refs 3
Mucky Tundra (4h) : feels like it hurts everyone but starters
Mucky Tundra (5h) : *cut down on snaps that
Mucky Tundra (5h) : beast, no not at all. Just seems counterproductive to cut down on snaps to help back ups get playing time and get potential money after cuts
Zero2Cool (6h) : So, Jets tell Rodgers they're moving on? QB2 for Packers haha
Zero2Cool (6h) : Hey, I'm not saying it's the great idea. I'm saying, it's what I think will happen.
beast (6h) : You think they give a crap enough about bubble guys to make rules for them?
Mucky Tundra (7h) : So games that will be even *more* sloppy the first two or three weeks of the season?
Zero2Cool (10h) : I think you can figure most starters won't be playing either of the two games at all.
Mucky Tundra (23h) : is 2 preseason games enough for bubble guys to make a mark?
packerfanoutwest (8-Feb) : true.forgot about that
Zero2Cool (8-Feb) : Unless they reduce preseason from three to two games.
packerfanoutwest (8-Feb) : If Goodell allows an 18 game season, there will be a SB on Valentines Day
Zero2Cool (8-Feb) : Perfect football player. - Ron Wolf on Sharpe
Zero2Cool (8-Feb) : Sharpe didn't celebrate TD's ... crazy I didn't realize it back then
Martha Careful (7-Feb) : Congratulations Sterling Sharpe
Mucky Tundra (7-Feb) : beast, you didn't miss much with that one. Raiders didn't update their play calls, audibles etc so the Bucs D steamrolled
buckeyepackfan (6-Feb) : That was quick, one thing Jordan said was he doesn't agree with Josh Jacobs, that the Packers need to go get a proven #1 wr
buckeyepackfan (6-Feb) : J-10VE on ESPN NOW!
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