Smokey, what are you smoking? Cus it must be the good stuff! [rock]
Getting two OGs doesn't solve that the top two RT options are going into contract years and injury prone ... the fact that Gute seems to draft guys he brings in for visits and had some many higher thought of OTs come into visit mean he's most likely going to draft the position in the top 3 rounds.
Whomever thinks the greatest need is TE has fail to properly rank the defense, especially FS, that's CLEARLY the biggest need especially when you factor in muti-years (which teams do unlike the media) and 35 year old Tramon Williams is going into a contract year, they need another FS option (or two).
Originally Posted by: beast
I agree to a certain extent. Isolated, FS would be a bigger need than TE. When trying to get everything you can out of Rodgers, taking into account that LaFleur likes to use multiple TE sets and looking at our current roster, TE is about as big a need.
Jimmy will be gone next year, barring some crazy, comeback player of the year season. Marcedis is a somewhat decent blocker, who runs a 6.5 40 by now and our 3rd TE is an UDFA who's made one splash play in his 2 year career after failing to even catch on with the Lions.
It's more likely that all three of them are gone by this time next year than that they're here.
That doesn't mean safety isn't a need, but I can see why some people see tight end as just as big a need.
The biggest needs are
1) FS (only Tramon Williams there)
Like I said, I agree with you that it's a big need, but what bout Josh Jones? When looking at his skillset and measurables, I don't see why he wouldn't be able to play both safety positions. We have Greene on the roster as well.
Not the names you'd ideally want to hear, but it's not as barren as it seems.
To add to that, while I agree it's a big need, I doubt you'll get someone who can start this year at 30. Guys like Gardner-Johnson and Thornhill don't really look like day 1 starers. While that shouldn't come into play, I think it does when you can also pick a lot of (interior) o-linemen and wide receivers around that pick who will start immediately and help out your expensive QB.
2a) OT (Bulaga and Spriggs are in contract years and injury prone)
2b) DL (lost Wilkerson, Daniels and Lowry are in contract years).
I could not agree more.
4*) * = because I think most people disagree with me on this and I could be mistaken
4*) power RB, LaFleur said his number one goal was to take pressure off the QB, #1 GOAL, so that means it's high priority! How does this scheme take pressure off the QB? Running the ball and short passes (especially short passes to the RB and slot guy (which I believe will be Graham a bit more than 50% of the time). So the RB is a very important factor in the head coaches #1 priority, and looking at the recent users of this scheme and how they have had success, it's been with power RBs as starters. And a verstility pass catching back-up, or one guy that can do both! If the Packers think a RB can do both at a high level and falls to the right spot, I could see them surprising fans and drafting a RB.
I agree it's a need, but I hope it's not one we act on in the early rounds. Big, one-cut zone runners hold so little positional value and are such a niche type of player that you can usually pick one up in the later rounds or just cheap in free agency.
Draft Elijah Holyfield. He'll go pretty late after his combine performance. Have him down the depth chart at first and let him develop some patience. Get him up to speed in our zone blocking scheme. I bet he'll be your main runner sooner rather than later.
5) TE (because I believe we're going to be running a two TE set and Lewis is on a contract year and I believe Graham has some reoccurring injuries. But also because I think they need a smart slot guy and LaFleur is planning on running with two TEs.
6) ILB Cus Martinez is going into a contract year... though I believe they'll resign him and either Burks or Jones will step up as a coverage ILB and drop this one back down.
I don't like the positional value for ILBs early in the draft, but I think the need is certainly there. One guy who's so good that he transcends that low positional value is Devin White. I reckon we're missing out, though. He'll be gone by 12, Bush will be gone by 30 and we'll be better off just hoping for Burks to step up.