The 2016 NFL Draft is now less than 20 days away. That over-commercialized and over-analyzed blowfest starts on April 28th and runs three days or until eternity, whichever seems longer.
As we start our draft preparation for another year, we have to sort of start with the obvious, but by getting that out of the way, we’ll set the table for the deeper analysis later.
The obvious I am referring to is the approach to this year’s draft and the areas of need that are likely to be addressed.
The approach will ostentatiously be the same as it always is – take the best player available. Of course, magically, the best player available will likely be in the areas the Packers have the most need.
I think by this point we all know what those areas are. Now that Jared Cook has been signed, it is especially easy to rank those areas of need as 1. Inside Linebacker 2. Defensive Tackle 3. Defensive End 4. Outside Linebacker 5. Reserve Offensive Tackle and 6. Running Back.
You might notice that other than tight end and cornerback, those areas of need are largely the same as they were last season.
If we were to take a glass-half-full approach, then we would remember that the safety position was a debacle until the drafting of Ha Ha Clinton-Dix and Micah Hyde two years ago turned it into a position of strength. The position of cornerback was an apparent weakness last offseason until the draft turned that into an area of strength.
If Ted Thompson can now do the same with the inside linebacker position, the Packers may finally have a championship caliber defense.
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Ooooooooooh, suddenly now we could have a championship caliber defense? Aren’t you worried old Teddy is gonna fuck it up? Thought he didn’t spend enough in free agency? Let me guess, if the Packers win the Super Bowl you’ll say you were behind them the whole time, right? Like a good little bitch.
Keep fucking that chicken, chump.
Do you ever have any real football analysis or contributions besides…”Fire Thompson!!” …”Keep fucking that chicken”….. “My jaw gets sore a lot” or “My dad should have used a condom”?
Mike ditka’s momma is so football stupid she believes the foundation of a quality offensive line is ” keep fucking that chicken”.
I wouldn’t go as far to say the defensive backfield is a position of strength, but i would say it’s firmly sitting at average.
I can see this defense raising it’s standing, if the offense can come back to life, and quit going 3 n out all the time. the D line is in flux, we still have the same hole at ilb as we’ve had for years, Peppers is going on his last season, and is playing part time, hopefully still making plays and get his 10 sacks though. The safety’s and corners made some nice plays last season, but also gave us too many “wtf moments”.
I don’t know if were at the crest of describing this as possibly a championship caliber defense. But maybe the stars will align, we shall see.
Didn’t Mike Ditka trade away like 5 draft picks to move up and draft Ricky Williams?
I just don’t see an enormous need at ILB. I think they already have a decent group there, I wouldn’t spend a high draft pick there unless the guy is a Patrick Willis. Is Reggie Ragland that guy? Myles Jack apparently is but he will be a top 5 pick. I would rather see the pick be used on pass rusher or defensive line. Maybe OT if there is a real good can’t miss prospect there, which is almost never the case at the bottom of the first round.
Dline and Nose are biggest needs. If Guion goes down we are seriously fucked. Also, I anticipate a Pro Bowl type season from Letroy if he’s out there.
Completely agree hombre. Better DL will make linebackers look better and flow to ball carriers easier. I would like to see them take at least two, especially if you are planning on pencilling datone Jones at OLB
Completely agree.
Doesn’t matter what the Packers need, there’s a 90% chance it will be defensive or offensive lineman because the NFL makes a run on those positions in the first round.
Some interior defensive lineman could be of use, at least until Pennel comes back from the suspension.
Championship defenses are not built on rookies. That being said, D Line #1 priority.