The Green Bay Packers traded up in the second round to grab Indiana tackle Jason Spriggs.
Are you surprised?
You shouldn’t be.
We’ve laid out the many reasons the Packers were likely to address the offensive line early in the draft. There was also a pre-draft rumor the Packers were targeting a tackle with the idea that they’d move David Bakhtiari to guard.
Bakhtiari, who will be a free agent after the season (along with Josh Sitton, T.J. Lang and J.C. Tretter), is a decent left tackle, but commits too many penalties and often gets overpowered.
What do the Packers have in Spriggs?
A big, athletic mauling S.O.B.
#Packers director of player personnel Brian Gutekunst on Jason Spriggs, 2nd round pick: his athleticism is what stands out
— Lori Nickel (@LoriNickel) April 30, 2016
The athleticism means left tackle.
Spriggs (6-6, 307) was great at the Senior Bowl and impressive at the combine. He started all four years at Indiana.
The Packers don’t necessarily need Spriggs to come in and start this year, but they’ve just made sure their line will remain solid beyond 2016.
This is probably a good sign that, of the four 2017 free agent offensive lineman, two will finish their careers elsewhere.
Blocking highlights!
In addition to their own second-round pick (No. 57), the Packers sent a fourth and seventh-round pick to the Colts.
EN 
ES 
DE
Good reporting yesterday on the Left Tackle rumor.
At the combine, this kid looked like a gladiator. Awesome to see Big Ted trade-up with some conviction & grab their guy. The smile on Big Mike’s face said it all.
I love this pick. Offensive Lineman are traditionally have the highest floor out of the draft. We needed this. Now let’s go get Kentrell Brothers in the 3rd round.
Not to brag, but I nailed this one on Thursday in Monty’s article about Packers want to Upgrade at Left Tackle:
#2 written by Icebowler
04/28/2016 – 2:11 pm
I think the jury is still out on whether or not Tretter could hold up at Tackle for more than a few games. I hope so, but we just haven’t seen enough. I also like the LT from Indiana somewhere in the 2nd round, but pick #55 might be too late.
Nicely done IceBowler….
After Day 1s questionable pick, Ted goes and does something like this….
And totally redeems himself!!!
Great pick!
Props
Not to brag….but let me brag
Relax, he absolutely nailed it.
Great call Ice!!
TT traded up for this, thats gotta mean somethin BIG. Hopefully. But still… no ILB taken??? T better know for certain Barrington and Ryan are capable players.
Has TT ever, EVER thought highly of ILB position? She could sit on his face and he’d push her off!
OK “g”, I’m definitely bragging! You would too if you not only got the pick right but the trade up as well. Maybe TT secretly reads this rag, and listens to the fans, after all. I just hope it turns out that I did better than that homeless guy in Cleveland:)
What did we give-up for this trade-up?
4th and 7th, not too bad, especially if this guys becomes a franchise LT.
Thanks, man!
No problem.
Very possibly means Bak-T is gone next year, assuming Spriggs is not a MAJOR developmental pick which would be insane to draft in the 2nd round. Just makes no sense for Bak-T to be moved inside to guard when he struggles with power rushers, Bulaga isn’t going anywhere, I’d expect Lang and/or Sitton to be re-signed (a lot depends on Lane Taylor and Josh Walker, obviously), and LTs cost a hole lotta money, even average ones.
whole*
A fourth and a seventh were sent to the Colts.
TT F’d up by having four O-linemen’s contracts expire at the same time.
Yea he did.
We have some cap space though, so we’ll most likely be willing and able to keep the cheapest two O linemen on the roster and let the pricey ones walk. What I mean is that Sitton will have to sacrifice a few million per year if he wants to stay in GB.
I agree.. and that was a good call on the pick icebowler
Bosa and Ohio state could get nothing against Spriggs. Good move up and good pick.
Here it comes, pick 3. I’m hoping for TE. I’d be happy with a coverage style LB.
we got our moody TE from the rams already John. . .
Another thought here. Did anyone else notice how we traded ahead directly in front of the offensive line starved bears here to grabbed the guy they would have taken?
McCarthy was strutten around the war room moments later with a big smile on his face too. Not only did we grab the BPA, a position of need & starting Left Tackle for the next 10 years, but we simultaneously robbed the idiot bears of another trenches guy & they immediately pouted & traded back.
I did and loved it; Bears still got Cody Whitehair, though, not a LT but supposed to be a good player.
Woo hoo! It was cold as shit the draft but fun to attend it nonetheless.
What I saw in that reel is he walks like Hawk and grabs like Bakhtiari. Just what I saw.
I saw the grabbing too. That stuff would be called in the NFL. Also I didn’t see him do a lot of NFL style pass blocking.
I really really like this pick. Prototypical size for a LT and the guy looks like a mean motherfucker.
I like it. Athletic, tough, & fills an upcoming need for sure. Swooping in ahead of Chicago & breaking their heart by snagging him one pick before was pretty frickin righteous too. OL is a HUGE need for them & no doubt they coveted him big time to pair with the OG they got. I doubt they trade back with the next pick if he was still there. Even if he tanks…I applaud the initiative!
Bring back the U71 this year.