The Green Bay Packers shocked the world on Friday by waiving unpromising linebacker Nate Palmer.
While the rest of the planet says, “Who the eff is Nate Palmer?” Packer Nation remembers the 6th round pick who got his shot when Sam Barrington went down in Week 1. After looking like an alright cover linebacker who struggled against the run in Weeks 1 and 2, Palmer eventually turned out to be a mediocre cover linebacker who was lost against the run.
That would seem to make the move to dump Palmer a non-story, but on the contrary, this is a surprise for a couple reasons.
For one, the Packers rarely cut anyone. Secondly, the timing. A player getting cut in April is about as regular as a 4 inch snowstorm in April, which also happened in Green Bay on Friday.
By cutting the apparent third man on their depth chart just two weeks before the draft, the Packers and Ted Thompson seemed to have tipped their hand. Though it doesn’t necessitate it happening in the first round, there is no question that the Packers will be drafting a middle linebacker at some point on the first two days of the draft.
Unless they make a late signing, the Packers will got into the draft with only presumptive starters- Sam Barrington and Jake Ryan- to go along with the questionable depth of Joe Thomas and Carl Bradford on their roster.
When you combine this with the signing of Jared Cook at tight end, middle linebacker becomes the clear greatest area of need for the Packers in the draft. The fact that the Packers let Palmer go before the draft suggests that either they had a strong aversion to keeping Palmer on the roster or that they have a plan in place to replace Palmer.
This all of course assumes that Clay Matthews will not be playing in the middle in 2016. With that being the case, look for the Packers to draft two guys at the middle linebacker position this year.
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So we grabbed Jared Cook, albeit for only a season, sewing-up our biggest weakness on offense.
Our biggest need on the roster is Middle Linebacker. The 4 teams that also need a Middle Linebacker are the Falcons, Redskins, the loser Bears & Jets. They all pick ahead of the Packers.
With D’Brickashaw Fergeson retiring, the Jets may now have other priorities in the draft. Lucky us.
Reggie Ragland is the best true MLB in the draft & he has stated he wants to play in Green Bay…(First brother since Reggie White that is purposely trying to come to Green Bay)
Anyways, Nate Palmer reaffirms the belief that the Packers should target a Middle Linebacker.
Teddy T hasn’t traded-up in the 1st rd. since Clay Matthews.
It’s too much of a stretch to trade ahead of the laughable Falcons, but the hope is that Ragland is too far of a reach at picks 11 & 17. I, personally, believe Ragland will be gone before we pick. The last player to actually survive & fall to us I actually wanted was HaHa Clinton Dix, though I thought we’d miss him to Philly 2 years ago.
The Redskins will swipe our Middle Linebacker which may mean trading-up to # 19 with Buffalo if the price is right. IMHO
I think there is another more pressing need personally. We have no one playing NT (see depth chart) the first month of the season. I look for them to address that position in Rd1 and then grab the best available ILB in Rd2. Just a thought.
If it’s not Ragland in round 1 let’s hope it is is Kentrell Brothers in round 2. The last name alone makes this a worthy pick. No other mlb has the size and production outside of these 2. TT should pick the bpa at nt or mlb in the first 2 rounds but he’ll probably surprise us and select an OT or WR…or a defensive player that has rd 4 grade.
You don’t spend a 1st-round pick on an ILB when there are very talented d-linemen and o-linemen available unless the ILB is a generational talent, it’s that simple.
Or…..if you want to finally move on from the AJ Hawk, Brad Jones, Nate Palmer etc. days and fill a huge overdue need. One of the white rat’s only talents is finding mid round OL help. DL and ILB first IMO.
Yea. I heard Charlie Casserly say the same thing…I disagree. At Pick 27, if Ragland is there, you definitely take him. He is one of the best defensive players overall in the draft.
Too many teams take advantage of us by hammering us up the middle & we need a “ditch digger” to deliver some nastiness.
How about what the Panthers have with Davis & Kuechley? Id love to have just one of those guys.
Ragland reminds me of an intelligent Vontaze Burfict.
I remember Ryan Shazier was who we had projected in a bunch of mocks a couple seasons ago…The Steelers are pretty happy with him rite about now.
Sam Barrington is still a bit of an unknown. Let’s hope for Ragland.
Kuechly is a generational player. There are a handful of first-round talent d-linemen that may be available to the Packers; good d-linemen make the game a lot easier for their LBs.
Good, he sucked anyways. Release Goodson and Josh Walker as well. Walker sucks too. Now draft Reggie Ragland, Kentrall Brothers, or Joe Schobert.
Draft all 3 LBS in rds 1 through 3 (Ragland, Brothers, Schobert). Best man wins… If Ragland is not available then go with best available NT and take Brothers and Schobert in rd 2 and rd 3. It’s time the middle of our defense have an enforcer. There are plenty of NT space eaters in this year’s draft so we can find good value in the middle rounds…
We cant just continue to plug a gaping hole that we’ve had for decades with Bernardo Harris, Ron Cox, AJ Hawk, Jake Ryan, Sam Barrington, etc. We need a Nitschke in the middle. Staz, Norski, and Pops want the PIT rocking this year.. time to bring the noise! GO Pack GO!
I know. I didn’t say all 3. I am referring we draft a nose tackle first than draft Brothers or Schobert. I would like to see Schobert in GB because he fits in Capers 3-4 defense as a ILB and that would finally address our need at ILB. Which NT/DT player do you think TT will draft with the 27th pick?
Just don’t fuck things up Ted! No more Justin Harrell mistakes!!!!
Sorry homers, Schobert will be lucky to go by the end of the 5th round.
Scooby wright
A player get cuts and Total TMZ Packers is there to take shit all over him. Go Pack Go!!
Shut the fuck up.
Andrew Billings, Kentrell Brothers will be our first 2 picks.
Does Brothers and Billings fit in Dom Capers 3-4 defense? We need talent around Daniels and Matthews that FITS in the 3-4 defense.