One thing that stuck out to me when the Green Bay Packers introduced Brian Gutekunst as general manger is this. He said we want to be in every conversation.
And maybe that’s an overstatement, because you don’t want to be in every conversation. You want to be in the conversations that you want to be in. Previously, under Ted Thompson, the Packers weren’t in any conversations. Or hardly any, as it were.
They’ve been in plenty since free agency opened. Now, they’re in another one. The Packers have apparently reached out to Tyrann Mathieu’s agent. Mathieu was released by the Arizona Cardinals Wednesday morning.
The Packers are in on CB Melvin, as previously reported, and have reached out to Tyrann Mathieu’s reps. They are also keeping tabs on Morgan Burnett & a another TE that’s on the market
— Joe Arrigo (@joearrigofsm) March 14, 2018
Yeah, there’s a whole bunch of stuff in there. We already spoke about Rashaan Melvin. We also spoke about Morgan Burnett, who appears unlikely to be back with the Packers.
Then there are the two new developments. Mathieu, who would be akin to the signing of tight end Jimmy Graham on the defensive side of the ball, plays a hybrid cornerback/safety role. If the Packers are going to lose Burnett, could there be a better addition? Probably not.
Mathieu had 70 tackles, a sack, two interceptions, seven passes defended and a forced fumble in 2017. He was a Pro Bowler and first-team All-Pro in 2015.
But let’s temper our expectations here. The list of teams interested in Mathieu is going to be long. And that likely rules the Packers out because someone is going to pay the Honey Badger an absurd amount of money.
As for this other tight end, we’ll see. The Packers were reportedly interested in Carolina Panthers tight end Ed Dickson, but that was before they signed Graham. Perhaps another interesting option is former first-round pick Eric Ebron, who was released by the Detroit Lions on Wednesday. Ebron hasn’t exactly blown the doors off with the Lions, but he did catch 53 for 574 and four touchdowns in 2017. He had more than 700 yards in 2016.
Everyone thinks the Packers need to add a receiver after releasing Jordy Nelson. They already have that guy in Graham. Maybe they’ll find another one with a similar game.
“Everyone thinks the Packers need to add a receiver after releasing Jordy Nelson. They already have that guy in Graham.”
Someone wake me when Graham puts up Jordy numbers.
But many people say “Oh but Jordy only does that when Rodgers is his QB,”
Well then fucking riddle me this…..where is Rodgers going?
If you said, no where. Give yourself a cookie.
Davante Adams that’s where he’ll go and he’ll go to cobb underneath as Graham opens up the underneath and over the middle areas that were NOT open much after Jared Cook left.
Off season baby!…it all looks good on paper.
Cobb?….lmao. There’s a guy every defense fears. Gee, maybe he’ll torch the opposition for…another 4 tds this coming season, like the last two seasons.
Stay thirsty.
I mean, theres hardly a defense that fears their #2CB on Cobb. But then again hes a Slot WR. We didn’t put Cobb in position to be “Cobb” since his break out year.
Defenses used to fear Jordy with their #1 CB and S on him. They don’t fear that against Adams, hell I don’t think they fear just the #1 on him. They probably won’t even roll the S over to him. They will fear a #2 CB on Adams though.
If you catch my drift here, its all about matchups. And Graham will not take what the defense used to have to allocate to Jordy. Graham probably draws the Slot CB + FS. Leaving #1 CB on Adams and #2 CB on Cobb. With the SS still left in the box for the RB.
Damn, do I hope Philbin was the main reason for the drop off in play these past few years…
Cobb didn’t put Cobb in a position to be what Cobb was in his one good season in 2014. He may put out more effort this year, as it’s a contract year. His yards after the catch have basically dwindled to nothing since. He lost, what i call his Greg Jennings “plant, pivot and go” move. I watch him run his routes and sometimes i get the feeling he’d rather be somewhere else.
Well, as far as Jordy…if the defenses didn’t fear a guy with 1,257 yards and 14 td’s, i don’t know what they’d fear. If you meant they didn’t fear Nelson last season, i think it’s safe to say that no team, feared anything about the Packers offense last season. I don’t think Hundley kept Def. coordinators up at night.
I don’t know too many wide outs in the league who catch 20 td passes in 21 games with the same QB, but i know one.
OK, I admit it. Piffle’s post above is brilliant.
It would not matter what a guy puts up in stats without Rodgers because without Rodgers that season is OVER as Rodgers is 3/4th of this team. It does not matter if the remaining 1/4th does great or poorly. Still a losing season either way. Poorly may even be better then due to draft positioning.
I have trademarked the following nickname and will be selling bumper stickers. You must ask my permission to use it:
Gute is bad.*
*Gute betrayed living legend Jordy Nelson, keeping Cobb over him for same money and less than half the performance. Not only was the decision just silly, he did it in snake oil salesman fashion that it is Jordy’s fault he is no longer a Packer and that he did not want to remain a Packer (at 1/12the pay!).
Before that he gave away Damarious Randall and leaked disparaging (likely false but definitely irrelevant) information to the press to try to cover for the crappy trade. Consider this: He gave away Randall in exchange for DOWNGRADING his back-up QB! In some circles the second most important position on the team!
Morally and functionally = Gute is bad.
Zzzzzzz, zzzzzzzz, zzzzzzz
I used to joke about you being a woman, but after reading this twisted shit, you’ve proven beyond any reasonable doubt you like your biscuits buttered.
Only a woman could take something this sanguine and twist it up into an indictment of someone’s morality.
I’ve trademarked a nickname, too – ‘Killer Ann’.
By the way, how’s the 2018 season shaping up for Vikings living legend Adrian Peterson?
GFY.
Gutekunst is actually a German name. Back in the day, and even before I was born – like middle ages, the Germans adopted (or were given) surnames that were associated either with a region, a trade or a prominent physical feature. That said – Gutekunst = Good (Gute) + Art (Kunst), so it may well be that Brian’s ancestor(s) were artists (i.e. painters, sculptors…).
Certainly, being a good GM is in itself an art – and I think we (the Packer fans and not the Trolls among us) are all hoping he proves to be an artist in this field …..
Breaking my hiatus to responding to K. I’d venture to say that IF HE WERE a German (in the Middle Ages) he’d have been given a last name like Scheissschreiber, Bloedmann, Einsamerversager or simply Dumm.
kizer is not a downgrade from Hundley . Hes got a better arm and he isnt afraid to throw a ball farther than 10 yards . He doesn’t hold the ball forever and he can run as well if not better than Butt Hundley . Hundley is terrible like few QBs in this league and a stuffed bunny would be a better option at backup QB . Randall was not a good Cb and he was not good in the locker room and most his teammates hated his guts . The Pettine era has begun and I think fans need to back up and stop whining constantly about anything and everything . This isnt how Packers fans act and it is getting really old ! Everyone plays the victim these days and its not helping the game !
Just shut up ! You sound like a total moron ! Gute is bad? You gather this on day 3 of the 2018 season and you think your cool because you say things like this ? GO AWAY ! The Packers do not need fans like you !
http://fox6now.com/2018/03/15/report-jordy-nelson-going-to-the-oakland-raiders/
The first good PF4L comment in a year!
THANKS!!…..I love you man!!
I like the article, and laughed when reading,
“that’s an overstatement, because you don’t want to be in every conversation. You want to be in the conversations that you want to be in.”
A fast physical safety is essential. If not Honey Badger, whomever we already have to step up. In draft I think best D player avail in rd 1, or top WR
Burnett will never be that Mathieu/Palomalu/EarlThomas guy, so I’m glad if he goes.
Morgan has always been the most overrated Packers player in our defense . I dont think it is a mistake to move on because Josh Jones has more talent in his little finger than Morgan ever had .
No way in hell happens. But would be explosive, athletic player on the D we desperately need. Cant believe we are gonna pay Cobb that money though. I just cant believe it. That son of a gun better catch at least 100 balls and 12 tds this year that’s all Ill say.
It ain’t over ’till its over…they may deal him before or during the draft, but at this point they need two reliable veteran WRs to run the schemes unless you think Allison is the GUY? Vegas odds on Monty playing a complete season are slime to none…
You made me laugh, Skinny.
Gute is bad. Would you like to order the bumper sticker, the sweater pin, or the light up LED hat that says as much?
Do you spend as much time on Vikings sites as you do on this one? You must never work or be extremely unproductive if you do. There are other things to do besides writing your compositions here, maybe you should leave the basement for 5 minutes.
How can you say Gute is bad ? Gute just got started and he’s doing more in free agency than Ted did and that was what all you constantly unhappy fans complained about him for . You bitched about Ted not being active in free agency all the time but guess what . When you are active in free agency you have to cut player on your own roster to make those moves I>E Jordy Nelson ! The fact is I think most of you just like being unhappy ! You wouldn’t be happy unless the Packers brought over Bill B from the Pats along with his entire team and put them in Green And Gold . This constant griping is not who Packers fans used to be and should not be ! The PAckers fan base used to be the most informed fanbase in the country now they all sound like spoiled children who didn’t get the last cookie. Seriously if you people are this unhappy with the PAckers maybe it’s time you picked a team you don’t hate to follow ! You are hurting the game by being this constantly offended by anything and everything that the organization does or doesn’t do ! Packers fans used to support their team no matter what . Now its completely different and this fanbase is never happy about anything . I suggest all of you shut your mouth and keep your negative opinions to yourself and let this new group of managers and coaches build this team ! Save your criticism for other aspects of your lives and for God sakes WAIT TO SEE WHAT THIS TEAM DOES NEXT SEASON BEFORE YOU LAY OUT JUDGEMENT !
Dude. Slow your roll. Killer “Gute is bad” isn’t a Packer fan, he is a Viking troll. Do yourself a favor and don’t read his shit.
As far as the rest of us bitching. Do yourself a favor and mosey on over to Packers.com if you don’t like it. There are more knowledgeable fans here and we aren’t being censored. Sorry, but you don’t speak on behalf of me or anyone else here, and I consider myself a diehard Packer fan. If you choose to walk around ignorant year after year, that’s on you. But don’t spill that kool aid here where most of us aren’t having any of that crap. Peace bro.
^^What he said!!^^
Empac….Layin it down!
Value doesn’t always correspond to production. Cobb is a mismatch that needs to be accounted for.
I agree, teams don’t want to let their guard down going up against Cobb, you always need to account for him because if you don’t, he’ll tear up NFL teams to the tune of 4 td passes a season.
Doug Baldwin he isn’t.
You make it sound like every player has the opportunity to hit their highs every year. Jordy has done 14 TDs, Adams 12, Cobb 12… that just won’t happen every year.
Once their ability is known it’s up to the defense to decide who they want to take out and who they want to allow us to beat them with. The smarter play is to take Cobb out of the game and make Rodgers beat them with an old Jordy or a contested ball to Adams.
I was all for keeping Jordy over Cobb btw. Cobb is much easier to replace even considering Jordy doesn’t have speed…
This isnt Madden Football and stats your fantasy team is not getting out of a player like Cobb are not everything . People are crazy as hell and all of you have forgotten what football is supposed to be about ! Fantasy football is destroying the league . People focus in on TDs and ignore locker room leadership and versatility because they dont bring big paper stats to the fake football leagues that fans care more about than their own teams ! Cobb is still fast and young and his 4 tds was a result of playing with the leagues worst QB last year . Im sick of hearing all you people complain about everything ! If you hate football this much stop watching it!! But no matter what stop calling yourselves PAckers fans ! You sound like Viking fans to me ! This isnt how Packers fans act!
Never say no way . Honey Badger said he didnt want to sign just for the biggest money he said he is more focused on being part of a team where he can just focus on football and be part of a culture built around winning . This is exactly what the PAckers represent . But I do think it will be hard for HB to turn away from the money some of the not so winning organizations are going to offer him but if he really wants to be part of a winning organization that allows the player to immerse himself in football 100% of the time their is no better place than the Green Bay PAckers ! And boy could we use a guy like Honey Badger! If Gute pulls off this or even the Kyle Fuller deal he is well on his way to being one of the better GMs in the NFL . Time will tell !
Or what you gonna scold the PAckers till they listen to you ? Cobb is still a very good WR which is why he got the contract that pays him what it does this coming year . Maybe you just like to be mad about something or your not happy ! If you hate this team so much pick a different team and complain about them ! I’m sick of hearing fans like you ! You ran Ted out of town already and now your not happy that his replacement is doing things differently ! GO AWAY !
We need a hybrid guy like this in Pettine’s defense. We already have him in Josh Jones & at a bargain rate. Guy can play well
A cover corner is a higher priority & the pool is deeper & more affordable
No way we get or afford this dude, though i like him
You must be mistaken..Jones wears # 27….. and he sucks
He does, in coverage anyway. We’ll see what year 2 brings.
Now Josh Jones sucks ? You dont know what you are talking about ! Josh Jones is 10 times better as a rookie than Burnett was ever in his entire career ! You just like to complain ! Watch josh jones College tape and tell me he sucks after that ! Josh Jones has 4.4 speed great size and he is a tackling machine he had 142 tackles in one season in college along with 7 picks ! His career just started and there is a lot to like about what he brings to the table ! STOP WHINING !
No we do not have that in Graham. Graham is a TE. Jordy was a #1 WR able to take the top off the defense, keep the safeties deep for the rest of the offense, and often draw a double team consisting of 2 of the most important players in a secondary.
And that is not Adams either.