2013 Mock Offseason II

[ChaRisMa]

The commonly known prospects edition...

Retirements:

~Honestly, one of my favorite Packers of all time. This guy was so much faster and stronger than anyone gives him credit for. I always felt the only guy faster than him was Chris Johnson, but pound for pound no one was faster than nickthepick6.


WR Donald Driver
~The farewell tour comes to a close but Donald is very much a Packer for life. I'd love to see this guy as our WRs coach.

Re-signings:

WR Greg Jennings
~Jennings is actually a bit of a tough sell for me from a financial standpoint. I'd probably extend him right now, and string out what should be a high salary a little bit. Because really, he's a top 10 WR, and even though I feel he is a bit of a product of his surroundings, the guy is a playmaker.


SS Charlie Peprah
~I think he's going to have a good year. He's intelligent, but not a real playmaker. I was surprised we got him so cheap last time around, but I think the market for him will be pretty bare.


LG TJ Lang
~Quality guard. Not giving him what Sitton got, but he should get above average starter money.


G/C Evan Dietrich-Smith
~Decent Backup with some experience. Signing him works well as a handcuff for both negotiations with Lang and the future of the center position.

Tenders:

CB Sam Shields ~ 1st round tender.


P Tim Masthay ~ 2nd round tender.


Walks: (if not cut this year)
TE Tom Crabtree
LS Brett Goode
LB Rob Francois
DE Anthony Hargrove
LB Brad Jones
DE Daniel Muir
LB Erik Walden
DE Jarius Wynn
LB Frank Zombo

Round 1, Pick 32

CB/S Tyrann Mathieu*, 5'9" 175 LBS. 4.45 Forty
~I know he's small, but I think his instincts and playmaking ability are the best we've seen in college football since Charles Woodson. Darrell Green and Ronde Barber are both the same size. He just needs to be played to his strengths.

Round 2, Pick 64

RB Montee Ball, 5'11" 210 LBS 4.6 Forty
~ I don't think Montee Ball is a Pro Bowl NFL back. But I can see him fitting our offense better than James Starks and I can see him giving us a legitimate run threat in the red zone and short yardage. He's not going to be burnt out in our offense either, something he'll need to have a long career after getting abused at Wisconsin.

Round 3, Pick 96

C James Ferentz, 6'2" 284 LBS 5.05 Forty
~ Son of Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz, James' biggest strength is intelligence, because he is undersized. Remind you of Jeff Saturday? He's pretty developed already, he could start right away. His face also makes me laugh...

Round 4

RB/FB Zach Line, SMU 6'1" 230 LBS 4.65 Forty
~ We went from carrying 3 fullbacks to 1 recently. Line can bulk up and really push the talent pool at RB and FB--it's time for someone to step up.

Round 5

WR Quinton Patton, Louisiana Tech 6'2" 195 LBS 4.58 Forty
~ A JUCO transfer who could shoot up boards this year. My favorite WR prospect for this coming year. Sleeeeper.

Round 6

S Javon Harris, Oklahoma 5'11" 207 LBS 4.6 Forty
~ More, and more, and more competition in the secondary.

Round 7

G James Wilson, Florida. 6'3" 315 LBS
~ Often injured, Wilson has the versatility we look for.
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[ajdodge09]

At first I thought you had Jennings in the retirement section

Not sure how I feel about the draft. I like Mathieu, but I'm not sure if he fits TT's mold. We saw him deviate a little bit going with Hayward, but I think 5'9 would be too small. My biggest problem is with Montee Ball. I'd be lying if I said I have begun preparation for the '13 Draft already, but I'm always wary of Wisconsin running backs. The lanes they get in college are easily the best they will have of their career. They just never really seem to pan out in the NFL. In addition to that, you seem to agree with me. Why anyone would take a RB in the 2nd who thinks they won't be a Pro Bowl player is beyond me. We already have that exact player in James Starks. Solid, not flashy, gets the job done, will probably never make the Pro Bowl. I'd rather take a shot on a RB with higher upside. Any lineman from Iowa is fine by me, and the rest I don't know much about.
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[ChaRisMa]

I agree about Wisconsin RBs being a tricky choice, but the one thing I feel Ball will bring to the NFL level is an ability to get into the Endzone. Starks is pretty similar, but Ball is less upright, has more agility, and most importantly for our RB position right now--he isn't constantly injured.
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[Scuba St3ve]

no way ted takes a 5'9 175 corner back

i dont think he has ever drafted someone from wisconsin either, and ball will probably go in the early to mid second even though i dont know what to think about him

[DaltonP]

I think the drafting of Casey Hayward may suggest a change in philosophy when it come to the corner back position for the Packers. Now I'll agree the 5'9" frame makes me uncomfortable, but I believe the ability to take away the football should be most important skill set when evaluating CBs.

Aaron Rodgers is tough enough to beat as it is, but if you add players like Mathieu that can take the ball, the Pack becomes that much tougher to beat.

Mathieu should not and would not ever be used as a typical bump and run corner, but seeing Mathieu and Matthews crowding the LOS would make even the most poised QBs a bit uncomfortable with their ability to blitz and drop into coverage

[ChaRisMa]

[I Am Rodgers]

Some points. Don't think of Mathieu or any player on defense in terms of position. Think of how you can use them. Every player is like a chess piece. They have strengths and weaknesses. I would use Mathieu as a coverage player verse RBs and Slot WRs while having him blitz the edge. Sort of like Woodson, without covering WR's or TE's.

As far as Ferentz goes, he does not remind me of Saturday. Saturday has a large frame and was not undersized at all. Ferentz reminds me more of Wells or in this past class, David Molk.
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[PossibleCabbage]

I still can't justify letting the longsnapper walk. If you can keep the same LS/K/P combination together when all those players are competent, without breaking the bank... you do so.

There is absolutely no chance I would cut or refuse to resign Brett Goode. I mean, what Longsnapper is expensive to keep? It's not like you're going to upgrade the position with somebody else.

[ChaRisMa]

[Scuba St3ve]

[spilltray]

Absolutely hate it.

I don't think Mathieu is nearly fast enough to offset his tiny size and while he has decent instincts he is a very rough player. I don't see him as having much of any shot of success at the NFL level. He's getting by @ LSU being allowed to roam on a stacked defense. In the NFL that doesn't work.

I don't see value in a 2nd round RB that isn't an amazing blocker and receiver.

Ferentz is an interesting prospect, but 3rd round is a big reach for that small of an OL. Maybe if he packs on a good 10-15 lbs his sr year, but at that size he's going to get steam rolled by NFL NTs.

Another FB? Maybe there is only 1 "FB" on the roster but McCarthy uses guys like Crabtree in a swing blocking TE/FB role. In alot of cases our TEs and FBs have to be somewhat interchangeable. I don't really see that here, also, 2 RBs in the first 4 rounds? No thank you. The running game just isn't that important.

The rest look like interesting prospects I'm not too familiar with. Hard to say for late rounds at this stage.

The offseason looks OK to me. Personally I'd let Jennings walk because I think he's going to command 10+ a year and I don't think WRs are worth that, but depending on the numbers I don't have a major issue with it either way it goes.
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[DaltonP]

[spilltray]

[DaltonP]

I think youre selling him short.

His instincts are the best in college football and he is great at moving in space.. but I agree with most of what you said in your post.

One this Packers team, he would probably be the 4th..ish best corner and would likely never rise up the depth chart. We already have a similar and larger corner in Casey Hayward and I'd prefer some more length in our secondary to deal with Calvin Johnson for the next, what is it.. 15 years or so?

I'd love Jonathan Banks, but wouldn't mind it one bit if TT spent a first rounder on Mathieu.

[spilltray]