Packer 2021 Draft Discussion- Eric Stokes, CB, Georgia; Round 2 Josh Myers, C, Ohio State; 3: Amari Rodgers, WR, Clemson

[HiAndTight]

Here's my bold, almost-certain-to-be-wrong prediction of the evening: I've had an odd feeling this morning that Love gets traded for a 2nd.

 

Part of me thinks the Rodgers stuff is a massive smoke-screen, with basically both sides putting it out there yesterday to soften the blow of trading Love in the media's/fans' eyes. Hard for me to look at what Denver and Carolina did last night and not wonder if they're in the market for the QB that they didn't take yesterday. Denver especially... maybe the GB/Denver rumors have the wrong QB in mind.

 

There's a ton of talent there that fits Green Bay's needs, and zero QBs left with even a 2nd round grade, and I don't know if I even like Trask in the 3rd.

 

Anyway, just a thought for some fun. I'd be very interested in 39 or 40 if the call came.

 

 

If I was Denver, I think I'd like to give Lock a chance with a healthy team, but just from my perspective, at this point...I'd be fine dealing Love for an early 2nd round pick.

 

I don't think that's a good trade, but if it gets you another impact player, appeasers Rodgers, maybe gets him to sign an extension and you can even still add a player or two, it seems like it would work on so many levels.

 

The downside is maybe you give away a really good QB...but the way things may possibly be heading right now, you're possibly trading away an all-time great QB with a lot of good years left.

[patrickgpe]

i have long said, that I could be an NFL GM and always get an A the morning after a draft. I would also be fired in 2 years. you are right, feed the trolls and win the morning after draft grades.

[HiAndTight]

I was hoping the Walter Football guy's head would blow up after the Packers picked Stokes. Guess not, but it would have been nice. The narrative about 1st round WR is really nothing more than click bait for the "media".

would it be nice to get another one, yes. Is it the most important need on the team, no by far. The have some good WR's that are developing and for the first time in a while a decent TE.

 

 

The criticism made more sense last year with St. Brown missing a full year, Rodgers coming off a down year in his first year with MLF...but it's just not a need this year.

 

It'd be very nice, but it's not pressing. But it seems like the media is going to insist it is simply because doing anything else would require they admit they were wrong in the narrative that Rodgers has no help.

 

Aaron Jones re-signing should also be considered. Him, Tonyan breaking out...they look to have a lot more weapons than they did last year at this time, but the media is still filtering the same lines.

[HiAndTight]

i have long said, that I could be an NFL GM and always get an A the morning after a draft. I would also be fired in 2 years. you are right, feed the trolls and win the morning after draft grades.

 

 

LOL...yeah, it wouldn't be hard.

 

It'd basically be using mock drafts and just picking the biggest name. That'd make the fan base giddy...until those guys did nothing.

 

 

If they'd have picked Marvin Wilson or Cosmi with the 1st round pick, I'd have been alright with it...and I wouldn't be totally shocked to see both unpicked after tonight.

 

These NFL teams don't have it down to a science, but they come as close as you can get to it.

[xisxisxis]

If I was Denver, I think I'd like to give Lock a chance with a healthy team, but just from my perspective, at this point...I'd be fine dealing Love for an early 2nd round pick.

 

I don't think that's a good trade, but if it gets you another impact player, appeasers Rodgers, maybe gets him to sign an extension and you can even still add a player or two, it seems like it would work on so many levels.

 

The downside is maybe you give away a really good QB...but the way things may possibly be heading right now, you're possibly trading away an all-time great QB with a lot of good years left.

I think most teams reflect their owners and the Packers are the same. They are "owned" by a collective and they are run with the understanding that every player is replaceable (no single person has ultimate say). I wouldn't be surprised if AR or his representation has said "trade Love to show that you want AR back" and the Packers have said, "not gonna happen". That will never see the light of day because neither side wants that out. I really think there is a fundamental gap between the 2 sides at this point. I believe it is stubbornness by both sides, but for AR it's his ego and for the Packers it's a fundamental of their business philosophy.

[HiAndTight]

If I was Denver, I think I'd like to give Lock a chance with a healthy team, but just from my perspective, at this point...I'd be fine dealing Love for an early 2nd round pick.

 

I don't think that's a good trade, but if it gets you another impact player, appeasers Rodgers, maybe gets him to sign an extension and you can even still add a player or two, it seems like it would work on so many levels.

 

The downside is maybe you give away a really good QB...but the way things may possibly be heading right now, you're possibly trading away an all-time great QB with a lot of good years left.

I think most teams reflect their owners and the Packers are the same. They are "owned" by a collective and they are run with the understanding that every player is replaceable (no single person has ultimate say). I wouldn't be surprised if AR or his representation has said "trade Love to show that you want AR back" and the Packers have said, "not gonna happen". That will never see the light of day because neither side wants that out. I really think there is a fundamental gap between the 2 sides at this point. I believe it is stubbornness by both sides, but for AR it's his ego and for the Packers it's fundamental of their business philosophy.

 

 

I don't know. I doubt they'd demand that another player be traded. I'd guess it has a lot more to do with them giving him more guaranteed money to force them into making a decision now.

 

And yeah, no player is bigger than the team. But you do need to treat some players differently. You need to treat all-time great players like all-time great players...beyond simply giving them a contract that any team would give them. The Packers need Rodgers at this point more than he needs them.

 

I think the "you're not bigger than the team" cliche is something every team uses, not just the Packers...but Rodgers knows this. I got the impression he'd just like to be more involved or just kept in the loop about some things.

 

I don't know exactly what his grievances are right now, but again, just go back to firing his QB coach. Simple stuff like that, keep Rodgers informed. Wilson was upset about not being part of that process and he was clearly more involved than Rodgers was. So I get some level of frustration.

 

But now you've got their attention...so maybe Rodgers pushing the Packers will be better for all of us. He gets a new extension, the Packers free up cap space and get a stud right tackle after the draft and we live happily every(or until next season when this issue will pop back up if Rodgers does stay in GB through 2021).

[xisxisxis]

I don't know. I doubt they'd demand that another player be traded. I'd guess it has a lot more to do with them giving him more guaranteed money to force them into making a decision now.

And I would have thought that given the way things went down during the transition between Favre and Rodgers that we wouldn't have a very similar situation, but here we are...

 

I think the "you're not bigger than the team" cliche is something every team uses, not just the Packers...but Rodgers knows this. I got the impression he'd just like to be more involved or just kept in the loop about some things.

I'm guessing that the Packers realize given Rodgers personality that not having his input will create fewer issues than having his input in decisions then not do what he wants. Rodgers has so many chips on his shoulders he would easily pop another one up there if the Packers "ignored" his input on anything.

[reillymcshane]

With a night to reflect, I really think the Packers saw a huge potential drop off in talent level at CB between 29 and their 2nd rounder, and coupled with the significant amount of OL talent that will still be there in the 2nd, they went with Stokes to ensure they got a CB that was high on their list.

 

I do wonder if a guy like Newsome was still there along with Stokes, if they might have traded back into the early 2nd instead.

I think hits things pretty well.

 

The Packers had CB on their mind and weren't thrilled with the players after Stokes - so they made a move.

 

Stokes was not that highly rated coming into the draft (ESPN had him #71 overall, and The Athletic had him #51). That likely reflects the team's desire to get a CB - along with other teams. He had risen up in the mocks as draft day approached.

 

Yes, rankings are just rankings, but they are put together with some valid criteria in mind. Certainly, the Packers rankings may have been different from ESPN or The Athletic. And they likely believed others had him ranked higher as well. So they made the move on him. I think they did the same thing with Savage - moved up knowing others would grab him.

 

The other thing in play is the fact the team probably felt that the players available to them in later rounds (say an OL), would be better than the CBs who will be available. Supply and demand is important.

 

No matter what, we've got an interesting player who we all hope turns out to be great.

[LouisEly]

I read on bleacher report that the Packers got an F for not drafting one of the 5 top WR's left on the board.

[nodakfan17]

^^^

I think that registers with most rational people.

[pacopete4]

^^^

I think that registers with most rational people.

 

[sarcasm]Just imagine what a 1st round WR would do for that defense. #1 Baby![/sarcasm]

[HiAndTight]

I'm guessing that the Packers realize given Rodgers personality that not having his input will create fewer issues than having his input in decisions then not do what he wants. Rodgers has so many chips on his shoulders he would easily pop another one up there if the Packers "ignored" his input on anything.

 

Right...I said keep him in the loop though, not take his input. Just communicate with him...and again, I'll use Russell Wilson as an example. He reportedly wanted out of Seattle and they'd kept him far more involved by all accounts than the Packers had with Rodgers.

 

And I would have thought that given the way things went down during the transition between Favre and Rodgers that we wouldn't have a very similar situation, but here we are...

 

That's a little bit different than demanding that a team trade their first-round pick. Players and teams having falling outs...but I've never heard of any NFL Agent doing this.

[xisxisxis]

Ok, enough of AR in the draft thread for me and back to today's action. Borrowing the OT list from AcmePacking on OT's who meat the Packers perceived metrics, here are the remaining prospects with projected round, 3-cone time, 20 shuttle time and RAS score:

 

Teven Jenkins (PRJ RND: 1; 3-Cone: 7.69; Shuttle: 4.68; RAS: 9.74)

Samuel Cosmi (PRJ RND: 1-2; 3-Cone: 7.35; Shuttle: 4.39; RAS: 9.99)

Liam Eichenberg (PRJ RND: 2; 3-Cone: 7.53; Shuttle: 4.57; RAS: 8.56)

Dillon Radunz (PRJ RND: 2-3; 3-Cone: 7.26; Shuttle: 4.57; RAS: 9.28)

Brady Christensen (PRJ RND: 2-3; 3-Cone: 7.33; Shuttle: 4.52; RAS: 9.84)

Walker Little (PRJ RND: 3-4; 3-Cone: 7.44; Shuttle: 4.59; RAS: 8.9)

Spencer Brown (PRJ RND: 3-4; 3-Cone: 6.96; Shuttle: 4.4; RAS: 10)

Stone Forsythe (PRJ RND: Early Day 3; 3-Cone: 7.47; Shuttle: 4.63; RAS: 8.78)

Brenden Jaimes (PRJ RND: Day 3; 3-Cone: 7.46; Shuttle: 4.5; RAS: 8.53)

Tommy Doyle (PRJ RND: Day 3; 3-Cone: 7.42; Shuttle: 4.57; RAS: 9.9)

Dan Moore, Jr. (PRJ RND: Day 3; 3-Cone: 7.56; Shuttle: 4.73; RAS: 8.97)

Cole Van Lanen (PRJ RND: Late Day 3; 3-Cone: 7.34; Shuttle: 4.64; RAS: 8.5)

Larnel Coleman (PRJ RND: Late Day 3 - UDFA; 3-Cone: 7.69; Shuttle: 4.69; RAS: 8.6)

 

I've liked Teven Jenkins, but without a trade up it's likely he and Cosmi are gone by early 50's and likely Eichenberg by 62. I'm feeling more positive about Spencer Brown and less a fan of Walker Little. Would Brown last until Packer's 3rd or is he moving up boards?

[RollieTime]

I would love WR D’Wayne Eskridge as a WR/RB combo that has return capabilities if he’s still available for the Packers at the end of the 2nd round.

[tmwiese55]

Great post above on the D being the key thing to fix. Once again, DB was their downfall again last year. O was top of league and kept most of it together, but of course need some depth on OL. I'd also have my eyes out for a slot shifty type in the Purdue WR type mold, mostly looking at this type due to all the jet sweep motion they started incorporating and that they don't really have this type in their other guys. Might be able to handle punts or kicks too.

 

Other than that I'm all for whatever they see fit on D. I was fine with a full size DB with great speed like they took last night.

[PinaMadness]

Apparently the Bears want to give up draft picks one step at a time now as opposed to throwing them all away in one fell swoop.

[PeaveyFury]

Mini run on tackles here, but still lots of nice talent with a dozen picks left before the Pack...

[ReverendBrewmeister]

A few appealing offensive pieces recently going off the board:

Radunz T

Freiermuth TE

Eskridge WR

 

Don’t know what’s being targeted.

[RollieTime]

I would love WR D’Wayne Eskridge as a WR/RB combo that has return capabilities if he’s still available for the Packers at the end of the 2nd round.

 

Eskridge to the Seahawks. Wilson is going to love having him as a weapon.

[PeaveyFury]

Terrance Marshall seems like a steal here. No clue if they like him....

[RollieTime]

Terrance Marshall seems like a steal here. No clue if they like him....

 

I can get behind this!

[PeaveyFury]

My list with 3 to go, which admittedly means nothing:

 

Marshall

Baron Browning

Carlos Basham

Jalen Mayfield

 

Edit: Forgot Spencer Brown

[PeaveyFury]

I really thought they'd go o-line here, but now I'm rooting for Marshall big time.

[tmwiese55]

I'd be for that too, though I think the other teams before GB also generally would look at WR. The OSU O lineman seems logical too.

[PeaveyFury]

Well, so much for that. Thanks Carolina.