Packers 2024 Off-Season Thread

[BrewerFan]

15 hours ago, CheezWizHed said:

DL: 

• Locks: Clark, Brooks, Wooden, Wyatt
• Bubble: Slaton - just depends on how many they keep.  The 4-3 doesn't have a traditional NT, so the fit isn't great either. 

They don't have a NT, but they still have a 1 tech and a 3 tech. You need that big run stuffer to play the 1 tech. You cut Slaton and Clark...and then I'd guess you'd have to have Ford on the PS, they'd be the only 1 tech's you'd have. You really still need that big space eater.

14 hours ago, CheezWizHed said:

Historically, we tend to keep our draft picks or at least many of them.  This is a year to probably keep more S and fewer CBs. 

That and they also got REALLY versatile Safeties. Bullard may end up being the nickel and Oladapo or Williams could end up being the 2nd safety. That's...not far-fetched. At the very least, the versatility we have in our secondary and namely at safety, it should make it easier for the Packers to keep 5 CBs and just 4 active on many game days.

A 4-3 team can keep 10 DL(we kept 12 last year on the 53 with 6 OLB and 6 DL)...Philly, SF, they've kept 11-12 in recent years, but ideally it's 9-10. We have pretty damn good players there who can play a lot of snaps, so 4/5 is fine. That allows more room at other spots. At LB, you could keep 4 there and promote from the PS(injuries sort that stuff out by week 2-3 if not earlier). So Wilson could start on the PS and you could go Quay, Coop, McDuffie, Hopper and Wilson, Welch on STs especially since none of them are particularly highly sought after(*at this point, who knows what pre-season will bring).

 

The best case scenario is some of these UDFA/late rd picks or returning PS players force some of these "locks," into the Bubble category. That's the whole point. Create more competition and I think we've done that. 

-At RB, I wouldn't be the least bit surprised to see Dillon not make the team. AT least that's how I'd view it going in. Jacobs, Lloyd, Wilson. I think Wilson is just better and ready for more carries.

 

I started doing this and got bored as it was...probably you had almost player for player with the exception of Slaton and I had Melton on the "locks," list. 

[MrTPlush]

Some players should avoid social media…Nixon is one of them. Smh 

[CheezWizHed]

On 4/29/2024 at 2:24 AM, BrewerFan said:

They don't have a NT, but they still have a 1 tech and a 3 tech. You need that big run stuffer to play the 1 tech. You cut Slaton and Clark...and then I'd guess you'd have to have Ford on the PS, they'd be the only 1 tech's you'd have. You really still need that big space eater.

I probably should've focused on 1-gap vs 2-gap instead of 3-4 vs 4-3.  The typical lumbering NT (Gilbert Brown, Slaton) are less likely or less useful in a 1 gap scheme like we are going to. 

On 4/29/2024 at 2:24 AM, BrewerFan said:

A 4-3 team can keep 10 DL(we kept 12 last year on the 53 with 6 OLB and 6 DL)...Philly, SF, they've kept 11-12 in recent years, but ideally it's 9-10. We have pretty damn good players there who can play a lot of snaps, so 4/5 is fine. That allows more room at other spots. At LB, you could keep 4 there and promote from the PS(injuries sort that stuff out by week 2-3 if not earlier). So Wilson could start on the PS and you could go Quay, Coop, McDuffie, Hopper and Wilson, Welch on STs especially since none of them are particularly highly sought after(*at this point, who knows what pre-season will bring).

I started doing this and got bored as it was...probably you had almost player for player with the exception of Slaton and I had Melton on the "locks," list. 

I thought about doing the "Lock", "Likely", and "Bubble", but my point was more to look at our NFL caliber depth instead of a roster prediction.  Melton and Slaton are in the "Likely" to make it category rather than a true lock (95%+ chance) IMO.  The Bubble players are probably playing as much against each other (i.e. how many DLs do you keep?) as they are against the other UDFA/1st year players at that position. 

[BrewerFan]

5 hours ago, CheezWizHed said:

I probably should've focused on 1-gap vs 2-gap instead of 3-4 vs 4-3.  The typical lumbering NT (Gilbert Brown, Slaton) are less likely or less useful in a 1 gap scheme like we are going to. 

I got what you were saying...and it's not the same. The run defense is built around that big body in the 3-4, but you still do need that bigger run stuffer in the 4-3 even playing a 1-gap scheme. Remember, Gilbert Brown was our anchor or 1 Tech all those years we ran a 4-3. 

I agree with the rest of the roster, but not the DL. I think Slaton is not only a lock at this point, but he's also probably as likely as Clark to be re-signed. Maybe more likely because he's cheaper. 

5 hours ago, CheezWizHed said:

I thought about doing the "Lock", "Likely", and "Bubble", but my point was more to look at our NFL caliber depth instead of a roster prediction.  Melton and Slaton are in the "Likely" to make it category rather than a true lock (95%+ chance) IMO.  The Bubble players are probably playing as much against each other (i.e. how many DLs do you keep?) as they are against the other UDFA/1st year players at that position.

 

Eh...it was good. Like I said, there were 2 on the whole list I didn't exactly agree with...but Melton can certainly be beat out. We didn't really see DuBose last year, yet he made the active roster. Heath, they clearly liked him quite a bit. So right there, you could easily argue they have good camps, Melton has a poor camp, and maybe he doesn't make the 53. 

 

I'm really curious to see what they do at QB.

By the way, as of right now, just 25% of the salary cap is allocated to the offense. Someone pointed that out on Twitter, and while it's obvious when you think about it, that's a wild number given the expectations of this offense and how most teams spend.

That'll change with a Love deal coming. I do wonder if the Packers decide to extend Clark or hold off. Next years class appears to be really good at DL and especially guys who can play that 1 tech, play the run and rush the passer. It's obviously kinda comically early to talk about, but I'm sure it's something the FO is at least considering. 

[OldHeidelberg]

Packers decline to pick up Stokes option. Not really a surprise but not drafting a CB until 7th round made me wonder. It’s not like they still can’t extend him if he has a breakout season.

[CheezWizHed]

On 5/2/2024 at 7:27 PM, OldHeidelberg said:

Packers decline to pick up Stokes option. Not really a surprise but not drafting a CB until 7th round made me wonder. It’s not like they still can’t extend him if he has a breakout season.

Yeah, it really only means that they don't want to guarantee $12M for him next year.  If he bounces back, they can offer an extension.  Or maybe they already are working on one similar to Love did last year. 

[homer]

Love this quote.

 

 

[Joseph Zarr]

On 5/6/2024 at 3:33 PM, homer said:

Love this quote.

 

 

You would think this would be the approach of every D-Coordinator. Very very refreshing to hear. He says all the right things. He's purportedly an incredible teacher of young men - with special focus and impact on secondaries. It's hard not to be bullish on the prospects of what we might see on the defensive side of the ball in 2024.

[Joseph Zarr]

As a lifelong Packers fan, I can not recommend this one page Q & A from the Legend that is Cliff Christl. Just incredible stuff in here:

 

[OldHeidelberg]

With Goff's new deal you have to think Love will be asking for 50+ million now. We didn't get much of a reprieve from a big money QB but that's the going rate. 

[HarryDoyle]

Undrafted free agent Trent Jones retires. Probably not a big loss.

[BrewerFan]

17 hours ago, OldHeidelberg said:

With Goff's new deal you have to think Love will be asking for 50+ million now. We didn't get much of a reprieve from a big money QB but that's the going rate. 

Didn't we think he was asking for that before this extension?

5/250 was pretty much the floor.  David Mulugheta will almost certainly argue for him to be the highest-paid...and they'll have to settle on a deal somewhere in the middle(or maybe not...it's possible Love does become the highest-paid). 

He's next up. Highest paid and not always synonymous. Dak, Watson...Goff is good, he's not top 4 IMO. 

The Packers are probably going to want to make whatever that number, 5/250, 5/280...whatever it is, an extension rather than ripping up the final year. That at least affords them the ability to mitigate the cap hit for now and keep restructuring it and it gives Love some leverage. 

[patrickgpe]

FWIW

 

 

If this is legit, its not that bad of a schedule. No long road trips Pretty Balanced. 

[Vgmastr]

This is the first year the gold package gets three regular season games and we get all three division games, lame.  Was hoping for Niners or Texans.

[GAME05]

Goff makes me wonder if there's going to come a day when some sort of individual salary cap is put specifically on the quarterback position. A mid-tier QB getting $52M is obscene, and from the players union perspective, that's a lot less of the cap which can be spent on the rest of their players.

In all I think this is a bad deal by the Lions. If no salary cap, I wonder if it'll come to be that QBs are treated a little more like running backs where maybe they'll get one good contract but once they get into their mid-30s that it's thought of as better to dump the guy before he's too old and go with a first-rounder you'd have on the cheap for the next five years. How happy will Lions fans be when they have to shed Sewell or St. Brown for salary cap reasons?

[HarryDoyle]

1 hour ago, patrickgpe said:

FWIW

 

 

If this is legit, its not that bad of a schedule. No long road trips Pretty Balanced. 

Did they announce the preseason yet because I got tickets for a home game through my work.

[HarryDoyle]

 

[patrickgpe]

I was expecting them to have more prime time games, but I’m personally loving all of the noon start times 

[wallus]

My thoughts on the schedule, sigh

[Jimbo]

I do prefer the noon games, albeit only seven.

My brother lives in JAX and it's time for the eight-year itch.  At least it won't be the season opener this time.  According to him, it's Georgia v Florida in JAX the day before.

 

[Fear The Chorizo]

10 hours ago, patrickgpe said:

I was expecting them to have more prime time games, but I’m personally loving all of the noon start times 

despite the late season resurgence AND the playoff showing, this Packers team was the 7 seed in the conference last year and the schedule reflects that accordingly.

If they pick up where they left off at the end of the year, they will have multiple games flexed to later starts/prime time as the season wears on, no doubt.

[homer]

2 hours ago, Fear The Chorizo said:

despite the late season resurgence AND the playoff showing, this Packers team was the 7 seed in the conference last year and the schedule reflects that accordingly.

If they pick up where they left off at the end of the year, they will have multiple games flexed to later starts/prime time as the season wears on, no doubt.

Yeah the schedule on May 16 is nowhere close to the schedule on Dec 16

[CheezWizHed]

16 hours ago, GAME05 said:

In all I think this is a bad deal by the Lions. If no salary cap, I wonder if it'll come to be that QBs are treated a little more like running backs where maybe they'll get one good contract but once they get into their mid-30s that it's thought of as better to dump the guy before he's too old and go with a first-rounder you'd have on the cheap for the next five years. How happy will Lions fans be when they have to shed Sewell or St. Brown for salary cap reasons?

There are more SBs won by 30+ year old QBs than 21-25 year old QBs... Most often the mental part of the game just isn't there for them and that takes time to develop.

The Lions keeping Goff isn't a bad decision. I'd wager Goff will outplay most if not all the rookie QBs picked this year.  But keeping him at that $$ is crazy.  Maybe this is their "shot" at a SB by keeping the continuity of the team, but you hamstrung yourself pretty heavily for the future. 

But the premise that QBs on their rookie contract is the easiest way to win a SB is wrong.  Few QBs on their rookie deal win a SB.  Most that do are in their 4th or 5th year of the contract. I think Brady and Mahomes are pretty much the lone exceptions to that since 2000.  And more 1st round QBs are busts than hits.

The trick is knowing which QBs have gone past their peak (26-32) and really can't lead you to the SB anymore.  It was at that point I switched from holding onto Rodgers to trading him.  The Vikings were smart (or lucky?) to move on from Cousins.  Cousins could win one with the right supporting staff, but that supporting staff isn't in MN right now.  Goff reminds me of a younger Cousins a bit.  Not the elite, but the very good.  He will win you a few games and keep you in others, but isn't the Mahomes, Brady, Rodgers, etc... level. 

[CheezWizHed]

13 hours ago, HarryDoyle said:

 

December looks rough... 

We have a "home" game in Chicago but then the 49ers (can be break Shanahan's spell?), a short week to play the Dolphins, then another Thursday game at Detroit, and wrapping up at Seattle. 

[OldHeidelberg]

18 hours ago, Vgmastr said:

This is the first year the gold package gets three regular season games and we get all three division games, lame.  Was hoping for Niners or Texans.

I am thrilled with Vikes. Lions, and Bears although I am doubtful I will make the 4 hour trip in January unless game is huge. I always go to the 2nd home game and Vikes are far and away my most hated rival. 

 

As for Goff, the way the cap goes up every year they probably aren't doing too much long term damage. The QB's just seem to get the biggest gains when it goes up. I have my doubts he can carry them there but good QB's can win it with a great team around him. I was worried that older guy coming off the ACL they drafted last year would be good but they must not be that high on him at this point.