BrewerFan

The Panthers would be smart to do exactly what the Bears did. This isn't the year for an elite QB, trade out of the #1 spot(which I think they'll get) and like you said, built the team first. There are some freak WR prospects, some DL, you could even go CB and then come back and get some playmakers. They really don't need much help on the OL. Ekwonu at LT is a franchise LT, they signed Hunt to a huge deal, he's playing well. They have two other guys who are playing really well and then Taylor Moton is a good RT, 68.3 overall grade, but he's 30, so probably not a core piece of their future. If they'd JUST stayed put, they could have drafted Darnell Wright, a guy I think is a prototypical RT in the modern NFL, kept DJ Moore who is still young, they'd have been in position to draft Caleb, Daniels or Maye at least(probably still Caleb or Daniels, Daniels if they were lucky). Same thing this year. This class has a ton of talent at CB, DL, WR, but who is the top QB? Cam Ward? Millroe from 'Bama? I mean, he can drive without a couple of phone books, but do they want to go back to 'Bama for a QB this soon? Wait until 2026, you'll have Arch Manning possibly(I still believe he's a great talent) but there are several other QBs who could break out. Allar may be in contention for the #1 pick. So trade the #1 for 2-3 1sts+2-3 2nd rd picks, take a guy like Hunter or Graham in the top and load up for the 2026 draft. ,They should also trade everyone who's not going to be there when they're competitive. Clowney is a guy the Packers could use. He's 10th in pass rush win/loss rate. As of now, Gary and Smith are 39th and 46th out of the top 50 qualified edge rushers. LVN would be 47th if he was eligible. But players like that. Then get your cap fixed. They have 60M in dead cap this year, less than a million in cap space and they suck. They need to just turn that thing around and I hate how the Lions and the Bears have become two good examples of how to do that. The Lions really built up that OL. I'd say he gets one more year. Just might as well give Penix another year and the Cap hit, it doesn't make much sense unless they're offered a 1st or something really valuable. Maybe a team like SF needs a QB IF something happens to Purdy and with ATL paying the signing bonus, he'd be cheap enough and they wouldn't owe him too much against the cap and could get out of the deal more easily(Det, any team like that). Or maybe they really like Penix and want to suck it up and eat that cap hit sooner rather than later. A post June 1st trade would save them more than the cap hit would be(spreading it out). How they finish that season will probably be the asnwer.

Yeah...I feel like that started after the Jordan Love pick. MAYBE it happened in 2018 when he was articulating how he watched the Rams run their offense and wished they ran an innovative offense like that, but he was generally regarded as a good leader early on. Maybe it's just like he said, he thought when he's had as much success and seen the things he's seen, you'd think the organization would include him in "those talks," meaning personnel. But yeah...that team is so dysfunctional. They're not bad because they lack talent. They have an elite defense. No question there. Garrett Wilson is a stud, Mike Williams has always been a very good WR when healthy, Breece Hall is a very good RB. The OL is playing like an elite group this year. Tyron Smith, LG-John Simpson has a better PFF grade than Elgton Jenkins, Joe Tippman has been very good, -Vera-Tucker, again, much higher grade than Jenkins and their "weak spot," is RT and Morgan Mosses has a better grade than Walker. Basically...combine our OL with theirs and it's Zach Tom and the next 5 best are the Jets with the 11th pick Fashanu in a learning year. Tyler Conklin is fine(again, PFF is just one grade, but higher than Tucker Kraft...which admittedly can't be right, but he's at least solid). This team may not be AS talented as the Brady Buccs...but they're not that far off. And Rodgers just physical abilities have not fallen off. He can still do things with the FB no QB in the NFL now or ever before him can do(Lazard over the middle is one). So what is it? Why aren't they buying in? Why have they lost 3 games with the ball in Rodgers hands and thrown picks? Why is a REALLY good NFL coach being paid 5M a year to stay home? Rodgers ego the last few years has just grown to where he thinks he's the smartest guy in the room and he used to take responsibility, even if it wasn't on him for the losses. He's stopped doing that. He is bigger than the team and clearly it's infecting the Jets locker room. They just added Adams and a guy with 50.5 sacks in the last 4 years in Adams and Reddick and...I think they'll end up just good enough that Rodgers will be back next year, do the same thing and get similar results. Remember all the fawning over Joe Douglas and guys like McAfee talking about how dumb Gutekunst was? LOL...has fun with at least 1 more year of 'hey guys, can why can't you see the curvature of the Earth,' guy at QB? Maybe another trip to Peru will fix him!

Nah, my opinion was a 30-year-old LB who...hadn't had a good season since he was Minnesota would go unclaimed I think was pretty valid at the time. He was a guy nobody wanted in the off-season and we re-signed him to the minimum. I said they should put him on the PS and protect him until we had a roster spot available if they needed the roster spot for another position, someone they really liked...Dubose for example or...more specifically Kristian Welch who looked like he played his way onto the 53 man in the pre-season. They did have 4 guys signed to 53 man I think, lost Welch. But I wanted him on the roster, active, as depth and a special teams ace like he had been. No reason not to go with the hot hand.

Jaire-72.8 -76.4 Coverage grade Stokes-52.4-50 Coverage grade(run defense grade was actually nearly 63...) Nixon-63.9, 57.6 Coverage grade(94.9 pass rush grade, 69.4 run defense) Valentine-58.5 57.8 Coverage grade Javon Bullard 55 45.6 Coverage grade(exceptional run defense, 78.6 and a very good pass rush grade). Evan Williams and McKinney are both...awesome. Williams 89.5 around 82 in both coverage and run defense McKinney 90.3, Coverage grade of 90.2(this was 94.5 last week, so clearly INTs are weighed VERY heavily) and then pass rush 80.5, run defense 70.3. Just to my eye...FWIW, Bullard is graded the most harshly. I don't know how they grade...that'd be helpful. For instance, the TD that Nixon gave up in this clip, is this a negative play, positive, or neutral? IMO, you cover like this, you did your job. You're only expecting a handful of CBs to make this play. It's also a lot easier to cover when you're just unloading on Stroud as they did this past week and much tougher when you're playing the Vikings or Eagles on poor turf. We've also played a lot of exactly the type of defense we all wanted when Barry was here. The PFF grades as a whole seem a little dodgy to me. Tucker Kraft has a ~57 overall, poor run-blocking grade, they have Jenkins as one of the worst run blockers at Guard in the league, and Rashan Gary jumped about 10 points coming off this past game, but in any event the arrow on this defense is definitely pointing in the right direction. It'd REALLY be nice to improve that pass rush though. Crosby and Garrett are incredibly unlikely, but we have a lot of talent on that DL.

I guess they believe it's the latter, but...I'm struggling to see it. You have Nixon and Ja play almost every snap on defense and then Valentine...I don't know if he even played. I thought Stokes was playing really well. He was giving up completions, but the Packers were asking him to play man and weren't getting much of a pass rush. This Hafley guy seems to have a pretty good grasp on defense and secondary play in particular given his background and the 7 games he's coached this year...so I guess I'll just consider it a good thing we've got Stokes, Valentine and Ballentine ready to come in-in the event of an injury.

1-Hell yeah. I doubt the Cards do. Walker was a superstar prospect. Not just a good one...a great one. He's a 3B who had MVP potential. I doubt the Cards give up on him and if they do...I suspect they take less to trade him elsewhere. 2-I don't think that gets you Mayo. Peralta is a #3. 2 years of a #3 and an OFer which the Orioles have 4-5 young really good hitters, plus Mullins, a lefty. I don't think they're trading a top ~10 prospect for that. *Kjerstad, Cowers, Santander(who is a FA, but this Baltimore team seems like they're going to spend), Norby...if he doesn't play 2nd which would push Holliday to 3B, Westburg(HE could be an option and more likely than Mayo IMO), Stowers....and then their 1st round pick in '23(17) and a lefty with a similar profile as Frelick, Enrique Bradfield Jr, already a big year in AA and Mountcastle could play OF. Point is, they've got a lot of OFers, they have a lot of lefties...so a top 10 prospect with 40 HR potential at 3rd or 1st for 2 years of a solid pitcher, but not an ace and then another OF who probably would be 5th, 6th on their depth chart(or lower if Santander is back). Is that an exchange you'd make? I think trading for Westburg or Norby may make more sense. Their lineup should be C-# Rutschman 1B-Mayo 2B-Westburg/Mayo SS-Gunnar 3B-*Holliday LF-*Kjerstad CF-*Mullins/Bradfield RF-*Cowers DH-#Santander And I think they're going to finally spend like a team in their market should. New ownership, I think they'll go after Soto, but that's a wild prediction of my own, I do think they try and re-sign Burnes, Santander. This is a team that should be able to spend 150-180 pretty easily and they have 80M committed(roughly). But hey...I could be wrong. They also have a 3B/C prospect Basallo who's 13th overall, in AAA and kinda like Quero a better hit tool(in terms of his scouting grades) and could be their Catcher of the future with a 60 Hit, 60 Power and 60 Arm. That's...one helluva trade chip if they want to use one to get an ace. I just find the O's really interesting. If they spend, they could have a dynasty. That's a huge if, but you'd think they'd HAVE to. If nothing else, extend Holliday, Rutschman, Gunnar and lock up your core. 3-I would look at Bryson Stott as well. I think the Phillies MAY be a secret player for Adames. There were rumors they'd go after Soto(they may....he's the type of guy you justify getting stupid for). Adames to Philly, you could move Stott to 3B. Bohm would be idea, but Devin Williams and if there's another piece, Payamps as they don't appear to have a great pen. I really want Painter. They're also looking to upgrade CF. I don't believe you'll get enough of Mitchell making contact, making that contact in the air, and play enough games to hit some of these 30/30 projections. I'd be willing to do a Devin Williams+Garrett Mitchell+prospects for Bohm and Painter or even Stott and Painter...more likely Frelick and a throw in pitcher in this scenario, but they have said they want to upgrade CF. So I like that. Ultimately, I doubt they Adames or another big FA, but we still match up. And it'd probably be simpler. Williams+Frelick for Bohm/Stott, but I like getting optimistic.

Dude...they've got 55M in cap space...and yeah, they have some key guys getting older. Kittle is 31, Trent is 36(but he's still dominant)...Hargraves is 31 I think, but he's out anyway. They'll be able to work around the cap. Purdy will sign...even if it's 4/240 and the deal will add the 4th year of his rookie deal and it'll be 5/241.5 and it'll be 20M the first year, 35, 45 and then they'll restructure it...if he's still good, but if they have just average health next year or even the rest of this year, they'll be fine. They'll lose a couple corners, but that rookie Renaldo Green looks like a hit, Puni from Kansas they just keep finding talent at WR(they should have traded Ayiuk...and I'm not saying that because he just tore an ACL, just because they could have added at least a 1st and not paid him...though he is a #1). Maybe you're right...but if they become an average team, it'll be more due to Hufanga, Hargrave, McCaffery, and guys like that, but I still think that team is a problem when healthy. As long as they've got Bosa, Trent, Warner an endless line of stud WRs(and their 1st rd pick is on his way back) and a really well run team, they'll be a contender. The window on this current group is closing, but everytime you think they're done, they go out and make a couple moves, trade for Trent, CMac, have a bad year and draft Bosa, whatever(imagine if they hadn't done the Fields trade and drafted Parsons+2 1sts). To be fair, I thought the Jets were going to be pretty solid this year and the Vikings were going to be terrible...

There are rumors now that teams are calling about Garrett Wilson...and that he MAY be available. Rodgers is almost certainly coming back for another year, but I don't think the situation he went to is THAT different than the one Brady went to. Brady was throwing with his guys in the off-season, he apparently butted heads with Arians, but made it work. Rodgers got Saleh fired. I always thought if you put Rodgers in Brady's situation with Belichick and the defenses he had, he'd have the 6 rings(in NE)...but this seems pretty clear he wouldn't. It's obvious it's the chemistry that's missing. The Jets...on paper have it all. So, what's missing?

I think they almost have to. What else are they going to do? Rely on another late-round pick? And hell, by the time they sign him, it might be 60M a year. Purdy hasn't really dropped off statistically. led the league last year in several categories, he was near the top of the league again in QBR, pushing the ball down the field in yards per attempt. Plus, it's not like QBs are paid like other positions. Take the top player and then negotiate based on that. It seems like next up is always the highest paid. This has to be the most beat-up team in the league...and now Ayiuk has a torn ACL. Probably just end up with a top 10 pick and come back better next year, but I'll enjoy it for now.

This game was not exactly perfect...Love with a couple picks, the turnover on the Muff punt. twice they got the ball inside the...what, 10-15. And STILL the Packers win. -Jeff Hafley doing EXACTLY what I think all of us have wanted to see. You have 7 guys up on the LOS. I LOVED seeing Gary and Enagbare or whoever was standing up. It gives the look that they could drop or some...and then Bullard or Xavier was coming on different plays. Eric Wilson got home and they were just in Stroud's face all day! -DL was in the backfield all day also. IDL was...good. First time this year they have been IMO. Clark looked like Kenny Clark, Karl Brooks is really a fantastic rotational DT. -Eric Friggin' Wilson and Edgerrin Coopers were a couple of studs and they were FEASTING. Both are so capable but Wilson is having a De'Vondre Campbell type season(when he was an AP) this year. -Quay Walker...he's going to have to become a situational LB. I love the fire he plays with and he's great when he's just playing, but...you CANNOT take Eric Wilson off the field after that performance, Edge Cooper has proven himself. McDuffie is probably the best taking on blocks? Whatever, I don't know, but that was the defense I've been waiting for. Offense, they're solid. Improving. Love's making some mistakes he'll clean up, Wicks is playing better. I still believe in Musgrave's value to the offense, but they were solid, not great, but good enough. This is all about the D and...pretty good STs... And...welcome to Green Bay Brandon McManus!!! I thought the Packers maybe should release Wilson because...there was no interest in him and I thought you could roster him on the PS for the first 3 weeks until there were injuries...man, am I glad they didn't risk it. The new Starting MLB! And then Coop has to be out there. Quay should be the Will where it's easier assignments and in space...

Eh....maybe. But, as I said, I didn't see all the defense of Narveson you were talking about. I do think some context is helpful when going from the kickers we've had to McManus who doesn't appear to be much of an upgrade(particularly going off his last couple of weighseasons). If you want to weight PATs equally, some context seems justified. If you have a PAT blocked because the wings don't block the inside man and he blocks the kick...is that the kickers' fault? Or if you have several bad holds, is that the kickers' fault? I hope McManus is better. It seems like the holds have been much better this year(that's to be expected with a young punter who hasn't spent much time as a holder but is now in year 2). The snapping still seems to be an issue. But...hey, hopefully, the whole unit can be cleaner and we can be more consistent.

Yeah, was that last week or two weeks ago where Wheelan had to jump and snatch it at the ~5 or so? It falls on the kicker, but it's a whole unit. They got rid of Bowden pretty early and then brought him back in during camp....presumably because Orzech was struggling. I don't know what the answer is. The Packers went out and got an elite Special Teams coach. They dedicate roster spots to special teams. You'd think....we'd finally have a great STs We don't. I don't know how they stack up in the "rankings," though...this one in particular has them 3rd. The one that Rick Gosselin does placed us at 29 last year. That needs to be better by this point.

Brett Conway...picked on slot before Mike Vrabel...and not long after a long, lanky DE from Akron. The last kicker I remember hoping the Packers would take was Jake Moody, but I was thinking 5th/6th, not end of 3rd...or maybe early 4th where SF took him. But the Brett Conway and BJ Sander picks...we gave up #102 and a 5th. Jared Allen was taken in the 4th after the Packers pick in a year we needed DL help and SF took Adam Lee, a 3X All Pro Kicker in the late 6th that year. Who knows what Vrabel would have been, but Jason Taylor was so good, then add Jared Allen...hell, you might win another Super Bowl. Packers fans understand the importance of three positions above all others. QB and pass rusher or a great LT. Give us Jason Taylor, Jared Allen, Mike Vrabel with Ahman Green, the run game back then? This is why I'd trade multiple 1sts for either Crosby, Garrett or Dexter Lawrence who...definitely isn't available now, but none of them likely are, but with the DBs we have, it'd be fun! Anyway...kickers, we've taken them for granted until they've been bad. Crosby the one year, then he hit damn near 40 in a row(he may actually have hit 40 in a row if you include playoffs) and then this past year+6 games. I wonder how many more games we win if we have Aubrey? Just going back and looking at the games that Carlson and the kicking unit MAY have cost us(I say may because...the Philly game for example, you can't say the 2 missed FGs cost you the game because...Philly is now trying to score late, so just potentially). Just 2023 season; Den 19 GB 17 Carlson missed 43 YD FG (Just missed it, good snap, good enough hold...I saw someone say laces were out on X attempts, but 43, it looked clean). Pitt 23 GB 19 Blocked PAT by PPat(came clean off the edge). Packers were well in FG position with 3 seconds left from the Pitt 16 and Love threw his 2nd pick in the final ~3;50 of the game. NYG 24 GB 22 Missed 48 Wide right. Definitely a clean hold, high snap...routine though. Packers scored a TD late, missed the two point to make it 24-21 Giants hit Game Winner as time expired to win 24-22 GB 33 Car 30 (not part of the equation, just watching all the missed kids, another terrible snap, missed a PAT...still won). SF 24 GB 21 Miss 41 yd FG to make it 24-17 with 6:18 left Terrible hold. Ball laces in, ball tilted side to side I'm just going to say "the kicking game," not put it on just the kicker, snapper, holder or blockers, but last year you have the Denver Game. Pitt Game should have been at least a tied game late Giants Game SF Game So...lots of things could happen. With SF, worst case is the Packers get the ball back tied. I'll say 11-6 and they're in the NFCCG with a better FG unit. Again, once he missed the kick in TC, I knew he was getting cut, but going back and watching these...I do think he'll be a good NFL kicker. Among other missed kicks, here was a 63-yarder, a couple from 50+. The main issue was the 40-49 and PATs. I'll double down and say it's too bad he wasn't kicking with this unit after another year as I thought his mistakes were correctable. But I just made this to see how much the kicks actually cost us. So that's 2 regular season games(you could also say a tie, so 11-5-1 with the Steelers loss) and the playoff game.. All of Carlson's missed kicks(just search it on YT, there's a couple views, one gives a good view).

You mean was I using FG %(the stat MOST people use when talking about a kicker) after I pointed out nobody was defending Narveson in the post in which I said it was Carlson's fault he got cut, he's the one that blew the FG after he had a spot on the team locked up in a FAR larger discussion about why it's hard to find a FG kicker who hits the desired 85% of their FG attempts? Why yes, I was using FG%. If you want to talk about "the rub," that'd seemingly require a much larger conversation in which you also talk about the poor snaps and then the rookie Irish punter who came up playing Soccer and had several terrible holds in which Carlson...really didn't have a chance(the 49ers game for instance) or the blocked kick while citing a list of Kickers who struggled early and then went on to have long successful careers(McManus for example 69.2% as a rookie or how Crosby was 76% combined the first 6 years in the league or Daniel Carlson, Harrison Butker, guys who were cut and then became All-Pros with their next teams, or how Aubrey didn't start until he was 28 years old... But that's less of a "defense," of kickers vs a general point about the difficulty in finding an elite kicker. Then adding the caveat that McManus hasn't exactly been a "great" kicker. And since you seem to be inferring there's this lengthy defense of Narveson or Carlson, where I to defend a kicker, I'd probably lean more heavily into the marginal difference between Carlson vs McManus and then cite the two SA allegations he's coming back from(Which is why he's a FA in the first place). But again, by the time Carlson missed that last kick, I didn't see anyone still arguing they should keep him and I damn sure didn't see anyone argue they should keep Narveson... Right. And...who said it wasn't justified? Ok. Again, I don't think anyone said he hasn't been more reliable from shorter distances. This is the STRONGEST "kicker defending," I've seen on here were these two comments; and; That's...as close to a "defense," of a kicker as you can get. That an Adambr talking about how College kicking doesn't translate to the NFL...for some reason(which he's right, it doesn't...though you'd think if it did at any position, that'd be the one). If you could show me who was upset about Narveson getting cut, that might help jog my memory a bit. The Carlson thing, that was over in the final preseason game...which I also think Adambr said and whose opnion I think most agreed with; I haven't really seen anyone with a different take here. I did express some skeptiscm regarding one stat I saw about how good McManus had been, the "He is Top 10, historically, hitting from 50 yards and In over the past 15 years. That's in the upper 1/3rd of NFL kickers." -state which I didn't quite understand but all I did was point out Crosby was better from 50+ and Denver is OBVIOUSLY an easier place to kick long FGs as I believe all of the 10 longest kicks were either in Denver or in domes. Still not really a defense of kickers. Actually...I'd argue you were "defending," McManus more than anyone has defended Narveson by putting equal weight into FG and PATs when one is worth 3X the points plus the field position, but maybe you took the extensive and various backgrounds of the top kickers as some sort of defense....I really don't know. I do certainly hope McManus can come in and be better than he was the last couple years so they can turn their attention on more important areas of need like our DL.

I'm not really seeing the wearing down in this graph either. It appears to be a normal variation. Where are the big discrepancies? A couple points better in March and April. July they're roughly the same in '16-'17 as '23-'24 These all seem like pretty standard deviations...and then you come to the playoffs, always a small sample size, but why were catchers worse in '18 and '19? This chart doesn't really point to some larger trend, just normal variation. To the general idea of carrying a 3rd catcher, they did so this year because they wanted to keep Haase. I think reading more into it would be folly. They wanted to keep Sanchez' bat in the lineup for lefties, but also knew they'd need Haase in '25 to bridge the gap to Quero. For the Brewers in particular, it appears Contreras simply had a bad series. He was hitting on a bad leg, he looked nothing like he did even a few weeks earlier or most of the season...which like most good to great players is going to be up and down. That's not a reason to carry just 12 pitchers. Especially in the Brewers situation. If you had 5 pitchers like the...Nats have had in years past, Scherzer, Strausburg, Zimmerman, Annibal Sanchez and Patrick Corbin and Fedde among other starters...AND a terrible pen, sure. That however is not the Brewers, in fact, it's the inverse. They have BP arms falling out of their farm system and popping up from everywhere, probably in large part due to the pitching lab where a guy like Hudson puts up a 1.73 ERA and you don't roster him in the post-season. Or a guy like Mears who has dominant stuff, or Uribe, Yoho, so many arms with such upside....I don't see why you'd go shot on catchers so you could instead roster a 3rd catcher save for the unique situation the Brewers were in this past year. This feels like a reach. I like the articles about Turang's swing, but you're reaching a bit here. There's nothing meaningful in the xOBP from catchers over the season from year to year. So....I don't see a strong case for it, again, unless you are in the unique situation we were in last year, or you have a catcher perhaps like Salvador Perez who's aging and you also have a great young catcher with a big bat and poor defense. I don't see it being some new trend though.

No, not a great result. It was a disaster. I understood at the time why they did it, Ladarius Gunter vs Julio, Dom Caper's played a lot of man, Hayward, Tramon, Hyde had all left, Sam Shields career ended...but damn, it'd be nice to not only have the player, but the Badger. Speaking of the benefit of hindsight, you swap out Gary for Dexter Lawrence and Joe Barry would still have a job. TJ Watt, Lawrence, even Barry wouldn't screw that up. At least Gary's BEEN good most of his career. I think(or hope) he can at least figure it out, but the kicker situation is...really insignificant if the Packers DL can't figure out what the hell the problem is. 4 1st rd picks, three high-paid players...and Karl Brooks and Enagbare are our two best players right now. Clark and Gary need to step up(and Wyatt needs to get healthy).

I don't think I saw anyone defend Narveson... I don't think I saw anyone complain about bringing McManus in as a Football player(as a person...the accusations add a whole other layer). I don't even think I pointed out that for all the complaints about Carlson, he had a worse FG % last year than Anders Carlson as well as for his career. I DID point out that Carlson had to also deal with several very bad holds by a punter in Wheelan whose new to punting and struggled last year as well as some poor snaps. I also pointed out that kicking in Green Bay is harder than most places and kicking in Denver is pretty well known to give kickers a couple extra yards. And among all that, I said Carlson had the job won and he missed another short kick in the pre-season and it was his fault he was gone. Mostly, I just pointed out the unique and seemingly random backgrounds the best kickers in the NFL come from with Aubrey being a 28-year-old rookie, Butker getting cut, Daniel Carlson getting cut, Justin Tucker, maybe the best kicker ever not exactly being a dominant College kicker. This, however, was in response to why it's so hard to find a kicker who makes 85% of their FGs...especially in GB. But again, didn't see anyone defend Narveson. I defended Carlson to a point, but blamed HIM for being cut.

Has a Urias as the centerpiece trade been suggested?

And Aubrey was a 28-year-old "rookie," who was a failed Soccer player who was working as a computer Engineer. I don't know that they should have stuck with Carlson. I thought they should have and then the last kick...well, that's on him, but I think you could make a strong argument. Keep in mind he's kicking in Denver and he was ~55% from his career from 50+. Denver certainly helps add a couple yards to your FG%. Mason Crosby was juust slightly better(and then he gets bonus points for the additional 55 and then 2 53 yard FGs in the final 2 minutes vs Dallas, one of which was negated by a late TO, but still pure). I think of Crosby as good, reliable, good bad-weather kicker...not necessarily a great long-distance kicker. But, he has been good from 40-49. Still...really wish we could have seen Carlson with a better holder for a year, but oh well...

Downstairs in the old Gym that was narrow and about 90 degrees? I spent a lot of time down there in the Summers and Winter Break with Schmitz, Matt Abad, and I forget the other guy(short stocky guy from Baraboo). I wonder what he was doing down there...Billy Kumphrey maybe? Was this the early 90s? Anyway, Lee Kemp is a great man, and one of the best athletes that nobody really knows outside of Wisconsin and even in Wisconsin, he's not well known. The first 4X NC should have been Lee Kemp in the late 70s(instead it was Pat Smith who IIRC did it in the late 80s/early 90s). But Lee Kemp, who only started Wrestling because he didn't make his Basketball team and was 11-8 as a Soph in HS, won 2 State Titles, then went into the Badgers, Wrestled as a True Freshmen and was a "Referee's decision" vs Iowa's Chuck Yagla in the NCAA Finals from winning a Title as a Freshmen. A Referee's decision was the lamest possible way to decide a match. It was just...the 3 refs voting on who should win. 2-1 Yagla despite Kemp having taken all the shots and attacking more(which was mostly the criteria, but in reality, it was based on seniority...Kemp was younger and that's it). He would go on and be 1140-0-1 or something the following 3 years. Had he redshirted(as would have been expected)...again, probably the first 4X undefeated National Champ, not Cael Sanderson. But, that same 18-year-old Lee Kemp that lost as a Freshmen to an Iowa Wrestler ended Dan Gable's career at the Northern Open. Gable, 25, Wrestled in the '72 Olympics and was dominant. He didn't give up a point in the Olympics and won matches like 18-0, 26-0. This was when a Takedown was worth 1 point and you didn't have tech falls. The only Wrestler who was unscored upon in the Olympics at that time. Now you have tech falls, so 10 point lead and it's over. Gable won his World Title, his Olympic and then, stopped. Went into coaching, but he was still the best in the world. You didn't make money Wrestling back then...and while you don't make a ton now, a guy like Jordan Burroughs, he's made millions(like...a good Kicker millions, not a good QB, this is why guys go into the UFC like Bo Nickal). Kemp would win the World Championships in '78, '79 and '81. Something missing in there. The Olympic Title. The US famously boycotted in '80 when he was the overwhelming favorite. Then in '84, the Soviets, the dominant Wrestling powerhouse boycotted and you had like 6 Gold Medalists, a couple silver. It was really watered down. Like MLB if you took all the Latin American's out of the sport. But Kemp was a GREAT dude. I got to know him up at the University of Madison as a young kid. First in different National Tournaments when he'd help "coach" the Wisconsin team and then up at Madison getting ready for Junior Nations, saw him a bit in College. Also would see him later as he was coaching his kid Adam. Saw him a couple years ago at the NCAA Wrestling Championships. I said, "you look like you could still get out there," he looked at me with a smirk and said, "Oh yeah, feel like it," then said, "you don't." LOL... I'm not sure he knows my name without being reminded, he's the type of guy who helps everyone but...he is an incredible man and a personal hero of mind. He really SHOULD have been the first 4X NCAA Champ and if they would have redshirted him, he'd have been the first 4X undefeated NCAA Champ, not Cael Sanderson. Incidentally, there was a kid from Arrowhead last year who lost in the finals, Mitchell Mesenbrink. He was undefeated wrestling in weight with TWO Two-Time Champs(one was another Hartland Arrowhead kid Keegan O'Toole). He lost a 9-8 match that was 8-8 but the other kid had riding time and he didn't realize it. Not a given he'll win 3 titles, but damn near a lock. He was just dominant last year as a Freshmen. Of course, the biggest threat is on his own team. Anyway, I should say SOMETHING about Wisconsin Football in here. On the UW Football Team is Dillan Johnson, an absolute TANK of a human being. Wisconsin Prep Wrestling has arguably been the best in the Country for the past 3-5 years and they've had several kids win U-17, U-20, or U-23 World Titles.

I'm not sure they'll have a roster spot left once they bring his Kentucky Derby buddy out of retirement! Randall, suit up, Rodgers is re-booting the New York Packers! It's funny to me that there are so many people who DON'T think Rodgers is the one who's pulling the strings. If Brett Goode ends up in NY as their Long Snapper...just fire Joe Douglas!

Ok, after the incredibly long posts that basically just say...Packers would be really good if they traded a lot for Maxx Crosby or Myles Garrett, a more realistic trade if the Packers feel like Quay and Cooper are better as a Sam and a Will, Devin Lloyd makes sense. Jax has young LBers who may be as good as Lloyd(if nothing else, they're younger and the 1-5 Jaguars get more draft picks; Cooper looks like a star just playing free and attacking. A lot has been asked of Quay but they can go play more aggressive and free and Lloyd can take on the blocks and play in the middle. Maybe we find that Quay or Cooper can become edge rushers on 3rd down? https://www.pff.com/nfl/players/devin-lloyd/58238?season=2023 https://www.si.com/nfl/jaguars/news/5-jaguars-who-could-land-on-the-trade-block-01ja47x7hk77

They're rare and...I'll just preface this by saying that I think Dexter Lawrence is off the table. The Giants are really building something special with their defensive front and it's all built off him...but I never really thought he was going to be traded, that was more a hypothetical. The other two teams are 1-5 though...so there's a chance they could be traded. Maxx Crosby and Myles Garrett are a little more likely to be traded. The Raiders are waiving the white flag and the Browns are in one of the worst positions I've ever seen a franchise in. What they need to do is strip that roster for parts...and they could stack up 4-5 1st/2nd rd picks for guys like Garrett, Ward, Newsome, Wills, Teller. They're 1-5 and they're stuck with Watson, a terrible signing/trade for multiple reasons, right now just on the Football side, they were competitive with Baker and they threw that away for a dirt bag. Garrett is 29 years old, they have ~45M in cap space, they could clear his salary, do the same with Ward a couple others, sit one more year with Watson on the bench and then eat that massive cap hit after next year and try and start over with a younger core. Crosby is in a similar situation. He's expressed a desire to play for the Lions and...that really makes all the sense in the world right now. They have a lot of cap space, they replace Hutchinson this year and then when Hutch is back next year, they have one of the best edge rushing combos in NFL history. This trades happen...on occasion. Jalen Ramsey, Bradley Chubb, not quite as good. Brian Burns, the Panthers turned down two 1sts for him and then ended up getting less a year later. But I think there's about a 40% chance Crosby is traded, 20% chance Garrett is traded. I'm asking if you think the Packers should make a move for a player of THAT caliber. They could reunite with former Packer Za'Darius Smith. That'd be a temporary fix and doesn't really move the needle much. He's also not as good vs the run as either Crosby or Garrett(certainly not on the level of Lawrence). The prospect of getting a guy back who's better than Gary has ever been...and there are very few DL, interior or edge rushers who can say that and throwing them into this DL, I think that could change the face of this franchise. I think the offense is just going to keep getting better. Get Love in a grove(which he's been in). The OL is getting better and with Morgan, they'll continue to do so. Jacobs and Wilson have been great for those body shots. And we've still not come CLOSE to playing a clean game. Wicks drops, Musgrave has been banged up(and I still fully believe he will team with Kraft to be a great 1-2 punch at TE). The defense has played pretty well. The secondary has been outstanding. Getting Jaire and Valentine regularly is huge. The LBer play has been up and down, but you see what Cooper could do. But adding a DL like this is ALMOST like adding a Reggie type player. They are game wreckers and they're not that expensive cap wise. I see this team as a Super Bowl team and while those trades are rare, they happen. I think this team is really just a really good defensive front from being a SB contender and you'd get these guys for 3 years of their prime. That's worth the risk. Yeah, a little bit, but the need and draft spots haven't really lined up all that often. Chenal has been a guy I've been banging the drum for since he was at UW. He'd did have the best run stuff grade by PFF of any LB they'd EVER scouted behind only...Micah Parsons. He was a freak athlete. I think he'd be perfect at MLB for us with Quay and Cooper flanking him, but what would we have to give up? A guy like Doubs and a late rd pick? I think the Wisconsin thing is a little played up. I can't really think of too many guys who were on the board when we were picking I was banging the drum for. I was excited at the prospect of TJ Watt, but I did a poll on here the day after, did the Packers make the right move taking Kevin King(I think people forget what he looked like as a prospect. 6'2 and had insane testing and was physical at Washington) and getting the extra 4th to move back a few spots and still get the CB they NEEDED after lining Gunter up against Julio in the playoffs. I can't think of other guys who were there who were good fits. Taylor, great back, but we would have had to use a Rd 1 on him. Frederick, shocked me, but I don't think he'd have been a good Zone Blocking Center(perhaps a great Guard). Benton in the 3rd is a nice player, but a little early. It just hasn't lined up well on most cases(I'm very likely missing some good examples, but I feel like this is overblown, but I'm open to changing my mind there). Even Chenal, I was hoping we'd take him with a 2nd, but then you traded both for Watson and you took Quay and Wyatt. The one time you really passed on him was to take Rhyan, but you were in a 3-4 and had Quay and Campbell coming off an AP year. Then took Doubs, Tom. In hindsight, Chenal would have been ideal. Very possible if we don't take Quay early, we pick up Chenal...the only caveat being Leo isn't great in coverage. He could be a great fit right now on this Packers team. He can rush on 3rd down, he's got sideline to sideline speed and can block and shed really well(reminds me of Clay as a MLB but an even better LB, but very instinctive). I think is you really upgrade the DL with one of the players mentioned(Crosby or Garrett), you take a HUGE step in solving the LB issue, but, what the hell, we're so close IMO, we ruin the draft for Packers fans, trade 2 1sts for Maxx Crosby(and break Lions fans hearts and keep Hutch and Crosby from teaming up) and then we offer Doubs and a 5th Chenal and we're good. New starting Defense Maxx/Clark/Wyatt/Gary Quay Chenel Cooper . Jaire Bullard Stokes Xavier That's...a DOMINANT defense. Even if you don't get Chenal, you open up that DL, you give Gary one on one's. That SHOULD be the best DL in the NFL(though to be fair, it should be a top 5-8 DL). And you have LVN, Enagbare, Slaton, Brooks, Wooden, Smith rotating in. You have Valentine, Nixon, Ballentine, Evan Williams and all types of looks you can give. I think that trade or trades make the Packers the most talented/best team in the league. Crosby brings an attitude with him that players just feed off of and Garrett is so cheap cap wise and so dominant...again, probably won't happen, but we know how much emphasis Gute puts on Edge rushers, I have no doubt he'd be willing to trade two first to guarantee an All-Pro. Again, it's incredibly unlikely to happen(Chenal may be more unlikely than Crosby as he's a key piece of the KC defense is now...and they have some reason to believe they've got a shot at the SB this year😉) but if you really need a Mike Backer, Devin Lloyd from Jax could be another option. Another 1-5 team...that's a 3rd player who can drop in coverage and rush the passer. That could be an even better fit. I think Detroit is almost certainly going to offer more. They're as close as they've been and Crosby coming back to Michigan is too good of a story and a fit and I suspect Cleveland will hold on to Garrett in the belief that they can just tweak this roster and Watson will figure it out eventually and they also don't have much choice. They could trade Garrett, get under the cap and then eat the ~100M cap hit after 2025, but...that's punting on a couple of seasons. But it would make the most sense and they also deserve it. It's an aggressive idea and I think Gute will make a legitimate effort to make a move, especially if the DL continues to struggle...

I missed this one, but now that I was going to add the POSSIBILITY of Myles Garrett and Maxx Crosby being traded or talked about being traded, I've seen it. First, ANY time someone like Dexter Lawrence is available, I think you look at where your team is and consider it. He's the type of guy who's so dominant(maybe the most dominant interior defensive linemen in in the last 40 years outside of Aaron Donald vs the pass and he could be just as good when considering his all-around performance). If you get a guy who requires 2 men on every single pass play, now Clark, Gary, Wyatt, Smith, whoever else is out there is getting one on one's. The difference between adding the BEST MLB doesn't even come close to the impact of adding a guy like Dexter Lawrence. You can absolutely dominant the defensive line with a player THAT good. Onto Maxx Crosby or Myles Garrett...I think it's a tough call. I think it's still two 1sts. I don't think that's THAT big of a deal since Garrett would cost the Packers the minimum this year and the next two years after this one. So his cap hit would end up being under 5M total. That's the upside of trading for a player after a team has already signed him and handed out that big bonus and restructured. Maxx Crosby is more expensive. He's also 27 years old whereas Garrett is 29 and Haasan Reddick who has been rumored is 30 years old, but Crosby is due something like 22M, 24M, and 18M. These are guys who are playing a 4-3, they're both dominant vs the pass. Crosby plays nearly every snap(as does Garrett). They can kick inside and they're good vs the run. I think all three of these would be the biggest impact players since Reggie White.

True, but even the two guys we're talking about, I believe they've collectively hit 1 FG outside a dome and that was in GB. But, sure, they've been very good. Reichard(SP) the kicker from 'Bama set records at 'Bama, Bates has bounced around for a while and the Packers did try and sign him...he just chose Detroit...and Detroit was looking for another kicker as he struggled badly in training camp and the preseason. He likely doesn't make the team if they're like the Titans and have a veteran on the roster. The only point I'm making is there's a suggestion that it should be easy to find a kicker who makes 85%(which you're not making) or even that you can look at how they did in College and that translates...but it really doesn't. I still believe the best choice would have been to stick with Carlson, work with him and Wheelan on his holding and we'd have figured it out like Crosby did when he had that brutal year that started with the 3 late missed FGs vs the Bengals(whose kicker incidentally was Evan McPherson, a very good NFL kicker himself now). It's just so hit and miss. Sometimes your patience pays off as it did with Crosby, sometimes your impatience kills you as it did with Anders brother Daniel and the Vikings.