Matt Breen

So, the latest buzz is that Jets owner Woody Johnson is the main person holding up the Rodgers. The clubs - reportedly - had agreed to compensation before the Packers gave the Jets permission to chat. The problem that arose was that Rodgers came out saying 'I was 90% retired' before his isolation retreat thingee. That made Woody Johnson freak out, because he's concerned Rodgers is one-and-done. And thus he wanted to back off the deal that had been agreed upon. The deal the Packers supposedly agreed to was a 2nd in 2023, and a 1st in 2024. But now the Jets don't want give up the 1st round pick next year. And the Packers aren't budging on the matter. Thus the standoff. I don't know how much of this is true - just paraphrasing various things I've read the past day or so.

It is odd. A while ago he was the top WR. The stuff on Johnston is - I think - that he he still needs some work. Just a lot of areas he can improve (which - you might argue - is a good thing). Great athlete, but has been dinged by injuries, had his share of drops, not the most polished route runner - stuff like that. Really intriguing player because he's probably the guy who has the potential to be a monster if he puts it all together.

Thank you.

JSN looks like he’ll be the first receiver off the board. I agree with others - I doubt he drops to us. He seems like a guy who is going to catch a 100 passes every year.

We always love a story about a guy with limited skills who not only reaches the biggest stage of his profession - but also thrives on it. Former Brewers 3B Casey McGehee is one of those stories. Image courtesy of Brewer Fanatic Casey McGehee was a guy with limited athleticism (compared to his peers) and no tool that he could ride to success. He was a waiver wire pickup - almost an afterthought - who went on to play eight years in the majors and several more in Japan. He was born in Santa Cruz, California, on Oct. 12, 1982. He attended Fresno State and was drafted in the 10th round of the 2003 MLB draft by the Chicago Cubs. The right-handed hitting McGehee was not a top prospect. He hit for a decent average and had a solid arm but lacked power, was slow, and was limited defensively. McGehee played mostly 3B, but the Cubs did give him a shot at catcher - without much success. He was classic organizational fodder. By 2008, McGehee had reached AAA and even got a September callup with the Cubbies. But Chicago didn’t see a place for him. Aramis Ramirez was entrenched at 3B, and McGehee didn’t offer defensive versatility. Thus, he was waived after the season - and claimed by the Brewers. The move to Milwaukee was a career changer for McGehee. He made the club out of spring training as a reserve infielder but soon saw more action due to injuries. By June, he played regularly - moving between third and second bases. And not just playing but playing well. For the 2009 season, McGehee hit a robust .301 and surprised everyone by socking 16 home runs in only 355 at-bats. He had never hit more than a dozen home runs in the minors. For his performance, McGehee was fifth in voting for the NL Rookie of the Year. Going forward, the third base job was his. In the 2010 season, he was proved to be the high water mark for Casey McGehee. He played in 157 games, blasted 23 HR, drove in 104 runs, hit a solid .285, and was voted the team’s most valuable player. The 2011 season saw the Brewers capture the NL Central crown, but it was a disappointing year for McGehee. His batting average (.223) and power (13 HR) cratered. Plus, he struggled defensively, leading NL third basemen in errors. The Brewer infield defense that season - featuring McGehee, Yuniesky Betancourt, Prince Fielder, and Rickie Weeks - was brutal. Looking to replace the recently departed big bat of Prince Fielder, the Brewers signed FA 3B Aramis Ramirez from the Cubs. Without a position, the Crew sent McGehee to the Pirates for reliever Jose Veras. The next few years were a roller coaster for MeGhee. He struggled in 2012 and then went to Japan in 2013 to reestablish his value - hitting .292 with 28 HR. The Marlins brought him back to the States the following year, and he was their regular 3B - hitting .287 - but with only four home runs. His successful season led to a trade to the Giants, but the magic was gone. McGehee was bad, which led to a midseason release. He hooked back up with Miami later that year and then took a minor league deal with the Tigers in 2016 - leading to a short but dreadful stint in Detroit. After that, there were two good seasons in Japan - and then retirement. In 2022, McGehee was named head coach of Union University, a private Baptist Christian college in Jackson, Tennessee. Casey McGehee had a short - only three years - but memorable stint with the Brewers. He was one of those guys who had AAAA player written all over him when Milwaukee claimed him off waivers from the Cubs. But when he got the chance to play - he seized the opportunity - and ended up having some really good years at a time when we needed someone at 3B. In three years in Milwaukee, he hit .267 with 52 HR. He always played hard - and the fans appreciated his efforts - even as his bat faltered. Unfortunately, McGehee’s lack of athleticism caught up to him as he got a bit older - something not uncommon for players of his caliber. To his credit, when he faltered, he never stopped trying to adjust to the game. This led to several additional seasons in the Big Leagues, plus some success in Japan. Some highlights of McGehee’s Brewer career include hitting .301 as a rookie, driving in 104 runs in 2010, and a four-hit game that same year. Please share your memories of former Brewer 3B Casey McGehee. View full article

Three weeks away from the draft, here's my prediction for the Packers first three rounds. This is assuming the Packers get the Jets #2 pick (either #42 or #43). Important: this is who I think the club will pick - not necessarily who I believe we should pick. 1 (15) - S Brian Branch, Alabama. Would step right in at safety, which is a massive hole right now. That the club hasn't added anyone only reinforces this pick. Also, there is no other safety in the draft who is as solid and dynamic than Branch. If OL Peter Skoronski or WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba is available at this spot, I'd be sorely tempted to take them as well. But I think both will be gone. 2 (42/43) - TE Darnell Washington, Georgia or TE Luke Musgrave, Oregon St. Either player would fill a huge hole in the roster from day one. I think Musgrave is the likely selection as Washington will probably be gone (as will the other top TEs, Michael Mayer and Dalton Kincaid). 2 (44) - Edge Will McDonald IV - Iowa State. Not big, but he has the potential to be an elite pass rusher - which the team can always use. 3 (78) - WR Rashee Rice or WR Jayden Reed, Michigan State or WR Marvin Mims, Oklahoma. There's some quality WRs that should be available at this point in the draft. Each of these guys offers solid value and fills a need. This is all good fun. I'm filling a lot of 'needs' with this draft, but if an exceptional talent is available at other positions, then all bets are off.

I get the feeling the Ravens are in the same boat with Jackson as we are with Rodgers. They are just tired of it all and want to move on. I read some stuff that the Ravens were miffed that Jackson never came back at the end of last year. Maybe I'm wrong. I just get a vibe that these two might need to break up. So like someone said, maybe they'll take a couple of first rounders and be done. Of course, that sort of screws 2023 - but I'm sure they are thinking it's for the best in the long term.

Closure such as this…

Draft is a few weeks away. At this point, I'm thinking we will have one of the #2 picks of the Jets. Which is great. That gives us #15, #42 or 43 (depending on which #2 we get from the Jets), and #45. That's three pretty sweet picks. The Packers could go a lot of ways - I think WR, TE, Edge, and Safety are premium needs - but if an OL or DT they loved dropped - they could do that. I guess it all depends on who is available. The good part is that I think we can nab a quality person at each of these spots to fill an immediate need. We are not going to fill every need - but we can at least get a few positions covered. Should be fun. Just need to wrap up the Rodgers trade.

Brockington had a few really good years, but was just really mediocre (and bad) after his first three years. And the quarterback play in his time was just atrocious. Guys like Scott Hunter, Jerry Tagge, and aging John Hadl - just brutal.

Yep. Don't push too much pain into the future. Just suck it up for a year while Love is still getting his footing.

The 3rd round failures for Gute are just weird. 2022: Sean Rhyan - PED 2021: Amari Rodgers - Cut 2020: Josiah Deguara - meh 2019: Jace Sternberger - Cut 2018: Oren Burks - let go as a FA That's pretty bad. I guess Rhyan could pan out - so there's time there. Deguara is still around - but hasn't look like anything special. I know he's had some injuries. After 4-5 years, roughly 1/3 of all 3rd round picks have not been a starter at least one year in the league. And while there's not a ton of pro bowl types (I counted six from amongst the 3rd rounds in 2018/19), teams should be getting some players that contribute on a regular basis. Oh well - maybe this year!

When I see 'conditional' pieces, I think of something like we get a 3rd round pick from the Jets in 2024, which becomes a 2nd if the team makes the playoffs. Or becomes a 1st if they reach the Super Bowl. That sort of thing. You could also do the same thing regarding Rodgers playing to a pick - probably in 2025. That could be as simple as if Rodgers in on the Jets roster opening day 2024, the Packers get a (insert pick). I doubt they'd set up something where the packers had to send something back. But who knows. I guess it wouldn't be that hard to set up. Jets get the Packers (insert pick #) in 2025 if Rodgers doesn't play in 2024. A lot probably just depends on the rest of the trade package.

I don't know of any specific 'rumor' about the Jets willing to part with both #2s. Just a desire on my part. And sure - you can add more to make it more inline with value. Whatever works. I'm just not sure what the ultimate value will be that we acquire.

Speculation is that the Jets really want one of the big offensive linemen (especially a tackle) in the draft - someone they can plug in from day one as a starter. Their line struggled last year - and they don't want to go and get Rodgers and have him killed by bad OL play. So I get why they want to keep the #1 pick. Personally, I'm okay with that (although I'd love to get it). I'd then really try and get the two seconds - #42 and #43. That would give us three picks in a four pick spread. I think there's a lot of value there. I also thinks there's a lot of value in the lower third of the first round. So it gives you ammunition to move up if someone you really like falls. The two #2s, plus a conditional pick in 2024, would be pretty good.

Sometimes a player just looks like a Milwaukee Brewer. Mike Fetters was one of those guys. Image courtesy of Brewer Fanatic Mike Fetters was a stocky player with a goatee and mullet. He had some pitching quirks, including a narrow-eyed scowl. It all gave him the appearance of a bulldog - which was not an inaccurate description of Fetters - one of the best relievers for the franchise in the 1990s. Mike Fetters was born in 1964 in Van Nuys, California, but grew up in Hawaii. He attended Pepperdine University and was drafted by the California Angels in the 1st round (27th overall) of the 1986 draft. A big, right-handed pitcher, Fetters moved steadily through the minors as a starter. He displayed good strikeout rates, but he also walked too many batters. He got a one-game call to the majors in 1989, then spent most of 1990 and 1991 with the Angels, who used him primarily as a reliever. The results were mixed. Then, in December of 1991, the Angels traded Fetters and minor leaguer Glenn Carter to the Brewers for workhorse reliever Chuck Crim. The 27-year-old Fetters was moved to the bullpen full-time by Milwaukee and proceeded to have his finest season, throwing 62.2 innings with a 1.87 ERA. Two years later, Fetters was given the closer’s job and saved 17, 22, and 32 games between 1994 and 1996. Fetters landed on the DL early in 1997 and surrendered the closer’s role to Doug Jones that season. During the 1993-97 seasons, Fetters was a good, not a great, player. He walked a few too many batters and gave up a few too many hits. But still, he was a quality contributor to the team from the bullpen. After the 1997 season, the Brewers dealt Fetters Ben McDonald and Ron Villone to the Cleveland Indians for Marquis Grissom and Jeff Juden. The reason for the trade was that Fetters was due nearly $2.5M the next season, and with Doug Jones occupying the closer’s role, that was a bit expensive for the front office. Fetters’ 6-year stint with Milwaukee was - without question - the highlight of his career. Once out of Milwaukee, he bounced around the league for seven more years, playing for seven different teams. He had Tommy John surgery in 2003 and retired before the 2005 season. He was 39 years old. During his time in Milwaukee, Mike Fetters was a good reliever. He produced a 2.99 ERA over six years and tossed 334 innings. He walked 152 batters and struck out 245. His 79 career saves ranks sixth all-time for the Brewers, and his 32 saves in 1996 was a team record (it has been broken many times since). For his career, Fetters played in 16 different seasons for eight different teams. He appeared in 620 games, had 100 saves, won 31 games, lost 41, and had an ERA of 3.58. He never made an all-star game during his career. After his playing days, Fetters worked in radio and TV for the Arizona Diamondbacks and moved into coaching. He is currently the Diamondbacks bullpen coach. On the mound, Fetters was known for his head movement. Before pitching, he took a deep breath and quickly moved his head 90 degrees to the left. He claimed he did this because of the stress of pitching. He was also known for having a good sense of humor, making him popular with his teammates and the media. Please share your memories of former Brewer reliever Mike Fetters. View full article

I'm thinking we can still get something decent for Rodgers. A future #2 seems light. Maybe I'm wrong. If we can't get a #1 this year, then how about: 2023 2nd Round Pick 2023 3rd Round Pick WR Elijah Moore (I've said that I think he'd be a good addition. Jets were reportedly down a bit on him last year - and he requested a trade). 2024 3rd round pick (becomes a 2nd if the Jets make the playoffs next year) 2025 4th round pick (becomes a 3rd if Rodgers plays in 2024) Just an idea. I'm not a fan of adding WR Corey Davis due to his $10m+ salary. With Lazard joining the team, he seems redundant (and expensive). There's a chance he be cut at that price.

Packers supposedly holding out for a #1 pick from the Jets (and then some). https://www.profootballrumors.com/2023/03/packers-still-eyeing-first-round-pick-from-jets-for-aaron-rodgers

I think that last year the club didn't think Love was ready to take over. And let's face it - Rodgers was coming off two consecutive MVP seasons. You've got a Super Bowl in your sights. You don't mess with that if don't have to. Obviously it didn't work out - but stuff like that happens. You take your shots when you can.

It looks like an Aaron Rodgers bobblehead is flying that thing. I think I could do a better photoshop job. Although maybe they wanted it to look wonky.

In the end, I really don't care much about how all of this transpired (I care - just not that much). I just want my team - the Packers - to get something decent back in compensation from the Jets. I have no problem saying 'thanks' to Rodgers, and good luck (except for when you face Green Bay). He did a lot for the franchise, and I appreciate that. Now I want to get the team set up so we can go forward with Love (and hugs and kisses). So I'm excited for the draft.

I'll just be glad when everything is ironed out and we can move on. Personally, I get the feeling the club wanted to move from Rodgers. Maybe not right after the season - but at some point since then they came to that conclusion. Whatever. Because neither party seems to have the ability to communicate properly, now we have to endure a million stories about 'he said this' and 'they said that' and so forth and so on. It'll probably make both sides seem like idiots who refuse to just sit down and talk. I hope we can have a great 15 year run now of Jordan Love (and least one Super Bowl).

I believe we got a 5th for MVS, so that seems pretty comparable.