Time for the Offseason

[GiantsPackersChamps2011]

Welp, defense was better than I expected especially with Neal and Shields going down, just wasn't enough to get the W.


Now the offseason has arrived. Key players who will be free agents.


James Jones, Ryan Pickett, BJ Raji, John Kuhn, Jermichael Finley, Sam Shields, John Kuhn, Andrew Quarless, Marshall Newhouse, Johnny Jolly, James Starks, Mike Neal



Who do you bring back?

Tramon Williams is due 7M next season. If he isn't willing to restructure, do you keep him?

Packers will have 21st pick. Who would you like to see at 21?

 

[packfancjh]

I'd offer Jones, pickett, kuhn, jolly, starks, neal and quarless cap friendly contracts. Shields I'd make a run for. Finley is a curveball. Depends on his health. The draft I'm not sure on at this point. O line, safety, lb, and te are needs at this point

 

[alldaybaby55]

I think Kuhn comes back. Won't break the bank, and he can do so much positive stuff for this time. I think he had an excellent year. I'd like to see Shields, Quarless, Starks, Jolly, and Neal back as well. With the exception of possibly Shields, none of them will be big money guys. I'd like to bring James Jones back, but I have a feeling he's low on the teams' priority list, especially with the emergence of Boykin. On a personal note, I'm pulling for Pickett to come back too. I think he's still got some left in him, but probably more as a rotational guy.

I think Finley is gone, though I can't see there being a big market for him, coming off the injury and all. I think Raji is also gone..I like him & I think he can do some good things, but he seems to be too damn inconsistent. But if he does leave, I think finding another big body becomes priority #2...right behind finding a safety.

Ha-Ha Clinton Dix looks like the best safety in the draft at this point, though the very little I've read about him says hes' not a real good tackler, and we already have a lot of those players. But he might be the playmaker we need. It's really early on though, and I'm sure my opinion on the guy will change about a million times.

I think the o-line, while we can always get better, is less of a priority than people make it sound. I've always been of the belief that they've been decent run blockers, but now we finally have a back that will hit the bloody holes, small as they may be. The pass protection numbers were better than they have been. Get Bulaga back at RT, get Barclay as your swing guy where he belongs, and Sherrod and Tretter as your other backups, that's not a bad group...though I would not be against adding more depth to challenge Sherrod and Tretter, as they're pretty unproven.

 

[GiantsPackersChamps2011]

I think Kuhn comes back. Won't break the bank, and he can do so much positive stuff for this time. I think he had an excellent year. I'd like to see Shields, Quarless, Starks, Jolly, and Neal back as well. With the exception of possibly Shields, none of them will be big money guys. I'd like to bring James Jones back, but I have a feeling he's low on the teams' priority list, especially with the emergence of Boykin. On a personal note, I'm pulling for Pickett to come back too. I think he's still got some left in him, but probably more as a rotational guy.

I think Finley is gone, though I can't see there being a big market for him, coming off the injury and all. I think Raji is also gone..I like him & I think he can do some good things, but he seems to be too damn inconsistent. But if he does leave, I think finding another big body becomes priority #2...right behind finding a safety.

Ha-Ha Clinton Dix looks like the best safety in the draft at this point, though the very little I've read about him says hes' not a real good tackler, and we already have a lot of those players. But he might be the playmaker we need. It's really early on though, and I'm sure my opinion on the guy will change about a million times.

I think the o-line, while we can always get better, is less of a priority than people make it sound. I've always been of the belief that they've been decent run blockers, but now we finally have a back that will hit the bloody holes, small as they may be. The pass protection numbers were better than they have been. Get Bulaga back at RT, get Barclay as your swing guy where he belongs, and Sherrod and Tretter as your other backups, that's not a bad group...though I would not be against adding more depth to challenge Sherrod and Tretter, as they're pretty unproven.

You pretty much saved me some time on typing haha. Definitely agree with a lot of this. Have talked to a few people who suggested Sherrod at LT, Bulaga at RT and Bakhtiari at C (battles it out with Tretter in TC)

I love HHCD. Think he plays the run well and good in coverage. Doesn't make a lot of INT's but breaks up plenty of passes and has improved his technique/angles this year with tackling

 

[Mondio]

Welp, defense was better than I expected especially with Neal and Shields going down, just wasn't enough to get the W.


Now the offseason has arrived. Key players who will be free agents.


James Jones, Ryan Pickett, BJ Raji, John Kuhn, Jermichael Finley, Sam Shields, John Kuhn, Andrew Quarless, Marshall Newhouse, Johnny Jolly, James Starks, Mike Neal



Who do you bring back?

Tramon Williams is due 7M next season. If he isn't willing to restructure, do you keep him?

Packers will have 21st pick. Who would you like to see at 21?

I'd love for Jones to come back, he's a good guy and good player, but they do seem to have an emerging guy in Boykin. He's a little further along in his career, so maybe teams wont' be looking to throw big money at him and he'll get a decent contract back here?

Pickett? I like him, but vet minimum only please. Raji?? Good God, I can't even talk about this guy after this year. IF this was his production in a contract year, what can we expect later? I think the offer they have to him right now needs to be taken back and have about 5 mil a year taken off the table. Then they can talk. Otherwise, let him walk. He hasn't been noteworthy since his rookie year.

I'd like to see Kuhn back and he seems to be a guy that isn't looking to leave and the Pack probably aren't in a hurry to show him the door. Finley is gone I think, unless it's another 1 year contract, but not at a franchise number.

He may find that with his injury a lot of teams aren't willing to take the chance of a large contract and would like to see him prove his health first. This isn't a knee surgery he's coming off of. The Packers and him might find some mutual benefit from a 1 year contract and let him give the team his best, and he shows the rest of the league he's healed and gets a monster contract from someone else next after that.

I think they need to try and keep Shields, but we'll see what the extent of his injury was from last night. I think Williams played very well this year. I know he was the whipping boy for a lot of fans, but if you look around the league, he's still in the top third and I'll take that on my team. I think our biggest problems are D line, linebackers were extremely injured so hard to judge, and Safety. We need at least one safety if not 2. I am extremely disappointed in the money we gave to #42 and his production. Was it because he was always trying to cover up for the other guy next to him? or did they over value his worth? After this season I wouldn't be upset to see Burnett replaced either, but first they gotta get someone solid next to him.

I think Starks, neal, quarless and Jolly will be signed to decent vet contracts, nothing too big they'll hurt the team any more than any other signing would do. I just don't think any of them will command much on the open market.

Newhouse can go too. I never want to see him on our offensive line again, if he is, we're in big trouble anyway.

 

[Trudem]

Williams was awful until about 5 weeks ago. He seemed to flip the proverbial switch if you will. He gambles too much on the big play INT. If he would just cover and knock the ball away he would be so much better. Shields was by FAR our best DB this year and his gamble on the one year contract paid off so he made himself alot of money this year.

I heard that Raji turned down an offer for 8mill.year because he wants to play on a defense that allows him more freedom to rush the passes so he might be gone.

Offseason priorities:
1. Safety
2. NT - if Raji is gone
3. OLB because you can never have enough in a 3-4 defense
4.With Jones possibly gone a young WR
5. OLB because we need more healthy bodies
6. Young TE unless they feel Stoneburner is the guy.

 

[Trudem]

I'd love for Jones to come back, he's a good guy and good player, but they do seem to have an emerging guy in Boykin. He's a little further along in his career, so maybe teams wont' be looking to throw big money at him and he'll get a decent contract back here?

Pickett? I like him, but vet minimum only please. Raji?? Good God, I can't even talk about this guy after this year. IF this was his production in a contract year, what can we expect later? I think the offer they have to him right now needs to be taken back and have about 5 mil a year taken off the table. Then they can talk. Otherwise, let him walk. He hasn't been noteworthy since his rookie year.

I'd like to see Kuhn back and he seems to be a guy that isn't looking to leave and the Pack probably aren't in a hurry to show him the door. Finley is gone I think, unless it's another 1 year contract, but not at a franchise number.

He may find that with his injury a lot of teams aren't willing to take the chance of a large contract and would like to see him prove his health first. This isn't a knee surgery he's coming off of. The Packers and him might find some mutual benefit from a 1 year contract and let him give the team his best, and he shows the rest of the league he's healed and gets a monster contract from someone else next after that.

I think they need to try and keep Shields, but we'll see what the extent of his injury was from last night. I think Williams played very well this year. I know he was the whipping boy for a lot of fans, but if you look around the league, he's still in the top third and I'll take that on my team. I think our biggest problems are D line, linebackers were extremely injured so hard to judge, and Safety. We need at least one safety if not 2. I am extremely disappointed in the money we gave to #42 and his production. Was it because he was always trying to cover up for the other guy next to him? or did they over value his worth? After this season I wouldn't be upset to see Burnett replaced either, but first they gotta get someone solid next to him.

I think Starks, neal, quarless and Jolly will be signed to decent vet contracts, nothing too big they'll hurt the team any more than any other signing would do. I just don't think any of them will command much on the open market.

Newhouse can go too. I never want to see him on our offensive line again, if he is, we're in big trouble anyway.

Normally I would agree about Newhouse but I can honestly say when he had to play last night I didnt think our OL looked much worse than it did the rest of the game.

 

[Mondio]

Normally I would agree about Newhouse but I can honestly say when he had to play last night I didnt think our OL looked much worse than it did the rest of the game.

I'd agree, but then I don't think our oline was doing anything to write home about. They were adequate at times, horrible at others. I'd like to see that improve, by a lot

 

[LoftonPack80]

Complete Free Agent List:

TE Jermichael Finley - I don't see how he plays again. If he does it won't be here, not with our history of dealing with these things.
DL Ryan Pickett - Nope. Not at his age not even for a year.
DL BJ Raji - depends on the market. No way do we break the bank for this guy and the way it sounds, he should have taken our initial offer last offseason.
WR James Jones - depends on the market. I like James, but we have to think about Jordy and Randall coming up the next couple seasons. If we can get him on the cheap for a 2 or 3 year deal yes.
FB John Kuhn - He will be back and probably cheaper
CB Sam Shields - was our best DB the last couple years. Yes
C Evan Dietrich Smith - unless they have a replacement somewhere then yes.
QB Seneca Wallace - Thanks for nothing. Bye
ILB Robert Francois - He still here? Bye.
DL Johnny Jolly - depends on the injury. He seemed to fade down the stretch not surprising, but I would take him back on a 1 year on the cheap as long as he is healthy
OL Marshall Newhouse - No brainer. If he is on the roster next year then we have bigger issues than I imagined.
TE Andrew Quarles - Tough call I could go either way on him
RB James Starks - I can't imagine he would be offered more and get a bigger role anywhere else. He is right where he should be, a nice change of pace guy who doesn't have to carry the load.
DL CJ Wilson - I have had it with this guy. Bye.
QB Matt Flynn -yes and we won't have to give him millions this time
RB Kahlil Bell - Does anhybody really care?

Jamari Lattimore and MD Jennings are both restricted FA's and as far as I am concerned can both walk.
Chris Banjo is an exclusive rights FA and I would like to see him in camp for competition and ST purposes.

 

[alldaybaby55]

Complete Free Agent List:

TE Jermichael Finley - I don't see how he plays again. If he does it won't be here, not with our history of dealing with these things.
DL Ryan Pickett - Nope. Not at his age not even for a year.
DL BJ Raji - depends on the market. No way do we break the bank for this guy and the way it sounds, he should have taken our initial offer last offseason.
WR James Jones - depends on the market. I like James, but we have to think about Jordy and Randall coming up the next couple seasons. If we can get him on the cheap for a 2 or 3 year deal yes.
FB John Kuhn - He will be back and probably cheaper
CB Sam Shields - was our best DB the last couple years. Yes
C Evan Dietrich Smith - unless they have a replacement somewhere then yes.
QB Seneca Wallace - Thanks for nothing. Bye
ILB Robert Francois - He still here? Bye.
DL Johnny Jolly - depends on the injury. He seemed to fade down the stretch not surprising, but I would take him back on a 1 year on the cheap as long as he is healthy
OL Marshall Newhouse - No brainer. If he is on the roster next year then we have bigger issues than I imagined.
TE Andrew Quarles - Tough call I could go either way on him
RB James Starks - I can't imagine he would be offered more and get a bigger role anywhere else. He is right where he should be, a nice change of pace guy who doesn't have to carry the load.
DL CJ Wilson - I have had it with this guy. Bye.
QB Matt Flynn -yes and we won't have to give him millions this time
RB Kahlil Bell - Does anhybody really care?

Jamari Lattimore and MD Jennings are both restricted FA's and as far as I am concerned can both walk.
Chris Banjo is an exclusive rights FA and I would like to see him in camp for competition and ST purposes.

I don't get where the Francois negativity comes from. He's done some good things when he's been in there. He's an RFA who won't get a lot of attention...we can tender him low and give him one more year. I'd be surprised if he's not back.

I think Quarless is back. If he's not, we have a HUGE hole at TE, since you've also got Finley leaving. Quarless isn't a star by any means, but he played well enough to get a decent contract to stay here.

 

[LoftonPack80]

The more I think about that the more that sounds right. I am not sold on Stoneburner and Quarles and Bostick would be a nice combo

 

[wiskyisgood12]

I believe the Packers offered Raji 8 or 9 million a year, and he turned it down. There's no way the Packers can offer him any more than that. They have to let him go. If the Packers plan is to let Raji go then signing Johnny Jolly is incredibly vital. I'd probably also pass on Ryan Pickett

Sam Shields has to come back, in my opinion. And have to restructure Tramon's deal, he isn't a 7 million a year guy.

If Marshall Newhouse puts on a Packers uniform next year I may curl up in a ball and cry. He's not an NFL offensive linemen. Evan Dietrich-Smith is a yes, unless they have another option at center

I think Jarrett Boykin may make James Jones somewhat dispensable.

John Kuhn is back next year, won't cost much money at all.

I don't think Finley is back, seems like an on principle thing that he won't be back. I think Andrew Quarless is back.

Matt Flynn, probably. Senece Wallace, absolutely not.

James Starks is back unless he can find a bigger role for himself somewhere else which I doubt. Kahlil is still in the NFL? Good for him.

 

[The Derski]

I hope Finley comes back to football and has a successful comeback. His injury was just a horrible thing to watch.

 

[The Derski]

We need to sign a legit backup QB. I would love to keep Flynn. I don't really follow player contracts too much.

 

[LoftonPack80]

Well it all boils down to if somebody thinks he is a starter or if they are willing to overpay for him as a backup. I don't see him leaving but who knows.

 

[wiskyisgood12]

Well it all boils down to if somebody thinks he is a starter or if they are willing to overpay for him as a backup. I don't see him leaving but who knows.

Even more importantly, if someone is willing to jump in and pay him, would the Packers be drawn into a bidding war? I kind of doubt it. You have to question how confident is the front office in Scott Tolzien, or do they look to the draft or a journeymen back up?

 

[The Derski]

Does anyone have an opinion on who we should draft or what positions are most important, stuff like that? Personally I think we need to look at defense, especially the secondary.

 

[GiantsPackersChamps2011]

Does anyone have an opinion on who we should draft or what positions are most important, stuff like that? Personally I think we need to look at defense, especially the secondary.

Safety I think is clearly our biggest need. Love Alabama FS Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, but I think there is a 90 percent chance Rams take him at 13 (or around there if trade out from 2nd Overall). Another guy i like is Louisville's Calvin Pryor. He is a big-hitter, but showed improvement making sound tackles. His technique, especially angles needs improvement. Like him vs. the run, has athleticism to play in coverage. Might be too early to take him at 21, maybe trade back some spots

 

[Trudem]

GREEN BAY, Wis. -- The ESPN.com NFL draft team has been hard at work assessing team-by-team needs and researching the players expected to be available for selection this May -- yes, it's hard to get used to saying the draft is in May.

On Thursday, those two exercises were married in the form of the team-by-team draft needs and possible ways those needs could be filled. Kevin Weidl handled the NFC North and in doing so gives readers another reason to subscribe the ESPN Insider content.

But until you get signed up, here's a look at what Weidl sees for the Packers, who select 21st overall:

Biggest needs: Tight end, safety, defensive tackle.

My take: Tight end depends largely on what the Packers do with Jermichael Finley. He will be an unrestricted free agent in March, but it might not be known by then if he will be cleared to return from his neck injury. As Weidl pointed out, top backup Andrew Quarless also will be a free agent. With a half a season to prove himself, Quarless was steady although he wasn't the impact player that Finley was, which is why I asked tight ends coach Jerry Fontenot this week if he needs a playmaking tight end next season, whether it's Finley or someone else. “I would say so, yeah,” Fontenot said. "With the quarterback and running back that we have, yes.”

As for safety, that might be the Packers' greatest need. The Packers didn't have a single interception by a safety in 2013. While the Packers hope for improvement from Morgan Burnett, who signed a four-year, $24.75 million contract extension last July, they still need someone to play next to him.

On the defensive line, all three starters -- B.J. Raji, Ryan Pickett and Johnny Jolly -- will be free agents this offseason.

Other possible areas of need, depending on what happens in free agency, include inside linebacker, outside linebacker, backup quarterback and center.

Possible picks: Weidl wrote that the tight end class is “strong at the top, which includes UNC's Eric Ebron, Texas Tech's Jace Amaro and Washington's Austin Seferian-Jenkins, who all could be in the mid-to-late first round mix.” ... At safety, Alabama's Ha Ha Clinton-Dix “could be a viable option where the Packers are selecting if not Florida State's Terrence Brooks or Stanford's Ed Reynolds would be solid fits in the mid-rounds,” wrote Weidl. ... On the defensive line, Weidl wrote “Notre Dame DT Louis Nix III is an intriguing name and solid fit here. After an impressive 2012 season, Nix battled a knee injury for much of his senior season and his performance level dropped off a bit as a result. Coming into the season, Nix was heralded as a top-10 pick, but there is a chance he could still be on the board when the Packers are selecting. If the Packers elect to wait until later, Penn State DT Daquan Jones, Tennessee DT Dan McCullers and Connecticut's Shamar Stephen could all be in the mix in the Day 2 range.”

^^^ From ESPN

 

[GiantsPackersChamps2011]

GREEN BAY, Wis. -- The ESPN.com NFL draft team has been hard at work assessing team-by-team needs and researching the players expected to be available for selection this May -- yes, it's hard to get used to saying the draft is in May.

On Thursday, those two exercises were married in the form of the team-by-team draft needs and possible ways those needs could be filled. Kevin Weidl handled the NFC North and in doing so gives readers another reason to subscribe the ESPN Insider content.

But until you get signed up, here's a look at what Weidl sees for the Packers, who select 21st overall:

Biggest needs: Tight end, safety, defensive tackle.

My take: Tight end depends largely on what the Packers do with Jermichael Finley. He will be an unrestricted free agent in March, but it might not be known by then if he will be cleared to return from his neck injury. As Weidl pointed out, top backup Andrew Quarless also will be a free agent. With a half a season to prove himself, Quarless was steady although he wasn't the impact player that Finley was, which is why I asked tight ends coach Jerry Fontenot this week if he needs a playmaking tight end next season, whether it's Finley or someone else. “I would say so, yeah,” Fontenot said. "With the quarterback and running back that we have, yes.”

As for safety, that might be the Packers' greatest need. The Packers didn't have a single interception by a safety in 2013. While the Packers hope for improvement from Morgan Burnett, who signed a four-year, $24.75 million contract extension last July, they still need someone to play next to him.

On the defensive line, all three starters -- B.J. Raji, Ryan Pickett and Johnny Jolly -- will be free agents this offseason.

Other possible areas of need, depending on what happens in free agency, include inside linebacker, outside linebacker, backup quarterback and center.

Possible picks: Weidl wrote that the tight end class is “strong at the top, which includes UNC's Eric Ebron, Texas Tech's Jace Amaro and Washington's Austin Seferian-Jenkins, who all could be in the mid-to-late first round mix.” ... At safety, Alabama's Ha Ha Clinton-Dix “could be a viable option where the Packers are selecting if not Florida State's Terrence Brooks or Stanford's Ed Reynolds would be solid fits in the mid-rounds,” wrote Weidl. ... On the defensive line, Weidl wrote “Notre Dame DT Louis Nix III is an intriguing name and solid fit here. After an impressive 2012 season, Nix battled a knee injury for much of his senior season and his performance level dropped off a bit as a result. Coming into the season, Nix was heralded as a top-10 pick, but there is a chance he could still be on the board when the Packers are selecting. If the Packers elect to wait until later, Penn State DT Daquan Jones, Tennessee DT Dan McCullers and Connecticut's Shamar Stephen could all be in the mix in the Day 2 range.”

^^^ From ESPN

I'm going to be pissed if we draft Amaro or ASJ in the first-round