Rate The Offseason For Your Team

[ATL96Steeler]

Based on the needs of your team grade out how your team performed based off their draft picks, acquisitions, and cuts/losses

Packers needs from last season:

1.) CB: It's no secret that the Packers had one of the worst pass defenses in the NFL. A good portion of this was due to injury, but they also were insufficient in depth and I believe the overall scheme is to confusing especially for young players which was all we had last season. Losing our #1 for the entire season and #2-3 were injured for the majority of the season significantly damaged our secondary.
2.) O-line Depth: It appeared anytime a backup came in an instant sack or negative play happened. With the injury history and advanced age of some of the offensive linemen it was imperative that the Packers find solid depth at this position.
3.) OLB: Clay Matthews appears to be a shell of his former self and with the loss of Datone Jones and Julius Peppers the OLB position is a top priority
4.) RB: Lacy and Starks are gone and we've been left with a former WR to play RB in Ty Montgomery. Not that Montgomery is bad and if anything he was great but it's doubtful he will last an entire season without an injury.
5.) D-line Depth: After Daniels and two rookies we acquired last year the rest are scrubs and a waste of cap space.

Cut/lost players

G TJ Lang
C JT Tretter
CB Micah Hyde
OLB Julius Peppers
TE Jared Cook aka Cookie

Players Drafted that made the team
CB Kevin King
S/LB/CB Josh Jones
RB's Williams, Jones, Mays
OLB Vince Biegel

Notable FA's signed from other teams
CB Davon House (elite bump and run corner but terrible in zone)
G Jahari Evans (former pro bowl)
TE's: Lance Kendricks and Martellus Bennett (best TE combo in the game)
DT: Ricky Jean Francis, Quinton Dial (former 49ers D line starters)
OLB: Ahmad Brooks (former pro bowl)


Grades for Addressing needs
1.) CB: King will be great but is a work in progress IMO. House is excellent at bump and run and can cover any WR in the game and the Packers got him for almost nothing. B
2.) O-line Depth: Packers drafted one guy in the 6th round and he was cut and acquired no free agents. Replaced Lang with Jahari Evans.
D
3.) OLB: Nick Perry was resigned, Vince Biegel is injured but many believe he's the future replacement of CMIII and Brooks was an excellent signing for depth. A
4.) RB: Signed all our draft pick RB's and each displayed a really good skill set from catching, agility, pass blocking, vision, etc. None stood out from the other so we signed them all to see which ones can do well as the backup in the reg season. B
5.) D-line Depth: To acquire 2 starters from last year in their late primes and use them as backups for cheap cost was the best move of the year. A+

Overall Grade: Packers neglected acquiring depth on the O-line and it's a major cause of concern with the injury history and age of the some of the starters. However they cut the fat to open up the salary cap space and signed solid players at positions of need for very cheap. In the end this was the most players our GM Ted Thompson has ever obtained in his 12 years with the Pack. I assume more of the people around him have more power to make decisions since the old man is on his way out next year.

Final Grade B+

Grade of my analysis A++++

Interesting take, on paper GB looks like they addressed their starting needs, but you probably should've knock them a little harder on not addressing OL depth as that can make or break a season.

Steelers

Needs...Pass rush, DL depth, CB, TE, RB

What did they do?

FA period...they signed Tyson Alualu, DE from JAX...former 1st rd pick, long time starter for DL depth. Sorely needed. Cody Sensabaugh, CB from NYG. Veteran depth for the slot...seems like he is being looked at for solt and outside depth. Possibly the find of the season...Mike Hilton, CB former UDFA, PS player for several teams most recently the Patriots...he looks like the new starting slot CB.

Draft...1st TJ Watt, OLB...we all know his All World brother...if little brother has 50% of that level, maybe the Steelers finally have found Harrisons replacement. The early look...kid can handle the edge, the elite OTs are going to win the battle most of the time...imo he may not be a dbl digit sack guy but relentless will be an improvement over Jarvis Jones for sure.

3rd...Cameron Sutton...CB...on IR, probably will return...they liked his game a lot, once he's 100% it will be pretty much a complete turnover at CB.

3rd...James Conner...RB, Bell wants the moon, the sun, and the stars...had to have a plan B...early look, with this OL, he's a 1k rusher in this league.

OLB/CB...the Steelers used two later round picks to dbl down on those positions...Keion Adams OLB...IR, and Brian Allen CB, made the 53.

Other Offseason moves.

FA...Joe Haden, CB...former Probowler from CLE...he takes over the LCB. He's been injured and hasn't played at a probowl level since '14, but a good comeback yr in '16...a serious upgrade over Cockrell.

Trade...Vance McDonald, TE, SF...a legit two way TE. Not known to have great hands. I think he will do okay.

Recapping & Grading

Edge rusher...C+, mostly potential right now, but the upside looks good.

CB...B+, Joe Haden is still a top tier starter in this league imo. We'll see what happens with the draft, but coupled with the emergence of Mike Hilton...Colbert and Tomlin

DL Depth...B+, Tyson Alualu is not a name that will excite many people, but he's long time starter, consistent, will have impact in a sub role.

TE...C, Vance McDonald. After swinging and missing on Ladarious Green last year, the Steelers roster has TE that can do a few things well, but not one TE that does everything well. McDonald at least block well and reasonable in receiving...if he catches a high % I will feel better about this grade, but they left some pretty good TE prospects on the draft board.

Overall, this was a very aggressive offseason

 

[LambeauLegs]

A+
Nuff said

Maybe it was a one game blip if not you may have to reevaluate your grade as the defense has not looked up to par.

 

[Great Dayne]

Maybe it was a one game blip if not you may have to reevaluate your grade as the defense has not looked up to par.

Other than one nice CB I didn't notice any game changing acquisitions. They lost a ton of players too.

 

[Great Dayne]

D

Between firing your top 10 and maybe top 5 GM for as far as we know- underpants gnome logic- and cutting your most experienced receiver in Maclin- it has been a pretty miserable offseason as far as the organization is concerned. Oh- bonus points- the owner is getting sued by New Mexico for 300 zillion dollars Elite offseason. Oh, and we have a long time OLB who'll be in the ring of honor some day flaming the coaches and FO on twitter. Fun times. Just glad it isn't New York or New England or this would be some kind of media circus. Organization taking hits left and right.

On the actual football side of things, it hasn't been quite so bad oddly enough. They upgraded (I am almost certain of) from Poe by signing Bennie Logan and have a healthy Justin Houston locked and loaded. Mahomes looks very promising and is slowly winning me over. As disquieting as cutting Maclin was- he didn't really offer much due to injury last year. Internally, there's a lot of young talent that could take the next step- I just wish I could say the same about QB with Smith at the controls.

Perhaps the Pats deserve a D and the Chiefs deserve the A+. I was very impressed with KC today. Smith has all day to throw with a ton of options to pass too and a rookie RB who looks like an all pro already.