Packers chat with Ryan Wood
Monday, May 1 post-NFL draft transcript
3rd & 7 37yd
3rd & 7 37yd
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This is a good place to start, because it's what everybody wants to know, right? Will any of the players the Packers drafted become All-Pros in this league. Here's the problem: there's zero chance to know that before their first professional football practice. There's usually no way to know after their first season. Remember, it took 2009 fourth-round pick T.J. Lang eight years for his career to be stamped as Pro Bowl caliber. Of this class, you'd have to look at the first two picks as the best bets. Kevin King (6-3, 4.43) and Josh Jones (6-1, 220, 4.40) have the size-speed attributes you usually see on Pro Bowl lists. But they have to play the game. We probably won't know how good any of these players are until three years from now.
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Draft grades are pointless because, as I just said, we won't know how good any of these players will be for a good three years. The best way (probably the only way) to evaluate a draft immediately after a draft is look at whether a team address their need positions without any obvious reaches. I think Ted Thompson's decision to trade out of the first round was smart, and also obvious given how the board fell. It allowed the Packers to double down on their secondary (King/Jones) and pass rush (Adams, a DT they view as an interior rusher, and Biegel) while getting a potential starting running back (Jamaal Williams) all in the first four rounds. That's a good weekend's work. So when you see other places give the Packers anywhere from a B+ to A-, I have no issues with that. For now. We'll see how these players actually play.
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He ran an identical 40 (4.67) and has same height (6-3) as Clay Matthews. Now, to say Vince Biegel is the same athlete, or even a similar athlete, as Clay Matthews is wrong. I don't care much about a pass rusher's 40. I want to know their 10-yard split, which shows their "get-off" the line of scrimmage. Matthews' was an otherworldly 1.49 10-yard split. Biegel's 1.64, while certainly not slow, was not in the same neighborhood as Matthews. What Biegel should bring is some technique with his athleticism after playing four seasons at Wisconsin. He's a mature player, turning 24 years old later this year, and will be counted on to factor into their edge rush rotation as a rookie.
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I thought it was telling when Mike McCarthy said he expects last year's third-round pick Kyler Fackrell to provide significant snaps this season, making that jump the Packers expect from players in their first full offseason. Fackrell flashed some pass-rush potential last season, but he needs to get stronger and anchor better against the run. When Ted Thompson was asked about state of his OLB depth chart, he said he felt pretty good with Clay Matthews and Nick Perry as starters. That's not a bad point to keep in mind. That position should be fine at the starting spots, it's about depth. Jayrone Elliott has flashed some pass rush in the past and could get more snaps as a situational rusher this season. And Biegel will be counted on as a rookie. There are a lot of unproven players at that position, and that can be scary. But there's some potential there too. As for taking three RBs, I think that's indicative of two things: how the board fell late on day three, when you're trying to get high-upside picks who can help on special teams and develop into a player, and also giving the Packers as many chances to hit on the RB position as possible. Clearly, they wanted to restock there, and needed to.
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I don't think that'd be unusual, and certainly with the young talent the Packers have to develop at both positions, there seems to be a good possibility. I think the Packers eventually end up keeping three tailbacks (counting Montgomery) along with FB Aaron Ripkowski. At WR, the numbers will be more interesting. Long way to go before those decisions are made.
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Read Peter King's terrific behind-the-scenes story on the 49ers draft today, and he mentioned another possible team in contention (didn't report who). But it didn't seem like a real bidding war. The 49ers were able to pull that fourth-round pick to seal the deal. If Trubisky turns into a franchise QB, it was the best move made in the entire draft. If not, it was the worst move made in the entire draft. Other than that, not much riding on the line for Bears GM Ryan Pace.
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In today's game, you don't really need to "beef up" more than 6-1, 220 to play in the box. I wouldn't be surprised if the Packers see him as a ready-made nickel linebacker, and probably the Day 1 dime linebacker. But, again, have to see how all those athletic measurables translate on the field.
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At what point does the local press deem it reasonable to ask about the physical and mental condition of the Packers General Manager Ted Thompson? Something is clearly not right and has been trending this way for a couple years. The organization owes it to the community, that owns the team, to have someone competent running it. I don't think I'm being cruel in suggesting Thompson isn't capable of running this team.
At some point it has to be viewed as a slap in the face to the entire organization. Enough is enough. -
Addressing this because I've seen a lot of it on social media the past few days. Here's what I'll tell you: it's wise to not judge someone on how they come across in publicly prepared settings. If Ted Thompson were slipping, he wouldn't be so cunning in how he guards information. His podium demeanor is a mixture of folksy charm and dry wit designed to say absolutely nothing, which he almost always succeeds at. Just something to keep in mind.
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The punter, Justin Vogel. I wonder if the Packers might've drafted a punter on Day 3 if it wasn't such a terrible year at that position. Vogel could give Jake Schum competition this offseason, and don't roll your eyes about it being a punter. The Packers need real competition at that position.
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If secondary wasn't such a dire issue, I don't think there's much doubt the Packers take Dalvin Cook at No. 33 overall. It's not just past drafting, either. What if Sam Shields' career never ended because of concussions? That was something completely outside the Packers control. But, you know, there's no such thing as a time machine. The roster is what it is, and Kevin King possesses the potential to be a true No. 1 cornerback.
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Good afternoon! I'm pretty impressed with this year's draft--I sensed a turn from TT's "best player available" theme and addressing glaring weaknesses on the defense. Does this, in your opinion, but Dom Capers on notice in the effect of "okay we did our part, now get better?" Do you think there may be more additions to the backfield via free agency? Thank you!
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That's a good question, and it's really hard to know what the Packers think internally on that. I think it shows the roster was a bigger problem than Dom Capers' scheme. I'm also not sure one draft entirely changes all that. But the Packers certainly will expect their defense to play better. If it doesn't, you never know what'll happen.
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One thing to keep in mind about this year's UDFA class: they're facing more competition than usual with the Packers. There are 10 drafted players arriving in Green Bay, the most since 2013. They'll get a head start over the UDFAs. So I'd be surprised to see as many make the 53 this year as last, when the Packers drafted seven players, their fewest since drafting seven in 2010.
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It's getting harder to answer that question because the lines are blurring between what is a safety and a linebacker. If you count traditional and hybrid safeties, could see at least five safeties on the 53: HHCD, Burnett, Jones, Brice and Marwin Evans. Maybe the Packers like what Jermaine Whitehead gives them on STs and keep him as a sixth. Maybe an undrafted rookie makes it. I think you're going to see the normal 53-roster allotment grow because there are more snaps available to safeties because of their move into the linebacker position.
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That's a good point I hadn't thought much about. They don't have players in the Julius Peppers/Datone Jones mold, but they're probably deeper on the DL than they were last year. The elephant package is about getting interior pass rush; if they can do that with DL instead of oversized linebackers, the same goal is accomplished.
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Many people would have been happy if Ted drafted King at 29. Instead, he traded back, still got King, AND picked up Biegel in the process, who has a shot at being quite good. I just don't understand all the criticism of TT. It's not like drafting Watt was such a slam-dunk prospect.
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Unfortunately, I will not be there. My sister is graduating college this weekend, so I'll be home for that. We'll have an army of reporters out at Lambeau Field, however. You'll get a mountain of coverage of rookie orientation at PackersNews.com, just like you did last week during the draft.
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