2018 Week 13: The Packers Lose in a Shocking Upset by the Cardinals and Mike McCarthy is Fired

At the start of this season, I thought it was low odds that the Green Bay Packers would fire Mike McCarthy. While I've been unimpressed with the overall talent level on the current roster, the return of Aaron Rodgers should be enough for 10+ wins and another playoff run. Obviously I was wrong.

pic.twitter.com/VeBPTv8pRb

— Justis Mosqueda (@JuMosq) December 2, 2018

I didn't agree with this tweet until recently. In hindsight, he's right. The greatness of the 2010 and 2011 seasons had been fading for a while. Now looking back at a great 2014 season, I can see how much it was propped up by elite play from Rodgers, Nelson, and Cobb. It wasn't going to be sustainable, and it started to fall apart quickly in 2015 after Nelson was lost for the season. In early 2016, it wasn't McCarthy's fault and once they get Nelson back, Ted Thompson will continue to run a beautiful draft and they'll get back on top.

I had no explanation for why Dom Capers was still the DC after the 2015 season (probably sooner) but I like retaining coaches year after year. This is one of several general assumptions that I need to reconsider.

Though it took a furious finish to get back to the NFC Championship Game in 2016, I wasn't worried. The Falcons had a great 2016 season and once their young players are experienced and healthy in the secondary, they'll have a great 2017 season.

But the 2017 season was lost after Rodgers broke his collarbone, and it should have been clear to me that McCarthy's departure was inevitable. He was unable to coach Brett Hundley into a respectable QB and his team completely gave up on him during their Week 17 loss in Detroit. It was Detroit's players who were rallying around their HC (Jim Caldwell was fired anyway) and it felt like McCarthy should have been fired instead of Caldwell.

Maybe McCarthy would have been fired if GM Ted Thompson wasn't fired reassigned. The beautiful drafts didn't happen. Though the 2016 draft produced three starters, the 2017 draft class might be a total loss other than Aaron Jones. Aside from Jones, the Packers haven't drafted a key contributor on offense since Adams and Linsley in 2014. Maybe Murphy didn't want to change everything that was long-standing at once, and McCarthy deserved another chance.

I'm going to miss loading up #Packers tape on Monday morning and being able to guess about 30% of the plays correctly before the snap. Sigh.

— Mike Tanier (@MikeTanier) December 3, 2018

I thought the 2018 season was over when Rodgers's knee was bent back the wrong way in Week 1, but he had a couple of furious comebacks to keep this season afloat. When he complained about the bad offense against the Bills in Week 4, I thought he was underestimating a pretty good defense. He's also had to rely on a couple of rookie wide receivers which was going to be a problem until they're both more experienced.

But the stale offense that couldn't get anything out of Hundley in 2017 was again a problem even with Rodgers. It wasn't awful, but it could and should be better.

Ever since they lost a pair of road games to the Rams and Patriots, I thought the season was over (though not technically). The team was still playing hard, but that stopped against the Cardinals. The thought of watching them play out four more games that looked like 2017 Week 17 in Detroit was an awful feeling, and for that reason I'm glad Murphy decided to fire McCarthy mid-season. He was going to be fired after the season anyway, the excuses that could have been used for 2015-2017 just weren't going to work anymore.

And they'll need time to find the right coach. I'm not a fan of Vikings OC, John Defilippo, or Patriots OC, Josh McDaniels. After what McDaniels did to the Colts this year, I don't think he deserves another HC offer anywhere. The new coach will have to be someone who can engage Rodgers at his high level (Joe Philbin is not that guy) while still being able to team the basics to the young receivers and backs. Murphy probably knows the NFL as well as anyone and right now I'm optimistic. 

I don't know what to expect over the final few games. It's time to give the players who will be the anchors in 2019 to get fewer reps on defense and let players like Oren Burks play an entire game. Finally send Byron Bell to the bench and give fewer reps to Adams. It would seem hard (maybe impossible?) to find an excuse to bench Rodgers. If Philbin wasn't coaching for his job, I'd suggest he hand over play calling to Rodgers and let him try and find a rhythm with the young receivers Tonyan, MVS, and EQB.

I'm surprised at this is how the 2018 season has went though firing McCarthy was unfortunately the right decision.

2018 Week 12: Packers Find More Ways to Lose on the Road, lose to the Vikings, 24-17

I could pretty much repeat what I wrote last week when they lost in Seattle by 3 points for this loss in Minneapolis by 7 points.

It was a little bit different. While the offense stayed in the locker room at half time for the 2nd consecutive week and only managed 254 yards of total offense for the game, the defense played a larger role by allowing the Vikings to convert on 50% of their 3rd down attempts and a provide a mediocre pass rush against one of the weaker o-lines in the league. They missed the inside pressure from DT Mike Daniels, probably more than having to play a bunch of rookies at cornerback. In a normal season, underwhelming at Minnesota wouldn't be a big surprise because it's consistently a tough place to win. But this season it was just another one of their disappointing road losses.

Final | Vikings 24, Packers 17.

Green Bay drops to 4-6-1 and remains winless (0-6) on the road. Injuries hit hard and mistakes snowballed in the second half. Feels like the Packers season is over after this one.

— Josh Tolentino (@JCTSports) November 26, 2018

Rodgers isn't giving up, good for him, but I thought the season was over after the loss in Seattle. It was on fumes after the loss to the Rams, but wins in Seattle and Minnesota would had me plotting a playoff path. Three winnable home games remain (Cardinals, Falcons, Lions) against teams with losing records, and while they shouldn't win at Chicago, they could sneak a win in New York against the Jets to avoid an 0-8 road record. Still, a record of 8-7-1 isn't going to make the playoffs.

I'm enjoying a nice seasonal winter ale as I write about another road loss and I'll continue to spend time reading articles on the hot head coaching candidates for 2019. At least the Packers haven't lost at home this season and I'll have a win to look forward to against the Cardinals next week.

2018 Week 11: Packers Lose Again on the Road, This Time in Seattle, 27-24

With the exception of their opening road loss of the 2018 season in Washington, when they were completely outplayed for four quarters by the Redskins, I'm sick of watching this flawed team manage to find a way to lose on the road.

Final stats from #GBvsSEA pic.twitter.com/z4DHp8msFe

— Green Bay Packers (@packers) November 16, 2018

This week, if it weren't for an opening fumble from the Seahawks (I was going to type RB Carson, but each team had a #32 RB named Carson!) and a huge game from Kyler Fackrell (the transformation of Fackrell in a matter of weeks from an absolute zero to a stud OLB should be one of the major stories in the NFL this season) the defense was a mess against the run and the pass. And both Mike Daniels and Kenny Clark went off with injuries!

This week the offense struggled badly on 3rd down, mostly due to a collapse in pass protection. It's sad to watch age and a bum knee turn RT Bryan Bulaga into a Spriggs-level talent, and Byron Bell was never going to be a plus lineman. A terrible 3 for 11 conversion rate on 3rd down, usually with a sack (except for that last one when Rodgers uncharacteristically threw it in the ground) killed too many drives.

This was never a promising looking game on the schedule, despite the down season in Seattle. The Packers never win in Seattle, they never win on the road (at least this season) and Seattle's the better team in 2018. The early turnover and 7-0 gave me some hope that THIS WEEK IT WILL BE DIFFERENT! When that second drive ended in a missed field goal, I sobered up, realized it wasn't going to be any different this week, and started drinking for real.

I don't know what they should do for the rest of the season. McCarthy will keep pushing each week for the win to try and save his job and Aaron Rodgers isn't going to want to give up. They could turn it around. If the rookie wide receivers can figure it out and the offensive line can be turned into a competent group before year end, the Packers might be able to surprise in a playoff road game as they did in Dallas back on 12/15/2017.

But I can't believe that will happen this season. This isn't the season of R-E-L-A-X. This was a flawed team from the start. Let's enjoy each remaining home game (they can win those ones!), dream of what Gute and his next head coach is going to do with all those draft picks next year, and drink in the meantime. Spotted Cow for everyone!

Glad I could bring some Spotted Cow and a taste of Wisconsin to @LateNightSeth pic.twitter.com/SBqpO6Mf3z

— Tammy Baldwin (@tammybaldwin) June 22, 2018

2018 Week 3: Packers Lose An Ugly Game In D.C. to the Redskins, 31-17

My first reaction was that this game exposed all of the Packers weaknesses on defense. A confused secondary, led by safety Kentrell Brice, who's first post-game comment was to throw his coach under the bus.

#Packers S Kentrell Brice on the deep touchdown pass to Paul Richardson: "We was in Cover 4. I was doing what was asked of me to do. Anything else you can ask the coach."

— Michael Cohen (@Michael_Cohen13) September 23, 2018

The buck stops somewhere else! I'm not a fan of his (unfortunately I don't see his replacement currently on the roster) but he wasn't the only one. CB Jaire Alexander, CB Tramon Williams, and CB Davon House all had pass interference penalties (on one drive!) as part of a disastrous first half. Washington has one of the least impressive groups of receivers in the NFL (Richardson only had that one big reception, Doctson had zero receptions, and Crowder had a nice game as their No. 3 receiver). Whatever adjustments were made at halftime worked because those problems didn't show up in the second half. But most teams who commit 11 penalties for 115 penalty yards are going to lose.

They also had a lot of trouble on the defending the edge against the run. While Adrian Peterson looked a lot better than I expected, his big 40+ yard run went right at OLB Kyler Fackrell, who continues to receive playing time for no good reason. OLB Reggie Gilbert wasn't much better against the run on the edge, often getting swallowed up inside.

The pass defense's biggest struggle was against TEs, Davis and Reed were killing them. It was the first game for ILB Oren Burks but I'm not exactly sure how much he played as he rotated with Morrison and Whitehead inside. But it wasn't a problem in the 2nd half, maybe Whitehead was playing more later in the game. Morrison was dumped by the Colts because of his problems in coverage, so he's not part of the solution.

And zero pass rush. Once DC Mike Pettine started dialing up some DB blitzes, they got some pressure, but the front four did little outside of the roughing the passer call on Clay Matthews. Those calls are an embarrassment for the NFL, it's called a tackle and it shouldn't be a penalty, but that call was not why they lost the game.

I don't know if I'd even blame the defense for the loss though they've got to find a way to create more of a pass rush (legally) and improve their pass defense. But on second viewing, the offense found a way to maximize their worst plays and avoid their effective ground game.

Tough day for Randall Cobb -- who had two drops, a lost fumble and just four catches for 23 yards -- after what had been two solid weeks. He didn't hide from it.

"I didn't give us an opportunity to win," Cobb said. "A third-down drop on the first... https://t.co/NzEV2bJv7i

— Rob Demovsky (@RobDemovsky) September 23, 2018

Their offense is better with Randall Cobb but I can't understate how bad he was on Sunday. He was targeted 11 times and those 11 plays went for 23 yards and a fumble. He was targeted every sixth play, no one was targeted more and he produced absolutely nothing. Adams also had a drop (and a TD reception) and TE Lance Kendricks continued his pass-dropping ways from the preseason with another big drop in this game. There's no reason for Kendricks to play anywhere except special teams. Overall, it's amazing the Packers only lost by 14 points when they committed 115 penalty yards and their No. 1 target was clearly their worst offensive player.

And Mike McCarthy, if you're averaging almost 6 yards on the ground and your most dynamic running back has just returned (Aaron Jones had 7 yards per carry! On only 6 (team leading!) carries) and your franchise quarterback is hobbling around on an injured knee, why don't you run the ball? Over 50 pass plays were called and only 15 running plays. Yes, they were trailing the entire game, but those passes to Cobb weren't working all game. And the Redskins struggled covering Ty Montgomery out of the backfield. Rodgers had something to do with throwing all those attempts to Cobb but the last pass attempt to him was a designed quick screen pass that led to his fumble. A lot of this is always second-guessing but McCarthy's 0 for 3 this season in coming up with offensive game plans that out-coach their opponent and he didn't adjust at halftime.

A week ago, their upcoming Week 4 game hosting Buffalo looked like a relaxing Sunday, before the Bills stomped all over the Vikings in Minnesota in Week 3. The players need to play better and the coaches, especially on offense, need to come up with a better game plan. This game was bad, but they're a better team than what they showed against the Redskins.

2018 Week 2: Packers Host The Vikings, Ends in 29-29 Tie

I'm really OK with this tie. It's not a loss (really, that can matter in tie-breakers) and the Vikings are a really good team who could have easily won if their kicker hadn't missed three field goals (they should bring back Ryan Longwell). Of course, the Packers could have won if this hadn't been called a penalty.

Do not hit quarterbacks high. Do not hit quarterbacks low. Do not hit them in the midriff. Roughing the passer on Clay Matthews. pic.twitter.com/pFyMnXxqxG

— Ollie Connolly (@OllieConnolly) September 16, 2018

I get it, it's not an illegal hit, but they didn't lose the game because of this call. They had other chances to win.

I was really disappointed in Mike McCarthy. The Packers were in 3rd and long too many times and ran the ball about half as many times as they threw it. Ty Montgomery was really effective as a runner, averaging over 6 yards per carry, but he only had 5 attempts. Also the play calling, after Clinton-Dix intercepted Kirk Cousins with just over 2 minutes to go. They probably couldn't have run for a first down but they could have made the Vikings use all their time outs before the Packers kicked a field goal. I guess he wanted to put the game away with a first down, or a touchdown, and his defense was probably on fumes in the heat, but he has to put that pressure on the Vikings (make them use all their timeouts) and make their final drive as difficult as possible.

It wasn't a great game for Mike Pettine either, though it's a lot to ask of him to know everything about his players in only his 2nd game with the Packers. When Kevin King went down with a groin injury, replacing him on with Davon House over Josh Jackson looks like a big mistake in hindsight (he probably won't do that again). Also, giving Kyler Fackrell meaningful defensive snaps isn't going to work, but he only has so many outside linebackers on the roster to work with.

While I understand why both coaches did what they did, neither of them pushed the right buttons with those critical decisions. I don't have anything to say against any of the players, they played as well as I would expect. I'm sure Aaron Rodgers would have loved a due over on that two play sequence in the middle of OT when at the Minnesota 37 yard line he fumbled a hand-off attempt (play action? I'm not sure what he wanted to do there) and then a sack to move them out of field goal range, but I'm not saying anything critical of him while trying to play on one leg.

It's disappointing but it's not a disaster either. The next three games could be an interesting run, next week against the Redskins (who didn't look good against the Colts) and then back-to-back games against two of the weaker teams so far this season (Lions and Bills). Just focus on the next game and work on staying out of the loss column.

2018 Week 1: Rodgers Rallies The Packers to 24-23 Victory Over The Bears

I gave up on this game. After Aaron Rodgers's left knee was rolled to it's side on a sack (knees are not supposed to bend that way!) he couldn't walk off the field under his own power which led to this:

Aaron Rodgers has left the field on a cart. pic.twitter.com/wgUl7oYJAT

— SNF on NBC (@SNFonNBC) September 10, 2018

That's it for the 2018 season. They'd manage a few wins (DeShone Kizer couldn't go winless for another entire season, could he?) but they're not going anywhere with an improving but still mediocre defense and old school play calling from Mike McCarthy. Kizer did give me a little hope that he wasn't going to be a repeat of Brett Hundley with a drive into the red zone but on the drive's final play he ran right into LB Khalil Mack's arms for a fumble. On the next drive, an ill-advised screen pass was called and Kizer threw a pick-six right to Mack (they must be good buddies by this point) for a 17-0 halftime deficit. Kizer was a different type of awful than Hundley, not as ineffective but more turnover prone. Wake me up in September 2019.

But then...

That’s a good sign, as Aaron Rodgers walks out of the tunnel. pic.twitter.com/LuHiIpLOGA

— Steve Noah (@Steve_OS) September 10, 2018

and then...

That dude.@AaronRodgers12 goin' DEEEEEP. 🎯#CHIvsGB #GoPackGo

📺: NBC pic.twitter.com/cinPOMvOVP

— NFL (@NFL) September 10, 2018

then another touchdown pass to Davante Adams, and then the dagger!!!

Randall Cobb goes 75 YARDS!!!!!! 😱@packers have the lead! #CHIvsGB #GoPackGo

📺: NBC pic.twitter.com/S3trWF5UoY

— NFL (@NFL) September 10, 2018

This is old school, but it reminded me of a 1989 game against the Saints (without the QB injury), when I completely gave up on a game though I shouldn't.

The rust in the first half (pre-knee injury) had vanished. The pass protection was great and Rodgers's passes were just beyond the defenders' fingers. Bears CB Kyle Fuller dropped a game ending INT but bad hands is why those guys were switched to DB in the first place.

There were still some zeroes in this game. Newly named starting RG Justin McCray was terrible in the first half (it looked like he missed the rushing DL on the stunt who went unblocked when Rodgers suffered his knee injury) and much better in the second. Clay Matthews is still useful but every few weeks he has one of these awful games, his only big play was a roughing the passer penalty on 4th down that gave the Bears another chance at the end of the game. Jamaal Williams seemed to have a knack for running into a pile instead of finding some daylight.

A knee injury for Rodgers is bad but it's much better than a lost season. Maybe it's an MCL sprain, which he obviously can play through but who knows when it would be healed. It's going to be a struggle to win the division or make the playoffs, so these divisional games are must-wins. Rodgers recovered in the second half to pull their season back from the brink, but that's still a dangerous place to find themselves after one game. Whew!

The Packers Preseason Is Over and Here Are My Choices For The 53-Man Roster

I didn't have a tough time choosing between players, I had a tough time filling all 53 spots!

After other teams make their final cuts, I wouldn't be surprised to see the Packers kick the tires on a few different players for their 53-man roster and the practice squad.

I wanted to keep just the players I'd like to see them keep but I ended up making some practical decisions because I had extra roster spots to fill.

TOUCHDOWN! @timboyle_7 finds @RobTonJr for the score! #GBvsKC #GoPackGo pic.twitter.com/Ek7N79CPO0

— Green Bay Packers (@packers) August 31, 2018

QB (3): Rodgers, Kizer, Boyle. No surprises here after they traded Brett Hundley. My initial thought was to release Boyle and sign him to the practice squad, but I had room on the 53-man roster so here he is.

RB/FB (4): Williams, Jones, Montgomery, Ripkowski. Though they'll add someone to fill in while Jones is suspended. But I don't expect it'll be another running back for Week 1.

WR (6): Adams, Cobb, Allison, Kumerow, Moore, Valdes-Scantling. I'm not sure about Kumerow's shoulder but he's deserved a spot. Moore kept improving throughout the preseason so I'm thinking good thoughts about him entering the regular season. Trevor Davis has special return skills and he's pretty good on special teams coverage, but his inability to play receiver and hold onto the ball means it's time to go.

TE (4): Graham, Lewis, Byrd, Tonyan. Man, Kendricks has been such a disappointment since he signed, but I still hate releasing a former Badger. Byrd and Tonyan played well this preseason, though Tonyan's a little small for the position.

OL (8): Bakhtiari, Taylor, Linsley, McCray, Bulaga, Spriggs, Patrick, Pankey. I like the starting five and I'm not a fan of any of the backups other than Patrick. Spriggs will stay because he was a high draft pick and, like Pankey, they can both play tackle. Both #69 and Bulaga missed time this preseason due to injury so they need depth at tackle but I wish I didn't have to include either Spriggs or Pankey. I don't understand why they thought Byron Bell was a good idea.

DL (5): Lowry, Wilkerson, Adams, Clark, Daniels. They had a bunch of decent defensive lineman but none of the others stood out especially and they don't really need that many DLmen.

LB (10): Biegel, Burks, Donnerson, Gilbert, Martinez, Martini, Matthews, Morrison, Perry, Thomas. Surprisingly the converted safety Thomas gets my vote, there has to be roles for Martini and Thomas to play. Donnerson forced a fumble and showed just enough to keep him around. Biegel too. Gilbert better be on the field for every likely passing down this season. From what I've seen of Morrison when he was with the Colts (he's still only 23 years old!) is that he's got some skills, though he had problems with pass coverage and penalties, and he could be explosive on the inside blitz with a limited role. Please, no more Fackrell.

CB (6): Alexander, House, Jackson, King, Williams, Waters. Unlike the situation on the offensive line, I kept the undrafted player Waters over the former 2nd round pick Rollins, unfortunately I'm not a big fan of either of them. Though Waters was injured during the Chiefs game so maybe it'll leave the door open for Rollins.

S (4): Brice, Clinton-Dix, Jones, Evans. I'm not a big fan of any of these guys, except Clinton-Dix definitely is a starting caliber safety. I'd have loved to have seen what Eric Reid could have done for them.

Special Teams (3): Crosby, Scott and long-snapper. Scott finally started looking like the big hang-time punter I saw in college over his last couple preseason games. I don't care about who gets to be the long-snapper (bring back Rob Davis!).

The Green Bay Packers After Their First Two Preseason Games of 2018

I'd have like to seen one game on the road, obviously I will get to do just in their last two preseason games, because maybe it's just these vanilla preseason games but things seem to come to easy at home in the preseason. It's just not an accurate picture. Though it is good to see that TE Jimmy Graham is ready to give them what he was signed for.

Open heart surgery. https://t.co/e9gyk32CfR

— Davante Adams (@tae15adams) August 17, 2018

Other than former Packers Morgan Burnett, I was underwhelmed with the Steelers' secondary, but I don't know them well enough to say whether they're any good or if it was just a bad day.

After the inevitable regular season injury to either Adams and/or Cobb, the Packers will need at least one other receiver to step up. Jake Kumerow has been the talk of training camp and the star of their first two preseason games, but he just injured his shoulder. Marquez Valdez-Scantling had a big game against the Titans and followed it up with one catch. DeAngelo Yancey has taken a lot of snaps and provided little. I'm not sure what Geronimo Allison is up to. If Kumerow is healthy he should be their No. 3 receiver, then I wouldn't be surprised to see them keep Moore and Valdez-Scantling based on potential and release everyone else.

Robert Tonyan! Though he's a bit small for tight end. I'm not ready to save him a roster spot but I'll be watching his next couple games.

So Jason Spriggs and Kyle Murphy are not good. Most backup tackles in the NFL are not good, and this is no surprise. If Bakhtiari or Bulaga miss regular season games, I'd hope they'd move Justin McCray tackle (at least his injury appears minor) though I'm not sure who would take over at right guard, I haven't watch Spriggs much at that position.

Kizer seems slightly better than Hundley. I think they gave Hundley his chance, he was mostly awful, and I expect their willing to give Kizer a chance (he's a first round talent!). Boyle might stick over Hundley because he can go to the practice squad (though they tried to slip Taysum Hill through waivers last season for the practice squad and that didn't work).

Muhammad Wilkerson made some plays in the backfield and ran down some guys (though I'm still suspicious after the Jets ran him off their team) and looked like a play maker in his first action. No Mike Daniels yet but I love him, and Kenny Clark too. Dean Lowry and Montravius Adams look like good rotational lineman. It's not a surprise but that D-line looks good.

Oren Burks is flying around the field, on special teams too, and is doing what I hoped he would. Blake Martinez is ready to start alongside him. Nick Perry is now back and Clay Matthews isn't being asked to do much except go nowhere on a straight four man rush (it's the boring preseason). Reggie Gilbert is still looking like a ignored player but they can't ignore him much longer during the regular season, right? Ahmad Thomas is an interesting player, but he's still a converted college safety and more of a project than actual depth. This is a thin group.

Pick-six for Tramon Williams and Josh Jackson! Williams and House seem ready to be the veteran fill-ins for the short-term while Jackson, Alexander and Kevin King develop (it doesn't appear that Jackson will need much time to develop). Though King is still not healthy enough to play. Eventually I expect they'll keep Lenzy Pipkins for depth and release everyone else. Still that's not great but better than last season.

At safety, Josh Jones isn't stepping up and I'm not a Kentrell Brice fan. Ha Ha Clinton-Dix might never make another but at least he's a legitimate starter. I'm not sure what the plan is at safety. Though I doubt they'll pursue George Iloka, I'm not a fan of his but he does look better than their in-house options.

2018 Packers Training Camp Roster: Inside Linebackers

ILB Jake Ryan has been lost for the 2018 season due to an ACL injury and here's what the Green Bay Packers will be missing without him on the field:

Jake Ryan was the second most productive inside linebacker against the run in 2017. pic.twitter.com/K19nFKSz7D

— Pro Football Focus (@PFF) July 30, 2018

Also on special teams, where he played a lot of snaps last season. His effectiveness against the run surprised me, I've loved his effort on the field but viewed him as a jack of all trades, master of none. He's definitely limited in pass coverage, which is essential for a modern day NFL linebacker. While he was lacking as a starter, he will be missed, if nothing else for depth and on special teams.

Blake Martinez and Oren Burks. Without Ryan, these two are the only inside linebackers currently on the roster who were drafted. Martinez is the only one with starting experience. If crisis strikes, Clay Matthews could theoretically be moved back inside, but that doesn't seem imminent. Martinez has looked great at times, especially early last season, and he's always been a potential play maker. I knew the Packers had high hopes for Burks, they wouldn't have drafted him in the 3rd round unless they did, and the early results on Family Night look promising:

I’ve been very impressed with what I’ve seen from Oren Burks tonight. He’s been all over the place.

— Andy Herman (@SconnieSports) August 5, 2018

With all the different packages used in the NFL, and the emphasis on pass defense, Ryan was always going to play a limited role on defense. It doesn't help to lose someone like Ryan, but if any two inside linebackers were going to stay on the field for most of the defensive snaps, it was going to be Martinez and maybe Burks.

While none of the other inside linebackers currently in camp are going play a significant role on defense, Ryan's absence does open the possibility for one of them to sneak on to the 53-man roster for special teams purposes.

Even with Ryan, this was not going to be an area of strength heading into the season. While the team has used mid-round draft selections on Ryan, Martinez and Burks in recent years to address inside, it never was enough on its own, without also an in-house veteran or free agent addition to bridge the time from before until after these three were drafted.

2018 Packers Training Camp Roster: Tight Ends

Some years I wouldn't give the TE position a post all its own, but this has been quite the offseason.

Sneak peek 👀

Aaron Rodgers ➡️ Jimmy Graham #GoPackGo pic.twitter.com/OsREwRarBK

— Green Bay Packers (@packers) March 17, 2018

Despite name recognition and the highlight real above, its easy to be critical of this signing. TE Jimmy Graham isn't what he was during his peak days with the Saints. According to Football Outsiders, he was the 27th best TE last season, a few spots behind the Packers's other free agent TE signing, Marcedes Lewis. While he was a big red zone target (10 TD receptions) he wasn't much of a help otherwise with a poor 59% catch rate and only 520 receiving yards on 96 targets.

But they had to have him. Over the past few seasons, the offense has struggled without a quality receiving TE. The offense stalled in 2015 without WR Jordy Nelson and a receiving TE, and the 2016 offense only got in gear after TE Jared Cook returned from an early season injury.

Also, they had to go to into free agency because to draft and develop a rookie TE is a crapshoot. After Jermichael Finley retired, they drafted Richard Rodgers, but he never developed into much and wound up signing a small contract with Philadelphia in free agency. They can't afford to miss on another Richard Rodgers.

As a receiver, Lewis will sort of duplicate Graham's role as a red zone target, which isn't a bad thing. Though neither of them will stretch the middle of the field. TE Lance Kendrick might look better in 2018 catching passes from Aaron Rodgers instead of being used as a short yardage dump-off receiver who had trouble with dropped passes, as he was in 2017.

It's depressing that Graham is only in Green Bay because the 2017 offseason was such a disaster. That's not to blame them for viewing TE Martellus Bennett as an upgrade over Jared Cook, I agreed with their decision, but it obviously backfired in about the worst way possible and set them back a year.

Despite having three veteran TEs already on the roster, the Packers have another four previously undrafted TEs coming into training camp, led by former practice squad player Emanuel Byrd, who received a dozen snaps during their embarrassing Week 17 surrender in Detroit last season. Mike McCarthy's love of blocking TEs might create an opportunity for one of them with a strong camp.

2018 Packers Training Camp Roster: Running Backs

And the Green Bay Packers' fullbacks too. Unfortunately any discussion of this group has to start with this unfortunate news:

#NFL announces that #Packers second-year running back Aaron Jones will serve a two-game suspension to start the season for violating the league's substance-abuse policy. Less-than-ideal start to the season for most explosive of team's three young backs. pic.twitter.com/crfia1bfLD

— Jason Wilde (@jasonjwilde) July 3, 2018

At least it's only 2 games and it had to do with an activity that's now legal in a lot of states.

Explosive you mention? Aaron Jones was the one back I wanted to see last season because of his big play ability. Six carries of more than 20 yards:

Player	Attempts	Average	Carries of 20+	FO EYards
30-J.Williams	153	3.6	1	760
33-A.Jones	71	5.5	6	542
88-T.Montgomery	81	3.8	1	341
32-D.Mays	4	0.3	0	0

The coaches didn't trust the rookie enough to give him the bulk of the playing time, on the other hand maybe they were torn because they had two other very good running backs on the roster.

Jamal Williams. He only had one carry of greater than 20 yards to go along with an ugly 3.6 ypc average but his Effective Yards ranking by Football Outsiders was 12th best last season. That was the best season for a Packer running back since Eddie Lacy in 2014. He ran hard at the line and was one defender away from busting a big run on several carries plays last season. He should open the season as the starter.

Ty Montgomery. He can't stay healthy but he played OK last season before his injury. If he can stay healthy for 16 games (big if) the dynamic player we saw during the 2016 season could quickly return.

Devante Mays didn't show much when given an opportunity, which wasn't very often, and he was overshadowed by his fellow rookies Williams and Jones. But there's a two game suspension on Jones's horizon so Mays should make it to Week 3 before the Packers have to make a decision on him.

Joel Bouganon was an undrafted rookie in 2017 and spent some time last season with the Bears. He has an interesting combination of athleticism and size, but he might not have the straight-line speed to stick. Him and Mays might be an interesting preseason decision.

Aaron Ripkowski only had 178 snaps last season (less than 20% of offensive plays) and the idea of him as a short-yardage runner seemed to have died when he fumbled during the 2016 NFC Championship game. Last season he blocked a lot, caught a few passes out of the back field and played a lot on special teams. He'll probably do the same next season, and backup FB Joe Kerrigan will be his understudy again, if they have still have an available roster spot for a backup fullback.

2018 Packers Training Camp Roster: Quarterbacks

It's been hard for me to write about the Green Bay Packers over the past few months for a couple reasons. The 2017 season showcased all of the roster weaknesses and how they could barely compete without QB Aaron Rodgers. The offseason hasn't been much better, with the departures of GM Ted Thompson and WR Jordy Nelson, the release of the latter still hurts.

But there's no time to look back and its time to look ahead to the 2018 roster. As I go through the offensive and defensive positions, I'll start with an easy position.

Here are the 2017 snap counts per NFL GSIS via Football Outsiders:

Player	Snaps	Off. Snap %	Total QBR
7-B.Hundley	622	59.4%	41.2
12-A.Rodgers	418	39.9%	62.6
9-D.Kizer (CLE)	887	83.0%	29.4
8-T.Boyle	0	0%	0

There's no question who the starter is going to be.

If he stayed healthy...@AaronRodgers12 = Most Valuable? 🧀 #NFLTop100 pic.twitter.com/atpjsXQBQ4

— NFL (@NFL) July 2, 2018

While Rodgers's Total QBR fell by over 10 points in 2017 from 2016, most of the fall might have come from his only start after breaking his collarbone, a 3 INT performance in Carolina. There should be no concern about his return from injury, he came back from his previous collarbone injury to win the 2014 MVP.

Brett Hundley is still on the roster. He was useless in most of his starts last season, with an inexplicably good game in Pittsburgh in-between. He has no trade value anymore. He's not practice squad eligible and I can't see them keeping a 3rd QB on the 53-man roster. It won't happen until the end of the preseason, but they're going to release him.

DeShone Kizer. He was so terrible last season in Cleveland. Though he does have NFL size and athleticism, and his college stats are good. They paid too much in trade for him, but he should be better than his 2017 Total QBR of 29.4 and also better than Brett Hundley. Also, he's still so young.

Tim Boyle. How young is Kizer? He's a year younger than undrafted rookie Tim Boyle, who also has NFL size and athleticism though his college stats are a disaster. He sat out the 2016 season after transferring to Eastern Kentucky and he was a lot better in 2017 as their starter. Though he threw too many INTs last season in college. He's a candidate for the practice squad, where they usually stash a Joe Callahan-type, but he might be so raw that another better option could appear on the waiver wire during the preseason.

Former Jaguar TE Marcedes Lewis Signed With The Packers

I'm a little mixed on the signing of TE Marcedes Lewis. He's an OK receiver (ranked in the mid-20s overall by Football Outsiders last season, with a poor 50% catch rate) but he's an outstanding blocker and I love what he can bring to their run offense.

So many good blocks from Marcedes Lewis in 2017... Can handle himself head up/in line vs DEs! Here sealing off Clowney...#Packers need a TE compliment to Jimmy Grahams skillset. pic.twitter.com/HknPiZd4fW

— Ben Fennell (@BenFennell_NFL) May 24, 2018

And if the Packers go with a 13 personnel formation it can create a one-on-one size mismatch in coverage or a jumbo run formation, which is probably making Mike McCarthy's eyes light up.

Unfortunately this reminds me of all the good I thought was coming from the signing of Martellus Bennett last season, which instead was a disaster. Of course my disgust of that signing shouldn't disqualify Lewis. This will be a great signing, this will be a great signing...

Speaking of great TEs, Jermichael Finley had something to say:

I can promise ya Rodgers doesn’t want Dez!!! Personality doesn’t matchup. But if GB wants a chance at a ring. They would pick him up!!! #Packers #EastTexasBoy https://t.co/89EiQihQHw

— Jermichael Finley (@JermichaelF88) May 24, 2018

Sometimes it's unclear what Dez Bryant is doing on a particular play. Given all the nasty looks Aaron Rodgers has showed his receivers in past seasons for running the wrong routes, Bryant might receive a death stare once per game and maybe Gute too for signing him in the first place.

On the latest PFF Forecast, @PFF_George and @PFF_EricEager throw up the X and dig into the numbers behind Dez Bryant and his route running. Plus season reviews of the #Dolphins and #Vikings and why you should TRADE DOWN.https://t.co/rB3pTMZvHj pic.twitter.com/gpaXTkCKC9

— Pro Football Focus (@PFF) April 20, 2018

PFF ran the numbers and Bryant didn't grade as an elite receiver because he only effectively runs three routes. Rodgers and Bryant might never achieve the mind meld necessary to work together and Bryant is unlikely to provide the sideline deep threat that the offense needs. Those are good reasons not to pursue him but then I take a look at the current depth chart...

Retweeted Jason Wilde (@jasonjwilde):#Packers' current (unofficial) WR depth chart:
17 Davante Adams
18 Randall Cobb
81 Geronimo Allison
89 Michael Clark
11 Trevor Davis
10 DeAngelo Yancey
16 Jake Kumerow
13... https://t.co/qG4Pl4S3VK

— Dennis Towle, Jr. (@DTowleJr) May 16, 2018

and it makes me worry about any injuries. Lewis should (knock on wood) be a solid signing. All the signs point to danger regarding Bryant but that WR depth chart...Someone better step up during the preseason. 

With The 18th Pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, The Green Bay Packers Select Louisville CB Jaire Alexander

The Green Bay Packers caused some whiplash in the 1st round of the 2018 NFL draft by trading down from No. 14 to No. 27, and then trading back up to No. 18 to select Louisville CB Jaire Alexander.

But first about the trades, which reminded me of last year when they traded out of the 1st and into the high 2nd round before drafting CB Kevin King. The move down netted them a 4th round pick (Vince Biegel) for basically no cost.

The #Packers got a 2019 1st round pick, and gave up a 3rd round pick, to overall move down four spots.

That's a pretty remarkable trade, and they likely didn't lose any guys they were considering between 15-17.

— Eric Galko (@OptimumScouting) April 27, 2018

A 5th and a 6th round pick also changed hands but neither of those picks have a lot of value. If Alexander was always their guy, and they took advantage of the Saints to turn a 2018 3rd round pick into a 2019 1st round pick, that's a nifty piece of work. However, should Alexander have been the guy?

Jaire Alexander near top of my ‘rewatch post-combine’ list... Injury in ‘17 kept him quiet but has outstanding tape...

One of best workouts in Indy

40: 4.38
Vert: 35"
Broad: 127"
Shuttle: 3.98
3-Cone: 6.71 https://t.co/rg3JF8vWxs

— Ben Fennell (@BenFennell_NFL) March 7, 2018

Alexander to the Packers wasn't talked about until Mike Mayock's mock draft came out on Wednesday. I didn't want the Packers to reach for a corner just because the depth chart is paper thin, but a productive college player who had a fantastic workout isn't a reach. However there are reasons why Alexander was a mid-1st round player while a similar CB in Ohio State's Denzel Ward was always considered a Top 10 pick and ended up at No. 4 overall to the Browns.

https://t.co/eBjbzCQ8vR

— Pro Football Focus (@PFF) April 27, 2018

It was already mentioned above that Alexander missed time in 2017 due to injury (concern #1) and in the above video it's discussed that he gave up a lot of touchdowns (concern #2). That second concern seems like something that can be fixed with experience and coaching, but injury concerns can plague a guy. But if Alexander can stay healthy, he could be as good as Denzel Ward.

But trading down meant that the Packers passed on Florida State SS Derwin James, who was typically in the Top 10 in every mock draft.

Derwin James on his slide: "It’s surprising, but it doesn’t matter where you get picked at. You look at the NFL, it’s not where you go. It’s what you do when you get there. I’m just happy that I’ve got the opportunity to go."

— Dan Woike (@DanWoikeSports) April 27, 2018

The Packers needed a cornerback more than another safety, but going into the draft I thought that if they have a chance to draft a great defensive back, take him and figure out positions later. One knock on James is that while Alexander posted fantastic times in the shuttle and 3-cone, which measures quickness, James skipped both at the NFL combine. Maybe that was enough to bring some doubt into it, plus the fact that the Packers really needed a cornerback more than a safety.

There's some risk here with Alexander because of past injuries and college inconsistencies (too many touchdowns allowed) but he's a 1st round talent and not a reach. Plus the move back to acquire an extra 1st round pick in 2019 made it a successful 1st round for 2018.

Or The Green Bay Packers Select CB Josh Jackson

Iowa CB Josh Jackson is exactly the sort of quality player I want the Green Bay Packers to select in a later round, not the 1st round.

“Josh Jackson can only play off man and zone” 🤫 #Packers pic.twitter.com/B76lKYIpXZ

— Brandon Carwile (@PackerScribe) April 20, 2018

Jackson has all the tools, and the great college career, you could want except the great speed. Jackson's former college teammate, CB Desmond King, entered the draft process last year with the expectation of being drafted in the 1st or 2nd round before he fell to the 5th round due to speed concerns. It all worked out for the Chargers, who plugged King into the slot and he became one of the best rookie CBs in the NFL. But the Packers have let slot corners like Corey Hayward and Micah Hyde leave in recent years so I can't imagine they'll use their highest draft choice in years on a slot corner to replace the ones they lost.

The more I look at No. 14 overall, the more it seems like a no man's land. I'm thinking right along with Zach Kruse, there aren't 14 impact players in this draft and the Packers are going to be a couple spots away from drafting one. Trading up is going to cost a lot (the Jets gave up three 2nd round picks to move up three spots). While that was at the top of the draft for a QB, a team like the Raiders at No. 10 might be looking at their choice of SS Derwin James or CB Minkah Fitzpatrick vs. missing out on an impact player at No. 14. To make it worth the Raiders's time might cost the Packers their 2019 1st round pick, which I hope they don't offer.

If OLB Harold Landry isn't there at No. 14, it might be time to move down but I'm not sure which team wants to move up. If they have to stand pat, they could look at one of the offensive lineman (Will Hernandez or Mike McGlinchey) or a project like Marcus Davenport, who might be a better fit in a different defense.

Still, it's the 14th overall selection and they should be able to draft a quality player even if he's a clear step behind someone like James or Fitzpatrick. The best available player might look unspectacular and that might OK.

With The 14th Pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, The Green Bay Packers Select

Here are a couple of basic expectations I have from the Green Bay Packers in the upcoming draft. They need help in the secondary, but please don't reach for a DB. If Denzel Ward or Derwin James is still available, great, but don't go looking for the 4th or 5th best DB with No. 14 overall, just take the best available player at any non-Quarterback position. And please don't trade up for one of those DBs though I'm not against trading down.

I'm not a college scout so I'm looking at other mock drafts to see who's getting mentioned. Rob Rang's 5.0 mock draft has the Packers selecting Boston College OLB Harold Landry.

Harold Landry is the best pure pass-rusher in the 2018 NFL draft pic.twitter.com/VBNX4mwWQH

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) April 20, 2018

If you're looking for a 2018 need pick, this is not for you. Clay Matthews and Nick Perry are penciled in as the high priced starters (and they should be worth the money in 2018, if they stay healthy) while Reggie Gilbert and Vince Biegel are lurking in the background as Making The Leap candidates. Kyler Fackrell is also there, doing whatever it is he does, mostly just taking playing time away from Reggie Gilbert.

But Landry will be on the roster for the next five seasons while Matthews is a free agent in 2019. Perry's not going anywhere with that fat contract and all the potential dead money attached to it. Gilbert and Biegel have upside (drink!) but neither one is a lock to become a future starter. It never hurts to have too much pass rush and it's easy to see Landry becoming their best pass rusher in a year.

Packers Release WR Jordy Nelson, Sign Graham and Wilkerson

On a normal day, I'd have a lot to say about two significant free agent signings by the Green Bay Packers, but the release of WR Jordy Nelson hits hard:

#Packers release WR Jordy Nelson: https://t.co/hPO2YLNw2z pic.twitter.com/4jTKhOowrn

— Green Bay Packers (@packers) March 13, 2018

The writing was on the wall a couple months ago when WR Davante Adams was re-signed. Three of the highest paid players on the team were wide receivers and that's not the way to build a balanced roster.

Nelson vanished most of last season, along with the rest of the offense, once QB Aaron Rodgers was injured. But Jordy really disappeared, and it can't all be blamed on Brett Hundley. In 2013, the previous time Rodgers broke his collarbone, Jordy was the only player who kept up the pace alongside a collection of backup QBs and finished with over 1,300 yards. A few years later, and one serious knee injury later, he's not the same receiver who can play like that without his star quarterback.

What really hurts is that they don't have a replacement. Adams is a good starter but he's no Jordy. This makes it harder for the offense to improve on last season.

But they did do something they had to do - find a receiving TE:

The Packers' deal for Jimmy Graham pays $30 million over three years, according to @RapSheet. Graham will earn $22 million of that amount over the first two years of the deal.

— Jason B. Hirschhorn (@by_JBH) March 14, 2018

It's too much money and he'll be no better than the third receiving option, but they had to have a better receiving TE. Lance Kendricks was a big disappointment, one of the few players in the league last season that did not benefit from getting away from Jeff Fisher. They needed a TE who could do some damage in the passing game, and Graham might be a major threat in the red zone. Also, the TE market has gone crazy ($8 million per season is the going rate for a Trey Burton these days) and this is just what a guy like Graham costs.

And though he's not a cornerback, the Packers also found someone to play defense:

Mo Wilkerson's deal with the #Packers is one year, $5 million plus $3M in incentives, source said.

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) March 14, 2018

I'm not super excited about bringing in a guy who couldn't be ran out of town fast enough by the Jets.

I graded 3-4 DEs for B/R this year. Not sure I've seen any NFL player take plays off like Wilkerson did for stretches. I also won't pretend that he wasn't great up until like two years ago. Pettine is worth his title if he gets Wilkerson back to who he was

— right of first refusal Justo (@JuMosq) March 14, 2018

The talent and health still appear to be there, and reuniting with DC Mike Pettine might help. There's no 2019 salary cap risk on a one-year deal, if this doesn't work out, and they'll have Dean Lowry as a backup in 2018 if needed. He provides upside but there's only so many moves they can take in free agency and they just used up $5 million of it on Mo. I hope it works out.

Packers Traded a Starting Cornerback for a Backup Quarterback

I was shaking my head when I read what the Green Bay Packers had done, the first major transaction of the GM Brian Gutekunst era.

This is significant: The #Packers not only picked up QB DeShone Kizer in their trade of Damarious Randall, but they also moved up in the 4th and 5th rounds, I’m told. They swap 4th rounders with the #Browns and then 5th rounders, too. Browns move back twice, GB comes up.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 10, 2018

But I did want to point out the swap of picks. It's not a huge get, moving up a dozen spots in those two rounds, but it's a nifty addition. It's nice to get to the good news first before writing about the bad.

Damarious Randall. The Packers were already weak at cornerback with only two starting quality CBs, and now their down to one. Quinten Rollins still exists and if healthy he would be their starter alongside Kevin King, however, Rollins is never healthy and he's never been good either. He's potentially the best from a number of bad options. Losing Randall makes the 2018 Packers a lot weaker, so far.

I'd like to think this trade means they intend to sign a free agent or two, but no one yet knows Gutekunst's tendencies and the Packers don't have a ton of cap space (if they keep Nelson and Cobb). Maybe this is the start of a bunch of trades by the new GM? Right now, all I expect them to do is draft a couple more rookies and hope for the best, which isn't going to work. They need a veteran, not just another Davon House re-signing, and it doesn't look like that can or will happen.

From a positional standpoint, this trade is terrible. But after Randall walked out on his team during their game in Chicago, I had been expecting he would be released during the season or traded for nothing at the end of the season. And maybe the coaches hated him too. So what I expected months ago came to happen, which is fine if I ignore that Randall finished the 2017 season strong and looks like a starter now.

Maybe there is good reason to expect a slide from him in 2018 because he has been an inconsistent player his entire career. After a great start to his rookie season, he faded down the stretch and might have outright lost them a playoff game in Phoenix. The next season was a disaster, maybe to do with injuries. His third season, 2017, was a roller coaster. He had one more cheap year on his rookie contract, a tough decision looming on his 5th year option, and then a potentially bad decision in his contract year with a risky new contract. I wouldn't have been disappointed if they let him walk in two years. At least he'd be their best option in 2018 alongside King while they work on grooming his replacement.

Maybe I would feel better about this trade if the main piece in return wasn't filling a need that was several spots down on their to-do list: find a better back-up quarterback. Instead they found Brett Hundley 2.0:

Brett Hundley and DeShone Kizer show up to #Packers training camp. pic.twitter.com/dSqYYbRSUn

— Ross Read (@RossRead) March 9, 2018

If any QB in 2017 was similar to Hundley, it was Kizer. He's got a lot of potential and upside, but he's always seemed like an underachiever, which is a description I'd apply to Hundley too. All backups are inconsistent (otherwise they'd probably be starting somewhere), Nick Foles looked like a hot mess at the end of the 2017 regular season before winning a Super Bowl MVP. Right now I don't trust Kizer to be any better if needed to start in 2018 then Hundley. Kizer might not even beat Hundley out next season. I'd rather they'd gotten a pick for Randall than a backup QB who they might never use and might underachieve as much as Hundley.

In the end, this trade isn't a disaster because Randall was too inconsistent to merit a new contract in two years and they were going to have to move on anyway. But there are a lot of ways to find a new backup quarterback that don't involve trading away one of your starters. In 2020, this trade should look better but it's a step back in 2018.

This Was Written Last Offseason Too: The Packers Need More Cornerbacks

The cornerback position was a mess for the Green Bay Packers during the 2016 season. You can squint at the stats and say it got better last season, but that had more to do with how the games played out, since the Packers had a broken offense and they didn't force opponents into throwing and playing catch-up.

They haven't been strong at cornerback since before Charles Woodson was injured during in 2011, but they had kept it somewhat respectable with Sam Shields as their top cornerback. But now it's approaching two years since Shields played an NFL snap and the Packers' cornerback position has been a disaster since he's been out.

Grading the #Packers cornerbacks from 2017, and looking ahead to how new GM Brian Gutekunst might fix the mess he inherited this offseason. https://t.co/PLHptjtVK2

— Ryan Wood (@ByRyanWood) February 14, 2018

The silver lining to the 2017 season was that Kevin King and Damarious Randall both looked like legitimate starting cornerbacks. The problem is that neither one was healthy for 16 games last season and Randall famously flamed out during an early season game in Chicago. If they really could count on them both next season then I'd only be writing about finding depth and a reliable slot corner (how are Casey Hayward and Micah Hyde doing these days...never mind).

But they can't count on either of them next season. They're the only keepers who can compete for starting jobs but the Packers have to look towards revamping the entire unit.

The entire coaching and strategy side of the defense has already changed. DC Dom Capers was fired, they let safeties coach Darren Perry leave too, and they've handed over the keys to the pass defense to cornerback coach Joe Whitt. It doesn't seem like a stretch that they'd turn over the roster at cornerback either.

The Packers played their final game of the 2017 season with Pipkins and Hawkins at corner and the Lions torched the secondary. Rollins and Goodson are usually hurt, and haven't shown much on the field when healthy. Swapping out LaDarius Gunter for Davon House was meaningless, as limited as Gunter is, House wasn't any different last season. If all 5 of them were released or allowed to leave as free agents, that's fine.

The history of free agent cornerbacks is littered with cautionary tales. They could sign a veteran for a $10 million AAV and it might not be a meaningful upgrade. They might not be able to sign the top two free agent cornerbacks at any price. There are reasons to flinch on every high priced cornerback this offseason, but they have to kick the tires on them. Maybe now they'll actually sign one or two free agent veterans and I'd rather see them bring in a multiple veterans who are coming off injuries or down seasons on one-year "prove it" contracts. I'd rather they take chances on many players instead of risking that one high priced signing works out.

Then there's the draft. I'm sick and tired of young cornerbacks but they have to keep drafting them. It's not a strong draft class so they'll have to scout around the late 2nd, 3rd and 4th rounds for overlooked players.

I'll become a huge fan of the new GM if he can finally find a couple of reliable cornerbacks this year.

Comparing The Packers SB 45 Victory To The Eagles in Super Bowl 52

I was rooting for the Eagles in the Super Bowl because the last time they won the NFL Championship it was in Vince Lombardi's second season as the Green Bay Packers head coach. It was also the only time Lombardi lost a playoff game (9-1).

This is actual a photo of the last time the #Eagles won a championship; the year was 1960, it was at the University of Pennsylvania's Franklin Field (academic buildings are in the background) and they beat 2nd year head coach Vince Lombardi and the Packers, 17-13. #SuperBowl pic.twitter.com/zsfgoCyWsc

— ⅔ Of My Face is a Cat (@snowballmaggie) February 5, 2018

The Eagles had been waiting a long time for another championship.

Back to the present, Super Bowl 52 reminded me a little of the Packers win over the Steelers in Super Bowl 45 because of the moment when there was about 2 minutes left in the 4th quarter. Not that it means anything in particular, it was just an interesting memory I had while watching.

In Super Bowl 45, the Packers had a long 5 minute scoring drive late in the 4th quarter to extend their lead to 6 points. But then the Steelers had the ball back with just under 2 minutes remaining and a touchdown would win them the game. Fortunately the Packers' defense held them to only 20 yards on that final drive and forced a turnover on downs. At first it looked like the Packers left too much time on the clock for Ben Roethlisberger but the defense held on for the victory.

In Super Bowl 52, a long 7 minute touchdown drive late in the 4th quarter gave the Eagles a 5 point lead. But they left the Patriots with 2:21 remaining and a touchdown would lose the Eagles the game. That's too much time for Tom Brady. But just as in Super Bowl 45, the defense came up with the plays they needed to win, this time a strip sack and a knocked down Hail Mary attempt in the final seconds.

The Eagles sack that forced a Tom Brady fumble was the turning point in a memorable #SBLII. https://t.co/XmObG4XWfA pic.twitter.com/6rUnrsgD80

— NESN (@NESN) February 5, 2018 

Eliot Wolf Leaves for Cleveland, Following Former Packer Executives John Dorsey and Alonzo Highsmith

When there's a change at the top of the organizational structure, it's not surprising that the ones who missed out on the promotion decided to try their luck somewhere else though it's unfortunate that the Green Bay Packers have lost both Eliot Wolf and Alonzo Highsmith.

2 Minute Drill: #Browns hire Alonzo Highsmith and Eliot Wolf pic.twitter.com/XiZMrGkavI

— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) January 11, 2018

Current Browns GM John Dorsey was in the Packers front office until 2013, when he was hired by the Chiefs to become their GM and work alongside his long time friend HC Andy Reid. It was surprising when Dorsey then lost his own power struggle in 2017 and was fired by Kansas City while Reid was given a contract extension.

Eliot Wolf will be Cleveland Browns new assistant GM, joining John Dorsey's staff in Cleveland, a league source confirms. Wolf joins Alonzo Highsmith in exodus from the #Packers personnel department. Those are two big departures.

— Ryan Wood (@ByRyanWood) January 10, 2018

And it is a big deal, though only time will tell if the Packers made the right decision to promote Gutekunst knowing that it would likely lead to losing Wolf and Highsmith. From an opportunity standpoint, there's a lot more upside for Wolf and Highsmith in Cleveland than Green Bay. If they stayed in Green Bay, they would have helped the Packers rebound from their first losing season in 10 years, which isn't a big story when you have a future HOF QB. But if they can turn it around in Cleveland over the next couple seasons, with all the high draft picks the previous front office had been hoarding and all the cap room available for a quality free agent or two, helping a team that went 1-31 in the past two seasons back to respectability will grab attention. If that happens, it wouldn't be surprising to see either Highsmith or Wolf leave Cleveland in the next two or three years for a GM position of their own.

Keeping Gutekunst while losing Wolf seems to have the support of the Packers' scouting department, whatever you want to read into that about them seeming to support Gutekunst over Wolf.

The demotion of Ted Thompson and the promotion of Gutekunst also led to more authority for team President Mark Murphy.

Brian Gutekunst, Russ Ball and Mike McCarthy will all be reporting directly to Mark Murphy. That is a significant departure from the way things have been set up in Green Bay the last 25 years.

— Aaron Nagler (@AaronNagler) January 8, 2018

Murphy is the de facto owner representative for the team, so anytime you read that Murphy or the Board of Directors are taking more interest in personnel and coaching, there is the worry that they're meddling. But every team runs that risk. Something went sour at the end of Ted Thompson's time as GM and Murphy feels he needs to have more oversight, which he should because it could be his job on the line next if he becomes out of touch with the team.

So who's left? It's interesting that Ted Thompson is technically an assistant to VP Russ Ball, who's on the football operations side and not the scouting department. There have been a lot of stories about how Thompson is a scout at heart. The new head of college scouting is the same as last year, Jon-Eric Sullivan. Good luck getting an interview with him. He's got a long history around college football though he's only 41 years old. Who knows how much credit he deserves for last year's draft, but it wasn't a bust and the quality of the top picks is left to be determined. There was definitely promise among that draft class.

Also promoted last year was John Wojciechowski who should be leading the pro side of the scouting department now while Sullivan leads the college side. It does make this all look like the team has been planning this all for a year now. His background is a little unique because unlike Gutekunst and Sullivan, who have spent almost their entire careers working with the Packers, Wojciechowski spent 15 years working with Pittsburgh, Jacksonville, and Dallas before joining the Packers a few years ago. Being the lead scout on the pro side is even harder to evaluate for the Packers because they sign so few pro free agents, and it's hard to tell their portion of the input on scouting each week's opponent during the season.

Overall the organization and Mark Murphy seemed to have handled it as well as they could have knowing they had more than one solid GM candidate for only one job opening. And they got their top choice in Gutekunst while leaving the scouting and football operations departments mostly intact and led by scouts who were already in leadership roles. Change is hard, and the Packers only have had subtractions from their brain trust with no additions so far, but the overall situation seems stable and promising going forward.

Packers Promote Brian Gutekunst to GM

When the news first broke that Ted Thompson was out as GM of the Green Bay Packers, team President Mark Murphy said he would hire a consultant to search for varied candidates outside of the organization. Instead the new GM is moving in from across the hall.

The Packers have promoted Brian Gutekunst to general manager. https://t.co/WqBSGe2mCI pic.twitter.com/XBHBbbIA8N

— Sporting News (@sportingnews) January 7, 2018

There were reports that they tried to interview Seattle's GM John Schneider and Oakland's GM Reggie McKenzie but the Packers were denied the request. The Vikings also denied a request to interview assistant GM George Paton. The only outside candidate they did appear to interview was former Buffalo GM Doug Whaley. If they could have gotten their foot in the door with either Schneider or McKenzie, they probably would have been hired barring a disastrous interview or compensation issue. I wouldn't have been crazy about Whaley. It looks like the Packers tried to look elsewhere but it wasn't meant to be. And they didn't want to leave the top job vacant for too long.

Gutekunst's background is in scouting though almost entirely all of his experience is with the Packers organization. He was strongly considered last year for the open GM position in San Francisco though the way the 49ers switched completely around from originally focusing on a true scout like Gutekunst to a splashy hire in former NFL player/broadcaster John Lynch makes me wonder whether he ever really had a chance.

Scouting might be the most common background for a GM but the job is so much more than scouting including management, public relations, and hiring/firing coaches. I could never make an informed decision on whether someone might make a good GM. Former Packer great LeRoy Butler thinks Gutekunst is a great guy and that has to do it for me.

BRIAN Gutekunst is your new @packers GM,HE WILL DO A GREAT JOB!, a real Personel guy, the Roster will still be one of the youngest but very athletic

— leroy butler (@leap36) January 7, 2018

Mike McCarthy's New Year's Resolution Is To Fire All His Assistant Coaches

The Green Bay Packers formally announced yesterday what was reported everywhere on Sunday and Monday - DC Dom Capers has been fired, along with DL coach Mike Trogvac and ILB coach Scott McCurley.

#Packers announce that DC Dom Capers,ILBs coach Scott McCurley and DT coach Mike Trgovac have been fired. No mention of Bennett or Van Pelt.

— Tom Silverstein (@TomSilverstein) January 3, 2018

Then it was reported from multiple sources that QB coach Alex Van Pelt would not return and OC Edgar Bennett would no longer be the offensive coordinator, though Bennett remains under contract.

So Mike McCarthy survives but the #packers completely overhaul everything above and below him? Interesting.🤔

— Mike Tanier 📎 (@MikeTanier) January 3, 2018

For a conservative organization that usually makes few changes in the offseason, this is an amazing turn of events. It's also odd considering the player contract extensions handed out the week before. Right before the front office and coaching staff is undergoing a complete overall, they took steps to bring back the same players for next season.

The #Packers saved about $6 million in future cap charges by getting the Davante Adams and Corey Linsley deals done in December. https://t.co/gyGfHn9R6x

— Packers News (@PGPackersNews) January 3, 2018

Adams was their best receiver last season and it makes a lot of sense to bring him back despite already having two other high priced receivers on the roster (Cobb, Nelson). The Packers have the cap room. Linsley probably had his worst season as a pro in 2017 which probably not coincidentally was his first season not playing alongside either Sitton or Lang at guard. He did get better throughout the season though.

As for Van Pelt, he was originally hired in 2012, seemingly at the request of Aaron Rodgers, as a coach with prior NFL QB experience though he wasn't officially his QB coach until a couple years later. Unlike most NFL OC, the job requirements in Green Bay aren't exactly clear, because on game day it's Mike McCarthy calling the plays. I've always thought the OC got the offense ready to play their next opponent during the week leading up to the game with few duties during the game itself. Van Pelt was usually seen on camera during games sitting next to Hundley with a tablet showing him what he just missed on his previous 3rd down incompletion.

Brett Hundley 3rd Down Passer Ratings...

Week 7 vs. NOR - 14.3 QB Rating
Week 16 vs. MIN - 14.6 QB Rating
Week 17 vs DET - 12.5 QB Rating

3rd Down Passing - 1st Down %

- Kizer 32.1%
- Hoyer 31.7%
- Hundley 31.0%
- Cutler 30.0%

— Ben Fennell (@BenFennell_NFL) January 1, 2018

No matter what QB statistical list you pull up for 2017, it's likely you'll find Hundley at the bottom of it. I think his worst stat of the season was being the starting QB for two home shutouts. It looks terrible in hindsight that in response to a question about Colin Kaepernick, Mike McCarthy went off on a rant about the three years he spent developing Brett Hundley. That's not to digress about whether the Packers should have signed Kaepernick, it's a look back at how very wrong him and his coaches were about Hundley and why two of them probably lost their jobs because of it.

These should not be difficult jobs to fill. Any ambitious coach looking to rise the coaching ladder would love to have "worked with Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay" on his resume. The offense with Rodgers has been mostly great over the past two seasons, but it's also lacked any of the new innovations that other offenses have been trying in recent years. Bringing in a new coach or two from the outside with a new perspective could be a big help.

Also, improving the backup QB position is probably high up on the to-do list this offseason. There's little financial cost to bring Hundley back for the final season under his rookie contract, while also drafting/signing an undrafted rookie free agent to develop behind him. Based on the results from last season, it would be a good idea to let an unbiased eye spend a year with Hundley in 2018 to see what can be done with him.

Ted Thompson Steps Down as General Manager of the Packers

I was blown away by the news and it didn't look like that I was the only one. Before I digress into the strange and sudden timing of it, first and foremost it has to be said that Ted Thompson has been one of the best ever for the Green Bay Packers.

Through 13 seasons with the #Packers as GM, Ted Thompson:
-Finished with a 125-82-1 record
-Brought in Mike McCarthy
-Drafted Aaron Rodgers, Jordy Nelson, Clay Matthews, Mike Daniels, etc.
-1 Super Bowl title
-8 straight playoff appearances

— Lily Zhao (@LilySZhao) January 2, 2018

That's the short list. He has been amazing.

But the reason why this is happening now, suddenly after the season, is the bigger story. At first, I couldn't write anything it because if this was just a football move, an overreaction to the first losing season in almost a decade, it was terrible. There had to be more to it and Bob McGinn had the details.

Last month, Thompson was just gazing into space hardly mindful why he was attending a meeting of team executives, the source said.
The incident was one of several in the last six months that called into question Thompson’s fitness for performing such demanding work. It also opened the Packers to embarrassment for having a man with apparent health and focusing issues directing their football operation.

The entire article should be read, here's the screen shot from December 23rd that he mentioned in the article.

when the 'nog is too strong pic.twitter.com/FbcYOtXzbK

— Deadspin (@Deadspin) December 24, 2017

Team President Mark Murphy was quick to dismiss Bob McGinn's report that the Board of Directors forced him to remove Thompson. That part involving the Board of Directors seemed unlikely, it hasn't had a strong hand in regard to on-field decisions since the 1950s when Vince Lombardi ended their meddling.

But then Murphy says this change began over a year ago which seems unlikely given how it surprised almost everyone. I'm guessing the truth is somewhere in the middle. Thompson isn't himself anymore, though the board didn't officially force Murphy to act, and there was not going to be no good way to do to fire/demote him based on what he's done for the team while avoiding any discussion about his health.

I'm not sure how this is going to unfold but it's already gotten a little messy with Alonzo Highsmith leaving quickly for Cleveland after 19 years in Green Bay. It's going to be an attractive job, a winning franchise with a future Hall of Fame quarterback. I'd be happy with an internal replacement but it's worthwhile reaching out across the league to see who might be interested.