Roberto Ruiz
As a personal fan of the Green Bay Packers, this is my favorite part of the off-season. This, my friends, is the real free-agency for Ted Thompson and the Packers; this is where Thompson likes to add depth to his roster. With a light free-agent crop this year, Packer fans lamented less than usual when Thompson failed to make a “splashy” signing. Still, many wished that one of the defensive lineman who visited Green Bay had stayed for a little longer. Come on guys, Thompson only adds a free-agent if he sees real value to the signing, and value is very hard to find when it comes to free-agency. Few and far between are the Charles Woodson's, who are devalued enough and still have enough game in them that singing them actually makes financial sense. Why sign a veteran defensive lineman for more money and fewer years when his skills are declining and Thompson can draft a younger, cheaper option who could potentially contribute for years to come? Frankly, it is Thompson's willingness to let free-agents leave that gives him the ability to resign players like Aaron Rodgers, Clay Matthews, and BJ Raji, so lets give him some credit.
Anyways, this years draft should have every Packers fan shaking with glee, waiting to see what Thompson pulls out of his hat. To be honest, a trade out of the first round entirely is a real possibility with rounds 2-3 bringing so many prospects with similar talent levels. Unless a player falls into his lap, a la Aaron Rodgers in 2005, expect a draft similar to the Jordy Nelson draft of 2008. In that similarly deep draft of 2008, Thompson nabbed Nelson, Jermichael Finley, Josh Sitton, and Matt Flynn after trading his first round pick. The next year Thompson saw Clay Matthews falling and traded up for a second first-round pick and grabbed the soon to be All-Pro. Rest assured, if there is a willing trade partner, Thompson will be trading out of the first-round, and that isn't a bad thing.
Lets say that there Thompson is stuck with this pick, in which direction will he go? I am hearing a lot from draft “experts” about possibly drafting a safety here. The Packers have many needs, and while Thompson tends to eschew (and rightly so) needs for best player available, I don't see safety being high on his priority list. What the Packers have is four young, potentially dynamic safeties who Thompson should not be ready to give up on. Did we really see anything out of Sean Richardson or Jerron McMillian that made you think there was no way either of them could be starters in the NFL? Come on, Unless Texas safety Kenny Vaccaro falls there is no way Thompson is taking a safety with his first pick. Running back? Give me a break. Has Thompson ever done anything to insinuate that he values the running back in Mike McCarthy's offense? If Eddie Lacy is the pick here, I would be worried about McCarthy's future as head coach. Thompson has to be going back to the trenches with this pick. Before last years draft, Thompson had spent three straight top picks on offensive or defensive lineman, and despite some hits (Raji, Bulaga), there are still obvious holes on both sides of the line.
ESPN's NFC North blogger Kevin Smith said it best: “Congratulations to the Packers. No one ever knows for sure who a team is going to draft, but this year, no one really has anything more than a guess on the Packers. They appear to be interested in improving their defensive line, at least based on their limited activity in free-agency, and (Georgia defensive tackle) Jenkins seemed the best of what was still remaining on the board. I don't mind saying he was even more of a guess than usual.”
So who knows who the Packers are going to pick, or where they are going to pick. One thing is certain: this will be fun.
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