Packers Offseason/Free Agency Thread

[Anti-Polar Bear]

McKinney’s speed on Madden currently is 86. That’s slow. For comparison, Quay “Muthafuckin” Walker currently has 88.

Hopefully the Packers draft a “fast as fuck” safety. Otherwise, with 21 Savage gone, I will have to play Nixon the “free.”

[run pMc]

McKinney ran a 4.63 40 with a 1.66 10 yard split. He's not a burner, unlike Savage.
ALSO unlike Savage, he has good instincts and is a sound tackler.

IOW, Savage: very good athlete, meh player; McKinney: meh athlete, very good player. Which would you prefer?
McKinney would probably not have been on GB's draft board (as a top 50 pick), but once a player has proven themselves in the league they overlook RAS. Zadarius Smith is another example - dude had a 3.75 RAS coming out of UK.

They aren't going to play Nixon at safety.


Re: Jaire, I'm not surprised. He wasn't subtle in the past about his frustration with the Barry defense. He's showing up to learn the scheme and to get a read on his new DC. Netting 700K is icing on the cake.

[Anti-Polar Bear]

McKinney ran a 4.63 40 with a 1.66 10 yard split. He's not a burner, unlike Savage.
ALSO unlike Savage, he has good instincts and is a sound tackler.

IOW, Savage: very good athlete, meh player; McKinney: meh athlete, very good player. Which would you prefer?
McKinney would probably not have been on GB's draft board (as a top 50 pick), but once a player has proven themselves in the league they overlook RAS. Zadarius Smith is another example - dude had a 3.75 RAS coming out of UK.

They aren't going to play Nixon at safety.


Re: Jaire, I'm not surprised. He wasn't subtle in the past about his frustration with the Barry defense. He's showing up to learn the scheme and to get a read on his new DC. Netting 700K is icing on the cake.

Before the German Shepherd traded away Douglas, my “nickel” D consisting of 23 and 21 at corner, Nixon in the slot. 26 and Douglas as safeties, and Owens and Ford as “linebackers” was pretty impregnable against online opponents. All I did was blitz all day.

McKinney seems to have game speed. If he’s a playmaker, who cares about his 40 time in real life, I guess.

It’s a given the Packers are gonna draft a safety. Let’s hope they draft one who runs like a cheetah, tackles like a lion and covers like a hyena.

And don’t say DeJean. For once, Millennials like Partial, Harrell and myself would like to see a white corner don the Green and Mustard Yellow in a regular season game. The only GM in NFL history who ain’t ever missed the playoffs, Mike Sherman, cut Kevin Kaesviharn before that could happen. Kaesviharn is the last white corner to play an NFL game…for the Kentucky Pussycats.

[texaspackerbacker]

Before the German Shepherd traded away Douglas, my “nickel” D consisting of 23 and 21 at corner, Nixon in the slot. 26 and Douglas as safeties, and Owens and Ford as “linebackers” was pretty impregnable against online opponents. All I did was blitz all day.

McKinney seems to have game speed. If he’s a playmaker, who cares about his 40 time in real life, I guess.

It’s a given the Packers are gonna draft a safety. Let’s hope they draft one who runs like a cheetah, tackles like a lion and covers like a hyena.

And don’t say DeJean. For once, Millennials like Partial, Harrell and myself would like to see a white corner don the Green and Mustard Yellow in a regular season game. The only GM in NFL history who ain’t ever missed the playoffs, Mike Sherman, cut Kevin Kaesviharn before that could happen. Kaesviharn is the last white corner to play an NFL game…for the Kentucky Pussycats.

Somehow I missed reading this until now. You beat me to it with what you said about had to say about McKinney. I was really happy when he was signed, and I still am. Performance as a college Safety doesn't often translate to NFL quality. Thus, picking up a proven FA like McKinney is excellent. Yeah, matching him up with one or probably more very athletic Safetys and developing them would be good too. I'd draft one of those 3rd - 6th round and take a flyer on that cheetah you're talking about as a FA. I'd also draft a smart plodder Safety in the 4th - 7th as well as getting one of those as a FA. That plus whatever leftovers we have should be just fine.

I don't give a shit about the color of a Corner hahahaha. I'm not even sure what color DeJean is. I think I'd be ok with drafting him in the first round, although I kinda doubt that happens. In addition to Jaire, the Packers seem to be ready to making a commitment to Stokes as well as paying Nixon plus Valentine is a keeper and maybe Ballentine too. It's not a position of great need.

As meh as O Line is to me, we do need a couple more bodies there. This Dillard and several other low round and FA pickups should do the job. I say again, do NOT draft O Line 1st or 2nd round.

[Frozen Tundra]

I don't give a shit about the color of a Corner hahahaha. I'm not even sure what color DeJean is.

Blond and blue-eyed, but he seems to have worked very hard to overcome that.

[bobblehead]

Just saw we signed Andre Dillard. Loved him coming out but injuries derailed him. He had such light feet. If we got him for not too much he can olay the Yosh swing tackle role well.

[Joemailman]

Just saw we signed Andre Dillard. Loved him coming out but injuries derailed him. He had such light feet. If we got him for not too much he can olay the Yosh swing tackle role well.

Very athletic guy who had a rough year in 2023 with Tennessee. Gave up 12 sacks. Packers may be hoping there are holes in his technique that they can improve on. Worth a shot.

[Frozen Tundra]

Very athletic guy who had a rough year in 2023 with Tennessee. Gave up 12 sacks. Packers may be hoping there are holes in his technique that they can improve on. Worth a shot.

Might almost suggest Gutekunst is leaning toward cornerback in Round One.

[Joemailman]

Might almost suggest Gutekunst is leaning toward cornerback in Round One.

I don't think this signing has an effect on whether they will draft an OT in 1st round. This is just veteran depth, something they really lack.

[bobblehead]

I don't think this signing has an effect on whether they will draft an OT in 1st round. This is just veteran depth, something they really lack.

Agree. Dillard has proven he is a good backup in the NFL. He has done that while starting which has been a problem for the teams that counted on him to start. Maybe our staff can get a little more out of him, but I can admit he was a swing and a miss for me. If they are signing him with any expectations of him starting I am disappointed to say the least.

[Fritz]

Just saw we signed Andre Dillard. Loved him coming out but injuries derailed him. He had such light feet. If we got him for not too much he can olay the Yosh swing tackle role well.

Don't know how this does or does not affect the draft. I just don't.

I did read that one question on the defensive line side of the ball is where Colby Wooden ends up playing. He's listed at 273 pounds - not different than the big (what used to be) EDGE rushers. So is he a defensive end or a tackle in this new scheme?

In that same article on ACME, they noted that he "slid down the depth chart" last year.

If you're him, you better be ready to hit the ground running in training camp.

[bobblehead]

Don't know how this does or does not affect the draft. I just don't.

I did read that one question on the defensive line side of the ball is where Colby Wooden ends up playing. He's listed at 273 pounds - not different than the big (what used to be) EDGE rushers. So is he a defensive end or a tackle in this new scheme?

In that same article on ACME, they noted that he "slid down the depth chart" last year.

If you're him, you better be ready to hit the ground running in training camp.

I think it has zero impact on the draft. Gutes probably had a high grade on Dillard coming out, still sees some athleticism and is willing to let his staff have a go at making him a serviceable swing tackle. In no way do I think he signed him to allow draft flexibility.

[run pMc]

Dillard was a tire fire for TEN last year; 12 sacks in about 560 snaps. They benched him. Rumor is Myles Garrett schooled him so bad that Garrett was giving him blocking tips after the game.
I would consider a training camp body/depth move with the whole "competition" thing in mind. Maybe Dillard can get you thru a game, but I don't think you ever want him as your starter.

He won't impact draft strategy at all, aside from giving them more freedom to pick a developmental OT vs. one they might need in Game 3 should Walker or Tom twist an ankle.

And yes, Dillard's a good athlete, but there's enough pro tape to tell you that he's not a starter. This is like signing Byron Bell. Dillard played in an Air Raid offense, and those players tend to struggle to make it in the NFL. If anyone can get something out of him, it's GB. I wouldn't hold my breath -- PHI sure tried, and they've fielded some pretty good OLs.

[Frozen Tundra]

.

He won't impact draft strategy at all, aside from giving them more freedom to pick a developmental OT vs. one they might need in Game 3 should Walker or Tom twist an ankle.

Which, in turn, might mean drafting a T a round or round and a half later, giving them the latitude to take a different player at some other position of need.

This close to the draft, there are no insignificant roster additions. They all affect the draft to some degree. Gute didn't just grab 'im up because after 2 months he finally decided the guy's a bargain; he's looking at draft charts every waking moment and seeing them in his sleep at this point. He has a rough list of roster spots he wants filled or strengthened. He signed Dillard because he feels Dillard meets a need, and now that's a need that doesn't need to be filled in the draft.

Even if it only frees up a 6th round pick, it's still something of value to Gute in the draft - even if only trade currency to move up in an earlier round.

[smuggler]

Just a kick of the tires. We've done more with less, but right now he's the epitome of athlete who can't play.

[run pMc]

Wooden was undersized for Barry's D and as a 3-4 DE, but he's got some length and quickness. I think the assumption was that he'd be a subpackage/depth guy until he put on additional weight and functional strength.
It's possible you could play him at end in Hafley's D, just like it's possible they could shoot Gary or LVN inside at 3T if they wanted to exploit a mismatch (although I think Wyatt et al. would be better there).

Karl Brooks played edge for Bowling Green at 300 pounds. They have some dudes in the front who are weird that way and could potentially shift around in a pinch. I suspect they don't want to do that though.

Dillard is a depth signing, he's basically a backup LT (maybe not a RT) and your 'break glass in case of emergency' Yosh Njiman type. Depending on the draft he might not make it out of camp. He was better for PHI than TEN, but he's pushing 29 so I don't think you can expect much improvement or upside.

[bobblehead]

Run, last year was an awesome draft at EDGE and TE. Brooks and Wooden were "tweener" edge players thus we got them cheap and late. Bottom line though, they are football players and probably can find ways to be productive if put in solid situations and asked to do things within a system. If Wooden put on 15 pounds of muscle this offseason (very achievable) then all of a sudden you can expect him to hold the point in a 4-3.

[run pMc]

Run, last year was an awesome draft at EDGE and TE. Brooks and Wooden were "tweener" edge players thus we got them cheap and late. Bottom line though, they are football players and probably can find ways to be productive if put in solid situations and asked to do things within a system. If Wooden put on 15 pounds of muscle this offseason (very achievable) then all of a sudden you can expect him to hold the point in a 4-3.

100% Agree. DL often take a few years to really develop; that they (mostly Brooks) could contribute was encouraging.

One thing I noticed Gute leaned into last year was drafting players who had a down year after a very good year (Reed, Wicks, Nichols). It's like buying on the dip and hoping it's not a falling knife. I'll be curious to see what 'market inefficiencies he'll try to exploit this year... usually they relate to positions of strong depth in the draft class.

[bobblehead]

100% Agree. DL often take a few years to really develop; that they (mostly Brooks) could contribute was encouraging.

One thing I noticed Gute leaned into last year was drafting players who had a down year after a very good year (Reed, Wicks, Nichols). It's like buying on the dip and hoping it's not a falling knife. I'll be curious to see what 'market inefficiencies he'll try to exploit this year... usually they relate to positions of strong depth in the draft class.

Jordan Love fits that category as well. Every one of those guys (including Love) had a pretty good reason for the drop off as well. New coaching, talent around them disappearing etc. I would hope he continues since its worked very well.

[Fritz]

Run, last year was an awesome draft at EDGE and TE. Brooks and Wooden were "tweener" edge players thus we got them cheap and late. Bottom line though, they are football players and probably can find ways to be productive if put in solid situations and asked to do things within a system. If Wooden put on 15 pounds of muscle this offseason (very achievable) then all of a sudden you can expect him to hold the point in a 4-3.

I know nothing about weight training, so this was a surprise to me. These guys are already workout-crazy - they have to be, in their profession - so how a guy who's already pumped up can put on another fifteen of muscle seems wild to me. But as Sergeant Schultz so famously said, "I know nussink!"

I like that idea that I think run put out there - keep an eye on guys who had down years last year but good years prior to that, and have good meausureables. That's something to watch. Don't know which players fit that, but I'll bet several of you do.