Packers Offseason/Free Agency Thread

[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.

[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.

[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.

[Anti-Polar Bear]

[I]

23: Enjoy the room, man, it ain’t gonna last.

29: What’s so special about the room?

23: It’s all-black, man. They’re gonna draft some frog named DeJean. DB corps gonna be tainted, yo.

29: Shit, man. Will they do shit about that all-white TE room?

[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]

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.

[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.

[bobblehead]

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.

First, just moving into a professional program and not being a student can have a guy put on 10 pounds of muscle in an offseason, usually while shedding some fat though. If the program is specifically aimed adding 15 net pounds though, for a guy his size its probably not hard at all. When you have the resources to streamline the dietary habits and the lifting 15 pounds is nothing. I weigh in at a hardy 215 and workout modestly nowdays, but I could easily swap 15 muscle for fat or just tack on 15 in muscle if I made it a mission (and I'm 50+).

[run pMc]

First, just moving into a professional program and not being a student can have a guy put on 10 pounds of muscle in an offseason, usually while shedding some fat though. If the program is specifically aimed adding 15 net pounds though, for a guy his size its probably not hard at all. When you have the resources to streamline the dietary habits and the lifting 15 pounds is nothing. I weigh in at a hardy 215 and workout modestly nowdays, but I could easily swap 15 muscle for fat or just tack on 15 in muscle if I made it a mission (and I'm 50+).

Agree. These players have big frames and with nutrition and training can put the weight on. In many cases it's swapping out bad weight for good, or fat with muscle. If you're already 6-5 280, what's another 10 pounds? That's adding 3.5% to their weight.

[Frozen Tundra]

Agree. These players have big frames and with nutrition and training can put the weight on. In many cases it's swapping out bad weight for good, or fat with muscle. If you're already 6-5 280, what's another 10 pounds? That's adding 3.5% to their weight.

I usually assume most players coming out of powerhouse football programs like Big 10 and SEC schools have already spent a few years in a very good nutrition and physical development program, but for a guy like Brooks - coming out of Bowling Green - he's probably going to benefit a great deal from NFL level conditioning and dietary programs. Could make some significant improvements there in Year One.

[Joemailman]

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.

Wooden just said he's gone from 278 to 290 this offseason.

[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.

[bobblehead]

Wooden just said he's gone from 278 to 290 this offseason.

And I would hope he lost some fat, so the net amount of muscle increase would be even more than 12 pounds. Of course, now he has to keep it on through a grueling camp.

[Fritz]

Wooden just said he's gone from 278 to 290 this offseason.

I saw that too. It's making me think I have superpowers.

Is there anyone else on the team that needs to change his body weight and/or composition? Just let me know, and I'll be sure to cast doubt on that person's ability to do so, and - ta-da! - it's done.

As for the original thread topic, it'll be interesting to see if they sign another FA safety after the draft.

[run pMc]

Dillard's contract is vet minimum, not a single dollar of guaranteed money. Roster bubble/depth guy.

[Joemailman]

Justis Mosqueda
@JuMosq

The Packers are way over the number of undrafted free agents they have room for. Cuts are coming soon

[Fritz]

It would be hilarious though fucked up if Guter cut some of the rookies he just drafted. “Ah, they don’t seem so great after all. I fucked up, man. I just read Packerrats, and they’re right. I made some shit picks.”