Observations from draft:

[packers11]

T.T. must think :

- Nick Collins / Aaron Rouse is the answer at FS

- Driver will most likely not getting a contract extension unless it is very reasonable for the packers (after this year)

-Win/Win situation at QB; if A-Rod is not the future, then he indeed does have a backup plan

-Have high hopes in Blackmon/Williams/Bush to step up

-Comfortable at guard position for the upcoming year

Feel free to add your own...

[HarveyWallbangers]

- Driver will most likely not getting a contract extension unless it is very reasonable for the packers (after this year)

Didn't Driver sign another extension last year?


Have high hopes in Blackmon/Williams/Bush to step up

Has high hopes that one or two of those three will step up.

[pbmax]

I would only quibble with CB. Lee was drafted in round two as a replacement for one of the guys mentioned.

[pbmax]

From JSOnline:


Driver's contract extension
Posted: Aug. 5, 2007
2007

Base salary: $2.7 million

Roster bonus: $1.3 million

Likely to be earned incentives: $325,000

Salary cap number: $5.748 million

Cap number before extension: $4.123 million
2008

Base salary: $2.9 million

Roster bonus: $2 million

Workout bonus: $206,720

Salary cap number: $5.606 million

Cap number before extension: $4.506 million
2009

Base salary: $3.9 million

Roster bonus: $2 million

Workout bonus: $206,720

Salary cap number: $6.606 million

Cap number before extension: $5.506 million
2010

Base salary: $4.0 million

Roster bonus: $2.8 million

Workout bonus: $207,280

Salary cap number: $7.007 million

Portions of the roster bonuses are based on Driver's being active on the 45-man list each week. Every week he isn't on the active roster, he won't receive a prorated portion of the bonus. Workout bonuses are dependent on Driver attending a prescribed number of off-season conditioning sessions in Green Bay. Source: Obtained from a source who has access to NFL Players Association salary data.

According to the article, 09 and 10 could be voided with minimal cap hits as portions of the bonuses are for being on the roster and week to week. The info I read about this being a contract year seem to be one year premature at the least.

[run pMc]

I think it's Jennings that will be a bigger concern w/r/t contract...DD will be like 35 when his contract is up. Given the punishment he's taken, who knows if his body will hold up. Assuming Nelson pans out, he protects GB against losing DD to retirement and GJ to free agency. He also pushes Ruvell, JJ and KoRo for playing time, and sets up a possible trade scenario with a WR needy team like TEN. If Nelson can return punts on the pro level, he saves some wear and tear on Woodson. It's not a sexy pick, but the more I think about it the more I like it.

I think there are a lot of bodies at the S position, so I'm not sure if that's settled. Rouse, Peprah, and Culver should push Bigby and Collins, with Rouse the most likely to unseat Collins.

The backup CBs have to step up this year. Lee is a good pick to push the group and to learn from Harris and Woodson. Despite a Pro Bowl selection Harris didn't play as well as the prior season, and I hope his back injury, and not age, was the reason.

Similar deal with the OL...time for Colledge, Spitz, Coston to step up. I think Barbre will push them.

I'm OK with this draft. I'll be interested to see if/what TT does with other teams' roster cuts now that the draft is over and June 1 approaches.

[HarveyWallbangers]

According to the article, 09 and 10 could be voided with minimal cap hits as portions of the bonuses are for being on the roster and week to week. The info I read about this being a contract year seem to be one year premature at the least.

His salaray cap number is manageable for the next three years--provided we don't see a dramatic fall-off in his play. Driver is unlike most aging guys, and he could pull a Rod Smith and play well when he's 35. I don't think this signals the end of Driver, but rather protects the Packers if Driver does fall-off.

[HarveyWallbangers]

I think it's Jennings that will be a bigger concern w/r/t contract...DD will be like 35 when his contract is up. Given the punishment he's taken, who knows if his body will hold up. Assuming Nelson pans out, he protects GB against losing DD to retirement and GJ to free agency. He also pushes Ruvell, JJ and KoRo for playing time, and sets up a possible trade scenario with a WR needy team like TEN. If Nelson can return punts on the pro level, he saves some wear and tear on Woodson. It's not a sexy pick, but the more I think about it the more I like it.

I think there are a lot of bodies at the S position, so I'm not sure if that's settled. Rouse, Peprah, and Culver should push Bigby and Collins, with Rouse the most likely to unseat Collins.

The backup CBs have to step up this year. Lee is a good pick to push the group and to learn from Harris and Woodson. Despite a Pro Bowl selection Harris didn't play as well as the prior season, and I hope his back injury, and not age, was the reason.

Similar deal with the OL...time for Colledge, Spitz, Coston to step up. I think Barbre will push them.

I'm OK with this draft. I'll be interested to see if/what TT does with other teams' roster cuts now that the draft is over and June 1 approaches.

I agree with every one of your points.

[RashanGary]

Jennings isn't going anywhere. When TT was questioned about "sexy" picks at his presser he said nobody thought anythign of Jennings and now he's one of those special guys.

Thompson seems to have very high regard for Jennigns. I don't see him going anywhere.

[HarveyWallbangers]

I don't think anybody is saying Jennings is gone. They are saying this protects the Packers if he decides to leave. It's not a guarantee that Jennings will want to resign with Green Bay.

[Bossman641]

Jennings isn't going anywhere. When TT was questioned about "sexy" picks at his presser he said nobody thought anythign of Jennings and now he's one of those special guys.

Thompson seems to have very high regard for Jennigns. I don't see him going anywhere.

Agreed

TT has shown that he is more than willing to take care of his own guys. I see no reason why it wouldn't be the same way with Jennings. GJ seems to really enjoy it here and definitely has his head on straight.

[pbmax]

I believe Driver's status does affect Jennings though. If Driver plays out the contract and the Packers want to give a big contract to GJ, then their combined cap number could be over #12 million (could also be much lower, but he hasn't backloaded many deals for young players) and I'm not sure T2 will pay that much for two fifths of his receiver corp. Even for a year.

His WR pick is a hedge against both possible scenarios.


I don't think anybody is saying Jennings is gone. They are saying this protects the Packers if he decides to leave. It's not a guarantee that Jennings will want to resign with Green Bay.

[The Leaper]

I don't think anybody is saying Jennings is gone. They are saying this protects the Packers if he decides to leave. It's not a guarantee that Jennings will want to resign with Green Bay.

I don't see Jennings going anywhere. While he had a great year last season, he's doesn't appear to be an elite WR...just a very good one who fits our system extremely well. He isn't likely to grab 100 catches in a year IMO...and he doesn't have the size to be a factor in the red zone.

I expect Jennings will sign what amounts to a 5 year, $35-40M deal to stay with Green Bay. The final amount will depend to some extent on his play during 2008...it could go up. I consider this a fair price, and one that Jennings won't mind taking to stay in Green Bay...even if he could earn more in FA.

He isn't likely to go elsewhere because he still has 2 years on his current deal...and I can't see him turning down a fair offer from Green Bay, such as the one I'm suggesting, to risk another year making pennies on the dollar after 2008. He's a high character guy who seems to appreciate playing in Green Bay.

[The Leaper]

I believe Driver's status does affect Jennings though. If Driver plays out the contract and the Packers want to give a big contract to GJ, then their combined cap number could be over #12 million (could also be much lower, but he hasn't backloaded many deals for young players) and I'm not sure T2 will pay that much for two fifths of his receiver corp. Even for a year.

I agree...but Driver would be more likely the one going bye-bye.

We all love Driver, but if you have to choose between the two, you take the younger guy every time.

Driver is the kind of guy who will accept taking a pay cut to stay with the team in his declining years. Thompson showed Driver the money when he didn't have to in the past, and I expect Driver would respect that and accept being cut and resigning for less after 2008...if necessary.

[HarveyWallbangers]

His WR pick is a hedge against both possible scenarios.

Which is my point from my two posts above, so we agree.
:D

[Tarlam!]

Why are we talking about DD being cut? After BF retired, DD became the heart and soul of the Green Bay Packers.

I hope DD gets the chance to retire as BF did - on his own terms. For what he's done for us fans, he deserves it.

[The Leaper]

I hope DD gets the chance to retire as BF did - on his own terms. For what he's done for us fans, he deserves it.

Favre was able to retire on his own terms because he was still playing at a Pro Bowl caliber level when he walked away...and he already had made a ton of money so that he did not need to make more to retire comfortably.

If Driver's production starts to decline, then Thompson could be faced with having to tell Driver that they can't afford to keep him with a cap number in excess of $5M. I'm fully in favor of keeping Driver as long as he wishes to play, providing he is relatively productive, but we can't hold on to someone who a huge cap number that can't produce at the level that cap number demands going forward. We have a ton of young talent on this team that will be getting paid in the next 2-3 years.

Some of it depends on cap space...we have a ton right now, so we can probably continue to pay Driver under his current deal through the end of the 2009 season. After that...Driver may have to take a pay cut to remain in Green Bay unless he's playing at a Pro Bowl caliber level 2 years from now, which is doubtful because I didn't think he put up Pro Bowl numbers last year with a rejuvenated Favre, although he was voted in on reputation.

[Packnut]

I hope DD gets the chance to retire as BF did - on his own terms. For what he's done for us fans, he deserves it.

Favre was able to retire on his own terms because he was still playing at a Pro Bowl caliber level when he walked away...and he already had made a ton of money so that he did not need to make more to retire comfortably.

If Driver's production starts to decline, then Thompson could be faced with having to tell Driver that they can't afford to keep him with a cap number in excess of $5M. I'm fully in favor of keeping Driver as long as he wishes to play, providing he is relatively productive, but we can't hold on to someone who a huge cap number that can't produce at the level that cap number demands going forward. We have a ton of young talent on this team that will be getting paid in the next 2-3 years.

Some of it depends on cap space...we have a ton right now, so we can probably continue to pay Driver under his current deal through the end of the 2009 season. After that...Driver may have to take a pay cut to remain in Green Bay unless he's playing at a Pro Bowl caliber level 2 years from now, which is doubtful because I didn't think he put up Pro Bowl numbers last year with a rejuvenated Favre, although he was voted in on reputation.


What I'm most anxious to see this season is how DD plays now that he will no longer be consistently doubled. Way to many weapons on this offense now for any defense to attempt it.

I expect Jennings to see much more double coverage so it will be very very interesting to see how much success DD has.

[The Leaper]

What I'm most anxious to see this season is how DD plays now that he will no longer be consistently doubled. Way to many weapons on this offense now for any defense to attempt it.

There weren't that many double teams on our guys last year...defenses can't double team 4 and 5 WR sets very effectively. Granted, I can only go by what I'm seeing on TV...but it didn't seem like Driver was double covered an extensive amount in 2007. After 4-5 games, Jennings had established himself as a real threat and Jones at the #3 spot was also proving capable.

I think the extensive double teaming on Driver would've been put to bed around the nanosecond that Jennings split the defense and beat the Chargers.

[HarveyWallbangers]

What I'm most anxious to see this season is how DD plays now that he will no longer be consistently doubled. Way to many weapons on this offense now for any defense to attempt it.

There weren't that many double teams on our guys last year...defenses can't double team 4 and 5 WR sets very effectively. Granted, I can only go by what I'm seeing on TV...but it didn't seem like Driver was double covered an extensive amount in 2007. After 4-5 games, Jennings had established himself as a real threat and Jones at the #3 spot was also proving capable.

I think the extensive double teaming on Driver would've been put to bed around the nanosecond that Jennings split the defense and beat the Chargers.

Actually, I thought I read that it was until at least half way through the year that Jennings took much of the focus on Driver. Let's remember that we didn't 4 and 5 WRs in a large percentage of plays. It was more of a changeup play in the grand scheme things. It's not like they ran that formation on half of their passing plays. Obviously, the better the group you have, the easier it makes for the other receivers.

[The Leaper]

Actually, I thought I read that it was until at least half way through the year that Jennings took much of the focus on Driver.

Perhaps.

However, even if you concede that Driver was a primary focus during the entire first half of the year, his stats were slightly more consistent during that time...and he scored his only 2 TDs early in the year.

Basically, I'm just saying that I don't think we will see any appreciable "bump" in Driver's stats from having additional depth now. If anything, the young kids will take more catches away...plus, Driver's age obviously is a negative factor as well.

[cheesner]

T.T. must think :

Feel free to add your own...

ok


MM is interested in continuing and perhaps increasing the number of multiple (5) WR sets. (too bad you can't run 6 WR sets :) )


TT is happy with the overall talent level of the starters. I don't see any of his picks having that much chance to be starters right away. Instead he went with players with lots of upside, that may be a bit raw right now.

[sharpe1027]

T.T. must think :

- Nick Collins / Aaron Rouse is the answer at FS

- Driver will most likely not getting a contract extension unless it is very reasonable for the packers (after this year)

-Win/Win situation at QB; if A-Rod is not the future, then he indeed does have a backup plan

-Have high hopes in Blackmon/Williams/Bush to step up

-Comfortable at guard position for the upcoming year

Feel free to add your own...

I could see that, but we don't really know his thought process. For example, it may be that TT thought that:
- the FS available in the draft were not the answer;
- Nelson was better than the current #4 (or #3) WR;
- they need something at backup QB because last year's backup is starting;
- he drafted a CB to push Blackmon/Williams/Bush;
- he drafted a few linemen that may end up at guard

We really don't know what he was thinking. IMO, it is more important that the players selected are good than what position they play at. I think that too often we get caught up judging a draft by trying to fill in our perceived holes on paper. Admittedly, right now it is hard not to judge a draft that way because none of them have had a single NFL practice. Even so, I think this draft filled some needs: TE (no legit backup); QB (no legit backup) and CB (nickel has been an issue). I don't think we should be expecting a draft pick in every single position...

[Lurker64]

I think Thompson is getting into the Wolf program of "You draft some QBs, DBs, and OL and just wait and see who develops into a player." I like that.