Trade Possibilities

[HarveyWallbangers]

I get the feeling from this article that the Packers think they'll have three good RBs from the guys on the team (probably Jackson and Morency and possibly Herron and Wynn). However, it seems that they'll be looking to make a move at TE eventually.


So far, trades are on hold
By ROB REISCHEL

Green Bay - The situation at tight end appears bleak. The outlook at running back might not be any better.

Yet, for the time being, the Green Bay Packers seem content playing the hand they've dealt themselves.

The rest of the football world might be wondering why the Packers are sitting still. But for now, Green Bay wants to get a closer look at the DeShawn Wynns and Zac Alcorns of its roster.

"We're not in a rush. We're not. We're not," insisted Reggie McKenzie, Green Bay's director of player personnel. "I know (the fans) are and you guys (the media) are, but we're not.

"Let everybody else find out on Sundays. That's the way we feel about it, so we're going to wait a couple weeks. We're not going to panic. We just have to see what happens this pre-season."

Vernand Morency, the front-runner to be Green Bay's No. 1 running back, suffered a patellar tendon injury on the first day of practice and hasn't returned. Morency will definitely miss Saturday night's pre-season opener at Pittsburgh and could be out up to a month.

In Morency's absence, rookie second-round draft pick Brandon Jackson has received most of the work with the No. 1 offense, and the Packers want to see exactly what they have with him. So for now, Green Bay has no plans to add another back to the mix.

"Not at present, no," Packers general manager Ted Thompson said. "Obviously we're disappointed Vernand is not going to be able to play in maybe the first couple of pre-season games. We'll see how he goes after that. We also have some young fellows here we need to see play, and need to see practice, so that affords them an opportunity."

Corey Dillon is perhaps the most intriguing veteran running back not in a camp. Dillon, who's played 10 seasons in the NFL, ran for 812 yards and a career-high 13 touchdowns last season. Dillon has said he's retired, but most aren't buying the retirement talk. Still, there are questions whether Dillon has anything left.

Dallas' Julius Jones and Carolina's DeShaun Foster are former starters who could lose their jobs by the time the regular season rolls around. And for the right price, they could be had.

Right now, though, Green Bay wants to get a good look at its group, which in addition to Jackson includes Noah Herron, Corey White and Wynn. (P.J. Pope dropped out of the mix when he had arthroscopic surgery Monday after injuring his knee in the intrasquad scrimmage Saturday. He could be out anywhere from four to eight weeks).

"Our guys are better than anybody who's out there," McKenzie said of the current free agents. "The only thing that's questionable is you've got so many young guys. You just need to let them play and see what they're like.

"We don't have a set starter. That's what we're trying to figure out, who's going to be our go-to back? We feel like we've got the talent back there. We're not worried about that part. We're worried about picking out, 'OK, who's going to be the guy to always go with the first group all the time?' "

Green Bay has that same problem at tight end, where the group of Donald Lee, Bubba Franks, Zac Alcorn, Clark Harris and Joe Werner hasn't wowed anyone.

McKenzie said the crop of tight ends still on the street did nothing for him. But a trade remains possible.

McKenzie said there were five teams with a surplus of tight ends that the Packers have targeted as potential trading partners. A reporter asked whether Denver, New England and San Diego were among those teams and McKenzie said "Yep." McKenzie said the Packers weren't pursuing a trade with Dallas, then McKenzie put an end to the guessing game.

New England has a blossoming star in Ben Watson and signed free agent Kyle Brady this off-season. That could make David Thomas - a third-round draft pick in 2006 - available for the right price.

Denver gave free agent Daniel Graham a five-year, $30 million contract in March. But the Broncos also love second-year man Tony Scheffler and have 10-year veteran Stephen Alexander on the roster.

San Diego's Antonio Gates is the best tight end in football and isn't going anywhere. The Chargers do have outstanding depth, though, with block-first Brandon Manumaleuna and rookie fourth-rounder Scott Chandler.

Another team of interest could be St. Louis. The Rams signed Randy McMichael in free agency this off-season to go with Joe Klopfenstein and Dominique Byrd - who were both first-day choices in 2006.

"We'll keep searching and calling on teams and monitor the pre-season," McKenzie said. "But at this point, it's normal. There's not a guy we want to jump out and get.

"Nobody's ready to get rid of anybody yet and then they get somebody hurt in the first pre-season game. That's understandable."

So for the time being, Green Bay will give its younger players a chance to shine, then determine its next move accordingly.

"We'll see more and we'll see if anybody steps up here," McKenzie said. "It's week to week, even day to day, especially with the young guys.

"We want a couple of games under these guys' belts. We just want to try and figure out our guys."

[Deputy Nutz]

Trading for players is just not Teddy Thompson's bag of tea bags, you know what I am saying?

I wonder how fat Cory Dillon has gotten? 245 maybe 250?

[Lurker64]

Trading for players is just not Teddy Thompson's bag of tea bags, you know what I am saying?

I wonder how fat Cory Dillon has gotten? 245 maybe 250?

On the other hand, trading guys he'd otherwise cut or guys he doesn't expect to contribute much makes too much sense to not do. It's not like Ted's dumb. He's stubborn and has other faults, but it's not like he can't dress himself or realize that trading guys who he'd otherwise get nothing from a good idea.

Probably these trades end up working like "Team A is deep at position x and weak at position y, Team B is weak at position x and deep at position y. Team A and Team B elect to exchange xs and ys, getting rid of players who otherwise would be unlikely to make the team, not because they're not good but because of who's in front of them."

[HarveyWallbangers]

He traded Samkon Gado for Morency last year, so I could see a DL or maybe an Abdul Hodge being traded for a TE.

[Deputy Nutz]

He traded Samkon Gado for Morency last year, so I could see a DL or maybe an Abdul Hodge being traded for a TE.

Fuck u Harvey don't bring up the past!

[GrnBay007]

He traded Samkon Gado for Morency last year, so I could see a DL or maybe an Abdul Hodge being traded for a TE.

Fuck u Harvey don't bring up the past!

LOL :flm:

[superfan]

"We're not in a rush. We're not. We're not," insisted Reggie McKenzie, Green Bay's director of player personnel. "I know (the fans) are and you guys (the media) are, but we're not.

"Let everybody else find out on Sundays. That's the way we feel about it, so we're going to wait a couple weeks. We're not going to panic. We just have to see what happens this pre-season."

Translation - "Rather than sign or trade for someone, we're going to wait and see what we can steal off another team's practice squad."


"Our guys are better than anybody who's out there," McKenzie said of the current free agents. "The only thing that's questionable is you've got so many young guys. You just need to let them play and see what they're like.

So... we have young guys that haven't had a chance to play, and we haven't seen what they're like - but you're saying they are better than anybody who's out there?!?

Ugh. This is embarassing and frustrating to hear comments like this. I find it very hard to believe that Noah Herron, DeShawn Wynn and White are better than any other available players. Even if Dillon is eating his way towards three bills and now considers breathing "exercise", he's gotta be an upgrade.

[Bretsky]

"We're not in a rush. We're not. We're not," insisted Reggie McKenzie, Green Bay's director of player personnel. "I know (the fans) are and you guys (the media) are, but we're not.

"Let everybody else find out on Sundays. That's the way we feel about it, so we're going to wait a couple weeks. We're not going to panic. We just have to see what happens this pre-season."

Translation - "Rather than sign or trade for someone, we're going to wait and see what we can steal off another team's practice squad."


"Our guys are better than anybody who's out there," McKenzie said of the current free agents. "The only thing that's questionable is you've got so many young guys. You just need to let them play and see what they're like.

So... we have young guys that haven't had a chance to play, and we haven't seen what they're like - but you're saying they are better than anybody who's out there?!?

Ugh. This is embarassing and frustrating to hear comments like this. I find it very hard to believe that Noah Herron, DeShawn Wynn and White are better than any other available players. Even if Dillon is eating his way towards three bills and now considers breathing "exercise", he's gotta be an upgrade.

:bclap: :bclap: :bclap: :bclap: :bclap:

[retailguy]

"We're not in a rush. We're not. We're not," insisted Reggie McKenzie, Green Bay's director of player personnel. "I know (the fans) are and you guys (the media) are, but we're not.

"Let everybody else find out on Sundays. That's the way we feel about it, so we're going to wait a couple weeks. We're not going to panic. We just have to see what happens this pre-season."

Translation - "Rather than sign or trade for someone, we're going to wait and see what we can steal off another team's practice squad."


"Our guys are better than anybody who's out there," McKenzie said of the current free agents. "The only thing that's questionable is you've got so many young guys. You just need to let them play and see what they're like.

So... we have young guys that haven't had a chance to play, and we haven't seen what they're like - but you're saying they are better than anybody who's out there?!?

Ugh. This is embarassing and frustrating to hear comments like this. I find it very hard to believe that Noah Herron, DeShawn Wynn and White are better than any other available players. Even if Dillon is eating his way towards three bills and now considers breathing "exercise", he's gotta be an upgrade.

Careful.... Comments like this will get you kicked off the party bus.

[The Leaper]

Ugh. This is embarassing and frustrating to hear comments like this. I find it very hard to believe that Noah Herron, DeShawn Wynn and White are better than any other available players. Even if Dillon is eating his way towards three bills and now considers breathing "exercise", he's gotta be an upgrade.

I'm not sure if they mean better in terms of talent or better in terms of fit. Sure, Herron isn't as good as some FA RBs...but since he knows the system and has that comfort level, he probably would have as much impact as Dillon despite lesser talent.

That is why a guy like Levens was valuable to Green Bay and Philly past his prime...but useless to most other teams not running a WCO.

[Scott Campbell]

Careful.... Comments like this will get you kicked off the party bus.


What a joke. You act like the "I hate Ted" crowd is some poor oppressed minority.

[HarveyWallbangers]

Careful.... Comments like this will get you kicked off the party bus.

95% of Superfan's posts on Ted Thompson aren't negative. There's where the difference is.

[superfan]

I'm pro Turtle for the most part, but I'm not going to drink all the kool-aid that comes out of the front offices.

What McKenzie said is probably (hopefully) more mediaspeak than anything else, but if not, I can't respect that quote. Heck, I'm always trying to improve my fantasy teams, and in fantasy sports you should always be looking to upgrade your team, and they obviously have much more at stake managing a pro franchise. His quote actually reminded me of the trap that many fantasy owners (myself included) fall victim to - overvaluing your own players.

[wist43]

If there are any trades, they'll be minor... you guys know the matra, "we like our guys".

Given that 1st downs, let alone pts, are going to be very tough to come by... perhaps trading for the best punter in the league would make sense??? :? :? :wink: :wink: :whist: :whist:

[Packers4Ever]

Per Reggie McKenzie:

" Let everybody else find out on Sundays. "


Not sure if I want to - I've been in TT's corner for all

of 2007 giving him a fair shot. Now we're 4 weeks

from opening day and this is what we hear?

Don't you wonder how they all sleep at night?

:roll:

[Packers4Ever]

" Not sure if I want to - "


Of course you know that's just :?

[woodbuck27]

Careful.... Comments like this will get you kicked off the party bus.

95% of Superfan's posts on Ted Thompson aren't negative. There's where the difference is.

When Ted Thompson makes it clearly evident that he's more than just full of crap.

You'll find that there won't be any serious criticism of him by sensable people who are as dedicated as you are as a Packer fan.

Too bad that some Packer fans have the parts to tell it as it is. To not be locked in, as if they are issuing threats to the CIA.

How any serious and really concerned Packer fan can sit back after the off season we witnessed, and go all Glory on Ted Thompson is in my view a real joke.

Smarten up Packer fans.

[KYPack]

This is an OK thread.

A trade that is a possibility.

The Rams have a log jam at TE. That Dominique Byrd is 4th on their depth chart. The Rams need DLine help, espec DT's.

Dominique Byrd had 39 catches for a TD. He also had a 19 yd average.

Cole is a man on the bubble. Cole for Byrd seems like a trade that TT would be comfortable with. Maybe the tortoise would pull the trigger?

[woodbuck27]

This is an OK thread.

A trade that is a possibility.

The Rams have a log jam at TE. That Dominique Byrd is 4th on their depth chart. The Rams need DLine help, espec DT's.

Dominique Byrd had 39 catches for a TD. He also had a 19 yd average.

Cole is a man on the bubble. Cole for Byrd seems like a trade that TT would be comfortable with. Maybe the tortoise would pull the trigger?

That would be a reasonable move KY.

Dominique Byrd was a solid prospect out of college. I havn't followed up on him much but those #'s you put up arn't too bad for a Rookie TE.

[rpiotr01]

How any serious and really concerned Packer fan can sit back after the off season we witnessed, and go all Glory on Ted Thompson is in my view a real joke.

Smarten up Packer fans.

I don't think this was a bad offseason. Just boring. Uneventful.

If you want a BAD offseason, look back to 2005. Now there's a disaster! I mean, losing Ahman hurts us in 2007, but beyond that I doubt there's much left in the tank. But losing Wahle not only hurt the team in 2005, it hurt the team for the next 5 seasons! Even losing Javon in 2006 was much worse than anything that happened or didnt happen this offseason.

Come on, you really need to put the stinkyness of the past 3 offseasons in order here... :wink:

[woodbuck27]

How any serious and really concerned Packer fan can sit back after the off season we witnessed, and go all Glory on Ted Thompson is in my view a real joke.

Smarten up Packer fans.

I don't think this was a bad offseason. Just boring. Uneventful.

If you want a BAD offseason, look back to 2005. Now there's a disaster! I mean, losing Ahman hurts us in 2007, but beyond that I doubt there's much left in the tank. But losing Wahle not only hurt the team in 2005, it hurt the team for the next 5 seasons! Even losing Javon in 2006 was much worse than anything that happened or didnt happen this offseason.

Come on, you really need to put the stinkyness of the past 3 offseasons in order here... :wink:

I do see your point but the nothingness of this off season really pissed me off.

I'm not surprized that Ahman Green is gone. As a matter of fact I expected it.

I felt that someone would pay him. He got an unbelievably great offer that TT couldn't match. Yet today we sit on $13 Million CAP space.

So OK. . .

After that, it was TT's first priority to bring in some RB with experience and uppside. To just sit on what we had at RB and draft a player such as Brandon Jackson doesn't shake down as intelligence.

People are thinking ( I read recently) that he hoped to get Marshawn Lynch.

Well if that was the case, then TT should have made the necessary move to trade up to pick him. TT had to go for it.

Failing that, TT had to make some other move to (again) give us more experience at RB than we presently see.

He had to upgrade our 'O'. We had need at RB,FB,TE.

The FA period could have very well reduced pressure at those positions to enable better depth via the draft. Get that FB and TE via free agency and take some heat off himself.

Then,

He should have tried a little harder to secure Randy Moss. All it would have taken was our third. Randy Moss or James Jones for 2007. A no brainer.

It's the same ole - same ole with TT, that piss's me off.

He never gets it done. He's asleep at the wheel.

[Bretsky]

This is an OK thread.

A trade that is a possibility.

The Rams have a log jam at TE. That Dominique Byrd is 4th on their depth chart. The Rams need DLine help, espec DT's.

Dominique Byrd had 39 catches for a TD. He also had a 19 yd average.

Cole is a man on the bubble. Cole for Byrd seems like a trade that TT would be comfortable with. Maybe the tortoise would pull the trigger?


Good and Practical one; Even the we're fine there crew knows our TE situation is bleak. I have faith they are talking with teams like the Rams about upgrading that sad position.

[Packers4Ever]

How any serious and really concerned Packer fan can sit back after the off season we witnessed, and go all Glory on Ted Thompson is in my view a real joke.

Smarten up Packer fans.

I don't think this was a bad offseason. Just boring. Uneventful.

If you want a BAD offseason, look back to 2005. Now there's a disaster! I mean, losing Ahman hurts us in 2007, but beyond that I doubt there's much left in the tank. But losing Wahle not only hurt the team in 2005, it hurt the team for the next 5 seasons! Even losing Javon in 2006 was much worse than anything that happened or didnt happen this offseason.

Come on, you really need to put the stinkyness of the past 3 offseasons in order here... :wink:

** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **
I think what Woody was referring to here was partly what occurred in the months before you joined us, rpiotr01, first losing Ahman which we knew was possible but who really thought it would happen when obviously we would need him, or SOMEone as RB. But we understood why it could not be, dollar-wise. So we patiently waited til FA got here, thinking now the problem would be solved hopefully without too much fuss. But that didn't happen either. Now we're looking forward to the Draft in late April and you are aware of the story from there on. Add to that the possibility of losing our QB for 2007 and forever - so what appeared to be uneventful and boring to you was much more than that to us, it was total frustration to think that obvious problems were being overlooked (or ignored?) that should have been - and could have been - attended to.

So here we sit, 4-5 months later at status quo. Situation normal, (and you know the rest of that line.) So while I understand where you're coming from, please understand we need some relief and assurance that this will be the year we break out, let's just hope it happens.

[The Shadow]

Personally, I am pretty pleased with the offseason. Thompson has harvested another crop of promising young players, established a healthy salary cap situation, and locked up players like Barnett & Jenkins.
It's all good.

[4and12to12and4]

WE NEED TO PICK UP A GOOD TE, PERIOD. THE GUYS WE HAVE WILL NOT GET IT DONE, AND WILL HAVE FAVRE ON HIS BACK MANY A TIMES ON SUNDAY. TT, GET A FRIGGIN TE IN HERE!!!!

[HarveyWallbangers]

Q: Kevin of Chippewa Falls - Tom- when you analyze the Packers current roster they seem to have an oversupply of players at certain positions (i.e.- defensive tackle and wide receiver) that could help in a trade in attracting some talent in positions we need some help in (i.e.- running back and tight end). Your thoughts?

A: Tom Silverstein - Good afternoon everyone, I just got back from practice and I'm ready to take your answers. I've only got an hour because I've got a ton of work to do, but I'll try to get to as many questions as possible. Kevin -- The only area of value where the Packers have a glut of players is defensive line. Since that position is one of the hardest to acquire good talent, they're dealing from a position of strength. They very well could trade Corey Williams for a running back or tight end. Williams is in the final year of his deal probably will leave in free agency, so he'd be the most likely to go. There might be some interest in someone like Mike Montgomery or Jason Hunter, although it's unlikely they would draw much in compensation.

Q: Jesse of Atlanta - Tom, I have been hearing that the Colts could use a defensive tackle or two after losing a couple of their players. IF the Packers were to pull the trigger on one of their promising young tackles, do the Colts have anybody to offer that might benefit this team?

A: Tom Silverstein - That's a good question. The Colts are not deep at running back so that's not an option. They are deep at tight end and might be willing to deal either Bryan Fletcher or Ben Utecht, both of whom are good pass catchers. That would be one team I'm sure the Packers would be calling if they try to make a trade.

[Lurker64]

WE NEED TO PICK UP A GOOD TE, PERIOD. THE GUYS WE HAVE WILL NOT GET IT DONE, AND WILL HAVE FAVRE ON HIS BACK MANY A TIMES ON SUNDAY. TT, GET A FRIGGIN TE IN HERE!!!!

Our concern with tight ends is less that "they can't block" and more that "they can't catch or hold onto the damn ball". Bubba can block, that's the one thing he was still good at last year.

Tight ends failing to catch the ball when it's thrown to them will not result in any more QB pressures, hits, ro sacks.

[The Leaper]

It's the same ole - same ole with TT, that piss's me off. He never gets it done. He's asleep at the wheel.

I'm not sure how anyone can paint the picture with that broad a brush.

While Thompson certainly has his faults, it certainly can't be said that he lacks strengths. The guy is one of the better evaluators of college talent in the NFL. Very few of the 30-some picks he's made in the last 3 years have been duds, and he has gotten tremendous value with numerous picks. That trend also extends back to his days in Seattle.

Very few GMs have Ron Wolf's jack-of-all-trades talent. We should consider ourselves lucky to have had a guy like Wolf in town, especially at a time in the NFL that played to his advantage with the onset of free agency. Thompson is a good GM, and he's still on the low end of the totem pole in terms of experience. Ron Wolf was a grizzled veteran who had been in that capacity for years when he came to Green Bay...I doubt he was as polished and successful in his first 3-4 years as a GM.

Like any player, you have to give Thompson a chance to develop his skills and base of knowledge. He has a strong set of characteristics in his favor, but needs to develop several key areas to become a great GM. Guys in the front office develop and improve just as much as guys on the field, and you have to allow for that and not expect elite performance in all aspects from a guy who is a first time GM.

[GBRulz]

Ron Wolf was a grizzled veteran who had been in that capacity for years when he came to Green Bay...I doubt he was as polished and successful in his first 3-4 years as a GM.

I think his prior experience was head of personnel for the Jets, the same as TT did with Seattle. If I recall correctly, Wolf came into GB with as much GM experience as TT.

[Zool]

Ron Wolf was a grizzled veteran who had been in that capacity for years when he came to Green Bay...I doubt he was as polished and successful in his first 3-4 years as a GM.

I think his prior experience was head of personnel for the Jets, the same as TT did with Seattle. If I recall correctly, Wolf came into GB with as much GM experience as TT.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ron_Wolf

Ron Wolf is the former American football general manager (GM) of the NFL's Green Bay Packers, and played a significant role in personel operations with the Oakland and Los Angeles Raiders from 1966-1975, and again from 1978-1990. He joined Green Bay's front office in November 1991 from a personnel director's job with the New York Jets.

[GBRulz]

Just curious on the two positions. GM vs personnel director.... what are some of the key differences? Isn't a PD basically in charge of scouting new talent vs where a GM oversees the entire operations? I'm not sure....

[PaCkFan_n_MD]

Dallas seemed to be loaded at TE yesterday. There third TE was playing his ass off and I really liked him, he looked like a huge WR. I think his name was Curtis. Also, there second TE didn't look bad either.

[HarveyWallbangers]

Wolf had a lot more experience. He started scouting for the Raiders in 1963. Worked under Al Davis for many years. Then, he moved onto Tampa Bay, back to the Raiders, and then the Jets before hitting Green Bay. Still, inexperience is not an excuse for Ted Thompson. I think you learn lessons, and it looks like Thompson did after the Walker fiasco. People can say he doesn't sign FAs (although he did sign Pickett, Manuel, and Woodson). I think he will, but not going overboard allows him to resign his own guys and keep his own guys happy (with extensions and raises). Sure, I wish he'd have gotten more FAs, but nobody knows who he went after and missed out on (for whatever reason). Most of the FAs were probably not worth the money. Does Dominic Rhodes really have more upside than Brandon Jackson? I'm okay with him going young at RB and WR. I wish he could have brought another TE in. Maybe he still gets that done. Safety would have been another position to upgrade, but at this point we don't know if a Rouse, Underwood, or one of the other young guys will work out. I'll wait to see how the team looks before labeling this offseason a disaster. I like his approaches to build through the draft and sign your own guys. That's a formula that has worked in the NFL.

[HarveyWallbangers]

Dallas seemed to be loaded at TE yesterday. There third TE was playing his ass off and I really liked him, he looked like a huge WR. I think his name was Curtis. Also, there second TE didn't look bad either.

Their second TE is Anthony Fasano--who they drafted in the second round last year. I do think Indianapolis is a possibility for a trade.