T THOMPSON, IT'S TIME TO SHORE IT UP
Last year a fine group of posters joined something called the SHORT PATROL encouraging Ted Thompson to shore up the talent of the Green Bay Packers by signing a capable OG and drafting nearly all defense to shore up this roster into this contender.
Note the basis of the Shore Patrol is Win Now as well as later, not win later.
So when the Turtle drafted the likes of Aaron Rodgers, Terrance Murphy, and signed the clods he signed, he clearly failed our cause. But with all the injuries and the loads of cash he clearly has another opportunity this year.
So let's Shore it up.
On offense, we are currently missing three starting offensive lineman. We need to be effective there to compete, and cannot have the center of our OL getting overpowered if our QB, whoever it is, has a chance for success.
So TT, at bare minimum, fine a way to bring one and preferrable two starters for the three available positions into the mix. It doessn't matter if our QB is Aaron Rodgers or Brett Favre or Payton Manning. If we don't get that middld of the line fixed, we will not have a successful offense.
So get us Jeff Faine, who seems to be the best player out there on the OL right now. And find us one Capable Starting Guard after 6/1. It was the Turtle's fault we sleepwalked at OG in free agency so far and he needs to be held accountable now.
We are OK at TE and we are OK at WR. At QB, if Favre comes back we are set and if he does not we must live or die with TT's selection, who IMO will turn out being a terrible mistake.
The basis of the Shore Patrol is to build a dominant defense that can begin to CONTROL games from that side of the ball. Despite the jaded #7 rating, we do not have that. We lacked playmakers last year and failed to stop teams on several fourth quarter drives. The offensive incompetence also led to a much higher defensive ranking since teams didn't have to score on us as often and often had shorter fields to go for scores.
The best way to build up this future rosters, with either an again Favre or a youthful Rodgers, is to SHORE UP THE DEFENSE. Here are some strong suggestions.
1. Do not just STUP UP TO THE PLATE with Charles Woodson, TAKE A SWING. Get er done TT. We don't wanna see the same lowballing you most likely used when trying to get some of the better free agents in here.
Most likely that's the real reason we had so few visits among the top tier Free Agents.
We have $20,000,000 left. It's OK to give somebody fair market value, or slightly above when you have money. When healthy, Woodson was, and is a playmaker. He is worth a chance. GO GET HIM.
And if you fail with Charles Woodson, go get us Ahmad Plummer or Ty Law.
I have no ill toward Ahmad Carroll, but we can use an upgrade there and he'd be a great #3 CB as well. I want quality over quantity, and to be quite honest there is not a whole lotta quality left at any other defensive positions but CB.
2. Sign Barrett Green- He is the best of the available LB's and capable to compete for a starter when healthy. I won't pound the table for him, but he'd surely help.
3. In the draft, go Defense Defense Defense. Maybe slip an OG in there, but build this defense to be DOMINATING going forward.
I'm fine with Mario Williams but he's not going to be there. The Saints seem to be liking Hawk more and more cut I'm not convinced they will select him.
I cannot remember the last time when we had a dominating leader at the LB position that also serves as a fiery, intense leader. A four year starter, three time all American, great tackler, great instincts, great speed, great change of direction, great strength, and a great SMASH MOUTH football player, which means more than anything.
FOR THE LOVE OF GOD TURTLE, DRAFT AJ HAWK
He's a guy to build the defense around and barring injuries he's the surest thing this draft has to offer. And we clearly need leaders. AJ Hawk is the guy.
That would give us two starting caliber LB's to go along with Ben Taylor....who seems to be OK.
The 2006 draft is loaded with impact LB's and we should again look at that position in round two because somebody will slip.
It looks like Ernie Sims will be gone by pick 20 with his workouts, but Bobby Carpenter has a chance to slip. If not him, look at DQuell Jackson, who has many of the same attributes as AJ Hawk, but is just not quite as good.
SHORE UP OUR WEAKNESS TT, AND BUILD A DOMINANT DEFENSE !!
By the above moves, or starting defense would look like this
DL- KGB, Kampman, Pickett, Jenkins
LB- Hawk Carpenter/Jackson, Barnett, Taylor, and Green
S- Manuel, Collins
CB- Woodson, Harris
Looking at that, it'd be nice to have a dominating defensive lineman.........but now we do have some defensive playmakers on board in Hawk and Woodson and we have an outstanding start to success.
In rounds 3,4,5,5, and 7 you can begin the Teddy game of trading down and adding selections.
I'd prefer to add a DL, S, or G in round three, and then build up our depth, with the main focus again being on defense defense defense.
Feel free to add to the plan or dispute.
BUT CLEARLY, THE TIME HAS COME FOR THE SHORE PATROL TO COME OUT AND CALL OUT TEDDY THOMPSON.
HEY TURTLE, SHORE IT UP SHORT IT UP !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
