The Packers will be "on the lookout" for nose tack

[wist43]

I was under the impression that all you homers thought we were good along the DL???

Harrell at DE, Kampman at LB... we don't need no stinking NT!!!!!

[Gunakor]

Obviously you've got to wait and see how it plays out. If Raji does well at the combine, he might be long gone by #5, and there's no way for TT to move up much farther unless he pulls a Mike Ditka and trades his whole draft away.

However, if Raji is still sitting there at, say, #6, it might be tempting. But let's not get too caught up in the whole we-hav- tohave-that-guy thing. Sometimes we forget that the vast majority of us don't know jack about anything coming after maybe - maybe - the third round. So we tend to focus on the "sexy" picks - the first rounders we read about. For all we know, TT has got an eye on some big ol' kid from Montgomery State Bible College and Cooking Institute.

So let's not get too mad if TT doesn't just trade up to get the "name" guy.

And if he does, well, then he for sure must like the guy.

Normally I don't get into the we-have-to-get-that-guy deal, but this is a little different.

First off, I hope we never have the opportunity to move up into the top 5 again. Because I hope we are never have a pick in the top 10 again to begin with. So this is a unique situation in the sense that we CAN do this if we want to this year. Hopefully, we won't have that ability next year or the year after.

Secondly, who knows when the next time a studly NT is going to be available to us - either in the draft or FA? Again, this makes it a rather unique situation. We have an opportunity to grab a guy who will play the most important position in our new defense for the next decade or more. A position not easy to fill. IMO we need to seize this opportunity while we have it, because there's no telling when it will roll around again.

Lastly, we don't need 7 new draftees this year. The core of the team is set. I'd use the first on Raji, the second hopefully on an OT, and honestly would use the rest as currency in a trade for vets and/or moving up to get Raji. I like the young players on our team, but I don't want to add many more. I'd be more willing to trade away picks this year than in years past, something I'd hope Teddy will be more open to this year as well.

[Gunakor]

Refresh my memory--can anyone name a trade up of a couple of spots in the first round that worked out for ANYONE? I guess Denver did OK on the Cutler trade, but I don't remember how far they moved up.

Probably as many times as standing pat has worked out. The whole draft is a crapshoot. But with 85% of the roster being 25 years old or younger, how horrible would it be to trade a pick or 3 to move up a few spots to grab the guy you want - knowing the guy you want won't be there for you if you just sit on your hands and do nothing?

[sharpe1027]

Refresh my memory--can anyone name a trade up of a couple of spots in the first round that worked out for ANYONE? I guess Denver did OK on the Cutler trade, but I don't remember how far they moved up.

Probably as many times as standing pat has worked out. The whole draft is a crapshoot. But with 85% of the roster being 25 years old or younger, how horrible would it be to trade a pick or 3 to move up a few spots to grab the guy you want - knowing the guy you want won't be there for you if you just sit on your hands and do nothing?

Probably not given that by trading up you end up with at least one less chance to win the crap shoot.

It wouldn't be horrible, but given what they would give up in other picks and that they have to pay a lot more guaranteed money for the top few spots, it seems like a bad deal to me. Of course it really comes down to the player, if they really think that highly of a guy, by all means go for it.

[rbaloha1]

Obviously you've got to wait and see how it plays out. If Raji does well at the combine, he might be long gone by #5, and there's no way for TT to move up much farther unless he pulls a Mike Ditka and trades his whole draft away.

However, if Raji is still sitting there at, say, #6, it might be tempting. But let's not get too caught up in the whole we-hav- tohave-that-guy thing. Sometimes we forget that the vast majority of us don't know jack about anything coming after maybe - maybe - the third round. So we tend to focus on the "sexy" picks - the first rounders we read about. For all we know, TT has got an eye on some big ol' kid from Montgomery State Bible College and Cooking Institute.

So let's not get too mad if TT doesn't just trade up to get the "name" guy.

And if he does, well, then he for sure must like the guy.

If Raji, Crabtree or Andre Smith fall there are worth a reasonable trade up. These guys are most likely instant impact players. The Packers need impact player(s) and not depth.

Dudes from Montgomery State Bible College and Cooking Institute are most likely not instant impact players.

[texaspackerbacker]

I was under the impression that all you homers thought we were good along the DL???

Harrell at DE, Kampman at LB... we don't need no stinking NT!!!!!

I resemble that remark!

Pickett, Cole, and/or some scrap heap pickup would do just fine. I think when they say the Packers are "on the lookout", they mean lower down in the draft--at the very highest, Brace in the 2nd or 3rd round.

Raji is "legit"? We know that how? How many big D Linemen are drafted in the first round, much less lower? And how many of them turn out to be Albert Haynesworth? And when somebody like that does come along, how likely are they to play NT in a 3/4? Why the slim chance on that last question? Not because they would balk at it--although they might. How about because adequate 3/4 NTs are easy enough to find and unimportant enough that they don't merit a high first round pick?

[rbaloha1]

I was under the impression that all you homers thought we were good along the DL???

Harrell at DE, Kampman at LB... we don't need no stinking NT!!!!!

I resemble that remark!

Pickett, Cole, and/or some scrap heap pickup would do just fine. I think when they say the Packers are "on the lookout", they mean lower down in the draft--at the very highest, Brace in the 2nd or 3rd round.

Raji is "legit"? We know that how? How many big D Linemen are drafted in the first round, much less lower? And how many of them turn out to be Albert Haynesworth? And when somebody like that does come along, how likely are they to play NT in a 3/4? Why the slim chance on that last question? Not because they would balk at it--although they might. How about because adequate 3/4 NTs are easy enough to find and unimportant enough that they don't merit a high first round pick?

The entire draft is speculative. Based on Raji's body of work and recent senior bowl play has lead numerous draft projectors to label Raji an impact player. Is this an absolute -- no.

The Packers need an impact nose tackle. Raji is the guy. Again worth a reasonable trade up.

[Waldo]

I was under the impression that all you homers thought we were good along the DL???

Harrell at DE, Kampman at LB... we don't need no stinking NT!!!!!

I resemble that remark!

Pickett, Cole, and/or some scrap heap pickup would do just fine. I think when they say the Packers are "on the lookout", they mean lower down in the draft--at the very highest, Brace in the 2nd or 3rd round.

Raji is "legit"? We know that how? How many big D Linemen are drafted in the first round, much less lower? And how many of them turn out to be Albert Haynesworth? And when somebody like that does come along, how likely are they to play NT in a 3/4? Why the slim chance on that last question? Not because they would balk at it--although they might. How about because adequate 3/4 NTs are easy enough to find and unimportant enough that they don't merit a high first round pick?

There is pretty much complete agreement among coaches, players, and talking heads; NT is the most important position in a 3-4, by far.

Good ones:
H. Ngata - 1st round
C. Hampton - 1st round
V. Wilfork - 1st round
K Jenkins - 2nd round
J Williams - 2nd round (supplemental draft pick, highest supplemental pick since 1992)
J Ratliff - 7th round (very atypical, tiny guy for a NT, his backup/rotational guy was a 2nd rounder)

eh:
S Rogers - 2nd round
J Ferguson - 7th round (34 yrs old, he ate his way to the nose later in his career)
A. Franklin - 5th round

[texaspackerbacker]

I was under the impression that all you homers thought we were good along the DL???

Harrell at DE, Kampman at LB... we don't need no stinking NT!!!!!

I resemble that remark!

Pickett, Cole, and/or some scrap heap pickup would do just fine. I think when they say the Packers are "on the lookout", they mean lower down in the draft--at the very highest, Brace in the 2nd or 3rd round.

Raji is "legit"? We know that how? How many big D Linemen are drafted in the first round, much less lower? And how many of them turn out to be Albert Haynesworth? And when somebody like that does come along, how likely are they to play NT in a 3/4? Why the slim chance on that last question? Not because they would balk at it--although they might. How about because adequate 3/4 NTs are easy enough to find and unimportant enough that they don't merit a high first round pick?

The entire draft is speculative. Based on Raji's body of work and recent senior bowl play has lead numerous draft projectors to label Raji an impact player. Is this an absolute -- no.

The Packers need an impact nose tackle. Raji is the guy. Again worth a reasonable trade up.

I don't think so, and I doubt Thompson or McCarthy will think so either. I wouldn't rate it higher than a maybe that they would take Raji if he slipped to #9--yeah, I know nobody thinks that will happen.

[DonHutson]

I'd be thrilled to get Raji at #9. But before we go trading anything extra to move up and get him, I want to know if he's really a top 5 type talent, or is he just riding high because there are absolutely no other DT's worth a damn in this draft?

[Waldo]

I'd be thrilled to get Raji at #9. But before we go trading anything extra to move up and get him, I want to know if he's really a top 5 type talent, or is he just riding high because there are absolutely no other DT's worth a damn in this draft?

He's riding high because he was the "winner" at the last scouting event. Just like guys that played well in bowl games were riding high 3 weeks ago. 3 weeks from now the combine stars shoot up, the disappointments fall, and the order shook up a bit as the draft heads into the home stretch.

DT's rarely wow at the combine, especially NT's. His stock is at its peak, it'll probably drift down a bit before the draft, but I highly doubt he makes it past #12. His stock is high enough that one of the 3 mid-high 3-4 teams (GB, SF, Den) will grab him. NT isn't quite as important to a 4-3.

[red]

I'd be thrilled to get Raji at #9. But before we go trading anything extra to move up and get him, I want to know if he's really a top 5 type talent, or is he just riding high because there are absolutely no other DT's worth a damn in this draft?

He's riding high because he was the "winner" at the last scouting event. Just like guys that played well in bowl games were riding high 3 weeks ago. 3 weeks from now the combine stars shoot up, the disappointments fall, and the order shook up a bit as the draft heads into the home stretch.

DT's rarely wow at the combine, especially NT's. His stock is at its peak, it'll probably drift down a bit before the draft, but I highly doubt he makes it past #12. His stock is high enough that one of the 3 mid-high 3-4 teams (GB, SF, Den) will grab him. NT isn't quite as important to a 4-3.

raji had a great year followed by a damn good bowl game then followed it up with a very good senior bowl

the guys been bringing it all year and his stock has likewise been rising all year

IMO we HAVE to draft a NT somewhere in this draft. we have one guy whos capable of playing the position. we need depth there, its a position where the guy is going to get really worn down. and right now, besides pickett, we don't have anyone that comes close to being able to be a NT.

so either pickett is you starter, or he's a damn good backup that can almost split time 50/50

one way or another, we need another nt

[Waldo]

I'd be thrilled to get Raji at #9. But before we go trading anything extra to move up and get him, I want to know if he's really a top 5 type talent, or is he just riding high because there are absolutely no other DT's worth a damn in this draft?

He's riding high because he was the "winner" at the last scouting event. Just like guys that played well in bowl games were riding high 3 weeks ago. 3 weeks from now the combine stars shoot up, the disappointments fall, and the order shook up a bit as the draft heads into the home stretch.

DT's rarely wow at the combine, especially NT's. His stock is at its peak, it'll probably drift down a bit before the draft, but I highly doubt he makes it past #12. His stock is high enough that one of the 3 mid-high 3-4 teams (GB, SF, Den) will grab him. NT isn't quite as important to a 4-3.

raji had a great year followed by a damn good bowl game then followed it up with a very good senior bowl

the guys been bringing it all year and his stock has likewise been rising all year

It has, but many of the other top prospects have been forgotten as of late, as Oher and Raji were the only top 15 picks to participate in the senior bowl. The rest have been quiet since the bowl games. People have forgotten how studly the studs are. They will be reminded of their greatness at the combine.

[SnakeLH2006]

If Raji isn't available at 9, or they decide to pick someone else, a guy worth looking at in the 2nd round is Ron Brace, Boston College's other Defensive Tackle. While entirely not suitable for rushing the passer, Brace is a huge mountain of a man who is stout at the point of attack and will probably be able to collapse the pocket.

Damn, been hearing more and more good things lately about Raji, sounds like the prefect pick, but sounds like he's moving up.

I definitely have a woodie for a top-notch BJ, but if not, what are the options?

Pickett looked like he lost a step a year ago and the debate is on if he'd hold up at NT. FA has one beast in Hayneworth, doubt we have a shot there, and once we go past the 2nd round, it looks slim pickin's.

I have faith in our ensemble of 3-4 D coaches we assembled, but we definitely need a man-mountain in the middle.

[Lurker64]

I have faith in our ensemble of 3-4 D coaches we assembled, but we definitely need a man-mountain in the middle.

Well, the question for the coaching staff is really "do we want to spend a lot of resources on a guy who could probably start at NT who would split time with Pickett", or "do we want to draft a guy late, platoon him in a rotation, and develop him."

If we want a guy who has a shot at being a 50/50 starter with Pickett, we ought to nab a guy like Raji or Brace.

If we are just looking for "a backup NT" a guy like Terrence Taylor or Sammie Lee Hill would be a good pickup in the later rounds.

The problem I have is that a top ten pick is a high price for a backup, and Pickett hasn't really done anything to convince me he can't start.