"PACKERS LOOKING FOR THREE DOWN BACK"

[woodbuck27]

In today's NFL, you don't draft a running back in the 1st round unless they are lights out. Potential isn't good enough to waste a pick in a passing league.

I'll give you one name:

Alfred Morris and when was he drafted?

[woodbuck27]

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1540682-2013-nfl-draft-what-separates-gio-bernard-from-other-top-running-backs

2013 NFL Draft: What Separates Gio Bernard from Other Top Running Backs?

" Green Bay, Denver and/or Atlanta could consider a running back at the end of Round 1, but perhaps a more likely scenario would be one of these teams taking Bernard in the second round. The Detroit Lions, Cincinnati Bengals and New York Jets could also consider Bernard early in Round 2.

Currently, Eddie Lacy is the odds-on favorite to be the first running back off the board in April. But for most of last offseason, Doug Martin was considered to be a second-round prospect, before the Tampa Bay Buccaneers traded back into the first round to draft him with the No. 31 overall pick.

Before he works out at the combine tomorrow, Bernard's stock sits firmly in the second round, but don't be surprised if a team takes a chance on him with their first-round pick. A couple years down the road, a lot of NFL teams will be kicking themselves for passing on Gio Bernard."

[swede]

What is your gut instinct on this RB....Montee Ball?

If he was available for our second round pick would you want him?

http://www.kffl.com/a.php/133027/nfl-draft/2013-NFL-Draft-Scouting-Report--Montee-Ball--RB--Wisconsin

2013 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Montee Ball, RB, Wisconsin

by Cory J. Bonini on February 26, 2013 @ 15:50:25 PDT


Weaknesses

•Tremendous workload at Wisconsin - 983 offensive touches in four years (366 in 2012)

•Benefitted in 2011 from one of the best offensive lines in recent NCAA memory in a run-first system

•Lacks a second gear - 4.66 seconds in the 40-yard dash - and an initial burst

and it gets worse:

•Durability concerns - multiple concussions and a lot of wear on his tires

•Been involved in off-the-field incidents but was cleared of any wrongdoing - enough of a red flag to warrant a mention

•Limited to no upside

I think this is an inverse of the Ron Dayne situation. All the scouts want to look smart because, to this point, Wisconsin running backs tend to badly underperform expectations. This time they will be wrong again.

Monteen Ball has a great second gear, but no third gear.

Character concerns are bullspit.

A team like the Giants would do work with the kid.

[Joemailman]

The Packers don't need a back who is a threat to take it to the house on any play. The Packers need a back who can get 3-10 yards consistently enough that opponents can't play 2 deep safeties on every play. I think Ball can do that. The huge number of touches he had last year doesn't concern me because he won't be asked to do that with the Packers.

[Teamcheez1]

I'll give you one name:

Alfred Morris and when was he drafted?

Morris was drafted in the 6th round. My point was I wouldn't take a chance on potential in the 1st round, not 2-7. As long as we have Rodgers, we are a passing team first.

[woodbuck27]

Morris was drafted in the 6th round. My point was I wouldn't take a chance on potential in the 1st round, not 2-7. As long as we have Rodgers, we are a passing team first.

I agree with you 'of course'. I would be shocked if TT went RB with #26. That simply won't happen.

[wist43]

Morris was drafted in the 6th round. My point was I wouldn't take a chance on potential in the 1st round, not 2-7. As long as we have Rodgers, we are a passing team first.

Morris was drafted in the 14th round by me - in two FF league drafts... only regret is that I didn't draft him in my other 2 leagues.

I agree with your point about the offense - we're a passing team first, second, and third down. 4th and inches?? we're still a passing a team. It's how we're built.

Sitton is our best OL, but there's a severe drop off after him. I have hope for Bulaga - but after those 2 guys, there simply isn't much talent or production. I have no hope for Sherrod; EDS and Newhouse both need to be replaced; Lang needs to be pushed and challenged.

Part of the problem is - the players the Packers have on their OL, are the types of players they value. Better movement skills, more finesse - no road graders in that bunch. The Packers do not have a power, run it down your throat option available to them, and they never will. TT and MM will continue to bring in finesse offensive linemen.

For the running game to work, it has to work as a function of the passing game. Where the wheels have started coming off however, is against tough, physical defenses that can simply dominate the LOS with their base personnel, and sit back in coverage. The only counter MM has is to shorten up the passing game, but tough defenses still don't need to commit a S to that.

I'd prefer the Packers not use an early pick on a RB. We desperately need help in our front seven and on our offensive line, and the Packers simply don't value the RB position enough to justify an early pick.

[Bretsky]

http://www.jsonline.com/sports/badgers/uws-montee-ball-has-better-showing-at-pro-day-lb92aoa-195785241.html

Nice Writeup on the Ball of all trades

[Bretsky]

The Packers don't need a back who is a threat to take it to the house on any play. The Packers need a back who can get 3-10 yards consistently enough that opponents can't play 2 deep safeties on every play. I think Ball can do that. The huge number of touches he had last year doesn't concern me because he won't be asked to do that with the Packers.

DITTTTTTTTTTTTTTO

[Bretsky]

TIDBITS
Thompson said that the Packers don't put too much stock in the 40-yard dash ....Ball's film is the most important thing.
"We don't get too caught up about the time, but we like the competitiveness and that showed today," Thompson said.

the fact Thompson was there with pro personnel director Eliot Wolf may indicate some interest in Ball. Thompson spent a minute or two speaking with the Badgers back during a break in the testing. The scouts put Ball through the same pass-catching workout he conducted at the combine and many of the throws were purposely bad to see how he would handle them

[Bretsky]

Intesting to note rather than testing Balls abilty to catch the ball......which many of us know is a given.............they purposely wanted to see how well he would handle bad throws

[swede]

Intesting to note rather than testing Balls abilty to catch the ball......which many of us know is a given.............they purposely wanted to see how well he would handle bad throws

So Graham Harrell went along?

[sharpe1027]

the fact Thompson was there with pro personnel director Eliot Wolf may indicate some interest in Ball.

Haha. It "may," but when is the last time TT showed special interest in any of his early round picks before they were drafted? They do not seem to tip their hand on guys they really like.

[Pugger]

The Packers don't need a back who is a threat to take it to the house on any play. The Packers need a back who can get 3-10 yards consistently enough that opponents can't play 2 deep safeties on every play. I think Ball can do that. The huge number of touches he had last year doesn't concern me because he won't be asked to do that with the Packers.

I don't know if Ball can do that but you are right, we need a back who can get those yards so teams get out of the 2 deep safeties thing.

[Pugger]

Morris was drafted in the 14th round by me - in two FF league drafts... only regret is that I didn't draft him in my other 2 leagues.

I agree with your point about the offense - we're a passing team first, second, and third down. 4th and inches?? we're still a passing a team. It's how we're built.

Sitton is our best OL, but there's a severe drop off after him. I have hope for Bulaga - but after those 2 guys, there simply isn't much talent or production. I have no hope for Sherrod; EDS and Newhouse both need to be replaced; Lang needs to be pushed and challenged.

Part of the problem is - the players the Packers have on their OL, are the types of players they value. Better movement skills, more finesse - no road graders in that bunch. The Packers do not have a power, run it down your throat option available to them, and they never will. TT and MM will continue to bring in finesse offensive linemen.

For the running game to work, it has to work as a function of the passing game. Where the wheels have started coming off however, is against tough, physical defenses that can simply dominate the LOS with their base personnel, and sit back in coverage. The only counter MM has is to shorten up the passing game, but tough defenses still don't need to commit a S to that.

I'd prefer the Packers not use an early pick on a RB. We desperately need help in our front seven and on our offensive line, and the Packers simply don't value the RB position enough to justify an early pick.

Why, because he broke his leg? I remember another O lineman we drafted back in the early 90s who had a similar injury. It took Mike Flanagan over 2 years but he came back and played well for us. I wouldn't be too hasty to write off Sherrod just yet.