Crabtree to the Bucs

[Freak Out]

I will boldly predict the Packers will somehow manage to replace Greg Jennings' 36 catches, Tom Crabtree's 8 catches, and Erik Walden's stellar run defense. Don't ask me about Brad Jones yet though.

Thanks Joe...I hate the fact that he is now a Viking but losing him really doesn't matter to me. Jennings can be replaced like all of these guys can. Crabtree was a baller but if TT can't find replacements for he and Erik the Horrible then he does need to be fired.

[smuggler]

Anyone know which is correct? I don't think we have to tender him to get a pick. I suspect, however, that it will be a 7th round pick.

Actually, I did some digging and it turns out I was wrong. Patler is correct: Since he was not tendered, we will not get any compensation for him.

This is a good source for Cap/Draft/ n Such http://adamjt13.blogspot.com/

[George Cumby]

We should give Indy a pick for talking Walden. God, but he was bad.

[Carolina_Packer]

Is there a sims game to be an NFL GM? That would be a cool way to understand what it means to manage a salary cap. I guess Madden has some components of that.

I trust the Packer decision makers to make the calls that are best for the team, and to also make impacting decisions by sticking to their guns and setting their own market value for guys. Everyone on the team has a cap number that has to be managed based on their worth to the team. It takes a lot of experience to understand the ins and outs of this stuff, and we are fortunate to have the decision makers we have in place. Think about it. The team is so successful that it can't keep all it's talented players. That's a way better situation than when you look at your roster and realize you don't have enough talent. The team has done a good job of scouting and developing the talent we have, so I trust that they will be able to continue to do so this year and into the future. The process works. We've all seen it working. It will keep working because they get a lot of little things right. It's not splashy, but it's very sustainable.

[pbmax]

Anyone know which is correct? I don't think we have to tender him to get a pick. I suspect, however, that it will be a 7th round pick.

I don't understand why some are saying Quarless will replace him? They play the same position, but very differently I think. Quarless is a pass catcher intended to create mis-matches, in the mold of Finley. Quarless is a hard nosed blocker...don't expect any YAC out of him, more like Bubba Franks. Hard to tell with Quarless, of course, we've seen so little of him, but that's certainly how he was billed.

I liked Crabtree, and am sorry he's leaving. Another great video of him wasn't on the football field, it was him making an appearance at a highschool, playing dodgeball. He drilled a kid so hard he knocked him off his feet, the kid and his buddies laughing. Can't remember where I saw that.

Quarless was less the Special Teams demon but he is a more effective blocker. As a pass catcher he is vastly more capable but quite literally has tripped and bobbled a lot of opportunities.

If he was being asked to replace Finley, then worry would be the correct response. But Crabtree's blocking, occasional catch and ST? He'll be fine. If healthy.

[swede]

Actually, I did some digging and it turns out I was wrong. Patler is correct: Since he was not tendered, we will not get any compensation for him.

This is a good source for Cap/Draft/ n Such http://adamjt13.blogspot.com/

At Packerrats we refer to this as a preemptive self-Patlerization.

[swede]

Perhaps some of the chicken little o ye of little faith responses were not aimed at me, but I did express some worry.

I am not worried about losing Crabtree. I hated losing him because this team is so reflective of TT and MM there isn't a whole lot of flash and color. An amusing, uber-tatted, hard-working UFA tight end was fun to root for. His play is easily replaced. His character will be missed. That is no more than a personal response to the Crabby deal. And maybe that locker room doesn't miss a beat without Woodson and Jennings and Crab.

The overall angst I have is that league rules are catching up with a successful team like the Packers despite the efforts of White Whiz. Without periodically sucking donkey balls like the 49ers and the Seahawks, how are we supposed to maintain talent levels? The franchise tag system isn't working to help a team keep its stars, as it rarely used on what anyone who might be considered to be a franchise player. For a start, I think the league should be a little more generous with its draft compensations for teams that lose players to free agency. I suppose owners a la Snyder and Jones would whine that such changes would benefit smarter people, which, in itself, is inherently unfair to them.

[swede]

.

@AaronRodgers12: Had a lot of teammates in 8 yrs in GB. Few that I enjoyed as much as @TCrabtree83. Your tats, mustache n poor taste in music will be missed

[Pugger]

Seriously? He must've gotten some good cash. Not big loss, but still, with so many solid players leaving, makes you wonder

Can't remember who said it in another thread, but maybe GB is becoming a farm team.

What solid players? Woodson? He's lost a couple steps. Walden? Crabtree was a decent blocker and STer but easily replaceable. The only one that left that was worth much was Jennings but he wasn't worth what MN is paying him.

[Pugger]

The Packers org like many of the fans here are content to live in the past. This comment does not come from the loss of Crabtree, I liked him but he is replaceable. It comes from the all the ineptness this off season as a whole. I could care less that Jennings left, but not to a division opponent. The whole Jackson thing does really bother me. This team really could have used a talent like that, but it didn't fit into the way TT wanted to do it. Hey at this rate they will be able to keep Rodgers, Mathews and Raji happy. But will be a sub 500 team with those three stars on it if things keep going the way they are.

It didn't fit into the way JACKSON wanted it to. I truly believe he wanted to go to Atlanta all along so he could play most of his games indoors. To me our additions will be all the guys we lost to IR last season returning rather than guys we sign in FA.

[Carolina_Packer]

Perhaps some of the chicken little o ye of little faith responses were not aimed at me, but I did express some worry.

I am not worried about losing Crabtree. I hated losing him because this team is so reflective of TT and MM there isn't a whole lot of flash and color. An amusing, uber-tatted, hard-working UFA tight end was fun to root for. His play is easily replaced. His character will be missed. That is no more than a personal response to the Crabby deal. And maybe that locker room doesn't miss a beat without Woodson and Jennings and Crab.

The overall angst I have is that league rules are catching up with a successful team like the Packers despite the efforts of White Whiz. Without periodically sucking donkey balls like the 49ers and the Seahawks, how are we supposed to maintain talent levels? The franchise tag system isn't working to help a team keep its stars, as it rarely used on what anyone who might be considered to be a franchise player. For a start, I think the league should be a little more generous with its draft compensations for teams that lose players to free agency. I suppose owners a la Snyder and Jones would whine that such changes would benefit smarter people, which, in itself, is inherently unfair to them.

You make some very good points. It's not every team that is up against re-signing its most valuable player, best defensive player and defensive line anchor. So let's fast forward a year when we assume Rodgers, Matthews and Raji are in the fold with their new deals. We won't have to be so conservative in the off-season, not that I ever expect TT to spend silly dollars in this period of free agency anyway. They will be able to focus more on the guys who will be coming due for new deals and decide if they need to be tendered and become RFA's or if they want to lock them up to a longer deal and make them a core cap player. I bet next year won't be as as stressful for GB's front office once they know they have those three locked up.

Speaking of Raji, does everyone here think he's earned the right to a long-term deal? Does he do what you need a NT in a 3-4 to do generally? Does he typically command a double-team? There are times where he can be very disruptive and others he seems to get washed out of plays. I guess you could say the same thing about Clay Matthews. If enough of your top dollar defenders are getting double-teamed, what does that say about guys who need to win their one on one battles? The club can either solve this problem in the shorter-term by bringing in guys who can help for a year or two (like a Dwight Freeney type player) or they can get younger, less expensive guys and develop them, ala Dezman Moses. Personally, I'd rather they have younger, cheaper guys who can earn the right to become one of the core cap players, or at least earn the right to RFA tender.

Do you think teams like SF, Seattle and Denver who appear to be "going for broke" could wind up paying a price if they fall short? They seem to be loading up with free agents to put themselves over the top. Could that affect the development of their younger, emerging players?

[MJZiggy]

One thing, esp. if Jones goes, we might see the consequences on Special Teams first. Which of course means someone could get fired ....

Always looking for the silver lining, you are...

[Guiness]

We should give Indy a pick for talking Walden. God, but he was bad.

See the above quote from smuggler...did we even tender him? I don't remember anything about it.

[Joemailman]

Walden was probably unrestricted.

[King Friday]

Do you think teams like SF, Seattle and Denver who appear to be "going for broke" could wind up paying a price if they fall short? They seem to be loading up with free agents to put themselves over the top. Could that affect the development of their younger, emerging players?

Yes.

You build a successful franchise that wins year-in and year-out by drafting capable talent and coaching them up in your system. It is often very difficult to get a bunch of FA veterans, even if they are all talented, on the same page within your system. It often will take at least 1 full season for them to get completely up-to-speed. Meanwhile, they are taking reps away from your younger players...so they aren't learning either.

When you do not rely heavily on free agency, and let the draft do most of your heavy lifting in terms of replenishing the roster, it will typically work out as a positive for the team in the long run. Rarely have teams "paid" for a title in the NFL of late. Most recent champions have been teams built primarily through players drafted and developed in that team's system (New England, Pittsburgh, Green Bay, New York, Baltimore) rather than teams that tried to fill a bunch of holes with FAs/trades. (Philly, Washington, Chicago, etc.)