Green Bay Packer Safeties short on playmaking in 2013

[denverYooper]

but can we have that same success on offense with just 2 legit WR's (maybe 3 with boykins), and no real starting quality TE (quarless did fine this year, but he's nothing special)

if cobb and/or jordy go down for any amount of time next season, we might be in serious trouble on that side of the ball too

Until TT trades back into the second for a WR.

[call_me_ishmael]

The offense will be fine as long as Rodgers is there. They don't need a high pick at receiver. They need defense. If they do defense right, they will certainly be fine at receiver.

[PaCkFan_n_MD]

That's b/c we had no playmaking at all. MD Jennings doesn't belong in the nfl let alone starting. And Morgan Burnett is a waste of money.

[woodbuck27]

I said awhile back that the future of the packers at safety was Richardson/McMillan. I hope I was half right. My point though, was that Burnett doesn't impress me. Like Hawk, he is available. That is his strongest asset.

We need a lot to go right in 2014. We need the draft class of Worthy, Daniels, Hayward, Perry to come on strong. We need Datone to play better. And most importantly we need at least one new safety. Thats a lot of ifs. I am not optimistic about the defense, however, I do think a lot less has to go right to have the same offense we had in 2011.

I see a problem at potential problem @ WR and at @ Center. Do you love Barkley? Are you confident in Bulaga and Sherrod?

Maybe Andrew Quarles leaves in FA? Do we really know what we have behind Eddie Lacy @ RB? Are you totally confident in Franklin and Harris!? James Starks will shop himself hard.

JJ's might leave this season and I do believe he'll look at TTs offer (hopefully he deserves the respect of getting one) but after that he'll shop himself as he deserves to. This may well be James Jones final big payday. I don't imagine that TT will offer him what some other team will spring for his talents. I hope that JJ's back for 2014 but I'm dubious on that one.

The same goes for fellas like:

Sam Shields; ED-S ( TT better ink this guy FAST); James Starks and maybe even Andrew Quarless.

BJ Raji >>>please...SEE YAA ! He's useless in Dom capers Defense unless he's promised Nose Tackle and this hurts to write more than $8 Million$ /Year to stay. Wow ..... that was a struggle to write.

Enjoy him on some other defense ...LOL. That isn't happening much in Green Bay and as that's the case I don't catre about any BJ Raji predictions with some other fortunate organization.

BJ Raji BUSTED in GREEN BAY !

Just another Ted Thompson ... BUST. It is what it is.

PACKERS !

[run pMc]

Woodbuck,

I'm ok with Barclay as a backup. Not real confident in Bulaga and Sherrod staying healthy for a full 16+, so Barclay and Bahktiari are valueable for their depth and will compete to start.

TE: Quarless can be replaced or signed fairly cheap. I'm starting to think they won't bring Finley back. Bostick will get a long look, but they will need to draft a TE or sign a vet.

WR: If Jones leaves they will need to find another WR to keep that offense chugging along, especially if they don't have a threat at TE. Myles White needs to put on weight but either he or Chris Harper will have to make some kind of developmental jump. Either way, I just don't see them keeping James Jones, Jordy and Cobb on the roster after the 2014-15 season -- they will all want to get paid. If a good WR is available in the draft, I'd be ok with TT taking him and having Edgar Bennett coach him up for the future if not next season.

RB: Starks will shop himself -- and he should -- but GB has Franklin and Harris behind Lacy. They could even give Kahlil Bell a few snaps in a pinch if they bring him back. I'm not too concerned about this position, unless a rash of injuries hit. Between Lacy, Harris and Franklin they should have decent run game.

C: EDS might get some big offers, but I don't know that he will. He's got a little over a year's worth of film and he's not dominant. Still, it only takes one team and if someone signs him away they will need someone besides Tretter. Maybe Greg Van Rot(t)en? Moving Lang to C didn't lead to any disasterous shotgun snaps, but from a stats/production standpoint it's clear the offense suffered by moving him.

DL: Raji should be let go. talented guy, will be really good playing somewhere else for a LOT of money. Miscast in Capers' scheme, skeptical he wants to be here if he turned down 8M/yr. Boyd might be able to take more of his snaps. Wilson is an ok backup and like Quarless can be signed cheap or replaced. Pickett is a maybe, but only if he can be signed cheap. Is Jolly's career threatening? If so he's probably done, else he'd be worth bringing back if the price is right. I think they'll let a few of these guys go and sign/draft at least one new body.

CB: I think Sam Shields has to be signed. Renegotiate Tramon's contract (lower his number, give him another year) if necessary.

S: Not sure if they will move Hyde to Safety -- if they do they will need to get another CB. Either way, they'll want to look at either drafting a S or signing a vet. I'm actually in favor of both: the vet for now to help mentor Burnett, and drafting a guy to develop him and ease him in. Too many rookies, too many rookie mistakes. Too many missed tackles and what look like miscommunications to me. Safety has to be a priority. I think Burnett can be average-to-above-average, but he needs another safety who can help him out more and Jennings isn't that guy. Some have questioned if Burnett's low Wonderlic score suggests he shouldn't be making the calls in the backfield; I'm not really sure because some players don't take the Wonderlic seriously. Either way, I do think that the safeties struggled to play well, nevermind be playmakers. They're a long way from Seattle's safeties, for example.