So,...what should the Packers do about Mike Neal????

[Maxie the Taxi]

Or.... we could switch to a 4-3

Hmmm...

LDE -- Perry
LDT -- Daniels
RDT -- Pickett
RDE -- D. Jones

SAM -- Neal
MLB -- Lattimore
WLL -- Matthews

LCB -- Williams
RCB -- Shields
SS -- Burnett
FS -- Hayward

[PaCkFan_n_MD]

I have been getting into the draft a lot more this year then the last couple years and I must say I love the offensive prospects a lot more than the defensive prospects in the early rounds. With that said I would love to keep all our valuable defensive players if possible. Mike Neal actually really impressed me this past season. I think if we continue the transition of Mike Neal to OLB to can become the 8 to 10 sack guy we have wanted opposite Clay Matthews. I would love for them to then make the full transition of Nick Perry to DE. If we can do that and somehow keep Raji and Shields that would be the fastest way to improve the team. Losing Raji, Finley, Jones, needing a ILB, a SS, etc is to much in one offseason.


Safety: Burnett, mid/late round pick/Hyde

Corner: Shields, Williams, Hayward, House, Hyde/Bush

ILB: Hawk, mid/late round pick, Jones, Lattimore

OLB: Matthews, Neal, Palmer....

DE: Perry, Jones, Worthy, Daniels

NT: Raji, Boyd


Two players I love in the draft that would fit perfectly on our team is Jace Amaro TE and Brandin Cook WR. Add those two on offense and we would be a complete offense.....Great Qb, good rb, good wrs, good te, and pretty good ol.

[Bretsky]

I have been getting into the draft a lot more this year then the last couple years and I must say I love the offensive prospects a lot more than the defensive prospects in the early rounds. With that said I would love to keep all our valuable defensive players if possible. Mike Neal actually really impressed me this past season. I think if we continue the transition of Mike Neal to OLB to can become the 8 to 10 sack guy we have wanted opposite Clay Matthews. I would love for them to then make the full transition of Nick Perry to DE. If we can do that and somehow keep Raji and Shields that would be the fastest way to improve the team. Losing Raji, Finley, Jones, needing a ILB, a SS, etc is to much in one offseason.


Safety: Burnett, mid/late round pick/Hyde

Corner: Shields, Williams, Hayward, House, Hyde/Bush

ILB: Hawk, mid/late round pick, Jones, Lattimore

OLB: Matthews, Neal, Palmer....

DE: Perry, Jones, Worthy, Daniels

NT: Raji, Boyd


Two players I love in the draft that would fit perfectly on our team is Jace Amaro TE and Brandin Cook WR. Add those two on offense and we would be a complete offense.....Great Qb, good rb, good wrs, good te, and pretty good ol.

Jake Amaro is ok.....un spectacular but steady. I undoubtedly would not throw a 1st at him but he'd be a fine pick in round two or three.

[PaCkFan_n_MD]

If we lose Raji, Neal, and Shields, I honestly believe that would hurt a lot more than losing Finley, Jones, Quarless, Starks, EDS, Flynn, and Kuhn combined. TT has shown the ability to replace offensive weapons at a fairly successful rate. I believe we would be scary good on offense if we add a TE and WR in the early rounds. Add two solid weapons to Rodgers, Lacey, Cobb, and Nelson and we could see the most balanced offense we have had since 2003. The hardest one in the group is going to be Raji though. Shields is our best corner and they have already have been talking to him about a extension and Neal has already said a couple times that he wants to come back next season and continue improving at OLB. Raji seems to be pulling a Greg Jennings this offseason though.....lucky us.

[PaCkFan_n_MD]

Jake Amaro is ok.....un spectacular but steady. I undoubtedly would not throw a 1st at him but he'd be a fine pick in round two or three.

I think Amaro will turn out to be a fine pro esp teamed up with Rodgers. I actually like Eric Ebron more but I don't think he will be available at 21. If you want a TE in the second or third round C.J. Fiedorowicz would be a great pick. He is like 6'7 (great red zone target), good blocker, and has good hands. Not super fast though and not great after the catch.

[pbmax]

The Packers do not have a MLB on the roster. Neal would have TE coverage responsibilities and he cannot do that.

I don't see how people can praise Neal in coverage and claim Perry is stiff. Perry and Neal were interchangeable this year and that was an injury year for Perry. Neal might improve, might lose more weight, but there is not a lot of difference between Neal's first year at OLB and Perry's injured year. In fact, a number of Neal's plays in the backfield came when he was switched to DT and Datone Jones moved outside to OLB in the pass rush nickel.

Neal and Jones were so mediocre in their pass rush I am not sure which failure necessitated the move.

[smuggler]

Isn't Ebron basically a glorified receiver? I heard Amaro can actually block, but is not as good as a receiver.

[Bretsky]

Isn't Ebron basically a glorified receiver? I heard Amaro can actually block, but is not as good as a receiver.

Ebron is an ok blocker, very smooth route runner, and very high upside ....aka..very gifted
Amaro is a better blocker now....more consistent...will be fine....average upside.

Ebron is the guy you hope falls into your lap...along with Mosley in round one.
I'd look at the safety Prior as a nice backup plan if the guys with high ceilings are snapped up

Amaro probably will not be there round two but he's not a guy to get excited about at 21 IMO

I'd rather get another player in round one and then go with the Iowa TE in round 2.

[Bretsky]

The Packers do not have a MLB on the roster. Neal would have TE coverage responsibilities and he cannot do that.

I don't see how people can praise Neal in coverage and claim Perry is stiff. Perry and Neal were interchangeable this year and that was an injury year for Perry. Neal might improve, might lose more weight, but there is not a lot of difference between Neal's first year at OLB and Perry's injured year. In fact, a number of Neal's plays in the backfield came when he was switched to DT and Datone Jones moved outside to OLB in the pass rush nickel.

Neal and Jones were so mediocre in their pass rush I am not sure which failure necessitated the move.

To me, I saw a more gifted pass rusher with Neal and a guy who could play OLB. With Perry I saw a one trick pony pass rusher who can play the run.

[Bretsky]

I think Amaro will turn out to be a fine pro esp teamed up with Rodgers. I actually like Eric Ebron more but I don't think he will be available at 21. If you want a TE in the second or third round C.J. Fiedorowicz would be a great pick. He is like 6'7 (great red zone target), good blocker, and has good hands. Not super fast though and not great after the catch.

If no guys with upside are there at 21 I'm fine with trading down and picking up Amaro twn picks back if TT can swing that. I do like CJ as a Packer as well. He'd be a nice fit with Bostick.

[Bretsky]

If we lose Raji, Neal, and Shields, I honestly believe that would hurt a lot more than losing Finley, Jones, Quarless, Starks, EDS, Flynn, and Kuhn combined. TT has shown the ability to replace offensive weapons at a fairly successful rate. I believe we would be scary good on offense if we add a TE and WR in the early rounds. Add two solid weapons to Rodgers, Lacey, Cobb, and Nelson and we could see the most balanced offense we have had since 2003. The hardest one in the group is going to be Raji though. Shields is our best corner and they have already have been talking to him about a extension and Neal has already said a couple times that he wants to come back next season and continue improving at OLB. Raji seems to be pulling a Greg Jennings this offseason though.....lucky us.

Agree with you......but I don't think there is any way we lose Sheilds. He's getting resigned. Raji...torn on...he isn't set up to excel the way he's being used and is probably not worth the money he's going to get in FA to GB. I can roll either way with Neal.

TT's failed us in drafting defense; I hope we go get a couple average starting defensive players and do much of what you noted above in terms of keeping Shields and re tooling the offense a bit

[woodbuck27]

Agree with you......but I don't think there is any way we lose Sheilds. He's getting resigned. Raji...torn on...he isn't set up to excel the way he's being used and is probably not worth the money he's going to get in FA to GB. I can roll either way with Neal.

TT's failed us in drafting defense; I hope we go get a couple average starting defensive players and do much of what you noted above in terms of keeping Shields and re tooling the offense a bit

What if TT ( Russ Ball) have already insulted Sam Shields and his agent.

Sam Shields total intentions are really focused on that insult and getting out of Dodge /Green Bay?

[smuggler]

Then they still have the tag to operate with. If he simply won't sign anything after we tag him, we can trade him to another team. Although GB has said they are against a simple tag+trade, I think that they will tag a player they want to sign and would trade him anyway if there were no alternative.

[pbmax]

To me, I saw a more gifted pass rusher with Neal and a guy who could play OLB. With Perry I saw a one trick pony pass rusher who can play the run.

He is a sort of gifted pass rusher when he is lined up at DT, otherwise he looks just like Perry on the left. Perry on the right was a revelation.

[Patler]

What if TT ( Russ Ball) have already insulted Sam Shields and his agent.

Sam Shields total intentions are really focused on that insult and getting out of Dodge /Green Bay?

While every now and then you find a player who will cut off their nose to spite their face, it happens infrequently. Shields has shown no sign of that.