Packers Release Palmer

[SkinBasket]

I don't think it's that odd. I know some people liked Palmer, but I could never fathom why. He was just another in a long line of one (sometimes half) dimensional linebackers with limited potential to ever become more than a guy running in a direction hoping to hit something or someone. Maybe I was missing something and they just cut him because he's a dick.

[mraynrand]

Maybe I was missing something and they just cut him because he's a dick.

I will always enjoy the memory of his sack

[SkinBasket]

I will always enjoy the memory of his sack

If loving you is wrong, I don't want to be right.

[Patler]

It's interesting to me that a player can be drafted in the 6th round in 2013, developed enough to be in the rotation in the linebacker corp., somewhat because of injury (Barrington), and somewhat because of lack of positional strength; plays OK at times, and then falls off a cliff. I guess the Packers had seen enough, but does it really cost you that much to keep him through training camp and see if the talent that you brought in during and after the draft this year could push him off the roster, instead of just dumping him now? Look, he's not Patrick Willis, or even Eric Kendricks, but how could he have fallen out of favor so much that they didn't even want him on the 90-man roster after having a decent amount of playing time?

On the surface it seems they might have wanted to at least bring him to camp. Then again, if as a starter he is clearly behind Barrington and Ryan and however much of Matthews is at ILB, and probably behind Thomas for a roster position, he is very deep on the depth chart. If they think Bradford has improved, it might be his time for an opportunity. They generally bring in a handful of rookie LBs anyway, so it might be time to move on and look at other players.

Similar to letting Lattimore leave last year. He had started a number of games in 2014 and was a primary guy on special teams. Barrington leapfrogged him during the year, like Ryan did this year with Palmer. The Packers apparently had seen enough of Lattimore, and even with releasing Hawk and Jones, they made no effort to resign Lattimore, who went to the Jets on a one year contract for $825,000.

[Upnorth]

Why?? Why would you expect that TT will draft an ILB??

TT is just as likely to draft all offensive players, and spit on the defense - like he did in 2011. We were in desperate need of defense in 2011, and TT didn't lift a finger - he simply spit on that side of the ball, and fielded one of the worst defenses in league history.

TT is just as likely to draft 6 WR's, 2 RB's, and QB... and then prattle on endlessly about "quality football players", and "... that's the way our board fell".

Here's the 2011 draft - at a time when anyone with eyes could see the defense was going to fall off mightily. 5 of the first 6 picks were offense.

Derrick Sherrod, OT, (of course, a complete bust)
Randall Cobb, WR, (good value)
Alex Green, RB, (I liked him coming out, but he was a bust too)
Devon House (injuries, didn't get anything out of him)
DJ Williams, TE, (bad pick)
Caleb Schlauderaff, OL, (terrible pick)
DJ Williams, LB, (cup of coffee, bartending now)
Ricky Elmore, DE/LB, (terrible pick)
Ryan Taylor, TE, (why bother even making the pick?)
Lawrence Guy, DE, (nothing)

That's one hell of a terrible draft - and with it of course, an NFL record for pass defense futility. I don't think the stats, horrid as they were, can begin to quantify how bad that defense was.

TT will draft according to his board, and if we're lucky his board might intersect with need... that's just the way it is with TT.

In 2010 we were 2nd best in points allowed and 5th best in yards allowed. On offense we were 10th in points and 9th in yards gained. both sides we were strong, but we were fairly dominant on defense. To the best of my knowledge no one, and I mean no professional, thought the d was going to drop off. Some of the pre 2010 playoff run analysts were saying our d was the unspoken key to our sucsess, and with both raji and mathews being young studs, and woodson and collins being top level players, Im okay with ignoring the d that draft. Not saying we had to, but if we had better options in those positions then go for it.
2015 we were 15th in scoring on offence and 12th in scoring on defence. (These stats were from profootball reference so blame them if there is an error.)
Last draft we addressed the db's, and have picked up a decent TE so our only needs are ILB and OL. I would also like to see us get a nose tackle and a wr, but not at the cost of ILB.

[esoxx]

I know some people liked Palmer

He was Kevin Greene's boy.

[wist43]

That's a lot of spit. Would he round them all up and do it like from a podium, or would he find each of them individually?

The point being - Ted drafts the player he has rated highest on his board, and depends on filling holes through their development program.

Nothing wrong with that, except that every year there are big enough holes on the roster that it keeps us from getting over the top. Homers always point back to 2010, but case in point with respect to that season - some of the key contributors to that SB win were signed as FA's, most notably Woodson, Pickett, and Howard Green.

Was surprised that TT bothered to sign Cook - we'll see if he lifts a finger to fill the ILB hole(s). My guess is that he thinks Ryan and Barrington are good enough.

[George Cumby]

He was Kevin Greene's boy.

His special boy.

[Fritz]

The point being - Ted drafts the player he has rated highest on his board, and depends on filling holes through their development program.

Nothing wrong with that, except that every year there are big enough holes on the roster that it keeps us from getting over the top. Homers always point back to 2010, but case in point with respect to that season - some of the key contributors to that SB win were signed as FA's, most notably Woodson, Pickett, and Howard Green.

Was surprised that TT bothered to sign Cook - we'll see if he lifts a finger to fill the ILB hole(s). My guess is that he thinks Ryan and Barrington are good enough.

It was quite fortunate that his best player available two years ago was Ha Ha Clinton Dix - a position of need, and that his best players available last year in rounds one and two filled the needs left by House and Tramontana both leaving.

Sure, he does BPA - but he's not unaware of need, nor does he simply ignore it. It's a mix.

[mraynrand]

Anyone who really believes any team does BPA is delusional.

[Cheesehead Craig]

Anyone who really believes any team does BPA is delusional.

Every team seems to magically get their top overall guy on the board who just happens to fill one of their biggest needs.

[MadScientist]

BPA is really best player for the team. Calculated based off of some magical combination of player ability and team need. You don't always grab the best overall player left, and you don't always fill your most glaring need. Trying to do one or the other makes you the Browns.

[pbmax]

I don't think it's that odd. I know some people liked Palmer, but I could never fathom why. He was just another in a long line of one (sometimes half) dimensional linebackers with limited potential to ever become more than a guy running in a direction hoping to hit something or someone. Maybe I was missing something and they just cut him because he's a dick.

Talent wise, its not very notable. Timing wise, it seems a bit strange. They seem to be in fine shape to sign 20 UDFAs and have the cap room for their draft picks.

Mostly curious about what precipitated it.

[pbmax]

Anyone who really believes any team does BPA is delusional.

Not in first round. Harder to move around (and more expensive) in first. But I might buy it Rounds 2 and 3. Pretty good mix there between need picks and why picks.

[mraynrand]

Not in first round. Harder to move around (and more expensive) in first. But I might buy it Rounds 2 and 3. Pretty good mix there between need picks and why picks.

I only see about 5 picks that were 'value' or depth. Even so, most still probably could be argued to be BPA. However, most picks filled a typically desperate need:

http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/draft/rounds/_/year/2015