What Is The Packers Biggest Need Heading Into This Coming Draft?

[Maxie the Taxi]

Pundits and websites have been naming the Packers' team needs going into this draft and their opinion of team needs has been reflected in their various Mock Drafts. I'm interested in hearing what ya'll think is the Packers' most difference-making need in this year's draft.

Part of my thinks "pass rush" and the other part says "protecting Arod's blind side." Considering who is likely to be available at #27, I guess that translates to guys like Frank Dodd, Leonard Floyd or Noah Spence VS Jack Conklin, Jason Spriggs or Taylor Decker.

I'd guess, if push came to shove -- assuming TT and MM evaluate any of the three candidates as an ELITE player, I'd have a hard time not picking an elite Left Tackle.

What say you?

[jklowan]

Pundits and websites have been naming the Packers' team needs going into this draft and their opinion of team needs has been reflected in their various Mock Drafts. I'm interested in hearing what ya'll think is the Packers' most difference-making need in this year's draft.

Part of my thinks "pass rush" and the other part says "protecting Arod's blind side." Considering who is likely to be available at #27, I guess that translates to guys like Frank Dodd, Leonard Floyd or Noah Spence VS Jack Conklin, Jason Spriggs or Taylor Decker.

I'd guess, if push came to shove -- assuming TT and MM evaluate any of the three candidates as an ELITE player, I'd have a hard time not picking an elite Left Tackle.

What say you?

I'd say the biggest needs are ILB, DT & OLB in that order, a left tackle seems like a luxury pick for the 1st. I'd be okay if it truely is Best Player available, but in all honesty that pick will get limited playing time compared to the others. I am leaning towards DT in the 1st as that is the deepest position and it would give us a good one, I am also starting to hope we could trade back into the high 2nd and maybe pick up a 3rd

[Smidgeon]

OLB

I am of the mindset that Barrington and Ryan will be serviceable, above average players (not superstars). For the ILB position, I think this is enough to get us through another year without being a weakness. HOWEVER, Peppers is on his last year of his contract, and unless Datone Jones is the second coming of Deacon Jones (hint: he isn't), they will need another rusher hitting his stride opposite Matthews next year.

After that, I think Tackle is more important than ILB due to the number of linemen on the last year of their contract. Sure, the backups may be talented enough to be starters, but we won't know how the chips fall until they do.

Then DT, then ILB, then TE.

Next year will be quite interesting.

[Guiness]

I think a tackle is a need even though both are under 30 and good players. Bakh had a hard time staying on the field at key times last season (is his back going to get better?), and Bulaga does every year. Barclay is an experienced, but limited backup.

[George Cumby]

OT.

No strong rationale, just my gut.

[Maxie the Taxi]

I'd say the biggest needs are ILB, DT & OLB in that order, a left tackle seems like a luxury pick for the 1st. I'd be okay if it truely is Best Player available, but in all honesty that pick will get limited playing time compared to the others. I am leaning towards DT in the 1st as that is the deepest position and it would give us a good one, I am also starting to hope we could trade back into the high 2nd and maybe pick up a 3rd

I'm curious why you specified ILB, DT and OLB. Can you quantify they playing traits your after? For example, are you trying to improve our pass rush, or our defense against the run, or maybe pass defense over the middle, or more speed? What is it?

[Maxie the Taxi]

Next year will be quite interesting.

That's for sure!

I've done several mock drafts and in about half using the NFL Data Base Conklin and/or Spriggs have been available. But then again, so has Frank Dodd in some and Leonard Floyd in others. Ragland is a big temptation, but I tend to agree that they'll go with Ryan and Barrington.

Have you thought about using Dodd as an OLB ala Peppers?

[jklowan]

I'm curious why you specified ILB, DT and OLB. Can you quantify they playing traits your after? For example, are you trying to improve our pass rush, or our defense against the run, or maybe pass defense over the middle, or more speed? What is it?

Have you watched our defense the ILB position has sucked for years, I'd like to get faster and hopefully better coverage skills - alot of the mocks I've seen has Daren Lee available, I think he'd be a BIG upgrade over what we have. I also think DT because if your not gonna upgrade the ILB then maybe a Big Run stopper will help with the mediocre talent there currently. I also am okay with a tackle as we always have injury problems there but I'd like to address it later, like Haeg in the 4th and then maybe a guard in the 5th or later

[texaspackerbacker]

If a near sure thing prospect of an O Tackle is there when we draft, I suppose I agree. But two things about that: first, there probably won't be a sure thing OT, and second, we have a terrible history of highly drafted OTs. I really thought Sherrod was gonna be something special, but he was less than expected before the injury, and less than nothing after. And it ain't just the Packers. A helluva lot of high #1 pick OTs seem to flop or at least not perform like you'd expect based on where they were drafted.

I'd be leery of a ILB in the first round too, as even the best don't seem to merit picks that high.

So what does that leave? Things we mostly don't need. If something resembling a young Clay Matthews was available, I'd go with that.

Not to be negative or anything, but I've got a bad feeling that Thompson is gonna try and grab the new B.J. Raji.

[esoxx]

ILB

[mraynrand]

Offensive fricking line. Priority from outside in.

[gbgary]

this team needs so much but if last year taught us anything it reminded us that if our o can't carry it's weight the d, how ever heroic, can't hold up. i've bounced between ol and wr and i'm going with wr. we have two question marks coming off surgery, cobb, a forth, and two benchwarmers. we need a hit at wr.

[run pMc]

OT, ILB, OLB, DL. Of Sitton, Lang, Bahk, and Tretter, I'd be surprised if more than 2 of them came back. If Peppers retires, they still have Jayrone and a shot at resigning Perry or spending a high round pick next year on someone. They seem thinner depth wise this year at ILB since they cut Palmer and with Ryan and Barrington. Pennel's suspension and Raji's retirement make the depth important, but they have Ringo and Boyd comes back from IR.

[Carolina_Packer]

BAP at a position of need. How's that for fence sitting? There might not be an ILB that's worth the draft slot at #27, so you clearly also need a DT and an OT that is able to compete for a starting OT spot, become solid depth, or has the flexibility to move inside if needed. It would be great to have some young, talented depth and not just a college free agent doing the best he can.

If it was my choice, I'd say DT, because there is a chain reaction to being able to stop the run and create favorable down and distance for the pass rush that also needs to be more consistent. My first and second round ultimate would be Andrew Billings, DT, Baylor in the 1st and Deion Jones, ILB (chase linebacker) in the 2nd. I realize that's pretty D heavy, and while the offense does need some help, getting Jordy back is like a free agent signing to this offense. Jarred Cook, if he stays healthy, could really open up the middle of the field that the Pack could not exploit last year.

So you get your immovable object in Billings who also has a little pass rush in him. His strength is off the charts. Then you get your chase linebacker in Deion Jones, who will be like a poor man's Darron Lee. Then in the third round you get either a WR like Mike Thomas from Southern Mississippi or pass rusher like Matt Judon out of Grand Valley State. Then you can go RB who can catch the ball out of the backfield, a TE like Tyler Higbee and then a CB and G for depth. Ah, the draft!

[Maxie the Taxi]

BAP at a position of need. How's that for fence sitting? There might not be an ILB that's worth the draft slot at #27, so you clearly also need a DT and an OT that is able to compete for a starting OT spot, become solid depth, or has the flexibility to move inside if needed. It would be great to have some young, talented depth and not just a college free agent doing the best he can.

If it was my choice, I'd say DT, because there is a chain reaction to being able to stop the run and create favorable down and distance for the pass rush that also needs to be more consistent. My first and second round ultimate would be Andrew Billings, DT, Baylor in the 1st and Deion Jones, ILB (chase linebacker) in the 2nd. I realize that's pretty D heavy, and while the offense does need some help, getting Jordy back is like a free agent signing to this offense. Jarred Cook, if he stays healthy, could really open up the middle of the field that the Pack could not exploit last year.

So you get your immovable object in Billings who also has a little pass rush in him. His strength is off the charts. Then you get your chase linebacker in Deion Jones, who will be like a poor man's Darron Lee. Then in the third round you get either a WR like Mike Thomas from Southern Mississippi or pass rusher like Matt Judon out of Grand Valley State. Then you can go RB who can catch the ball out of the backfield, a TE like Tyler Higbee and then a CB and G for depth. Ah, the draft!

Good plan, but I think it falls apart because Billings won't be there at 27, at least according to everything I've seen. I don't know about Higbee either. Is he that much better than a undrafted FA?