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

[Guiness]

DL - Could be BPA early and another stud is needed
OLB - studs are aging, Perry is year-to-year, Elliot needs to bulk up to be an every down player
OL - tackle depth and hedge for next year's contributor contracts (Bakh, Sitton, Lang, Tretter)
ILB - 3 down guy will be hard to find and will need time to be dependable

I wonder what kind of a 2nd year jump Jake Ryan makes. No one seems to even mention him here when talk of ILB comes up?

[Deputy Nutz]

Ryan had a really good playoff game against Arizona, considering that Arizona made him look like a fool in week 16 it was nice to see him recover and have a good game.

[George Cumby]

Reggie Ragland brings some diversity to the ILB position and has some pass rush skills that makes him an intriguing prospect. If he drops far enough for the Packers I think you kinda have to take him. I wouldn't be sold on Barrington and Ryan in the middle when you can get a possible difference maker like Ragland. Thompson is going to take whatever he values. It most likely will fill a need as most of his picks do, but when you are talking about the offensive and defensive line every team can use more and more quality depth. Defensive linemen also take a while to develop at the NFL level so don't really expect huge contributions if the Packers take a defensive linemen with their first pick. Be prepared to be disappointed in 2016.

So would you prefer Ragland or a similarly talented DL big body?

[Carolina_Packer]

So would you prefer Ragland or a similarly talented DL big body?

It really depends on who is available at #27. If Andrew Billings and Reggie Ragland are both on the board (doubtful, but go with the thought), how do you have them graded, and need becomes irrelevant in that scenario because you need both. That's tough. Which talent is more rare? That's how I would go. Billings can take on double-teams and rush. A good DL can make an inexperienced, or OK linebacker's job easier. I guess a talented linebacker can cover for a not so stout DL. I'd rather take my chances on a talented big man who can make the linebacker's job easier.

[Deputy Nutz]

So would you prefer Ragland or a similarly talented DL big body?

I think if Thompson feels like he needs a team to make it to the Super Bowl or at least the NFC Championship game very few defensive linemen are going to help him accomplish that in 2016. The D-linemen could be a rotational player, but I would feel like you have to look at your draft tiers. Is their linebacker that the Packers could get in round 2,3,4 that is in the same tier as Ragland? Probably not, but as the D-Line goes this is a very deep draft of talent, so you might get better value waiting on a D-linemen and going with the Linebacker that can most likely contribute as a starter.

It really all depends on how the draft shakes out. More teams might wait on Defensive line and the Packers could get a top 3 prospect. It would be hard to pass that up. ILB has not been a strong position on draft boards and Ragland is clearly the best available, but the Packers do have two starters penciled in at the position. If Ragland is there, he is by no means a lock for the Packers.

If they want Ragland they can't move out of the first round. If they want a first round talent at defensive line, they could move out of the first rouond

[Maxie the Taxi]

I think it was pbmax would said the Pack is all in on creating a more sustained pass rush this year. I think that's great and hope it's true. But that could mean TT surprises us all and grabs a guy like Noah Spence or Leonard Floyd or Frank Dodd (depending on their in=house evaluation of each). On the other hand, moving Clay back to OLB might unleash a beast again.

On the other, other hand, if a highly in-house rated WR falls to 27, TT might pull that trigger.

This is going to be the most interesting draft in recent memory.

[mraynrand]

THat's a good post Maxi. I think it hints at a point that can't be overlooked: In the past 5 drafts, the Packers really haven't drafted a consistent playmaker. Cobb and Lacy both qualify, but with ups and downs. (Ha Ha and a few other s might still emerge). If the Packers want to push for a Super Bowl and/or maintain a high level, they have to pick someone who can tip the scales a little bit. Edge rusher and WR could do that. People might say the Pack is set at WR, but the time to pick that dynamic WR is often a year or so before you need 'em, like they did with Jordy.

[Maxie the Taxi]

THat's a good post Maxi. I think it hints at a point that can't be overlooked: In the past 5 drafts, the Packers really haven't drafted a consistent playmaker. Cobb and Lacy both qualify, but with ups and downs. (Ha Ha and a few other s might still emerge). If the Packers want to push for a Super Bowl and/or maintain a high level, they have to pick someone who can tip the scales a little bit. Edge rusher and WR could do that. People might say the Pack is set at WR, but the time to pick that dynamic WR is often a year or so before you need 'em, like they did with Jordy.

Exactly. Some say we're set at WR with the six we have. But if we could pick up an elite playmaker (Doctson?, Coleman?, Shephard?) in the 1st or 2nd Round, I wouldn't mind him beating out Abby or Adams or even JANIS!! (Pains me to say that last name.)

[pbmax]

I am still skeptical of Matthews outside. Tackles long ago adjusted to his speed and he doesn't make hay the way he used to. Even Peppers on the other side didn't shake him free like his earlier years. Speaking strictly of pass rush now he was a more effective rusher when inside.

So I want him moving around as much as possible even if he starts on the outside. So the signing of the Denver guy and the move of Jones to elephant full time help support that goal.

I would be stunned if the guy added in Rounds 1 or 2 is an outside rusher. That guy would need to be a Rodgers type free fall.

At DL, the Packers love to trust youth and Guion and Pennell will both be at nose with Daniels, Boyd and the Ringo kid to man the 3 technique. With the exception of an interior pass rusher, a draft player here is likely a rotation guy as Nutz said.

At ILB I think they want Barrington and Ryan to start with Thomas or a starter in on dime. So a draft pick here has a modestly better chance of taking starting reps, though is still likely in certain sub packages.

OL is similar except the caveats are the contracts coming up. They know who the starters are and they are currently healthy. So I think the odds are the Packers take one of these three positions, but I find it hard to believe they value one of these positions as needier than the others.

[mraynrand]

I am still skeptical of Matthews outside. Tackles long ago adjusted to his speed and he doesn't make hay the way he used to. Even Peppers on the other side didn't shake him free like his earlier years. Speaking strictly of pass rush now he was a more effective rusher when inside.

So I want him moving around as much as possible even if he starts on the outside. So the signing of the Denver guy and the move of Jones to elephant full time help support that goal.

I would be stunned if the guy added in Rounds 1 or 2 is an outside rusher. That guy would need to be a Rodgers type free fall.

I agree about the free fall, simply because of the value component. But I don't agree at all (if this was you point) that the Packers are in good shape with respect to pass rush. Peppers is pretty much done, Matthews is getting older and is limited (agree with your assessment, except that I would say Matthews is OK over the RT) and the rest of the pass rushers are pedestrian. They need to do something, but reaching isn't the answer. Moving up might be, but I don't have an opinion on who is worth moving up for. In the past two drafts, I wanted them to move up and take the Steelers picks. I'm done getting my heart set on players we'll never have!

[George Cumby]

Matthews isn't the same since he got off of the juice.

[pbmax]

I agree about the free fall, simply because of the value component. But I don't agree at all (if this was you point) that the Packers are in good shape with respect to pass rush. Peppers is pretty much done, Matthews is getting older and is limited (agree with your assessment, except that I would say Matthews is OK over the RT) and the rest of the pass rushers are pedestrian. They need to do something, but reaching isn't the answer. Moving up might be, but I don't have an opinion on who is worth moving up for. In the past two drafts, I wanted them to move up and take the Steelers picks. I'm done getting my heart set on players we'll never have!

I completely agree they need more pass rush and they need to restock OLB for future years given Peppers and Perry being on their last year.

But given their moves this offseason (including CMIII back outside) I don't expect them to look at OLB as a need early.

If ILB, interior DL and OL are each 25% chance of being the first pick (based on Packers vision of their needs this year) then I would put OLB at 10%.

[Deputy Nutz]

It all depends on who is there and who Ted values and who is there. I think the Packers could use depth at just about every position beside QB and maybe defensive back in the first round. I

[texaspackerbacker]

Matthews isn't the same since he got off of the juice.

Give Clay some of what Ryan Braun is using - it apparently doesn't show up in piss tests. Seriously, like pbmax said, he ain't quite what he used to be. I liked him a lot better at ILB. That's why everything else being equal, I would go with a athletic OLB, not really to replace him immediately, but to rotate in and eventually be the stud OLB. Since Clay almost certainly ain't going back to ILB, the idea of Ragland is interesting too. I HOPE the pick is not a D Lineman, especially a bloated Raji-type. I think the O Line upgrade(s) are gonna come between the 2nd and 4th rounds.

[Bossman641]

Biggest need this year is ILB. In another year it's probably OL. I'd love to grab Ragland in round 1 and load up on DL/OL in rounds 3-4. Those guys always take a few years to develop anyways and I want an immediate contributor in round 1.