Bob McGinn: Packers Biggest Draft Need ...The Defensive 'Front Seven'.

[woodbuck27]

http://www.jsonline.com/sports/packers/front-seven-on-defense-is-the-foremost-draft-need-b99710014z1-376870361.html

Packers

Front seven on defense is Packers' foremost draft need

By: Bob McGinn of the Journal Sentinel

[red]

so we need help on 64% of our starting defense

way to narrow it down bob

[call_me_ishmael]

He's spot on. The first six picks in this draft are DL, DT, ILB, OLB, OT in my opinion.

[Patler]

He's spot on.

Of course he is spot on. In one way or another his expert has told him that GB needs DL, NT, DE, pass rush, ILB, OLB, OL, OG, OT and a RB. Never mind the duplications, he has identified over half the starting positions.

[Pugger]

I don't think our defense is in this dire of shape. Our biggest hole is probably up the middle with Clay moving back outside and Raji's hiatus. We were pretty good rushing the passer and our secondary is young and improving. Getting a NT and ILB should be priority #1. On offense it wouldn't hurt to improve the depth on the O line.

[mraynrand]

He's spot on. The first six picks in this draft are DL, DT, ILB, OLB, OT in my opinion.

Question: Your skeleton is inside or outside of your body?

[pbmax]

Somewhere there is a Bill James written piece that used to be on the Internet, about the false promise of Insiders in a given subject area. James was arguing with the idea that insiders had access to information that outsiders don't regularly possess, therefore it was impossible to critique them from outside in a meaningful way.

Forget baseball or football for a moment, but the idea in almost any other industry would normally be laughed out of the room. The idea of looking at ideas from outside is attractive precisely because an outside wouldn't be beholden to the shared beliefs inside the business.

Bob is possibly the chief practitioner of this Insider worship among football writers. He frequently reminds people in his chats that he speaks to people actually doing the job and they have much more knowledge than any of us (reporters/readers). Reporters are suckers for this line of thinking because as they are reporting facts as relayed to them by "experts", they are protected by the process of news reporting. Bob didn't get that wrong, people inside the business thought it was a bad idea too. Basically he cannot be blamed for editorializing.

The idea of critiquing football with outside information is only slowly making its way into the coverage. And the big push now is with PFF's numbers.

[Cheesehead Craig]

Love articles like this. The anonymous "NFL executive" article. To me, these don't mean shit.

[Zool]

Raji retires. Neal not resigned. CM3 moved back to OLB. Couple guys getting their first strike in the drug program. UDFA possibly starting at ILB. Front 7 needs help.

Holy shit this guy is a genius sports writer. Spot on indeed. Guess what, they'll eventually have to replace AR. I should write an article about that.

[call_me_ishmael]

Of course he is spot on. In one way or another his expert has told him that GB needs DL, NT, DE, pass rush, ILB, OLB, OL, OG, OT and a RB. Never mind the duplications, he has identified over half the starting positions.

True. Semantics aside, I do think the Packers will build the front 7 and OL because of looming free agency and then Peppers age, Matthews injury and Raji's sudden retirement.

[mraynrand]

True. Semantics aside, I do think the Packers will build the front 7 and OL because of looming free agency and then Peppers age, Matthews injury and Raji's sudden retirement.

Yeah, they have to build depth at these spots for sure. I guess the interesting thing will be which of DL, DT, ILB, OLB, OT are seen as the greater priority - which are the guys they are absolutely targeting early and which guys later.

[Carolina_Packer]

Somewhere there is a Bill James written piece that used to be on the Internet, about the false promise of Insiders in a given subject area. James was arguing with the idea that insiders had access to information that outsiders don't regularly possess, therefore it was impossible to critique them from outside in a meaningful way.

Forget baseball or football for a moment, but the idea in almost any other industry would normally be laughed out of the room. The idea of looking at ideas from outside is attractive precisely because an outside wouldn't be beholden to the shared beliefs inside the business.

Bob is possibly the chief practitioner of this Insider worship among football writers. He frequently reminds people in his chats that he speaks to people actually doing the job and they have much more knowledge than any of us (reporters/readers). Reporters are suckers for this line of thinking because as they are reporting facts as relayed to them by "experts", they are protected by the process of news reporting. Bob didn't get that wrong, people inside the business thought it was a bad idea too. Basically he cannot be blamed for editorializing.

The idea of critiquing football with outside information is only slowly making its way into the coverage. And the big push now is with PFF's numbers.

Does anyone here recall reading Bob's stuff as far back as he goes with the Packers? I'm assuming that if he's been covering the team for 20 plus years that he was doing so before clicks were important. I wonder if his style has evolved or if he's always been like this. Also, you wonder if that's what he really thinks, or if he feels the need to stir the pot to get people to pay attention. It's kind of the MO of a radio talk show host. Thou shalt (try to) be interesting.

[Patler]

If you are "targeting" the front 7 on defense, OT, OG and RB; it pretty much sets you up for a legitimate "best player available" selection. I don't think it matters what position is taken 1st, especially with six picks in the first four rounds.

[mraynrand]

If you are "targeting" the front 7 on defense, OT, OG and RB; it pretty much sets you up for a legitimate "best player available" selection. I don't think it matters what position is taken 1st, especially with six picks in the first four rounds.

Would you be surprised if the first two picks were d-linemen?

[pbmax]

Would you be surprised if the first two picks were d-linemen?

Yes, if we aren't counting OLBs as lineman.