Wild Card Week: They Might Be Giants

[Maxie the Taxi]

There aren't any veteran FA cornerbacks who can play man coverage available for emergency duty?

Antonio Cromartie? Cortez Allen? Anybody?

[hoosier]

Cromartie is available, and so is Cortland Finnegan. Not clear if either of them have anything left to offer. Cromartie got cut in October by Colts, but that was after he refused to stand for the national anthem, something that didn't play well in conservative Indy or with the drug-addled Irsay.

[Rutnstrut]

Or it could be that a 35 yr old CB who tore his ACL in week 17 last season and hasn't played or practiced since then isn't a good signing. But why bother with logic.

It wouldn't have to be him, but for christ sake they need someone besides the jag from the PS.

[Rutnstrut]

There aren't any veteran FA cornerbacks who can play man coverage available for emergency duty?

Antonio Cromartie? Cortez Allen? Anybody?

Sure there are, but as I said. That's not Teddy's way.

[Maxie the Taxi]

Cromartie is available, and so is Cortland Finnegan. Not clear if either of them have anything left to offer. Cromartie got cut in October by Colts, but that was after he refused to stand for the national anthem, something that didn't play well in conservative Indy or with the drug-addled Irsay.

Seriously, you'd think some of these guys would have been called in for a tryout weeks ago considering the injury status of our secondary. If all these vets have to offer is experience, that's more in my book than raw, untested talent.

[Patler]

There aren't any veteran FA cornerbacks who can play man coverage available for emergency duty?

Antonio Cromartie? Cortez Allen? Anybody?

I'm not surprised if there isn't vet help available at CB. Every team can use a CB better than some they have. No one has all that much depth. Many teams lack decent starters. In the off season you might find a vet who is a FA and can still play. I suspect most vets still available now don't have much to offer. Cromartie was released by the Colts after the first month of the season. Allen hasn't played for two years. The Steelers paid him an awful lot of many on a contract extension, then released him a year later, taking a significant cap hit. It seems no one has touched him since. Again, everyone needs more and better CBs, but no one has taken him for two years.

CB is such a premium position, I really doubt there is much veteran help out there, unless there is a veteran who retired while still playing well. But he would have had to retire at the end of his contract to be a FA. If he retired before his contract was up, his rights would be with the team he last played for, assuming they put him on the retired/reserve list. Can't work out any type of deal with the former team, the trade deadline has passed.

Too many teams are playing with inadequate CBs for me to hold out much hope of a good vet being out there somewhere.

[Maxie the Taxi]

I'm not surprised if there isn't vet help available at CB. Every team can use a CB better than some they have. No one has all that much depth. Many teams lack decent starters. In the off season you might find a vet who is a FA and can still play. I suspect most vets still available now don't have much to offer. Cromartie was released by the Colts after the first month of the season. Allen hasn't played for two years. The Steelers paid him an awful lot of many on a contract extension, then released him a year later, taking a significant cap hit. It seems no one has touched him since. Again, everyone needs more and better CBs, but no one has taken him for two years.

CB is such a premium position, I really doubt there is much veteran help out there, unless there is a veteran who retired while still playing well. But he would have had to retire at the end of his contract to be a FA. If he retired before his contract was up, his rights would be with the team he last played for, assuming they put him on the retired/reserve list. Can't work out any type of deal with the former team, the trade deadline has passed.

Too many teams are playing with inadequate CBs for me to hold out much hope of a good vet being out there somewhere.

All that is obvious. If it's true, so be it. I'm trying to decide whether there is no one available or whether TT is just not looking. At least a vet is a known quantity. Right now our entire post season might rest on the shoulders of a couple of kids who have never played a snap in the NFL, let alone the playoffs, one of which is a converted WR.

That's scary stuff IMO.

[Zool]

Any GM not constantly looking is not doing their job. Look at the RB situation this year. He brought in quite a few guys for workouts, signed a few of them too. Even sorta traded for one. Don't you think other teams in the playoffs could use some vet depth at CB? So either TT, and 11 other GMs, aren't looking or there's not much available on the scrap heap. Maybe all GMs hate to win so they are ignoring soft spots on the rosters?

Maybe Detroit's GM is just as lazy and cheap as TT, because their DB situation is worse than the Packers.

[pbmax]

Sure there are, but as I said. That's not Teddy's way.

Names.

[Patler]

Any GM not constantly looking is not doing their job. Look at the RB situation this year. He brought in quite a few guys for workouts, signed a few of them too. Even sorta traded for one. Don't you think other teams in the playoffs could use some vet depth at CB? So either TT, and 11 other GMs, aren't looking or there's not much available on the scrap heap. Maybe all GMs hate to win so they are ignoring soft spots on the rosters?

Maybe Detroit's GM is just as lazy and cheap as TT, because their DB situation is worse than the Packers.

When you stop and think about it, teams can easily give significant playing time to at least 96 CBs and reasonable playing time to a 4th on each team, for a total of 128 corners, You have the scouts from 32 teams looking to file those spots, and some teams are extremely weak even at the #2 CB, if not their #1, let alone #3 or #4.

I'm not surprised if the only real option is convincing a retired CB to come back for a few games, but then you have to wonder how physically and mentally ready he would be after willingly retiring.

I seriously doubt the Packers want to play Herb Waters at this point. I'm not surprised if they think he is their best option because he is young, athletic and at least knows what they want.

[vince]

Eliot Wolf enters his 13th season with the Packers and first as the director-football operations after being promoted on March 21, 2016. Prior to his current role, Wolf spent the 2015 season as the team’s director of player personnel after spending the previous three seasons as the team’s director of pro personnel.

During the season, he is responsible for overseeing advance scouting of upcoming Packers opponents, evaluating potential free-agent signees and recommending player tryouts.

Thompson has said that they maintain an extensive board, similar to a draft board, of current players and free agents, including practice squad players at all positions and from all teams who are constantly evaluated and value-tiered for possible tryouts, acquisitions, etc. Every player on every team and every possible free agent is analyzed and considered on an ongoing basis.

[Maxie the Taxi]

^^^I hope someone is covering for Wolf while he spends the week interviewing for another job.

[hoosier]

Relax, Maxie, the current plan is to go with the amoeba defense featuring 5 safeties with Gunter and Randall if he's still in one piece. We don't need no stinkin corners.

[vince]

Yeah hopefully he's not sabotaging the board...

My understanding is the Niners are coming to GB today for interviews with Gutekunst and Wolf.

Gutekunst's new title is Director of Player Personnel, which would seem to overlap with Wolf's description. His background has been far more focused in the college scouting ranks than pro personnel though. Not sure what that says, other than I'd think college scouting would be far more speculative and imprecise than pro personnel evaluation.

Then there's this guy too.

Terry’s primary duties are scouting professional prospects in the NFL, CFL and Arena Football League, working under Executive Vice President, General Manager and Director of Football Operations Ted Thompson. He also is involved with in-season advance scouting of upcoming Packers opponents.

[Maxie the Taxi]

Any GM not constantly looking is not doing their job. Look at the RB situation this year. He brought in quite a few guys for workouts, signed a few of them too. Even sorta traded for one. Don't you think other teams in the playoffs could use some vet depth at CB? So either TT, and 11 other GMs, aren't looking or there's not much available on the scrap heap. Maybe all GMs hate to win so they are ignoring soft spots on the rosters?

Maybe Detroit's GM is just as lazy and cheap as TT, because their DB situation is worse than the Packers.

Gee, maybe he should have "sorta traded" for a vet CB...about two months ago. You can't tell me there were no vet CB's in the league available for trade.