Silver linings (young players who should get better)

[RashanGary]

Kenny Clark - Big, strong, gonna be bigger, stronge t
Damarious Randall - I know he was nicked up, but he WILL be better!
Kentrell Brice - that's a talented young player right there!
Davante Adams - just turned 24, only getting better
Jordy Nelson - 2nd year after knee, off season of running
Jared Cook - just got acclaimated to offense. Gonna be better
Ripkowski - still becoming a steadier player
Montgomery - gonna improve as a runner and pass protector
Spriggs - he's a player. Likely to make big leap
Dean Lowry - played much better than expected. Gonna be more explosive/stronger/better leverage in year 2
Eddie Lacy - should be able to keep him for relatively cheap

Might lose Peppers and Lang, but I think the likely improvement far offsets the losses based on the young ascending roster.

We're gonna get another full draft

We're gonna have tens of millions of dollars to spend! Should be able to sign a veteran player who wants a shot at the SB if one is available without over sacrificing other parts of the roster.

Really tough way to finish, but I have a lot of hope for this team going forward.

[SMBASS]

Monty needs to be back at receiver. I don't think it's good for his career or utilizes his true talents and I don't think he can hold up at that position. Kid did a great job in a pinch and really bailed us out when we needed help there this year but we have to get some real RB's on the roster.

[Pugger]

I also hope we keep Perry if doesn't ask for the moon. The guy was still making plays one handed.

[Joemailman]

Packers need to figure out what they have at CB. Shields is probably done. Were Randall and Rollins mistakes, or can they bounce back? I know they were injured at times, but Randall had other problems. Didn't seem to know the defense at times. Used poor technique at times. Today looked like he had lost all confidence. Gunter probably can't handle speed receivers. What looked like a deep, talented position at the beginning of the tear is now the team's achilles heel.

[King Friday]

We need a ton of help at CB...Ted is going to have to dip into free agency, because we clearly ain't finding a fix there in the draft after Ted's 1-2 punch of Randall and Rollins came up woefully short.

[Bretsky]

Packers need to figure out what they have at CB. Shields is probably done. Were Randall and Rollins mistakes, or can they bounce back? I know they were injured at times, but Randall had other problems. Didn't seem to know the defense at times. Used poor technique at times. Today looked like he had lost all confidence. Gunter probably can't handle speed receivers. What looked like a deep, talented position at the beginning of the tear is now the team's achilles heel.

Hopefully things change, but both look like crap draft picks at this point. Certainly room and time to improve; hopefully they do.

[Rutnstrut]

Monty needs to be back at receiver. I don't think it's good for his career or utilizes his true talents and I don't think he can hold up at that position. Kid did a great job in a pinch and really bailed us out when we needed help there this year but we have to get some real RB's on the roster.

I have said this from the get go. He will not hold up to the pounding a full time RB takes. Even as rarely as stubby runs the ball.

[Bretsky]

We need a ton of help at CB...Ted is going to have to dip into free agency, because we clearly ain't finding a fix there in the draft after Ted's 1-2 punch of Randall and Rollins came up woefully short.

YUP

If they step in and decide to live up to where TEd drafted them we are not as desperate

[King Friday]

I have said this from the get go. He will not hold up to the pounding a full time RB takes. Even as rarely as stubby runs the ball.

I disagree. If he has an offseason to actually PREPARE to be a RB, he'll be fine. There are plenty of top RBs in the league who have gotten 300+ carries a year who are SMALLER than Montgomery.

That said, I certainly don't want him to be our #1 back going into next season. I'd love for him to be a #2 RB/#4 WR where we utilize his abilities to create mismatches on defense...and help create depth at both positions to help free up a roster slot elsewhere. The issue is that McCarthy doesn't have the capacity in his skill set for utilizing RBs to their maximum efficiency.

[beveaux1]

I'm going to look at the last 4 games and try to watch the CB play. If I were pressed right now, I'd say that Randall can't cover in zone, but appears a little better in man. He lost confidence about the time of his surgery and looks to be afraid of physical contact. He just doesn't tackle and seems to avoid it.

Gunter is better in zone with deep help, but he's awkward in technique and can be exploited in man. It doesn't help that they match him on the other team's best receiver when he's this raw, but he does play physically, but doesn't have closing speed. His best role down the line is probably nickel or dime corner after he polishes his technique.

The best corner we've used is probably Hyde. He's slow but smart and can play man or zone. Technique is better than Randall or Gunter. It says something when your dime safety is your best CB. We just can't match with the Bryant's or the jones'. Total mismatch.

[run pMc]

I think Montgomery is your 3rd down or change of pace back. Good for mismatches and hurry up offenses.
They still need a bell cow RB, and it's not Starks. It could be Lacy if he's in shape.

I think Randall was pretty beat up by injuries this year and that affected his play. Same for Rollins. Gunter is a decent backup, but you can't honestly expect him to shutdown elite WRs. (Tough to matchup anyone vs. Dez or Julio...on paper Gunter is dead meat) Hyde is the same -- you can play him a bunch of places, but play him too much and he'll get exposed. I had hope for Hawkins until the 1st Detroit game. A lot of the young guys were a little hard to trust but they should get better with another year in the system. They still need more speed and/or a legit #1 CB.

Pass rush will also help the corners out, and GB needs help there. Perry led the team, and they need more from the others.

[Strange Brew]

We need a ton of help at CB...Ted is going to have to dip into free agency, because we clearly ain't finding a fix there in the draft after Ted's 1-2 punch of Randall and Rollins came up woefully short.

Correction......Wolf is going to have to dip into free agency because the TED is being put out to pasture! See ya later Tedagator!!!

[Rutnstrut]

Correction......Wolf is going to have to dip into free agency because the TED is being put out to pasture! See ya later Tedagator!!!

That would be awesome!!!!!

[Pugger]

I'm going to look at the last 4 games and try to watch the CB play. If I were pressed right now, I'd say that Randall can't cover in zone, but appears a little better in man. He lost confidence about the time of his surgery and looks to be afraid of physical contact. He just doesn't tackle and seems to avoid it.

Gunter is better in zone with deep help, but he's awkward in technique and can be exploited in man. It doesn't help that they match him on the other team's best receiver when he's this raw, but he does play physically, but doesn't have closing speed. His best role down the line is probably nickel or dime corner after he polishes his technique.

The best corner we've used is probably Hyde. He's slow but smart and can play man or zone. Technique is better than Randall or Gunter. It says something when your dime safety is your best CB. We just can't match with the Bryant's or the jones'. Total mismatch.

Jones gives even speedy corners fits. I remember a game a couple of years ago against Atlanta and Sam Shields couldn't contain him. We were lucky to eke out a win that day.

[pbmax]

Gunter doing well against Bryant and getting toasted by Jones in zone is a pretty decent case that Gunter can play. Even former Packers House and Hayward got toasted by Jones in single coverage.

Gunter probably starts next year. The question is who are the next two best?

I don't think Hyde can do it full time. There is a reason he is a hybrid safety. Randall did display some solid man coverage before he got injured (though he also had at least one early game he got burned too). Joe is right, he looks lost in zones. Rollins just never got it going this year. He didn't even make much news in camp.

My guess is that this is partially learning the position, too much info in his head, no quick reactions on the field.

Beyond that are questions. Goodson did not seem like the answer. Hawkins maybe but he might be as raw as Gunter.

Ted can draft CBs falling out of bed. I don't have any despair here like I do about pass rush. And I have more questions about the D coaching and not being able to teach zone than I do DBs.