Free Agency So Far

[Bretsky]

Is this comparison with last year at this time (offseason) or just FA season this year?

Because cornerback is probably better, even if its not good enough, by just adding House to the existing trio. Whatever is lost with Hyde at slot is overshadowed by House outside.

This is just this year

[red]

Are we better or worse off compAred to a couple months ago

I say worse

House is a decent signing, and Bennett is a slight upgrade, Kendrick is might be a slight upgrade over dickrod

But we've lost a ton of talent, I know some of you guys like to shit all over ex packer players, but we lost some good players, and haven't replaced those guys (other then cook)

[3irty1]

Thus far we've failed in free agency. Of course the jury is still out but I don't see us using the money that we saved by not keeping Lang or Hyde on many, if any quality free agents.

Did anybody really think Perry was leaving ? We were going to pay for Nick Perry.

Green Bay was far stronger before free agency than they are now; it's an annual thing. Of course our players will improve.....nobody else's will......and we'll use the draft to try to get back to near the level we were when we lost our last playoff game

it's an annual thing

Gains from players healing alone usually make this untrue.

A "successful" free agency season is synonymous with failure in the draft. The fact that we need full price help at TE, OLB, CB, and RB is because players at those positions, players on rookie contracts well below market value, have disappointed. No amount of free agents can repay those opportunity costs. This idea that we're one or two overpaid guys away from a superbowl is stupid; we're 3 or 4 vastly underpaid guys away.

At one point the 2013 draft looked like a home run deep into the stands. It was squandered and now the whole thing (minus Bakhtiari) got away without any rings.

[HarveyWallbangers]

OFFENSE GAINS COMING ABOARD
Kendricks

Martellus Bennett

[BZnDallas]

Gains from players healing alone usually make this untrue.

A "successful" free agency season is synonymous with failure in the draft. The fact that we need full price help at TE, OLB, CB, and RB is because players at those positions, players on rookie contracts well below market value, have disappointed. No amount of free agents can repay those opportunity costs. This idea that we're one or two overpaid guys away from a superbowl is stupid; we're 3 or 4 vastly underpaid guys away.

At one point the 2013 draft looked like a home run deep into the stands. It was squandered and now the whole thing (minus Bakhtiari) got away without any rings.

Just WOW. Very well stated.

[gbgary]

total fail. done NOTHING to improve the team so far.

[Smidgeon]

total fail. done NOTHING to improve the team so far.

Really? The #1 TE in FA (and likely Top 5-7 in NFL) signed counts as "nothing"?

[Pugger]

Really? The #1 TE in FA (and likely Top 5-7 in NFL) signed counts as "nothing"?

He doesn't count because he was just replacing Cook, hadn't you heard?

[alquaal]

So-so.
Love the TE upgrade.
Good to keep Arod happy.

[Smidgeon]

He doesn't count because he was just replacing Cook, hadn't you heard?

I'll take 50+ catches and a handful of TDs over 30 catches and 1 TD everyday.

[texaspackerbacker]

It's an upgrade if he/they stay healthy and if they play smart and motivated. It might have been exciting to see a full season of Cook playing with Aaron Rodgers. On the other hand, he might have been prone to injuries, and it seems like he missed a few assignments or whatever when he did play. I don't know anything about Bennett or Kendricks in those ways, but hopefully one or the other or both can do the job.

Still, this is just a little bit better than a lateral move. And combined with everything else, Ted gets about a C- or D+.

[Sparkey]

OFFENSE LOSSES JUMPING SHIP
Cook
Lang
Tretter
Lacey

OFFENSE GAINS COMING ABOARD
Bennett
Kendricks

DEFENSIVE LOSSES JUMPING SHIP
Peppers
Hyde
D Jones

DEFENSIVE GAINS COMING ABOARD
House

Kept Perry

Fixed for you

[Deputy Nutz]

I think the jury is still out on Rollins and Randall. Both suffered through terrible seasons and injuries are most likely a big part of that plus add in the learning curve of being second year players, and then losing Sam Shields. Shields was a top flight corner in the league and the Packers sure fire #1 corner. Nobody truly expect to lose him for good. Unfortunately there is no player on the roster that is ready to step into the cleats vacated by Shields and Thompson was not going to pull the trigger on the higher priced free agents out there. I am not sure any of them were truly worth their contracts, but that is free agency. Teams are going to over pay for what is out there. I am truly fine with losing Hyde and picking up the cheaper House. House is actually a better cover corner but does not offer the flexibility of Hyde. I am still kind of scratching my head over letting Casey Heyward go. I know that he suffered through injury his last two years in GB but when he was healthy he was great in the slot and had a very high instinct, not signing him was magnified when Shields went out. Depth is an issue and right now there is no one player that has demonstrated #1 corner capabilities and that need can't be met with a rookie acquired in the draft.

The Packers still need depth behind the often injured Matthews and Perry. Frackrell didn't show enough last year as a rookie, and Elliot is still a question mark. No new players were brought in so the expectation is going through the draft.

The defensive line is getting thinner with the suspension of Guion. Nothing addressed in free agency.

The offensive line took a hit with the loss of Lang and Tretter. So far nothing has been addressed in free agency.

The Packers lost Lacy to free agency, they currently have a legit depth chart of one player - Montgomery. At this point nothing has been done to address the need

The Packers did make a move to acquire two very solid tight ends. I am one of those people that think Bennett is a top 5 tight end in the league. So free agency seems to have filled a need

So the Packers have a lot of holes right now that are apparently going to be addressed in the draft. The Packers lost more than they have gained during free agency. Right now this off season isn't screaming "Super Bowl or Bust!!!!"

[Zool]

I can work my way through the Hayward piece. You have Shields. Randall had a decent rookie year. Rollins and Gunther would fight for the 3-4 spot. Hyde can play some slot. In August of 2016 that group actually looked like it could be a strength of the team. Shields goes down. Randall gets hurt. Rollins regressed. Now you have a shit show.

The OLB and OL losses are the ones that I thought might be replaced by free agents this year. You can have a rookie OLB/edge guy that plays well so maybe that's the hope.

[hoosier]

I would say about as expected. Lang leaving is the one thing that is probably going to hurt, but I wouldn't have wanted Ball to match Detroit's offer either. Bottom line is that this loss is survivable but we should be prepared to see lots of discontinuity on offense, at least early in the season. Fortunately, Packer fans have lots of experience with early season offensive dysfunction.