Marshawn Lynch un-retiring

[pbmax]

It's not all hindsight, I know plenty of Packer fans who wanted Lynch at the time of the trade. Of course there are expensive busts. But most of us sensible FA advocates are not insisting we go after guys like Suh and Albert Haynesworth every year.
We have room and picks to at least be somewhat active involving a non draft day trade once a decade or a mid-level signing.
Our defense is a shining example of where draft and develop combined with virtually no FA acquisitions can end up if you miss on a few drafts in a row. And I don't give a shit about comp picks when TT hasn't shown a high acumen for drafting defensive playmakers

Bill Belichick spent the better part of a decade trying to rebuild his defense, after the back to back Super Bowls, with draft picks, trades and FAs. It still took him a decade. Signing more free agents isn't the answer. Signing the right ones would be, but the is very hard to predict (not quite as hard as the draft projection, but more expensive). Saying you are avoiding the worst and most expensive of the FA classes just begs the question: how do you separate them out beforehand?

Remaking a defense can take a lot of time. Especially when the offense is established with vets and expensive.

There is no doubt that Thompson has committed significant draft capital to fix the defense since 2010 and had at best mixed success. He only fixed it for maybe 2.5 years. The 2012, 2014 and 2015 defenses were average and held up their end of the bargain in the playoffs while at times also getting knocked around.

In 2012 McCarthy had not solved the 49ers Cover 2 man under but his defense finally figured out Kapernick until the last damn drive (thank you Bush). In 2014, five extraordinary plays plus too much conservatism on offense cost them the Seattle game which for 56 minutes was a punched ticket back in the Super Bowl. In 2015, the defense gave a valiant effort but the offense was punchless in a game that should have ended in regulation except for two amazing and low percentage plays (and a bad decision to bypass a 2 point attempt). Had it ended, they surrendered 20 points to the best offense in the League.

After spending that draft capital on defense, he should have more fixtures than Matthews, Daniels and Perry. Shields going down really hurt and the depth wasn't ready or healthy. This is when EVERYONE says sign a vet. But remember this: someone signed Micah Hyde as their vet, and he is going to allow a lot of first downs in the middle of the field. Would you count on him making starter money for your defense?

No.

Which is why the vastly more important questions about the Packers brain trust remain these:

1. After much progress against man defenses with Cook, does McCarthy alter the rest of the offense to beat it? Or does he rely entirely on Bennett?

2. After progress in including Rodgers' arm in the 4 minute offense, will McCarthy resist the urge to run-run-pass on 3rd and long when killing clock with 6 minutes left?

3. Why does the player personnel department continue to draft players who do not fit the defense that Capers plays?

4. Why does Capers have no functional backup plan when man to man underneath isn't working? Why is this team STUCK playing man to man all the time? Now to be fair, Capers scheme is complicated and they do run some combos (man on one side and zone on the other) but that stuff tends to be the leakiest feature. Why is this still happening?

[pbmax]

Except I was on the Lynch bandwagon when he was a member of the Bills. I was pissed then about tightwad Teddy not getting him, that's NOT hindsight.

OK. And a lot of people wanted Moss. This is good.

But when have you been wrong? See, that is the had part. If you were GM, I would have a list of your busts. But on a message board, I only have a list of your greatest hits.

[Bretsky]

OK. And a lot of people wanted Moss. This is good.

But when have you been wrong? See, that is the had part. If you were GM, I would have a list of your busts. But on a message board, I only have a list of your greatest hits.

You just need to pay better attention to him; you seem to remember all of my busts........lol

[Zool]

It's almost like you can't always get something just because you want it. Maybe I'm crazy?

[Vincenzo]

Never mind esoxx, meant nuthugger. Capiche?

[Pugger]

Ted could have had him for a 4th and a conditional pick the next year. He played 2 seasons for Seattle then re-signed for 4 more years with them. We missed the chance at having an all pro caliber running back for 2 seasons and possibly more. 2010 didn't occur in a vacuum.

Everyone keeps forgetting Seattle could offer the Bills a higher draft pick in this instance. Let's say Ted offers that 4th. If Seattle does the same the Bills are gonna make that trade with the 'Hawks because they could give Buffalo the higher pick. It isn't always because of "Tightwad Teddy".

[Zool]

Remember when the same people complaining today about Lynch wanted Steven Jackson no matter the cost?

[pbmax]

You just need to pay better attention to him; you seem to remember all of my busts........lol

Just the one's you talk about actually.

Except for Chad Jackson, that one came up on the board for comparison a LOT in their first three years because he and Jennings were so close in draft position and Hoody was the other GM involved. I think they would have gotten discussed whether you were involved or not.

And I think you know this, but for those who don't, its not a knock. Making a call about a draft pick preference even BEFORE teams start to leak rankings is putting yourself out there. Maybe not brave, but gutsy advocacy. I don't do it because I remember my horrible track record (Webster Slaughter, Leroy Hoard, Kevin Stemke to name just a few).

Many, not all, of the free agent advocates don't ever talk about the miss rate. That it might be worse than drafting and more expensive and the infrequent recall of the times it doesn't work.

However, Zool has an even better reason to be skeptical. Some of the players in question might not want to come to Green Bay to play for a variety of reasons.

[esoxx]

Never mind esoxx, meant nuthugger. Capiche?

Shoot, thought we had another new term in packer rat vernacular.

[Rutnstrut]

OK. And a lot of people wanted Moss. This is good.

But when have you been wrong? See, that is the had part. If you were GM, I would have a list of your busts. But on a message board, I only have a list of your greatest hits.

My wife seems to have a very detailed list of all my busts. I'd put a copy on here but according to her it there isn't enough memory in all the internet for all my screw ups.

[gbgary]

he's not coming to GB or anywhere else not called raiders...if he comes back at all. it's all about playing for his childhood team.

[Pugger]

Doesn't Seattle have to give him his release first?

[Bretsky]

Doesn't Seattle have to give him his release first?

Yes, they do, but I'm guess they will try to trade him first.

[Carolina_Packer]

It's almost like you can't always get something just because you want it. Maybe I'm crazy?

Yes, but if you try some times, you just might find...you get what you need.