Should They Stay Or Should They Go?

[Bretsky]

COBB and PERRY are good as gone. I think if we cut Perry by March something we don't have to pay out a 3.8MIL roster bonus.

Matthews has to take a sizeable pay cut or he's gone.

The rest should probably stay til we have better plans for their departures

[Joemailman]

Report Graham will be back. http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap300...e-jimmy-graham He is due a 5 million roster bonus on March 15, so a decision will be made by then.

[texaspackerbacker]

Graham may have been a disappointment, but he wasn't horrible, and he was playing hurt. The question is, will he recover from the bad knee? Or will he still be slowed by it next season too? If the Packers keep him, hopefully that means his knee will be better next season.

[Bretsky]

Not a bad call to bring him back; a good call out be to add one of the two Iowa TE's as a compliment to Graham at pick #30 of round one. Don't be surprised when it happens

[Joemailman]

Graham may have been a disappointment, but he wasn't horrible, and he was playing hurt. The question is, will he recover from the bad knee? Or will he still be slowed by it next season too? If the Packers keep him, hopefully that means his knee will be better next season.

The knee is my concern. MM has never been great at utilizing TE's, so I could see Graham having a better year in a new offensive system. As things stand now though, Graham will have the biggest cap hit of any TE in the NFL in 2019. https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/rankings...hit/tight-end/ Not sure he's worth that.

[Joemailman]

Not a bad call to bring him back; a good call out be to add one of the two Iowa TE's as a compliment to Graham at pick #30 of round one. Don't be surprised when it happens

A lot of mocks have Packers taking Fant at #30. I prefer Hockenson, but he might go earlier because of his all-around game.

[Fritz]

Graham may have been a disappointment, but he wasn't horrible, and he was playing hurt. The question is, will he recover from the bad knee? Or will he still be slowed by it next season too? If the Packers keep him, hopefully that means his knee will be better next season.

For the millions of dollars and large chunk of the salary cap Graham is taking up if you keep him, "he wasn't horrible" doesn't seem like much of an argument for keeping him.

[pbmax]

I don't like this news. He's just not the same.

[QBME]

First, thanks to the Mailman for starting it. Nice to have a pragmatic discussion.

All I have to offer is:

1. Cobb is gone. Not for lack of commitment or belief. Just dollars and sense.

2. Bulaga scares me. Cat gets up and limps all over the field. No more explosiveness. To keep him due to the lack of confidence in Spriggs is not a proactive move.

3. Nick Perry - I truly believe he is buying in. But like Bulaga is one instance away from going down at a moments notice. I think he will be effective in Pettines defense.

4. CM III - he understands his age and effectiveness. He will not be a full time player but gets his part time roll. When playing this year he was a presence. And if anybody thinks Holy Frackeral is a full time replacement....please.

5. Mike Daniels needs to come back. He still has the desire, devotion, physical aptitude and team first attitude to make Kenny Clark a star.

6. Jimmy Graham - doesn't have a Ring. LaFleur may have the answer. He didn't get physically beat up this past season. Maybe the new offensive scheme will suit him and get what we all thought he would bring this past season.

As Dennis Miller says, it's just my opinion, I may be wrong.

[texaspackerbacker]

For the millions of dollars and large chunk of the salary cap Graham is taking up if you keep him, "he wasn't horrible" doesn't seem like much of an argument for keeping him.

I'm lukewarm about keeping him, depending on whether or not the knee is greatly improved over last season. I'm just saying, if they decide to shell out the $5 million in March, it must mean they figure there's a good chance the knee will be better and Graham will be close to worth the money.

I hope they do not use the late 1st round pick for a TE - not before the 4th round would be my hope.

[run pMc]

I'm lukewarm about keeping him, depending on whether or not the knee is greatly improved over last season. I'm just saying, if they decide to shell out the $5 million in March, it must mean they figure there's a good chance the knee will be better and Graham will be close to worth the money.

I hope they do not use the late 1st round pick for a TE - not before the 4th round would be my hope.

Agree with this, although I'd be ok taking a a TE sooner if they were BPA. I'd rather they more creatively scheme players open, and adjust their scheme to the strengths of the roster and players. If that's not a TE, fine, use the RBs and WRs.

[run pMc]

For perspective on TE's and Jimmy Graham:
55 Rec (9th among TE's)
636 Yds (9th)
11.6 YPR (46th)
39.8 y/G (16th)
54 Lng (8th - 3way tie)
2 TD (31st - T)
58.2% 1st Dwns (39th)

http://www.nfl.com/stats/categorystats?archive=false&conference=null&statisticPositionCategory=TIGHT_END&season=2018&seasonType=REG&experience=&tabSeq=1&qualified=true&Submit=Go

Where does that put him? In the top half of TE's? What kind of salary should he get? Does playing through the injuries (knee, thumb) add or subtract to this?

Reconciling the numbers with what I saw, I'm inclined to think he's a mid-tier starter that another coach could get ok production out of him, but his days as a Pro Bowl playmaker are long gone. He could still be used to move the chains and in the red zone. I do think they could replace that production by using their RB's and cheaper TE's (along with our giant WR's in the RZ) differently in the passing game, i.e., scheme changes. Meh, if Gute/MLF wants to give him another shot with better scheme I could warm up to it.

Maybe.

[call_me_ishmael]

How do you keep that guy around after the lack of effort he showed. Forget production, he was hurt, but the lack of hustle and effort is what is particularly damning.

[Joemailman]

How do you keep that guy around after the lack of effort he showed. Forget production, he was hurt, but the lack of hustle and effort is what is particularly damning.

I didn't see a lack of effort. He had a bad knee, and late in the year was playing with a broken thumb. I don't think he's worth what they'd have to pay him this year, but only because of physical limitations.

[pbmax]

If he was just collecting a paycheck, he could have sat a game or two with that broken thumb.