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Listed by size of hole in roster, not draft prospect or value in a round.
Packers Are Missing Their Starter
1. Safety
2. ILB
3. WR
Packers Have Serious Concerns About the Starter and Depth at Position
4. TE/Slot
5. O Tackle
6. RB
7. EDGE
1. SAFETY - Unless you believe Tramon is the new FS, there is a big hole in the back of the defense. I suspect there is an even chance Tramon is the new FS and they simply haven't had to produce a depth chart, but even if he is, I think its a stop gap because of his age and lack of experience. Maybe Amos is the new FS, but then the roster prospects at SS are troubling as well. The depth signed elsewhere unless you really like Raven Green.
2. ILB - Packers still have limited coverage at ILB. Both Burks and Jones were drafted to help here but neither has succeeded. The Patriots abused Burks so bad for a drive he was benched before the next series by a team that doesn't like to make adjustments until halftime. Jones got called out by now-Brown Randall and Martinez for not being accountable. Come to think of it, there is no run stuffer either (presumably Morrison can come back for a slightly lower deal). This isn't as dire as safety because Pettine runs as much 3-3 base (which removes an ILB) as he does 2-4 base (which removes a DL)**.
3. WR - Wide receiver is tough to read. Was Allison good because of Rodgers and the presence of Adams and Cobb? Is he actually a #2 receiver? Its rare for a player to make that jump given his background (UDFA) and the fact that he hasn't exploded on the scene to dominate at times. On the plus side, he did attract free agent attention after his tender was announced and he was having a good start to the season. I think he is a great #3. Despite missing a starter, I could see them not draft a WR until Round 4 because of the yutes.
4. TE - Having not seen M4's offense, its hard to say what the most common formation will be. There could not be two different TEs that Lewis and Graham but they do share a Geriatrician MD. I think its going to look more like SF than LA. But someone needs to threaten the middle of the field off play action and with Lewis it will always be 5 yard throws. I can't see Graham being asked to block the play side, so he can cut off and decoy, but he doesn't run or catch like he used to.
Which leads us to the slot. If you want to threaten the middle of the field you could play a true slot guy on passing downs and the Packers haven't had one since Cobb made a Bear fall down for the Division title.
5. O Tackle - I still think Spriggs can make it, but that is another thread, four of which I probably have started elsewhere. He hasn't done it yet.
Bulaga gets more and more limited as the years pile on. When healthy, he can still do it. But the chief expectation for him is to get dinged with a leg thing and need some time off. They need depth. Turner helps but he is no lock at Tackle and his single good year came with a respected OL coach (Sean Kugler) and the Packers have another young guy (Adam Stenavich).
My fear is that Turner was a mid round prospect scouts loved and his tape last year convinced coaches and so they signed him for the peak and not the average level of his play. I actually hope Lucas Patrick wins the job. That guy blocks like his life is on the line.
My next fear is that an injury here will reduce the line to ruins once more. Of all second tier needs, this is the position I would be happy to see reinforced early even if they don't start the first game.
6. RBs - Everyone has written about RBs. Jones has everything you want in a back except size. There is a slight chance he won't like one cut zone running, but I doubt it will make much difference. He is pretty patient when picking holes. But he does get injured and Williams does not look like a one cut back. However, lots of medium athletic types succeed in a good zone blocked scheme, so maybe he surprises? I don't think he is an automatic struggle with this scheme, but he's not lights out either and will not break many 7 yard runs for 15+. That puts a LOT of pressure on your line to always get it blocked.
Neither guy is Sproles in a route but both can catch and are good in the screen game. Jones really improved on screen pass handling last year.
7. EDGE - You can always use more pass rush. And the last 8 years of Packer defensive football demonstrate that. But Fackrell and Gilbert aren't terrible depth. They have been healthy.
** The nickel-dime-dollar defenses tell you base positions on the field but it still varies by what Pettine thinks the offense will call (play tendency) whether its a Morrison nickel or a Willkerson/Army nickel.
Packers Are Missing Their Starter
1. Safety
2. ILB
3. WR
Packers Have Serious Concerns About the Starter and Depth at Position
4. TE/Slot
5. O Tackle
6. RB
7. EDGE
1. SAFETY - Unless you believe Tramon is the new FS, there is a big hole in the back of the defense. I suspect there is an even chance Tramon is the new FS and they simply haven't had to produce a depth chart, but even if he is, I think its a stop gap because of his age and lack of experience. Maybe Amos is the new FS, but then the roster prospects at SS are troubling as well. The depth signed elsewhere unless you really like Raven Green.
2. ILB - Packers still have limited coverage at ILB. Both Burks and Jones were drafted to help here but neither has succeeded. The Patriots abused Burks so bad for a drive he was benched before the next series by a team that doesn't like to make adjustments until halftime. Jones got called out by now-Brown Randall and Martinez for not being accountable. Come to think of it, there is no run stuffer either (presumably Morrison can come back for a slightly lower deal). This isn't as dire as safety because Pettine runs as much 3-3 base (which removes an ILB) as he does 2-4 base (which removes a DL)**.
3. WR - Wide receiver is tough to read. Was Allison good because of Rodgers and the presence of Adams and Cobb? Is he actually a #2 receiver? Its rare for a player to make that jump given his background (UDFA) and the fact that he hasn't exploded on the scene to dominate at times. On the plus side, he did attract free agent attention after his tender was announced and he was having a good start to the season. I think he is a great #3. Despite missing a starter, I could see them not draft a WR until Round 4 because of the yutes.
4. TE - Having not seen M4's offense, its hard to say what the most common formation will be. There could not be two different TEs that Lewis and Graham but they do share a Geriatrician MD. I think its going to look more like SF than LA. But someone needs to threaten the middle of the field off play action and with Lewis it will always be 5 yard throws. I can't see Graham being asked to block the play side, so he can cut off and decoy, but he doesn't run or catch like he used to.
Which leads us to the slot. If you want to threaten the middle of the field you could play a true slot guy on passing downs and the Packers haven't had one since Cobb made a Bear fall down for the Division title.
5. O Tackle - I still think Spriggs can make it, but that is another thread, four of which I probably have started elsewhere. He hasn't done it yet.
Bulaga gets more and more limited as the years pile on. When healthy, he can still do it. But the chief expectation for him is to get dinged with a leg thing and need some time off. They need depth. Turner helps but he is no lock at Tackle and his single good year came with a respected OL coach (Sean Kugler) and the Packers have another young guy (Adam Stenavich).
My fear is that Turner was a mid round prospect scouts loved and his tape last year convinced coaches and so they signed him for the peak and not the average level of his play. I actually hope Lucas Patrick wins the job. That guy blocks like his life is on the line.
My next fear is that an injury here will reduce the line to ruins once more. Of all second tier needs, this is the position I would be happy to see reinforced early even if they don't start the first game.
6. RBs - Everyone has written about RBs. Jones has everything you want in a back except size. There is a slight chance he won't like one cut zone running, but I doubt it will make much difference. He is pretty patient when picking holes. But he does get injured and Williams does not look like a one cut back. However, lots of medium athletic types succeed in a good zone blocked scheme, so maybe he surprises? I don't think he is an automatic struggle with this scheme, but he's not lights out either and will not break many 7 yard runs for 15+. That puts a LOT of pressure on your line to always get it blocked.
Neither guy is Sproles in a route but both can catch and are good in the screen game. Jones really improved on screen pass handling last year.
7. EDGE - You can always use more pass rush. And the last 8 years of Packer defensive football demonstrate that. But Fackrell and Gilbert aren't terrible depth. They have been healthy.
** The nickel-dime-dollar defenses tell you base positions on the field but it still varies by what Pettine thinks the offense will call (play tendency) whether its a Morrison nickel or a Willkerson/Army nickel.
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