Who Would You Have Picked Instead?

[texaspackerbacker]

This and a post in a different thread about Hayward and Tretter returning to health after leaving Green Bay got me thinking: are the chronic injuries the result of TT drafting brittle players, or are they the result of something McCarthy's regime did or didn't do, or are they something in the water, or are they just dumb luck? With regime change now consummated, if the injuries continue under Gute and the Flower, we will know it wasn't 1 or 2. Bulaga may well be the first pilot study.

I vote dumb luck.

[pbmax]

Tretter was dumb luck AND McCarthy. He got his initial ankle injury during a fumble drill in a minicamp. While I understand the usefulness of the drill, its probably one you can avoid to protect the team. Especially if it was competitive, ie. two players run to recover a loose football 10 or so yards away.

Generally speaking, despite Packer hamstring and later Packer shoulder, the organization got a handle in its insane run of injuries from 2009-13. Went from frequently having the most starter games lost to routinely middle of the pack.

[hoosier]

Good post, except the last point may not be helpful given how old and beat up Bulaga is - if he's hurt it won't surprise anyone. Now, if Bulaga thrives, that's a huge point in favor of regime change.

Fair enough, but limitations dictate what kind of study can be done. The guys you would like to see in the new setting at are all gone; those who are left are either too valuable to lose (ARod) or broken down. You work with the material you are given.

[bobblehead]

I keep wanting to post in this thread, but I have erased it 4 or 5 times. The biggest hole on the defense was at middle linebacker, but the third guy on my list and everyone else's list dropped to the 5th round, so I guess I had know Idea how the position was being evaluated by professionals. The 4th guy on my list didn't even get drafted. I would have liked to see us keep our 4th round picks. I saw good value throughout the 4th round and without them it really limited the Packers ability to move around the draft on the third day.

I thought this receiver class was quite deep, but the lack of players selected in the first round also surprised me. The Packers didn't think any receiver in this draft was worth spending a pick on compared to the guys they already have in house.

I thought this draft would be perfect to let the board fall to each pick for the Packers.

I think they drafted for need after that first pick, although their board clearly had Savage very high so need met with who they ranked there which is why they moved up.

As for ILB I think they like Martinez plenty and basically don't use 2 at a time anyway. You have a developmental guy in burks, so no reason to start over with that. They likely carry only 3 ILB and one will be the 7th rounder who will help on ST.

WR--again, we have guys that its too early to give up on. We have one stud. I think they can improve at the #2 spot, but want to let things play out another year to be sure the answer isn't on the roster....plus you have 12 throwing the rock so you like to have consistency at the position.

Not the way I would have attacked this draft, but I get the logic. And as I have said before. When you do it the way Gutes has you better be right..cuz if you're wrong you can Join MM in the canadian league soon.

[bobblehead]

This and a post in a different thread about Hayward and Tretter returning to health after leaving Green Bay got me thinking: are the chronic injuries the result of TT drafting brittle players, or are they the result of something McCarthy's regime did or didn't do, or are they something in the water, or are they just dumb luck? With regime change now consummated, if the injuries continue under Gute and the Flower, we will know it wasn't 1 or 2. Bulaga may well be the first pilot study.

I have long maintained it had to do with the way MM ran practices. You have to hit to know how to hit and not get injured. You don't learn it at 12 and then get away with only doing it on game days. MM tried to run ZBS without practicing it cuz he like the cut block, but didn't want to cut block his own players. As a result his players sucked at it and his D didn't defend against it well.

I don't buy the drafting brittle players argument as I would like to know how you identify who is brittle as many players have injuries and then play well. Others get hurt all the time.

[pbmax]

I have long maintained it had to do with the way MM ran practices. You have to hit to know how to hit and not get injured. You don't learn it at 12 and then get away with only doing it on game days. MM tried to run ZBS without practicing it cuz he like the cut block, but didn't want to cut block his own players. As a result his players sucked at it and his D didn't defend against it well.

I don't buy the drafting brittle players argument as I would like to know how you identify who is brittle as many players have injuries and then play well. Others get hurt all the time.

Most teams don't hit.

Most of the Packers injuries that keep popping up happen without contact. Especially hamstrings.

[bobblehead]

Most teams don't hit.

Most of the Packers injuries that keep popping up happen without contact. Especially hamstrings.

I realize that the league is heading that way, but based on your own information our injury situation got better after the newest collective bargaining basically FORCED other teams to practice like MM.

[pbmax]

I realize that the league is heading that way, but based on your own information our injury situation got better after the newest collective bargaining basically FORCED other teams to practice like MM.

No hitting in weekly practices has been the norm for close to 30 years, and its been deceasing in camp for a long time as well.

And the absolute number of missed games also came down.

[bobblehead]

No hitting in weekly practices has been the norm for close to 30 years, and its been deceasing in camp for a long time as well.

And the absolute number of missed games also came down.

But not in training camp. Minnesota used to have a reputation for hitting in camp and they started every season 5-1 despite inferior talent. Just like I think the OL almost always makes the RB (there are a few exceptions of course), you and I will agree to disagree on this point.

Edit: I watched Tennesee evolve last season under LaFlower. Watch as by midseason we are shocked at the steal we got in the 6th round and we are amazed that Jamal Williams took a huge step forward in his running skills....hint, we added 2 new OL and a better scheme.

[run pMc]

Maybe that's why Minnesota always faded down the stretch.

Generally I agree the OL makes the RB, although there are some RBs who are elite talents and can make a mediocre line look better than they are.

[Deputy Nutz]

Just to be clear, at no level of football do teams practice cut blocks against their own. That is the most foolish practice you can plan. There are cut blocking drills you can practice and achieve the same results. Live cut blocking doesn't happen in football practice, ever. Even in a scrimmage I think I would loose my fucking marbles if I saw it from another team. A couple of years ago I was watching our Freshman play, and the other team had their defensive linemen cut our pulling linemen and I verbally assaulted the opposing team's coaching staff after the game. There are no State Championships for Freshman football. Teach your kids to play it the right way instead of resorting to bullshit that can seriously injure a 14 year old kid.

[George Cumby]

I want a Barney Fuckdoggle Round 5 and down.