Packers Picks I Liked

[Fritz]

The wide receiver battle is getting more and more interestinger. Wicks seemed to have done enough to warrant a spot, along with his being a fifth round pick or whatever he was. - but now he's hurt. Dubose is showing up a bit after being hurt. Toure seems pretty good though you don't hear a lot. Bo Melton is hurt now. And Malik Heath is drawing comparisons to The Lizard - and has not been hurt, knock on wood. Do they keep a sixth guy when they seem determined to play a lot of two-tight-end stuff? If so, who? If not, could Heath displace Toure?

[run pMc]

The wide receiver battle is getting more and more interestinger. Wicks seemed to have done enough to warrant a spot, along with his being a fifth round pick or whatever he was. - but now he's hurt. Dubose is showing up a bit after being hurt. Toure seems pretty good though you don't hear a lot. Bo Melton is hurt now. And Malik Heath is drawing comparisons to The Lizard - and has not been hurt, knock on wood. Do they keep a sixth guy when they seem determined to play a lot of two-tight-end stuff? If so, who? If not, could Heath displace Toure?

Agree WR competition is interesting. I think Toure and Wicks are safe bets to make the roster. If they keep 6 it comes down to Debose and Heath. Thing is, Bisaccia plays safeties over WRs on ST, and Heath hasn't played a snap with Love. Now, I think he's done almost everything possible to earn a spot on the 53, but he might lose out to the numbers. Or not - Wicks has been in and out of practice with injuries, it's possible things work themselves out that way.

Dubose is another one to watch. He was on NFI with a back injury for so long, I wonder if they stash him on the PS. Gute hasn't cut many draft picks and seems willing to give rookies a lot of leash so who knows.

[Fritz]

I supposse one of the major factors in the decision-making is trying to calculate whether or not you can sneak a guy through to get him on the PS. Oddly, teams might be more inclined to grab Heath than Dubose if both are exposed to waivers, even though Dubose was a draft pick and Heath was an undrafted free agent. The other option is to use fake-ish injuries to stash a guy on IR for the season. Wouldn't surprise me if one of those guys surprisingly suffered a season-ending injury in the next five days.

Brenton Cox is another guy you have to consider the calculus for. With the need for edge rushers, would someone grab him since he's shown in GB, so far at least, that he can be a good citizen? And then there is also Jonathan Ford - they invested a roster spot all last season in a guy who never played at all, so do you now cut him loose and hope no one picks him up, or do you keep him and piss off Bisaccia by cutting a ST guy who may be on the fringe, say a safety he likes or a corner or linebacker?

Decision, decisions.

[run pMc]

I think every team has an unheralded player or two who shines in camp and people worry about whether he'll get scooped up on waivers or off the practice squad. IIRC something like 10 players got claimed on roster cutdowns last year across the league, so your odds are pretty slim of 'losing' a player. I used to worry and wonder about that stuff. If someone claims Emanuel Wilson, odds are Patrick Taylor won't get claimed and they will still have a RB3 (and probably RB4 with Tyler Goodson). Those guys don't play much and usually don't have much developmental upside anyway. If they are getting time with the 1's in camp or playing a lot of ST they are likely on the roster. After that, it's guys who are depth.

I think it's a coin flip between Dubose and Heath. Heath has had a better offseason (on the basis of Dubose's injury) but Dubose is a draft pick and Gute likes those.
Brenton Cox has been quiet of late, at least by camp reports and the NE game. I wonder if he's actually fighting with Johnathon Ford (DL) for one spot. Both have shown good things, but if LVN can play on the DL then maybe you need another EDGE more than you need another DL?

Safety could be wild. Anyone outside of Savage could be the starter or could be on the street. If Gute scoops anyone up after roster cuts, that might be the place. I know Leavitt is Bisaccia's guy and I hear he's a great leader on teams but if Tariq Carpenter can do what he does, do you keep both? Do they need 5 safeties?

[texaspackerbacker]

Has Dubose done anything to make him a "coin flip" with Heath - who has looked great?

I really HOPE they keep both Patrick Taylor AND Emanuel Wilson. Both seemed to pass up Goodson, and I really hope they do NOT keep a fullback other than DeGuara who basically is a backup TE. There really ought to be room for 4 RBs, 6 WRs, 3 TEs if you count DeGuara as a TE. The gameday rules make it unnecessary to keep a 3rd QB. How many OLinemen? 9? That's 2 + 4 + 6 + 3+ 9 = 24 on offense + 3 Special Teamers = 27.

That leaves 26 for Defense. 6 DLine, 4 ILB, 4 OLB and that leaves an incredible 12 spots for DBs - or maybe an extra LB or two. I really don't see where we need to make very many tough choices.

[Joemailman]

Has Dubose done anything to make him a "coin flip" with Heath - who has looked great?

Dubose has really come on lately after having a back injury. I think they want to keep both. Some people think they might keep 7 WR's, which they can do if the keep just 3 TE's.

[Fritz]

Has Dubose done anything to make him a "coin flip" with Heath - who has looked great?

I really HOPE they keep both Patrick Taylor AND Emanuel Wilson. Both seemed to pass up Goodson, and I really hope they do NOT keep a fullback other than DeGuara who basically is a backup TE. There really ought to be room for 4 RBs, 6 WRs, 3 TEs if you count DeGuara as a TE. The gameday rules make it unnecessary to keep a 3rd QB. How many OLinemen? 9? That's 2 + 4 + 6 + 3+ 9 = 24 on offense + 3 Special Teamers = 27.

That leaves 26 for Defense. 6 DLine, 4 ILB, 4 OLB and that leaves an incredible 12 spots for DBs - or maybe an extra LB or two. I really don't see where we need to make very many tough choices.

Funny, sometimes they keep a guy who's just a special teamer and backs up at a position of need, but is not anyone special (I'm thinking of Pearson, the fullback, here), and cuts a guy who seems to have more potential (like Cox or Heath). It happens.

[run pMc]

I don't know what the rationale is for keeping 4RBs on the roster. They rostered 2 last year. Pearson might stick around if Deguara isn't healthy. I've heard that GB has been using a FB or lead blocker quite a bit, even running out of the I formation. I think they'd be more likely to roster Pearson and Deguara than Wilson and Taylor, but that would only be if Deguara's calf injury makes him unavailable.

Losing Tyler Davis hurt them.

RBs are so undervalued right now, and the way the PS is nowadays you can stash 2 or 3 of them and call them up 3 times each before you have to sign or waive them. Over 17 weeks that's a lot of call-ups and can give you a lot of flexibility based on how you want to attack your next opponent's defense. I think they'll keep 9 OL, maybe 10 depending on who they like and how much. L.Tenuta and C.Jones being hurt and Hanson getting waived injured probably clears a few things up. Bakhtiari, Jenkins, Myers, JRJ, Tom, Njiman, Walker, Rhyan, probably Newman makes 9, and you IR Tenuta and try to sneak Jones on the PS?

[Joemailman]

No way they go with 4 RB's. They can safely get Wilson to PS. I think Deguara had a good day of practice yesterday, but Pearson has a knee injury. He probably goes to PS. Today in practice starting OL was Bakhtiari/Jenkins/Tom/Runyan/Walker. Something to watch for on Saturday. I think Newman and Jones are in a fight for #9 OL spot. Tenuta may be going to IR. Heath, Toure and Dubose may be in a fight for #6 WR spot. Heath did get some reps with the 1's today. Looking like Rudy Ford favorite to start along with Savage.

[Fritz]

No way they go with 4 RB's. They can safely get Wilson to PS. I think Deguara had a good day of practice yesterday, but Pearson has a knee injury. He probably goes to PS. Today in practice starting OL was Bakhtiari/Jenkins/Tom/Runyan/Walker. Something to watch for on Saturday. I think Newman and Jones are in a fight for #9 OL spot. Tenuta may be going to IR. Heath, Toure and Dubose may be in a fight for #6 WR spot. Heath did get some reps with the 1's today. Looking like Rudy Ford favorite to start along with Savage.

We will know the offensive line depth has improved when they cut Royce Newman. That guy just makes too many mistakes. Probably a great guy and all, but he just is not consistent enough.

[MadScientist]

I think they will keep Jones, mostly for next year, but also to use as an ineligible TE on short yardage plays. DuBose looks interesting, and surprisingly decent for missing so much time. However, I think they can get him on the practice squad. He hasn't forced his way on the 53.

[texaspackerbacker]

No way they go with 4 RB's. They can safely get Wilson to PS. I think Deguara had a good day of practice yesterday, but Pearson has a knee injury. He probably goes to PS. Today in practice starting OL was Bakhtiari/Jenkins/Tom/Runyan/Walker. Something to watch for on Saturday. I think Newman and Jones are in a fight for #9 OL spot. Tenuta may be going to IR. Heath, Toure and Dubose may be in a fight for #6 WR spot. Heath did get some reps with the 1's today. Looking like Rudy Ford favorite to start along with Savage.

Why do you think they won't keep 4 RBs. As I showed in my earlier post, we can easily keep 4 RBs, 6 WRs, 3 TEs, and still have a helluva lot of spots left for D - like 27 D players.

I would think Toure and Heath are a lock for #4 and 5 WR with Wicks probably ahead of Dubose for #6.

[Joemailman]

Why do you think they won't keep 4 RBs. As I showed in my earlier post, we can easily keep 4 RBs, 6 WRs, 3 TEs, and still have a helluva lot of spots left for D - like 27 D players.

I would think Toure and Heath are a lock for #4 and 5 WR with Wicks probably ahead of Dubose for #6.

They won't keep 4 RB's because they have no no need for 4 and they never do. Last year they only kept 2. They'll likely keep 3 with Wilson and Goodson on PS.

[Anti-Polar Bear]

. The gameday rules make it unnecessary to keep a 3rd QB.

Actually, after Mr. Irrelevant spent the entire second half of the NFC Title game handing the rock off with a broken elbow, the NFL has brought back the emergency third QB. Thus, the 3rd QB ain’t so unnecessary anymore.

As for the 53, it is looking probable that the Packers will be fielding an all-white TE corps for the first time since 1962.

[run pMc]

They won't keep 4 RB's because they have no no need for 4 and they never do. Last year they only kept 2. They'll likely keep 3 with Wilson and Goodson on PS.

Agree. They won't keep 4. Your RB3 is mostly a ST guy and Wilson hasn't taken many ST snaps in camp. Not sure how he would make it as RB4. There's not many times you'll sit both Jones and Dillon, there aren't snaps for a RB4, especially with depth needs elsewhere and Bisaccia's penchant for using safeties on ST. If (for example) Dillon gets hurt they can elevate someone off the PS.

I think the WRs are Watson, Doubs, Reed, Toure, Wicks and one of Heath/Dubose. I'd be surprised if they only kept 5 WRs but I don't know that they'll keep 7. It's kind of a fringe/end of roster thing, and again Bisaccia uses more defensive players on ST. They aren't cutting Wicks. He's a R5 pick who -- when healthy -- has flashed big play abililty at times. He also got tossed into the lineup with the 1's for a few snaps as soon as he came back from the concussion. They clearly like him. I think it's a coin flip between Heath and Dubose, but I'd probably take Heath and try to get Dubose on the PS. I think there's more tape and buzz around Heath and if cut would get more interest from other teams.