Green Bay Packers:           

2013 RECORD: 8-7-1  

2012 RECORD: 11-5   

2011 RECORD: 15-1   

2010 RECORD: 10-6   

TEAM OVERVIEW: Injuries are a part of the game, but it was shocking when THIS QB was sidelined for a significant period of time.  Green Bay played a full 10 points under their Power rating without Rodgers, possibly the most significant player other than Peyton Manning to any NFL team.  Once known for stockpiling QB’s in each and every draft, the current Packers floundered badly without their leader.  Rodgers was rusty in the lucky win at Chicago, and the team as a whole was not good enough to beat San Francisco come playoff time.  The Packers fixed their run game and ’14 should be another banner year for the offense.  Getting back to the top of the NFC however will only be accomplished by improving their run D and point D and preventing big pass plays.  

KEY STATS: Green Bay has forever been the best at keeping opposing offenses under the magic 60% mark.  They allowed 61.2% in ’11, a key reason why even at 15-1 they were (in my opinion) NOT going to the Super Bowl.  The # was 55.1% in ’12.  Last year they slipped back to 61.6%, allowing 30 pass TD’s.  Obviously losing Aaron Rodgers hurt their offense but their run O skied to new levels thanks to rookie RB Lacy.  The #’s were 4.7-133.5.  GB had 44 defensive sacks but allowed 45 of their own.  The run D continues to have issues.  ’13 #’s were 4.6/125.  GB intercepted just 11 passes.  The return D was collectively a major problem as the Packers finished 29th in both kick return D (26.0) and punt return D (13.1).  Spread-wise, GB dropped to 32-16 as a December host but Rodgers was missing in both games.  They are 9-0 after a bye.  They remain 16-7 after a MNF win. 

2013 DRAFT REVIEW: For some unknown reason, the Packers wanted to stockpile day three picks.  They traded DOWN three times in rounds 2-3, mostly unnecessarily.  Was there really any reason to not just take Lacy at 55?  At one point GB held picks 88 and 93 but traded them both.  When will they learn?  In the end, GB traded picks 55 and 88 and turned them into picks 61, 109, 216 and 224.  Clearly the trade downs did no good as draft picks 216 and 224 were poor ones.  As strongly hinted in my 2013 Draft Preview, WR Dorsey was going to land here in GB.  Considering how strong a season Lacy had it would have been further embarrassment had Lacy been selected before pick #61.  Many picks did work out, but Jones did not help the run D (as predicted) and Franklin had fumbling issues.

1-26, DE D Jones: Speed to seal edge, but lacks upper body strength to take on blocks.  10-3.5 as rookie.

2-61, RB Lacy: Patient, productive runner ran 1,178-4.1-11 and caught 35 passes

4-109, OT Bakhtiari: Surprise underclass entry also surprised by starting at LT all season.  How good is he?

4-122, OG Trotter: Can pull and trap, with light feet.  Not strong enough yet/has never played inside.  Sat.

4-125, RB Franklin: As previewed, fumbles a bit!  Lightly used after he cost them a game.  Tandem RB?

5-159, CB Hyde: 55 tackles with a knack for finding ball.  Good special team results as well.

5-167, DE Boyd: Production regressed in ’12.  Willing but not fast enough.  16 tackles, 9 games played.

6-193, LB Palmer: Practice squad candidate with 17 sacks after leaving Illinois.  Not bad with 17 tackles?

7-216, WR C Johnson: Fast enough, but raw.  Three colleges and now two NFL teams (Browns).

7-224, WR Dorsey: 18 receptions with sub-standard QB play (Maryland).  Better was available.  No action.

7-232, LB  Barrington: Productive OLB seems too slow for NFL.  Not a sacker.  7 games played, 2 tackles.

2012 DRAFT REVISITED: GB did what I asked them to, tuning 12 picks turn into 8.  DT Worthy, CB Hayward and sleeper pick LB Manning all came to the Packers on these moves.  GB went defense in a big way, covering a variety of positions.  They all made the roster in ’12.  Only RB was ignored as a possible draft need.  Perry went 28-4 in ’13.  Worthy and Heyward were banged up most of the year and did little.  Hayward was 53-6 picks as a rookie.  Undersized, but * rated DT Daniels was decent with a 23-6.5 sack ledger.  Safety McMillan has 42 tackles in two seasons.  LB Manning is on the SD practice squad.  OT Datko could not overcome a college injury and is gone after being on the practice squad in ’12.  QB Coleman was cut prior to ’13. 

TOP STRENGTH AND WEAKNESS PRIOR TO THE DRAFT: Aaron Rodgers.  Along with Peyton Manning he’s the best in the NFL right now.  The Packer run game got fixed in ’13.  Now it’s time to fix the pass protection.  

FREE AGENCY ANALYSIS AND STAFF NOTES:  This area is usually blank, but Green Bay signed DE Julius Peppers and he will likely feel revitalized (i.e. motivated) in ’14.  LB’s Guion and Chase Thomas add depth.  The losses include serviceable WR James Jones, occasionally productive OG Newhouse, OC Dietrich-Smith and safety M.D. Jennings.

2014 DRAFT NEEDS: Safety (preferably a “cover” safety) and DB depth, TE, #3 and #4 WR, 1-2 pass blocking OL, LB, late round QB.  The Packers need to stiffen up their pass D% and add some meaningful depth to this critical area.  Green Bay used to have multiple TE’s.  They are likely to move on from injured Jermichael Finley, which leaves them just the erratic Andrew Quarless.  The Packers completely whiffed on their ’13 WR draft selections.  It would seem impossible to do the same in this deep WR draft.  Most of the elite QB’s other than Big Ben in Pittsburgh are ones who are well protected.  Rodgers seems like the exception.  Clay Matthews is an upper tier LB but the rest of the group could use an upgrade, even with the steady Hawk and the hopefully someday healthy Nick Perry.  It’s time for the Packers to revisit their one time technique of drafting a QB late in the draft.