Packer Perspective: Big decisions await in the offseason
No sooner than when Matt Ryan stabbed a final dagger through Green Bay Packers hearts, condemning them to a sixth straight year without a Super Bowl appearance, the attention turned to the offseason.
Maybe not as heartbreaking an exit as the ones Green Bay endured in each of the past three seasons, but it’s equally as disappointing. Dominated in every facet by Atlanta, the Packers have no choice but to look ahead to a crucial offseason.
Following the Packers’ fifth defeat on the year, a crushing at the hands of Tennessee, I wrote the team was in need of a reboot. At the time it felt a reasonable wish. Even with Jordy Nelson back in the fold, whose season-ending injury in 2015 took the blame for a disappointing campaign, the Pack sat below .500, 9-12 in their past 21 games. One could be forgiven for believing Mike McCarthy’s message may have grown stale in the locker room.
It was gut-check time for the entire coaching staff, and in spite of all the national noise, McCarthy remained calm, and bit by bit inspired a turnaround for the ages, leading his team to a fourth championship game in 11 years as head coach.
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My stance on Ted Thompson, however, hasn’t changed.
Sure, McCarthy is blessed with arguably the greatest quarterback to ever lace up a pair of cleats, but his general manager regularly leaves him shortchanged elsewhere. How can a defense featuring as many first-rounders as the Packers fielded look like a bunch of sleep-walking toddlers trying to cover receivers? That falls on Thompson, whose failure to stock the roster with adequate depth left his secondary stuck at sea the moment Sam Shields went down in the season opener.
Aaron Rodgers put it best in the wake of Green Bay’s loss in Atlanta.
“I don’t think we need to rebuild. We need to reload,” Rodgers said postgame. “We’ve just got to make sure we’re going all-in every year to win. And I think we can take a big step this offseason.”
Whether this was intended as a subtle jibe at Thompson or not doesn’t make the point any less true. Thompson’s focus on the future often comes back to haunt the present. Year in, year out, the Packers’ roster overflows with youth; Green Bay has owned one of the league’s six youngest rosters in each of the past five seasons. A refusal to regularly add veteran names to the mix continues to hold them back. It’s these young guns who shoulder the blame, but in reality a lot is asked of them.
Look no further than Green Bay’s ailing secondary. After longtime Packer Shields went down in Week 1, the secondary was forced to lean on inexperience. Outside of fourth-year Micah Hyde, who wears a number of hats in the defensive backfield, Damarious Randall, Quinten Rollins and LaDarius Gunter were the “senior” cornerbacks on the roster, the trio in only their second year.
Gunter, who went undrafted last season, received the assignment of slowing down Odell Beckham, Dez Bryant and Julio Jones through the playoffs. That’s not a fair fight.
You only have to look at Jared Cook‘s impact this year to understand the importance of looking outside for experience at positions of need. Tight end was a glaring weakness entering last offseason, but Cook became every bit the player the offense needed.
Yet once again, Thompson will stick to his proven formula, add a developmental cornerback piece in the draft and move on, again thrusting undrafted rookies into the spotlight without much veteran help from outside. Thompson defenders will point at eight consecutive playoff appearances, while critics argue seven of those teams were destined to fall short of the promised land. I lean towards the latter.
Until Thompson leaves his post as general manager, the focus will remain on the future, rather than going “all-in” on the present.
A free agency headache
Before we can turn to outside free agents, however, the first topic on the agenda is with Green Bay’s own expiring contracts. Eleven players are set to hit the market, Thompson now faced with a daunting task.
According to OverTheCap.com, the Packers will begin 2017 with $35.7 million in cap room. That number would rise to $47.7 million if they decided to part ways with Sam Shields and James Starks.
Of the Packers’ 11 pending free agents, we can assume Julius Peppers and Don Barclay won’t return.
Jared Cook should be the “priority”, according to Aaron Rodgers. The veteran tight end hauled in 18 passes for 229 yards and two touchdowns in three playoff games. He became a major piece in the passing attack down the stretch.
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Nick Perry led Green Bay in sacks during a one-year “prove it” deal. A deep injury history may push his value down, but keeping him in house will likely be high on Thompson’s agenda.
T.J. Lang made it clear he wants to return to Green Bay, but the Pro Bowl guard might need to take a cap-friendly deal for it to happen. The extent of his re-aggravated foot injury suffered in Atlanta may play a role in negotiations.
Eddie Lacy‘s future is an intriguing story to follow. We’ve seen the good and bad from the powerful running back. Lacy dominated during his first two years in the league, but recurring injuries and poor conditioning prevented him making a positive impact in the final two of his rookie contract. Will the Packers look to bring him back on a reasonable deal, or look to the draft for a new runner to pair with Ty Montgomery?
Micah Hyde’s postseason could earn him a multi-year extension with the Packers. His versatility makes him a valuable asset to a secondary in need of all the help it can get.
Former first-rounder Datone Jones is a free agent, as is Christine Michael and JC Tretter.
Packers’ biggest needs
Defense once again needs attention this spring. Cornerback is undoubtedly the biggest need on the team. If Shields doesn’t return, the Packers will need to add a couple of pieces to pair with the development of Damarious Randall, Quinten Rollins and LaDarius Gunter.
Bolstering the front seven is also key. Rookie Kenny Clark showed vast improvements over the final few weeks of the season, which is good news for the defensive line.
With Julius Peppers likely done and the clear regression from Clay Matthews, strengthening the pass rush remains a priority. Moving Matthews back inside would help add much-needed athleticism and play-making ability in the middle, while adding another pure edge rusher on the outside to pair with Perry (assuming he re-signs) would make a world of difference.
Depending on the future of Eddie Lacy, the Packers may also be in the hunt for a new running back. Drafting a mid-round tight end to compete with Richard Rodgers and complement Jared Cook would also make sense.
Next: 2017 NFL Draft: Ranking the top 10 cornerbacks
One thing is for sure. The draft won’t be enough to fix all that ails the Green Bay Packers. Aaron Rodgers put it best: Thompson must truly go all “all-in” this offseason.