Green Bay Packers: What are the biggest offseason needs?

While it was a sad ending to the Green Bay Packers’ season, losing to the Atlanta Falcons in the NFC Championship on Sunday, Packers fans can be proud of the effort the team put forth in getting to that game after being 4-6 at one point in the early season.

The remarkable eight game winning streak that gave the Packers another NFC North title and another chance at a Super Bowl came while the team suffered another rash of injuries and illness to key players and backups.

However, the issue remains that QB Aaron Rodgers can only do some much to carry this team and the conservative “draft and develop” strategy must end. If it does not, the Packers will have wasted the efforts of another Hall of Fame caliber QB and gotten but one championship to show for it. If New England can win multiple championships this Tom Brady, there is no reason why Green Bay cannot as well. The difference is having a GM who is willing to take risks.

Rodgers has only so many quality years left leading this team and every year without a championship squanders that chance for the team and its fans. It is time to incorporate more playmakers on both sides of the ball, especially the defense.

What should the team be considering?

A return to a 4-3 defensive alignment: Today’s game requires pressure on the QB. The Packers have shown an inability to generate sufficient pressure on the QB without bringing extra players, which puts undue pressure on a young and inexperienced secondary, notably our corners, Quinten Rollins and Damarious Randall.

There are some that say our LBs may be the strongest point on the defense but I contend that may only apply to the OLBs. Julius Peppers just turned 37 and may not be re-signed by the club and cannot be reasonably expected to be a dominant force anymore.

Moving to a 4-3 puts Nick Perry and Clay Matthews on the outside and then either Jake Ryan or Blake Martinez in the middle. The team may want to consider either drafting or acquiring a true MLB for that position. Making certain that we have a stout front four, either through the draft or free agency, should be considered now.

Upgrade the cornerback position: By seeking either a high draft choice in this year’s draft or acquiring a shutdown corner, either by trade or free agency. The Packers have needed a shutdown corner, capable of playing man defense, for the last couple of years. Sam Shields has been injury prone.

Since the departure of Tramon Williams and Charles Woodson, the corner position has suffered and has left the defense vulnerable. Putting an established veteran at cornerback can help school the younger upstarts and allow the defensive coordinator more flexibility in the defense calls.

Top college CB prospects include Marshon Lattimore (Ohio State), Teez Tabor (Florida), Marion Humphrey (Alabama) and Sidney Jones (Washington). Top NFL free agents available at the CB position include Trumaine Johnson (Rams) and A.J. Bouye (Houston).

Find a new defensive coordinator: Dom Capers has been here for a long time and it is past time for the Packers to bring in new blood and ideas. Some of the defensive failures can be attributed to injury and talent deficiencies. That may be put at the feet of Ted Thompson, the team’s GM. More on the GM later. The schemes and strategies are the responsibility of the defensive coordinator and his staff. That is the responsibility of Dom Capers and his time with the team has come and gone.

Add a dependable playmaker at RB: Is that Eddie Lacy, who cannot stay healthy or maintain weight? The Packers will probably let him test the market before they decide to re-sign him at a cap friendly, incentive-laden two year deal. WR/RB Ty Montgomery will get some snaps back there, but injuries at that position showed an extreme lack of depth. Fortunately, scouts have projected this year to be a draft loaded with RB talent. Seeing the team draft two RBs this draft would not be a surprise.

Draft prospects include Christian McCafferty (Stanford), Joe Mixon (Oklahoma), and D’onta Freeman (Texas) come to mind.

More depth at WR: Jordy Nelson will be one year older and while much promise has been shown by young receivers, Davante Adams and Geronimo Allison, there may be a question as to whether the Packers retain Randall Cobb at his salary level for next season. I suspect they will find a way to keep him. However, as much promise Jeff Janis has, the team cannot afford to wait any longer and needs to groom a No. 1 WR to succeed Nelson through the draft.

Draft prospects in the upcoming draft at WR include Corey Davis (W. Michigan), John Ross (Washington), Curtis Samuel (Ohio State), and Evan Engram (Ole Miss).

Free agent prospects Alshon Jeffery (Chicago), DeSean Jackson (Washington), and Pierre Garcon (Washington).

Re-sign Jared Cook and draft another swift pass catching TE: Cook provided a weapon for the team it had not had since Jermichael Finley’s retirement. A younger version of Cook would be a nice insurance policy.

See OJ Howard (Alabama), if available, or Bucky Hodges (Virginia Tech) in the draft.

Over to you, Mr. Wolf: It may be time for Packers GM Ted Thompson to turn the reins over to his successor, whether that is Russ Ball, Eliot Wolf, or Brian Gutekunst, or someone outside the organization.

Next: Packer Perspective: The offseason blueprint

The “draft and develop” strategy has had its day. If the Packers want to win another championship during the Aaron Rodgers era, risks need to be taken and Thompson has shown a penchant to play it too safe.