Turning the page ... A-A-Ron gone ... NFL Draft done. Hit it ...

Dear fellow Packers fans, yes, I know. There have been no posts here since the debacle against Detroit that dropped us from the playoffs before we could even get started. That was a tough one, as you know.

As QB Aaron Rodgers and WR Randall Cobb walked off the Lambeau Field turf together, you kind of knew: this was it. Yes, Rodgers was still under contract. A big contract. But keeping him on at this stage, approaching age 40 with seemingly declining performance late in the season in the cold, even at home, was problematic at best on a number of levels. The Packers needed to see what they had in backup QB, Jordan Love. Time to turn the page. Not with a rebuild per se, but definitely a new era in Packers football was going to begin. Somehow.

Thanks for the memories, Aaron Charles Rodgers.

See you in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in a few years.

You know ... when you retire.

Source: Mike De Sisti, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Enter the New York Jets. Yes, the same Jets that executed a trade for our last aging Hall of Fame, MVP QB, Brett Favre. It took a while for the Rodgers trade to get done. But it did early in the week leading up to the 2023 NFL Draft. And GM Brian Gutekunst got the better part of the trade, in the opinion of many NFL pundits. For what it's worth, I agree with that assessment.

So, farewell and thanks for all the years of remarkable memories, Aaron. You will be missed. Hope you stay healthy and play at least 65 percent of the offensive plays for your new team this coming season. And ... that the Jets' record is a poor one. If both happen, the Packers will get a high 1st round draft pick next season to complete the trade particulars.

Turning the page officially ...

The three-day 2023 NFL Draft completed its 7th round yesterday. The Pack wound up, through trades and compensatory picks, with 13 draft picks. Will they all stick? Nope. But, it's interesting that at least one source (see below graphic) thought the Packers had the best draft of all 32 teams.

Pro Football Network declared the Packers to have

the best draft class of the 2023 NFL Draft.

Source: Pro Football Network

With needs in many areas, and with a clear objective to give new starting QB Jordan Love offensive weapons to grow with, the emphasis was on that side of the ball, while tending to defense and special teams, as well. GM Gutey picked up a couple tight ends (needed!) and a couple wide receivers (needed!), as well as a couple edge rushers, among others. Wasn't surprising to see the Packers pick up a QB for camp and to compete with Danny Etling, the current backup behind Love. Plus, there will be the need for arms in camp to keep all the receivers and tight ends busy. The Pack also went with a late round running back; decisions will need to be made about both Aaron Jones and A.J. Dillon next off-season, so having some backs on hand...yes.

It also became more of a likelihood as the draft approached that the Packers would likely draft a kicker to replace venerable, aging, and all-time franchise scoring leader, Mason Crosby, who is currently a free agent. Now, Gutey made it clear in post-draft interviews that they had not closed the door on bringing Mason back in. But there would have to be a real failure on the part of this young kicker from Auburn. Stat-wise, he doesn't appear to have been especially accurate from long distance. And kicking in the south, despite growing up in Colorado, it remains to be seen how he'd do at Lambeau and other cold-weather venues come December and January. But with kickers and punters, especially, it always seems to be a shorter leash than with other players. As with all the picks, we just have to wait to see.

Also immediately following the draft the Packers and other teams began signing undrafted free agents. You can see those on packers.com and other sites that track these developments. Yes, there are sometimes some diamonds in the rough that actually emerge among this group so it's always interesting to keep an eye on this list, as well.

As draft experts are quick to remind us, evaluating any draft immediately after the fact, is a bit foolish as it typically takes three years before these young players "arrive", so to speak. A big jump usually takes place between the first year and the second. But patience is needed. Think Davante Adams. It took a while. But then ... wow!

As noted earlier, while the Packers assert that they are not in rebuilding mode — and I agree with that view for what that's worth — they are re-tooling. Lots of great veterans. And lots of young guys.

It's going to be an exciting year, Packers fans. Stay tuned.

As always, Go Pack Go!!!

NFL 2022 Draft - 1st Round Predictions

As you may have noticed, it's been pretty quiet around here since our last post. We predicted that the Packers would beat the Niners in the playoffs ... at Lambeau Field ... in January. Because.

But...not. (sigh) It was really a gut-punch, wasn't it, Packers fans? There just wasn't all that much to say. Yeah, there was that very brief Davante Adams drama. But other than that...meh.

Tonight, however, is a bit like Christmas for us fans. Not just in Green Bay but across the league. For it is the first round of the NFL 2022 Draft! Woo-hoo!!!

Green Bay Packers GM Brian Gutekunst looks as confused

as the rest of us going into the Draft.

(Photo by Sarah Kloepping/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin)

What will Gutey do???

That is the question for the entire seven rounds of the Draft, isn't it? But it's especially so tonight. Armed with two picks — 22 and 28 — in the first round, and 11 overall, Packers GM Brian Gutekunst not only has a plethora of needs but an abundance of options. Thankfully, as you've no doubt read and heard countless times already, this draft seems deep in those areas of most need for the Pack, beginning with wide receiver.

After basically being forced to trade Davante Adams and losing MVS (you can spell it out if you wish) in free agency, the Packers find themselves in need of major help at receiver. While taking a flyer on veteran free agent Sammy Watkins to see if he can get back to early-career form, the Packers need at least a pair of dynamic young receivers to come out of this draft and make an almost immediate impact. You've seen the names bandied about: Chris Olave, Treylon Burks, George Pickens, Skyy Moore, Christian Watson, Jahan Dotson. These (or at least a few) are expected to perhaps be available at #22 when the Packers make their first selection ... assuming they don't trade up or down, of course. It's quite possible that Olave will go earlier and if Gutey thinks he is the guy, he could certainly attempt a trade of picks to move up to get him. On the other hand, pundits tend to think this draft is deep enough where the Packers won't have to do that to get a difference-making receiver.

In fact, there are arguments to be made that the receiver pool is so deep that the Packers can take a very good receiver with their second pick in the first round, #28, and use their higher pick for another area of need. Along these lines, we are really talking lines: offensive and defensive. You can never have too many versatile O-linemen available to protect your Hall of Fame quarterback, Aaron Rodgers, as we saw especially this past season. One name that surprisingly has been showing up here in a number of mock drafts is Central Michigan offensive tackle Bernhard Raimann. It's also the case that it would be most helpful to give Kenny Clark some assistance in the middle of the defensive line, or along the edges. If the latter, George Karlaftis is a name that pops up often.

The tricky thing with this draft in particular, as Packers Hall-of-Famer Mark Tauscher said this morning on his Wilde & Tausch radio program, "Nobody really knows." Amen. Yes, it's always fun to read through the seemingly endless mock drafts that are put out...especially the seven round ones...c'mon, really?...but this year there doesn't even seem to be a consensus number one pick. And top quarterbacks typically go in the first few picks...yet, apparently that won't happen here.

Our Prediction

We like Tauscher's take on things: "Nobody really knows." That includes yours truly.

So what will Gutey do? Our guess is he will stand pat with his #22 and #28 picks and take a wide receiver with one of the two while using the other for an offensive lineman or edge rusher (particularly if Karlaftis is available for the latter pick). We're not going to bother with names. Who knows? (We have hopes...but that's it.)

The Packers have a history of getting great receivers especially in the second round of drafts. So it wouldn't surprise us if Gutey looks to other needs which he sees as equally or more pressing than getting a first-round receiver. The fanbase will, of course, go nuts if the Packers don't draft at least one receiver tonight. Aaron Rodgers also might not be pleased. But, unlike the 2020 Draft, we have to believe that Rodgers will at least be aware of why the team made the decisions it did. Rodgers can make nearly any receiver a good one, and a good one a great one. It'll be OK. 

Channeling #12 from a few years ago, and applying to tonight and the subsequent rounds of the Draft: R-E-L-A-X.

And, as always, Go Pack Go!!!

2020 NFL Draft Day! What will the Green Bay Packers do?

Welcome back, Packers fans. It's Day 1, Round 1, in the 2020 NFL Draft!

And, yes, we have taken an extreme hiatus since our last post (before the NFC Championship Game). Didn't quite work out the way we had anticipated. At all. Sent much of Packerland into a season-ending funk that has lasted months. Of course, the COVID-19 thing has certainly not helped moods, either, has it? Stay well and stay safe out there, friends. That's the most important thing. After all, if you aren't physically on the planet any longer to go to the hair stylist, favorite pub, beach or whatever...none of those things really matter, do they? Be smart. Lots of stupidity happening out there in some circles. Don't be a future Darwin Award winner!

OK, now that that's all out of the way...

A few early thoughts on the Packers first pick

Here are just a few comments we made in a response to Twitter post early today. Take 'em for what they are worth ... which is basically as good — and as bad — as anyone else's thoughts on the matter. We've expanded on them a bit in case you caught our original comments @packfansunited on Twitter.

Wide receiver seems to be the position most are hoping will the Pack's pick at #30, including some involving a trade to get up to #20 for Justin Jefferson (LSU). Packers GM Brian Gutekunst has 10 picks going into this draft, so he has the options to package things to move up if he so chooses. Wide receiver, an impactful one, is certainly an area of need for the Pack and it will be addressed. The question in this draft is when, as this is a deep draft at receiver.

WTMJ-620 radio in Milwaukee had a conversation this a.m. that reminded us not to forget about needing a solid O-lineman. Josh Jones (Houston) may be available at No. 30 as well as Austin Jackson (USC). Wouldn't be the sizzly pick fans would hope for. But getting a tackle to learn from Ricky Wagner for a year wouldn't be the worst idea, would it? Gutey could then possibly grab WR Laviska Shenault (CO) in the 2nd round. He could add a bit of that pizzazz the receiving corps needs.

Defensive line and linebackers are also top needs, as all Packer fans know. Given depth in this draft at WR, unless Gutey has totally fixated on "his guy", he could pop in this group, too. Because D-line help is also deep in this draft, we'd expect him to not use his 1st round pick here.

Naturally, if Gutey feels he can still address a need with one of his targets by dropping back a bit into the top or middle of the 2nd round, and acquiring even more picks, he could do that, as well. And, again, given the depth at a couple of the needed positions, depending how this draft falls, that could be what transpires. We wouldn't be surprised.

A few of the other positions that have been mentioned as possible picks at #30 are quarterback and running back. We don't see those as realistic options this early given other more pressing needs.

Anyway, if we have a change of view as the day goes on, we may have more to say. Or not. Love NFL Draft Days, don't you, Packer fans?!

Go Pack Go!!!