Packers Need Quay Walker to Take a Third-Year Leap
Can Green Bay's new defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley help Walker realize his potential?
By markoldacres
The Packers addressed their weakest spot on defense in the early throws of free agency, inking Xavier McKinney to a four-year, $68m deal in an attempt to shore up the safety position.
That leaves the linebacker group as the biggest question mark on defense, after no free agent additions were made, and Green Bay will be heavily reliant on a breakout season from third-year ‘backer Quay Walker in 2024.
His first two years in the NFL have been underwhelming. A forgettable rookie year was followed up by a slightly improved second season, although it was still nothing to shout about.
Walker’s PFF grade went from 52 as a rookie to 58.5 last year. He ranked 70th out of 81 linebackers meeting the minimum snap requirement in 2022, and 66th out of 82 in 2023.
Many of the concerns with Walker as he entered the league were still present this past season, and as things stand, it looks like Packers GM Brian Gutekunst reached severely by taking him in the first round.
That is not purely based on hindsight either. Walker was ranked 49th on the final 2022 NFL Draft consensus board, and taking him at 22 overall was a surprise to many.
The athleticism was undeniable, but his feel for the mental side of the game was questionable at Georgia. It is all well and good to run a 4.52 40 yard dash, but at linebacker, it is much more important to be able to diagnose quickly than run fast.
Walker was a projection and a player who needed to be developed. So far, he has not been developed, and that is on the coaching staff.
The hope and expectation will be that the new defensive coaches and accompanying scheme can bring the best out of Walker, a sentiment echoed by his former teammate De’Vondre Campbell.
In the midst of multiple revealing tweets about his time in Green Bay, Campbell said: “Quay is going to be just fine. They just had him thinking too much, he’s a dawg, you don’t make dawgs think, you just let them play.
“He’s a great player. I think this new system will fit him perfectly.”
There were reports the Packers had interest in former Broncos linebacker Josey Jewell, who could have worn the green dot on his helmet in Green Bay and served as the communication channel between Hafley and the rest of the defense, but he signed with the Panthers.
After that, there was no real talk of Green Bay pursuing any veteran options. The market likely reached a point where Gutekunst felt none of the remaining options would provide a real upgrade.
That means the linebacker room currently consists primarily of Walker, Isaiah McDuffie, who worked with Hafley at Boston College, and Eric Wilson, who was just re-signed.
The Packers like to enter the draft ready to play a football game, so that they do not have to reach for certain positions out of need. They can just about get by with the current players on the depth chart, but it would be far from ideal.
At least one linebacker will almost certainly be added during the draft, but it is not a strong class. The consensus top two prospects, Edgerrin Cooper and Payton Wilson, are 44th and 46th on the consensus big board respectively. There are only four players in the top 100.
It is unlikely an instant impact player will be coming before the 2024 season, so the Packers will be hoping Hafley can make the defense work with what he has at linebacker. First and foremost, that means helping Walker live up to his potential.
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Mark Oldacres is a sports writer from Birmingham, England and a Green Bay Packers fan. You can follow him on twitter at @MarkOldacres
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Comments (80)
Packer_Fan
March 22, 2024 at 06:15 am
Walker probably will make a jump because of coaching. I see Barry as the issue and not necessarily the player. I am not going to assess how bad a player is until after this season.
Cheezehead72
March 22, 2024 at 06:34 am
I agree to a point but what concerns me is the mental side of his play. They need to give the green dot to someone else and allow Walker to just play. If they draft a LB will that player be able to have the green dot right away.
Of course they have to give Quay a chance to prove himself. And I hope he does break out this year with a new system and being the WLB.
LambeauPlain
March 22, 2024 at 07:54 am
Hafley and his staff is exactly what Quay needs:
1. The DC wants to take inventory of his players and put them in position to succeed. IE maximize synergies. (No longer a steady diet of seeing Quay covering WRs)
2. Players need to play fast and fearless through a simplified scheme. (No more watching Quay at the snap stand still for a few seconds thinking about his assignment and making a tackle...but beyond the LOS)
3. Haf called Quay a talented player and..."the D will be built around his playmaking ability". (That was eye opening and would be a first for the first rounder)
4. Anthony Campanile will be his coach as well as the Run D coordinator. Hafley called Campanile one of the best coaches he knows and finally landed him after 3 attempts. He says the players (like Quay) will love him. Sounds like a real fire breather...tough love assertive coach.
Of all the players on the Defense, I see Quay Walker taking the biggest jump. His skills will finally be deployed attacking the ball carrier and pressuring the QB...not the steady diet of playing prevent pass defense.
Cheezehead72
March 22, 2024 at 06:38 am
Yes Gute might have been reaching when he picked Quay. Whether it was the right or wrong move is up for discussion but this is the fact he was drafted and he is our best LB right now. So how do we help him. I believe if there is no player on the board when we pick at 25 that we believe should be picked then move down and get more picks. They can get the top graded LBs in the early second.
T7Steve
March 22, 2024 at 06:42 am
The 70 and 66th #s in ranking come as an absolute shock to me. Watching the games I had no idea he was doing so bad. I actually thought he was good in coverage but let himself get blocked too easily on run plays.
I hope it's just a learning curve. That position has to be the hardest to learn on the defense and to be calling the plays and making sure everyone is in the right place is a lot to put on him right out of school. I don't know why they switched it from Campbell so quickly but thought they must have seen something in him for them to do it.
He'll be just fine and I believe has some All Pros coming his way. I trust in Gute's grades before the "experts".
The_Baloney_Stops_Here
March 22, 2024 at 08:23 am
He wasnt that bad. PFF's grades are laughable. Remember, these are the same people who claimed, with a straight face, that Fields played better than Love week 1 despite Fields throwing a pick 6 and Love throwing 3 tds and 0 ints. PFF's grades should be taken with a grain of salt.
Coldworld
March 22, 2024 at 09:47 am
PFF can’t handle a truly effective runner playing QB. It breaks their paradigm completely. They score the plays such players make and even if they can barely throw a completion and squandered a ton of opportunities to do more by making plays in the ground it will reward them for making plus plays. That’s one scenario where PFF(which I somewhat defend later) needs to be thrown out of the window.
stockholder
March 22, 2024 at 06:54 am
I have No doubts Quay Walker will be a good LB.
And regardless of the reach. He was needed.
So let's just end the question marks.
I'm all in on Payton Wilson. At 6'4 he's a LB.
Forget the reach.
His Tape, measurable, and position.
Would be just the ticket for the back 7.
You point to diagnosis more than speed.
I'll point to disruption and a ILB that will be all
over the field. Even in Coverage.
WD
March 22, 2024 at 08:17 am
Ironically. Mel Kiper's draft 3.0 has the Pack taking top rated Edge rusher Laietu Latu at 25. Originally he had him going to the Bears at 9. The reason for the drop is the fact he had neck surgery three years ago and was out of football for a year. So the 64 000 dollar question is his health. He was cleared by UCLA medical staff and did return to UCLA and played the last two years achieving the coveted Lombardi and Hendricks awards. So, there is of course always a risk. If he is healthy he would be the steal of the draft at 25. With an injury at Edge and it likely being Preston Smith's last year, if Latu is there it would be a plausible pick. Personally I think the possible risk would be worth the reward. We could then address ILB and OL in the second round. If Latu is not there which (I do not think he will be) you take either Cooper or Wilson. Neither would be a reach based on RAS scores. It would fill a critical need.
stockholder
March 22, 2024 at 09:44 am
The Defense is changing. 4-3-4 /4/2/5
I wouldn't draft him.
Need another speed guy at ILB.
Draft another rotational ILb /ST. Late
Coldworld
March 22, 2024 at 09:49 am
Kiper is way out on a limb with that pick. He’s at least 70 positions above the consensus rating on the player for one and the positional priority is as out there.
Wilson would be great based on his play and athleticism, but it’s more than possible that he’s medically off our board. Unless there’s really strong medical evidence to the contrary, he may fall like the TE Darnell Washington did last year as a result.
stockholder
March 22, 2024 at 10:12 am
He won't fall. He's a steal.
Players fall because their nursing.
Not because they play a full season
putting up historic numbers.
If anything, his Weight be his downgrade
Coldworld
March 22, 2024 at 10:26 am
I hope that you are right for his sake, but there’s a big difference between an underwear Olympics and surviving an NFL year enough times to justify a first or second round pick.
We will see, but if healthy and non-degenerative I think a team seeking a coverage backer would rate him very highly. However, that’s the type of problem that often ends careers.
Cheezehead72
March 22, 2024 at 08:49 am
Payton looks to be a good coverage ILB which the Packers need but at 25 is a reach. The earliest a team should take him is early 2nd.
stockholder
March 22, 2024 at 09:55 am
It isn't a reach if you look at
the LIONS Jack Campbell @18 2023.
He is 6'5 250 but ran a 4.65.
His 3 cone got him drafted.
jannesbjornson
March 22, 2024 at 11:42 am
The Butkus Award winner was pegged to the middle of round one. His Film got him drafted.
GregC
March 22, 2024 at 07:08 am
What are the "early throws of free agency"? What exactly was thrown? Does he mean "throes"? Like death throes? But that doesn't make sense either.
Anyway, the Quay Walker reclamation project will be one of Hafley's most important assignments. His reputation for making the game simpler for the players could pay big dividends there.
TKWorldWide
March 22, 2024 at 07:44 am
The “throws” of free agency are similar to JB’s “rain” of terror as DC. 😉
LambeauPlain
March 22, 2024 at 08:30 am
And will the defense play complimentary or complementary football?
Just play complementary defense and the Offense and the fans will be complimentary.
GregC
March 22, 2024 at 09:27 am
Oh come on, that's a mute point.
TKWorldWide
March 22, 2024 at 09:32 am
LP and GC: you are speaking my language.
But obviously, we here at CHTV are multilingual!
Bitternotsour
March 22, 2024 at 09:46 am
@gregC - I think you'd be better served through quiet acquiescence
Coldworld
March 22, 2024 at 09:56 am
In the throes of a semantic fit?
egbertsouse
March 22, 2024 at 07:10 am
It’s probably not a good idea to draft a player with a Wonderlic of 8 and put him in a defense where he has to do a lot of thinking.
dblbogey
March 22, 2024 at 08:18 am
Remember Brent Fullwood? Wonderlic score of 4. That was one dumb dude.
PackerBO
March 22, 2024 at 08:47 am
B Fullwood couldn't finish the 800 meter run his first practice with the Packers. What a waste
Coldworld
March 22, 2024 at 09:58 am
Did he lose his way?
TKWorldWide
March 22, 2024 at 10:26 am
Maybe a wrong turn at Albuquerque.
Bitternotsour
March 22, 2024 at 12:42 pm
consequently, it's probably better to see a player through the lens of their play, not some unrepresentative testing. i took a Wonderlic, I scored 49. I can flip my hips with the best of them, but I'm not NFL material.
when your job is to "see ball, get ball" it doesn't matter a lick what your Wonderlic score is.
Renllaw
March 22, 2024 at 07:22 am
Go back and look at the 1st rounders after Quay in that draft. Outside of George Karlaftis and Wyatt, its not a very impressive list of NFL players. So to some of the earlier posts points, yeah maybe trading down would have been better, but Gute gambled on the athletic upside. Heres hoping Hafley can unleash that potential!
The_Baloney_Stops_Here
March 22, 2024 at 08:25 am
Daxton Hill has been pretty damn good at a position of need too.
jannesbjornson
March 22, 2024 at 08:34 am
Devin Lloyd.
NickPerry
March 22, 2024 at 07:25 am
The great thing about having 11 draft picks is Gute can really move to just about any spot he wants to. I could see Gute moving up in the 2nd round, maybe even back into the first round, to grab Wilson or Cooper. I would imagine there will be some ILBers released closer to the start of the regular season they could add to the team as well.
One thing is certain, Gute has a plan and IMO he's more than EARNED our trust. I know he's earned mine. Lets GO Gute, let's finish building that roster which will win our 14th Championship! At least Barry is gone and that HAD to improve the odds of that happening.
TKWorldWide
March 22, 2024 at 08:10 am
While I appreciate PFF attempting to measure player performances, I think the sequential ranking order could be misleading. 66th out of 82? Does that mean there is a linear drop from each player to the next? Or, (more likely), the players are in “tiers”(not “tears”, unless their stats stink), with similar grades among the top maybe 10% being “elite”, a very large “middle/average” group, and then a small maybe 10-15% of bottom feeders that teams are actively seeking to upgrade from. Is Quay/has he been in that bottom group?
Also, how has McDuffie performed? Is he adequate? Or does our perception of him suffer because he was not an early round pick?
I am ALL FOR elite, disruptive players, but my belief is the NFL has a huge “middle class” at just about every position, and it’s the difference makers (esp at QB) that really influence the outcome of most games.
So give me a team with some elites, a large middle group, and as few bottom feeders as possible, and I’ll take my chances.
As always, GPG!
dblbogey
March 22, 2024 at 08:21 am
I think PFF scores are a joke. I'll watch Kenny Clark dominate and influence a game, and see PFF gives him a low rating because not enough "official" tackles or whatever.
GregC
March 22, 2024 at 08:56 am
That's a good explanation of how rankings can be misleading. The small number of elite players is why I would be okay with Gute trading up in this draft if he thinks he can get one. I wouldn't advocate trading up more than a few spots in the first round, but he should move around in the first few rounds if he gets a chance to snag a player he thinks could be special.
Coldworld
March 22, 2024 at 09:16 am
It’s inevitable that any team splits that way. PFF has its uses, but it’s got severe weaknesses. Any player is evaluated on the basis of what role type PFF assigns him and then its observers apportionment of responsibilities on that play. That is subjective and also often a bad fit to start with if the system is not actually a good fit for their template.
PFF routinely favored Dean Lowry over Clark and others. PFF tends to ding guards over centers. Walker is often seemingly dinged for not doing things they think he should be but which doesn’t see to be what he is tasked with.
That said, PFF is a reasonable comparative of like for like positions over a season and of the play of a player at a position over the season. Like most template grading systems it’s a blunt object and overlaid with human interpretation as well in this case. Close ratings are therefore indistinguishable. Extreme ratings consistently tend to be realistic to the extent that they highlight studs and duds.
Walkers rating is around their average point of 60, which is their starter caliber grade. On a D with so many issues against the run and problems with the short pass over the middle, that’s probably an underestimate that reflects the context of genuine struggles of the Barry D that they assign in large part to ILBs responsibilities. In fact the cause was likely much wider.
TKWorldWide
March 22, 2024 at 09:29 am
Sounds like we’re all on the same page here!
LambeauPlain
March 22, 2024 at 08:12 am
Bloom where you are planted.
Quay was unfortunately planted into a Barry Ball defense that did not play to his talents: Speed, power, strength, tackling to attack the ball carrier and pressure the QB. He was not just an off ball LB...he was a DEEP off ball LB. And the few times he did pressure the QB, it was effective. Trying to catch up with a WR with a full head of steam streaking through his zone miscast him.
Quay no doubt heard his new DC state at his first press conference "Quay is talented player" and "the defense will be built around his play-making ability." Hafley also said he does not know what LB spot he will play, Will, Mike or Sam (but Will seems most likely).
The young player should be chomping at the bit to get on the practice field. Bloom and grow!
Coldworld
March 22, 2024 at 08:12 am
Walker is going to suit this D type much better. Just let the kid play not react. If there is anything to Campbell’s description of the approach under Barry, Walker is about as ill suited in terms of play style and temperament as one can get.
Walker was never great in coverage, in fact he’s been better than he was in college. He’s a guy that has tremendous burst and attacked the ball or the QB. He was a tremendous tackler playing down hill in Georgia. I expect him to thrive in a less read and react mode. Now we need to add some cover capability in the draft.
I am very happy Walker is back. So much so that I originally wrote this mistakenly as if it was about him. I think he too is a more valuable piece in this system, at least on run downs. He’s been a decent spot starter since he entered the league in 2017. He had the best tackles per snap rate of any Packers ILB last year.
At 29, I don’t expect a jump, but I do see opportunities to use his run defense more and even his ability as a blitzer on prior teams. An excellent 4th ILB in a 3 ILB system. Not worried about seeing him on the field, particularly on first and second downs. The STs is a bonus.
TKWorldWide
March 22, 2024 at 08:17 am
Walker is 23: May 8th, 2000. (I know bc I send every player a bday card) Not.
Do you mean Wilson? McDuffie?
LambeauPlain
March 22, 2024 at 08:43 am
CW is referring to Wilson (age 29). I too was pleased to see Wilson returning. He was one of the top ST tacklers in the NFL...just 2 tackles off the most takedowns in the league last year.
And he may get a long look in camp to play one of the LB spots. Wilson did play a lot of snaps, starting 15 games for the MN Ugly Purple logging 122 tackles, 8 PDs and 3 INTs in 2020.
He's fast and strong as an ox. And he can get the ball carrier down. On the short side at 6' 1".
Coldworld
March 22, 2024 at 09:02 am
You guys are fast …
Yes my first version was about Wilson exclusively
TKWorldWide
March 22, 2024 at 11:08 am
4.52, baby!
Guam
March 22, 2024 at 08:27 am
And I wouldn't be surprised if Stokes shows almost as much improvement as Walker in this new scheme. Campbell's comments strongly reinforced my belief that Barry had one scheme and tried to force fit his players into it. Just terrible coaching......
LambeauPlain
March 22, 2024 at 09:11 am
Yep...Stokes (never a good zone player...he's far better in press ) should benefit with his new coach and passing game Coordinator Ansley ...and perhaps Alexander will again be Alexander the Great.
crayzpackfan
March 22, 2024 at 08:15 am
As soon as I read the authors sole grading system for an NFL player is via PFF, I soon lost interest. It also read as though the author was making this a bit too personal. He's right though that we have to get better at the LB position. I just don't see Walker as the hot mess this writer here does.
TKWorldWide
March 22, 2024 at 08:21 am
Also, every day I am reading that a certain player suffered under the JB system. Did his “system” benefit ANYONE?? Or was EVERY SINGLE PLAYER put into an untenable situation? What in the hell was going on out there?
jannesbjornson
March 22, 2024 at 08:39 am
Ask the guy who hired him and supervised the operation for three years.
Coldworld
March 22, 2024 at 08:53 am
Stokes was signed to be a press corner because we played a lot of press. He did very well as a rookie. Then Barry, supposedly pressed by LaFleur, went to a soft off coverage default. Stokes looked like a guy who was ill suited to that physically, mentally and through experience, as was universally cautioned when he entered the draft. His one decent game before injury was the one game Barry called more press.
Walker gave up a 95% completion rate in college. It’s not a lack of athleticism but his key trait and obvious mindset was attacking the ball or QB. Exactly the opposite of the approach lamented by Campbell.
Jaire made his name attacking the ball and making plays. Not playing off. Amos was never fast nor was he a cover corner playing S, yet that’s increasingly what Barry had him doing through the way the zone coverages rotated. Amos was better in run support, but more often he was deep and that fell to Savage.
Just a few examples that seem fairly obvious examples of questionable fit. Barry was fairly clearly system over players in his mindset if one listened to him. That seemed to be the crux of Grey’s disagreement with him.
The answers will only come when we see what Hafley gets out of these players, but I think that the suspicion has at least some basis. Enough that Barry’s retention was particularly baffling.
One interesting piece of that I’ve not seen mentioned is how Gary performs outside of straight rushing. I have always wondered how much of his tendency to collapse not seal edges was him or how he was being asked to play and the failure to compensate for that schematically. Gary seems like a relatively sharp individual, capable of learning, yet this was a consistent trait.
Oppy
March 22, 2024 at 09:04 am
"Then Barry, supposedly pressed by LaFleur, went to a soft off coverage default."
Ummm, what?
Could you direct me to the source of this "supposedly" accusation that playing "soft off coverage" was an MLF directive?
LambeauPlain
March 22, 2024 at 09:21 am
Whether LaFluer pressed or acquiesced to Barry playing more soft zone coverage is a distinction without much of a difference, is't it?
The HC was obviously in agreement with Barry's heavier zone scheme in 2022 he retained him for "continuity's sake" for 2023.
Let's hope ML got it right this time with Hafley.
Coldworld
March 22, 2024 at 09:24 am
Have you forgotten the “we must avoid the big plays” statements from LaFleur that preceded the changes in both Pettine and the Barry’s Ds? Do I know if they listened? No. But I’m guessing they did. Pettine was more overt about the change in philosophy. LaFleur retained Barry citing the need for continuity after a season of just such coverages and rumored player frustration a year ago.
It’s true LaFleur would also state frustration about playing too soft or at the wrong time, but the fact that both coordinators changed to a more react coverage approach hardly news.
Hopefully Hafley marks a realization on LaFleur’s part that the D needs to have a more positive mentality. It certainly seems like an attempt to make a deeper philosophical break at the system level as well as the philosophical approach of the individual, unlike his avowed system preference when hiring Barry. We will see whether that unlocks individual talents this fall and winter.
Johnblood27
March 22, 2024 at 10:48 am
After the Barry "experience", everyone is clambering for a more aggressive approach to defense.
Keep in mind that more aggression MAY lead to more explosive plays against the defense. Be prepared to take the bad with the good and then decide if the change was successful or not.
OTOH, more aggression in a talented group of defenders who can play aggressively and take more risks MAY lead to more stops, takeaways and an overall nice upgrade in terms of TOP, Yds against and ultimately points allowed.
The question then becomes.... Does THIS GBP roster contain the right mix of talented players to actually PLAY a more risky aggressive style... OR do they just think they are that good?
IMO players always think that they are elite. Coaches are more realistic in seeing where they need to shore things up and provide help to the weal links. Not many rosters have 11 HOF players on defense and the rules still favor the offense.
The fans and the players wanted Barry out because of his soft schemes. His schemes will be justified or refuted based upon how the players that wanted him and his schemes out perform in the Hafley defense where aggression will necessitate players bringing their best performance to the field and winning competitively versus other NFL caliber offensive players.
I wanted Barry gone as much as anyone, but it MAY have been more of WHEN he played a too conservative scheme as opposed to the schemes themselves. Like I said above, players always think that they are supermen and that they can make every play. That is rarely true and some governing by coaches is essential. If the inmates could run the asylum better than the coaches, there would be no coaches.
TKWorldWide
March 22, 2024 at 01:53 pm
Very well put. 👍!
Coldworld
March 22, 2024 at 06:22 pm
Pretty fair. There is no one size fits all scheme or approach that wins games in the NFL. Hafley himself said so. It’s the correct tilt if the scales that counts and that is best to be seen. However, play to enough of one’s own weaknesses and away from strengths and the one thing I will guarantee is the D will be less than the sum of its players. Change the players IR the approach….
Oppy
March 22, 2024 at 06:21 pm
I don't think there's any evidence either DC "changed" their defense at all.
Pettine's philosophy was always not give up the big play and to force a team to beat you the entire length of the field on long, sustained drives. When do you recall Barry employing an aggressive, attacking style overall?
Context of the "we must avoid the big plays" comment: After multiple games where the defense did a really good job, with exception to giving up 2-3 long completions per game that were the difference between winning and losing.
The_Baloney_Stops_Here
March 22, 2024 at 08:21 am
Im not ready to condemn Quay in any way until we see him with a real defensive coaching staff.
LambeauPlain
March 22, 2024 at 08:59 am
Quay's coaching banquet table is set. Serve the feast. Campanile will be his waiter...albeit with very enthusiastic, vocal, "colorful" language.
I have a feeling Quay is going to enjoy the restaurant :-)
TKWorldWide
March 24, 2024 at 01:20 pm
I’m calling him “No Way Quay”, as in, “No way the middle of the field is open anymore!”
golfpacker1
March 22, 2024 at 09:03 am
First mock of the day got GB Trevin Wallace for our LB. I think Wallace or Colson are the best fits for the Packers new defense. And they will last to probably #75. I made a couple trades back for the extra midround picks that would be so valuable.
34. Kingsley Suamataia-OT BYU-Swing tackle or starter? At which spot-RAS 9.4
41. Tyler Nubin-S Minnesota-I still think he is the best S prospect-RAS deceiving
58. Cooper Beebe-OG Kansas State-No more questions @ OG-RAS 9.29
73. Trevin Wallace-LB Kentucky-Fast, decent in coverage,-Turn the key and let him go-RAS 9.60
88. Jaylen Wright-RB Tennessee-Wright or Benson is the #1 RB-RAS 9.80
93. Dominick Puni-OG Kansas-Played OT & OG @ Kansas-Took C snaps @ Senior Bowl-RAS 8.08
103. Malik Mustapha-S Wake Forest- a low 4.3s tackling bullet-No RAS
113. Cam Hart-CB Notre Dame-Will be Stokes replacement after we trade him-RAS 8.95
134. Isaac Guerendo-RB Louisville-4.33 @ 6'1 220-RAS 9.98
165. Brennan Jackson-EDGE Washington State-Perfect size-RAS 8.58
169. Khristian Boyd-DT Nothern Iowa- the new Packers flavor of the month-No RAS
185. DeCamerion Richardson-CB Mississippi State-6'2 runs low 4.3s and tackles like a Safety-RAS 9.68
245. Braiden McGregor-EDGE Michigan-Developmental with good tools-No RAS
255. Tyler Owens-S Texas Tech-My sleeper-Could end up better than Nubin-GB would be good for him-NO RAS, but it would have been high 9s if hadn't been injured @ Combine
crayzpackfan
March 22, 2024 at 09:23 am
I just don't see GB, or anyone for that matter, drafting 14-15 players. As long as you're having fun though, the hell with me. :)
Coldworld
March 22, 2024 at 09:38 am
Given that the backend are probably heading to the PS as an upside, I could see us using a lot of picks. We are restocking depth and pipeline as well and seeking competition. Drafting late just allows teams to pick targets not compete for them as UDFAs when other teams pay big bonuses. 15 picks is extreme but it just means less UDFAs to fill the 90.
Bitternotsour
March 22, 2024 at 09:49 am
are there not salary cap implications between UDFA and drafted players?
Coldworld
March 22, 2024 at 10:13 am
Yes, but not ones that are material in practice for cap purposes. The difference depends where they are taken. However, only the sighing bonuses of picks are guaranteed, whereas there’s no limit on UDFA guarantees, leading to some teams paying more in effect for the ones they really covet. That would still mean x draft picks versus x UDFAs cost more, but none are likely to factor into the cap under the rule of 51.
Per ESPN , Andre Carter II, received the highest base salary guarantee for an undrafted free agent in : $300,000 from
Minnesota. He made the roster. Per Spotrac, he signed a 3 year, $2,735,000 contract, including a $40,000 signing bonus, $340,000 guaranteed. In contrast the first pick (most expensive) of the seventh round sign a contract worth $3.963 million with a signing (total) bonus of $123,384.
13TimeChamps
March 22, 2024 at 10:05 am
I think there are years where trading back makes sense. I'm not so sure it does this year, to be honest. We added a LOT of new players the last 2 years. And GB is already a very competitive team as a result, with most roster spots set. Of course, there are still a few holes to fill.
With that in mind, wouldn't it make more sense to do what is needed to get those players, even if it means trading up, if necessary? Quality over quantity at this point. We already have enough picks to do that. I'm normally not a huge fan of trading up, but this might be the year to do it, to move up and get the players to fill the few holes we need to fill. And whatever draft picks are left can go towards needed depth.
LLCHESTY
March 22, 2024 at 12:41 pm
Did you say that last year when they picked 13 players?
golfpacker1
March 22, 2024 at 09:47 am
Hey the first downvote of the day! It's just like when i first saw my name in the phonebook, I AM SOMEBODY!!!
crayzpackfan
March 22, 2024 at 09:59 am
golfpacker1- Wasn't me. I promise.
LLCHESTY
March 22, 2024 at 12:44 pm
I'm not happy unless my replies to Stockholder get at least 2 downvotes.
GregC
March 22, 2024 at 10:45 am
No surprise to see a trade-back-a-thon from golfpacker 1. It could happen, but I think trading up is more likely. All it takes is one player who Gute values much more than the others who are available. Why do you think Nubin's RAS (2.73, yikes!) is misleading?
golfpacker1
March 22, 2024 at 11:03 am
Hey Greg, I have been able to watch Nubin play a lot on the BIG 10 network. Also, Minnesota plays Iowa every year, so Nubin has been on the TV spotlight a lot. And just like with Kam Kinchen, those two RAS scores don't match the game footage of the speed they both play at. I guess when teams are drafting, they hope all the new players will be gamechangers or playmakers. But especially in the first 2 or 3 rounds, you would expect them to be.
We got lucky in the tradeup for J Love. It didn't cost us much at all. I just don't see the value in the case of trading up for, or picking Cooper @ #25, when he isn't better by a bunch than Colson, Wallace or Wilson.
NFLfan
March 22, 2024 at 09:37 am
Quay reminds me of Keisean N. He has heart, intensity and wants to give his all. I'm rooting for him. I'm hoping he was a casualty of Barry and can shine under a better coach and system.
golfpacker1
March 22, 2024 at 09:46 am
I guess if they are better than who we have now, why not? Competition is good on a sports team. It's all about upgrading what we have. We Need OL, LB, CB, S, Edge, RB, and DL, so that's what I picked.
GB@Germany
March 22, 2024 at 09:46 am
With the lag of quality IILB on the rooster I wonder, if they reallly will switch to 4-3 in base. As there are much more quality DTs available, a cover 1 with a 3-4 setup might be better fitting the rooster. Otherwise they would need to add 3 more ILBs in draft and FA and could trade away at least one DT. And this is already based on Quay and Isaiah taking a step.
pantz_bURp
March 22, 2024 at 10:15 am
R-E-L-A-X
"Packers Need Quay Walker to Take a Third-Year Leap."
Of course he will, it's Leap Year after all. Better than asking him to take a hike.
The Pantz has spoken,
>^••^<
MooPack
March 22, 2024 at 11:02 am
"The Pantz has spoken"
Ha, did you have to change pantz after "speaking?"
pantz_bURp
March 22, 2024 at 11:54 am
Ahhh, you know the answer to that MooP. 😄
*The job isn't finished till the paperwork is done.
Sweet Pea, where is that sponge you usually have under the bathroom sink? And, was that truly your Grandmother's age-old recipe you used for that delicious Prune Pie?
Ferrari-Driver
March 22, 2024 at 10:43 pm
Mark's quote: "First and foremost, that means helping Walker live up to his potential."
I hope Walker would live up to his high draft status. A worse case is that he is living up to his potential. If Hafley is as good as I hope he is, he may be just what the doctor ordered and Walker will look like the player we hoped he would be.
4thand10
March 24, 2024 at 02:36 pm
A missing stat… 118 tackles which our LBs had a problem with for the longest time, an INT and a TD. For a second yr player under a joe barry system. In my perspective, the team is better with him than without. PFF stats are deceptive. My eye test tell me he is a tough LB that can move. Now, wether or not he will be a will, mike or sam LB in a 4-3 would be for further discussion.