Inbox: That's one way to look at it

Cheesehead

Well-known member
Mar 19, 2019
2,854
0
o3fk64azsujrcygeuu4p


Timothy from Wauwatosa, WI


Why don't NFL GMs trade back/out of first and second round and try to get as many third- through sixth-round picks as possible and essentially get two of nearly every position? (if Packers had seven picks plus three compensatory, they could use the round 1-2 picks to trade back for more round 3-6 picks and try to end up with 14-16 picks and pick up 2DL, 2OL, 2CB, 2 S, 2WR, 2LB, 1TE, 1QB 1RB - ish?) If you had 14-16 picks every year and drafted nearly two players at every position, your depth would be stocked, leverage in hand, lower $ contracts.


Wow, that sounds genius. Except the data show first- and second-round picks develop into solid NFL starters about 50% of the time, and players drafted in the third round and later have a far lower success rate. So out of those 14-16 picks you're stockpiling, the number of legitimate players you might end up with would be four or five … -ish? You'd have an incredibly cheap, and bad, team. But good luck.


Julian from Gastonia, NC


Specialization appears to be the byword of productivity. As I understand it, Packer scouts are assigned geographic areas to evaluate players. Wouldn't it be much more successful if they evaluated players according to position. For example, you might have a scout who only evaluates wide receivers and running backs, or another scout assigned to grade only defensive lineman. Yes, it would mean more travel, but the cost would be minimal in the scheme of things.


It's not the cost of the travel that would be the issue but the time spent traveling rather than, you know, scouting. Geographic scouts also build longstanding relationships with college head coaches and other contacts at schools within their region that would be harder to develop if scouts were assigned positions.


Neil from Tunbridge Wells, UK


In the time you have covered the Packers is there a player or coach you feel never quite got the reward/recognition their performances deserved?


Plenty. The list of coaches is too long, but at the top of it would be James Campen. For underappreciated players, the ones that come to mind right away are from my first five or so years here, because I came to understand just how valuable they were the longer I've been doing this. Guys like Chad Clifton, Scott Wells, Ryan Grant, Desmond Bishop, Ryan Pickett and Jarrett Bush are off the top of my head.


Dan from Rothschild, WI


Mike, who in Wisconsin doesn't use their charcoal grill year-round? Put your big pants on and get out there.


I have my limits. More of them as I get older.


Cliff from Alexandria, VA


Insiders, this isn't a sly "let's sign Clay!" message – I'm genuinely curious: When a player like Clay Matthews sits out for a season because they never find their contract, does it have a huge negative impact on their value in the next season? Would Clay command similar money this year to last year, or would he be viewed as a risk now since he has no recent tape to show how well he's able to perform at his age?


The latter would be a significant factor in any contract leverage and would probably lead to an incentive-laden deal if there's mutual interest.


Benjamin from Mount Pleasant, SC


With the Packers likely to convert some of Rodgers' 2021 salary into signing bonuses to pay out over multiple years, the Packers said they're in talks with him but also that they don't need his permission. My question is: What would be the downside for a player if their salary is spread out? Is it just that they have to wait for the money? Is the spread-out signing bonus guaranteed money?


You (and some others) are confusing the issues here. Converting salary to signing bonus means the player gets it all right away. It's spread out over multiple years only for cap calculations. If the guaranteed amount is the same, and the player is going to collect it now (rather than over the 17 weeks of the upcoming season), it's to his benefit.


Bruce from Appleton, WI


With J.J. Watt going to the Cardinals will the Packers look for more help on the D-line for next year?


I've been expecting them to do so regardless.
 
Top