PACKERwatch

UPDATE:  FAVRE ANNOUNCES HIS RETIREMENT, FOR REAL THIS TIME… 

There was a brief scare on Thursday when packers.com released a story about Favre’s retirement on their website.  This turned out to be untrue, and has been attributed to the people running the site, who have an article for each possible outcome of the latest chapter of the Favre retirement saga, one for if he returns, and one for if he retires.  They accidentally posted the “retirement” article on their website.  Upon observation of the article, it is obvious that this was indeed a “dummy” article, as there was a large portion left blank headlined by the word “text,” indicating where specific details would be inserted in the case of an actual Favre retirement.

 Still, this is a little disconcerting.  If everyone in the Packers organization is so confident that Favre will be back, why is a dummy article even necessary?  And Favre has taken longer this year to make his decision then he did last year.  With free agency starting and the draft approaching, Favre should know that if he’s returning he needs to make his decision almost immediately, because a Favre departure could drastically change Green Bay’s strategy in both free agency and the draft.  I don’t think Favre is as sure about returning as everyone seems to think he is.  But let’s hope I’m wrong.

After an unexpectedly successful 2007 campaign, the Packers ended up with the thirtieth pick in the NFL Draft.  With April fast approaching and the NFL combine beginning this weekend, the Packers need to start deciding their strategy for the draft.  We’re getting serious about the draft as well, and we will begin posting our thoughts and expectations of the draft, beginning with this post.

 Green Bay has very few serious needs to address.  The cornerback position is the only obvious need, with a pair of talented but aging corners in Al Harris and Charles Woodson.  Harris in particular choked in big games against the Cowboys and the Giants last season, and while I still think he is a solid starter, it is time to start grooming a replacement.  The top corners in the draft look to be Leodis McKelvin out of Troy State, Mike Jenkins out of USF, Arizona’s Antoine Cason, and Kansas’ Aqib Talib.  Also, a little-known player from the little-known school of Tennessee State has been skyrocketing up the draft boards.  Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie was impressive in the Senior Bowl and he is being projected by some as maybe even being the second or third corner taken.  I am of the opinion, however, that Rodgers-Cromartie’s stock will fall closer to its previous level if he fails to match his spectacular Senior Bowl performance in the combine.  Also, Jenkins and McKelvin will probably be gone long before the Packers pick.  That leaves Antoine Cason, Aqib Talib, and maybe Rodgers-Cromartie as potential options when the Pack is on the clock.  To me, there’s not much of a difference between these players, but if forced to choose I’d take Rodgers-Cromartie because of his blazing 4.38 40.

After the first-round, I think the Packers can afford to adopt a best-player-available strategy because there are no other real needs for the Packers (some point to the O-line as a weakness, but the last thing it needs is more young players struggling to learn the system mid-season).

That’s it for this edition of DRAFTwatch.  Check back in March when we will be posting the first of our mock drafts.

I have always liked Bubba Franks.  Ever since he was drafted in 2000, he has been one of the more underrated tight ends in football, able to support the running game and make the occasional big play through the air.  If there was one word to describe Bubba Franks, it was not “superstar,” “showstopper,”  or “playmaker,” it was “reliable.”  Nonetheless, I can’t say I’m sad to see Bubba Franks go.  For whatever reason, the reliability for which I admired Mr. Franks has dissolved over the last two seasons.  The once dependable Franks had begun dropping passes, missing blocks, and fumbling the football.  In one particularly memorable game for me, the Vikings at Packers game in December of 2007 (a game that I was lucky enough to see at Lambeau Field, in what was my first and possibly only opportunity to see a game at the Frozen Tundra), Franks dropped several passes, gave up a sack on Brett Favre, and, most significantly, fumbled a potentially game-winning touchdown pass going into the endzone.  Luckily, a trifecta of Dave Rayner field goals saved the day.  But the point here is that Bubba Franks is no longer an upper-level NFL player, and his likely replacement, Donald Lee, will soon be a top-tier tight end.  While I am glad that Franks will no longer be a burden on our team, I nonetheless wish him luck in his future in the NFL and beyond.

Meanwhile, Corey Williams received the franchise tag today, preventing him from becoming an unrestricted free agent.  The defensive tackle will see a significant pay increase as the Packers’ designated “franchise player.”  Some have questioned the move because of the Packers’ depth at defensive tackle and Williams’ lack of experience as an NFL starter.  But to those who criticize the decision because of Green Bay’s depth at the position, consider this:  Green Bay’s defensive front was decimated by injuries throughout the season so that by the end of the year, an unprepared and out-of-shape Justin Harrell was thrust into action;  he failed miserably, and none of the backups achieved the same success as the early starters at DT, including Ryan Pickett and Johnny Jolly.  Williams is definitely not the best player on the team, but there is no player as good as Williams that is in danger of being lost to free agency, so he is the most logical choice.  He is young and has room to grow.