Post Draft Analysis

Tramon Williams May Get Cut

Unlike the uninformed musings of one NFL Network analysis Mr. Mark Dulgerian (see Lombardi's Den 168) I hope to give you some observations that are accurate and informative.

First thing I saw was a throwaway comment made about the trade the Cleveland Browns made with the Miami Dolphins for veteran cornerback Jamar Taylor.

The story said "The Browns, though, need help at the position. Pro Bowler Joe Haden is coming off an injury-plagued season and veteran Tramon Williams had his ups and downs in 2015", so maybe another former Packer may be hitting the open market soon to join wide receiver Greg Jennings, who was let go by the Dolphins on March 5th and inside linebacker A. J. Hawk, who was let go by the Bengals on April 26th.

A.J. Hawk Got Cut

Despite starting 11 games, Hawk played only 26.3 percent of the snaps and finished with just 24 total tackles and one sack. Jared Dubin | Staff Writer of CBSports.com thinks the Packers will have some interest in Hawk now that Clay Matthews III is moving back to the outside.

However, General Manager Ted Thompson may be a lot of things and he is, but stupid he isn't. Throwing out James Jones returning because of an emergency when Thompson gets rid of someone they stay get rid of.

In addition former Packer ILB Terrell Manning (I bet you didn't know he was still kicking around) was also released by the Dolphins - the ninth time since he was drafted in the fifth round of the 2012 draft and released by the Packers before the 2013 season.

No, Not Again - Terrell Manning

Since then he has been cut by the Chargers (2013), the Vikings (2014), the Giants (2014), the Dolphins (2014), the Bears (twice in 2014), the Giants again after the 2014 season, the Falcons (2015) and the Dolphins a week ago.

Before the draft Thompson was busy greeting and saying goodbye to some old and new faces and doing both to one of the them.

Since the end of the season placekicker Mason Crosby, reserve guard Lane Taylor, reserve outside linebacker Nick Perry, reserve running back James Starks and reserve offensive tackle Don Barclay have been re-signed.

In the free agent market, sort of, Thompson signed defensive end Ray Drew from the Browns, tight end Jared Cook from the Rams and outside linebacker Lerentee McCray from the Broncos.

B.J. Raji's Mother (pictured) And His Aunt's Health Was The Reason Given For Raji's Sudden Retirement

On the minus side, nose tackle B.J. Raji took a hiatus for a year at least, but I predict he will never return, inside linebacker Nate Palmer was cut and Ray Drew was released after just five weeks.

The Only 'G' 5-time Loser Ray Drew Will Ever Get To Wear

Just so you know the Packers still have six unrestricted free agents unsigned: fullback John KUUUUUUUHN, outside linebacker Mike Neal, tight end Andrew Quarless, wide receiver James Jones, long snapper Brett Goode and safety Sean Richardson.

The people in the know listed linebacker, cornerback, offensive line and tight end as positions of need, "Green Bay has tried to play Clay Matthews all over the field, but he's only one man and another one like him is needed whether it is at inside or outside linebacker. They could use help at corner, too. The Packers appear to be set along the offensive line, but will need to find a swing tackle who can play on the left or right side. The Packers are always looking for a quality combo tight end and this year should be no different."

So it seems we all agree on linebacker being a position of need, but with Damarious Randall and Quinten Rollins drafted No. 1 and 2 last year I don't think cornerback was a position of need and it seems neither did Thompson. I don't think the offensive line is set at left tackle with David Bakhtiari seeming to me to have hit a ceiling.

Nobody Likes Jared Cook Except The Only Man That Counts

Then there is tight end where the NFL.com people think there is still a need while Thompson and the Trust in Tedders trumpeted the signing of Cook as the missing link, but evidently no one else does, including me.

Kenny Clark

So after the draft we can see what positions Thompson think are in need. He and I are thinking alike again, may heaven help us all, in that the defense had the most holes.

Kyler Fackrell

Out of the seven draft picks four of the top five were on defense. No. 1 was defensive tackle Kenny Clark, No 3 was outside linebacker Kyler Fackrell, No. 4a was inside linebacker Blake Martinez and No. 4b defensive end Dean Lowry. On the whole all four got good grades from the talking heads. However, the pre-draft rankings were in the middle of the spectrum with Clark (5.9), Fackrell (5.8), Martinez (5.3) and Lowry (5.2).

Jason Spriggs

The other three picks were on offense. No. 2 was left offensive tackle Jason Spriggs (5.8), No. 5 wide receiver/kick returner Trevor Davis (4.9) and left offensive tackle Kyle Murphy (5.2). Once again the pundits seemed to have liked these three also.

Trevor Davis

The NFL.com final analysis states: there wasn't much question that the Packers were going to bolster their front seven with their opening pick. Another no-brainer will be fan comparisons of the careers of their selection, Clark, and two available Alabama studs: linebacker Reggie Ragland and nose tackle Jarran Reed.

Green Bay desperately needed help at the tackle position, and trading up for Spriggs filled that hole. It was an atypical move for Ted Thompson, giving up a mid-round choice for a nine-spot move upwards. Fackrell has good potential to help rush the passer on the outside.

Dean Lowry

The Packers needed an inside linebacker, and they got one with athleticism and intelligence in Martinez. Lowry is a five-technique who will be part of the rotation. Davis is a probable returner who showed the best hands at the combine. Murphy gives more depth at the tackle, though fans are hoping the team gets a good tight end as an undrafted free agent.

Kyle Murphy

So once again it seems no one but Thompson likes Jared Cook, but they do seem to really like his draft giving it an overall B+. They gave grades for each day. Clark got a B+. Spriggs and Fackrell got a B. Martinez, Lowry, Davis and Murphy got a B+.

Blake Martinez

From Foxsports.com Martinez was listed as one of the nine steals of Day Three (Martinez was a divisive prospect, as he lacks the supreme athleticism that most teams are looking for from LBs these days. Martinez is no flash, just production. He will play inside for the Packers, and while teams might have knocked him for his limitations, he has the capabilities to be a three-down Mike at the NFL level as he was elite in coverage and a sure tackler in the run game).

Two final thoughts. If Thompson was going to go after linebackers in the draft why in the hell would he re-sign Nick Perry and sign Lerentee McCray.

I was ready to say goodbye to the often-injured Perry when it was announced his fifth year option wouldn't be picked up. I would have signed Danny Trevathan the starting inside linebacker for the Super Bowl champion Broncos because he wanted to come to Green Bay ("I wish they would have (called me), but they didn't. My guy Randall Cobb is over there, but they didn't so I'm here with Chicago."), but Thompson ignored him adding insult to stupidity.

The 26 yr. old Trevathan cost only $6.1 million a year (4 yr. $24.5m) while the 26 yr. old Perry cost $5.05 million and the 25 yr. old McCray $800,000 on one year contracts. The difference is just $250,000 between a Super Bowl starting inside linebacker and two reserve outside linebackers the Packers don't need.

Finally why re-sign Barclay (1 yr/$700,000) if Thompson was going to draft two offensive tackles because he only keeps one reserve tackle on the 53-man squad and that will be either Spriggs or Bakhtiair, so it doesn't make any sense.

As far as the rest of the North is concerned they gave the Bears a B and I gave them an A: NFL.com Analysis "Chicago needed a pass rusher in the worst way, and Vic Fangio found one in Floyd. Not everyone is sold on his ability to be an elite player, however. Normally, giving up a fourth-round pick wouldn't be a big deal; in this deep draft, that's like giving up a starter.

Getting better on the offensive and defensive lines was a priority and Whitehair and Bullard presented excellent value.

Kwiatowski was worth a mid-fourth-round pick, though it's a bit curious considering the money they spent on two inside linebackers in free agency. The secondary got help with a solid pick in Bush. Howard is a powerful back who will compete for playing time right away. Houston-Carson is a versatile defender worth the late-round pick. Braverman is another version of Marc Mariani, except maybe even quicker".

The Vikings got an A while I gave them a C+: NFL.com Analysis "General manager Rick Spielman got the most physical receiver in the draft in Treadwell. There's no reason he won't be a to-go guy for Teddy Bridgewater. Alexander is an excellent defender, even without the turnover production. Then Spielman picked up two 2017 mid-round selections from Miami. That's building draft capital.

Spielman found quality players in Beavers, Brothers, Weatherly, and Morgan. Kearse was worth a shot in the seventh round. Boehringer's upside is highly intriguing."

The Lions got a B while I gave them a C: NFL.com Analysis "Riley Reiff and Decker are a strong duo from Big Ten schools to help Matthew Stafford stay upright. But with Calvin Johnson retired, is the fourth-best tackle a better value than the second-best receiver? If Laquon Treadwell or Michael Thomas turn out to be all-stars, the team might have missed out.

If Robinson can get more consistent, the Lions could have found a steal. Glasgow impressed in the all-star game circuit, and possesses versatility that the Lions coveted.

The hard-hitting Killebrew should be a tough special-teamer along with a solid defender. Picking a third offensive lineman in Dahl (a versatile player with good value in the fifth) showed the team's need there. Building defensive depth with Williams and Zettel is a good plan. Picking a long snapper is always interesting, but it might have been better to get a cornerback at some point."