Morning Buzz: Little return on big investment
Welcome to your Morning Buzz, rounding up news and views regarding the Green Bay Packers and the NFL from around the web and here at PackersNews.com. Grab a strong cup of coffee and get caught up on everything you need to know about the Packers.
We start with Ryan Wood’s comprehensive look at Ted Thompson’s failure to build a quality defense, despite his investment on that side of the ball with five straight first-round picks.
In the NFL, the Packers’ draft investment on defense is almost unmatched. Only the New York Jets (seven straight years) selected a defensive player in the first round as often.
Chances are the Packers will select a sixth straight defensive player in the first round later this month after their NFC championship game meltdown in Atlanta. Once again, an overwhelmed defense kept their red-hot offense out of the Super Bowl, allowing touchdowns on six of the Falcons’ nine possessions.
Take your pick at No. 29 overall in the draft: edge rusher or cornerback. Both are big needs. The question is whether the Packers can use the draft to build a top defense.
So far, it hasn’t happened.
Ryan also has a look at Thompson’s hit rate with compensatory draft picks. There are some intriguing names in here.
Bob McGinn looks at how prospects from the Badger state are viewed by various scouts around the league. He also writes on Franklin native Levon Myers and his bid to become an NFL offensive lineman.
Pete Dougherty went way long in his reader chat Friday afternoon. Lots of good stuff here.
I also answered a handful of reader questions in my weekly mailbag.
Elsewhere, The Packers Wire looks at the possibility of the Packers opening in prime time in Atlanta.
More and more people are connecting T.J. Watt with the Packers:
“DLine Vids” took some time to appreciate the play of Mike Daniels:
Larry McCarren does his usual fantastic work with a tape breakdown of Ricky Jean Francois:
It does feel like Aaron Rodgers is in a video game sometimes…
Rob Demovsky looks at how Geronimo Allison’s projected role could impact the Packers' draft plans:
Can the Packers get the most out of Christine Michael?
Packers receivers have been fantasy darlings for some time now:
Bucky Brooks put himself in Ted Thompson’s shoes and tried to figure out what the Packers will do early in the draft:
Brooks and Daniel Jeremiah looked at players who might jump into the bottom of the first round, right where the Packers are picking:
Tiki Barber joined Good Morning Football to talk about the devaluation of the running back spot: