March 2, 2009

...And Then There Were None

So we missed signing Chris Canty to a 6 year/$42 million deal, with 15+ guaranteed.  Was he worth that money? Of course not.  Could the Packers have used Canty to solidify a big hole in the defense?  Shit yea.  So no Canty, but luckily alternatives remain - and, on the plus side, they're MUCH cheaper.

Igor Olshansky

The top 3-4 defensive end left in the market.  Standing 6'6" and tipping the scales at 309 lbs. he has the prototypical build of a 3-4 defensive end, but has never really been the force many thought he would be as a second round pick out of Oregon.  There's a reason San Diego isn't bringing him back, he just hasn't lived up to any of the expectations out in California.  He's only 26, and has a lot of upside, although he appears to be a real head-case.  Will a move to Green Bay ignite Igor's inner rage fuel?  Maybe.  I'm willing to take the chance; especially if he keeps up his steroids-only diet. 

Mike Wright

He's a typical guy the Packers would love to have.  He has all the heart of Aaron Kampman, without any of the talent or general ability.  He'd compete for the starting DE job, but would most likely be relegated to backup behind either Johnny Jolly or Justin Harrell.  He's got no skill, but, at age 27, if he works hard enough he has the potential to be the next Aaron Smith (respectable starting DE for he champion Steelers).  

Vonnie Holliday

Knows Brown County like the back of his hand, having been drafted by the Pack in 1998 (two spots ahead of Randy Moss...oops!).  He may be old, but has experience the Packers need playing the DE spot in a 3-4 defense.  He can be had for extremely cheap, but at that age is he really worth adding to the roster? 

Also, I must address the Jason Taylor situation.  I think the Packers would be wise to take a look at him.  He's old, but I think he can still be effective playing that 3-4 OLB for a season in Green Bay.  Take Raji at #9 and take a OLB at #41 to sit behind Taylor for a year.  Having Raji, Taylor, Kampman, Hawk and Jenkins all rushing the passer seems like quite the disruptive proposition.  I'd still be worried about Kampman and Taylor being coverage liabilities, but I'm sure Hitstick can cover at least 3 people at once.  

Lastly, I would like to express my sincere sorrow to the families of Marquis Cooper, Corey Smith and William Bleakley.  They've been in the water for over 48 hours - chances are they'll never be found.  Truly tragic ... now, how can I schedule Jarrett Bush and John Kuhn for a similar fishing trip? 

4 comments:

  1. Gives new meaning to the term "Gone Fishin"

    ReplyDelete
  2. I don't understand why people are upset with T^2 for not being more aggressive in the free agent market. Sure, they could go out and blow a bunch of cash on players who might be good, but it's just as likely that they'll turn out to be a huge waste of cap space.

    My opinion on free agent signings is this. Teams should not try to make themselves respectable, or even good, with free agents. Can you think of a team that went from 6-10 to 14-2 simply by signing free agents? (I'll have to check on the Fins. They came pretty close to that). For a team like the Packers, free agents should push them from good to elite, not from mediocre to good. Maybe I'm putting too much faith in Thompson's drafting acumen, but even if he has a shitty draft, the Packers could easily go 11-5 next year. They had the point differential of a 9-7 or 10-6 team, and with any luck/better D, they can hit double digits easily.

    Why should they cripple their future for maybe an additional win or two next year? I'd rather see them make smart/conservative FA decisions (unless there's a home run out there, and I don't think there is), have a solid draft, and hope for slightly better luck this year.

    Luck, and a 51 TD season from Rodgers.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I pretty much agree with you CJ. However, this year more than others there seems to be the need to add bodies to fit into the new 3-4 system. I agree with Thompson when he says that the first few days of Free Agency are best to be avoided because the value just isn't there. I would have liked Canty, but at that price we would have certainly lost at least one of next year's FAs (Colledge, Collins, Jennings, Kampman). I would much rather have Olshansky and those four next year than Canty and only three of those guys.

    51 TDs from Rodgers...I think you're being a little conservative.

    ReplyDelete