The Packers philosophy won't change until Mark Murphy and Gutekunst are gone. It's been the same since TT took over as GM. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again but expecting different results. That fits the Packers perfectly. Ya they have won a lot of games but the Defense and Special Teams are consistently bad and great QB play pulls out the win. Be prepared for a few lean years until they get out of the salary cap mess Gutekunst has made.

I no longer believe defense wins championships.
QB is the most important position by far. Protecting him and giving him weapons is the best strategy. Offense has been increasingly favored by rules. It has become a pass first league. And scores are regularly higher, (usually 30 points per game). Lower scores usually mean poor QB's rather than great defenses.
JMHO

Nolan Smith has entered the chat.

Cory, I like where you were going here, but Gary’s ACL, Preston’s not getting any younger, a lot of fans see the Packers drafting a Top EDGE rusher next month is a legit possibility. Safety is also a big red flag, especially in a passing league.

Defense wins Championships.

Like yourself, I want offensive weapons at TE, WR, RB, along with protection for Love at OT.

Reading that back I have to laugh. I want it all!!! LOL.

There’s a chance GB cleans up something like this in the AR trade and if we pick right, we might be able to get it:

13, 15, 42, 43, 45, 78, 116, 149, 170, 232, 235, 242, 256

This Packers team has holes everywhere. Despite Barry, we still need to add the very best players we can acquire, regardless of position.

The possibility exists GB will have a unique opportunity to reunite Walker, Wyatt & Stokes with Smith. 4 National Champions reunited together working all 3 levels of our Packers defense? I find that very compelling.

But, WR!!! LOL. I totally get that too, Cory! I’m right with you.

GB likely having 2 picks that high will present all kinds of interesting decisions.

Unfortunately, I suspect MLF wants nothing to do with the defense and Joe Barry allows him to ignore that side of the ball. You can delegate authority but you can't delegate responsibility. Until MLF actually takes responsibility for HIS defense, we will most likely continue to struggle on that side of the ball because problems don't normally solve themselves.

`If the Packers don't complete the Rodgers trade by the draft I believe that they should trade down out their #15 pick for a #2 and #3. The Packers have numerous needs and the more picks that they can acquire to meet those needs the better. If we trade out of the first round and get 2 picks for the #15 we will have 4 picks from the top 100 players in the draft. Plus we have 11 picks total in the draft. That is assuming that we don't make any other moves.

If the Packers can actually close the deal with the Jets and acquire their #13 pick I would still trade down from #15 in the first. Failing that but we acquire both of the Jets second round picks I would wait to see who is available at #15 and still possibly trade down from #15 which would result in the Packers having 6 picks from the top 100 players in the draft.

Every picks counts and the draft is a crap shoot but the more picks that we can have from the top 100 players increases our chances of hitting on players who can begin contributing during their first 2 seasons rather than waiting 3-4 seasons for them to become contributors. 2023 and 2024 are drafts where the Packers need both quality and quantity from their drafts. The more picks they can acquire the better as they build the team around Jordan Love.
Thanks, Since '61

I think I saw some adjustments to the defense towards the end of the season. I think that Joe can change if Matt makes him. Matt seems a bit wishy washy when it comes to tough decisions. So my crazy hope is that he does do that. And another crazy hope is that Rich B. sticks his nose in the room and makes a difference.

Maybe we should draft players we think would fit well in Leonhard’s scheme…(who, a year from now, I hope is our DC)

Corey

There is hope for you yet. You are not at the Pulitzer level but you are headed in the right direction.

The best we can expect from the Pack this coming year is 8-9, even with an easier schedule. This will not be playoff level. (I'm factoring in Love's learning curve, the fact that Rodgers propped up LaFleur as a head coach, and of course the Joe Barry curve.)

It is time to move the old guard out and bring in fresh young recruits. Face it 8-9 yields the same results as 5-12. Let's move Bahktiari now for a #2 and #3. He will only play a dozen games anyway. And dumping him now helps repair the cap space. Send him to the Jets.

While we are at it add the overrated Clark to the trade pile. We might get a #2 and #3 for him. Being the anchor for this defensive line isn't saying much. Again dumping Clark repairs the cap situation. Send him to the Wattless Cardinals.

Finally let's move Alexander while he is still worth a #1, #2, and #3. There were cracks in the armor last year and they will continue to show moving forward. The Texans will give us their #1 #2 #3 for Alexander.

There you have it. I've fixed the salary cap situation and with J. Love we will go 5-12. Love is the real deal?

Of course we still are stuck with LaFleur, and Barry. But they are both high quality coaches hampered by Gutekunst. Can we trade Gutekunst, Barry and LaFleur for a #7? I think so. We might have to throw in Lowry. Oops Lowry is already gone. How about Starr or Favre? Dig one up, get the other from the penitentiary. GPG.

The defense needs to add an edge rusher and maybe a safety or two, otherwise this is the unit that started to come on strong toward the end of last year. It's pointless to talk about replacing Barry, he's coming back. Now the Packers will hope to get more out of the defense next season.

The draft, especially the first round, is always about 'who is available'. It would not surprise me if they take an edge rusher or safety #1 as there are candidates in both areas who are worthy of that high of a draft position.

The tight end draft pool is very deep this year so that might not be addressed until the third round.

One good thing about Joe Barry, he keeps pre season ticket prices low.

I'll need my blood pressure pills before the draft because once again we'll draft DLs, CBs, & LBs. But WRs? TEs? Offensive players? Not until the later rounds. It's a Guter/Murphy pattern that they can't break out of. Yea, someone will say need, need, need, but if we would've drafted offensive needs, AR would've had more top 1st rounder receivers. Instead, now they are traded away, go to FAgency, or not signed. Where are those BP pills, anyway?

Just my opinion, but if I’m Gute I’m looking to draft Preston and Bahks replacements as well as add a stud Dl and a wr with speed. Obviously Te is a need and this draft is deep in Te and. Edge talent. If the Jets trade happens and they can’t get #13 hopefully they can get both #2s and Jermaine Johnson. That eliminates the need to draft an edge and put them in play for a top Te ( Darnell Washington ) and a top wr ( Jaylin Hyatt ) .

So the general manager should be tiptoeing around an assistant coach's implausible schemes? I don't think so! Draft players that should be able to thrive in any system, and that includes the one beyond Barry. If the defense starts the way it did last season, then it's squarely on MLF to make changes that does maximize the talent we've assembled.

I still can’t believe Barry is returning. Even though the D played slightly better at seasons end, this doesn’t excuse the first 14 games. Game 1 against MIN was an embarrassment, receivers running wide open all over the field.

I never understood why people say the more draft picks the Better! Let's say you have 12 draft picks! And you really nail it on ten of them. They all turn out to be stars! Then 4 years from now how do you plan to pay them all?

I believe Matt LaFleur made a mistake by retaining Barry and I think about 80 percent of the guys on this website feel the same. There were a few solid defensive coaches available during this off season and LaFleur elected to pass on them all and go with Barry. In doing that LaFleur has put himself closer to the hot seat and if Barry continues with that "soft" defense that we have had to watch for the last few years, he may find himself on the "hot seat" if Barry and the defense falters badly and the Packers come away in third or fourth place in the NFC North.

"But we all thought that the Packers would go offense with the first pick after the departure of Davante Adams, but Green Bay didn’t take an offensive player until the third pick."

Oh, I thought Watson (offensive weapon) was drafted in 2nd round. But, I may be wrong. So, we trade our two 2nd for a 3rd round pick. Very odd move...

Okay so you have the chance to draft Donald, but wait he cant play multiple positions so you pass on him and pick some other yahoo who you move around and the guy is okay but only okay. Whereas you passed on a HOF and possibly one of the best defensive players in NFL history.
That's my problem with Gutt philosophy. He likes guys who can move around because they play cheap ball and this allows them to avoid free agents who want money. If you have a guard who can play some tackle or center then your getting your moneys worth but the guy aint great at either position.
I look at the Harrison Smith of the Vikes. Solid safety for 12 seasons and probably HOF. They picked him in the first and saw quality and he filled a hole for a long time. I believe if you have a leak you fix it the right and the problem is solved. Undrafteds and 6th rounders dont fix leaks. Every draft mistake leads to more mistakes.

Is it really advantageous to have Smith and Gary drop into coverage? Oh, sure, it makes GB “unpredictable”. But are they any good at it? I’d rather see them play like 4-3 defensive ends and just rush on passing downs. Heck, if “unpredictability” is so desirable, they could still drop every once in awhile.

I know that nickel is played far more than their base 3-4, but I think with those two at defensive end, they could make 4-3 their base pretty easily.