Moving Forward

Posted by Mike Wendt on January 19, 2012   Jump To Comments

If you’re like me, it’s taken you a few days to really digest Sunday’s loss to the Giants. The Packers, who have been so dominant over the last 21 games, looked flat and out of sync in the playoff game. Receivers were running the wrong routes (Finley on a key third down), guys were dropping balls (who didn’t) and nobody could get pressure on Eli Manning (we needed Cullen Jenkins). Watching the loss unfold was weird, because as Packer fans, this was the first time the team had lost a meaningful game since Week 15 last season against the Patriots. Last season wins and losses were tough to come by, and just getting in the playoffs was a huge accomplishment. This year, Packer fans didn’t care if we dropped one, two or five games, we knew the team was going to make the playoffs. Any losses the team suffered this year didn’t feel like losses, because we knew where the team would be come January. That’s why this loss, the one that ends our season, feels so strange to fans. But, since we’re only four months or so until OTA’s, I think it’s about time we looked ahead to next season. Here’s a list of things I’d like to see the Packers do, and since I’m an owner, I think these carry a little more weight!

1) Franchise tag Matt Flynn

The Packers need to franchise Flynn this offseason to prevent him walking away for nothing. Slap the tag on him and then ship him off somewhere. I know the NFL frowns on this practice, but since it’s completely legal the Packers might as well do it. The franchise tag salary for a quarterback is $16.4 million, but the contract can be restructured by the new team Flynn is traded to. I know some people think we should save the tag for JerMichael Finley, and I’ll get to Finley later, but we need to get value for Flynn since he looks like he is the real deal. It will be interesting to see what the Packers can get for Flynn, because both sides think they have leverage. Interested teams know the Packers only tagged Flynn in order to trade him, but the Packers will have plenty of interested teams looking to make a move for a potential franchise quarterback. The Kevin Kolb flop in Arizona probably hurts Flynn’s value the most, because like Kolb, Flynn has very little experience, although he’s looked like a stud in both contests. I think a second round pick is a bargain for Flynn, and wouldn’t be surprised to see a team trade a late first round pick for him. Personally though, I think we’ll get a early second round pick for Flynn if he gets the tag-and-deal.

2) Be reasonable with Finley, but don’t let him leave.

Let me preface this paragraph by saying that nobody on the team is more frustrating to watch than JerMichael. He dropped too many balls this season, ran some shaky routes, and his ego is still somewhat of a problem. If you yell out loud when you watched the Packers this season, you found yourself yelling at Finley more than anyone else.

That being said, all the areas he was weak in are coachable areas. Coaches can work on his hands, he can learn to run better routes and when he matures he’ll control himself better on the field. You can’t teach a guy to be 6-5, 247 pounds and run a 4.65 forty. Plus, he’s only 24. Give the guy a break, he’ll figure it out as he gets a little older.

Looking at his numbers, Finley had a decent season, but nothing crazy like Jimmy Graham or Rob Gronkowski. Finley ranked 14th in receptions and 12th in yards by tight ends, so he shouldn’t be demanding a crazy salary. He proved he could stay healthy for a full season, but the Packers won the Super Bowl without him and lost with him, so who’s to say his presence is needed?

I’m guessing Finley is going to want Jason Witten style money. Witten inked a five-year, $37 million deal in 2011, so I think Finley believes he should be paid in the $7-9 million a year range. The franchise tag salary for a tight end is $5.9 million, so tagging him just to work out a deal for about $2-3 million more a year seems pointless. Get the 2nd rounder for Flynn, and if Finley wants more than $10 million a season, let him walk and use the pick we get for Flynn on another tight end. Tagging Finley just doesn’t seem like the Ted Thompson way of doing business. I see the Packers offering Finley a four year deal in the $20 million range. Sides will squabble and I think we’ll end up getting Finley for something like four years, $25 million with a player option for a fifth year and $12 million guaranteed. I’d be on board with this.

3) Let Ryan Gran go, and find a running back already.

I do not like Ryan Grant. If you watched the playoff game with me, you would know this. I hate watching him run for two yards on 2nd and 10. I’ll admit that he’s a better pass blocker than James Starks, but Starks is by far the better runner. That being said, Starks isn’t the running back of the of the future either. There is a lot of depth in this year’s running back class, and don’t be surprised if Thompson drafts two running backs this year. Trent Richardson, Lamar Wilson, Chris Polk, LaMichael James, David Wilson, Isaiah Pead, and Bernard Pierce are all guys that could step into a major role at the next level. I want the Packers to draft one of them.

4) Do not move Charles Woodson to safety

Woodson had a good, but not a great season in 2011. Everyone thinks he’s slowing down and that he should be moved to safety, but that would only make things worse. Chuck is at his best when he’s playing closer to the line of scrimmage. He’s better at covering receivers because it’s more of a reaction than a thought process, and when he’s at the line the offense always has to account for a potential Woody blitz (just ask Tony Romo, 4-min mark). The biggest problem for the defense this year was the lack of a pass rush, which forced our secondary to cover guys for six-to-ten seconds every play. A better pass rush from the front three would allow our blitzers to get to the quarterback faster and force the opposing quarterback into bad throws, which takes a lot of pressure off our secondary.

5) Draft another Clay Mattews with our first round pick.

Ok, this might be easier said than done, but if offenses have to account for Matthews and Matthews 2.0 blitzing from either side, that will push the quarterback up into the pocket where our big front three should be waiting. A lack of a pass rush killed the Packers against the Giants, drafting another blitzing 3-4 linebacker would help solve that problem.

6) Keep Driver

Driver is set to make $5.6 million in 2012. I know he only caught 37 balls in 2011 (he also made $5.6 million in 2011, so that’s just over $150,000 per catch), but Driver has the attitude I want in players on my favorite team. He was targeted twice in the loss to the Giants, but made nice grabs on both the balls thrown his way. He was clearly focused and wanted it bad. If you watched the Super Bowl DVD you saw how bad Driver wanted to win the Super Bowl even though he left the game with an injury. He was standing on the bench trying to get a better view, living and dying with each play. He’s got the heart of a champion and his attitude would be contagious in the locker room. I don’t even want to play the “he’s earned it” or “the Packers owe it to him” card. The guy still has something left in the tank and is the perfect locker room veteran for this team. If the Packers don’t pay him, someone else will. Driver, a Texas native, could easily sign with the young-but-very-talented Houston Texans if the Packers aren’t careful. Please Ted Thompson, Driver is the anti-Favre, he’s worth the money late in his career. If you don’t listen to me Ted, at least listen to Teddy KGB.

(P.S. Rounders may be my favorite movie of all-time. Thank you Shaun Adamson for putting that on Youtube)

What do you think the Packers should do this offseason? Drop me a line, or tweet me on Twitter @MikeWendt7. I promise to tweet ya back.