|
Team Needs: Green Bay Packers |
|
Hurtin' for: quarterback insurance
This is really a big need only in relation to the team's other needs, but that'll tend to be the case when your players are pretty young and you reach the conference championship game. Obviously, Brett Favre is the biggest subtraction from the 2007 club, but Aaron Rodgers could well be ready to run the offense effectively. At the same time, he could end up proving that he isn't a starter-worthy quarterback in the NFL. The point is the Packers need more security than Craig Nall, Dalton Bell and Jerry Babb behind him. I'm still not sure if those last two names are real guys or just products of a video-game name generator.
Should be lookin' for: a corner and a tight end
The starting cornerbacks are top-notch, but they're also of top vintage. Al Harris and Charles Woodson each have 11 seasons behind them and are staring down the barrel of their mid-30s. Woodson has fared pretty well healthwise over the past two seasons, but he battled a multitude of injuries in his time with
Oakland. There is some depth at corner, but one could question the talent level, especially if a starter were to go down. According to Football Outsiders, the Packers were the second-worst team in the league in defending against receivers who weren't No. 1 or 2 for their teams.
At tight end, Donald Lee was unable to wrest the starting job from Bubba Franks before last season and still has never started more than 12 games in a year. He did rank third on the team in receptions last season and doesn't absolutely need to be replaced. However, as I already said, the Packers have few real immediate needs, and this is one spot where they could improve.
Will likely settle for: the best players
This could get a bit redundant for the teams at the bottom of the draft order, but
Green Bay can feel free to not draft to a bunch of specific needs. One spot that wouldn't hurt for fortification is offensive tackle, where the team starts a couple of 30-plus veterans. The Packers could also stand to add another free safety candidate to compete with Nick Collins and Aaron Rouse.
Matt Schauf is a contributing writer for Draft Stock and an associate editor and senior fantasy football writer for SportsBuff.com |