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I would rather have a vet who can come in and help right away instead of a rookie who might take 2-3 years to put it together
I would rather have a vet who can come in and help right away instead of a rookie who might take 2-3 years to put it together
Hell, I'd take both. We have nothing after Rodgers, and he's just a guy at this point. Give me a FA and Hooper if it happens to fall that way. Plenty of teams find a way to use 2 dynamic pass catching TEs. I take the free agent because I don't know how the draft will fall and I don't want to bank on a Henry or Hooper being there in Rd 2. Neither, IMO, is worthy of Rd 1. I also do not want to risk not getting one which could happen if I depend only on the draft.
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It is very rare for rookie TEs to produce immediately. They usually need an offseason or two with NFL S&D program and technique work to get them physically ready to excel.
With FAs, receiving production earns you 6M+ per year. Out of ALL the last year's FAs, only Jacob Tamme produced significantly more yards than DickRod, and just one TD. All the top names were busts. Charles Clay got paid heaps for about 20 yards more, considered a bust. Owen Daniels was a relatively good signing, but only because of one playoff game. Otherwise he was surely overpaid. And it's not like DickRod didn't have his hero moment. In hindsight, we were supremely lucky he stayed healthy through all those snaps.
I'm actually intrigued by Backman. He was kept on the 53 despite zero production as TE or on special teams. TT doesn't do that without a reason. There must have been someone who'd steal him off the PS. Mitchell Henry is another athletic project. Neither will be Gronk, but one could become a catching option.
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That's because TT refuses to cut his draft picks and admit he made a mistake. I think Backman is gone as he was just a 7th round flyer on a project player.
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That's because we fans refuse to believe that some projects succeed. And that it may take time to get to that point. Patience isn't our forte.
If Backman doesn't take a big step, yes, he's gone. Henry also. We invested peanuts to try to make them players.
TT usually doesn't cut draft picks quickly because: a) they are dirt cheap, b) TT and coaches see potential. Brohm didn't last long as 2nd rounder, did he? Khyri Thornton? Worthy? McMillian? Alex Green? All two seasons or less. It's not like TT NEVER cuts even higher draft picks or never admits mistakes.
TT does keep most picks for second season to see if they can be improved with an NFL training regime and some experience, and I don't fault him for that. Especially most later rounders are known to be projects when we drafted them. Some early rounders have high ceiling, but may be too young and unrefined for insta-production. You wanna cut promising rookies before they're acclimatized to the league?
I already laid out the UFA TEs of 2015. ONLY Owen Daniels and Jacob Tamme might have helped us. And Daniels was overpaid, rescued only by one playoff game and SB win that had nothing to do with offense... Just look at that list of major disappointments and wasted money!!! http://www.rotoworld.com/articles/nfl/51589/309/2015-nfl-free-agents
I think many of us fans refuse to admit our mistakes. 9M avg Jairus Byrd, ferchrissake!!! We're not paid, so we're not penalized for our mistakes.
TT does earn some criticism, but yours is off.
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They got that new TE coach, I assume Backman is gonna be his project.
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Seems this year Packers will either sign or draft a TE so IF they keep 3 you will see a good camp fight between Prillo, Backman, and Henry.
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Good thread. salmar, some good points in your last two posts. I think the frustration with Richard Rodgers isn't the numbers and plays in a vacuum, but the numbers and plays in relation to what was there for him on the field. Inside the 5 his size and hands made him a weapon. The other 95 yards of the field he simply was physically and mentally unable to take advantage of what was there for him. Physically he could not separate and run away from LBs and could not break tackles. Mentally he ran lazy, winding routes that often interrupted other receivers or ran himself right into the coverage. I cant imagine Fontenot didnt see this and hammer it home on film but RR never took to the coaching. So IMO he has value, just limited.
Henry supposedly has some pop as a blocker and can catch and run a little. He went through camp with a broken hand and a club so he never had much of a shot. Backman and Perillo are H back, ST only type guys. Move along.
Henry supposedly has some pop as a blocker and can catch and run a little. He went through camp with a broken hand and a club so he never had much of a shot. Backman and Perillo are H back, ST only type guys. Move along.
Agree that some of the criticism is off . . . he cuts those that need to be cut. Sometimes he errs on the side of caution but I have no problem with him giving young guys a couple of years at least.
I get what you are saying about the risks of FA, and am all for bringing back the rest of the TE crew minus Quarless. Keep the best, cut the rest. These things are not mutually exclusive. I do agree fans these days tend to be impatient, but at the same time, I see no reason not to invest in some known quality once or twice every off-season.
Bringing in a FA does not mean you have to cut Backman. TT has kept 3-5 TEs every season. A group consisting of FA, Rookie, Rodgers and Backman is very workable. Signing FAs does not totally preclude drafting and developing young talent.
Also, while I appreciate that Tamme and Daniels were not exactly game-changers, they did help their teams. Just because they were not all that hot does not make every FA will be mediocre. This year's TEs are not last year's TEs. Just because there were no difference makers last year does not mean there won't be any this year. Different group, different guys. For every Tamme who is wasted money there is a Ware or Talib who makes a difference.