Packers' GM Brian Gutekunst Has Been Remarkabky Average

[Cheesedog]

There is NO guarantee that James would have been as good here, OR TJ Watt. All you guys are doing right now is saying "I told you so", trying to prove that you're smarter about player assessment than our FO and coaching staff. They gambled with Watt that he would remain for a couple of picks, and ended up missing that opportunity. Drafting is more than simply who to select, it's a strategy for working the board. If TJ Watt was their target, the strategy didn't work in that instance - since we don't know yet what we will get for the N.O. 1st round this year, we cannot yet determine whether passing on James was a whiff.

TJ Watt has pretty much proven he's a stud player. And the level of player who like Mack would make in impact anywhere.

James I can agree jury is still out after one year. But he had a helluva year and showed his talent level is elite.

 

[dannobanano]

We gotta remember TT was wearing a blindfold and inside an isolation chamber when those choices were made. oldman(

 

[Keg Man]

There is NO guarantee that James would have been as good here, OR TJ Watt. All you guys are doing right now is saying "I told you so", trying to prove that you're smarter about player assessment than our FO and coaching staff. They gambled with Watt that he would remain for a couple of picks, and ended up missing that opportunity. Drafting is more than simply who to select, it's a strategy for working the board. If TJ Watt was their target, the strategy didn't work in that instance - since we don't know yet what we will get for the N.O. 1st round this year, we cannot yet determine whether passing on James was a whiff.

I get your point. The draft is a crap shoot. I was specifically talking about Watt. We do that alot.

 

[HowardK4]

TJ Watt has pretty much proven he's a stud player. And the level of player who like Mack would make in impact anywhere.

James I can agree jury is still out after one year. But he had a helluva year and showed his talent level is elite.

Don't get me wrong . . . I was hoping they would have taken TJ Watt rather than trade down and hope to get him a few picks later, but we saw that didn't work. Each team has a strategy . . But as Keg said, you can select the best talent but it's still a crap shoot to some extent.

 

[FlaPack]

this also brings up player evaluation pre draft. Did they have Watt 5-6 spots lower? Thinking he would be there later? The James pick was more puzzling based on need and while i can see the debate on accumulation of picks even in the 1st round when a playmaker is there you pull the trigger. Especially a unit that was so void of difference makers.

 

[dannobanano]

Didn’t the Saints come calling GB?
I don’t think GB went into that moment looking to trade down, but when you can pick up an extra 1st round pick, you don’t just turn it down out of hand.
When they were “in the moment” it seemed like a great move.

 

[HowardK4]

this also brings up player evaluation pre draft. Did they have Watt 5-6 spots lower? Thinking he would be there later? The James pick was more puzzling based on need and while i can see the debate on accumulation of picks even in the 1st round when a playmaker is there you pull the trigger. Especially a unit that was so void of difference makers.

Pre draft player evalution - are we just not as good at it as we were 5+ years ago? I know we did have some departures . . but you would still expect that the professionals hired to do that would know what they were doing.

 

[TW]

I remember most people saying that taking Watts would be a mistake. He didn't have the same motor his brother has. He was every bit as good as the best billing he had. He was an obvious choice, just like his brother.

It's like Clay Matthews. It's in the blood line.

 

[57packer]

Agree TW, it was almost like people were holding it against him because his brother was JJ. People were saying he's just not that good and he's only getting first round consideration because of his name. It was just plain silly. Watch his tape and you could see he was pretty damn good. Scouts aren't fools, they see what they see.

I would love to have had him but they thought they needed CB help. If King can ever stay healthy and be a shut-down corner, I can't complain too much, but if he doesn't that pick will be questioned for another 5 years.

 

[dannobanano]

Pre draft player evalution - are we just not as good at it as we were 5+ years ago? I know we did have some departures . . but you would still expect that the professionals hired to do that would know what they were doing.

You might be right about the 5-6 yrs' ago.

Losing McKenzie, Schneider, and Dorsey meant losing some real good personnel people.
Then last year when Wolf and Highsmith leave to work with Dorsey, you just feel like there's no one left.

But that also happens to other successful teams, especially ones who have had a long history of winning like GB has had (since Wolf arrived). Other teams begin to cherry pick from your personnel department.

Also, finding the right scouts/talent evaluators to replace those that leave isn't easy, and it can take some time for someone to hone that skill.

But looking at the last 3-4-5 yrs of drafts, it's possible that the personnel department did a good job in evaluating talent and feeding it to TT. But TT wasn't making smart choices due to failing health that the front office, and others, refused to recognize and acknowledge.

Many of the "odd" or poor drafting decisions that TT made those last few years were made in a vacuum, by TT (who just wasn't himself anymore).