Monday, April 29, 2024

2024 Packers Draft Summary

The 2024 NFL Draft is history and the season can commence full speed through the rest of its offseason. The NFL schedule should come out in a little over a week (it was released on May 9 last year). We’re hopeful that the Packers will have at least one open OTA (Organized Team Activities) practice, but recent history tells us not to hope for much there. The Shareholders Meeting and the opening of Training Camp will come in the third week of July. But, we’re getting ahead of ourselves... let’s take a look at the newly drafted Green Bay Packers players.

Jordan Morgan, OT, Arizona: An especially good pass blocker who was a fixture at left tackle for the Wildcats, it stands to reason he'll play the same spot for the Pack given their divorce from veteran David Bakhtiari. Two years removed from a torn ACL, Morgan should be ready to safeguard QB Jordan Love right away. — USA Today

Edgerrin Cooper, LB, Texas A&M: An All-American in 2023, the do-it-all off-ball linebacker should be quite a chess piece for a new-look Green Bay defense. Cooper had eight sacks and 17 TFLs last season but is just as comfortable in coverage or stopping the run. — USA Today

Javon Bullard, S, Georgia: Picked off four passes the past two seasons but can also make a mess in the backfield. Can line up anywhere in the secondary. — USA Today

MarShawn Lloyd, RB, USC: Coming off his best college season after transferring from South Carolina. Averaged 7.1 yards per carry for Trojans in 2023, though operated against defenses focused on stopping QB Caleb Williams. Lloyd has low center of gravity (5-9, 220) and 4.4 speed, which could make him a problem for NFL defenders, especially as a change-of-pace after Josh Jacobs. — USA Today

Ty'Ron Hopper, LB, Missouri: Given the arrival of Cooper in Round 2, Hopper could be a depth and special teams player early in his career. — USA Today

Evan Williams, S, Oregon: Williams transferred to Oregon from Fresno State in 2023 and led the Ducks in tackles with 82. He shines in run support and gives new Packers coordinator Jeff Hafley another piece in the back end. Williams can line up in multiple spots or play a traditional box safety role. — USA Today

Jacob Monk, C, Duke: Monk started 58 career games across three positions at Duke (center, right guard, and right tackle). He's not an elite athlete but has great technique and foot quickness. His strength is lacking considering his size but he goes to a team that typically gets the most out of late-round offensive linemen. — USA Today

Kitan Oladapo, S, Oregon State: Oladapo's tape from Corvallis is impressive with a blend of solid athleticism at the right size for a box safety. He was one of the best run defenders in the country at the position, per Pro Football Focus. But he's the third safety Green Bay's drafted in the last three rounds. And they just signed Xavier McKinney in free agency. — USA Today

Travis Glover, OT, Georgia State: Green Bay opts for another offensive linemen in this class and Glover provides experience at guard and tackle. He likely lacks the athleticism to stick at tackle but has the power and frame to hold up if need be. He could provide depth at either guard or tackle for the future. — USA Today

Michael Pratt, QB, Tulane: Pratt was a four-year starter at Tulane and that experience shines through on tape. He's rarely panicked and knows what to do in most every situation. His delivery is quick, clean, and he produces when he's in a rhythm. At the very least, he'll be a top-level backup for the Packers going forward. — USA Today

Kalen King, CB, Penn State: King famously had a rough time against Marvin Harrison Jr. this past season after a standout year in 2022. His downfield speed and fluidity are lacking so he's better in physicality around the line of scrimmage. He may be better served at moving to safety but the Packers are more than stocked at the position. — USA Today

Views from the outside:

The Packers will be reshaping their roster with five Day 1&2 selections and 11 picks overall. Taking Arizona OT Jordan Morgan (-10) over Tyler Guyton was an interesting decision. Morgan made a miraculous recovery from a late-2022 ACL tear by posting the sixth-highest PFF pass block grade in the country (87.3) with a 0.0% blown run block rate in 311 opportunities last year. He allowed just two sacks with a 98.3% blocking efficiency rate and will help to protect QB Jordan Love. LB Cooper (+7) was worthy of being the 1st LB taken having accumulated 17.0 TFL, 56 stops (5th in P5) and 27 pressures (7th in P5) while earning First Team All-American accolades for his accomplishments. His 91st percentile PFF defensive grade was the highest mark of any linebacker in the nation. Bullard boasts an 88.9 PFF cover grade ranked fifth nationally, as Bullard allowed a microscopic .27 yards per coverage snap with a 32% forced incompletion rate. RB Lloyd provides young legs behind the newly signed RB Josh Jacobs, but Hopper (-62), Williams (-86) and Monk (-109) were all perceived to be reaches at their respective spots. Also, taking two linebackers and three safeties within their first five selections indicates a complete restructuring of the Packers’ back seven.

— NBC Sports

• • • • • • • •

Morgan's pass-protection skills give him a chance to replace three-time Pro Bowler David Bakhtiari at left tackle, or he could prove himself a nice positional blocker at guard, allowing the Packers to get their five best linemen on the field together. Cooper and Bullard were excellent picks in Round 2, with both filling needs, but I was a bit ambivalent on the team using third-round selections on a running back (albeit a good one in Lloyd) and a second linebacker.

Monk and Glover should provide depth on the offensive line, while Williams’ reliable tackling should make him a good special teams player. Trading a pick to move up for a second safety didn’t seem like the best value, though -- especially when you consider Green Bay took another safety just one round later. Oladapo is also a quality defender, but using three choices on the same position means the team must now rely on free-agent edge rushers and 3-techniques to round out the defense. Pratt was an excellent value pick late in the draft, as was King, who has more upside than his pre-draft evaluation might suggest.

— NFL.com

• • • • • • • •

The Packers made a ton of draft picks and came out looking pretty good. Their linebacker picks were questionable (although the entire linebacker class was down this year), but they found a potential franchise left tackle in Jordan Morgan at the end of the first round. They took three safeties as well and might have a tough, versatile duo now between Javon Bullard and Xavier McKinney. MarShawn Lloyd is a quality addition at running back while they test Josh Jacobs for at least a season.

Favorite pick: Jordan Morgan, OT, Arizona (25th overall)

This is a good range for Morgan. He needs to add some strength for the NFL, but he’s a classic, pure pass-blocking left tackle who will always have a place in the league. He’s going to face a learning curve getting used to NFL pass rushers and the speed and strength of the game, but this is a quality bet for the Packers to take at the end of the first round.

Least favorite pick: Edgerrin Cooper, LB, Texas A&M (45th overall)

Cooper being here is more of a problem with where college football is right now on defense more than anything Cooper did. He is a fast, rangy linebacker prospect who wasn’t always asked to do traditional NFL linebacker tasks — like many LBs in college. He has work to do in terms of playing downhill and sifting through traffic in the box. His speed will give him a chance to be a playmaker from the jump.

— Yahoo! Sports

Tuesday, April 23, 2024

2024 NFL Draft


2024 NFL Draft: When and how to watch league's three-day event

The 2024 NFL Draft in Detroit promises to be one of the most exciting in recent memory, with quarterbacks Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye and J.J. McCarthy receiving consideration at the top of Round 1 alongside generational wide receiver talents in Marvin Harrison Jr., Malik Nabers and Rome Odunze.

In all, more than 250 players will be drafted over the course of seven rounds spanning three days, starting on Thursday, April 25 and concluding on Saturday, April 27.

You can watch all of the action unfold live starting at 7:00 p.m. CT on April 25 on NFL Network, ESPN, ABC and ESPN Deportes. Coverage is also available to stream live on NFL+.

Additional live coverage of the draft will be available on the NFL Channel — the NFL's free ad-supported streaming offering. The NFL Channel is available on the NFL App, Roku Channel, Peacock, Pluto TV, Tubi, Vizio WatchFree, Xumo Play, LG and at NFL.com/nflchannel.

Cable and broadcast networks are ABC, ESPN, ESPN Deportes.

Internationally, the draft will be on NFL Game Pass.

Below is a further breakdown of what you need to know to watch the NFL draft:

Dates: Thursday, April 25 to Saturday, April 27
Location: Detroit, Michigan
How to watch: NFL Network, NFL+, ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN Deportes (on cable), and ABC (cable and over-the-air broadcast).

Schedule:

Thursday, April 25 at 7:00 p.m. CT — Round 1
Friday, April 26 at 6:00 p.m. CT — Rounds 2-3
Saturday, April 27 at 11:00 a.m. CT — Rounds 4-7

Thursday, April 11, 2024

On the Road to Green Bay — 1966

Have you ever wondered about the details of traveling to an away game in Green Bay if you were a Packers’ opponent in, say, 1966? Well, this post is for you. Here is George Halas’ copy of the travel details for the November 19-20, 1966 road trip to play the Packers. Interesting to see some names that are current in Green Bay, such as the revitalized Hotel Northland and Schneider Transport & Storage (now known as Schneider National, Inc.)

By the way, the Packers beat the Bears 13-6 on Sunday, November 20, 1966. You can check out the box score and all of the stats HERE.
.
#GreenBayPackers #GreenBay #Packers #GoPackGo #Titletown #LambeauField #NFL #Bears #DaBears 









Gordon 'Red' Batty Retires as Equipment Manager

Batty has worked in the NFL for 43 seasons, including the last 30 seasons for the Packers 

Green Bay Packers Equipment Manager Gordon “Red” Batty is retiring from the position. The announcement was made Thursday by Executive Vice President/Director of Football Operations Russ Ball.

“On behalf of the Packers, I want to thank Red for all of his hard work and dedication to the organization,” said Ball. “With his vast knowledge in his field and immense pride in his work, he kept the players and staff well taken care of both on and off the field. We wish him and his family the very best in the future.”

Batty has worked in the NFL for 43 seasons, including the last 30 seasons as the equipment manager for the Packers. Prior to his move to Green Bay, Batty spent 13 seasons (1981-93) in the same position for the then-Houston Oilers. Last year, he completed his 50th season in the equipment field, a career he began in 1974 at age 14 as an equipment assistant for the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League. Six years later, Batty was elevated to the position of equipment manager for the Alouettes, a team that won two Grey Cups (1974 and '77) during his tenure in Montreal.

In his 30 seasons with the Packers, Green Bay has made the playoffs 22 times and won 15 division crowns, three NFC titles and two Super Bowls (XXXI and XLV). Batty purports to be the first native-born Canadian staff member to garner both a Grey Cup and Super Bowl ring, and he has two of each. Over his career, Batty has worked with quarterbacks Ken Stabler, Archie Manning, Oliver Luck, Warren Moon, Brett Favre, Aaron Rodgers and Jordan Love.

During his time in the NFL, the Montreal native has worked 683 regular season games, 53 postseason contests, six Pro Bowls and has been the equipment coordinator for what is now known as the NFL Players Association Rookie Premiere preseason event for 30 years. A devout hockey fan, Batty has also worked several NHL Winter Classic and Stadium Series outdoor games.

If you missed the feature on how the Packers and the equipment crew prepare for away games, you owe it to yourself to check it out HERE.

Wednesday, April 10, 2024

Packers to Open ’24 Season in Brazil

As expected with all of the rumors swirling around the last month or so, the Green Bay Packers will face the Philadelphia Eagles in São Paulo, Brazil. The game will be played on Friday, September 6, 2024, and will be exclusively streamed on Peacock. This will follow the NFL 2024 Season Kickoff Game in Kansas City on Thursday, September 5, 2024.

The news, as provided by the NFL today:

Green Bay Packers to play Philadelphia Eagles in Brazil

NFL.com
Published: Apr 10, 2024 at 09:46 AM

São Paulo, Brazil — The National Football League today announced that the Green Bay Packers will play the Philadelphia Eagles in the historic first-ever regular season game in Brazil, as part of the 2024 International Games.

The Packers will face the Eagles — the 2024 São Paulo designated team — on Friday, Sept. 6, 2024, marking the first time the NFL has played a game on Friday night of their opening weekend in over 50 years (Cardinals at Rams, Sept. 18, 1970).

The game will take place in the city of São Paulo at the Corinthians Arena, home to Brazilian soccer team SC Corinthians and will be each team's first game of the 2024 regular season.

"As global growth continues to be a critical and strategic priority for the NFL and its 32 clubs, we are thrilled to have the Green Bay Packers playing against the Philadelphia Eagles in our first-ever game in South America," said Managing Director and Head of NFL International Gerrit Meier. "With over 35 million passionate fans in Brazil, the Friday night 2024 regular season opener in São Paulo will bring an incredible energy – marking a historic moment for our sport internationally."

"We're looking forward to being a part of this historic matchup against the Eagles in São Paulo," said Packers President/CEO Mark Murphy. "We're excited to play in front of our devoted fans in Brazil and help build upon the international popularity of the NFL and the Packers. We had a great experience playing internationally for the first time a couple of years ago and we're proud to be part of the league's continued global growth."

"The match-up between the Green Bay Packers and the Philadelphia Eagles is an extremely exciting moment for the city of São Paulo," said Mayor of São Paulo Ricardo Nunes. "These two franchises will certainly play a historic game, bringing great global visibility to our city and assist in our efforts to generate jobs and economic impact."

"In addition to being one of the biggest franchises in the history of the NFL, the Green Bay Packers are one of the most popular clubs here in Brazil," said President of SPTuris Gustavo Pires. "We are delighted to provide these fans the opportunity to see their favorite team live in São Paulo."

Peacock (NBCUniversal) will exclusively stream the Week 1 game in São Paulo, Brazil on Friday. The game will also be available on free, over-the-air broadcast television in the local markets of the competing teams as well as on mobile devices with NFL+.

Five regular season games will be played as part of the 2024 NFL International Games, including the game in São Paulo, Brazil, with the designated teams for the Europe slate already announced.

Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London — the only purpose-built NFL stadium outside of the U.S. — will host games featuring both the Chicago Bears and the Minnesota Vikings, while the Jacksonville Jaguars will return to Wembley Stadium as part of their multi-year commitment to playing a game in the U.K.

Munich, Germany, will again host a regular season game, with the Carolina Panthers set to play in Allianz Arena — home of FC Bayern Munich.

With the game in South America, the NFL will have played a game (preseason or regular season) in five of the seven continents around the world.

Additional opponents and kickoff times for all games will be announced with the 2024 schedule this spring.
# # # #