Packers to take receiver with first pick?

Here is a possibility that will set off the Ted Thompson haters big time if it happens. How about Texas Tech wide receiver Michael Crabtree going to the Packers with the ninth pick in the draft? If Crabtree is there, and there is a decent chance he will be, it would not shock me if Thompson took him. Best player available and all. In some ways it would make sense, Donald Driver won’t be around for ever, but then again you took Jordy Nelson last year, so taking Crabtree might mean they think Jordy is at best a third receiver.

One thing about a crappy record is it makes the draft more interesting. It will be fun watching it play out the next three months.

This entry was posted on Saturday, January 10th, 2009 at 11:18 am and is filed under Al Davis. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

  • Packerpete

    I already said this in a response here earlier.

    This draft is full of “talented” WR, moreso than any other in a long while.

    I can see our illustrious GM going WR for sure in the first three picks.

    I am convinced he is a dolt.

    Another WR puts him in the Matt Millen category, and GB heading into the Detroit twins separated at birth category.

  • Jack in Columbus

    Even the best GMs hit on few picks and miss on many, as Ron Wolff has admitted. Luck plays a role in the draft and FA trade arenas. Sometimes you think you have drafted a future Blue player, and you just get a warm body (e.g. KGB). Sometimes you pay big money in the free agency market to get a proven player and he disappoints (e.g. Joe johnson). Luck seems to play a role. The better evaluators tend to get better results and it’s probably still too soon to know whether TT has an eye for talent, but his days are still numbered if he does not produce a consistent winner and playoff caliber team right away. If he sees a WR in the first round that he likes, even when we have so many other (apparently) more pressing needs, who am I to second guess him? TT watches hundreds of hours of game film and scouts players day in and day out. But we fans (and the Packers Board) will judge him by results on the playing field regardless of whom TT picks when. The difference between winning and losing is often small — as it was n many games this year. I predict Arod willplay even better next seaosn, and that the rest of the team will be improved, and the Packers will have a much better record — maybe even go a game or 2 into the playoffs. But if they win fewer than 8 games next season, I think the Packers will be making some changes at the top.

  • Roy Jamison

    Al, if I recall correctly, Ron Wolf would not take a receiver in the first round ever. Apparently Matt Millen didn’t take this advice. That best player stuff is based on opinion. Half the time those “best players” turn out to be duds. For instance, was Justin Harrell really the best player available two years ago?. TT might also have another QB to take at that spot. If TT follows Wolf’s advice he’ll take a DT or DE. He could even take Jenkins the corner from Ohio State. Those would make the most sense, so it probably won’t happen!

  • Roy Jamison

    In fairness to TT, Wolf’s first round picks weren’t too hot. But, he made up for them in other rounds.
    The ones to forget

    Drafted Southern Cal offensive tackle John Michels in the first round in 1996, 27th overall. Michels lasted just two seasons in Green Bay.

    Wolf: “I had an opportunity that year to trade down, which would have left on our board [defensive end] Tony Brackens, plus I would have gotten another third rounder out of it. But I opted not to do that. That was one time where I was blinded by taking a need pick. We needed an offensive lineman. It was an idiotic decision on my part.”

    Drafted Florida State cornerback Terrell Buckley in the first round in 1992, fifth overall. The undersized Buckley was a terrible fit in Green Bay and played just three seasons with the Packers.

    Wolf: “I think we tracked that one to [my] inexperience with the area. The guy is still playing, but what happened was, had I known this area better, this Central Division and the type of climate what we played in, it wouldn’t have happened. And had I listened to all the people around me. I violated one of my basic tenets, and that is you don’t take a defensive back or cornerback under 5-11.

    “In bad weather you need big people. Terrell’s a little bit better than he’s been made out to be, but he alienated the people up here pretty quickly. We should have taken Bob Whitfield. He’s the guy I wanted to take. He can’t play corner, of course, but last I looked he’s still playing a pretty good left tackle.”

    Drafted Tennessee defensive end Jonathan Brown in the third round in 1998, 90th overall. Brown spent just one year as a Packer.

    Wolf: I took Jonathan Brown over Steve McKinney, who is still a starting guard for the Colts. Which was stupid. Again, it was a need pick and I was being hard-headed.”

    Wolf lumps his first-rounders in Green Bay together as representing something less than his best work. Included in that group is Buckley, Michels, Wayne Simmons, George Teague, Aaron Taylor, Craig Newsome, Ross Verba, Vonnie Holliday, Antuan Edwards and Bubba Franks.

  • Pete H

    Well Taylor was good until he got hurt. Same with Newsome. Teague and Simmons were alright. Bubba did what Bubba should and Holliday is still playing and starting. Verba Edwards Michaels blew ass. Buckley though, played about 10 years. If he drafts a wideout, I’ll drive up there and punch him.

  • Cody

    Well, if he is going to be stupid and go with a reciever, it better be Crabtree, as he is truly amazing. But I dont think he will be there, because I am 99% sure that Seatle will take him, because they really need a reciever and Crabtree is the best.

  • http://Orlando Mark

    Roy, it seems like reaching for a need got Wolf and TT, but you don’t have to make it worse by counting on someone proven to be unfit. TT should have traded Williams only if he could get someone to replace him. BTW did you see the Ravens trust their rookie QB by throwing at 3rd and long to get a closer FG and win the playoff game. MM failed to trust #12 to do that and we probably lost a couple of games we were in. I hope he at least learned something from the losses.

  • Larry

    TT is a disciple of Wolf and Wolf also made some horrible 1st round picks, while still being probably the best GM we ever had. Wolf never picked a DL above the 3rd rnd in 9 yrs other than Holiday. His only DL FA hits were REGGIE in 93, Sean in 94, and Santana in 96, however those 3 did get us over the hump, so they were truly gems. TTs strategy is right out of the Wolf playbook; skill upper and the rest of the fillers in mid to low. TT has rebuilt the team but just hasn’t hit the mother lode yet, I repeat, yet. Also, it took Wolf 4 yrs to get us to the big one even with White, Jones, and Dotson so I for one am giving TT more time.

  • Larry

    If TT did take a top WR wouldn’t that give us a stronger hand in trade for a top flight DE, NT, or DT with the WRs we currently have on the roster?

  • http://afsadf Dalton

    Why not take him? He is an amazing play with tons of potential. And dating back past TT. Ahmad Carrol and that one DE that was a huge bust. Drive is getting old and he could teach Crabtree a thing or two. Everyone would love to have Randy Moss on the team when he really wasnt needed so now why not take a youthful amazing athlete.

  • Mel e Mel

    Players we passed on to get Jordy Nelson TE Dustin Keller, DE Phillip Merling (both start) You think we could use a vertical TE or a Run stopping DE?
    IF we take Lauranitis I am going to heave. The only offensive players TT should even glance at are blockers.

  • Scott S

    Remember that Wolfe passed on Randy Moss to take Vonnie Holiday. At the time WR was not a crucial need but DE was because Reggie White was waning. It’s fun to imagine what could have been with #4 having Moss to throw to. But everyone thought we were set with Freeman and Brooks. I think real difference makers are extremely rare and it’s worth the risk of a #1 pick no matter what the teams needs may be. Every draft pick is a crap-shoot so it doesn’t make sense not to take the player with the most promise. Free Agency is where a teams needs can be addressed because there they have a better idea of what they’re getting.

  • Jeff

    I don’t think he passed on Moss because we were set at WR. He passed on Moss because of the man’s legal issues – I think Moss would have done better here from a personal point of view, but that’s neither here nor there at this point.

    Hey, if Ted thinks he’s got a bona fide game changer on the board – hell yes take him. I don’t care what position he’s playing – with the possible exception of QB.

    That said, I have questions about the whole “best on the board” philosophy. How do you sit there and say “So-and-so is a better wideout than Blah-blah is a DT,”

    I get that it doesn’t make sense to take a marginal lineman when you could get a solid WR regardless of your need, but I don’t see that you go past a very good player at a position you need because you think/hope another player might be a shade better.

    Jack – did you really call KGB a warm body? We got him in the fifth round (like Kampman) and the guy gave us double digit sacks starting in his second season. Feel free to point out any defensive lineman Ted has acquired by any means who has come anywhere close – anybody even on the horizon? No. Ted just doesn’t seem to be very good at picking linemen.

    Four years with our man Ted, and the D-line was pathetic. We had one of the finest passing offenses in the NFL but got Rodgers sacked almost double the times the nameless one got sacked in 2007. We had serious issues in short yardage and frequently got stuffed late in the game when we needed to control the ball. The lines are not good. D-line was worse this year, but with our tackles apparantly hitting the wall, I predict major problems on the O-line next year without two solid additions. I don’t care where they come from – draft, FA, trades, pluck them from other teams, develop our own, or pull them off the street. Whatever you gotta do. We seem to have the skill players; now line up the Clydesdales, Teddie. We need some meat on the field!

  • Roy Jamison

    JS Tom Silverstein interview with TT: On Justin Harrell
    We certainly didn’t anticipate him having trouble as long as he did. That’s no fault of Justin, either. I think it’s easier for people away from here to say, blah, blah, blah, but he’s trying as hard as he can to be a good player. It’s my responsibility. I made the pick. I’m the one who put a lot of emphasis on him taking up some of the gap. So I don’t mind me taking the responsibility, but I think it’s disappointing to see people criticize Justin. It’s not his fault. Having said that, we thought we were strong in the defensive line going into the season because of the group. Like I’ve always talked about, I thought the ability to play with multiple combinations works very well. We did not get as much production in the pass rush as we thought we would.

    TT: No one is criticizing Justin the person. You simply made a terrible pick knowing his injury history. It’s nothing new to see GMs make bad 1st round choices but it’s refreshing to see Ron Wolf admit mistakes. I don’t think there is one Packer fan that isn’t wishing you the best in this upcoming draft. Hopefully the new defensive staff will come in and have a smooth transition.

  • Mel e Mel

    “The Silence you hear is Lambeau Field” That Vick loss was hard to swallow, that led to the drafting of quicker players on defense like Nick Barnett. Now 1265 Lambeau is even more silent on accountability. The Packers short commings were not just on defense. Every season under MM The Pack can not run the ball to start the season. The first 2 seasons we didnt have the talent now that excuse is by the boards. Jason Spitz and Daryn College are the best lineman the Packers have. Hopefully Sitton will develop next year. Now we need 2 Tackles. Where will they come from? Jenkin,s Harrell and Barnetts injuries decimated the D but, its not the Defenses job to block Jared Allen, score on the goaline against Carolina, Score on the goaline against Houston,score on the goaline against Tennesee, Score on the goaline against Chicago or score in the redzone against Dallas.

  • TRIP

    Despite their being in the NFC Championship game, drafting dynamic WRs didn’t make a team for Arizona for a loooong team. And it wasn’t until they got a structure around that offense that they started to prosper. I’m not just upset our first pick was a WR last year, I’m pissed it wasn’t DeSean Jackson! If you are going to be an idiot, be a smart idiot. I’ll eat my words later, if I must, but Jackson was always the top prospects and will follow suit as superior to Jordy. Jordy’s not bad, but if TT picks another WR, I’m done with him.

    We need DEFENSE in the draft!

  • Pete H

    I’ll take Jordy over Jackson. I think Nelson is going to be a force. The problem I had with it was that it fell on the heels of drafting Jennings and Jones with equally high picks. I think they are all talented, but you can only throw to one at a time, and you can’t throw to any if your getting sacked. I also liked what TT said about FA being used to fill a need and by not usng it he could sign his current players. Yet, it still took all summer to sign Grant and Jennings doesn’t have an extension even yet. Also, I’m pretty sure Faneca would have filled a need. I think his problem is not neccessarily his philosophy, its his judgement of talent and where they do need help. They need a road grater, not a project. They need a D lineman who is a disrupter, not a spotty role player.

  • Jeff

    I gotta disagree with Spitz and Colledge being our best linemen – regardless of how the team graded them. I watched those guys pretty closely most of the year. Personally, I think Wells did much better against all but the very best. Even Clifton was more consistent most times though it seems pretty clear he’s out of gas. They finally started getting the whole screen thing down late in the year, there were lots of penalties, and they frequently got totally blown up – especially when we did anything except run up the gut.

    For guys who were brought in with zone blocking in mind, they don’t seem to do well in space. If they’re our best, we’re in more trouble than I thought. Colledge to LT, Sitton to LG, Barbre in the mix, FA to RT, draft a couple and hope for the best I figure.

    I’m not encouraged.

  • Pete H

    Nope, it could get real ugly real quick. I’m just not overly impressed with any of the guys. There isn’t anybody there who just mans up and pushes someone. No attitude. During that run with Clifton, Wahle, Flanigan etc. they would just decide they were going to move you around and run over you, and they would. I know the zone blocking scheme is run differently, but there still needs to be some attitude. Same with the D line.

  • Roy Jamison

    If MM can’t raid the Eagles D staff for a D coordinator till they lose, maybe he ought to look at the Titans staff. Dave McGinnis might be worth a look. Or, Mike Waufle of the Giants. If I were MM, I’d pick the brains of all the successful defensive coaching staffs I could. I think it’s encouraging he’s taking time to look.

  • Roy Jamison

    One thing that is interesting about playoff games is when you take a player like Plaxico Burris out of the lineup, what happens? That was Mannings’ security blanket and there was no way to replace it. Andy Reid and his group have done a great job getting that team ready for the stretch run. It proves that it doesn’t matter what your record is at the end of the year. If your team is healthy and eager in those last games, they get on a roll. I thought the Cardinals were going to get crushed in Carolina, but that team is now dangerous!

  • JeffN

    Even if TT picks this WR with the 9th pick, you gotta look at how he will fit into their situation even if he is a stud. They are full up at WR so it doesn’t really add a whole lot of value. Unless he plans on trading one of the WRs they have he won’t grab any WR with the 9th pick. There is going to be a lot of good players at 9 along with this guy, and I don’t really think TT’s picks are very predictable so just the fact that any of us are talking about it would lead me to believe it isn’t going to happen. Now if we were all talking about the possibility of TT trading down with the 9th… well that’s always a 50/50 shot in any round with any pick with TT.

    I’ve made up mind, I hope they go with the 3-4 and draft DL, and LB with their first 3 picks. Remember that year Wolf said they don’t need any help in the secondary and then went ahead and drafted Antuan Edwards, Mike Mckenzie, and I forget the other corner that was drafted all with the first 3 picks.

    I agree Williams would be a better D-coordinator and there is no way Winston Moss is going to bring the kind of change that this defense needs.

  • Roy Jamison

    IF this guy can do what Johnson does for Eagles, maybe it would be a no-brainer.

    Sean McDermott
    Secondary Coach

    One of the brightest, young defensive minds in the league, Sean McDermott enters his 10th season in Philadelphia. McDermott was named secondary coach on January 28, 2008, after a successful one-year stint as linebackers coach last season.

    “I don’t think there are a lot of secondary coaches that are as good as Sean McDermott,” Eagles head coach Andy Reid said. “He was a phenomenal linebackers coach and, really, his versatility I just think is second to none.”

    The linebacking group flourished under McDermott in 2007 as two youngsters – Omar Gaither (team-leading 170 tackles and 14 hurries) and Chris Gocong (92 tackles, including 7 for a loss) – progressed into full-time starters for the first time in their careers.

    From 2004-06, McDermott served as the Eagles secondary/safeties coach. In 2004, he saw both of his starting safeties (Brian Dawkins and Michael Lewis) earn Pro Bowl berths for the first time in team history. Under McDermott’s watch, Dawkins went on to earn two more Pro Bowl berths following the 2005 and 2006 seasons. In addition, McDermott has been credited with the development of Eagles S Quintin Mikell.

  • Pete H

    Fred Vinson was the thrid guy that year. What was great about him is that he turned into Ahman Green. Holmgren traded Green for him the next year. you’re right though, its probably good that we’re talking wideout so he won’t take one. Getting hot at the right time is what its all about. Even the Pack in that 4th and 26 year were poised to beat anyone. They were 6-6 and fading until they got rolling. Same thing with the year they lost to SF on that ridiculous Jerry Rice no fumble. They were hurt all year, but got rolling right at the end. Also if you look at the years that Packers kind of backflopped into the playoffs, they were usually their one and done years. I know that the year they lost to Atl. they were fighting for home field and then laid an egg in two of their last three to have to play the wild card round.

  • 4205

    One other Wolf bust (and we traded up to get him) was Jamal Reynolds. He lasted into at least the third year because of his high draft position and maybe a year after GB cut him in Denver??. Harrell will be in simillar position next year — last year to make an impact. At least his problems have been injury related as opposed to Jamal’s lack of impact, even while healthy.

    Get playmakers at any time you can! Problem is luck plays a huge part. Getting AR on long-term contract was big. Remains to be seen about Grant, but if healthy he should be around a long time with Jackson helping out. WR is set….this draft should be all about defensive and offensive lines unless that return guy / CB / Safety stands out!

  • geoff

    if he is there they should get Crabtree. He is the best WR I have ever seen at the college level. When you see a special talent like that you go get him forget about what you need. It’s a risk but he has a good chance of being one of the elite WRs in the NFL. Imagine two elite WRs on the same team!

  • Boothie

    A lot of factors get thrown into the equation of a Draft Pick. Best Player Available and “Need” are a matter of perception. It’s great when both combine. Evaluation of the Physical Characteristics of the Player, how he would fit into your scheme all have to be considered.

    Was Harrell a mistake? It sure looks like it now. I believe that Next Year will certainly tell the tale. Thompson’s drafting of Rodgers now looks really smart. Moving Favre to another team also appears, at the present time, to be a very astute move… if less than brilliantly executed… I don’t know if there was a better way to handle the situation. I certainly wouldn’t have let go to the Vikings… for any draft pick offered. That would have been far worse.

    I think that Thompson gets two more years to show that he’s competent… unless they really implode.

  • http://myspace.com/themiz34 Armand in NJ

    how does the thought of drafting a WR even come into play??? You can not just get a big talent WR when your main issue is D… I do not want an offensive player unless it’s O-LINE or RUNNING BACK…even those should not be considered right now…the talent of Linebackers and Pass Rushers is also very exceptional in this 2009 Draft and that is where the focus should be on this draft…We need to get Dom Capers already and offer him a substantial money contract to bring him in here and be happy, content, and motivated to change up our D. I’d love to see the Pack adopt the 3-4 scheme and fill in the required talent needed to achieve this…Peppers doesn’t want to go back to Carolina and has stated that he doesn’t want to be a panther anymore and wants to be in a 3-4 D!!! Mike McCarthy has also stated he was never a fan of the current 4-3 scheme defense of man coverage we’ve had…sooooooooo……Let’s start w/ the Def. Coordinator…get the D established look at Free Agency and Draft Picks that we need to fill in the right spots…Packers are a playoff calibur team…if the Defense can improve to a top 10 Defense…nothing will stop the packers to a run to the BIG DANCE!!!

  • Yoop

    Crabtree is NOT a TOP 10 talent. NOT EVEN CLOSE, Is he the best WR in the draft, I don’t even think that is true.

    The Team needs to take the BEST LEFT TACKLE at #9. NOT defense, NOT a skill player like WR or RB.

    A LT!!!!! Both Tackles are having off season surgery, Clifton’s could not practice half the year and his play STUNK! Tauscher is having his second surgery on the same knee.

    This is the BEST Left Tackle class to come out in YEARS. Monroe, Jason Smith, Oher anyone of those is the BPA! And a NEED!

  • jeremiah

    yoop- that is good thinking, although i would not hate eiher orakpo or bj raji. we all know what is going to happen though. TT is going to trade out of the top 10. we all know this. this is the thinking “what is the point of having the second to last pick in the top 10? why not trade down to 12-15th overall and save a couple million bucks? pick up another 2nd rounder, which would give us a top 15, 2 seconds, and 2 thirds?” we all know TTs m.o. “STOCKPILE PICKS”. we can hope that we hit a bigtime talent at #9 but we all know what REALLY will happen, and if it works out- GREAT! i am completely against taking crabtree or any other WR or RB in the first 2(3?) rounds.

    strengthen our lines, give us some bad ass trench workers!!!!!!