Green Bay Packers general manager Ted Thompson traded out of the third round on Friday during the second night of the NFL draft.
Thompson initially traded the 88th overall pick to San Francisco for the 93rd pick and the 49ers’ seventh-round selection. Thompson then moved the 93rd pick to the Dolphins for their fourth-rounder (No. 109 overall) and Miami’s fifth- and seventh-round picks.
Confused? So am I. You are probably eating Fruity Pebbles and watching Saturday morning cartoons right now and would rather not have to think too hard about this kind of stuff. So, to make it easy for you, here is where the Packers will be picking on Saturday:
- Round 4, pick 12, 109 overall
- Round 4, pick 25, 122 overall
- Round 5, pick 13, 146 overall
- Round 5, pick 26, 159 overall
- Round 5, pick 34, 167 overall
- Round 6, pick 5, 173 overall
- Round 6, pick 25, 193 overall
- Round 7, pick 10, 216 overall
- Round 7, pick 18, 226 overall
- Round 7, pick 26, 232 overall
All of this wheeling and dealing happened after Thompson traded down in the second round — once again with NFC rival San Francisco, this time for an extra seventh-rounder — and selected Alabama running back Eddie Lacy. Packers fans were also still digesting the news of Aaron Rodgers’ five-year, $110 million contract extension.
There are still plenty of intriguing prospects left for the Packers to pick from on Saturday. With a load of extra picks in his pocket, it’s all but certain that Thompson will try and move up at least once on Saturday.
What did you think of Ted’s moves on Friday night? Who would you like to see the Packers draft on Saturday?
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Adam Czech is a a freelance sports reporter living in the Twin Cities and a proud supporter of American corn farmers. When not working, Adam is usually writing about, thinking about or worrying about the Packers. Follow Adam on Twitter. Twitter .
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Oh goody. Once again with trading down for 6th and 7th round picks! This draft had a lot of talent in the first 3 rounds. TT trades back in the 2nd, and took a RB that ended up being what the 3rd or 4th RB taken. He didn’t want Lacy, and everybody knows it. What was that sound bite before the draft? The one where TT says we need to get bigger and stronger. When exactly is that going to happen? After he gets the whole 7th round? How many of these supposed diamonds in the rough actually play a large roll? Sheilds was an UFA. Starks had a good 4 game run in 2010, and yet even this past training camp, Rodgers screamed at him because he still doesn’t know the plays. After 3 years! TT should have been trading up this draft. Because it would never have been cheaper. The Raiders had the 3rd pick, and they traded down to the 12th for a middle of the 3rd round pick! TT just cannot help himself, he just needs all those late round picks, so he can find maybe one that can play!
UDFA’s are as important as draft picks. TT and GB team does a much better job than anyone of getting value from UDFA. Sheilds is a five star CB (IMHO). Starks litterally ran us into a win a the SB.
Today TT has 5 picks in RD 4 & 5. Then he has another 5 picks in RD 6 & 7. TT will use those picks to move where he needs to get players the team needs.
The raiders trading down for a 3rd rd pick and moved from 3rd pick to 12th pick. TT would have had to give up much much more.
It would be nice if we had these many picks BEFORE the draft begins. Ugh…
Yes, but having 10 picks after getting Lacy and Jones is incredible. He even did it with SF. TT is the master trader.
I can’t wait for the last rounds to start to watch TT fill the list of needs.
Having spent a little time looking at a pick value chart and at the players still available, the Packers are in pretty good shape.
not happy. Too many low round picks….and we just get too many journeyman. We are lacking about 2-3 impact players and they were there. Needed Arthur Brown. Could have had him in RND 2. TT is simply playing the odds…and guessing that more picks = greater chance for some HomeRun picks. He doesn’t prove to me that he get high percentage success from each pick.
TT says he doesn’t get higher success at each pick. Most team’s hit on 50% of their picks. The better teams get extra picks, develop and “play the odds” as you say.
I predict TT will come out with an ILB, OLB, C, WR (paxton kid), Another big DL (or two) another RB, QB and a Safety.
My guess is that the Packers won’t actually use very many of those 10 picks.
TT never wastes a draft pick. If he doesn’t pick a player with a pick he will use them to build picks for next year when the draft is suppossed to be better.
I also expect TT to use some of the picks to move back up in the rounds. He has 10 picks left. TT knows who he wants and will fill the shopping list as he has planned it.
Looks like Ted likes his current roster to step forward in year two and his board is middle heavy in talent, comparable to what draft pundits have been saying about the 2013 class all along.
TT will fill the needs (OLB, ILB, S, C, and another BIG DL)and maybe pick up 2014 picks in the process.
The strength of this draft was in the lines. TT should have traded up. It didn’t cost much. If this team had a couple of blue chippers on one or both lines, they would have a realistic chance. But Rodgers cannot do it all. being sacked 215 times in the last 5 years should scream going to get line help. Instead 2 overrated players and trading back. More training camp garbage isn’t going to get you to the Super Bowl!
It’s one thing to say players are overrated, but another to say that they were drafted above their relative value.
Based on the rating services I’ve seen, Jones went almost exactly where he was ranked (give or take the inflation and deflation that occurs among players due to the relative values of their positions). Lacy regularly graded out 10-15 picks above where the Packers took him or would have taken him if they hadn’t moved down a handful of picks.
It’s one thing to be unhappy about the dealing down. I get that. I am too. But the players they’ve taken are at least as good, if not better, than their draft position indicates.
I guess Ted is content that he has picked up two good prospects at positions of need and he sees the draft deep of good developmental talent.
One player I’m surprised is still on the board is Jesse Williams.
Someone on one of these boards said that of the 49 4th -7th round picks that TT has drafted only 2 are considered really good players. Sitton and Bishop. Now I only gave it a quick glance, but I think he might be right.
What’s the definition of “really good”? Pro Bowler? Starting ballplayer? On the roster? Given how little Bishop has played, anyone who was drafted in the 4th round or later who is occupying a starting spot qualifies by comparison.
I don’t like the trades with SF. Miami looks ok.
They must be really high on McMillan. IMO they’re fine at OL. Need backups/developmental prospects, which can be got in later rounds.
But a NT and S – needed instant contributions, and because of the SF trade, we’re not getting them.
51 sacks and over 100 QB hits and they can’t run block And you think that’s OK? Newhouse sucks out loud. And McCarthy didn’t sound to confident about Sherrod.
Scott –
How many of those QB hits are on Rodgers and MM for retarded playcalling or holding on to the ball too long?
My guess: About 1/2. The Packers OL, when healthy, is more than servicable for what they ask it to do. They are not road graders. They are pass blockers.
They need depth at DL and S more. IMO.
Run blocking will “look” much better with Lacy in the RB position.
Of course they always can do better but they had 2 RD 1 tackles, a starting LT you don’t like, barclay who started RT and needs to add muscle – but was better than expected. A potential 2nd RD tackle in the florida kid on the practice squad and another FA they signed. If MM needed a francise LT they would have gotten one. I think MM was giving draft talk about Sherrod to fake out the opposition. Never listen to coaches the month before the draft – they all stretch the truth.
How often do you think other teams get “really good” players in rounds 4-7?
I completely understood why TT traded back when he took over and the Pack lacked talent/depth and had cap issues.
I do not understand trading back 3 times to accumulate 6th and 7th round picks. This is TT’s 9th draft and other than Desmond Bishop I can’t recall a 6th or 7th round pick who was worth squat.
Very disappointed with these moves, but tomorrow is another day.
Who wanted and “mocked” Jesse Williams to the Pack in the 1st? Well you cant get him in the 4th. I wasn’t a fan in the 1st, but in the 4th? no problem.
Pretty sure someone mocked J. Franklin to GB in the 2nd. See he’s on the board in the 4th too.
Quinton Patton WR, is available in the 4th.
I could live w/ a 4th of Jesse Williams, Patton, or Barrett Jones. Alex Okafor would be great value in the 4th. Quessenberry, Khalid Holmes, Josh Evans, Michael Buchanon. That Wisconsin legend AJ Klein is out there.
Anyone want a big physical WR? Chris Harper fits the bill. How about a good backup OG? Bakhtiari would look like a good OG. If you want a playmaking Safety Phillip Thomas makes plays.
Just throwing some names out there. Some of which people would have been happy w/ as high as the 2nd round.
Of course my favorite sleeper Nick Williams would make an IDEAL 6th rd pick.
I agree: there are some very good players out there yet. Players we would have been at least content–if not happy–seeing the Packers take in the second or third rounds.
My bet is that the Packers only end up with 5 or 6 picks on day 3. Whether they add a 4th or just move up in the 4th, I don’t know, but they very well could escape this draft in far better shape than they looked at the close last night, and with a draft most of us would have been satisfied with if no trading had happened at all.
If you’re talking about me, yes, I made the mistake of changing my pick on the last day. As I wrote: “I’ve pretty much been on the Datone Jones bandwagon all draft season, and would be delighted if he were available to the Packers here. However, I don’t think he makes it past Indy, so I’ve switched my pick to Williams.”
That makes two years in a row I have had the Packers pick correct in the CHTV Draft Guide and changeed my mind for my own mock on Draft eve – gotta stop doing that… LOL
In any case, whoever gets Williams here gets an unbelievable bargain. I’m shocked he’s still here and you have to wonder, is there some off-field or medical issue we don’t know about?
Don’t worry be happy! I wanted and said a LACY pick at 26 would take care of the 3rd and 1’s. The lacy pick at 61 will still take care of those 3rd and 1s. Jones, Lacy and 10 picks for today is awesome.
Stroh’s recap of players available gives me confidence that TT will get the players he needs. WR has Patton and a few others I expected to be gone. Need a big DL – there are a couple in each of the rounds. There are a few safeties and TE’s as well.
Aren’t the 2 or 3 top 5 center’s still on the board as well?
In Ted I trust.
There was plenty of talent sitting there at pick 88 in the 3rd rd. Hope Ted made the right call by trading down. Is TT in rebuilding mode?
TT is always in rebuilding mode. Fresh new talent ever day, month and year. That is how draft and develop works.
Does anyone think that Cincinnati drafting Margus Hunt in the 2nd, just before GB traded with SF (And SEA traded back for that matter) were related events or was it just coincidence? I mean, do you think that Hunt would have been GB’s pick in the 2nd, if he was available at 55?
absolutely not. They were thinking RB all the way. They traded back because they knew there would be a quality RB there, whether it was Ball, or Lacy or Michael or Franklin.
Cinci might have taken hunt early because they felt GB was after Hunt – which is good to make sure he is over there. I agree with Al, TT needed a RB to be there every down and lacy or ball, etc. were going to be there.
I don’t think the Packers had any interest in Hunt. Notice he went to 43 D, where he can be an edge rusher, which is the only way he got sacks. Like I tried to tell everyone since the combine, Hunt is not a 34 DE, he is a 43 DE and is much more Jared Allen than he is Richard Seymour/Calais Campbell.
Trading down to accumulate low round draft picks worked wonders for the Packers in the past Just look at last season. Marshall Newhouse, Brad Jones and Mike Daniels all had monster games as the Packers demolished the Niners. Oops, I’m on the wrong website. It’s the Mil Journal Sentinel where the delusional homers congregate. and worship TT’s drafting
50% includes the 1st 3 rounds. I’m asking you for a success rate in 4-7. If you’re a gm and you believe that your player you like and are about to pick is gonna drop another 30 slots, you’d be an idiot not to trade back and get some extra picks on the side while still getting your player. You are also underrating the value of the flexibility that extra picks give you. It gives you the trade ammunition to move around to where need and talent coincide, meaning you don’t have to reach on picks and leave value to your opposition. And if your picks are at a needed position, they have a greater likelyhood of getting to see the field to prove that they’re worth something
Judging the players on one game is idiotic. There’ve been plenty of late picks that have worked out for the packers. You act like there is no place for average players in the nfl. Lang is serviceable and has provided value for where he was selected. There’s need in the nfl for players of his ilk. he’s not a hole like walden was. not everyones gonna be a star. Guys like him and brad jones are good late round picks and sitton was an excellent one. Dj smith was good before the injury and newhouse, wilson, house, and flynn have all proved useful compared to where they were drafted. UDFA’s like Shields have been valuable. You have unreal expectations for late rounders. Even if someone is not starter material and is disappointing when forced to fill that role, it doesn’t mean they are a useless player to the team.
The vast majority of the players on every team are mediocre. ST play a role, and develop means getting a person the team feels might be a potential starter and working a few years to see if that potential rises. You expample of Shields and brad jones is excellent.
Adam: I meant to say I liked the picks and trades. This was also done while signing the most expensive player on the team (and the NFL in history). ARod until 2018 or so. In TT I trust and will wait to see what he does today.
I’m thinking its time to use some of that stockpiled bait and give some 4th-5th round pick to go back up into top of 3rd round. Would love to see a tackle…and JWilliams would have me full of nice things to say about this draft. Anyone else on Stroh’s list would make it a great draft.