Picture via: ESPN.com
By Justis Mosqueda
Round 2 Pick 61:
Eddie Lacy RB Alabama
After filling their biggest need in the
first round, the Packers focused more towards the offensive side of
the ball in Day 2. If you asked a Packer fan what the biggest need(
unfilled to this point) was, you would probably get 25/25/25/25%
saying RB, WR, TE, or FS.
The Packers signed running back Benson
halfway through the preseason last year, and he ended up being the
starter, until injury. He was brought in on Wednesday, the day before
the draft, but it really seems like Green Bay was trying to check out
his foot in case someone didn't fall to them in the draft. They also
signed Ryan Grant in December, to see if he could give the team any
spark. There was a spark late in the year, but it wasn't by Grant.
DuJuan Harris, who was selling cars prior to his mid-season call-up,
became a really good change of pace type running back, but gave
little value to the passing game (either blocking or receiving),
which is why he didn't start until the playoffs. Between to Harris
taking over and Benson's injury Alex Green (2011 3rd round
selection) and James Starks (lead the RB corp during the Packers
playoff run, which lead to a Super Bowl) started games, but neither
could fill the role.
Wide Receiver isn't so much an
immediate need as it is a future one. Jennings left for Minnesota
this year, which hurts, but with Nelson (2011 TD leader), Jones (2012
TD leader), and Cobb (Packers single season total yardage record
holder), the star WR didn't really create a need. The problem is the
lack of bodies outside those three (Driver also retired) and that
Jones is a free agent next off-season, with Nelson a free agent a
year later. The Packers don't really need to take someone early, but
there is a feeling that they need to take someone.
Tight End is another future need.
Finley has a tight hold on the #1 TE spot in Green Bay, but he is
almost certainly leaving next year, when his contract runs out.
Finley has flashed at times, but his off the field antics,
concentration drops, and price tag could have had the Packers looking
for their 2014 starting TE. The Packers #2 TE, Tom Crabtree, left to
sign with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this off-season, also. With no
real pass catching threat in the Packers vertical system outside of
Finley, who will be gone in a year, it seems like the Packers would
have to think long and hard if someone fell to them.
Free Safety is a now need that the
Packers might need to fill this draft. MD Jennings and Morgan Burnett
aren't going to cut it in shootouts. With Woodson's departure, the FS
position took a huge blow. Burnett was stuck playing a lot of FS last
year, when really he should be used to play more SS than anything
else.
As the Packers neared their first pick
of Day 2, wide receivers kept slipping. Keenan Allen, regarded as a
first round talent, lead the pack. When the Packers were finally on
deck I was sure I pinned the Packers pick to one of four players:
Keenan Allen, Markus Wheaton, Eddie Lacy, or Jesse Williams. Thompson
then traded down with San Francisco seven spots and picked up a 6th
round pick (#173) in the process. (What's interesting is that
Baltimore and Seattle traded right after, and Seattle got a better
deal than Green Bay did.) Again, all four of those players were on
the board when the Packers were on the clock. It was pretty obvious that the pick was either going to be a WR or a RB. The quality TEs that fit the Packers style (like Gavin Escobar) were already off the board and the high tiered FSs were also gone. The Packers had to chose between slipping players in both an immediate need (Eddie Lacy RB) and a future one (Keenan Allen/Markus Wheaton WR). The pick: Eddie Lacy RB
Alabama.
What's interesting to me is that Eddie
Lacy isn't really the greatest fit for Green Bay (played in a power
system which didn't rely on his vision, while vision is the key to
the Packers offense as a running back), but the guys that were good
fits, but less talented, went before Lacy to teams that seemed to
need a running back like Lacy. Teams like Cincinnati and Pittsburgh
could have used a power guy much more than Green Bay, and Montee
Ball's skill set translates better to Green Bay's offense than
Denver's, in my opinion. Either way, Eddie Lacy was slipping quickly,
and Thompson pulled the trigger for many people's top rated running
back in this class, including mine.
Now, while Lacy is assumed to take over
as the starting running back in 2013, Harris isn't going down without
a fight. I think Harris might start in mini camp/the first couple
preseason games, but he will eventually lose out to Lacy's superior
talents. Lacy backed up Richardson and Ingram (both Heisman winning,
first round RBs), so I think his ability to compliment Harris, and
vice versa, is there. I have a feeling both of them will be getting
some touches (65/35, I'd say) each game. Lacy's lack of wear also
helps solidify this pick for me. He's like the anti-Bell/Ball in that
aspect. Both of them took plenty of shots in their college days.
Overall, I like Lacy's potential, but I
hope he's able to read and react to holes better than say Brandon
Jackson did. That's another 2nd round Thompson drafted RB
that had the talent to be a great back, but didn't have the vision to
be productive in McCarthy's offense. I also wonder what he does in
the passing game. In Alabama he seemed to have run routes most of the
time, but Green Bay might need him to stay back there and protect
their 110 million dollar man in Rodgers. While the fit wasn't great,
the upgrade in talent was too much for Thompson to pass up at #61.
Three cheers for the end of the Kuhn 3rd and 1 failed dive
plays.
For reference here is how Eddie Lacy compared to the rest of the RBs selected Day 2. While he did not do drills at the combine, his pro day numbers are listed below.
All numbers via: NFLDraftScout.com
Eddie Lacys pro day numbers:
40 time: 4.64 (worst of the group)
Vertical Jump: 33.5 (only behind Christine Michael)
3 Cone: 7.33 (worst of the group)
Updated RB depth chart:
Eddie Lacy (possibly not a week 1 starter, but it's likely he is)
DuJuan Harris (2 starts in the playoffs in 2012)
Alex Green (6 starts due to injury in 2012)
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