Packers Are Still In the Running, Are You Happy? » Brats & Beer

December 21, 2005
posted under: NFL Draft, Packers, Ted Thompson

I was looking at the NFL standings and strength of schedule yesterday, and to my untrained mind it looks like Green Bay is still in the running for the top draft pick. Sure, it would take the Texans and the 49ers to both win this weekend, but after all the hand wringing and teeth gnashing following the Lions game, I would think some people would be relieved to hear that. Some people, but not me. It’s bad enough that the Packers are 3-11 after suffering their worst defeat since 1980, I don’t want this team to end up with the worst record in the league. This is the 12-time NFL champion Green Bay Packers we’re talking about here, not some Podunk outfit like the Houston Texans. It would just be so damn depressing.

More than depressing, I do think it could hurt the franchise in the long run to have the top pick and use it to get Reggie Bush. I’m afraid that we’d be in the same boat we’re in now, banking on one guy to save the storm-tossed ship while the other 52 roster spots go unattended. And, of course, there’s always the chance that he’ll turn out to be a bust, and one with a huge signing bonus and a crippling cap number.

It’s clear now that the Packers are going to have one of the top five picks this spring. I had hopes earlier that we might get a win Christmas Day over the Bears, and I’m still going to cheer on the Green & Gold, but watching the debacle Monday night I didn’t see much life left on that sideline. I’m not sure how the team even goes about regrouping after giving up like that. And certainly not with Noah “Two By Two (Yards That Is)” Herron playing in place of the injured Samkon Gado. I’m sure these last two games are going to look an awful lot like preseason contests, except that the Bears are going to looking to deliver some punishment and exact some revenge and the Seahawks will to be trying to make a statement by running up the score heading into the bye. Oh, Lord, now I’ve made myself even more depressed.

Okay, where was I? Right, the draft. We’re going to end up with one of the top five picks, and number three is looking most likely at this rate. Ted Thompson needs to get on the Batphone or the Hot line or whatever he calls his telephone and start lining up a deal to trade down for multiple first and second round picks. The Packers need a couple decent, not superstar just decent, offensive linemen and maybe a linebacker or two and maybe someone in the secondary. Is that too much to ask for, Santa?