2017 Eagles similar to 2015 Broncos?

It is Super Bowl week, and the Philadelphia Eagles are looking for their first Super Bowl win in three appearances. Most people think New England will win, including Vegas, as the Patriots are a 5.5-point favorite. However, the Eagles do have a chance to win, led by that defense. Now, I am not going to say this Philadelphia defense is as good as the defense of the 2015 Denver Broncos. But, I will say that this Eagles team reminds me a bit of that team. That doesn’t mean they will win, obviously, as the Broncos won against the Panthers, but I don’t think you can sell this Eagles team short.

The biggest similarity is the defenses. Like I said, the Broncos defense was better, as they had one of the best defenses in NFL history. However, this Eagles defense is really good, and has improved since the Carson Wentz injury. The easiest way to slow down Tom Brady is with pressure, and the Eagles defense can do just that. No team in the NFL put more pressure on opposing quarterbacks this season than Philadelphia, as the Eagles did so 271 times this season, a whopping 27 more than second place Cincinnati. One thing that makes stopping the pass rush so tough is that Philadelphia can bring it from more than one player, as four players have at least five sacks on the year. The defense has played better since the injury to star quarterback Carson Wentz. In the first 14 games, Philadelphia averaged giving up 19.9 points per game. Since then, it has averaged giving up 8.3 points per in the four games Wentz hasn’t played. I don’t know if it is the defense feeling they need to win every game for them, but the unit has been outstanding.

Compared to that vaunted Denver defense from two years ago, Philadelphia holds its own. In yards per game, Denver allowed just 4530 (1st), 296 points (4th) and took the ball away 27 times (8th). Philadelphia, on the other hand, allowed 4904 yards (4th), 295 points (4th) and took the ball away 31 times (4th). Points is obviously the most important statistic, and they are virtually dead even. In the playoffs, the Eagles offense has had to do just enough, because the defense has been lights out. Philadelphia has just allowed a total of 17 points in its two playoff games so far. Denver allowed an average of nearly 15 points per game in the playoffs. I will say, though, that the offenses Philadelphia has played so far are no match for the offenses Denver played, as the 15 points per game came against three of the four highest scoring offenses that season. Incredible!

Next, the quarterback play was spotty at best most of the time. Yes, I realize Nick Foles played like a combination of Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers in the NFC Championship against Minnesota’s top ranked defense, but that is not the norm. In the five games in place of Wentz, Foles has a 60 percent completion percentage with five touchdowns and two interceptions. However, much of that damage was done in his first game against the woeful New York Giants defense. Without that performance, the numbers fall to a 58 percent completion percentage, one touchdown and two interceptions, as well as his team scored just 11.3 points per game. Not good.

Amazingly, the Broncos quarterback duo in 2015 of an over-the-hill Peyton Manning and Brock Osweiler was even worse. The duo had a completion percentage of just under 61 percent and had a combined 19 touchdowns, compared to 23 interceptions. Not surprisingly, their combined quarterback rating was just 76.3, which if you are not familiar with what a good quarterback rating is, a 76.3 rating is bad. Really bad. Philadelphia will need to pull a 2015 Broncos and carry Foles across the finish line. Will Foles have another game like two weeks ago? I suppose he could, but with Bill Belichick having two weeks to prepare, I am betting he reverts to the mean.

Each team had (or has) a strong running game, led by multiple running backs. Neither team had a running back reach 1,000 yards on the ground, but both teams had two backs hit at least 700 yards. Denver’s leading rusher was Ronnie Hillman with 863 yards, while C.J. Anderson added 720 for the Broncos. I will add, though, that Anderson had a nice playoffs with 234 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Philadelphia finished third in the league in rushing with 2115 yards, with former New England Patriot LeGarrette Blount leading the way with 766 yards. Jay Ajayi had 408 yards on the ground with the Eagles, but 873 total, as he was acquired from Miami midway through the season. Corey Clement, the No. 3 running back, also has had a nice season, rushing for 321 yards on the ground.

Like I have stated, I don’t believe the Eagles have as great of a defense as the 2015 Broncos did, but this defense located in the City of Brotherly Love is a salty unit. With the poor quarterback play and the tremendous defense played by the Eagles, it makes me think of the Denver Broncos team of 2015. I am not saying Philadelphia will win on Sunday, especially against the GOAT, Tom Brady. I am, however, saying that to not sell this team, and specifically, this defense, short. It should be a fun one at U.S. Bank Stadium on Sunday.

Packers Mock v. 2.0

I have decided to do a second Packers mock draft already, even before the end of the season. This will probably be the last one before the compensatory picks are announced in about a month. Green Bay are expected to acquire four compensatory selections. Once those picks are announced and free agency starts rolling, I will make Packers mock drafts more frequently.

1. Josh Jackson, CB, Iowa (previous: Marcus Davenport)

As much as Green Bay needs pass rushing help, the team could use another cornerback as well. If the last two years has taught us anything, it is that you can never have too much depth at this position. The last two years, the Packers have had to start players like Josh Hawkins and LaDarius Gunter. Not ideal. I would also be in favor of signing a top corner in free agency, such as Trumaine Johnson. A cornerback group of Johnson, Jackson, Kevin King, Damarious Randall and Quinten Rollins would be terrific. Another reason to draft a cornerback high is because of the uncertainty of safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix. To say the former Alabama star had a poor 2017 season would be an understatement. If he has another bad season in 2018, I would let him leave in free agency next offseason and move Randall to safety, which he played at Arizona State, and I think he would excel at. Jackson is a playmaker and a ball hawk (no pun intended). He led the FBS with eight interceptions and has the size and athleticism to be a terrific corner. Fans in Wisconsin remember him well, as he was the only Hawkeyes player to score points in Iowa’s trip to Camp Randall in November, picking off two Alex Hornibrook passes and returning both for scores.

2. Arden Key, OLB, LSU (previous: Billy Price)

Now, I don’t think he will last until the second round, but if they do indeed add four compensatory selections, there is ammo to move up. Key could be available in the late first if the Packers wanted to trade up. They did it in 2009 in the first year under Dom Capers, drafting Clay Matthews, and it would not surprise me if they do it again. Green Bay has a major hole at pass rusher, and Key is one of the best in that area in the draft. He had a poor season in 2017 with only four sacks, which pushed his draft stock to the area that it is now. If he were in the 2017 draft, he would have been a top five pick. As a sophomore, Key was a monster, sacking opposing quarterbacks 12 times in 11 games and only went sackless in two of the 11. The drop in production from his sophomore to his junior year is concerning, as is his leave of absence in the beginning of 2017. However, his talent is undeniable. Key is the best pass rusher in this draft. He has all the physical tools and shows flashes of greatness. However, the LSU standout takes too many plays off and just goes through the motions on occasion. Maybe it is just him not caring and trying not to get hurt because he knew he was going to go pro as soon as the season ended or maybe it is something else. This would scare me quite a bit, honestly, but if his motor is on, he is a top five player in the draft. I just hope he would not turn out to be another Jerel Worthy.

3. Anthony Miller, WR, Memphis (previous: Miller)

I believe one of Randall Cobb or Jordy Nelson will be cut this offseason if they don’t take a significant pay cut. I do believe Miller can take the place of the departed. Even if they are both kept, which I think is unlikely, both are free agents next offseason, so Brian Gutekunst would be wise to take one relatively high in the draft. I have a hard time seeing the Packers keep three wide receivers making at at least $10 million when they could spend that money on defense. Ted Thompson is no longer the GM, but he dominated when drafting wide receivers in the second and third round: Adams, Nelson, Cobb, Greg Jennings, James Jones. Even though Thompson is not the GM any more, Miller could be the next in that line. The former walk-on has been a monster the last two seasons, having at least 95 catches and 1,400 yards both seasons. Even when the other teams know where the ball is going, Miller still comes through. In six of Memphis’ games this year, he had at least 140 yards receiving. Against UCF in the Conference USA Championship game, he did all he could to try to help the Tigers win, catching 14 passes for 195 yards and three touchdowns in the 62-55 double overtime loss. Miller has the potential to be a great slot receiver for the Green and Gold. McCarthy should look to get him the ball in different ways, much like Kansas City does with Tyreek Hill. The Memphis product has a chance to score any time he touches the ball. There is better depth in this wide receiver class than it is better at the top, so they could get a solid receiver prospect in the second or early third day.

4. Troy Fumagalli, TE, Wisconsin (previous: Mike Gesicki)

I would prefer Gesicki, even as a die-hard Wisconsin fan, but I think he’ll go in the third round. I would love for him to fall to the fourth, but Fumagalli would be a nice “consolation prize.” He is one of the more complete tight ends in the draft, as he helped Jonathan Taylor have a record-breaking freshman campaign at Wisconsin, as well as catching 135 passes in his career. He has good hands and the athleticism to become a very good tight end. Fellow former Badger Lance Kendricks is the only tight end currently on the roster, and I think they will draft one to develop and then sign one. With Martellus Bennett gone and Richard Rodgers possibly gone, a tight end is a major question mark this offseason.

5. Austin Corbett, OL, Nevada (previous: Jamarco Jones)

Just like the cornerback depth, the offensive line depth was also put to the test in 2017, and did not perform well. Jahri Evans is a free agent, and is getting up there in age anyway. Corbett may go higher than this, as he had a great senior season with the Wolfpack. He was a four-year starter for Nevada, and was the team’s left tackle this past season. Even though he was a tackle in college, he will move inside at the next level. Corbett’s versatility would be attractive to Green Bay.

6. Jake Wieneke, WR, South Dakota State (previous: Michael Joseph)

This is the second wide receiver I have the team drafting after selecting Miller in the third round. I could see Green Bay taking another since I believe Cobb or Nelson is gone this offseason and Jeff Janis is a free agent. Wieneke dominated the FCS level, catching 288 passes for 5,157 yards and 59 touchdowns. In three of his years, he had 16 touchdowns and at least 1,300 yards receiving. He has the size to be a solid NFL wide receiver, and is a good route runner with terrific hands. Obviously, his biggest question will be his competition week in and week out. However, he did play nationally ranked TCU in 2016 and dominate, catching eight passes for 196 yards and a pair of scores. I think he could end up being a steal if he lasts until round six.

7a. Drew Bailey, DE, Louisville (previous: Bailey)

He has perfect size for a 3-4 defensive end at 6-foot-5 and 294 pounds. Obviously, a seventh round pick is just a stab in the dark, and I think at least one defensive lineman will be drafted by the Packers. He had a very solid year as a junior, but his production fell off in 2017, having no tackles for loss and just a half a sack this past season after having nine and two, respectively, the year before. The Packers could use some depth for Dean Lowry and Mike Daniels.

7b. Natrell Jamerson, S, Wisconsin (previous: N/A)

I have added this pick now, as it was announced recently the Packers acquired a 2018 seventh round pick from Buffalo in a 2016 trade involving outside linebacker Lerentee McCray. I decided to give the Packers their second former Badger in the draft. Jamerson is coming off being named the Defensive Most Valuable Player of the East-West Shrine Game after recovering a fumble and returning it for a touchdown. He started all 14 games this season and missed just one tackle in 811 defensive snaps this past season. Jamerson, like all other late round picks, will have to prove himself on special teams, and he has the speed to do just that.

Biggest question this offseason: Cobb or Nelson?

Now that all of the coaching positions have been filled on the Green Bay Packers staff, the Packers need to look at the roster and find potential cap casualties. After the re-signing of wide receiver Davante Adams for four years/$58 million, new General Manager Brian Gutekunst has to make a decision on what to do with the other two wide receivers, Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb.

Adams was the only consistent threat no matter who was throwing him the ball. On the year, Adams hauled in 74 passes for 885 yards and 10 scores. When Hundley was throwing the ball to Adams, the 25-year-old grabbed 46 balls for 543 yards and five touchdowns. With Aaron Rodgers throwing him the ball, there was not much of a difference in production, especially when compared to the other two.

Nelson or Cobb? Cobb or Nelson? Who will the Packers keep? It would not be in the best interest of the organization to keep both and go into the season with three high-priced wide receivers when they could use some of that money to plug a hole on the defensive side of the ball. Nelson and Cobb were both virtually non-existent when Hundley was at quarterback, which is one of the reasons Adams was a player the team needed to re-sign. In the next few paragraphs, I will examine the pros and cons for bringing back each player. It may happen, but I have my doubts they will keep both, as the two have a combined cap hit of more than $25 million.

First, I will give you the pros and cons of Nelson. I’ll start with the fact that Nelson and Rodgers have a chemistry that is second to none. With Rodgers as the main quarterback, Nelson had at least 1,200 yards receiving in four of the last five seasons leading up to this one, and in three of those years, he had at least 13 touchdown receptions. He has been Rodgers’ go-to weapon in crucial points of games, which includes a game-tying touchdown with 17 seconds left against Cincinnati this past year. Nelson had a poor year this year, as he had his fewest amount of receiving yards since 2009. The big play receiver only caught 53 of his 88 targets. However, he played much better with Rodgers under center in the limited games the Packers starting quarterback played in 2017. Before the injury to Green Bay’s star quarterback, Nelson had caught 20 passes on 29 targets for 240 yards and six touchdowns in the little over five games before Rodgers went down. Those still are not the numbers we are accustomed to from Jordy, but still, decent numbers. And he is still a major threat in the red zone. Even with a down year this year, he still has 33 touchdowns since 2014......and that was him missing the entire 2015 season.

Even though he is a fan favorite, Nelson has plenty of reasons to move on from him as well. First off, he will be 33 by the time the season rolls around. I mentioned his stats through the first five-plus games with Rodgers this past season. Well, they look better than his full season statistics, but they are not great, especially for his standards. And they are certainly not worth the around $13 million he’ll make next season if he is not let go. Even when Rodgers came back for the Carolina game, he only was targeted six times and caught three passes for 28 yards. With Hundley at quarterback, Nelson only had 214 yards receiving in those nearly nine full games, and 50 of those were in the game Rodgers was hurt in against Minnesota. Some of that may be due to him playing with Hundley for much of the year, but the more likely cause of his slide is that the soon-to-be-33-year-old has lost a step. He cannot get open like he used to. Also, No. 87 is supposed to be the deep threat, but this past season, he had just two catches of more than 30 yards and just four of at least 20 yards. He never had one game of at least 80 yards receiving and never reached 40 yards receiving in any of his last nine, and that includes the game in which Rodgers came back. The injury to Rodgers was no doubt a huge factor in the drop-off from Nelson, but it is not the only reason. I just think he has lost the speed to be a consistent deep threat, which was one of Jordy’s biggest strengths. It will be interesting to see if they keep Jordy for the final year of his contract or let him go.

Now, the biggest pro for Cobb as opposed to Nelson, is that the former does not turn 28 until late August. Despite missing a game, in the first five weeks with Rodgers healthy, Cobb had 218 yards receiving on 23 receptions in those four games he played. Then, when A.A. Ron came back against Carolina, the University of Kentucky standout had seven catches for 84 yards and a touchdown. Cobb is not a “deep threat,” but he still had four catches of at least 30 yards, and two more of at least 20 yards. Even with Hundley at quarterback, in his final nine games, he had four games of at least 50 yards receiving, and had another of more than 40, which is five more games of at least 40 yards receiving than Nelson had in the same time. Randall had more catches and receiving yards than Jordy, and Cobb caught 66 of his 91 targets, and his 653 yards receiving were second on the team, only to Adams. With Cobb playing decent with Hundley at quarterback, I think Cobb would get the nod, especially with him being five years younger than Nelson. I will say, though, that the Packers need a deep threat to go along with Adams and Cobb, and will need to do that in the draft or free agency.

There are plenty of reasons for Cobb to be kept over Nelson, but there is reason to think both might not be back in 2018. There are a number of solid free agent wide receivers out there, and if Gutekunst thinks a free agent wide receiver is better than Cobb and will command less than the near $13 million Cobb will earn next season, I am all for letting Cobb go and signing that free agent. The biggest strike against Cobb is that his stats have not been great the last two seasons, and has not lived up to his contract. He has averaged less than 700 yards receiving in his last three years since having his lone 1,000 season in 2014, certainly not even remotely close to the money he is making.

After Rodgers has his contract re-worked, I imagine Gutekunst will move on to what to do at wide receiver. Both will more than likely be asked to take pay cuts, and if both don’t, which is likely, one will be gone (I am guessing Nelson). Both could be gone, but I doubt it.

Packers Offseason Preview

There has already been a number of moves made by the Packers and we are just a little over a week removed from their final game of the season. This is just the beginning of what will be an interesting offseason. In addition to all the coaches being fired or taking other jobs, new General Manager Brian Gutekunst will have to make decisions on certain players who are being paid more than what they are producing right now. Green Bay has tons of needs and will need to utilize both free agency and the draft to fill them. I doubt Packers will make a splash this free agency, but even a few smaller free agent signings to plug holes would be big.

Gone are: General Manager Ted Thompson (although, he will still be a part of the organization), Edgar Bennett (offensive coordinator), Dom Capers (defensive coordinator), Luke Getsy (wide receivers coach, went to Mississippi State), Alex Van Pelt (quarterbacks coach), Mike Trgovac (defensive line coach) and Scott McCurley (inside linebackers coach). Green Bay filled a few of the positions by hiring back Joe Philbin, who was the offensive coordinator from 2007-11, and hiring Gutekunst to replace Thompson. Gutekunst, who was the Director of Player Personnel, has a scouting background, and has been with the organization since 1999. It remains to be seen what will happen with Eliot Wolf, who was passed over for the job. The Packers also are looking at former Giants coach Ben McAdoo to be their quarterbacks coach. When he and Philbin were on the staff together in 2011, they had one of the best offenses in league history and finished 15-1.

On the actual roster, as I mentioned, there are plenty of holes to be filled. Fortunately, the Packers re-signed their two biggest free agents late in the season. On back-to-back days, Green Bay re-signed both wide receiver Davante Adams and center Corey Linsley. The Green and Gold still have a few bigger free agents, but none who I would consider “must-keep.” Morgan Burnett, Ahmad Brooks, Davon House and Jahri Evans are their big free agents. After drafting Josh Jones a year ago, I wonder if Burnett is now expendable. Brooks was solid when in there, but not irreplaceable. Evans was a stop-gap until someone younger comes in. House is a solid No. 4 cornerback and was hurt quite a bit last year. I would not be surprised if he comes back on a cheap deal. He is a decent depth option, but when he has to cover top receivers on other teams, he will be exposed. I think Gutekunst will be a bit more active in free agency this offseason, as the window to win a championship with Aaron Rodgers is slowly closing.

The first order of business this offseason will be to extend the quarterback. As of right now, Rodgers is the eighth highest paid quarterback in the league, behind players like Joe Flacco, Kirk Cousins and the often injured Andrew Luck. Rodgers, whose contract runs out after the 2019 season, deserves to once again be paid like the top quarterback in the NFL and his contract will be worked on this offseason. I expect the star quarterback, who just turned 34 last month, to earn north of $30 million per season.

Of the free agents the Packers have, I imagine House is the most likely to be brought back. He did not play as well as he is capable of this year. I don’t think he is a great corner by any means, but he is would provide depth at a position that lacks it and can fill in as a No. 3 corner or maybe even a No. 2 depending on the matchup if they are hit with injuries like this past year. Bringing in another cornerback would be a wise decision this offseason. Before this year, you had to look out for which players get cut, and think which players could be signed by Green Bay. This year, we don’t know the strategy of Gutekunst since this is his first year as the lead man.

The top cornerback free agent this year is New England’s Malcolm Butler. If he is not re-signed by New England, he will be an intriguing name. Under Thompson, there would be a zero percent chance they go after him. I highly doubt Butler, who turns 28 in March, will sign in Green Bay, but if he does, it would be a great cornerback group with Butler, Kevin King and Damarious Randall. Trumaine Johnson for the Rams was franchised last year and is another good corner. Another possible option is Chicago’s Kyle Fuller, especially if Vic Fangio comes across the border to be the new defensive coordinator. I have a hard time seeing the Packers, even with a new general manager, paying top dollar for a free agent. But it’s fun to think about.

In terms of pass rushers, I wanted him last year, but Connor Barwin would be a nice pickup. He should not cost much and you could plug him on pass rush downs while the first round rookie is getting his feet wet. I would roll with Clay Matthews, Nick Perry, Barwin, Vince Biegel and Reggie Gilbert at outside linebacker, along with a rookie who I think will be drafted in the first round. Chicago free agents Sam Acho and Lamarr Houston are two more the Packers could look at as well.

If Jordy Nelson is let go, the Packers will be in need of a deep threat. One player who could fit is Arizona’s John Brown, but he will probably look for No. 1 wide receiver money, and Green Bay will not give him that. Baltimore’s Mike Wallace could be another guy, but I expect the new Packers general manager to draft a wide receiver instead of signing one in free agency. I could see Green Bay both draft a tight end and sign one in free agency. I already mentioned in my Packers mock draft post about how much I love Penn State’s Mike Gesicki, so an established blocking tight end could be a good position to target in free agency. One option could be Denver’s Virgil Green and another could be Miami’s Anthony Fasano. If they choose to sign a more complete tight end in free agency, they could look at Austin Seferian-Jenkins. The 25-year-old has shown flashes of what made him a second round pick in 2014, but has not shown enough of it. He has not played with the world’s greatest quarterbacks in Tampa Bay and New York, so maybe putting him with Rodgers would be big for him. He has developed into a very run blocker as well. He could be a steal for whatever team signs him.

Fasten your seatbelts, Packers fans, because this has been and will continue to be an interesting offseason. With the organization likely to receive four compensatory selections, Gutekust has a chance to make a splash right away.

Packers Mock Draft

Unfortunately, for the first time since I was a sophomore at UW-Marathon County, the Green Bay Packers will not participate in this year’s playoffs. That cost many people their job on the team, from Ted Thompson all the way down to many position coaches. Within the next few weeks, the organization that has been as consistent as any in the NFL will have a new general manager and two new coordinators. This has been an interesting offseason already and will continue to be. The team eliminated a few questions late in the season by re-signing free agents-to-be Davante Adams and Corey Linsley. Still, there are plenty of questions this winter and spring. What will happen with Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb? What about Bryan Bulaga, Clay Matthews and Nick Perry? I think one of Nelson or Cobb will be gone, given it will be tough to keep three high-priced wide receivers, so that position will likely be addressed in the draft, as will the pass rush. Both Matthews and Perry are high-priced and while effective when playing, are often hurt. So, with that, here is my first installment of my Packers mock draft. As of right now, I will not put any compensatory picks in there. They are expected to acquire four, but I will not put them in until I see exactly which rounds they acquire picks in.

1) Marcus Davenport, DE/OLB, UT-San Antonio

Davenport may not be a top-15 type of prospect right now, but many think he will be by the time the draft rolls around. I mentioned about Matthews and Perry, but there needs to be more. Green Bay actually finished tied for 17th in sacks with 37, but that does not give the story on the Packers pass rush. Too many times in 2017, the opposing quarterback had time to sit back with all the time in the world before finding an open receiver. Davenport is a raw talent, but he has all the physical tools to be a dominant pass rusher. The UT-San Antonio product had 17.5 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks this year. It wouldn’t even surprise me if the 6-foot-7 freak of nature climbs his way into the top 10. Pass rush is easily the top need for the Packers this offseason. I could see them sign another in free agency to go along with Davenport while he finds his way in the NFL. Matthews, who turns 32 in May, is not what he once was, but he still had a solid season. His 7.5 sacks in 14 games are his most since his 11-sack season in 2014. Perry had seven sacks in just 12 games for Green Bay this past season after earning a huge contract extension last offseason. I will say, though, that Perry’s sack total was inflated due to his three sack game in Chicago. He has only appeared in at least 14 games three times in his six years in the league, which is worrisome. The team will need depth at the position, even if Matthews and Perry stay healthy next season.

2) Billy Price, OL, Ohio State

Even with the re-signing of Linsley, the Packers still have a hole at guard with the possible retirement of Jahri Evans. Lucas Patrick filled in at guard against Minnesota and held his own. However, I see him as a solid reserve, but not a long-term replacement. Price would be a big-time get if he were to fall to the mid-second round, but it may be wishful thinking on my part. Price can play both guard and center, just as he did with Ohio State. Price played guard his first three years and moved to center after current Minnesota Viking Pat Elflein graduated. As a guard in 2016, Price was an Associated Press second team All-American. He did one better as a senior this past season, earning consensus first team All-American honors, as well as winning the Rimington Trophy, awarded to the player considered to be the best center in college football. Elflein won that award in 2016. Putting Price on an offensive line with Linsley, Bulaga, David Bakhtiari and Lane Taylor would be outstanding. Like I said, it may be wishful thinking, but it is hard to predict the draft three and a half months before it happens.

3) Anthony Miller, WR, Memphis

I mentioned earlier that I believe either Nelson or Cobb will be gone. I also wonder if the Packers move Ty Montgomery back to wide receiver since Jamaal Williams and Aaron Jones seem to have locked down the running back tandem. I have a hard time seeing the Packers keep three wide receivers making at at least $10 million when they could spend that money on defense. Thompson is no longer the GM, but he dominated when drafting wide receivers in the second and third round: Adams, Nelson, Cobb, Greg Jennings, James Jones. Even though Thompson is not the GM any more, Miller could be the next in that line. The former walk-on has been a monster the last two seasons, having at least 95 catches and 1,400 yards both seasons. Even when the other teams know where the ball is going, Miller still comes through. In six of Memphis’ games this year, he had at least 140 yards receiving. Against UCF in the Conference USA Championship game, he did all he could to try to help the Tigers win, catching 14 passes for 195 yards and three touchdowns in the 62-55 double overtime loss. Miller has the potential to be a great slot receiver for the Green and Gold. McCarthy should look to get him the ball in different ways, much like Kansas City does with Tyreek Hill. The Memphis product has a chance to score any time he touches the ball. With this being a relatively weak wide receiver class, there is a good chance Miller is drafted before this pick. But once again, this may be wishful thinking on my part...

4) Mike Gesicki, TE, Penn State

I admit, I have a serious man-crush on the big tight end from Penn State. Every time I watch him, I am impressed. He does not get a ton of targets (or as many as I think he should get), but when he does, he makes the most of them. The last two seasons, he has a combined 105 catches for 1,242 yards and 14 scores. He might not make it out of the third round, so I would love if the Packers were to draft him with their likely third round compensatory pick. Admittedly, his run blocking is a work in progress, but the 6-foot-6 Gesicki has some of the best hands in this entire draft class. Aaron Rodgers needs a big tight end who can stretch the field, and receiving-wise, he is in the mold of a Rob Gronkowski and Travis Kelce to me. After the Martellus Bennett experiment backfired, the Packers will need to pick up a tight end in this year’s draft. There are a number of good tight ends this year, but Gesicki is my favorite. Richard Rodgers is an unrestricted free agent this offseason and he is just an average tight end. With Bennett gone and Rodgers possibly gone, a tight end is a major question mark this offseason. Lance Kendricks may be the only tight end currently on the roster who is on the team in 2018. If Green Bay could draft a guy like Gesicki and then sign a blocking tight end, it will be a huge success.

5) Jamarco Jones, OT, Ohio State

After Bulaga went on Injured Reserve, the lack of a backup offensive line showed. Justin McCray can play all over the offensive line, so he will be a part of the team moving forward. Jason Spriggs, the second round pick two years ago, has been a complete bust. He has been hurt quite a bit, and even when healthy, has not been effective. I am not even sure he makes the team next year unless he improves dramatically. Jones will come in and push for Spriggs’ spot behind Bulaga. Jones, a teammate of Price at Ohio State, was named a first team All-Big Ten this past year. He has talent, but is a giant question mark, and will likely slide into the later rounds because of them.

6) Michael Joseph, CB, Dubuque

As Green Bay found out this year, you can never have too much depth at cornerback. With their top four cornerbacks either out or playing at around 50 percent, they were shredded in Detroit to end the season. Joseph won this year’s Cliff Harris Award, which honors the nation’s top small-college defensive player, and became the first Division III player to ever win the award. Joseph, at 6-feet tall and 180 pounds, has nice size for the position. Joseph had eight interceptions this past year and twice had three picks in a single game. Joseph is a sleeper in this year’s draft, and like all small school players, there will be questions about the competition he faced while with Dubuque. If invited to the combine, he will have a chance to answer those.

7) Drew Bailey, DE, Louisville

He has perfect size for a 3-4 defensive end at 6-foot-5 and 294 pounds. Obviously, a seventh round pick is just a stab in the dark, and I think at least one defensive lineman will be drafted by the Packers. He had a very solid year as a junior, but his production fell off in 2017, having no tackles for loss and just a half a sack this past season after having nine and two, respectively, the year before. The Packers could use some depth for Dean Lowry and Mike Daniels.

Orange Bowl Review: Wisconsin Earns Program-Record 13th Win

In what was a home game for the Miami Hurricanes, Wisconsin earned its program-record 13th win, a 34-24 victory over Miami in the Orange Bowl. It was a bit more high scoring than I thought it would be, but Alex Hornibrook and company always came through after Miami kept climbing back. With the win, the Badgers improved to 13-1 and improved the Big Ten’s record to 7-0 during the bowl season. Miami fell to 10-3 with the loss, losing its final three games. Everybody contributed to this win. The entire offense was tremendous against a great Miami defense. Even without leading receiver Quintez Cephus, the Badgers scored 34 points against a defense that had only allowed more than 30 points once on the season previously. This win is the fourth consecutive bowl win for Wisconsin, following a three-game bowl losing streak. It is also the second straight New Year’s Six bowl win after defeating Western Michigan in last year’s Cotton Bowl. In an odd stat, this is only the fifth bowl game in the last 18 for the Badgers that has been decided by more than one score. Miami, with its turnover chain, was one of the best teams in the nation in turnover differential. In the Orange Bowl, Miami lost the turnover battle 3-1. What a tremendous win. I am only reviewing the positives in the game. Anthony Lotti had a disappointing performance and the defense gave up too many chunk plays, but this was a fantastic game and season and the positives far outweighed the negatives in the game.

Easily, the biggest positive in the game was the quarterback. In the preview for this game, I wrote Hornibrook needed to make some plays in order to win. Boy did he ever. Considering the opponent, this may have been his best performance ever. In the game, the sophomore quarterback completed 23 of 34 passes for 258 yards and four touchdowns, and perhaps more importantly, zero interceptions. His four touchdown passes are the most in Wisconsin bowl history. It was only the fourth game in 14 that he did not throw it to the other team, but it was the second in the three games. As good as he was, he was even better on third down. When the defense knew he was going to pass, he completed 7-of-11 passes for 85 yards with five of them resulting in first downs and four of those coming on 3rd-and-7+. And he was going against the defense which was second in the country in sacks. His poise was outstanding during the game. Even when facing pressure, his pocket presence was very good to elude the pressure and make great throws. The young receiving core made some great catches, but Hornibrook was able to deliver the ball to them where only they could catch it. Even with all the great performances, the Badgers quarterback was named Orange Bowl Most Valuable Player, and he earned it. What an outstanding performance by him against a very good defense. With his performance, he moved into 10th place on Wisconsin’s all-time passing yardage list. In passing touchdowns, he moved up to sixth all-time (34) and his 25 touchdown passes this year are second in school history, only to Russell Wilson’s 33 in 2011. If he plays like this in 2018, this offense will be nearly impossible to stop.

Next, I will go to the Badgers bell-cow, Jonathan Taylor. He had a disappointing performance in the Big Ten Championship against Ohio State, rushing for only 41 yards on 15 carries. Taylor made up for it against a stingy Miami defense, rushing for 130 yards on 26 carries, a five yard average. The 130 yards by Taylor were the most the Hurricanes defense allowed to a single player all year, and he was only the third player to break the century mark against that great defense. He started fast and never looked back, even though he fumbled (which really wasn’t a fumble....I have no idea how it was reversed) on the opening drive. In the game, the freshman phenom set the NCAA record for most rushing yards by a freshman, breaking the record of former Oklahoma great Adrian Peterson (although, the record really belongs to Ron Dayne). Taylor rushed for at least 100 yards in 10 of Wisconsin’s 14 games, and he got hurt in one of the four he didn’t rush for 100 (Illinois) and came off the bench in another (Utah State). What a spectacular season by him, and us Badgers fans are lucky enough to be able to watch him the next two seasons as well. I could see a Heisman in his future. He finished sixth this year and will only get better. Even if that fumble was a poor reversal on the first drive, he still needs to work on his ball security. Taylor fumbled the ball eight times on the year, losing six. That will need to be addressed because that is way too many. That was the only blemish on what was otherwise an incredible freshman season. And the best is yet to come!

No Jazz Peavy. No Quintez Cephus. No problem for this receiving core. Every game, this unit improves. It isn’t just one player, either. One game, it could be Danny Davis. One game, it could be A.J. Taylor. Another, it could be Kendric Pryor. In the Orange Bowl, it was Davis and Taylor. I’ll start off with Davis, who caught five passes for 56 yards and three touchdowns. The true freshman became the first Badgers player to record multiple receiving touchdowns in a bowl game. He caught three. According to Pro Football Focus, Davis was targeted six times in the Orange Bowl and when targeted, Hornibrook had a 145.1 passer rating. The true freshman’s three touchdown catches are the most by a Badger since Garrett Graham also had three in a win over Michigan State in 2009. He will be playing on Sundays after his time in Madison. Sophomore A.J. Taylor had a great coming out party. Coming into the game, he only had 23 catches for 370 yards and four touchdowns. His eight catches for 105 yards in the Orange Bowl are both career-highs. He also added a great touchdown reception late in the first half. Of his eight catches, four went for either a first down or a touchdown. He has really stepped up in the absence of Cephus. When Quintez comes back, though, watch out. Cephus and A.J. Taylor are both sophomores and Davis and Pryor are both freshman. They will be loaded at wide receiver next season.

Moving right along, I have to give some props to he offensive line. The line helped the Jonathan Taylor run for his 130 yards and created clean pockets for Hornibrook. Miami came into the game having sacked opposing quarterbacks 43 times, which was second in the country. Well, the offensive line allowed just one sack to the fearsome Miami pass rush. Tackle David Edwards was getting beat repeatedly during the game, and was taken out due to injury. Enter redshirt freshman Patrick Kasl. The freshman held his own and Hornibrook’s jersey stayed clean. Guard Beau Benzschawel has decided to come back for his senior season, so if Michael Deiter follows suit, the entire offensive line will return. It has a chance to return to dominance like in 2010 and 2011.

The defense as a whole played decent. The group played well in the final three quarters, allowing only 10 points after spotting the Hurricanes a 14-3 lead after the first quarter. After Miami blew down the field on its first three drives, resulting in the 14 points, the Wisconsin defense held Miami to minus-8 yards on eight plays in its next three possessions, including an interception by Andrew Van Ginkel, his second in as many games. The defense gave up way too many big plays, just like against Ohio State. However, they did have a few major standouts in the game. Let’s start with Van Ginkel, since I already mentioned him. He turned the tide in the game. The Canes had driven deep into Bucky territory on all of their first three drives, and the Badgers just had to punt it back to Miami’s red hot offense, already trailing 14-3. After a tackle for loss on first down, Malik Rosier tried a screen on second down that was picked off by the Badgers junior linebacker. That helped set up a touchdown pass from Hornibrook to Davis to cut it to 14-10. It was the first of three consecutive touchdown drives by the Wisconsin offense. For the game, Van Ginkel had three tackles, including a sack, and that interception. He is ready for the expanded role he will get next year with Leon Jacobs and Garret Dooley graduating. Derrick Tindal had a nice send-off, finishing with one very big interception. With Miami having all the confidence in the world, Tindal made the biggest play of his career. The Hurricanes scored a long touchdown on their second drive of the second half to cut it to 24-21 and had moved the ball 37 yards in the previous three plays to move to the Wisconsin 24. But Tindal picked off a Rosier pass in the end zone, thwarting the Miami threat. He was also a huge reason why the Hurricanes were just 2-of-10 on third downs in the game.

The last two years, few kickers in America have been as good as Rafael Gaglianone. He was money again on Saturday night. The kicker was a big reason why Bucky emerged victorious. Gaglianone was 2-of-2 on the night with makes from 35 and 47. That 47-yard field goal put the Badgers up 27-21 late in the third quarter, and he improved to 4-of-4 from 40+ on the season. Compare that to Miami’s Michael Badgley, who just made 1-of-3, including the back-breaker, a 24-yard chip shot which hit the upright and kept the Badgers in front by two scores. He was 14-of-16 on his attempts this season, and has made 26 of his past 29, dating back to 2015. With his two field goals made, he moves in front of Philip Welch for the second most field goals in school history with 60. He trails only Todd Gregoire’s 65, so barring injury, Gaglianone will blow past Gregoire’s record. The 88.9 percent clip he hit from this year is also second, only to Matt Davenport’s 90.5 percent in 1998. It sure is nice having a reliable kicker after what the team dealt with in 2012 and 2013. Gaglianone is one of the best kickers this program has ever had, and he still has another season. Bravo Rafael!

Finally, the resilience this team has shown all year long has been incredible. Things looked bad after the first quarter. Wisconsin was down 14-3 and could not slow the Miami offense down at all. But, like it has all season, bounced back in a big way. In the second quarter, the Badgers outscored the Hurricanes 21-0 to take a 24-14 lead into halftime. That was the fourth time it has trailed by at least 10 points this season: Down 10-0 to Utah State, 10-0 to Indiana and multiple times against Ohio State......and the team battled back each time. After trailing by double digits this year, the Badgers ouscored opponents 143-20 and won three of those four games. They lost 27-21 to Ohio State in the Big Ten Championship, but had a chance to win it at the end, even after trailing 24-13 early in the fourth quarter.

What a year it was for the Wisconsin Badgers. Heading into the year, there were many questions, and not many answers after a slow start against Utah State. Most thought Wisconsin would finish with 10 or 11 wins in the regular season based solely on its less-than-tough schedule. Well, the Badgers finished 12-0 and were just a few plays from going 13-0 and a berth in the College Football Playoff. Next year, the Badgers will have to replace several defensive starters and will have a much tougher schedule, as they have road games against Penn State, Michigan, Iowa and Northwestern. The offense should be loaded, though, with as many as nine starters returning. I already cannot wait for next season, starting Aug. 31 against Western Kentucky at Camp Randall Stadium.