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National Football League
Draft King Mailbag
March 14, 2005
Lou Pickney, DraftKing.com
Reader feedback is always welcomed here at DraftKing.com. Send your thoughts to me at LouPickney@gmail.com.
From: Doug Hamm
Sent: Sunday, March 13, 2005 12:51 PM
To: LouPickney@hotmail.com
Subject: New Orleans at 16 & Green Bay at 24
Do you think New Orleans is interested in preparing the way for a post Aaron Brooks regime, or is this pick the best player available? Do you think they would reach for another QB (Charlie Fry?) if Smith and Rogers were both off the board?
Green Bay doesn't have the best corners in the league, but they have other needs. Both safetys need to be replaced and a better pass rush would help all the defensive backs. I can't see them going for a corner with David Pollack still available. What they ought to do is see if they can get something from the Jets to move back to 26 if the Jets want to move up to grab Heath Miller ahead of the Broncos. They probably get the same player at 26 as they would at 24.
Lou: Aaron Brooks still has plenty of years ahead of him, but as Saints fans know all-too-well, victories have been elusive for New Orleans in recent years. The late season run by the Saints that saved Jim Haslett's job was impressive; somewhere Wayne Fontes was nodding in approval. But ultimately, this is Brooks' team to lead, and while Brooks has posted numbers that look good on paper, it wouldn't hurt things to bring in someone to light a fire underneath him. Or, if that doesn't work, it'd be someone to ultimately replace him.
I think it's more about the quality of either Aaron Rodgers or Alex Smith versus having to take a QB, though. If both are gone, then New Orleans can concentrate on its greatest need, defensive tackle. I have a feeling that DT Travis Johnson will go to either the Saints or the Bengals, if the teams draft for need, particularly since Johnson is so good at collapsing the pocket. But even that skill could be outweighed by the chance to land a QB (either way) who some think could go #1 overall. That is landing value at the #16 spot.
As for Green Bay, that whole defense needs a jump-start. As of this writing they haven't signed a single free agent. The news of Brett Favre's return for 2005 will come as good news to the front office, but now the issue of replacing the Mississippi Gunslinger becomes more of an issue than ever before. The cap-cutting move to release Darren Sharper doesn't help things any, though if there's any consolation to the Packers it's that there should be quality safeties available well past round one.
One argument against taking a first round DE is that Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila is at right DE and is already a force there. Bookending him with someone better than Aaron Kampman on the left might be nice, and perhaps David Pollack is the guy to do that. Pollack's stock has been sliding as of late, and there are some who feel he must increase his strength to be the pass rush threat in the pros that he was at Georgia.
Further complicating things is that the CB position is being looked at differently by some GMs. With physical contact being more limited by the rule change of 2004, speed is now king over beef, though you ideally want a nice mix of both.
Green Bay did use a first rounder last year on a CB (Ahmad Carroll), so perhaps you're right that in the end DE will win out over CB. Tonight I hope to update my mock draft, and I'll take this into consideration when I put together my newest mock.
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