When it comes to the Green Bay Packers, it doesn’t matter if their record is 13-3 or 3-13, under general manager Ted Thompson, like his mentor Ron Wolf, the Packers will draft the best player available with their three picks in the first two rounds Saturday. That is, of course if they keep them all. It seems to be a given that Thompson won’t keep both second round picks, but I think he might. This draft has good depth according to most experts which makes me think the Packers can get three really good players with those first day picks and unlike previous years when they were rebuilding, they don’t need more picks.
Like last year proved, who Thompson will take with the first pick is a crap shoot, my guess is a defensive end or cornerback only because I think those positions will have the best player available when the Packers pick at number thirty. I really think the tight end class is horrible and even though that is a position of need, it is highly unlikely the Packers can find any help this weekend in that department. Thompson maybe should have kept Bubba one more year, because I can’t see any help coming this weekend. Can you say Jeremy Shockey? That would be my move if I was going to trade one of those second-round picks.
The Packers will take a quarterback, but not Saturday. I’m hoping for John David Booty sometime on Sunday. Call it a hunch, but I have a good feeling about him. Thompson missed part of the owners meetings last month to visit USC and while I’m sure he wasn’t there for just one player, but he does have scouts, doesn’t he? Something intrigued him.
One player that I know intrigues him is Daunte Culpepper, who visited Green Bay Tuesday. Not sure what Thompson has in mind this close to the draft, but I wouldn’t mind Culpepper backing up Aaron Rodgers with Booty learning the ropes as third-string. That could hinge on Thompson taking a quarterback on Saturday. If Thompson feels a quarterback is the best player available with those top picks he will take him and in that case that player would likely be the backup to Rodgers. It is going to be interesting, but I doubt Culpepper is signed this week.
Many think the Minnesota Vikings are the team to beat now in the division thanks to the Jared Allen trade. Give me a break. Did they need a new driver for the Love Boat? Here is a team with an owner who says he is cleaning up the franchise and they give up a first and two thirds for a two-time drunk driver when just two years ago they dumped Koren Robinson like a bad habit for a speeding ticket. Allen was suspended for two games last year for his drunkenness and I can’t wait to see him in Minneapolis. I hark back to the good old days of Tommy Kramer and company. Booze and the Vikings seem to go hand-in-hand from generation to generation. And now the Vikings put their future in the hands of another boozer. Good luck with that.
It is going to be a fun weekend I think. Could be a few trades late in the first round and early second round. I’ll be updating all day. Can’t wait.
More to come…