Sportandfashion-news's Ten NFL Free Agency Things to Watch

National Football League's offseason is set to have another kickoff with free agency getting underway at 3:00 pm Central Standard Time or 4:00 pm for those out East or 1:00 pm for the Pacific folks. Basically, Twitter is probably going to collapse with players already signed to new deals with new teams which is weird seeing as free agency just began. Yet regardless, there will be guys with new deals before you know it. People will love to give out the 'Championships are not won in March' quote which is very true, but here are some of the things I will be keeping an eye on in the coming weeks.

1. Will Darrelle Revis get cut and what will be the interest level - First of all, Tampa Bay would be foolish to release arguably the best corner in the game. Sure, there could be some constraints in Lovie Smith's Cover 2, but to pass on that sort of talent seems foolish. New England and San Francisco could be interested suitors which should terrify the rest of the league. Honestly, I have to think to the Bucs are not this stupid of a franchise to just give up on Revis after one year of having him on the roster.

2. It sounds like James Jones and Evan Dietrich-Smith have played their last games in Green Bay - By the grace of Vincent Lombardi, something could change, but it appears like the Packers are set to lose a couple offensive weapons. We will not go into what the loss could mean for the team rather talk about their addition to the rumored teams. Jones is being looked at by Detroit and New York Jets right now. He could really help both teams and if Detroit gets Jones along with another receiver in the first three rounds, they become downright nightmarish on offense. EDS sounds like he might make a move to New York with the Giants to help rebuild that offensive line.  

3. Who wins Lamarr Houston in the NFC North?  - One of the free agents I mentioned when rumors began about Green Bay wanting free agents was Lamarr Houston. Packers apparently agreed with me, and they had discussions about bringing him into the fold.  Chicago Bears have the same idea, and since they are likely getting rid of Julius Peppers plus not being able to get Michael Bennett, Houston might be the play for Chicago. The thing that worries me is despite Green Bay having more money, Houston spent most of his time playing in a 4-3 system making Chicago have more an alluring destination than Green Bay. But what the hell do I really know

4. Byrd is not really the word - No one has any idea where Jairus Byrd is going. Like virtually none. There are rumors of 'mystery team' (WAIT A SECOND, FOOTBALL, STOP TAKING BASEBALL'S WORDS) giving him somewhere in the nine million dollar range at safety. We know it will probably not be Buffalo so who comes out winning the Byrd sweepstakes?  My assumption is T.J. Ward will want him to make up his mind quickly to set the pace for safeties. If the football media has more sources than JSTOR are not making guesses on Byrd, I probably should not either.

5. How much will Philadelphia makeover their defense? - Eagles are known for making some splashes in free agency in the past decade, and while they improved over the last couple of weeks, Philadelphia still needs to make their defense into something else. They could definitely get some help in the defensive secondary, and they could probably use another pass rusher. Philadelphia could stay put and hope some of their young guys pan out better with another year although Eagles management usually takes the approach of making a strike early instead of playing the wait and see.

6. What contender gets Steve Smith - There are all sorts of rumors flying around about Smith possibly not being in a Carolina uniform come next season, and if that does occur, many teams will be interested in Smith, all with likely Super Bowl aspirations. What if Denver decided to ditch Eric Decker and take Smith for less money, could you imagine Smith in the slot with Peyton Manning?  Or how about Seattle who lacks receiving talent and could use another badass on their roster?  If Smith really wants to get back at Carolina, he goes Favre and takes probably a smaller deal to play for New Orleans which once again is an offensive orgasm. Smith might not be a great receiver anymore, but the guy can still ball out.

7. Will Washington pull a Washington? - Let's face it, it was kind of boring last offseason not having Daniel Snyder making some outrageous contract offer. It is time for Danny boy to make something happen. Whether Washington is giving a ton of money to Aqib Talib, or Arthur Jones gets a pay day from this team, we need something drastic from Washington to know that I am officially alive. If we do not get something of this nature, I expect a Robert Griffin subtweet or this whole offseason is pointless.

8. Hakeem Nicks.... The most interesting man in Free Agency - As a fantasy owner with high expectations, I can tell you firsthand how bad of a season Nicks had for the Giants in a contract year. He hand-delivered a bag of shit to me by the end of it. Many people swear Nicks has number one wide receiver talent and will not get the money from New York so where will it come from?  Oakland?  Maybe Carolina? What about Cleveland to pair him with Josh Gordon?  Buffalo is another option worth thinking about it. I do not know if Nicks will get number one money, but he is an interesting study.

9. Who takes a chance at Michael Vick? - This is another real interesting player in the free agency market. My assumption is Vick will have some options to sign with teams as a starter versus being a backup yet I do think some would pay the price to have him being a solid number two.  Even though they have Terrelle Pryor, Oakland would be a great fit for Vick. Just seems to fit him perfectly like Mike Vick would be beloved and take full advantage of the situation. I also do not hate the idea of him playing for Tampa Bay with Lovie Smith. He will have some suitors.

10. Who delivered the 'holy shit' moment of the offseason - San Francisco and there is no doubt in my mind about it. The thing is the Niners know they need to keep up with the Jones which includes a crowded neighborhood of Seattle plus growing Arizona and St. Louis. They also have an awkward situation with their head coach and the front office. They need to throw off the scent for a little awhile meaning a splash will come and sound like a thunderous boom.

Charlie.

Tapping The Keg Podcast Episode 77

Tapping The Keg podcast is back for another edition as Charlie and Mitch discuss all sorts of things in a nice 45 minute podcast.  We start off talking about the distinctive music tastes around the United States of America, Milwaukee Bucks talk ranging from Caron Butler's buyout to Jeff Adrien being a part of the long-term plan for the team. We move on to discuss about Johnny Manziel and the criticism around him. Mitch and Charlie do a non-Hank The Dog edition of talking about Milwaukee Brewers ranging from their over/under number, Spring Training get started and Yankees interested Rickie Weeks. Our discussion carries us to James Jones and his future with Green Bay. Mitch rants quickly about U.S. Hockey. We finish up talking Jason Collins and the culture of sports.

Charlie & Mitchell.

Return of Nick Collins?

There are not many former Green Bay Packers players, the fans have missed more than Nick Collins. He greeted the Lambeau Field faithful in the final home game of the season and received a big roar with hearing people saying 'We love you Nick, come back!' Those pleas seemed to fall on deaf ears as Collins had a debilitating neck injury that would keep him off the field for the end of time. Collins never really retired, but it was all but assumed, he probably would not be playing again in the National Football League. As everything these days, social media might tells a different story as Collins said this on Twitter yesterday and last night.

Nickdapick36 is ready for action.
— Nick Collins (@nickdapick36) February 3, 2014

Who's looking for a top notch free safety. This kid is ready to dominate #2014
— Nick Collins (@nickdapick36) February 4, 2014

All of the sudden, Collins announces his return to football. I have to imagine he heard some good news about his neck injury. With the way modern science works and some other stuff that we can keep our heads buried in the sand for now, Collins is ready to play again in the NFL. This could be great news for Packers fans, or it could be the start of 'Fire Ted Thompson' chants again if Green Bay does not bring back Collins next year if he is fully cleared. The thing about Collins is Green Bay released him for monetary purposes and not really due to anything else. There is no ill-will towards the team meaning the return could possibly happen because it is worth the risk. 

My assumption would be Collins despite his All-Pro nature, would probably only garner one or two years worth around eight to 12 million dollars (Higher if we are talking two years). No one is going to give him a major deal coming off an neck injury, and the fact he has not played in two years means Collins will be given a lower contract this year only to get a major deal the following year if he plays well again. Green Bay needs to at least give it a thought because there is nothing better with safeties right now. They have not replaced him and it has been two years. Let that sink in for a second.

Green Bay's safeties are a complete mess. Morgan Burnett is probably a strong safety, and he did play much better at that position. Collins would provide some leadership in the secondary as well as help teach Burnett like he did in previous years. For Green Bay to trust Burnett another year and not at least explore the idea of a Collins' return is arrogant. There is no reason to bring a guy back in the fold that still enjoys hanging out with teammates from Green Bay. Over the weekend, Collins, Tramon Williams and James Jones were hanging in the Bahamas and Collins looks pretty good for not playing football in the last couple of years.  

My bros @nickdapick36 And James jones just enjoying the moment. #Bahamastakeover pic.twitter.com/8W7Kojc97Y
— Tramon Williams (@HighRizer38) February 1, 2014

This now becomes the story to watch for Green Bay fans in the first month of the offseason. If Collins comes back, we will need to manage some expectations but that's a story for another time. All in all, I am happy to see Collins have the ability to return to the game he loves after thinking there was no chance two years ago. 

Charlie. 

Sportandfashion-news Packers Offseason Roundtable

It has been about a week since Green Bay Packers lost their Wild Card game.  It is time to fully look towards the 2014 season even though four teams are still left in the 2013 playoffs. This is our first offseason post for Green Bay, and we lead it off with an idea by Adam Hatlak, our fantasy/jack of all trades blogger, where we gather a bunch of Sportandfashion-news minds together and input our thoughts on the offseason.

People featured here are Adam (AH), Bryan Reynolds (BR), Seth Krueger (SK), Eric Nohelty (EN) Nolan Murphy (NM) and myself, (TAP).

How much money are you willing to give Sam Shields?
Adam Hatlak: Ladarius Webb gets about $8 million per year, with a $10 million guarantee, and I could see Shields ending up with that type of contract wherever he ends up. He might price himself out of the Packers league with playing a premium position as an unrestricted free agent, but they desperately need him back.

Seth Krueger: Four years for seven million a year should put him in top six or seven in league for cornerbacks.

Nolan Murphy: Shields graded out at Top 20 NFL corner in the regular season during 2013 and held opposing quarterbacks to 72.7 passer rating. A secondary with Shields, a healthy Hayward and restructured Tramon Williams could help the Packers. Sammy is one of the fastest players in the NFL, but Thompson will be reluctant to franchise him at a projected $11.256 number. Offering Shields a four-year 30 million deal would be my range. Moving Hyde to safety and hoping Morgan Burnett can dig himself out of his grave in 2014 could save this Packers defense.

Sportandfashion-news: I am fine with the range of seven to nine million dollars a year for Shields. He is represented by Drew Rosenhaus whom has a solid relationship with Green Bay, but that man will try to milk as much money as humanly possible out of a team. My only concern is Shields is young and good enough that some team with secondary (Houston?, Detroit?)  needs might overpay him.

Do you bring back BJ Raji, for how much? 

SK: Not for over eight million a year.

TAP: Honestly, there is not much about Raji's game this year that makes me think this guy is worth over five million a year. Now he only played 50 percent of snaps, and quite possibly the defense the Raji camp will make is if he played more, the output would have been better from him. I would deem him the most likely to leave the team because people overpay nose tackles due to think every fat dude will be Vince Wilfork.

NM: This question would be easier if Ryan Pickett and C.J. Wilson were not free agents as well. The Freezer has not been as effective at the rush 3-4 end but a move back inside to nose tackle could make him a force again. Raji reportedly turned down eight million per year and will not get that again. This could be very similar to the James Jones situation in 2011 where you let the player sniff free agency only for Raji to return on a team friendly contract.

AH: Any player is worth a contract at the right price, but the price I'd pay for Raji won't bring him back. He already seemed like a player who had issues getting motivated, and it got worse during a contract year. He rejected an offer at $8 million per year and had a bad season, based on his performance, I'd drop the offer to $6 million per year and make it incentive laden. He's probably gone.

Priority number one of the offseason?
Bryan Reynolds: Pick up a linebacker/defensive end to fit the system. Green Bay needs an edge rusher who can put his hand down and bang in the trenches.

AH: Regardless of positions, find a big physical player or two for the defense. The concerns about being "soft" are gone in my opinion, but they still don't have many players who strike fear into opposing offenses over the middle. Teams are afraid of Clay, but can gameplan against him, after that there's not much to fear.

Eric Nohelty: Pass rush. Thompson needs to swallow his pride and go get a proven pass rusher in free agency. We cant waste 12's prime waiting for someone to develop. We need a guy that can get to the passer without having to blitz multiple guys. You saw the 49ers get after Aaron Rodgers while rushing four and still covering everyone.

NM: Getting the offensive line healthy. Former 1st round pickers Bryan Bulaga and Derek Sherrod will need to be healthy heading into OTA’s for this Packers offense to return to their 2011 form. This could answer a ton of questions heading into the draft if the Packers retain Evan Dietrich-Smith at center as well as figure out the rest of the line shuffle.
Who stays/leaves in defensive backfield?

EN: Morgan Burnett stays... he looked bad a lot this year but he had a big black hole playing along side him at the other safety. If you remember back to the short time Burnett played alongside Nick Collins he looked like he had an awful lot of potential.

BR: I think Shields deserves to stay. He is a playmaker and a good guy to learn behind Tramon Williams.

AH: Bring back Tramon, Shields, House, Hayward, Hyde,Bush, Burnett, Banjo, Richardson. I would see if Tramon is willing to take a pay cut, and if he or Hyde would be able to play safety, I'd move one of them there. Tramon talked about wanting to see a defensive veteran leader on the field, I think he could fill that role.

SK: MD Jennings, whoop whoop gone

TAP: Honestly, they have a lot to work with here. Thompson is getting better I think at admitting his mistakes when he makes them, and knows Jennings is a mistake. If they can shore up the safety position, the defensive backfield is not that far off from being pretty good.

How many times do you cut Marshall Newhouse? 

NM: I refuse to comment on this player personal move. I hope I never have to speak or hear of Newhouse again.

TAP: Every team I cheered for in 2013 had one player to piss me off and Newhouse was Green Bay's. See ya bud.

What's your wish list for the 2014 NFL Draft, whether it be certain players or positions? 

 SK:Safety, inside linebacker, tight end

AH: I still believe in best player available, but a hard hitting safety and a run stopping middle linebacker would be nice to see. A fourth round pick on an athletic tight end could be good as well.

BR: Safeties. All of ‘em. Since Green Bay lost Collins, we have been garbage on the backside.

EN: Pass rush and safety help. Pass rush is the most important because no matter how good of a DB you have no one is covering an NFL receiver for five plus seconds.

NM: If Jermichael Finley does not return which seems likely I think targeting an explosive TE like Texas Tech’s bad boy Jace Amaro or North Carolina’s Eric Ebron. I think finding more depth at the outside linebacker position will be something heavily addressed on Day 2 of the NFL Draft.

TAP: Murph stole my thunder honestly and let me tell you, this will enrage Packers fans yet I will love it so much. Amaro and Ebron make this team better ASAP.

Bulaga or Bakthiari at LT?
EN: Bakthiari --- he had a successful season, why mess him up by making him learn the right side. Not to mention Bulaga has been successful on at RT and did not sound like he was all that comfortable moving to LT before last season. Stick them both in the positions they are most comfortable at and move forward without playing musical offensive linemen every season. This is a good, talented group up front... they just need some consistency and time to work with each other.

NM: Bakthiari played and looked like a rookie I felt. This coaching staff needs to figure out what it has in Buluga at LT before moving him down the line. I think as they move farther into the prime of Aaron Rodgers, keeping him upright will be stressed by the “organization”

AH: Bakthiari should be the left tackle of the future, he's earned that and it will allow for Bulaga to play at a near Pro Bowl level on the right.

BR: I will take the youth of Bakthiari. He gets a lot of penalties, partially due to his short arms, but I like the enthusiasm and the experience he gained this year.

Besides Lacy, who is the one first or second year player you are most excited for their future?
AH: Since the five threat set of Jennings, Driver, Nelson, Jones, and Finley a few years ago, the offense has always had a new wrinkle added to it. There was the year that Cobb developed into a slot receiver threat, and Lacy brought back the running game. I'm most excited to see if Johnathan Franklin can develop into a Darren Sproles type back that can catch the ball in space and be explosive. The majority of carries should go to Lacy, but Franklin could be a good speed back.

SK: Mike Daniels

NM: Micah Hyde is hopefully not going to have a sophomore campaign like last year’s rookie standout Casey Hayward. There is talk around the Packers that Hyde could be moved to safety, which would be a huge upgrade for the Packers if he could succeed there. I’m also intrigued with the play of Brandon Bostick. The Packers have done an incredible job on developing offensive talent from within and people should remember Finley was extremely raw early on in his career.

TAP: I like Seth, love Mike Daniels but my biggest fear with him he will leave the first chance he gets to be a 4-3 defensive end because that is his natural position.

What happens at TE?
EN: J-Mike comes back at a discount because no one will take a chance on his neck.

BR: I think Thompson will sign Finley. He got off to a great start to the year in 2013 and it is hard not to wonder if that will continue. Brandon Bostick is probably a better option for the future over Quarless, but I think we need Finley now.

AH: I'd like to see Bostick get the chance to develop with Rodgers. Quarless was okay this past season, but doesn't seem to have the same physical gifts he had before his injury. Bostick has the potential to be a vertical threat.

TAP: Given what we have seen with these neck injuries, the verdict does not really come to fruition until a full year. I think Green Bay will make up their mind with what happens in the draft or even the offseason. If they do nothing with tight ends, J-Mike returns.

Who is the NFC North team that scares you the most going forward?
AH: This may sound like being an absolute homer, but I think the Packers are still set up to win the next three division championships at least. This past season was an absolute disaster by most fans admission, but they still won the division. Give this team 16 games of Rodgers, and they should win every year. I also don't have a lot of faith in the other three teams. The Vikings will need time for their quarterback to develop, and by the time that happens, Peterson will be past his prime. The Bears finally have a dominant offense, just in time for their defense to be a disaster. The Lions have the most threatening talent, and a new coach may make them the best challenger, but their cap situation is going to be a mess with so many high picks selected in the old CBA.

SK: Chicago Bears

BR: Bears. If it wasn’t for their defense being terrible this year, they would have snuck by us to get the division. Their offense isn’t going anywhere but up and with a couple additions on defense, they should run this division.

Do you bring back James Jones?

NM: Yes, he wants to be a Packer and I think his veteran presences can continue to help players like Cobb and Boykin. It would be hard to find a free agent (Lets be real Teddy T isn’t bringing in no over-priced free agent) or rookie who can play both positions for the Packers. Remember Jones caught 14 touchdowns in 2012 and is always a wild card to go off.

EN: See 2011...... let him test the FA waters and see if anyone wants to over pay him. If not, you bring him back on another short term deal. If yes, you let him walk and move forward with Jordy, Cobb, and Boykin.

TAP: I have a feeling someone will overpay him this time and not make the same mistake again as they did in 2011. I love Jones, one of my favorites, but I believe there is only a 20 percent chance he is back.

SK: Obviously, I think he should come back. No question about it. 

BR: No, I don’t think he is worth paying and risking losing the other free agents. I like the development of Boykin and think he can take that 2/3 receiver spot that Jones has occupied.

Will James Starks get starting running back money?
AH: I don't think so. He may get more than solid backup money, but there aren't enough true starter positions available for teams to sign Starks while feeling safe about his injury history. Keep in mind the following are free agents at running back this year, and might be valued more than Starks this year: Maurice Jones Drew, Darren McFadden, Donald Brown, Andre Brown, Toby Gerhart, Ben Tate, LeGarrette Blount, Rashad Jennings, and Joique Bell.

NM: He won’t get the money Ben Tate is looking forward to cashing in. Running back is such an interesting element in the league now with teams really just developing their own stable of running backs. Starks has never been able to stay healthy to carry the load, but remember the Mike Holmgren Browns gave former Packers castoff and injury prone Brandon Jackson 2-year 4.5 million deal after the 2011 lockout. He will not be coming back to the Packers unfortunately unless it’s on team friendly one-two year deal.

TAP: Adam basically convinced me Starks will be back next season although Green Bay has a wealth of runners.

Any free agents you've got your eye on?
EN: Jarius Byrd.... but its unlikely that TT will make a foray into free agency or that the Packers could afford him anyways. With all the money locked up in Rodgers, Matthews, and potentially Raji the Pack's best shot in FA is to land a veteran looking to join a winning team at a discount ---- can you say Jared Allen????

AH: I like the method of waiting until the big names are gone, to make sure people are acquired at a good price, but it's tough to predict who that would happen with.

TAP: I love Eric's Jared Allen suggestion. Love it so goddamn much.

How do you fix defense?
AH: A few more playmakers that can grab some turnovers. The yards felt the same as other seasons, but the team wasn't able to come up with as many turnovers as in the past. The only way to fix it is find a few players, regardless of position that can get the ball back. I would make everyone fight for their job in camp, nobody is safe (except for maybe Clay).

SK: Incorporate more 4-3, capers coached 4-3 D in Jacksonville and they were first in points and sixth in yards.

TAP: If they are able to pass rush as this has been a theme of the post, things will fall in place. Green Bay needs not to be complacent.

Any coaching changes?
AH: Looks like they'll need a new QB coach, and I'd also look at maybe switching DB coach if they truly think the talent acquired should be up to par at safety. If its an error on talent acquisition, then they should be safe. Capers is safe for me.

TAP: I do not think anything needs to truly change although I am sure there are some coaches that will get promotions.

Sportandfashion-news Staff 

Grading Green Bay Packers Offense

We are wrapping up the Green Bay Packers season with a grading of the offense/defense/special teams of the 2013 season.  I will also choose an MVP for both sides of the ball. 

Quarterback
Aaron Rodgers - This is easily the toughest grade to make because you look at it from only about half of the season and if we do, Rodgers did not really have a great season. Let's be honest, he plays out the full season, he might be a fringe Pro Bowler but he did not have a stellar season before he got hurt. You could argue based off the Minnesota game, Rodgers found his stroke again and on his way to make his run, but no one will know that answer, thanks to a collarbone. Although at the end of the day, Rodgers made a case for being the most valuable player every year with his performance in the final game of the season. GRADE B+

Matt Flynn - If you look at 'season-savers', Flynn is one of them for a couple of games. Coming in against Minnesota pulling the team back in the fourth quarter to force a tie and then once again, a comeback against Dallas that will be remembered forever. But there are some lowlights including the whole Detroit game, and generally most of the Pittsburgh game as well. Flynn had such a bad year with other teams, and somewhat redeemed himself with the Packers. GRADE B

Scott Tolzien - The whole idea of Wisconsin Badgers' former quarterback coming in to save Green Bay was too much of a narrative. He made some plays against Philadelphia and one nifty spin move into the end zone against Minnesota, but truthfully, he did not doing anything amazing for Green Bay.  GRADE C-

Seneca Wallace - Nothing real exciting here except for a story when I was in Iowa for a wedding in mid-September. Sunday riding an elevator to breakfast after one of the biggest blackouts since age 21 weary as all get out, possibly still drunk. A conversation starts with an old man about football in Iowa and Green Bay. He goes 'Y'all have one of our boys up there.' Being a dumbass, I assumed he was a Hawkeye fan and asked who? (Forgetting Mike Daniels) and he said 'Seneca Wallace' Completely forgot he held a roster spot back then, oh wrong of me to think of him like that. GRADE D-

Running Back
Eddie Lacy - What a year for Lacy. He played really well all season as a rookie, and got better as the year progressed. If there is one player, I wanted to see further in the postseason was Lacy. He seemed to get stronger as the year moved on. He battled through an ankle injury, asthma and a early season concussion to be likely the Rookie of the Year on the offensive side of the ball.  This might be a little hyperbolic and a little over-the-top but I think Green Bay has two MVP contenders in the next three years in Rodgers and Lacy. He is my MVP for the season without question.  GRADE A

James Starks - I never realized it until FOX Sports Peter Schrager pointed out Lacy and Starks are a ton like Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw plus they happen to wear the same numbers. I would be fascinated to see another year of Starks with Lacy because I think they can be a formidable duo, but he will get a near starter money whether it be from Cleveland, New York Jets or any other team needing to upgrade at running back. Not to mention, Johnathan Franklin can be the change of pace back.  Really nice year for Starks when people thought he might not make the roster in August. GRADE B+

Wide Receiver
Jordy Nelson - Strange year for Jordy. One of the things I expected to be a narrative by Fall of 2014 is how much Rodgers needs Jordy and vice versa. Without Rodgers, Nelson had 504 yards with only one touchdown.  With Rodgers, Nelson had 810 yards with seven touchdowns. Now this amounted to a career season for Nelson going over 1,300 yards for the year becoming the true number one for this team. He finished seventh in Packers history for receiving yards in the year. Nelson is rounding right into his prime and that's a scary thought. GRADE A-

James Jones - Football is weird. Jones had 15 touchdowns last season, and this year, three. He did have over 800 yards, and it was very quiet. He only had two games with over 100 yards of receiving, and it occurred in the first six weeks of the season. A fine year for Jones, but nothing really eye-opening. I do not expect Jones back next year. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel did report he played the last two games with broken ribs which is impressive. Loaded wide receiver draft coupled with the play of Jarrett Boykin. I stuck behind him and like him a lot yet I really have no idea how he comes back next year. GRADE B-

Randall Cobb - Tough year for Randy. It is not truly slump as Matt Elam broke his goddamn leg. And let's not forget he had probably one of the most memorable catches in Green Bay's history. That will vault him a couple grades higher for Cobb this season but this season will probably be looked at as a blip on the radar with one major moment involved. GRADE C+

Jarrett Boykin - What is truly weird is I looked at Boykin's numbers, and I would think he would be right around what Jones did for the year, but that is not accurate. Granted, this could have something to do with Boykin not seeing time until the Baltimore game due to injuries. He had his coming out party against Cleveland with a touchdown and over 100 yards. Three out of the next four games Boykin would have at least 85 yards of receiving. It is truly exciting to see what will happen with him next season. Future is bright. GRADE B+

Tight End
Andrew Quarless - At the beginning of the year, I said 'Quarless is the guy you should be booing instead of Jermichael Finley, he drops the balls, not J-Mike.'  After Finley's injury, Quarless did not really step up into the offense until Rodgers went down. He did not have a multiple touchdown game nor a 100 yard game yet he played well against Atlanta and Dallas becoming more reliable as a tight end. He could come back and compete with a rookie tight end because they could really get a game-changer at that position early on. GRADE C+

Jermichael Finley - I am not going to give J-Mike a grade, but I wanted to type a few words saying it was awesome to watch him play with the Packers. I enjoyed being an unabashed defender of him, and I will return to my post if he comes back to the team although I highly doubt he will return. With modern medicine the way it is, I would not doubt Finley comes back and helps out a team next season whether it be Green Bay or not.

Offensive Line
David Bakhtiari - It is really hard to ask a fourth-round draft pick to play left tackle for Green Bay where he needs to protect arguably the best quarterback's blindside. Bakhtiari took some rookie lumps, but in reality, the future looks really bright for him. He handled Jared Allen twice, and did adequately against some of the other greats on the defensive line. The higher grade is due to what Green Bay asked him to do this season. Most people do not understand how hard this was for him. GRADE A-

Josh Sitton - I might get mad about his social media antics at times, but Sitton had a hell of year along with the others inside. Sitton helped bring back the Packers rushing attack. I honestly think he is a better run blocker than pass blocker, and that has not been known until this year. Although when it all said and done, he is a top five offensive guard plus making the smooth transition to the left side helps his grade as well. GRADE B+

Evan Dietrich-Smith - I do not know what to make of EDS. I am not sure he is a great offensive lineman, but I do not think he is average. Somewhere in-between would fit EDS perfectly. He is not the best at anything yet he gets the job, night in and night out.  He gets away with a lot of shit, and that's important when you are an inside man. Dietrich-Smith needs a new contract, and he might be the second-most important to return besides Sam Shields. It is tough to find centers to combine with great quarterbacks. If Rodgers wants EDS, the organization will keep him. GRADE B

T.J. Lang - I feel like he will probably get skewered for an average season because of who played right tackle next to him. As an offensive line, sometimes the guy next to you can limit what you did this season or what people thought of you. I felt like Lang had a close to Pro Bowl year honestly. He did just as much as Sitton to push the line and make things happen inside. Lang will be a solid right guard for years to come. GRADE B+

Don Barclay - I think next year will be better for Barclay. He is the lone lowlight on this offensive line. He will be perfect for the Marshall Newhouse role when Bryan Bulaga comes back into the fold next season. Barclay had too many moments where he got exposed leading to the pocket collapsing. Additionally, he did not do as much on the stretch/toss runs with Lacy/Starks. GRADE C

Marshall Newhouse - I hope I never have to watch this man play football again for my team. GRADE F

Sportandfashion-news Packers Classroom: Pittsburgh v. Green Bay

We give grades to the different aspects of the Packers game from Sunday or Monday.  Am I too critical sometimes? Yes.  Am I also too nice sometimes? Yes.  I do not have a teaching degree in case you were wondering. 

A-Game
Eddie Lacy- Despite his injury, a good day to be Eddie Lacy. I feel like he has made his case to be Offensive Rookie of the Year. I realize Keenan Allen had a great year, but Lacy deserves it for essentially being a big part of keeping Green Bay in the division title hunt. Lacy's jump into the end zone was one of the coolest things I saw live at Lambeau Field. It happened right by our seats and it sent the Packers fanbase into excitement. (h/t @gifdsports) 

Andy Mulumba - Am I alone here in thinking the rookie played really well when Matthews went out with injury? Le'Von Bell did have a big day, but it seemed like most of it came in the first three quarters of the game. Mulumba gave some great effort out there having six tackles with four of them being solo. We see it all the time with rookies where they round into form as the season finishes up. I think Mulumba will obviously not be Clay Matthews, but he can definitely contribute for them in the following year.

Micah Hyde - I thought this was Micah's best game of the season overall. He became a game-changer on special teams with a big kick return at least giving Green Bay a chance to tie the game late in the fourth quarter, and then on defense, he played really well. There were not many major plays through the air, and Hyde played a large part of that. Hopefully, his shoulder injury he suffered at the end of the game is not serious, and he can play against Chicago next week.

B-Game
James Jones - One of Jones' best games of the year. He really seems to come and go with major games for Green Bay (That's not a bad thing for Jones, it is more so Green Bay's system rather than Jones being inconsistent.) Matt Flynn looked the most comfortable when throwing the ball to Jones, and I do not blame him for it with some of the incredible catches Jones made on Sunday. I would expect him to take over more of the number one role on Sunday if Flynn remains at quarterback.

A.J Hawk - As we sat at Lambeau with Green Bay trailing 10 points and the crowd deader than roadkill, my buddy Seth goes 'We need something to get the fans back in.' Sure enough, Hawk makes a big balls interception of Ben Roethlisberger leading to Green Bay getting a field goal. The middle linebacker for the Packers overall has had an above average season, but one of the bigger things with Hawk is the increase in impact plays for this Packers defense.

Jarrett Boykin - Another good game for Boykin including a fantastic catch for a touchdown where I yelled he 'facialed' Cortez Allen which was probably inappropriate for Lambeau's crowd. With Jones' contract up, I have no idea how he will remain on the team with wanting more money plus the emergence of Boykin. I doubt they will keep both players. Boykin has been one of the best surprises of this bizarre Green Bay season.

C-Game
Matt Flynn - Man, he did some nice things in this game, but holy hell did he do some bad things in this game. Let's start with throwing the hitch route... Hey Matt, STOP THROWING THE GODDAMN HITCH. He does not have the arm strength for it, and they kept begging for a pick-six which sure did happened changing the landscape of this game. Flynn also had a back-breaker fumble when he needed to escape the pocket and you wonder if he would have got the first down if he slid down. I have no idea because I am a slave to technology and could not see it from my vantage point at Lambeau.

Mike McCarthy's playcalls - Most notably the hitch route, but I had no idea at times what McCarthy was thinking out there. He seems to forget Eddie Lacy and James Starks can definitely hammer it into the end zone. When Aaron Rodgers was still at quarterback, I wondered if McCarthy would overthink about play calls trying to decide whether Rodgers or Lacy deserved the ball.  The fact Green Bay only had two plays with a minute left to go in the game is pathetic. Mac deserves some of the blame, but also the quarterback is at fault.

D-Game
Clay Matthews - This is not really for the game, but more for Matthews' season as he fractures his thumb again knocking him out for the year. It was a disappointing year for Matthews whom started off so strong only to come up with multiple injuries. It will be interesting to see what the narrative will be about Clay in the following off-season. People will start saying he is injury-prone because people are goddamn idiots. Breaks are so much different than strains, sprains and tears.

F-Game
Nick Perry - Man oh man. Perry jumped offsides on a field goal attempt at the end of the game. It led to the game being 38-31 instead of 34-31 (Let's be realistic) and costing Green Bay their final timeout. I could not believe a second-year player like Perry would make such a rookie mistake. It was the story of the game with Green Bay's special teams though. Granted, they had some nice kick returns, but from the fake punt to Perry's offsides just a disaster for defensive special teams.

B.J. Raji - This is a guy currently on my shit list. If I were Santa Claus, Raji is getting coal in his stocking. He is a man whom we see on this football team as a leader and he did not look like one on Sunday with a horrific personal foul call after the play against Pittsburgh. Instead of the Steelers being third and six from Green Bay's 39, Pittsburgh got the ball from the 24 and got a score out of it. Completely dumb and something Raji hopefully will never do again.

NFC North - I am going to write more about this tomorrow, but I really have no idea how Green Bay has a chance at this division yet I do not know if I want the title. I will take it, fine, but this has been a real frustrating season. I do not want it to end, but I feel like a boxer in the 12th round where I have been beat to hell yet there is still a chance for the belt even if I do not know if I can take it anymore.

Charlie.