Link to perhaps Patty's best yet!!!

Bruce, you are absolutely correct. This may be the single best opinion pieceI've seen on Packerchatters about the draft.

Now, an "after draft" peeve that is probably going to be corrected during the contract negotiations: the absurd amount of dollars spent on rookies. Crazy. It is making being a bad team not being rewarded by getting a top pick, but a punishment. There was an article in the J-S about this specific topic today. Well worth reading and considering seriously.

Finally, on a personal note, my sincerest congratulations on Patty and her spouse for being together 35 years. The inimitable Mrs. ricky and myself will be celebrating 25 years of wedded bliss in June.

Ricky I have to agree the money often seems "absurd" especially for he 1st rounders.

Yet if we look at last years Packer draft and then the undrafted players the Packers signed undrafted a slightly different perspective may be possible.

Nine players drafted ALL still on the Packer roster.

Seventeen undrafted players signed with ONLY Nine still on NFL rosters(to my knowledge). Only Five on the Packer roster with four on other NFL rosters.

Now some of this may be due to the effect of the money quaranteed to the drafted players.

And some may be due to the Packer, in particular (But other NFL managements as well) ,managements penchants to be slow at cutting marginal drafted players due possibly to pride and ego.

Nonetheless and without taking away the skill, effort or importance of undrafted players for many teams, including the Packers, by far the best players are taken in the NFL draft.

Even contrary to popular belief the 7th rd where Mr. Irrelevant resides every draft.

Packer 7th round starters: Driver, Tauscher and Wells amazingly all Pre-TT.
Packer Undrafted starters: Jenkins, Bigby, Grant although Bigby and Grant were not original Packer signings and Jenkins pre-TT.

And to be sure other Packer players on the roster from those two categories started last season and other seasons due mostly to injuries rather than perceived skill.

So in some ways the money may be justified then again maybe not.

This excerpt from a post I made on the Roster Thoughts thread. (Slightly edited mostly for compaction and ckarfication).:

http://www.packerchatters.com/4ums/index.p...mp;#entry246480

Packer 2008 Rookie Undrafted FA signings (17):
Post-Draft(15)(All original Packer signings except where noted.):
Moore -IR-On 2009 roster thus far
C. Allen-IR-Cut
Considine- Early TC Cut
Ward-Pre-TC Cut
Smith-Last Cut-INDY PS
DeBauche-Pre-TC Cut
J. Allen-Last Cut-Packer PS
Harper-Pre-TC Cut
Lumpkin-Made Packer Team
Riley-Pre-TC Cut-Cut ST.L TC-CH PS
Jansen-IR-Traded 2009 CARO
Peterson-Pre-TC Cut
Haynos-Last-Cut-Packer PS-Miami Active Roster
Lansanah-Last cut-Packer PS-Packer Active Roster
Carvalho-Last Cut-Packer PS
TC additions(2):
Babers-Miami pre-TC Cut- Packer TC-Last Cut
R. Allen-IR-Cut

So of the first 15 we have 5 pre-TC Cuts, 5 Last Cuts-ALL PS and 5 broke down thus 3-IR, 1 Early Cut and 1 Made the Packer team outright. Two others were later promoted to the Packers and Miami Active teams.

stick56, what are you typing about? I was offering an opinion on how overpaid the top draft choices in the NFL are paid too much for no NFL procuction. You then veer off into undrafted players- and include Jenkins (a second round draft choice from Western Michigan, I believe).

Sir, we are typing apples and oranges here. If you are trying to make the point that UFA can sometimes be better than draft picks (see Harrison, James), I agree. Other than that I am lost in your rhetoric. What is your point? Or is there really a point here?

"and include Jenkins (a second round draft choice from Western Michigan, I believe). "

No that would be Jennings.

I know you were trying to destroy my credibility but only succeeded in damaging yours.

Second my point was quite clear that a different perspective can be used to look at the money.

Just because you didnt understand it was no reason to go on the attack or unfactually and untruthfully try make it look like I put out erroneous information.

When actually it is what you did.

What rhetoric?

Everytime you disagree or fail to understand a concept with something you type something similar to this:

"What is your point? Or is there really a point here?"

And I did start out with this:

"Ricky I have to agree the money often seems "absurd" especially for he 1st rounders"

An apology is in order but Im not holding my breath or at least a retraction of your erroneous attack on the information I provided. Not holding my breath for that either.

I really dont know what to say to someone who always trys to come off as THE PACKER EXPERT doesnt even KNOW the difference between JENKINS and JENNINGS.

SHEESH

I've always liked the draft but never have been gung-ho into it. Since I've joined PC, I've learned to live for Patty's evaluations and input on the draft. Reading her articles have really heightened my senses for the draft. This article was outstanding and the cherry on top was the link to her draft worksheet. Thanks Patty!!