What Will Happen in Free Agency and the NFL Draft?

With the Super Bowl over, it's time to start thinking about the NFL Draft, free agency and what direction the Green Bay Packers will take in the near future.

With the revamped coaching staff in place, and the implementation of the new 3-4 defense, it would make sense to bring in a free agent to make the transition a little bit easier.

I'm aware that the three biggest names out their are Albert Haynsworth, Terrell Suggs, and Julius Peppers. While I will admit I got real excited when I first heard these names, I took time to think about it, and these are the reasons I WOULDN'T sign any of these players.

It's obvious Haynsworth does not have the size to play the nose tackle position. It would be possible for him to play the defensive end position however, my real concern is the price tag. While Suggs is a proven 3-4 OLB which would compliment Kampman very nicely on the outside, it seems as though Suggs wants to stay in Baltimore.

Then there is Julius Peppers. Maybe the best athlete in this free agent market and there have been rumors that Green Bay could be a fit. As much as I'd love to be the first one in line for a Peppers' Green Bay jersey, I just don't know if it's the right scenario.

If Carolina franchises him it would take two first round picks to trade for him. And then you also have to restructure his contract for an extension. That just doesn't seem worth his services to give up that much.

Even if Carolina doesn't franchise him, he'd get top dollar on the market. I don't foresee Ted Thompson dishing out that much cash for one player. And the other concern would be do you want to have two unproven guys on the outside linebacker position between Kampman and Peppers?

The positive is we have Capers and Trgovac on our defensive staff who have coached Peppers before and would know first hand if Peppers is capable of making the transition to OLB. And I have faith that Kevin Green, the new OLB coach could teach these guys the new system very well, seeing how he made the same transition in his playing days.

Only time will tell on whether Capers thinks we have the right personnel or not. I think if Capers says he's missing a piece to the defense, Thompson will spend the money. After the drama that took place last offseason, the pressure may be getting to him that they need to put a winning team together now.

It would be more likely that the Packers would pick up one of the 'B' level guys like DE Bertrand Berry or DE Chris Canty. Both of these guys are proven guys in the 3-4 defense and could compliment Cullen Jenkins pretty well at the DE spots. They would also have a smaller price tag.

Even though I'm not sold on either of these guys completely, they would be better options at the 3-4 DE spot than any other guy on our current roster.

After free agency comes the NFL Draft. In the Ted Thompson era, this is how the Packers team has been constructed. Why would it stop now? With the new defensive alignment it is evident new talent will need to be brought in to fit the 3-4 system.

In the 3-4, its all about the front seven. You need your three gap eaters on the line, two middle linebackers that can get to gaps quickly to make the tackle and yet big enough to take on offensive guards, and then the two outside linebackers that provide the pass rush.

It's clear that we lack some of these playmakers on our current roster and look for the draft to be the most likely place to fill these needs.

Green Bay's No. 9 pick should be spent on B.J. Raji of Boston College. I've watched this guy play and he was unblockable in college unless double teamed, and in that case he'd be filling up the gaps, which is what you want up front.

I'm aware Ryan Pickett will be the nose tackle next year, but I believe Raji has enough athletic ability to play DE in the 3-4. Which would create a front three of defensive ends Cullen Jenkins, B.J. Raji and NT Ryan Pickett. Then you take OLB/DE Michael Johnson out of Georgia Tech to play the opposite OLB spot from Aaron Kampman.

Then yesterday I came up with a thought that I have not heard about yet. Would it be possible that this is the year Thompson surprises us all and trades up in the first round?

The Packers have an early second-round pick and two third-round picks, which I believe is enough to jump up into the early to mid first round. You still take B.J. Raji at the No. 9 pick, and then you trade up for a guy like Brian Orakpo or Everette Brown. This way they get two high quality players to stick in right away for the 3-4 and won't have to spend the big money on the free agents on the defensive side of the ball.

Potential starting front seven in this scenario.

LDE-Cullen Jenkins

NT-Ryan Pickett

RDE-B.J. Raji

OLB's-Kampman and either Orakpo or Brown

ILB's-Barnett and Hawk/Bishop

With this scenario, it would allow us to get quality players that could contribute now and in the future, and you won't take the cap hit on the defensive free agents named above.

Which brings me to my next point. This would allow us to give Greg Jennings his contract extension he deserves this offseason. Then his contract won't have to be dealt with next season when he becomes a free agent and harder to contain. There is still enough cap room after signing Jennings.

We will look to sign OT Jordan Gross if he is not franchised by the Panthers. 

Imagine an offseason of obtaining defensive help in B.J. Raji, Brian Orakpo or Everette Brown, the dominate OT to protect Aaron Rodgers, and signing the guy he'll be throwing to for years to come in Jennings. If I were the Packers GM, these are my offseason moves.