Packers 2010 Final Mock Draft: Day 1

Round 1) Jahvid Best

Round 2) ??

Round 3) ??

Round 4) ??

Round 5) ??

Round 5) ??

Round 6) ??

Round 7) ??

1) RB – Jahvid Best

Ryan Grant is locked up in a long term contract with the Packers, but that doesn’t mean he’ll see the entire length of the deal. His yearly salaries are highly dependent on statistical performance, and these incentive laden contracts have proven in the past to be problematic for any organization. Contracts that are structured similarly to Ryan Grants include those of Larry Fitzgerald and Antrel Rolle of the Arizona Cardinals. In 2007, Larry Fitzgerald reached contract incentives that would have boosted his next year’s salary to $15 million. Arizona had to scramble to redo the deal so that they could keep Fitzgerald, and ended up giving him the NFL’s largest contract for a wide receiver. This past season, Rolle reached escalators that would have made his salary $12 million. The Cardinals cut Rolle and tried resigning him to a new deal, but since Rolle was free to negotiate with any team, he eventually signed long term with the Giants. As for the Packers Ryan Grant, he needs only 1,144 more yards in order to trigger escalators that would make his 2011 salary $9 million. Further more, if Grant rushes for 1,644 yards, the contract is boosted to $11 million. Grant is likely to earn at least the $9 million threshold running by himself, which is astronomical for a running back, and Green Bay would also be in a position where they must either renegotiate Grants’ contract or be forced to cut him. A subtle solution to avoid the problem all together would be to add a running back who could take a share of the rushing yards so that Grant does not run himself out of Green Bay because of an unworkable contract.

            While a contract issue is a valid reason to justify a team need, there are more obvious football related reasons to add a player like Jahvid Best. Grant is a well rounded back, but given the choice between running around or running through a defender, he often goes through the defender. Best is also a well balanced back, but Best has more runs where the defender never gets a hand on him. As a pro prospect, Best compares favorably to Kansas City Chief RB Jamaal Charles.  What Charles and Best both bring to the table are the types of runs where defenders never have a chance to catch up to the running back, and those explosive gains have been lacking from Green Bays rushing attack in the past few years. Jahvid Best also adds a consistent threat in the kick return game, where the Packers have a definite need. Jordy Nelson returned kicks for Green Bay last year, but because of his height (6’3”) he runs tall and is exposed to the big hits of special teams which contributed to his fumbling problems. Best proved on the collegiate level he is a very capable and consistent returner, so he fills out two holes on the roster of complementary running back as well as kick returner. There are no other running backs in the later rounds of the draft that provide the same skill set as Jahvid Best, so this move also represents the best value on the board.

Check back tomorrow for day 2 of the Packers final mock draft, and check out FinalMockDraft.com