The Green Bay Packers may still be 10-5 and atop the NFC North, at least until Sunday when they play the 10-5 Minnesota Vikings, but there are a lot of problems with this team. From the front office to the coaching staff to the players on the field, there are some philosophies that need changing, and why not start that off with some New Year's resolutions? Below are five resolutions that the Packers would be wise to make.
5. Get Rid of Davante Adams, Richard Rodgers, Anyone Else Who Can't Catch a Ball
For a team that is so dedicated and predicated on the passing game with the best quarterback in the league, Aaron Rodgers, why do they have so many guys who can't catch the ball?
Let's be honest, it's pretty easy to be a receiver in Green Bay. If you get open, Rodgers will get you the ball. It's almost a guarantee. He's so good that he almost never misses an open man -- at least when he has the time to throw ... more on that later.
This year, regulars in the offense like Adams and Richard Rodgers have had so much trouble holding onto the ball or getting open, and it's hampered the offense greatly. The Packers need to just dump them and move on; they don't want to waste Rodgers' prime with guys like that.
4. Improve Defensive Line
Something that's been a problem in Green Bay for a while has been the defensive line. In any defense, the front is the most important part, but especially in a 3-4 because it allows your four linebackers to make plays. The linebackers have looked mediocre in Green Bay the past couple of seasons, but how much of that is due to poor defensive line play? My guess is quite a bit.
3. Restock Offensive Line
Here's another thing that the Packers have needed to fix for years and haven't been able to. The offensive line has held back this offense from reaching its true potential for far too long, and part of that has been due to injuries, but part of it has been to do with offseason philosophy...
2. Move On From Mike McCarthy
McCarthy has overstayed his time. Especially when they get knocked out of the playoffs, fans and analysts alike will see that he just hasn't gotten it done. He abandons the run, can't decide who should call plays and has horrible in-game decision-making skills, especially involving time management. People have been calling for his head for a while, and it's time to do so finally.
1. USE FREE AGENCY, TED THOMPSON
Finally, and here's a big one, how about using free agency to your advantage, Ted Thompson? One of the only GMs in the league who barely utilizes a huge part of the offseason is Thompson. He ignores the cries of his faithful, and it's left wide open holes on the roster for years. If he had invested more in a couple of offensive linemen or maybe brought in another receiver or tight end who had proven themselves in the NFL a bit, maybe they wouldn't be struggling so much down the stretch this year and in prior seasons.
It's mind-boggling how you could think that free agency isn't a good tool, within moderation. Obviously, going all in on free agents and getting into bad deals isn't a good way to run an organization. But the core is already in place in Green Bay! A few key free agents could push them over the edge as true Super Bowl contenders.
Alas, that likely will not happen. Happy New Year's!
