Armchair GM Thoughts on Green Bay Packers 2020 Free Agents

Never did provide a weekly update on first Fantasy Football experience. Oh well, maybe next cause... I won the League Championships in both leagues! Beginner's luck, I guess. Relying on the computer wasn't the straight-jacket I dreaded. Active management helped tremendously though.

But, I digress. I am not blogging about my Fantasy Football experience except how it may or may not lend itself to doing what many team sports do. Be an armchair general manager on what a given sports franchise should do with their roster. March, or is it April?, marks the beginning of the 2020 season and the start of free agency. Every football team has a number of players whom are free agents. In the NFL there are three categories: Unrestricted, Restricted, Exclusive-Rights.

I am going provide my thoughts on the 2020 free agents of my favorite NFL team, the Green Bay Packers.

Exclusive Rights

While technically free agents, an NFL team only needs to exercise their right to retain and the player is locked up for another season. Generally, only players undrafted players and those whom were cut (although this is murky to my understanding) are Exclusive Rights Free Agents. My understanding is a team only has this option for roughly two seasons - extendable by total accrued season time. They eventually become restricted free agents.

The Packers have the following players locked under Exclusive Rights:

Allen Lazard WR
Tyler Lancaster DL
Chandon Sullivan CB
Jake Kumerow WR
Robert Tonyan TE

As a Packer fan, what excited me the most about this season was how many reps Rodgers was getting with wide receivers whom would be on the bottom of the depth chart. Sure, the season proved the Packers need better quality at receiver; but should injuries strike next season the team knows the bottom of the depth chart can play on an NFL level. Heck, Lazard will likely be vying for the WR3 spot in camp. Kumerow is also a lock.

Tyler Lancaster for some reason or another became a starter. While the run defense was lacking, Lancaster remains a good depth option. Keep.

Chandon Sullivan was the swiss army cornerback leapfrogging over former 2018 2nd round draft pick Josh Jackson for snaps. Could he become the next Sam Shields? Keeper.

Robert Tonyan has been slated as the heir apparent at Tight End for two seasons. Considering Lewis is a free agent and Graham may be cut/traded to clear cap space, Tonyan is a lock.

Restricted Free Agents

Restricted Free Agents are one season removed from becoming Unrestricted Free Agents whom can sign with whomever once free agency begins. A team places a tender on a restricted free agent.

Malcolm Johnson Fullback

Camp body, practice squad body, on the team because Vitale was often unavailable. I'd let him walk. Green Bay can always draft a new fullback or sign an undrafted player.

Unrestricted free agents

NFL teams receive compensatory picks based on the balance of the average salary of free agent they sign versus the average salary of player they lose. Since the Green Bay Packers played in the NFC Championship game, some of their players may receive significant salaries. Furthermore, Green Bay doesn't have much cap space with which to sign other teams' free agents or extend their own. Consistency plays a huge role so I wouldn't let everyone walk.

Bryan Bulaga  RT

The Packers don't really have a replacement lined up at right tackle. Free agency occurs before the draft and they pick at number 30. I doubt a starter falls to them during the first round. I would keep Bulaga; but how long and how much plays a role. A one year, $9 million contract? Keeper.

Blake Martinez ILB

I greatly respect Blake Martinez; however the team does require more speed on the inside than Martinez would be able to provide at the high price tag he'll command on the market. He's gone.

Geronimo Allison WR

Performed poorly. Gone.

Tramon Williams CB

He's 36 and the primary reason Josh Jackson isn't playing. Either give up on Jackson or let Williams walk.

Mason Crosby K

A kicker who kicks well inside Lambeau is hard to find. I'd keep him for as long as Rodgers has on his extension but structure such that it's only a one or two year deal.

Marcedis Lewis TE

Guy can block, which is important to the Packers scheme, as the 49ers demonstrated... Keep so he can help the new tight ends develop their blocking skills. Another incentive contract.

Kyler Fackrell OLB

Gone. Maybe he can acquire a better contract on the market. Maybe street free agent i.e. sign after the draft.

Will Redmond DB

Street free agent.

BJ Goodson ILB

Street free agent.

Ibraheim Campbell DB

THE dime linebacker. I don't think the team can be confident on ILB Burks's development. Keep.

Danny Vitale Fullback

Keep.

Jared Veldheer OT

Provided depth at OT. If he wants to stay for the cheap, keep him.

Tyler Ervin RB

Revitalized the return game and opens of the jet sweep motion. Keep.

Ryan Grant WR

Never saw the field. Gone.

Jason Spriggs OT

Bust. Gone.

Those are my thoughts on the 2020 GB Packers free agents.

Next time.

NXT and NXT UK Thoughts, Comics Haul and Fantasy Football Status for 9/18/19

Yesterday was Wednesday. Synonymous with New Comics Day. WWE streams both NXT and NXT UK on the WWE Network. Wednesday is also the day when NFL teams release their injury reports. While I followed the Packers for years, I have only recently become a follower of the trends and other teams of the NFL. So much so that I have decided to try my hand at fantasy football. Heck, why not participate in two different leagues. So my Wednesday blog entries will feature those topics going forward. Unless they're irrelevant that day...


I stopped doing my Comics Hauls largely because I just wasn't reading the comics I purchased. However, two things changed. One, I can actually buy them on New Comics Day. Two, I am not just blogging my comics haul as I am including wrestling and fantasy football discussion as well.

Comics Haul for 9/18/19 release date.

Comics Revue #400. I had long, long wanted to purchase Comics Revue due to its collection of comics strips particularly of the King Features serial heroes (Phantom, Mandrake, Flash Gordon) and started buying them recently. Four hundred issues is quite the milestone! Justice League #32. My photo doesn't do the cover justice but Kamandi stating 'The Great Disaster is right this way!' is priceless. Savage Sword of Conan #9. Most of my D&D PCs are more the fighter type so Conan receives top billing.

House of X #5. I was going to wait for the trade or hardcover. However, my intel was faulty leading me to believe both House of X and Powers of X would be collected separately. Sigh... Will try to read and review soon. Guardians of the Galaxy #9. The REAL Drax returns! Aquaman #52. Always feel bad whenever I drop an Aquaman title because I haven't kept up.

Lucifer #12. Will be buying this a little while longer. Either the November or December issue will be final issue unless I read some of it. Even an issue or two. CBLDF Presents Selling Comics. Before I started my blog, I briefly assisted a hobby shop by being the Comic Book Guy. The business fascinates me.

NXT 9/18/19

Did the move to the USA Network ruin NXT forever? Not quite. As it turns out, NXT is now two hours long. First hour on USA Network is when the Big Stuff Happens. Second hour on the WWE Nework seems to be for developing the undercard and expanding the NXT/NXT UK/205 Live Universes. While I haven't watched the USA Network episode yet (I may watch it on Hulu sometime), the WWE Network episode had more of that ECW vibe.

Would have been nice if I didn't need to wait 50 minutes to successfully log into my WWE Network account...

The Bruiserweight Pete Dunne vs Arturo Ruos (a Brazilian jujitsu and capoeira practitioner) was like a Malenko vs Guerrero match from ECW. Easily a four star match. They literally put on a grappling clinic. Pete Dunne got the win by bending Ruos's fingers.

Squash match although the female Chinese wrestler looked impressive with her kicks. Don't know if she's actually Chinese though.

Imperium made their NXT debut. Looking forward to Walter facing off against the Kushida Japanese wrestler who thinks he's Marty McFly. Two appearances I've seen of Kushida and I am impressed. He could definitely help and black and gold brand aid WWE from fending of AEW.

The Riddle vs Dain street fight was pretty good in and of itself. Normally the wrestler bystanders don't become involved but they did in this. Bedlam ensued. Show ended on a high note.

NXT UK 9/18/19

Rhea Ripley is exact type of female wrestler whom Vince wouldn't push on the main roster. Heck, the women whom he would push are jobbers on the UK show.

Really didn't care for much of the show. The highlight was the first British Rounds Match on WWE programming between Kassius Ohno (an American) and (an actual Brit) Sid Scala.

British Rounds Match was a nice change of pace. Been a long time since the ropes and outside the ring were considered forbidden. The wrinkle over allowing the competitor to get to his feet before allowing the other wrestler to touch him felt off since Ohno was able to KO Scala with his knockout attack. Maybe finishers didn't follow that rule? However, the rules did enable a grappling and chain wrestling clinic one does not normally see on WWE programming. The implementation of rounds made the submission holds not feel like rest holds while heightening the drama. Heck, the rounds created a story of Ohno gradually dominating the match against the underdog Scala until Scala finally got the momentum. Match culminated in Scala unable to score a pinfall and thus create a draw when time ran out.

Not often a wrestler acquires heel heat by fairly winning a match because the timer prevented the upstart from causing the match to be a draw.

Will Sid Scala wrestle more often? Will there be more British Rounds matches? Kassius Ohno will certainly continue to promote himself as the best British-style wrestler despite being American.

Also discovered that NXT UK airs earlier during the day too...

Fantasy Football

I wasn't able to draft my players myself so let the computer do it for me within both leagues. To mixed results.

Both leagues my best decision has been to bench Cam Newton.

One league I've claimed and added more players, while the other has been pretty static. Latter because I've been doing well and the lack of football knowledge of available free agents. Plus, I don't watch all the games so I can't properly assess the situation. Still, I am among the Top 4 in that league.

Unfortunately, I have 0 - 2 within the league that I have altered the team the most. The Antonio Brown and Melvin Gordon drama has caused quite the hassle for me. While I dropped Gordon, I have chosen to keep Brown. Ironically, going all Patriots WR during Week 2 wasn't the best decision. Julio Jones (whom I have on the league as well) will be active for Week 3. Drew Brees's injury was a killer during Week 2. Perhaps Carson Wentz will aid my team more this week?

Next time.