Draft Time

Yahoo! Sports has determined that the Green Bay Packers have needs at running back, cornerback, tight end, wide receiver and safety. They further make the following analysis of the Packers draft strategy:

RB: The Packers' staff is making more believers in the belief that it feels comfortable entering training camp with a combination of Vernand Morency as the potential starter, and Noah Herron and a draft choice battling for playing time. If that is the case, the Packers will likely pass on a first-round back and wait until later to draft someone, possibly Kenny Irons, Brandon Jackson or Chris Henry.

Editor Commentary: Huh? Vernand Morency had some flashes of being a decent running back as Ahman Green's back up but as the primary back? There will probably be much hand wringing if the Packers pass on Marshawn Lynch of Cal should he fall this far. And I will run amok down the streets of Green Bay if Adrian Peterson of Oklaholma is available and they don't snatch him. I doubt Peterson will fall that far however. I wouldn't even mind seeing a trade up if they can make a run at him.

CB: This position needs to be addressed so that they can line up better against three- to four-wide receiver sets. They have two good starters and are hopeful that '06 fourth-rounder Will Blackmon will develop. The Packers can afford to take someone in the second or third round because they would prefer a defender along the lines of Michael Coe, Tarell Brown, David Irons or C.J. Gaddis.

Editor Commentary: Still paying the price of the Ahmad Carroll debacle.

TE: With Bubba Franks slowing down and David Martin departing via free agency, the time has come to find a pass-catching threat down the middle that can help spread the field for Donald Driver and Greg Jennings. If they do not have a chance at Greg Olsen in the first round, they could opt for players like Ben Patrick, Clark Harris or Martrez Milner between rounds 3 and 4.

Editor Commentary: If Peterson and Lynch aren't around in the 1st round and Olsen is, that might not be a bad thought. Otherwise, you have to wait a couple of rounds for the next group of TEs.

WR: Outside of Driver and Jennings, the team has no real depth at this position although former undrafted free agent Ruvell Martin shows signs of being a capable reserve when healthy. The Packers would like to find someone that is more of the physical, possession type, and could also opt to add a second receiver that could add some punch to their return game later in the draft.

Editor Commentary: Is Koren Robinson (assuming he's sober and out of trouble) still in the mix? Even Yahoo didn't seem impressed enough with the WRs after Georgia Tech's Calvin Johnson to mention any of them by name. No way do the Packers have a shot at Johnson.

S: They added veteran Marquand Manuel a year ago via free agency, but he did not produce nearly enough big plays. Nick Collins continues to grow, but finding a prospect with better range, speed and ball skills to challenge Manuel for playing time would improve the pass-coverage ability of the entire secondary.

Editor Commentary: Not a huge concern at this point although Manuel was a bit of a disappointment.

Final Commentary: What, no plan for the post-Favre era yet?

Overall pick/round: 16 (1), 47 (2), 78 (3), 112 (4), 157 (5), 193 (6), 228 (7), 235 (7), 243 (7)