Packers trade for LB BJ Goodson
The former Giant is a thumper who can also help on special teams.
By PackerAaron
The Packers have moved to address the inside linebacker position, trading for BJ Goodson formerly of the New York Giants.
After initially planning to waive him, the #Giants are trading LB BJ Goodson to the #Packers, per @TomPelissero and me.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 2, 2019
Goodson is a thumper who is a tackling machine, though undoubtedly a bit of a liability in coverage. He does offer something on special teams.
#Packers LB BJ Goodson is a thick, downhill thumper. Tough and aggressive player... pic.twitter.com/pD3dk1pwnS
— Ben Fennell (@BenFennell_NFL) September 2, 2019
B.J. Goodson is more of a run defender than a coverage linebacker. He allowed a completion on over 75% of his targets last season. Conversely, Goodson ranked 7th on the Giants in defensive stops (PFF definition) while only playing the 9th most snaps on run downs. https://t.co/m9ps1UxQJa
— Jason B. Hirschhorn (@by_JBH) September 2, 2019
The Packers have made a trade for Giants LB BJ Goodson.
Here's a scouting report on the new linebacker: pic.twitter.com/pBneB5cj7z
— The Power Sweep (@ThePowerSweep) September 2, 2019
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Comments (64)
ThxJackVainisi
September 02, 2019 at 11:20 am
Sounds a lot like Morrison.
Coldworld
September 02, 2019 at 03:41 pm
Who plays ST.
GatorJason
September 02, 2019 at 06:05 pm
He replaces Crawford who is a ST whiz but a liability as ILB.
BJ Goodson is good on ST and can backup Martinez.
Oops, sorry posting before reading.
My comment was already made about 10x by others.
4thand1
September 02, 2019 at 11:24 am
A tackling machine, sounds good to me.
PackfanNY
September 02, 2019 at 11:26 am
I can’t argue with this move. I think he brings something Packers have been missing which is more of a run stopping mentality on the inside. I would expect he is in the game on early downs. He is a good tackler. He also has been good on special teams. Not a game changer, but at this point strengthening your roster is what it’s all about. Hopefully, Gute still working to see if anyone else is available. You never know.
4thand10
September 02, 2019 at 09:21 pm
They Essentially get and experienced 3-4 Middle linebacker who the giants weren’t interested in extending for free. Giants get 2020 conditional seventh-rounder (from Ravens)
Packers get Goodson and a 2020 conditional seventh-rounder.
Good deal for a thumper, especially for when teams come in thinking they are going to run all over a safety converted to a linebacker...and run into a real linebacker. I like the move.
Lphill
September 02, 2019 at 11:28 am
I think he is more of a backup for Martinez and a special teamer. Nice pickup .
Handsback
September 02, 2019 at 12:41 pm
I think so too. They need a coverage guy and have several options...but if Martinez goes down, they need at least a run stopper.
jannesbjornson
September 02, 2019 at 12:44 pm
He at least started 16 games. More combined than Burks, Crawford and Summers
4thand10
September 02, 2019 at 09:22 pm
This^^^
Mojo
September 02, 2019 at 11:32 am
Possible upgrade from Crawford? They say he plays ST so you don't lose much there.
sonomaca
September 02, 2019 at 11:52 am
Probably. Other candidates are Redmond and Sheppard.
Bure9620
September 02, 2019 at 11:33 am
Will be interested to see the corresponding roster move......my money is James Crawford, similar player but Goodson is better, also can play special teams.
Bure9620
September 02, 2019 at 12:13 pm
There it is, Crawford released
jeremyjjbrown
September 02, 2019 at 01:12 pm
I was surprised to see Crawford on the roster. He didn't play that well, overpursued a lot.
LoganBurton
September 02, 2019 at 11:34 am
Good depth addition. With Pettine using a plethora of DBs in most sets, 2 linebackers on the field are somewhat rare anyway.
Rebecca
September 02, 2019 at 06:11 pm
“Plethora” alert. Excellent!
SpudRapids
September 03, 2019 at 09:56 am
I see you have copious amounts of excitement over this.
Leatherhead
September 02, 2019 at 08:27 pm
I think that on most defensive snaps, we'll have 5 or 6 DBs on the field, and 6 or 5 front end defenders.
We're rarely going to have two ILBS on the field at the same time, and if everybody's healthy we'll be OK. Losing Martinez would really weaken the center of our defense.
Thegreatreynoldo
September 02, 2019 at 11:38 am
I will hope for the best. The scouting reports I googled are all two years old. I hope he got better in coverage and that at most we switched places in the 7th round. Heavy.com suggests that the Giants were going to waive him because of a MLB they got through a waiver claim. Doesn't sound good, though he had a 66.2 PFF grade.
sonomaca
September 02, 2019 at 12:45 pm
Giants really focus on LB’s. Their rejects may be solid players.
Qoojo
September 02, 2019 at 12:57 pm
Pretty sure he is an upgrade over Crawford.
Leatherhead
September 02, 2019 at 08:23 pm
We've got 53 guys. Two-thirds of them are right around average. About 9 are better than average, and about 9 are below average. Just like every other team in the league. Yeah, it might vary by one or two but it is what it is. If our big 9 play well, we'll be in business.
I like what we've got. We're good enough to win if we play well.
I think this guy is possibly holding Bolton's spot. He's a very marginal guy but apparently the Packers think we need another player there right now and he's the best available.
Bure9620
September 02, 2019 at 11:37 am
We now see the value placed on ILB by Gute, get a veteran early down downhill player from another roster that can tackle, Morrison and now Goodson. Similar value as TT placed on the position as well. Martinez is definitely a FA next year.
crayzpackfan
September 02, 2019 at 11:40 am
I like the move. But I’ve been reading he’s not very good in coverage at all. However, I think for what he’ll probably be asked to do and being placed in the right positions, he’ll provide good depth. With needs at ILB, beggars can’t be choosers. I’m feeling okay about this.
Bure9620
September 02, 2019 at 12:11 pm
I can tell you with 99.99% certainty he was NOT acquired for his coverage ability.
crayzpackfan
September 02, 2019 at 02:23 pm
I agree. He’s there to stuff the run on obvious running downs.
Since'61
September 02, 2019 at 11:53 am
A good move on running downs and maybe 3rd and short. Another good example that Gute never stops looking to improve the roster even if only incrementally with this move. Thanks, Since ‘61.
JohnnyLogan
September 02, 2019 at 11:56 am
Won't ever play on 3rd down as Green will move inside. He's depth behind Martinez which is forward thinking. Summers not ready yet to take over in case Blake goes down. Summers faster but inexperienced and probably not as good a tackler. Good move.
jannesbjornson
September 02, 2019 at 12:50 pm
You don't get to third down if you cannot stop them on 1st and 2nd. Even with Dom they did a good job of controlling the down, but third and long haunted them. With ZA, Gary , Clark and gang, third down should show more speed of the attack. The Pack offense is a veteran unit.
Snake Plissken
September 02, 2019 at 01:38 pm
Of course he'll play on 3rd down.
3rd and short & Goal line.
PatrickGB
September 02, 2019 at 07:43 pm
Johnny, Unless the other team goes into a hurry up offense. Then he is probably stuck on the field. In any case it’s going to be a game or two before he is ready to play in Pettines defense. Right now they probably need bodies for practice.
FuDog42
September 02, 2019 at 12:02 pm
What did we give up?
JonathanSpader
September 02, 2019 at 04:30 pm
On Crawford lol
4thand10
September 02, 2019 at 09:34 pm
Didn’t give up anything really, we had 2 conditional 7th round picks, we may still not yet have to part with one because technically Goodson was waved at the end of his rookie deal before the “ trade “ announcement.
Goodson was a 4th round pick in 2016, guy fights through blocks to tackle, is good at hitting and tackling. Won’t be much in coverage, but Pettine will just use a safety for coverage anyway in that type of situation. An experience young 3-4 MLB who can hit....way worth a conditional 7th in my mind.
Duneslick
September 02, 2019 at 12:05 pm
What did we give up Who did we cut. Incomplete article
ThxJackVainisi
September 02, 2019 at 12:23 pm
It's breaking news. Read above and the Packers waived Crawford to make room for him. As soon as the teams release details of the trades, I'm sure we'll learn what the Packers gave up for him.
Lare
September 02, 2019 at 02:35 pm
The Giants were going to waive him, probably no more than a 6th or 7th round pick.
Roadrunner23
September 02, 2019 at 12:10 pm
Thumpers are always welcome especially if they are core special teams guys also.
They probably gave up a conditional 7th and I assume Crawford will be waived and they will sneak him into practice squad.
sonomaca
September 02, 2019 at 12:19 pm
Malik Taylor could be on chopping block.
jeepingmakooi
September 02, 2019 at 12:54 pm
He is on the practice squad... So.. I doubt it.
LeotisHarris
September 02, 2019 at 03:04 pm
Agreed, nostradanus, more downhill thumpers and less bad-angle-taking uphill whiffers is always a good thing.
sonomaca
September 02, 2019 at 03:11 pm
Solid defense. Best in years, on paper.
stockholder
September 02, 2019 at 12:23 pm
Well if this wasn't a tourniquet.
JHitTheB
September 02, 2019 at 12:34 pm
I like it. We need more "thumpers." We need guys that WANT to hit. We need toughness. I want to see more attitude. I want this D to be nasty, hard hitting and bully opponents. GB has been too soft in recent years - my opinion.
dobber
September 02, 2019 at 12:58 pm
To every season Churn...churn...churn...
Improve the roster churn...churn...churn...
greengold
September 02, 2019 at 01:46 pm
I like this add. Projected R3-R4 in 2018 draft. Will see what he brings.
Good stats as a Senior at Clemson:
108 tackles 14 TFL 5.5 sacks 3 PD 2 INT 1 FF 2FR
Those are hustle numbers. Not a speed guy 4.69, but probably plays faster that 40 time ala Shepherd, J Jackson, Geronimo etc. and good bet Goodson was on Gutekunst’s radar 2018 draft.
JQ
September 02, 2019 at 02:13 pm
Not sure how why he’d have a 2018 scouting report...especially since he’s played three seasons for the Giants. NFL stats from 2016 through 2018 seasons.
Fastenerpuller
September 02, 2019 at 06:26 pm
I like those season stats- it’s not an anomaly or wishful thinking.
albert999
September 02, 2019 at 01:52 pm
Love the move
GO GUTEY
BEARS SUCK
Cartwright
September 02, 2019 at 02:13 pm
Good to hear we picked up some one with experience who is good at stopping the run. Saw too many holes open up on the defense this preseason like in years past, didn't see much of difference in fact, albeit they were not starters. Was getting worried that without some help we were going to get rolled on in the early downs without a solid plug. Martinez can't do it all and 7th round rookies shouldn't be trusted right off the bat. Gute had to do something. Your only as good as your weakest link. Maybe a combo of this former Giant with Green in passing downs shored this up. At least something was done. May the season now begin.
EddieLeeIvory
September 02, 2019 at 03:07 pm
Good addition.
However, WR Josh Doctson is the talent I wanted to pick up but I see the dayum Viqueens assed the 2016 first rounder.
sonomaca
September 02, 2019 at 03:16 pm
Chargers allowing Melvin Gordon to seek trade. Maybe he’d take less to come back to Wisconsin.
MITM
September 02, 2019 at 03:28 pm
FWIW - Goodson is way better of an ILB than Crawford was ever going to be. Crawford was a Ted Thompson type, guy who was playing out of position for no good reason. Thompsons era was littered with OLB-ILB converts, with little to no success. (Brad Jones being the only one who was SOMEWHAT successful)
Goodson's passer rating against was 69.9%, and he had 2 interceptions in 13 games. Not terrible by any means. Also he is from the same high school as Levon Kirkland and John Abraham.
Coldworld
September 02, 2019 at 03:46 pm
Crawford was a ST wonder who made the team from nowhere, before he really had a final position on D. He just didn’t progress and was at a position where we needed to have players who could take the field on D.
Fastenerpuller
September 02, 2019 at 06:28 pm
Oof don’t remind us of the ILB woes of the past! I hope we draft someone at the position next year.
meatstyk
September 02, 2019 at 06:34 pm
Why not pick up mason from the skins??
Lphill
September 02, 2019 at 07:48 pm
Goodson lead Clemson in tackles during his career, good pickup for the Packers who I believe had 2 7 th Round picks anyway, I just read that deal made no sense for Giants who could have released him, he was in final year of contract and it seems Giants didn’t want to pay him.
4thand10
September 02, 2019 at 09:39 pm
Yep.
Cubbygold
September 02, 2019 at 08:33 pm
Im confused. They swapped 7th round picks. GB gets the giants 7th rounder and Giants get the ravens 7th rounder...
I think most people would predict the ravens to have a better record... So GB likely got paid to take this guy? Why would NY do this?
Thegreatreynoldo
September 02, 2019 at 09:24 pm
That's because it isn't clear. I'd guess that the Giants get the best of the Packers 7th round picks (GB's own, the one they got for McCray, or the 2020 7th rounder they got for Ty Montgomery). If none of those are better than the Giants' 7th rounder, you got me. Perhaps the Giants end up with nothing, or perhaps they get GB's 6th in such a contingency.
ThxJackVainisi
September 02, 2019 at 11:11 pm
Getting the better of two 7th rounders isn't nothing, but it's as close to nothing you can get in an NFL trade. The advantage for the team getting the player is to avoid waiting to see if their waiver claim is awarded.
Speaking of getting close to nothing, I remember Ron Wolf sending a draft pick (to the Dolphins I think) for "past considerations". The league put an end to that - it just looks a little fishy.
Alberta_Packer
September 02, 2019 at 10:10 pm
Enough talk. Let the thumping begin.
PAPackerbacker
September 03, 2019 at 06:02 am
Goodson is a solid tackler who reacts quickly and pursues well. A good special teams player too. An improvement over Crawford for sure. A good addition to the Packers D. A nice trade for a solid player. I wish him well. Go! Pack!! Go!