For most passing downs they should all be on the field. But last year the Smith's played a very high % of the downs. They'll want to reduce the number of snaps Z and P play. Gary will get those as well as most reps Fackrell played. I expect Z , P and Gary to each play about 75% of total snaps on D.

I think people are hitting thumbs down because of how you opened your comment. Exactly zero people are crowning Gary anything.

No one owes you a response, Chief. If someone wants to show their disagreement with your post by giving a down vote and then just moving on, I'm pretty sure they are free to do it. No one gives a crap if you don't like that.

Oh, and I almost forgot: Warren Sapp was also drafted 12th overall. He had 26 total tackles and 3 sacks in his rookie year.

I gave you a thumbs up because you characterized my feelings exactly. Given the signings of the Smith Bros, why in hell would you pick another OLB at #12 knowing he'd mostly sit on the bench? And especially a guy there were questions about? It made zero sense and the questions about the pick proved true as he contributed almost nothing to a 13-3 team. Maybe if we'd picked a DT who could stop the run we wouldn't have been run over twice by the 49'ers. Or a WR so that Rodgers would have someone to throw to besides Adams. Both positions were positions of need and there were good options to choose from. How much more would Deebo Samuel mean to this team right now than Gary? Jonathan Garvin, this year's 7th round pick has also been receiving a lot of praise. He may not be as fast in a straight line as Gary but he has more bend, is as strong (23 bench press to Gary's 26), and he's a year and a half younger (just turned 21). Wouldn't be surprised if he turned out the better of the two. I hope Gary turns out great, but where will he play?... probably backup at OLB because I don't think he's big enough to play inside. Was that worth a #12 pick?

I want to win now, while AR is still very good to elite. If Gute had selected Dexter Lawrence instead of Gary, SF might have found running against GB far more difficult.

I am giving Gary a chance. If he blossoms (which isn't a certainty), the question then becomes when. If it is in 2020, that probably works. If it is 2021, that might work, though by then the team might be waving goodbye to some combination of Bakh, Linsley, and/or Aaron Jones and King.

Any player taken 12th overall is going to have a lot of talent. Selecting prospects whose production did not match their talent is a gamble, one GB lost with M. Adams. Montravius has more talent than Fackrell, but Fackrell produced in college and turned out to be an NFL player/contributor, though not a starter. GB is hoping that Gary can do what ZaDarius does. There is no indication that Gary can do what Preston Smith does, that is, be a complete OLB who can drop into coverage as well as provide pressure and run defense.

I stand by my initial assessment: Awful pick unless it works.

I would rather try to win now with Rodgers, than draft at #12 for a future pass rusher 3 years down the road.

But that's just me, i wouldn't have given up trying to win now, like Gute has done.

No one has anointed Gary and no one has suggested waiving or trading him. Gary looks to me like he is unlikely to bust in the NFL.

That doesn't mean he was the best choice or even a good choice for the Packers to select with the 12th pick.

You cannot have too many pass rushers. They see a guy with rare athletic traits which tend to translate at a higher rate in the NFL, the type of traits elite pass rushers have. In many of my mock drafts which were scorned by many on here, I had the Packers taking Gary.....They value that type of athelticism, and at that size his movement is freakish. I don't see why people expected him to be a big contributor last year.....my expectations of rookies is so low to begin with.(also why I did not care about drafting a WR)....Z will move around, and Gary will play ALOT more this year....

That's the point, you don't see it.

Knowledgable football fans understand that any draft pick needs to develop, whether he is the #1 overall, #12 or #200. College players always need to develop in the NFL and starting as a rookie is a poor reason not to draft a player that has the kind of upside Gary has! Every draft pick is based on potential, and every draft pick has to develop once they get into the NFL. You don't develop NFL skills playing against 18 or 19 yr olds in college, you develop NFL skills playing against men not boys!

JJ Watt started and played alot of snaps as a rookie, he accumulated all of 5 sacks. But he worked his ass off and became dominant in yrs 2 and 3. You don't draft a starter at a position of need just to fill a hole when you have the chance to draft a player that might sit as a rookie but can develop into.. JJ Watt.

BTW I grew up in GB in the 70's and 80's so I'm not a 20 something who has never known anything but extreme success! Get a clue...

The Packers are going to be around a lot longer than Rodgers. Most said the same thing about the Packers and Rodgers when Thompson took him at 24. The next year or 2, the Packers under Favre were back in the NFCCG (too bad Favre arm punted). No one wants to see Rodgers w/ another SB more than I do, but draft picks are an investment in the Future, not a pick for immediate gratification (which by the way guarantees nothing either).

Why didn't the Packers get help for Favre? Only now its why didn't they for Rodgers? The answer? Draft picks are an investment in the future, NOT the present!

It sure worked out pretty well taking Rodgers instead of getting Favre more help. I get the situations were much different w/ Favre's retirement talk every year, but the fact remains the Packers were back in the NFCCG w/ Favre and Rodgers both on the team. No reason the same can't happen w/ Rodgers and Love on the bench.

Always having players at premium positions is a good way to make sure the teams stays competitive, instead of reverting back to the 70's and 80's (which I had to live thru In GB), which can happen if you start drafting for need.

Coming out of graduate school with honors most every job I applied for required job experience in order to be hired. I remember frustration thinking well how do you get experience if every job is requiring experience up front? You have to have a job to gain the work experience.

You talk about the need for pass catchers, and how few receptions the tight ends have. The analogy is the same. The wide receivers and TE's are very talented, but they just need to play to gain the experience and have opportunity for receptions.

I also do not get this whole Gary thing you are trying to make an issue with. He was only 21 years old and injured when drafted. The Packers saw talent with huge upside and pulled the trigger. Last year was a chance to recover physically and grow into his body. He has gotten stronger and learned a lot last year. Personally, I saw lots of talent in Gary. We all should have a much better idea of what we have in Gary this year, but personally I think we will be impressed.

"Everyone seems to be talking about the need for pass rushers.
But nobody.....is talking about the need for pass catching talent."

Well, the article is about a pass rusher, so........
If the article was about how Jace Sternberger is progressing in his year 2 camp, or how the 'alphabet brothers' are doing in their year 3 camp, I'm sure there would be more conversation about pass catching talent.

They're paid to play. Gary and Z can be up or down or side-by-side on the D line. they can go 4-2 if they wish or 4-3 sets . Stay multiple. Gutekunst has to pick up a guy for the D line with Montravious again questionable, in order to make the base 3-4 work.

But, as I stated Belechick proved many times he can win championships without great WR’s. Pass catchers include RB’s, especially in today’s NFL. He added two weapons and Funchess, its not like it was ignored. Also, keep in mind, on normal drafts it takes WR’s a couple of years to reach their potential. They seem to take the longest to mature. Dillon has shown to have good hands, but probably won’t be needed in that role this year with Williams and Jones. Deguara, we’ll just watch his tape and you will see a dynamic playmaker and pass catcher.

I respect your opinion and I believe Gutey would’ve taken one of the WR’s if his choices weren’t drafted before his picks. That being said, your in the load up for Rodgers crowd and I’m in the balance the future with trying to win now crowd. I liked the Love pick for the future and I prefer the chance to win consistently, now and the future vs blowing up the SC and try to win now at a higher percentage. Nothing wrong with either we just have a difference of methods to achieve success. As they say there is more then one way to “skin the cat”.