Neo Workxx » Revisiting the what-could-have-beens of the Packers’ 2011

draft Building through the draft has been a prevailing mantra of Green Bay Packers management since the day former General Manager Ted Thompson walked through the door. Back in 2016 Bryan Bulaga Jersey , the Packers entered training camp with a 90-man roster built of 79 players that had begun their career with the franchise. Of course, not all 79 players were drafted, but a significant number did join the team via the annual selection weekend.As such a critical piece of the Packers’ year-to-year success, the 2011 NFL Draft proved to be a setback. Only only two players from that 10-player group are still in Green Bay, with one - Davon House - a returner to the squad after two seasons in Jacksonville. In fact, only four individuals made it to year three on the Packers 53-man roster, a hindrance for a promising team coming off a Super Bowl title. Here is a list of the Packers’ draft choices.Packers’ 2011 Draft ClassRoundPlayerPositionSchool53-Man Seasons with GBRoundPlayerPositionSchool53-Man Seasons with GBRandall Cobb clearly has been the silver lining for the Packers from this draft, one that suffered mightily from first-round pick Derek Sherrod’s broken leg as a rookie. Sherrod’s long-term absence left a glaring dent in Green Bay’s offensive tackle depth, which the Packers tried to fill with players such as Don Barclay and Marshall Newhouse with little success. Injuries also hampered third-rounder Alex Green, who saw limited action in two full seasons with the team and left Green Bay searching for answers at running back in the coming years. A depressing note was that three of the Packers’ third day picks never saw a regular season game in a green and gold uniform.But hindsight is 20/20 and things could have turned out much differently when revisiting that draft, especially in the first round. And while third-day picks can be a shot in the dark to find lasting talent, there were some gems available. Here are a few.First RoundIt’s hard to call Sherrod a bust when injuries devastated his career from the start. But it’s very possible that the Packers’ draft could have been viewed in a much more positive light had three of the four selections before pick 32 fell differently. On the lookout for a running back, Green Bay could have had Mark Ingram fall into its lap if not for New Orleans pouncing at pick 28. Though Ingram has not been the perennial All-Pro that some envisioned coming out of Alabama Mason Crosby Jersey , he’s put together a productive seven-year career with the Saints and has proved to be a much more long-lasting backfield option than Green and 2013 Packers second-rounder Eddie Lacy.Rumored to have interest in both Muhammad Wilkerson and Cameron Heyward to fill defensive end spots in the Dom Capers 3-4 defense, the Packers missed on both as each was taken in the two picks leading up to Green Bay’s selection. Both went on to have Pro Bowl seasons before earning lucrative second contracts. Either player would have fortified the Packers’ line as they struck out on Lawrence Guy in the seventh round (who has since gone on to have a rotational role outside Green Bay) and Jerel Worthy a year later. Luckily, the Packers were able to land Mike Daniels in 2012 after Worthy. Still, the Packers’ front seven would have been strong with Wilkerson and Heyward in the fold. Fourth Round (Part One)Two picks before the Packers selected Davon House with a compensatory pick, they had an opportunity to make a decision at pick 129. Instead, they traded that pick off to the Denver Broncos for fifth- and sixth-round choices. The Broncos used it to take tight end Julius Thomas, a small-school product from Portland State. Meanwhile, the Packers would take a tight end of their own with the fifth-rounder received in D.J. Williams.Obviously, history is not on the Packers’ side with this swap. Williams and fellow drafted tight end Ryan Taylor never went on to significantly impact the Packers during their combined five years with the franchise. Thomas, on the other hand, qualified for the Pro Bowl in 2013 and 2014 and would have formed a tantalizing dynamic duo with Jermichael Finley in Green Bay. Thomas also could have filled in after Finley’s career-ending injury in 2013 and been an easy replacement after his subsequent retirement.Instead, the Packers moved forward in the post-Finley era with Andrew Quarless and Richard Rodgers.Fourth Round (Part Two)It could have been much worse for Green Bay than adding House at the end of round four. He’s heading into his sixth season with the Packers and has been at least a stable cornerback when healthy. But Richard Sherman, who went just 23 picks later in the fifth round David Bakhtiari Jersey , could have been a club-changing talent in the Packers’ secondary during a period of time in which that unit arguably held the team back from reaching a Super Bowl. House appeared in 40 out of 64 possible regular season games his first four years with the Packers and tallied two interceptions. Sherman played in all 64 games, totaling 24 interceptions en route to two Pro Bowl seasons. Certainly, Sherman’s fit in Seattle may not have been the same in Green Bay or led to the same level of stardom. But there’s a good chance he still would have become a tremendous asset to the defense.Fifth Round Similar to the fourth round, the Packers traded back at the end of the fifth round, acquiring later selections. While Green Bay would strike out with Ricky Elmore at the end of round six to be a developmental rush linebacker, staying put in the fifth round would have afforded them the opportunity to take Pernell McPhee. Instead, the Ravens took McPhee two picks later and received 17 sacks over four seasons before McPhee cashed in as a free agent with the Chicago Bears. While injuries significantly slowed McPhee’s career with the Bears, he still added another 14 sacks in the Windy City in three seasons. Imagine the likes of Clay Matthews, Mike Neal, and Nick Perry lined up with McPhee about five years ago. The Packers’ pass-rushing depth could have been relentless.NFL Sunday Schedule, Week 1 2018: Bears-Packers highlights big opening Sunday It’s the Green Bay Packers’ 100th year of football, and as a result, the team requested a home game against their oldest rival Ty Summers Green Bay Packers Jersey , the Chicago Bears, in week one. Not only did the NFL grant that request, but they put the game in prime time on Sunday Night Football, capping off what is sure to be a fun opening Sunday for the 2018 regular season.The addition of Khalil Mack adds to the drama surrounding this Packers-Bears game, but there’s plenty of that to go around today. We have one of the league’s brightest young players in DeShaun Watson playing against the league’s oldest star quarterback, Tom Brady. We have a handful of divisional matchups, which are sure to provide some interesting results. There’s also one of the league’s up-and-coming offensive minds, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan, facing a defensive mastermind in the Vikings’ Mike Zimmer.It should be a fun one so kick back, enjoy, and join us here at APC for all of today’s games!EARLY GAMESAll games scheduled for 1:00 PM ETBuffalo Bills at Baltimore RavensM&T Bank StadiumBaltimore, MDCBSPittsburgh Steelers at Cleveland BrownsFirstEnergy StadiumCleveland, OHCBSCincinnati Bengals at Indianapolis ColtsLucas Oil StadiumIndianapolis Ty Summers Jersey 2019 , INCBSTennessee Titans at Miami DolphinsHard Rock StadiumMiami, FLFOXSan Francisco 49ers at Minnesota VikingsU.S. Bank StadiumMinneapolis, MNFOXHouston Texans at New England PatriotsGillette StadiumFoxboro, MACBSTampa Bay Buccaneers at New Orleans SaintsMercedes-Benz SuperdomeNew Orleans, LAFOXJacksonville Jaguars at New York GiantsMetLife StadiumEast Rutherford, NJFOXAFTERNOON GAMESKansas City Chiefs at Los Angeles Chargers1:05 PM PT (4:05 PM ET)StubHub CenterCarson, CACBSWashington at Arizona Cardinals1:25 PM PT (4:25 PM ET)University of Phoenix StadiumGlendale, AZFOXDallas Cowboys at Carolina Panthers1:25 PM PT (4:25 PM ET)Bank of America StadiumCharlotte, NCFOXSeattle Seahawks at Denver Broncos2:25 PM PT (4:25 PM ET)Mile High StadiumDenver, COFOXSunday Night FootballChicago Bears at Green Bay Packers7:20 PM CT (8:20 ET)Lambeau FieldGreen Bay, WINBC