Comments on: Packers’ Worst Draft Ever Set Tone For Decade

By: Dennis

Dennis — Tue, 02 Oct 2012 03:06:29 +0000

I would have to agree that the Packers 81 draft was not stellar but I have to correct you on one thing. The 12th round pick actually was a good selection: Cliff Lewis LB from Southern Miss. I am very familiar with his story.

First of all, most 12th round draft picks don’t make the team and they certainly don’t hang around for four seasons. Lewis was a natural inside linebacker and that’s what he was drafted as. He was switched to OLB in his rookie season so there was a huge learning curve.

Secondly, while trying to learn a new position he was on the depth chart behind Mike Douglas. At the time Mike Douglas was one of the better OLB’s in the game. Lewis pressed Douglas hard for the starting position but could never really upseat him. He was able to start a few games and actually came up with a Key sack on Jim McMahon during a rare Packers victory over Da Bears.

Nevertheless, Lewis was a standout on special teams for four seasons and then was cut under Forrest Gregg during the 85 training camp and never played again.

In conclusion, he had a pretty good career for a 12th round pick. Very few last round draft picks stay in the league for four seasons.

By: Where Are They Now? Packers’ Draft Busts: 1980-1989 | Total Packers

Where Are They Now? Packers’ Draft Busts: 1980-1989 | Total Packers — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 14:01:44 +0000

[...] One of the main reasons the Packers were terrible is because the team made some of the biggest idiot draft choices in the history of the franchise. The team had perhaps the worst draft in the history of the organization in 1981. [...]

By: John P

John P — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 12:10:07 +0000

I think the draft was a huge problem in the 80′s but the Pack did have some elite players. Lynn Dickey was a extremely underrated QB. In 1982, with Lofton, Jefferson and Coffman, the Offense was almost unstoppable. The problem was the defense could not stop my grandma from scoring a touchdown. If the packers had any kind of reasonable D, they would have been much better in 1982 and 1983. Bart Starr would not have been fired. The problem with the Packers for a long time, up until Ron Wolf was hired, is that they did not have one person running the football operation side. Someone with totally authority. The Packers were run by committee. Imagine how it was for me living in Chicago in the 80′s, with the Pack sucking for most of the years after 83 and the Bears being so dominate.

By: david

david — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 00:38:50 +0000

I seem to remember that Rich Campbell threw the wounded duck pass that led to the winning touchdown against the Bears in 1984. That was when the Bears were beating the Pack almost every game. Campbell may have had only one moment of glory in his NFL career, but at least it came against the Bears.

By: iltarion

iltarion — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 21:58:17 +0000

Ah, Rich Campbell. The big #10. The memories. Yeah, that draft was complete horseshit.

Funny thing is, as much as Packer fans might bemoan the 80s, the team was never really that bad. The Packers were 8-8 or thereabouts nearly the entire decade. So, more like a decade of mediocrity than complete crap.

The Packers usually had either a good offense or a good defense, but never both. That was the problem.

By: Madcity Packer Fan

Madcity Packer Fan — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 18:24:17 +0000

Did someone just call Monty a Bears fan??? LMAO!

By: Teddy

Teddy — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 18:11:06 +0000

Why do you want to relive how bad the Packer’s were? Are you a bears fan or a masochist?

By: robbie

robbie — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 14:44:41 +0000

i would say see the browns 1995 draft…lol they got a total of 1 year started and 24 games played out of the entire class….i couldnt find any of the stats tho to go along with it