Adios Brian Brohm...

Brian Brohm went back to Louisville for his senior season instead of entering the 2007 NFL Draft. Most draft experts disagreed with the decision at the time and their displeasure was validated by how Brohm's senior season at Louisville played out.

In fairness to Brohm, Lousiville lost their head coach and noted offensive genius Bobby Petrino to the Atlanta Falcons (all the more reason to enter the draft though Brohm). Instead of ending up as a potential top 10 pick in the 2007 NFL Draft, Brohm slipped all the way to the end of the 2nd round of the 2008 NFL Draft.

In Brohm's first training camp with the Green Bay Packers he lost the back-up quarterback job to Matt Flynn, a 7th round draft pick from the same draft. Brohm was so bad in his second training camp with the Packers (when he wore a glove as if that would improve things) that they waived Brohm at the end of the preseason, essentially giving up on a second round draft pick after little less than a year.

Even worse for Brohm, no team claimed him so he signed with the Packers' practice squad. Brohm's Packer career came to an end this week when he signed a two year contract with the rebuilding Buffalo Bills. The Packers offered a similar two year contract but Brohm elected to join the Bills given their unrest at quarterback.


This all begs the question: is Justin Harrell or Brian Brohm the biggest draft bust of the Ted Thompson era?


Justin Harrell Draft:
#16 - Green Bay Packers - Justin Harrell (DT): only appeared in 3 games during his senior season at Tennessee because of torn bicep...seems like a red flag when drafting a player #16 overall right? Harrell appeared in 13 games for the Packers over two seasons, starting only 2 contests. The Packers placed Harrell on injured reserve at the end of the 2009 training camp.

#17 - Denver Broncos - Jarvis Moss (DE): appeared in 21 games, starting only 1 contest. Unfortunately for the Broncos, Moss has been almost as disappointing as Harrell.

#18 - Cincinnati Bengals - Leon Hall (CB): started 35 of 41 games. Looks like the cornerback of the future for Bengals.

#19 - Tennessee Titans - Michael Griffin (S): started 34 of 41 and made the Pro Bowl in 2008. Similar to Hall, looks like a franchise defensive back.

#20 - New York Giants - Aaron Ross (CB): has a career arc similar to Harrell/Moss as oppose to Hall/Girffin...shoot.

#21 - Jacksonville Jaguars - Reggie Nelson (S): started 37 of 38 games. Similar to Hall and Girffin, looks like a franchise defensive back.

Analysis: with all of the inconsistent and injury riddled play of Atari Bigby the past two seasons, the Packers would be ecstatic to have Griffin or Nelson. With how great Harris and Woodson have been at cornerback, they are both in their early 30s and the only other viable cornerback on the Packers' roster is Tramon Williams so the Packers would also welcome Hall with open arms. Even Moss and Ross have given their teams more production than Harrell...see how horrible of a pick that is turning out to be?


Brian Brohm Draft:
#55 - Baltimore - Ray Rice (RB): not only their starting running back but Rice looks to be the Ravens' franchise running back. Along with Michael Oher getting picked a few spots ahead of Clay Matthew in the first round of the 2009 NFL Draft, the Ravens drafted two franchise players just ahead of the Packers in the last two drafts.

#56 - Green Bay Packers - Brian Brohm (QB): do I have to bash him anymore?

#57 - Miami Dolphins - Chad Henne (QB): starting quarterback for the Miami Dolphins...Oh Dang.

#58 - Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Dexter Jackson (WR): cut by the Buccaneers heading into the 2009 seasons...misery love company Brohm.

#59 - Indianapolis Colts - Mike Pollak (C): started at right guard for 20 of 25 games for the Colts.

#60 - Green Bay Packers - Patrick Lee (CB): played 5 games as a rookie but finished the 2008 season on injured reserved. Picked up where he left off in 2009 by starting the season on injured reserve with Mr. Justin Harrell.

#61 - Dallas Cowboys - Martellus Bennett (TE): a physical specimen for a tight end. The Packers snapped up a similar physical specimen at tight end in Jermichael Finley in the 3rd round so it makes missing Bennett not that big of a deal.

#62 - New England Patriots - Terrence Wheatley (CB): about as productive as Patrick Lee...obviously not a compliment.

#63 - New York Giants - Terrell Thomas (CB): started all 9 games this season for the New York Giants. Definitely an upgrade over Lee and Wheatley.

Analysis: it is fairly obvious the Packers would rather have drafted Brohm than Henne. That said, when the Packers drafted Brohm they had just given the keys to the franchise to Aaron Rodgers so why take another young QB in the second round? Why not bring in a veteran back-up quarterback? With all of the Packers' trouble on the offensive line the real miss by taking Brohm is Pollak.


Verdict: I know it is easy to look back and question draft picks. The only problem with the Harrell/Brohm picks are that they were questionable at the time. As the last few seasons played out, the picks look downright idiotic. Since Harrell has an outside chance of playing for the Packers again it makes the Brohm pick worse, but not by much. For a general manager that wants to build through the draft as opposed to free agency, missing on both Harrell and Brohm is going to plague the Packers for a number of years.