Packers Morning Buzz: 3 Packers (and 4 former Packers) crack top free-agent list

Welcome to your Morning Buzz, rounding up news and views regarding the Green Bay Packers from around the web and here at PackersNews.com.

We'll start with Packers inside linebacker Blake Martinez checking in at No. 50 on the Pro Football Focus top-100 list of players who are slated to become 2020 free agents (if they can avoid the franchise tag, and also not counting quarterbacks, who have a value level all their own).

Regarding Martinez, PFF writes:

50. LB BLAKE MARTINEZ

After multiple years of strong grading at Stanford and now multiple seasons in the NFL, as well, Blake Martinez has shown all the qualities necessary to be a superstar linebacker and complete player — he's just never shown all the qualities at the same time. He has earned top-level grades in all facets of the game but hasn’t been able to put them all together in the same season, and this year, in particular, he looked like a liability at times against the run. Martinez doesn’t have the athleticism to make up for plays where he is late to read things developing, and he has missed double-digit tackles in each year of his career.

The only other Packers players making the top-100 list are right tackle Bryan Bulaga (No. 57) and cornerback Tramon Willians (83). Former Packers include safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix (24), defensive lineman Mike Daniels (37), safety Damarious Randall (52) and wide receiver Randall Cobb (69),

You can check out the entire list here:

Turning our attention to the April draft, wide receiver figures to top the Packers' priority list with the No. 30 pick, and in his first 2020 mock draft, NFL.com's Daniel Jeremiah agrees (while noting that it would be an out-of-character move for the franchise):

PICK 30

Laviska Shenault - WR

School: Colorado | Year: Junior

The Packers don't pick WRs in the first round, but Shenault is more than just a receiver. He can line up in the backfield and move around the formation to create mismatches in Green Bay's favor.

Shenault caught 142 passes for 1,775 yards and 10 touchdowns the last two seasons. He also gained 276 yards rushing with seven touchdowns.

You can see Jeremiah's entire mock first-round projections here:

You can get a good look at the top prospects here:

Are you ready for an NFL draft in Las Vegas? And with all this glamour and glitz, can Green Bay ever hope to compete to host the event?

The Packers' defense appeared to be unclear on the concept of filling in the gaps against the 49ers' rushing attack. Analysis from Eric Baranczyk and Pete Dougherty:

Despite the late-season addition of Tyler Ervin , the Packers still finished last in punt-return average:

Veteran free-agent tight end Marcedes Lewis told Tom Silverstein he wants to return next season:

Former Packers training camp sensation Taysom Hill could be moving closer to getting a starting job:

The autopsies from Sunday's NFC championship massacre continue:

This seems a little harsh:

Hey, they found one for the Packers:

This no doubt will have a major impact on Packers fans' TV viewing plans (or not):

What if this rule had been in place in the 2014 season?

And finally: Imagine the reaction of Packers fans if Brett Favre were to say this before a Green Bay-Minnesota matchup for the NFC title:

Contact Stu Courtney at (920) 431-8377 or scourtney@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @stucourt