Back in October 2009 we suggested the Green Bay Packers could be listening to offers for Aaron Kampman. Ultimately, Packers’ general manager Ted Thompson didn’t make a move and he’s given no indication there were any offers for Kampman or, if there were, what those offers might have been.
This offseason, Kampman signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Hindsight is, of course, 20/20, but in the end the Packers received no compensation for Kampman.
Leading up the the NFL trade deadline, Kampman hadn’t adapted well to the 3-4 defense. His sack numbers were down and he was a clear liability in coverage. In the offseason, Kampman chose to go to a team where he could play his traditional 4-3 defensive end position, which wasn’t really a surprise to anyone.
Meanwhile, there was precedent that the Packers could have received a fairly nice package for Kampman. When the Minnesota Vikings acquired Jared Allen, they coughed up first and two third-round draft picks. The Packers probably wouldn’t have received that type of compensation for Kampman, but a second or third-round pick could certainly have been expected.
Kampman, of course, tore his ACL in November and finished the season on IR. So, in effect, by not trading him while they had a chance, the Packers 1. didn’t get a full season from Kampman, and 2. got nothing for him when he signed with Jacksonville.
One possible explanation why the Packers didn’t move Kampman is Thompson didn’t get an offer he liked, even though he had a pretty good idea Kampman was leaning towards leaving in the offseason. Perhaps Thompson thought Kampman would eventually take to the 3-4 and the Packers would have a have shot at re-signing him in the offseason. Obviously, the injury more or less put an end to that scenario.
More likely is the Packers were afraid to move Kampman. There have been whispers around the NFL that the Packers were concerned about looking bad by letting go of a fan favorite like Kampman in the aftermath of the Brett Favre fiasco.
Unfortunately, the Packers’ lack of movement cost them a potentially high draft pick.
[ad#totalpackers468x60]
What type of pick are the Packers eligible for compensation next year?
All I have to say is the NFL better cough up a 3rd round compensatory pick next year.
Maybe we should trade Ted Thompson.
This article is classic revisionist’s history. Trading Kampman would’ve sent a message to the organization, the players, and the fans, that we were somehow rebuilding by shipping off our most successful DE. If he hadn’t tore his ACL, and had assimilated week-by-week to the 3-4, he probably would’ve resigned with us this off-season. I understand that, in hindsight, it sucks because we gained nothing by letting him walk. Hopefully, we get a high compensatory pick next year. Can’t blame the Packers for this.
I cant see not getting a 3rd rounder for net loss next season. We also lost that Mike Montgomery guy to the vikings so that should get us something to next season
So….how much was a team going to offer in trade for a guy who was in the final year of his contract? I mean, if you trade for him, then you also have to sign him to a new contract or he’s gone after a year. Isn’t it simpler to wait a year until he becomes a UFA and then you can offer him the contract…without ponying up any draft choices??
It’s very likely we’ll get a 4th round comp pick for Kampman; I’m not sure we could have traded him for much more than that. Certainly nobody is going to give a first round pick for a guy who may be gone in a year.
So, if they would have traded him, what would they do for a pass rush on that side?
If they would have traded him, the fans would have crucified Thompson. At that point in time, they didn’t know how good CM3 would be since he was dealing with hammy issues.