Tom Silverstein tracked down Green Bay Packers general manager Ted Thompson at the NFL owners meetings on Monday. Their discussion focused on free agency.
And as usual, when Thompson discusses free agency, it’s good for a laugh.
In this instance, it was good for several.
First, Thompson suggests free agency isn’t done yet and that maybe the Packers will sign someone.
“It’s interesting that people keep score,” Thompson said. “It’s still on-going. There are still surprises down the road I’m sure. I hope they’re good surprises as opposed to bad. But yeah, you have to kind of wait this thing out and see how it goes.”
Wait and see how it goes. That’s funny.
You don’t want to to control your own destiny, that’s for sure. Just gonna wait and see how it goes. That’s usually a good approach to anything, especially work-related.
You know, I’m not going to try. I’m just going to wait and see how it goes.
Good things will probably just happen!
How about the fact that, as usual, the Packers haven’t signed anyone of note who wasn’t on their roster last year?
“Yeah, well, just because we don’t sign somebody doesn’t mean we don’t consider people,” Thompson said. “We did a lot of considering, and we do all the time, wherever we felt like we could make our team better in the grand scheme things we’ve tried to do that. So far, it’s been kind of quiet from a fan’s standpoint and I’m sorry to say that.”
We did a lot of considering. Sure you did.
It seemed like you were considering plenty when you were out of the office on the first day of free agency. Or when you didn’t bother to call Danny Trevathan.
I’m not exactly sure if that’s a bald-faced lie or if Thompson actually believes that no one who has played significant minutes for another team can make the Packers better.
Either way, it’s lunacy.
And then here’s the capper. It’s suggested that the Packers are the exact same team as they were last season, so how can they possibly improve?
“We’re always trying to get better,” he said. “Maybe from me, maybe I’ll get better.”
“I’m serious. We get better by practicing better and doing better and finding better personnel and doing all the things that we do.”
You’ll get better?
Doing all the things you do?
Man, I just can’t take this motherfucker anymore. The stupidity is palpable.
That’s how he ended up drafting Aaron Rodgers, just wait and see…. Everyone talks about what a draft guru TT is because one of the top two QB’s fell to him at #24. That’s how he got Clinton-Dix when safety was a glaring issue, just wait and see. His only two worthy free agent signings in the past 11 years that everyone mentions to defend TT’s stubborn ways, Charles Woodson and Julius Peppers, just wait and see until the rest of the league thinks they’re washed up or too old to play at a high level. That’s when the mad scientist swoops in and does his best work. Just waiting and seeing longer than every other team out there to get the best price. TT is probably a rummage sale champion, and I bet he’s better at using grocery store coupons than both your grandmas combined. It’s even turned into a habit for the rest of the staff. “Hey you think we should start playing that guy on the bench who’s been outperforming the guy we have on the field? Nah, we’ll just wait and see what happens.” That’s the mark of a trendsetter. If that doesn’t prove he’s a genius I don’t know what does.
The only laugh is Total Packers thinking they know more about free agency than Ted Thompson.
Wait for it…
Hahahahahahahahahahaha!!!
The other laugh is that Ted can’t seem to find a suitable tight end and ilb for years, and years, and years…..isn’t that funny?
Wait for it……
Hahahahahahahahahahaha!!
Remember when everyone thought Thompson was a chump for taking Randall in the 1st round instead of an inside linebacker?
Guess the joke is on the chumps that question his approach.
Your’re stupidity knows no bounds does it?
1) Although Randall showed some flashes, last time i checked he’s played 1 season and hasn’t yet played himself into the Packers HOF. Didn’t Davante Adams have a good rookie season?
2) Drafting isn’t the only approach to assembling a football team. If that statement confuses you in any way, maybe i’ll have a Q&A session to try and enlighten you. Although i can guarantee i can give you good information on the subject, i can’t guarantee that you’ll be smart enough to understand it.
I’ll take the Green Bay way mostly….but just get that one player every year. Woodson, Peppers, huge impact players, leaders. Player like that are not always available but this year there was a player like that in Forte. This roster was in the NFC Championship game 2 years ago and almost went back last year with NO receivers. If healthy it is a Championship roster. Every team has holes, and a lot of times the fillers don’t work.
Know what else doesn’t work? Not attempting to fill them.
Lol. God this is so funny. Everyone here is a GM. They should apply for front office jobs of NFL teams.
Everyone here could be a GM…because even GMs and experts admit it’s all a crapshoot!
Really, the only thing preventing fans from a coup is the fact that they’re too lazy to do anything about things anymore. Kind of like demonstrating in the 60s. Except for black lives matter we don’t see much of it any more. People just want to go with the flow and catch the latest Netlfix series instead of starting a REVOLUTION!!!
Hail Caesar!
I bet Matt Millen was an original on a packers message board before TP. Thought he knew everything. Same with Dan Snyder.
In the words of packer bob, who I assume goes by Mike ditkas mom, keep fucking that chicken.
With Aaron Rodgers at QB, how many years do the Packers get to the playoffs, and get sent home, before you and others begin to develop the skill of thinking, forming your own thought’s, opinion’s and asking questions?
This team has been slowly, gradually on the decline. Yes we still win the North every year, wait!!…no we don’t. Besides tight end and ilb, the next positional need will be the off. line. Where we have shit for depth as proven by last years in season tryout’s at left tackle. The current line of veterans are getting long in the tooth, and Bulaga’s injury history is a problem. Do you really feel comfortable with Barclay?
I don’t give a shit about the Eagles, Redskins, or any other losing team concerning free agency. winning franchises fill holes when they need too, to stay on top and stay competitive. By whatever means available, including trades, free agency, stopgap players. They don’t just don’t sit around for years hoping their draft picks develop, acting like they don’t have anything more to do except do more scouting. How about we draft more defensive ends, then when they don’t pan out, we can convert them into a linebacker and see if that bird flys?
Now come at me if you like, but do’t come at me with an article you plagiarized from NFL.com like you did a few days ago.
Cant argue too much with the roster that we do have. However, alot of the champions year in and year out have Average guys on the roster that were just picked up to fill holes. I think alot of people are looking for something along those lines.
Especially ilb and te. We knew what we had at both positions for a long time and not much was done to beef em up.
The draft and development philosophy works for me. The problem is you only have 7 to 8 picks on average each year. You also on average turnover 8 players a year and some years the turnover is up to 12. Unfortunately there are also injuries that occurred every year. Unless you sign free agents from other teams you are left with signing your own or undrafted free agents. TT has done a good job of hitting on UDFAs, however the team has been stuck with players such as Bostick, MD Jennings, Lattimore, Josh Walker, Barclay et. al. In addition you are stuck with drafted players like Brad Jones, Worthy, McMillan, Terrell Manning, Palmer et. al.
Those guys do not help the team, in fact, you could say one helped fumble away a trip to the Super Bowl 2 years ago and two others almost got QB 1 killed last year.
With turnover in roster each year, draft busts, and injuries the numbers are not sustainable with draft and development alone. The team needs to sign other teams free agents or live with the likes of the above. Why not try to upgrade the middle to bottom of the roster using all the tools in the toolbox. As stated TE, and ILB have been ignored for a long time.
Alone…Draft and develop only works if you hit on a good portion of draft picks Howard. If were going to be honest, Ted doesn’t hit on nearly enough of them, so other avenues to build a team have to be utilized. But he’s too hard headed to be flexible, and that’s why he should retire.
Funny thing is, we won 2 Super Bowls in the last 20 years. What do those 2 SB’s have in common? They were both played with 2 huge free agent acquisitions that played a very large role in both of them.
AGAIN, the formula is sooooo super easy. You take studs from duds…meaning teams like the Browns can’t keep a TJ Ward at safety, so if you have a need, you know he’s an upper tier (not top tier) pro, you grab him. Who don’t you take? The malcontents, the bad locker room guys, the guys who played great on a Super Bowl team surrounded by other great players but who were really average themselves (Paul Kruger).
SUPER FUCKING EASY!
PF4L- you are making this too easy. Yeah, the very first sentence from a post on the nfl website I used, because it represented what I have been saying the past few weeks on here, in one sentance. The chargers passed on their fucking tight end to keep the old guy? Please, explain that to me you fucking genius. But yeah, they are morons most likely! The rhetoric is to always keep the young guy and let the old veteran go. The chargers front office isn’t that stupid like you would imagine them to be. Being an nfl GM is so easy!!! He was only on the team for four years. And the fact there wasn’t a whole lot of competition for him doesn’t raise red flags at all. Oh, trevathan. He was quite possibly surrounded by one of the most talented defenses in the past ten years. He has Paul Krueger, Byron maxwell, ect. written all over him. Let’s see how well he holds up in the run game. He isn’t any more than a mark barron.
Say, the Miami dolphins had a pretty talented qb back in the 80s and 90s but they weren’t nearly as successful as the packers. Probably has to do with the amount of talent on the packers. Despite the poor 2011 and 2012 drafts, the packers still have a roster made up largely of in house players. You don’t make the playoffs 8 years running, with the third most wins in that stretch because of one player. You do it with a team. Drew brees hasn’t won the number of games because his surrounding cast hasn’t been great, despite trying to fill holes in FA.
Come at me bro.
You only plagiarized the 1st sentence of an article? Really?
Keep fucking that chicken plagiarizer.
2 Words. Aaron Rodgers. Now just admit Kato if we didn’t have him would we be making the playoffs? Let alone an 8-8 record? I think some of you guy think our roster is more talented than it really is.
The patriots didn’t win a super bowl for ten straight years. Thank god they didn’t give up on belichek and fire him.
Well, they won 4 super Bowls in 14 years. Not too bad is it Kate?
Keep fucking that chicken.
Why the fuck didn’t TH trade Aaron Rodgers for Randy moss???? Waaaahhhhhhhh!!!!!!!
You know what PF4L, maybe you are right. They should have gotten into a bidding war with the cap rich bears for trevathan. Paid $7 million annually. Maybe he turns out. Maybe. Then they are hamstrung for cash next year and can only resign one offensive lineman. Then they are stuck trying to find two replacements to protect the franchise player. That will be EPIC. But hey, they will have a guy at ILB that is serviceable maybe. Or a tight end that can get open if the offensive line gives time. So exciting. TE. The most inconsequential position on a football team.
So your still stating the tight end position is the most inconsequential position on the team?
Keep fucking that chicken Kate.
Let me know when you submit your application for a player evaluation job in a front office pf4l, I will be waiting. While I am waitng, did you ever play football? Just curious.
Played football for a lot of years Kate. almost as long as you’ve been telling drivers to pull up to the 1st window.
Keep fucking that chicken sport.
13.5m of cap left after Starks’ deal.
5-6m needed for draft picks
Lang, Sitton, Lacy…plus others due this year for extensions, or they go unrestricted after the season.
Not much cap avail for even 2nd tier FA’s
They only have 13.5, because they didnt structure Perry’s deal different. The don’t feel good about that #1 pick anymore, so they signed him to a 1 year deal. The Packers don’t structure deals to keep a lot of cap money available to bring anyone in, because they don’t bring anyone in.
“We’re always trying to get better,” he said. “Maybe from me, maybe I’ll get better.” – Ted
Yea Ted, and maybe i’ll win the lottery.
Man, this fucking guy is worse than E. Wolf…
PF4L – Kate? Haha that’s cute. And you called me sport! You also never addressed any of my questions either. What is the most inconsequential position on a football team? You laughed off my suggestion without making a suggestion of your own. I work fast food according to you? Haha yeah ok. for one, i dont. two how is that remotely relevant?
That wouldn’t be fullback would it? We know, every team is looking for that extra special fullback to put their team over the top as the key missing piece to get to the Super Bowl.
Fuck having a tight end to stretch the field and put pressure on the middle of a defense, give me a great fullback!!!!!
Keep fucking that chicken Kate.
Let’s see how the most irrelevant position yields dividends por the Patriots. For starters, their double TE formation will not hint wether it’s a run or a pass. And then you have nice matchup problems with Bennet and Gronk. Add to that mix those pesky slot receivers and running backs that can catch from the backfield, like the guy we didn’t attempt to sign who works for the Jets now.
Logical thinking has no place in here MJ. You can’t fix stupid.
There is only one gronk in the league bro. Those guys don’t grow on trees. Packers won a super bowl with Andrew quarless, giants won with “fill in the blank, no idea who their TE was”, Seahawks won with “fill in the blank”. Sorry, TE is the most inconsequential position on a team besides fullback. Again, why did green not attract much attention? Why did the chargers pass on him? How many super bowls did Tony Gonzalez and Antonio gates go to?
You could make the case that SEA won without receivers as well. Their TE was probably Luke Wilson. The receivers and TE were decent. Not earth shattering, but the passing threat was there. We have no threats though the middle of the field: Richard “DL speed” Rodgers.
To be fair with Tony Gonzalez, I saw a game in his last season, i.e., well past his prime, where the defense had to plant two guys in front of him to keep him from crossing the LOS. If a defense (it was the Patriots) has to have two guys standing right opposite to your TE and still you can’t move the ball, that falls on the rest of the offense. No single player (except a QB, possibly) can carry an entire team.
We are hideous in third downs. Whether it is a short distance, where you would attempt to power run, or a 3rd and 6, where a TE might come in handy, we are unable to complete. Masthay’s ball.
I heard more than once that “the TE is the QB’s best friend”.
Why the chargers passed on Green? Maybe they cannot pay two guys top money and they choose their best one. That happened to us right now. Hayward was a decent slot CB. We are pretty set, with better options, so we let him get paid elsewhere.
Except our better options aren’t 35-year-olds with injury histories as that would be a tome of medical maladies in and of themselves.