Some of us downright hate Green Bay Packers general manager Ted Thompson. Maybe he’s a swell guy and all, but he’s been holding the Green Bay Packers back for years with his refusal — with the rare exception — to bring in players through any other means than the college ranks.
Nowhere has the shortcomings of that philosophy been more apparent than on the defensive side of the football. So while it’s a popular refrain to fire defensive coordinator Dom Capers — something that wouldn’t hurt our feelings, by any means — you have to consider the shortcomings of the personnel.
In 2016, the cornerbacks were the Packers’ biggest issue. Things may have been different if Sam Shields would have remained healthy, but counting on a guy with his concussion history was an idiotic idea to begin with.
Thompson’s total misjudgment of the talent behind Shields just compounded the problem.
We’ve been harping on this stuff for years. So have many fans, who often put it in terms of “wasting Aaron Rodgers’ prime.”
As long as Rodgers is around and playing at a high level, the Packers offense will be good. It’s Thompson’s job to put enough additional playmakers on the team to give them a shot at winning a Super Bowl.
He consistently doesn’t do that. So while people can say Thompson is a successful GM because his team is in the playoffs every year, you can also make an argument that he’s really just a mediocre GM whose value is inflated by one single player.
More people seem to be gravitating toward the latter opinion these days. I’d just like to say, welcome to frickin’ party. You’re only a few years late.
During the Packers’ midseason swoon, Hall of Fame GM Bill Polian criticized Thompson by saying coach Mike McCarthy was playing with a short deck. The sentiment was the Packers were struggling because of personnel, not coaching.
Today, Bob McGinn piled on Thompson with a column that ended thusly: maintaining status quo isn’t the way to the Super Bowl.
Again, welcome to the party. We’ve only been saying that for the past two years, so thanks for reading, Bob.
The interesting part of the column — the parts that didn’t just repackage our thoughts — were the quotes from other personnel men, which blasted Thompson.
“Hats off to the coaching staff,” one general manager said. “For keeping it together playing with that crap for the last seven or eight weeks.”
That was in reference to the cornerback group. Here’s another that speaks to the importance of the quarterback position.
“We all make mistakes,” said one former GM. “Maybe you can’t get better. Maybe the guy you want you can’t get, but at least you’re trying. I always felt obligation to the head coach to try.
“But that’s their (the Packers’) philosophy, and it’s worked for them because they’ve had 25 fricking years of great quarterbacks. Of course it works. Try it without a special quarterback.”
And there it is.
So let’s get down to brass tacks here.
Thompson wouldn’t have a job if he hadn’t drafted Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers carries the Packers a lot of the time. If you had to say the Packers are in the playoffs because of one guy, you’d say that guy is Aaron Rodgers.
And there’s why Thompson is considered “successful.” The Packers are always in the playoffs. Rodgers is good for what? Two to three wins a year by himself?
You can do the math.
With Aaron Rodgers, you can literally do (or not do, as it were) your job as the Green Bay Packers’ general manager and be considered successful.
LOL…..Just listen to Ted speak…..
He talks like he just got up from a 2 week sleep……or he’s been up for 2 weeks. Pick one.
Listen, i don’t say this in a mean way. But you wonder if he’s on meds or something. Sort of slow and slurred, and when he try’s to be funny, he just says off the wall shit.
I just can’t imagine how other high powered executives view his demeanor. Do they really feel he’s fully alert and on top of his game? I can’t help but think there are a lot of whispers and jokes made about Ted behind his back with his peers.
Just read the article….I know i wasn’t late to the party, if anything i was a year or 2 early. A few of us here were.
This site was FILLED with MM and TT , and DC apologist, that hated a handful of us. There aren’t many of those simple non thinking sheep around anymore….No offense Kato.
Now wait a fucking minute here. One reader argued with me that the reason the Packers make the playoffs is because of Fat Mike
WTF, i get really confused in here sometimes. I come in here looking for guidance and learn from all you fine people.
Now this….smh
Demeanor and tone don’t mean squat. What counts are history and results. The history / results are: The team won a super bowl when they had a decent defense and Rodgers; another year they had a decent defense, Rodgers got hurt, the team sucked, and lost a lot until Rodgers returned; and most other years Rodgers had the team close. Rodgers is a great quarterback, but he doesn’t block, catch the ball, or play defense. NFL football is a TEAM game. Ted is responsible for giving the coaching staff enough players for a complete TEAM, not just a great player at a single position. Ted is not doing a good job. I am a shareholder, but I only have 1 vote. I would dearly love to vote to not retain Mr. Ted Thompson as the general manager of the Green Bay Packers.
Forgot to mention that this is not piling on – just calling it as I see it.
Also forgot to remind everyone that when Rodgers got hurt, the general manager, Ted, did not have an acceptable backup plan in place. Just like the backup plan for cornerback in 2016.
Uncle Rico!!!!
Was the backup QB.
CB seems to be the position in the NFL hardest to fill. TT let Davon House go and he has sucked since. Casey Hayward had 7 INTs but everyone who watched him here wanted him gone…he was always getting beat.
Headline…”Ted Thompson signs 10 free agents” Footnote they were undrafted free agents. I will believe it when I see it. Jared Cook was so exciting I think if TT signed 2 real FAs some fans would drop dead from a stroke.
Take Tom Brady off the Pats and see what a genius Belichick is…they have gotten to the big game a lot more but I can’t name their starting corners.
If you can’t name a Patriot cornerback, i’m guessing you didn’t watch Super Bowl XLIX. Or maybe you only watched the commercials.
Hayward had 7 picks, and 20 passes deflected. He wasn’t getting beat, on a different team with different coaches. But he was picked as an All-Pro and a Pro-Bowler.
Davon House has sucked since he was let go? Except of course, for the season he didn’t suck. In 2015 he had 60 tackles, 4 picks, and 23 passes deflected and a forced fumble.
House had better 2015 season than Shields. But don’t let facts get in your way.
Nice job.
Lest we not forget that ol TT refuses to let any of his crappy guys go since he’s so afraid the division will sign them. I’ve literally seen this guy shell out money for garbage contracts to his drafted players so nobody else get them—im looking at you Bulaga.
I can’t name the Packers’ starting cornerbacks.
First, if Aaron Rodgers was not on this team they would be approximately 5-11 or so every year. Second, that GM who said “hats off” to the coaching staff is quite right,even with Capers. They have a solid coaching staff. They lack talent at cornerback, a prime position in this league. Gunther, who gives great effort and has decent technique doesn`t have the athleticism to play cornerback. I believe he may have potential at sefety. Randall and Rollins, at this time have struggled mightily. I realize they were injured but we don`t really know what we have in them and they will be entering their 3rd year respectively. The other guys, who knows? Are any of them really potentially starting cornerbacks.I`ll end with this. Should have kept Tramon Williams, Casey Heyward and Davon House. Each one is a starter for other teams. If they were terrible or declining then how come they`re starting? All three are better than anyone on the Packers except Shields.
I agree. I am not really a Capers fan, historically, his defenses peaked in their second seasons, and declined from there. But I do think he was delt a short deck this year. It has been said here that injuries can’t be an excuse and refer to 2010’s injury riddled team winning the super bowl. Well, the difference between those teams is depth. That was a lot a deeper team in every position group besides maybe running back, which was similar. The offensive line is probably better overall now as well.
Injuries junior….Don’t effect the lack of depth, it only exposes it.
But you are right, and thanks for proving my point. Injuries are not an excuse. Having a lack of depth in the event of injuries is.
Just not a good one.
Thank you for trying to understand.
Don’t interpret this connect as “attacking” Shields. Concussions are not his fault and his health MUST be a primary concern.
Shields didn’t play most of the season and therefore was not an effective cornerback. Gunter played better simply because he played. R and R didn’t perform to their draft position. Ted allowed Williams, Heyward, and House or walk in favor of R and R. It is time for Ted to retire and take some well deserved R and R.
Well written, GORT.
Keen insight. This site should hire you to replace that tired hack Monty McMahan.
Thanks, but please no. I’m not a good writer unless I get really really really pissed.
The reason(s) that House and Heyward have played better since leaving GB could be explained by a few things. Their new teams DC’s play them to their strengths, Most likely the MLB’s are better and the schemes that are used. The last year that Heyward played for the Packers I even wanted him gone. But in retrospect, I believe that he became a victim of his own DC not using him to his potential as well as the piss poor play of the D Line and the MLB’s.
Yea…I agree, and i could have listed the reasons why. But pointing out what’s going on is one thing. It get’s fucking tedious explaining why i’ve come to the conclusion. When people shoud be able to figure out some shit on their own.
The mere fact they outplayed the players who Ted thought were good enough replacements. The mere fact they outplayed our own high priced “shut down” corner. Should speak for it’s fucking self.
Do you i sound perturbed?
Well…..when Packer sheep are so blinded….You could explain some things for days to them, and include solid undisputed facts to back it up. Then after all that is done, they still have the IQ of a banana.
This has been going on for years for a handful of us. Doubt it?…… scroll back to post from 2011- 14. Most of those fools, either left, learned to just shut up and get educated. or there are some still yapping at the mouth absolutely clueless in here……no offence Kato.