PACK GM THOMPSON SATISFACTION POLL [2 YRS.+]:
1. SUPPORTED TT FROM BEGINNING, STILL ON HIS BANDWAGON.
2. THOUGHT TT IS A GM WANNA BE, BUT NOW IN HIS CORNER.
3. I LIKED HIM BUT AFTER 2007, WE MAY NEED A NEW GM.
4. OTHER: COMMENTS.
FANS, PLEASE VOTE AND COMMENTS.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
NEWS ARTICLES REVIEW:
story.scout.com/a.z?s=...c%3d624261
Sydney Speaks! Ted, get in the game! Harry Sydney Packerreport.com
Sydney offers his thoughts on Ahman Green's departure for Houston, and also has a few suggestions for Packers general manager Ted Thompson.
story.scout.com/a.z?s=...c%3d624307
Thompson did what he had to do.
Packers GM Ted Thompson made a wise but difficult decision by refusing to get into a bidding war with Houston for Ahman Green.
www.packersnews.com/ap...50532/1989 Mike Vandermause column: Packers are going to miss Green.
No one should feel sorry for Ahman Green after the veteran running back signed a lucrative free-agent contract with the Houston Texans on Sunday. But Green deserved better from the Green Bay Packers. Green served as a loyal soldier for seven years in Green Bay, yet the Packers weren't willing to reward him for his efforts and let him walk. Loyalty works both ways, and in this case, the Packers couldn't come close to matching the Texans' respect for Green's talents. Green will go down as one of the best running backs in team history, but in the end, that didn't matter to the Packers. Green rushed for more than 1,000 yards six times, a remarkable achievement considering just four Packers backs in the 26 years before Green's arrival surpassed the 1,000-yard mark. reen has been so good for so long that he amassed 8,162 career rushing yards, just 45 yards shy of Jim Taylor's team record. He accumulated more yards from scrimmage (10,870) than any player in Packers history. What's not to like about Green? No one could question his superior work ethic. He wasn't flashy and didn't call attention to himself. Over-the-top touchdown celebrations weren't part of his repertoire. He went about his job humbly and consistently. While some players would have complained about living in the shadow of quarterback Brett Favre, Green didn't seem to mind. He never threw a tantrum over not getting the ball enough. As an added bonus, Green never complained about his contract and never threatened to hold out. Fans surely could appreciate that after enduring messy public squabbles involving the Packers and malcontents Mike McKenzie and Javon Walker. In an era when pro athletes shamelessly prop themselves up and make contract demands in public, Green was a throwback. So, what did that team spirit do for Green? It earned him a hefty four-year, $23 million contract, but he was forced to shop the NFL's unrestricted free-agent market to find it. It doesn't seem right that after all Green did for the Packers, the team wasn't willing to give him his due. The Packers will argue the NFL is a business, and the Texans simply put a higher value on Green than they were willing to pay. It became apparent the Packers were leery of shelling out big bucks to a player who just turned 30, an age when many running backs hit the wall. But Green proved he was no ordinary back. He overcame a potential career-ending ruptured quadriceps tendon injury in 2005 and gained 1,059 yards last season. He remained a valuable asset to the offense with his pass-catching ability. He didn't look like a player in decline. Even his reputation as a fumbler was more fiction than fact. Green had fewer career fumbles per touch than Taylor, whom many regarded as sure-handed. For some reason, Green's skills were taken for granted, if not by the team, then certainly by many fans. As free agency approached, the possibility of the Packers losing Green never generated an outcry. Now that Green is gone, the Packers will find out how valuable he was. The prospect of leaving the backfield in the hands of some untested rookie draft pick, a mediocre free-agent pickup or holdover Vernand Morency is unsettling. The Packers had the money and and should have been willing to pay a premium to keep Green, who will be sorely missed.
http://www.packersnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070211/PKR01/702110746/1989
Is GM Ted Thompson on right track? By Pete Dougherty Packersnews.com
The Green Bay Packers are riding a small wave. Under first-year coach Mike McCarthy, they finished the 2006 season with a four-game winning streak that gave them an 8-8 record, a four-game improvement from 2005. Then...quarterback Brett Favre announced he's returning for his 17th NFL season. But while the 37-year-old Favre gives them their best chance to win in 2007, it also might make it harder to judge just how much progress General Manager Ted Thompson has made in rebuilding the team since CEO Bob Harlan hired him two years ago. Favre probably is down to his final season or two, and as the 21 years between Bart Starr's retirement and Favre's arrival suggest, a team is lucky if a Hall of Fame-type quarterback comes along once in a generation. So, even though Favre's no longer an elite quarterback, he's still a good one, and when he retires, where will Thompson's Packers be then? Without Favre, how much progress has Thompson made in two seasons as GM, a short time in which he's changed over three-quarters of the roster with his build-via-the-draft philosophy? "I was here in the '70s and '80s, and I saw how often we were looking for a quarterback," Harlan said in a recent interview. "What you have to hope with what Ted Thompson is doing with the draft and the free agents he's brought in, we're strengthening ourselves defensively and the rest of the ballclub, including special teams, to the point where you can make up a little for the absence of that great quarterback once he leaves." As Harlan said, Thompson appears to be building the Packers as a defensive-oriented, cold-weather team. Last year, his top draft pick (A.J. Hawk) and three main free-agent signings (Charles Woodson, Ryan Pickett and Marquand Manuel) were defensive players. "You have to be able to play defense, and you have to be able to run the ball," Thompson said. "Normally, those teams are the ones that — even though other teams are kind of successful in the playoffs — can hang in in the playoffs." Both Harlan and team President John Jones pointed to the Packers' record and strong finish as tangible proof that Thompson's roster makeover and rebuilding philosophy are on the right track. Though Harlan hired Thompson, the GM's fate rests with Jones, who takes over running the franchise at the team's board of directors meeting in late May. Harlan then will receive emeritus status. Harlan said though the decision won't be his and there's no set formula for judging a GM, he'd give Thompson at least four drafts to show he can build a quality program. Jones, who will make that decision, wholeheartedly endorsed Thompson in an interview this week and characterized Thompson as an "excellent" talent evaluator whose work is "meticulous" and decisions "are well thought-out." Building through the draft can take time, and Jones has the call on how much time Thompson gets. Thompson is entering the third year of a five-year contract, and Jones at least suggested he'll likely give Thompson the time similar to what Harlan espoused. "I don't know that there is a so-called standard of any kind," Jones said when asked about the standards on which he'll judge Thompson. "If you know someone as well as I know Ted — we've both been in this organization before Ted left, and in terms of the respect I have (for him) and the respect Ted has in this building, it's very significant, and then around the league as well. "We're definitely, in my opinion, on the right track, and Ted is giving us what we need in terms of talent and direction, along with Coach McCarthy, that we're going to be a factor in this (NFC North) Division for years to come." Thompson is heading into his third offseason with total control over the Packers' football operations, and no doubt he's run with his mandate to rebuild the team. Besides firing former coach Mike Sherman last year and hiring McCarthy to replace him, Thompson has remade the team's roster: Of the 74 players who were on the active roster, injured reserve and practice squad at the end of the 2004 season, right before Thompson became GM, only 19 remain. That means 75 percent of the players have turned over. Also, McCarthy's starting lineup for the final game last season contained 12 different players than Sherman had in his final game as a dual coach-GM in '05: receiver Greg Jennings (for Robert Ferguson), guards Daryn Colledge and Jason Spitz (for Mike Wahle and Marco Rivera), center Scott Wells (for Grey Reugamer), defensive tackles Pickett and Corey Williams (for Grady Jackson and Cletidus Hunt), defensive end Cullen Jenkins (for Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila), linebacker Brady Poppinga (for Hannibal Navies), linebacker Hawk (for Na'il Diggs), cornerback Woodson (for Ahmad Carroll), and safeties Nick Collins and Manuel (for Darren Sharper and Mark Roman). "It was time to make some changes and add some new core players to the team," Thompson said. By the end of last season, the results looked favorable because McCarthy held the team together and finished with four straight wins. The young offensive line improved steadily, and moving Jenkins to the primary right defensive end for the final four games seemed especially helpful for the run defense. The Packers also finished 5-1 in the NFC North Division. However, their 1-7 record against teams that finished .500 or better raises questions about how far along this unusually young team has come. The only win was against a Chicago Bears team that had clinched the best record in the NFC, though it was a convincing 26-7 win. Also, among the losses were embarrassing blowouts at home to the Bears (26-0 in the opener), New England (35-0) and the New York Jets (38-10). "Yeah, that concerns me," Harlan said. "But on the other hand, look what we did in the division, where we were very strong. The team was a much different team in December than it was back in September. That's a good sign, because the team made progress. You hope you're going to be stronger at the end of the year than you were at the beginning; we certainly were that. "I compliment the coaches, because they kept the team together. When you're sitting there at 4-8, a lot of these young guys start to hit the wall because they're just out of college, and yet these guys didn't hit the wall, they hung in there and did improve themselves. That's a great sign." Thompson heads into an offseason in which he'll try to build on last year's personnel upgrades on defense while adding some playmaking talent for what could be Favre's final season. The Packers' lone unrestricted free agent of note is halfback Ahman Green, whom Thompson already has said he wants to re-sign. Green will be one of the best halfbacks available in free agency, but his combination of age (he turns 30 on Feb. 17) and serious quadriceps tendon tear in '05 will hurt his value on the open market and improves the odds he'll re-sign with the Packers. With a little more than $25 million in salary-cap room, Thompson also is looking to make long-term deals with defensive end Cullen Jenkins, who's a restricted free agent, and linebacker Nick Barnett, who has one year left on his contract. Plus, it appears Thompson is amenable to upgrading cornerback Al Harris' contract. Whether all three get done this offseason remains to be seen, but the Packers can retain Jenkins regardless by offering him either a first-round contract tender or perhaps a second-rounder, and Barnett hasn't threatened to stage any holdouts if his deal isn't redone. Thompson then will have the draft, which includes the 16th pick overall in the first round, and free agency to augment the team. Thompson is early enough in his rebuilding that he could draft or sign players at almost any position, and the chances of filling all holes with quality players are slim, if they exist at all. But in no particular order, he'll be looking to:
1. Upgrade...at starting safety;
2. Find a No. 3 cornerback;
3. Find a receiver for a spot in the top-three rotation;
4. Find a running back good enough to share time with Green or be the starter if Green doesn't re-sign;
5. Find a tight end who's a quality receiving threat.
Thompson has proven he'll rely mainly on the draft to rebuild, but last year he showed he's not averse to free agency when he surprisingly paid $10.5 million in first-year money to sign Woodson; signed Pickett to a four-year deal that averages $3.5 million and included $5 million in first-year bonuses; and signed Manuel as a lower-tier free agent with a $1.5 million bonus. "If (Thompson) sees somebody he thinks definitely can help the ballclub and make a major contribution, and is in a price area he's comfortable, he was going to do it," Harlan said. "He would say to me last winter, 'I'm not going to spend money just to say to people, "We're spending a lot of money on players."' That's the proper attitude to take. I wouldn't argue with that all...."
MCGINN AT PACKER INSIDER: PERSONNEL MOVES RATING: B-plus
"GM Ted Thompson followed a dismal first season with a very good second season. The draft is his baby, and after turning seven selections into 12 via five trades on April 29 he got more than his money's worth in Year One. Four rookies started, and all four could make the all-rookie team. A fifth started 10 games and five others at least made the club. The only miss was WR Cory Rodgers in the fourth round. Although Thompson ultimately decided to deal Javon Walker for too little compensation (second-round pick), it was Mike Sherman and Brett Favre who poisoned the environment for his return. In all, the draft choices made 65 starts. In unrestricted free agency, Thompson got good value from Woodson and Pickett in the first year. His signing of Manuel rather than free-agent safeties Chris Hope, Marlon McCree, Lawyer Milloy and Corey Chavous was a blunder. Dealing Samkon Gado for Vernand Morency was a plus, as was the scrap-heap discoveries of Carlyle Holiday, Ruvell Martin, Jason Hunter, White, Rayner and Ryan. Signing troubled WR Koren Robinson Sept. 11 was a year too late and somewhat naïve. Thompson let seven unrestricted veterans go Mike Flanagan, Tony Fisher, Longwell and Jackson, among them) and cut nine veterans from March to July, but in hindsight it's hard to find fault with any of the decisions...."
http://pu2006.typepad.com/packerupdate/ Packer Update
While the Packers sit out a second consecutive postseason, ...a former scout to analyze the current roster and list the top five things GM Ted Thompson needs to do in the coming months to get Green Bay back to the playoffs in 2007...:
1. ACQUIRE A BIG-PLAY [RB]
2. ADD A DEEP [VERTICAL WR] THREAT
3. FIND A THIRD CORNER
4. REPLACE MANUEL [COVER SAFETY]
5. GET A REAL TIGHT END
http://story.scout.com/a.z?s=61&p=2...tedURL=http://packers.scout.com/2/618500.html
Sydney Speaks! Go get the help! by Sydney Scout.com
...Sydney details the biggest areas of need for the Green Bay Packers and soon-to-be free agents that he feels can help the team in 2007: safety, wide receiver and tight end are biggest areas of need.
http://www.packerchatters.com/op-ed/view.php?id=368
The last pieces of the puzzle, Our future is now! by Bernie Capasso - PackerChatters.com
Ted Thompson has been the GM for a little over two years now. For the last two years he was clearing our salary cap problem and acquiring new, mostly younger, players for the Packers future. Well the Packer future has arrived. I suspect that the moves that Thompson will make this off season will be with the full intentions of getting the team to the Superbowl “this” year and hopefully be a contender with the current team in future years also. When you rebuild, the formula is usually to first set your defense, then your offensive line, running backs, receivers and then your QB. Thompson’s first draft pick was the Packers future QB, but that only happened because Rodgers fell in Thompson’s lap. But, I would like to address our current needs and what I suspect Thompson will do to get the Packers back in the Superbowl hunt for 2007.
First off we need to finish building the Defense.
1. We obviously need a free safety to take over Manuel spot. We need an immediate impact player at FS I do not think TT will “draft” a safety to fill this void. If he does it would probably have to be the first round. Even with a 1st rounder it could easily take a year for a rookie to become adapted to the NFL. I think TT takes care of the safety problem through FA. My first choice would be Deon Grant second would be Ken Hamlin. With Grant back there we would probably have one of the top secondaries in the NFL. Manual, Underwood and Blackmon should provide the depth we would need for the nickel and dime packages.
The Offensive Needs:
1. Running back (Color Green gone) It looks like other NFL teams are interested in Green and TT will not get in a bidding war when he could use that money for our future starting RB. I think TT will draft our future featured back in the 1st or 2nd round.
2. Guard. We need to get an experienced solid starting vet in there and let the rest our promising offensive lineman fight it out for he other two spots. I think Thompson will grab an experienced lineman in FA.
3. A Wide receiver. I think this will be addressed in the draft as this draft is filled with quality WRs. This position is a very big question mark. Depending on The Robinson situation and the outside shot that Fergie could stay healthy long enough to remember that he sometimes has to fight for passes, we may not be in “THAT BAD” Shape in the WR department. But I think we have to draft one for insurance.
4. A Tight End. Again I think this will be addressed in the draft. Our GM and HC say we are set at the TE position. I don’t think anyone (including themselves) believe that....
http://www.profootballweekly.com/PFW/NFL/NFC/NFC+North/Green+Bay/Features/2007/mann021607.htm
Pack needs a lot more than Favre to contend by Court E. Mann PFW
Bolstered by a late-season surge, Brett Favre is coming back. Encouraged by a four-game winning streak to close out the 2006 campaign, the first-ballot Hall of Famer is spitting in the face of retirement for at least one more season. Inspired by finishing out of the playoffs by a mere tiebreaker, the three-time MVP is ready for one last run at the Super Bowl. "I am so excited about coming back," Favre said in his formal announcement to the Biloxi Sun Herald. "We have a good nucleus of young players. We were 8-8 last year and that's encouraging. My offensive line looks good, the defense played good down the stretch. I'm excited about playing for a talented young football team." "He definitely feels good about it," Scott Favre, Brett's older brother, told the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. "He's still playing good and he sees the future is brighter. I think that (four-game win streak) pretty much summed it up. Winning those four games late kind of changed everybody's mindset. I told him, ‘You pick up a couple players, everybody stays healthy, who knows, you might make a run at it next year.’” Did I miss something here? Since when did the 8-8 Packers become the ’72 Dolphins? Look, Favre is more than entitled to play whenever and wherever, whether his team is 16-0 or 0-16. However, the notion that this Packers team is inches away from contending for a Super Bowl title is bright-eyed, bushy-tailed optimism seen through cheddar-stained glasses. Yes, the NFC is the junior varsity. Yes, the Saints were 3-13 a year ago. It’s not completely ludicrous to imagine the Packers sneaking into the NFC tournament in 2007. It’s also not all that probable either. How quickly we forget that Green Bay won a grand total of one game against winning teams in 2006. In eight games against teams .500 or better, the Packers were 1-7 and outscored by a margin of 228-116. Their one win was a bizarre season finale which pitted an admittedly distracted Bears team against a focused Packers squad motivated by the spectacle of Favre’s possible swan song. How easily we bypass the fact that the other three teams left in the dust by the surging Packers in this “rejuvenating” win streak were the sunken Vikings, the hapless Lions and the dynasty formerly known as the 49ers. How distant in our memory is the three-game losing streak that preceded this surge. And the 3-5 record the Packers posted on their prestigious home turf, including three drubbings by the Bears (26-0), the Patriots (35-0) and the Jets (38-10). I don’t mean to be unnecessarily harsh. Green Bay most certainly made strides last season, and there is reason for optimism. But to hear the talk, in the wake of Favre’s comeback revelation, that they’re on the cusp of greatness is a little much. One NFL pundit to remain nameless went as far as suggesting the NFC North is wide open. Evidently that team from Chicago with a Super Bowl berth, two straight division titles and more wins than anyone in the conference over the past two seasons is waving the white flag for the Green and Gold. More realistically, the Packers will need to exploit the rest of the North — as they did this year in sweeping the Lions and Vikings — to compete for a wild-card spot. Considering the depth and competition in the NFC East and the NFC South, that will be no small task, especially with a schedule that trades the NFC West and the AFC East for the NFC East and the AFC West. Goodbye Cardinals and Bills, hello Chargers and Eagles. Long story short, it’s going to take a lot more than Favre and a promising, young nucleus to make this team a legitimate contender. And considering the Packers already have last year’s rookies playing prominent roles all over the field, adding another round of youngsters, even an impact class, isn’t likely to help. Another young receiver or lineman will not provide sufficient punch for the NFL’s 31st-ranked red-zone offense. Hence the Randy Moss conjecture, however sordid and unlikely it seems. Veteran linebacking and safety help is needed for a defense that seems to be measuring itself far too often on success against the Niners, Lions, Vikings and skeleton Bears. A complete overhaul is in order for a special-teams unit that ranked dead last for the second straight season. That stat paints a scary, yet telling, picture regarding the team’s overall depth. Let’s not forget that the Packers were remarkably healthy a year ago, losing only one game total to its starting defense.
So the onus is on the Packers’ front office to get it done when free agency opens on March 2, and GM Ted Thompson has the cap space to make it happen — even if his history suggests reluctance to do so and a preference for leaning more heavily on the draft. “We feel like if we're doing things to help the team get better, whatever it is, whoever the quarterback is, whether it's Brett or whomever it might be, we're going to try to get better,” Thompson said. “And if we can do that in free agency, we'll do that.” If Thompson can follow through on that, perhaps then I’ll smell what the Cheeseheads are cookin’.
1. SUPPORTED TT FROM BEGINNING, STILL ON HIS BANDWAGON.
2. THOUGHT TT IS A GM WANNA BE, BUT NOW IN HIS CORNER.
3. I LIKED HIM BUT AFTER 2007, WE MAY NEED A NEW GM.
4. OTHER: COMMENTS.
FANS, PLEASE VOTE AND COMMENTS.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
NEWS ARTICLES REVIEW:
story.scout.com/a.z?s=...c%3d624261
Sydney Speaks! Ted, get in the game! Harry Sydney Packerreport.com
Sydney offers his thoughts on Ahman Green's departure for Houston, and also has a few suggestions for Packers general manager Ted Thompson.
story.scout.com/a.z?s=...c%3d624307
Thompson did what he had to do.
Packers GM Ted Thompson made a wise but difficult decision by refusing to get into a bidding war with Houston for Ahman Green.
www.packersnews.com/ap...50532/1989 Mike Vandermause column: Packers are going to miss Green.
No one should feel sorry for Ahman Green after the veteran running back signed a lucrative free-agent contract with the Houston Texans on Sunday. But Green deserved better from the Green Bay Packers. Green served as a loyal soldier for seven years in Green Bay, yet the Packers weren't willing to reward him for his efforts and let him walk. Loyalty works both ways, and in this case, the Packers couldn't come close to matching the Texans' respect for Green's talents. Green will go down as one of the best running backs in team history, but in the end, that didn't matter to the Packers. Green rushed for more than 1,000 yards six times, a remarkable achievement considering just four Packers backs in the 26 years before Green's arrival surpassed the 1,000-yard mark. reen has been so good for so long that he amassed 8,162 career rushing yards, just 45 yards shy of Jim Taylor's team record. He accumulated more yards from scrimmage (10,870) than any player in Packers history. What's not to like about Green? No one could question his superior work ethic. He wasn't flashy and didn't call attention to himself. Over-the-top touchdown celebrations weren't part of his repertoire. He went about his job humbly and consistently. While some players would have complained about living in the shadow of quarterback Brett Favre, Green didn't seem to mind. He never threw a tantrum over not getting the ball enough. As an added bonus, Green never complained about his contract and never threatened to hold out. Fans surely could appreciate that after enduring messy public squabbles involving the Packers and malcontents Mike McKenzie and Javon Walker. In an era when pro athletes shamelessly prop themselves up and make contract demands in public, Green was a throwback. So, what did that team spirit do for Green? It earned him a hefty four-year, $23 million contract, but he was forced to shop the NFL's unrestricted free-agent market to find it. It doesn't seem right that after all Green did for the Packers, the team wasn't willing to give him his due. The Packers will argue the NFL is a business, and the Texans simply put a higher value on Green than they were willing to pay. It became apparent the Packers were leery of shelling out big bucks to a player who just turned 30, an age when many running backs hit the wall. But Green proved he was no ordinary back. He overcame a potential career-ending ruptured quadriceps tendon injury in 2005 and gained 1,059 yards last season. He remained a valuable asset to the offense with his pass-catching ability. He didn't look like a player in decline. Even his reputation as a fumbler was more fiction than fact. Green had fewer career fumbles per touch than Taylor, whom many regarded as sure-handed. For some reason, Green's skills were taken for granted, if not by the team, then certainly by many fans. As free agency approached, the possibility of the Packers losing Green never generated an outcry. Now that Green is gone, the Packers will find out how valuable he was. The prospect of leaving the backfield in the hands of some untested rookie draft pick, a mediocre free-agent pickup or holdover Vernand Morency is unsettling. The Packers had the money and and should have been willing to pay a premium to keep Green, who will be sorely missed.
http://www.packersnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070211/PKR01/702110746/1989
Is GM Ted Thompson on right track? By Pete Dougherty Packersnews.com
The Green Bay Packers are riding a small wave. Under first-year coach Mike McCarthy, they finished the 2006 season with a four-game winning streak that gave them an 8-8 record, a four-game improvement from 2005. Then...quarterback Brett Favre announced he's returning for his 17th NFL season. But while the 37-year-old Favre gives them their best chance to win in 2007, it also might make it harder to judge just how much progress General Manager Ted Thompson has made in rebuilding the team since CEO Bob Harlan hired him two years ago. Favre probably is down to his final season or two, and as the 21 years between Bart Starr's retirement and Favre's arrival suggest, a team is lucky if a Hall of Fame-type quarterback comes along once in a generation. So, even though Favre's no longer an elite quarterback, he's still a good one, and when he retires, where will Thompson's Packers be then? Without Favre, how much progress has Thompson made in two seasons as GM, a short time in which he's changed over three-quarters of the roster with his build-via-the-draft philosophy? "I was here in the '70s and '80s, and I saw how often we were looking for a quarterback," Harlan said in a recent interview. "What you have to hope with what Ted Thompson is doing with the draft and the free agents he's brought in, we're strengthening ourselves defensively and the rest of the ballclub, including special teams, to the point where you can make up a little for the absence of that great quarterback once he leaves." As Harlan said, Thompson appears to be building the Packers as a defensive-oriented, cold-weather team. Last year, his top draft pick (A.J. Hawk) and three main free-agent signings (Charles Woodson, Ryan Pickett and Marquand Manuel) were defensive players. "You have to be able to play defense, and you have to be able to run the ball," Thompson said. "Normally, those teams are the ones that — even though other teams are kind of successful in the playoffs — can hang in in the playoffs." Both Harlan and team President John Jones pointed to the Packers' record and strong finish as tangible proof that Thompson's roster makeover and rebuilding philosophy are on the right track. Though Harlan hired Thompson, the GM's fate rests with Jones, who takes over running the franchise at the team's board of directors meeting in late May. Harlan then will receive emeritus status. Harlan said though the decision won't be his and there's no set formula for judging a GM, he'd give Thompson at least four drafts to show he can build a quality program. Jones, who will make that decision, wholeheartedly endorsed Thompson in an interview this week and characterized Thompson as an "excellent" talent evaluator whose work is "meticulous" and decisions "are well thought-out." Building through the draft can take time, and Jones has the call on how much time Thompson gets. Thompson is entering the third year of a five-year contract, and Jones at least suggested he'll likely give Thompson the time similar to what Harlan espoused. "I don't know that there is a so-called standard of any kind," Jones said when asked about the standards on which he'll judge Thompson. "If you know someone as well as I know Ted — we've both been in this organization before Ted left, and in terms of the respect I have (for him) and the respect Ted has in this building, it's very significant, and then around the league as well. "We're definitely, in my opinion, on the right track, and Ted is giving us what we need in terms of talent and direction, along with Coach McCarthy, that we're going to be a factor in this (NFC North) Division for years to come." Thompson is heading into his third offseason with total control over the Packers' football operations, and no doubt he's run with his mandate to rebuild the team. Besides firing former coach Mike Sherman last year and hiring McCarthy to replace him, Thompson has remade the team's roster: Of the 74 players who were on the active roster, injured reserve and practice squad at the end of the 2004 season, right before Thompson became GM, only 19 remain. That means 75 percent of the players have turned over. Also, McCarthy's starting lineup for the final game last season contained 12 different players than Sherman had in his final game as a dual coach-GM in '05: receiver Greg Jennings (for Robert Ferguson), guards Daryn Colledge and Jason Spitz (for Mike Wahle and Marco Rivera), center Scott Wells (for Grey Reugamer), defensive tackles Pickett and Corey Williams (for Grady Jackson and Cletidus Hunt), defensive end Cullen Jenkins (for Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila), linebacker Brady Poppinga (for Hannibal Navies), linebacker Hawk (for Na'il Diggs), cornerback Woodson (for Ahmad Carroll), and safeties Nick Collins and Manuel (for Darren Sharper and Mark Roman). "It was time to make some changes and add some new core players to the team," Thompson said. By the end of last season, the results looked favorable because McCarthy held the team together and finished with four straight wins. The young offensive line improved steadily, and moving Jenkins to the primary right defensive end for the final four games seemed especially helpful for the run defense. The Packers also finished 5-1 in the NFC North Division. However, their 1-7 record against teams that finished .500 or better raises questions about how far along this unusually young team has come. The only win was against a Chicago Bears team that had clinched the best record in the NFC, though it was a convincing 26-7 win. Also, among the losses were embarrassing blowouts at home to the Bears (26-0 in the opener), New England (35-0) and the New York Jets (38-10). "Yeah, that concerns me," Harlan said. "But on the other hand, look what we did in the division, where we were very strong. The team was a much different team in December than it was back in September. That's a good sign, because the team made progress. You hope you're going to be stronger at the end of the year than you were at the beginning; we certainly were that. "I compliment the coaches, because they kept the team together. When you're sitting there at 4-8, a lot of these young guys start to hit the wall because they're just out of college, and yet these guys didn't hit the wall, they hung in there and did improve themselves. That's a great sign." Thompson heads into an offseason in which he'll try to build on last year's personnel upgrades on defense while adding some playmaking talent for what could be Favre's final season. The Packers' lone unrestricted free agent of note is halfback Ahman Green, whom Thompson already has said he wants to re-sign. Green will be one of the best halfbacks available in free agency, but his combination of age (he turns 30 on Feb. 17) and serious quadriceps tendon tear in '05 will hurt his value on the open market and improves the odds he'll re-sign with the Packers. With a little more than $25 million in salary-cap room, Thompson also is looking to make long-term deals with defensive end Cullen Jenkins, who's a restricted free agent, and linebacker Nick Barnett, who has one year left on his contract. Plus, it appears Thompson is amenable to upgrading cornerback Al Harris' contract. Whether all three get done this offseason remains to be seen, but the Packers can retain Jenkins regardless by offering him either a first-round contract tender or perhaps a second-rounder, and Barnett hasn't threatened to stage any holdouts if his deal isn't redone. Thompson then will have the draft, which includes the 16th pick overall in the first round, and free agency to augment the team. Thompson is early enough in his rebuilding that he could draft or sign players at almost any position, and the chances of filling all holes with quality players are slim, if they exist at all. But in no particular order, he'll be looking to:
1. Upgrade...at starting safety;
2. Find a No. 3 cornerback;
3. Find a receiver for a spot in the top-three rotation;
4. Find a running back good enough to share time with Green or be the starter if Green doesn't re-sign;
5. Find a tight end who's a quality receiving threat.
Thompson has proven he'll rely mainly on the draft to rebuild, but last year he showed he's not averse to free agency when he surprisingly paid $10.5 million in first-year money to sign Woodson; signed Pickett to a four-year deal that averages $3.5 million and included $5 million in first-year bonuses; and signed Manuel as a lower-tier free agent with a $1.5 million bonus. "If (Thompson) sees somebody he thinks definitely can help the ballclub and make a major contribution, and is in a price area he's comfortable, he was going to do it," Harlan said. "He would say to me last winter, 'I'm not going to spend money just to say to people, "We're spending a lot of money on players."' That's the proper attitude to take. I wouldn't argue with that all...."
MCGINN AT PACKER INSIDER: PERSONNEL MOVES RATING: B-plus
"GM Ted Thompson followed a dismal first season with a very good second season. The draft is his baby, and after turning seven selections into 12 via five trades on April 29 he got more than his money's worth in Year One. Four rookies started, and all four could make the all-rookie team. A fifth started 10 games and five others at least made the club. The only miss was WR Cory Rodgers in the fourth round. Although Thompson ultimately decided to deal Javon Walker for too little compensation (second-round pick), it was Mike Sherman and Brett Favre who poisoned the environment for his return. In all, the draft choices made 65 starts. In unrestricted free agency, Thompson got good value from Woodson and Pickett in the first year. His signing of Manuel rather than free-agent safeties Chris Hope, Marlon McCree, Lawyer Milloy and Corey Chavous was a blunder. Dealing Samkon Gado for Vernand Morency was a plus, as was the scrap-heap discoveries of Carlyle Holiday, Ruvell Martin, Jason Hunter, White, Rayner and Ryan. Signing troubled WR Koren Robinson Sept. 11 was a year too late and somewhat naïve. Thompson let seven unrestricted veterans go Mike Flanagan, Tony Fisher, Longwell and Jackson, among them) and cut nine veterans from March to July, but in hindsight it's hard to find fault with any of the decisions...."
http://pu2006.typepad.com/packerupdate/ Packer Update
While the Packers sit out a second consecutive postseason, ...a former scout to analyze the current roster and list the top five things GM Ted Thompson needs to do in the coming months to get Green Bay back to the playoffs in 2007...:
1. ACQUIRE A BIG-PLAY [RB]
2. ADD A DEEP [VERTICAL WR] THREAT
3. FIND A THIRD CORNER
4. REPLACE MANUEL [COVER SAFETY]
5. GET A REAL TIGHT END
http://story.scout.com/a.z?s=61&p=2...tedURL=http://packers.scout.com/2/618500.html
Sydney Speaks! Go get the help! by Sydney Scout.com
...Sydney details the biggest areas of need for the Green Bay Packers and soon-to-be free agents that he feels can help the team in 2007: safety, wide receiver and tight end are biggest areas of need.
http://www.packerchatters.com/op-ed/view.php?id=368
The last pieces of the puzzle, Our future is now! by Bernie Capasso - PackerChatters.com
Ted Thompson has been the GM for a little over two years now. For the last two years he was clearing our salary cap problem and acquiring new, mostly younger, players for the Packers future. Well the Packer future has arrived. I suspect that the moves that Thompson will make this off season will be with the full intentions of getting the team to the Superbowl “this” year and hopefully be a contender with the current team in future years also. When you rebuild, the formula is usually to first set your defense, then your offensive line, running backs, receivers and then your QB. Thompson’s first draft pick was the Packers future QB, but that only happened because Rodgers fell in Thompson’s lap. But, I would like to address our current needs and what I suspect Thompson will do to get the Packers back in the Superbowl hunt for 2007.
First off we need to finish building the Defense.
1. We obviously need a free safety to take over Manuel spot. We need an immediate impact player at FS I do not think TT will “draft” a safety to fill this void. If he does it would probably have to be the first round. Even with a 1st rounder it could easily take a year for a rookie to become adapted to the NFL. I think TT takes care of the safety problem through FA. My first choice would be Deon Grant second would be Ken Hamlin. With Grant back there we would probably have one of the top secondaries in the NFL. Manual, Underwood and Blackmon should provide the depth we would need for the nickel and dime packages.
The Offensive Needs:
1. Running back (Color Green gone) It looks like other NFL teams are interested in Green and TT will not get in a bidding war when he could use that money for our future starting RB. I think TT will draft our future featured back in the 1st or 2nd round.
2. Guard. We need to get an experienced solid starting vet in there and let the rest our promising offensive lineman fight it out for he other two spots. I think Thompson will grab an experienced lineman in FA.
3. A Wide receiver. I think this will be addressed in the draft as this draft is filled with quality WRs. This position is a very big question mark. Depending on The Robinson situation and the outside shot that Fergie could stay healthy long enough to remember that he sometimes has to fight for passes, we may not be in “THAT BAD” Shape in the WR department. But I think we have to draft one for insurance.
4. A Tight End. Again I think this will be addressed in the draft. Our GM and HC say we are set at the TE position. I don’t think anyone (including themselves) believe that....
http://www.profootballweekly.com/PFW/NFL/NFC/NFC+North/Green+Bay/Features/2007/mann021607.htm
Pack needs a lot more than Favre to contend by Court E. Mann PFW
Bolstered by a late-season surge, Brett Favre is coming back. Encouraged by a four-game winning streak to close out the 2006 campaign, the first-ballot Hall of Famer is spitting in the face of retirement for at least one more season. Inspired by finishing out of the playoffs by a mere tiebreaker, the three-time MVP is ready for one last run at the Super Bowl. "I am so excited about coming back," Favre said in his formal announcement to the Biloxi Sun Herald. "We have a good nucleus of young players. We were 8-8 last year and that's encouraging. My offensive line looks good, the defense played good down the stretch. I'm excited about playing for a talented young football team." "He definitely feels good about it," Scott Favre, Brett's older brother, told the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. "He's still playing good and he sees the future is brighter. I think that (four-game win streak) pretty much summed it up. Winning those four games late kind of changed everybody's mindset. I told him, ‘You pick up a couple players, everybody stays healthy, who knows, you might make a run at it next year.’” Did I miss something here? Since when did the 8-8 Packers become the ’72 Dolphins? Look, Favre is more than entitled to play whenever and wherever, whether his team is 16-0 or 0-16. However, the notion that this Packers team is inches away from contending for a Super Bowl title is bright-eyed, bushy-tailed optimism seen through cheddar-stained glasses. Yes, the NFC is the junior varsity. Yes, the Saints were 3-13 a year ago. It’s not completely ludicrous to imagine the Packers sneaking into the NFC tournament in 2007. It’s also not all that probable either. How quickly we forget that Green Bay won a grand total of one game against winning teams in 2006. In eight games against teams .500 or better, the Packers were 1-7 and outscored by a margin of 228-116. Their one win was a bizarre season finale which pitted an admittedly distracted Bears team against a focused Packers squad motivated by the spectacle of Favre’s possible swan song. How easily we bypass the fact that the other three teams left in the dust by the surging Packers in this “rejuvenating” win streak were the sunken Vikings, the hapless Lions and the dynasty formerly known as the 49ers. How distant in our memory is the three-game losing streak that preceded this surge. And the 3-5 record the Packers posted on their prestigious home turf, including three drubbings by the Bears (26-0), the Patriots (35-0) and the Jets (38-10). I don’t mean to be unnecessarily harsh. Green Bay most certainly made strides last season, and there is reason for optimism. But to hear the talk, in the wake of Favre’s comeback revelation, that they’re on the cusp of greatness is a little much. One NFL pundit to remain nameless went as far as suggesting the NFC North is wide open. Evidently that team from Chicago with a Super Bowl berth, two straight division titles and more wins than anyone in the conference over the past two seasons is waving the white flag for the Green and Gold. More realistically, the Packers will need to exploit the rest of the North — as they did this year in sweeping the Lions and Vikings — to compete for a wild-card spot. Considering the depth and competition in the NFC East and the NFC South, that will be no small task, especially with a schedule that trades the NFC West and the AFC East for the NFC East and the AFC West. Goodbye Cardinals and Bills, hello Chargers and Eagles. Long story short, it’s going to take a lot more than Favre and a promising, young nucleus to make this team a legitimate contender. And considering the Packers already have last year’s rookies playing prominent roles all over the field, adding another round of youngsters, even an impact class, isn’t likely to help. Another young receiver or lineman will not provide sufficient punch for the NFL’s 31st-ranked red-zone offense. Hence the Randy Moss conjecture, however sordid and unlikely it seems. Veteran linebacking and safety help is needed for a defense that seems to be measuring itself far too often on success against the Niners, Lions, Vikings and skeleton Bears. A complete overhaul is in order for a special-teams unit that ranked dead last for the second straight season. That stat paints a scary, yet telling, picture regarding the team’s overall depth. Let’s not forget that the Packers were remarkably healthy a year ago, losing only one game total to its starting defense.
So the onus is on the Packers’ front office to get it done when free agency opens on March 2, and GM Ted Thompson has the cap space to make it happen — even if his history suggests reluctance to do so and a preference for leaning more heavily on the draft. “We feel like if we're doing things to help the team get better, whatever it is, whoever the quarterback is, whether it's Brett or whomever it might be, we're going to try to get better,” Thompson said. “And if we can do that in free agency, we'll do that.” If Thompson can follow through on that, perhaps then I’ll smell what the Cheeseheads are cookin’.
Mind you cost us nothing in trade and probably cheaper or at worst same money.
