Packers need better results this season to justify Thompson's blueprint

[mradtke66]

It's no secret that I would like him to take more a calculated risk more often. Like Dougherty mentions Myles Jack is a perfect example for him being too risk-averse.

The problem with that statement is that it assumes that TT and/or Capers liked Myles Jack. Maybe they do but were scared, in which case Dougherty (and your) thesis is true--he's risk averse.

Or the just didn't like him in the first for a different reason, size, skillset, whatever. Then your thesis is false.

I will agree that ILB is a weakness and we need a cover guy there. Doesn't mean TT/Capers do. Or if they do, it doesn't mean they value it enough to take such a player early.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

An epic collapse was a much bigger reason for the the loss than ILB. Yes, ILB players made mistakes in the game, but so did many other guys including Rodgers.

The same set of players who lost the lead with the ILB weakness had the game in the bag. I don't see that game on Thompson.

Aside of the two point conversion the inside linebackers were directly responsible for every single point the Seahawks scored in regulation. More talented player at the position would have hugely increased the chance of winning that game.

The problem with that statement is that it assumes that TT and/or Capers liked Myles Jack. Maybe they do but were scared, in which case Dougherty (and your) thesis is true--he's risk averse.

Or the just didn't like him in the first for a different reason, size, skillset, whatever. Then your thesis is false.

I will agree that ILB is a weakness and we need a cover guy there. Doesn't mean TT/Capers do. Or if they do, it doesn't mean they value it enough to take such a player early.

It's true that I have no idea if Thompson and Capers liked Myles Jack. I highly doubt that talent was the reason for not drafting him as he was widely considered a top five pick in this year's draft.

The most realistic explanation for the Packers not drafting him is that the team was concerned about his knee, which indicates the general manager being risk-averse.

 

[El Guapo]

I just watched the Jon Gruden QB Camp special with Brett Favre. Favre said that about the time that Mike Holmgren left, he was really starting to fully understand the game. He said that had Mike stuck around longer, he felt that they could have won a few more championships in Green Bay. He didn't say that they would have more more championships had Ron Wolf stuck around longer or gotten this player or that. My point being that we can't hang the lack of additional SB wins on either Wolf or Thompson completely. As with anything, there are things that they could have done better. There are things that the coaches could have done better. There are things that the players could have done better. How much of each is part of the great unknown.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

IMy point being that we can't hang the lack of additional SB wins on either Wolf or Thompson completely. As with anything, there are things that they could have done better. There are things that the coaches could have done better. There are things that the players could have done better. How much of each is part of the great unknown.

Absolutely agree that the coaches and players deserve part of the blame for the Packers not winning more Super Bowls during Thompson's tenure as well.

 

[PikeBadger]

Rodgers has been an elite quarterback for at least the last six seasons. Maybe the second half of the 2009 season should be included as well.

Yes, but almost no one considered him top 2 until he won the super bowl.

 

[PikeBadger]

The problem with that statement is that it assumes that TT and/or Capers liked Myles Jack. Maybe they do but were scared, in which case Dougherty (and your) thesis is true--he's risk averse.

Or the just didn't like him in the first for a different reason, size, skillset, whatever. Then your thesis is false.

I will agree that ILB is a weakness and we need a cover guy there. Doesn't mean TT/Capers do. Or if they do, it doesn't mean they value it enough to take such a player early.

It's possible that Jack wasn't even on the Packers draft board. Ted doesn't have a large board (approx 125?). His medical problems may have eliminated him from consideration.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

Yes, but almost no one considered him top 2 until he won the super bowl.

Some "experts" still don´t consider Rodgers a top 3 quarterback in the league. It was obvious pretty early after he became the starter that he was elite though.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap30...-games-quarterback-tom-bradys-an-ageless-star

 

[Deleted member 6794]

It's possible that Jack wasn't even on the Packers draft board. Ted doesn't have a large board (approx 125?). His medical problems may have eliminated him from consideration.

While that might be true it´s proof that Thompson is too risk-averse. I would have liked him to take a gamble on a top 5 talent at the team´s weakest position group.

 

[AmishMafia]

While that might be true it´s proof that Thompson is too risk-averse. I would have liked him to take a gamble on a top 5 talent at the team´s weakest position group.

Harrell!

 

[Deleted member 6794]

Harrell!

There´s no doubt drafting Jack would have been risky. Thompson should have been more aggressive this time though as with the Packers selecting at the end of the first round perennially he doesn´t get a chance to draft a top 5 talent often. Especially as the move would have addressed the weakest position group on a Super Bowl contender.

 

[PikeBadger]

While that might be true it´s proof that Thompson is too risk-averse. I would have liked him to take a gamble on a top 5 talent at the team´s weakest position group.

In your opinion. Jack may not make it through two NFL seasons. Thompson has his reasons for having what I would think is a smaller draft board than most teams. Less room for disastrous error may be one of those reasons.

 

[Vrill]

I think we'll get one more Super Bowl title before Rodgers hangs it up.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

In your opinion. Jack may not make it through two NFL seasons. Thompson has his reasons for having what I would think is a smaller draft board than most teams. Less room for disastrous error may be one of those reasons.

I admit that there are several ways to approach it and while I would like Thompson to take more calculated risks it doesn't mean the team would be more successful.

TT has mostly avoided making disastrous mistakes in the first round of the draft but on the other side hasn't been able to select an elite player either since 2009.

I guess the results reflect the general manager's risk-averse approach with the team making the playoffs for most of his tenure but coming up short way too often.

While it's possible Jack doesn't make it through two NFL seasons it's possible he has a long and successful career as well. There's no way to tell as of right now.

 

[PikeBadger]

I admit that there are several ways to approach it and while I would like Thompson to take more calculated risks it doesn't mean the team would be more successful.

TT has mostly avoided making disastrous mistakes in the first round of the draft but on the other side hasn't been able to select an elite player either since 2009.

Elite athletic ability without big red flags is not available to teams drafting after the first 10 picks. It's possible that Both Raji and Matthews were in the top 10 on Thompson's board.

This is why he uses free agency to get elite level ability possessed by people like Woodson and Peppers.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

Elite athletic ability without big red flags is not available to teams drafting after the first 10 picks. It's possible that Both Raji and Matthews were in the top 10 on Thompson's board.

This is why he uses free agency to get elite level ability possessed by people like Woodson and Peppers.

While it's the general perceptions that the Packers drafting late in the first round prevents the team from selecting a future All-Pro it's surprising that out of the 39 players (picked 2010 or later) that have been selected to the first team 18 were drafted after Green Bay's first round pick.

Thompson has been pretty successful in free agency making it even more surprising he doesn't use it more often.

 

[PackerDNA]

I think we'll get one more Super Bowl title before Rodgers hangs it up.

I think if it doesn't happen this year, it's not going to.

 

[AmishMafia]

I think if it doesn't happen this year, it's not going to.

The beauty of the TT method is that the roster maintains a very high level of talent. There is no reason to think that the Packers wobt be contenders over the next few years.

The linked article is shallow and biased and is based on the same ignorant misconception of reality as some posters here.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

I think if it doesn't happen this year, it's not going to.

The Packers will be Super Bowl contenders as long as Rodgers plays on an elite level.

The linked article is shallow and biased and is based on the same ignorant misconception of reality as some posters here.

It has to be tough for the Thompson can do no wrong crowd to realize that even the beat writers share the opinion of some reasonable posters around here that TT is too risk-averse. Not surprisingly you dismiss the article as ignorant because the author dared to criticize your boy Teddy.

 

[PikeBadger]

The Packers will be Super Bowl contenders as long as Rodgers plays on an elite level.



It has to be tough for the Thompson can do no wrong crowd to realize that even the beat writers share the opinion of some reasonable posters around here that TT is too risk-averse. Not surprisingly you dismiss the article as ignorant because the author dared to criticize your boy Teddy.

Just want to clarify that though I've probably been lumped into the Thompson can do no wrong crowd, I think there is a middle ground where one can appreciate his work and defend his work, while still having beliefs that there are things he would have done differently without using negative and biting prose to do so.

I go back to the following truth which imo is important to keep in mind, his peers and industry insiders consider him to be an elite level GM.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

Just want to clarify that though I've probably been lumped into the Thompson can do no wrong crowd, I think there is a middle ground where one can appreciate his work and defend his work, while still having beliefs that there are things he would have done differently without using negative and biting prose to do so.

I go back to the following truth which imo is important to keep in mind, his peers and industry insiders consider him to be an elite level GM.

There´s absolutely no doubt in my mind that Thompson is one of the best general managers in the league. I´m getting tired of posters name calling other fans that criticize him though as he´s for sure not perfect either.

 

[El Guapo]

I don't think that I've read any posts stating that he is perfect. I think that a lot of us "defend" him for the reason that you stated, he's one of the best in the league. It gets tiring to year-after-year see people point out that he has warts, which of course he does have. Rodgers isn't perfect either but he doesn't get the same vitriol from fans as TT. They are linked at the hip, are about as good as one could ask for, and will likely exit about the same time. Let's just be happy and enjoy watching them do their things respectively.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

I don't think that I've read any posts stating that he is perfect. I think that a lot of us "defend" him for the reason that you stated, he's one of the best in the league. It gets tiring to year-after-year see people point out that he has warts, which of course he does have. Rodgers isn't perfect either but he doesn't get the same vitriol from fans as TT. They are linked at the hip, are about as good as one could ask for, and will likely exit about the same time. Let's just be happy and enjoy watching them do their things respectively.

There haven't been any posts about Thompson being perfect but on a lot of occasions fans only slightly criticizing TT have been deemed ignorant or other things.

If posters on this forum stop pointing out warts of either the general manager, coaches or players we wouldn't have a lot to talk about around here. Most people defending Thompson at all cost don't have any trouble criticizing coaches or players though so I don't understand the reasoning behind TT being off limits.

 

[PFanCan]

If Thompson had addressed the inside linebacker position with at least average talent before the 2014 season the Packers would have won the NFCCG at Seattle.

If one particular special teams player had followed his orders during the on-sides kick, the Packers would have won the NFCCG at Seattle.

 

[Half Empty]

I don't think that I've read any posts stating that he is perfect. I think that a lot of us "defend" him for the reason that you stated, he's one of the best in the league. It gets tiring to year-after-year see people point out that he has warts, which of course he does have. Rodgers isn't perfect either but he doesn't get the same vitriol from fans as TT. They are linked at the hip, are about as good as one could ask for, and will likely exit about the same time. Let's just be happy and enjoy watching them do their things respectively.

I don't know about that. ARod had a very good year in 2015 by nearly anyone's standards, expect his own, and there have been plenty of folks willing to point out how human he looked.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

If one particular special teams player had followed his orders during the on-sides kick, the Packers would have won the NFCCG at Seattle.

That's true but the defense could have kept the Seahawks out of the end zone to win that game as well. Unfortunately they weren't able to because of a lack of talent at inside linebacker.