Ted Thompsons five worst moves as GM

[jrock645]

I just think it's humorous that TT "signed" Rodgers, instead of drafted him at 24 even though it was very possible he could have gone #1... Like Ted went into a bidding war because he was scared Brett was gonna retire. Lulz

 

[adambr2]

Let this be a lesson to us all kids, never put in print something that can be dragged up 6 years later, to prove you know even less now then you did 6 years ago.

Check out some of the dandies in here. 'Why would the Raiders want Rodgers over Russell or Quinn? '

http://www.footballsfuture.com/news/2007/02/aaron-rodgers-for-randy-moss.html

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

I remember back in the day when Wolf traded for Favre and reading things very similar to when Rodgers was drafted. Then again, I also remember when Mandarich was drafted and he was going to be the Anchor of the Packer O-line for a decade. Hindsight is fun in sports and we all do it, but when people use it to try and look smart, I would ask to see their diary of all their great predictions, before those things did or didn't happen.

 

[Ace]

Ted Thompson's Five Worst Moves as Green Bay Packers General Manager | Bleacher Report

time to bring the haters out.

I don't know if I have the energy for this today.

 

[Vrill]

Honestly, even those "worst moves" are ho-hum. Nothing there really sticks out at me as "OMG HE REALLY SCREWED UP THERE!!!!!" - So its a "meh" article to me personally.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

IMO, Both Ron Wolf and TT have done way more good then bad when it comes to the Packers. One helped to raise the Packers out of the dust they had been in for decades and the other took over after Sherman was doing his best to return the Packers back to that dust. 2 FHOF QB's most definitely helped both accomplish this, but not the only thing that sets them above numerous other NFL GM's.

Sure TT has made some mistakes along the way, most being "in hindsight", but I would much rather read a list of "TT's Five best moves as GM" then that dribble. A list that won't be complete until TT is done in GB.

 

[yooperpackfan]

A list that won't be complete until TT is done in GB.

When Aaron Rodgers is done in Green Bay, Thompsons mediocrity will be exposed and he will be done in Green Bay.
My guess is Rodgers, Thompson and McCarthy will probably ride off into the sunset simultaneously.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

When Aaron Rodgers is done in Green Bay, Thompsons mediocrity will be exposed and he will be done in Green Bay.
My guess is Rodgers, Thompson and McCarthy will probably ride off into the sunset simultaneously.

If Rodgers plays another eight seasons as he has mentioned in the past I don´t think Thompson wants to be the Packers GM for that long.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

If Rodgers plays another eight seasons as he has mentioned in the past I don´t think Thompson wants to be the Packers GM for that long.

I think the same thing, TT probably hangs it up when his contact is done, which I believe is at the end of 2018(?). At which time I see Eliot Wolf (or John Schneider) stepping in.

 

[yooperpackfan]

If Rodgers plays another eight seasons as he has mentioned in the past I don´t think Thompson wants to be the Packers GM for that long.

I can understand that.
It's usually best to get out before the collapse.

 

[yooperpackfan]

I think the same thing, TT probably hangs it up when his contact is done, which I believe is at the end of 2018(?). At which time I see Eliot Wolf (or John Schneider) stepping in.

I agree.
I'm pulling for Schneider, which isn't out of the question.

 

[TJV]

When Aaron Rodgers is done in Green Bay, Thompsons mediocrity will be exposed and he will be done in Green Bay. My guess is Rodgers, Thompson and McCarthy will probably ride off into the sunset simultaneously.

So your guess is when Aaron Rodgers is done in Green Bay, Thompson will not be the GM and therefor he won't be "exposed"?

 

[yooperpackfan]

So your guess is when Aaron Rodgers is done in Green Bay, Thompson will not be the GM and therefor he won't be "exposed"?

That is correct.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

Besides Lambeau, Lombardi and Wolf what other GM's have done a better job then TT? I have a hard time understanding why some dislike what TT has done in GB. The current team is in great shape for the future in areas that TT works: players, coaches and cap. The Packers are in no way "in collapse mode" IMO. So more Super Bowl wins would make TT a legend? Well, except for 2 season under Ted and I don't count the first, they have been in a position to do just that. Hard to fault TT for not winning a SB every year, when in reality he has us legitimately competing for one almost every year he has been GM.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

Besides Lambeau, Lombardi and Wolf what other GM's have done a better job then TT? I have a hard time understanding why some dislike what TT has done in GB. The current team is in great shape for the future in areas that TT works: players, coaches and cap. The Packers are in no way "in collapse mode" IMO. So more Super Bowl wins would make TT a legend? Well, except for 2 season under Ted and I don't count the first, they have been in a position to do just that. Hard to fault TT for not winning a SB every year, when in reality he has us legitimately competing for one almost every year he has been GM.

I think a lot of fans mistakenly take criticizing Thompson as a sign for disliking him. I can only speak for myself but IMO Thompson has done a fantastic job overall. It's no secret to regular posters here that I would like him to selectively use free agency to address positions of need.

 

[Half Empty]

Besides Lambeau, Lombardi and Wolf what other GM's have done a better job then TT? I have a hard time understanding why some dislike what TT has done in GB. The current team is in great shape for the future in areas that TT works: players, coaches and cap. The Packers are in no way "in collapse mode" IMO. So more Super Bowl wins would make TT a legend? Well, except for 2 season under Ted and I don't count the first, they have been in a position to do just that. Hard to fault TT for not winning a SB every year, when in reality he has us legitimately competing for one almost every year he has been GM.

And failed, sometimes miserably.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

And failed, sometimes miserably.

Agreed, but has the teams failure in some of their playoff games, been on TT , the coaches, or players?

I look at how Seattle looked in the playoffs this year and the one failed play in the SB last year and would be surprised if people are calling for Schneider to be gone.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

Agreed, but has the teams failure in some of their playoff games, been on TT , the coaches, or players?

Thompson deserves some of the blame as well.

 

[El Guapo]

Besides Lambeau, Lombardi and Wolf what other GM's have done a better job then TT?

Don't forget Vainisi, even though he wasn't officially GM. I'm also not sure that I would put Lombardi that high up on the list. He plucked a few top players for sure, but the cupboard was getting bare when he left Green Bay.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

Thompson deserves some of the blame as well.

Totally agree....it comes with the job. But not enough blame to kick him to the curb.

 

[Quientus]

As much as I have disagreed with some of Thomsons dispositions, The problems The Pack have had recently really isn't on him ... As GM he has pretty much gotten The job done, in terms of fielding a competitive unit. You can't really insure yourself against so many injuries at The same time. Imo most of The problems are because of coaching and on-field leadership ...

 

[Deleted member 6794]

As much as I have disagreed with some of Thomsons dispositions, The problems The Pack have had recently really isn't on him ... As GM he has pretty much gotten The job done, in terms of fielding a competitive unit. You can't really insure yourself against so many injuries at The same time. Imo most of The problems are because of coaching and on-field leadership ...

There are some things Thompson deserves blame for like not having been able to adequately address the inside linebacker position for four years running, completely messing up the back-up QB situation in 2013, needing three years to find someone capable of replacing Nick Collins, putting too much confidence in the TE group last year and having subpar drafts in 2011 and '12.

But as I've posted above overall he has done a fantastic job.

 

[Half Empty]

Don't forget Vainisi, even though he wasn't officially GM. I'm also not sure that I would put Lombardi that high up on the list. He plucked a few top players for sure, but the cupboard was getting bare when he left Green Bay.

JV drafted a bunch of what turned out to be really good players who languished throughout the '50s. He also brought in Lombardi, who first raised the level of play of those players, then himself drafted (and traded for) other stars. Certainly, the Lombardi Packers were getting old when he left, but if he'd stayed, would he not have been able to continue the magic? Nobody knows for sure, but a combination of "what's left to accomplish?" and "I'm just not us for this any more" might have lead to a lack of looking to the future.

 

[PackerDNA]

Lombardi also had a gift for successfully changing players positions.
Adderly from RB to CB, Nitschke and Caffey from offence (TE and FB?) to defense, etc..

 

[TJV]

I’m happy to see Vainisi get his due. In addition to being a great talent evaluator and being at the center of bringing Lombardi to Green Bay, he was a trailblazer regarding the draft. "Jack had a network of people all over the country," said Pat Peppler, former Green Bay scouting and personnel director from 1963-'71. "He worked very hard and was respected in the colleges. I was an assistant at North Carolina State, and I'd give Jack scouting reports at the end of the season for $100. I got to know Jack well over the phone but never met him in person."
http://www.jsonline.com/sports/packers/37525989.html

That hard work and organization led to the best draft in Packers history, the 1958 draft. Vainisi definitely set the table for Lombardi but he died in November of 1960. The driving force behind talent acquisition thereafter was Lombardi. What would have happened if Lombardi never gave up the HC job in Green Bay and didn’t have cancer? Of course there’s no way of knowing. But I’m confident just his presence would have prevented what happened from 1968 on. The evidence for that notion is when Lombardi arrived in Washington for the 1969 season to take over the Redskins, they hadn’t had a winning record for 13 seasons and he led them to a 7-5-2 record.