No doubt some Packers fans have been bipolar regarding Thompson, but not all of us. I, for example, have been a Thompson fan since his arrival as GM but I’ve never thought he, or any other human being on the face of the Earth, is above reproach. Of course Thompson makes mistakes but look at the team he has assembled and its record over the past two years. There is certainly more right with this team than is wrong. There’s a reason those who back up their opinions with dollars have the Packers among the favorites to win it all this coming season.
IMO those who accuse Thompson of ignoring or not addressing needs or concerns on defense are wrong. A GM can address problems and still make mistakes. A GM can assess that the talent at certain positions is sufficient and still be incorrect. For example, a GM can view the position of CB as so crucial in his division that he uses the first three picks in a draft selecting CBs and he can then watch the first and second rounders he reached for flame out. Ron Wolf didn’t ignore the position of CB to combat the Vikings’ Moss, he was laser-light-focused on it. And he still didn’t fix it.
Ted Thompson did not ignore the position of OLB going into last season. Go back and look at the production at that position late in the 2010 regular season through the playoffs. It was reasonable to expect that Zombo or Walden would emerge after their year of experience in the system. And Jones was available to compete at that position too. No one stepped up at OLB but not IMO because Thompson ignored it. He was wrong to assume what he did. But I believe it was a reasonable assumption (since I assumed it too). Thompson made another mistake in not re-signing Jenkins but again, not just because he ignored that position. He depended upon Neal to be healthy and fulfill his potential at that spot.
Thompson and his staff along with McCarthy and his staff do a complete analysis of every position and every player on the roster at every season’s end. They also analyze the schemes they use along with the members of the coaching staff. I assume each and every team in the league does and if that isn’t the case then I’ll bet the vast majority do. So while Thompson is ultimately responsible as Executive VP, GM and Director of (all) Football Operations, he doesn’t operate in a vacuum. What reports did he receive last offseason from Kevin Greene and Dom Capers on Walden, Zombo and Jones? Was there a player who Thompson would have taken at that position if he were available at one of the Packers picks because they graded him as a value at that pick? What reports did Thompson receive from Mike Trgovac and Dom Capers and more importantly from the medical staff on Mike Neal? Was there a player who Thompson would have taken at that position if he were available at one of the Packers picks because they graded him as a value at that pick? It’s a good thing Thompson doesn’t reach in the draft as many GMs do because even in reaching many times needs aren’t met. But by not reaching it may appear he’s ignoring positions.
Thompson will be continuously criticized by some Packers fans for not aggressively going after UFAs from other teams and/or for not trading for veteran players on other rosters. So much so there’s at least one poster here who still can’t get over Thompson’s refusal to attempt to acquire Marshawn Lynch in 2010, even though Thompson’s decision was objectively justified by winning a title. That’s just a small example, but it seams even when Thompson is correct by any objective measure, he’s wrong in the eyes of some Packers fans. Thankfully, Thompson ignores us. His method is not to reach to fill a particular need because his analysis shows doing so not only doesn’t often work but because it’s damaging to the long-term future of the team. The reason to split the GM and HC jobs IMO is so the GM can operate for the long-term good of the franchise and that’s what Thompson does, even though he continuously makes mistakes and will for as long as he’s GM. His goal is to put the Packers in position to win it all, year after year after year. I argue he’s done that each season since 2007, with the exemption of the 2008 season. If he does that for the next several seasons the Packers will be among a handful of the best run NFL franchises and the chances of another title are pretty good. And IMO that’s as good as a GM can do.