I don't like repeating myself so I gave up answering in the Ted debate.. He has put in a successful formula for winning and with all things constant, you don't deviate from it but this is the nfl and its an ever changing league.. While we might not be getting worse, and we are certainly nothing to cough at, other teams are certainly Improving. The good get better. It's just how this game is played and that's why we watch it. Ted is a smart man but almost to a fault. He believes in his formula so much that it hurts him to deviate from it.. I believe it hurts his ego to grab players that weren't his. He essentially ignores an entire separate pool of talent.. Why? Name me starters that weren't his draftees.. Or what's the percentage of players on our roster that weren't his draftees or udfa? I don't know off hand but I'd bet its low. And I believe his philosophy has rubbed off on his past staff.. Look at Murphy and philibin.. Why are they so adamant about not signing past packer players?.. Flynn would've no doubt helped the raiders and probly the dolphins.. Or Jennings this year.. We all know he's a superior receiver to Wallace and the amount of money they gave him almost made a statement.. Maybe I'm digging too much there but they seem pretty forward about having no ties to the packer organization. It seems they want to start their own legacy and never have to hear " well they grabbed so and so from their former teams" because they would always have their named tied to something else and I believe that frame of mind stems from teddy.. I believe he ignores that entire pool of talent because he didn't find them.. They wouldn't be his "gems" they would alway have their names tied to their past organization in his eyes.. Other than Woodson and Pickett what other fa signing even attempted to look like he was trying.? And that was his second year as gm.. He attempted some small fa signings last year but the only one that even seemed genuine to me was the one that stayed and it was benson.. Merling and Muir showed promise on the dl but the only one that stuck was the one that was suspended and the one he knew all along he was never keeping in Hagrove.. So what were we left with on our dl? Every player was a Teddy draft picks or udfa and his one gem in Pickett. Teds a good gm and I've said it before I'd want him over most. But he has that one quality (stubborness) that might prevent him from being great. He's allowed the benefit of the doubt and we should give him that, but some feel he should NEVER be questioned and that's bologna.. Yea there's a reason he's the gm and we aren't but those jobs are very scarce and theres a few hundred million people that live in America..if you don't think there's someone bigger and better out there that's bologna too..Look how fast it went from us being the talk of the town and having the cream of the crop roster to being considered still a top 10 team but not the powerhouse we were thought to be.. and there wasnt much turnover in our roster its just that there were 31 other teams that knew they had to catch up and some succeeded. Now its our turn for the counterpuch and im not sure ted knows or wants to throw one if it doesn't involve "his own"..I don't need to know somebody to get a sense of how they are based on their actions, it's kinda what I do for a living. Some go to the extreme and honestly sound like children wanting a new toy..sign so and so because they know the name..no it doesn't work like but there's talent out there to be had even if its for borrowed time .. You can structure contracts to take the hit this year or delay that hit till the 2nd or 3rd year with bigger signing bonuses. If that's what you have to do for your counterpunch then you do it.. And when it comes time they are expendable and you release them and then what are we still left with you ask? A very solid core waiting for the next punch your goin to throw and the circle continues.. It just seems like Ted doesn't know how to complete the circle and come back around it.. Jenkins Canty and Jackson were had for good prices.. Rodgers has stated he intends to play out his contract and we aren't obligated to give him an extension till the seasons over. So even if we have to "borrow" some of those players for a year if you think it'll get you over the hump now, you do it because we have the cap too.. And if it doesn't work, you release those players and give Rodgers his money and you continue to build.. It's not always him or him, sometimes you can have him AND him even if its for borrowed time..discuss