I have clearly stated that Thompson deserves an incomplete grade, but when a team goes to battle without an offensive line and downgrades its linebackers it is not awe inspiring -- especially when the results look like this season.
Also could we please dispense with this myth that letting an all pro LG go was such a good move – take a look at the numbers.
Mike Wahle's cap number for the Carolina Panthers in 2005 was 3 million. 1 million in base salary and about 2 milionl from pro-rated signing bonus.
3 million on the 2005 cap.
For Green Bay that could have been even lower because it would be an extension. Right now, we have a dead money charge of 1.25 million because we cut Mike Wahle. That wouldn't be the case in an extension.
So take away the 1.25 dead money and we have a 1.75 millon on the 2005 cap cost for Wahle – who clearly stated he would have loved to have stayed in GB.
Wahle's base salary is 1 million for Carolina. If we really wanted to really push things, we could have made that the minimum instead $550,000. Knowing we had a ton of space in 2006, we could have pushed that back a bit.
So in this scenerio we are down to 1.2 million on the cap. Now look at what, Adrian Klemm, Mike Wahle's replacement cost us -- 1 million hit on the 2005 cap.
So cap wise. The difference between keeping Mike Wahle and not keeping Mike Wahle in 2005... could have been done for as little as about 200k difference. Even if we didn't want to push that money into 2006 when we were slated to have so much more room it could have been done for as little as $750,000. Hell make it 1 million and it would be a steal compared to where we are now -- we'd be a hell of a better team right now with an all pro left guard instead of a guy sitting on the bench with fading confidence.
Add to that Joe Andruzzi was available. He has the Super Bowl rings to show for his talent, is currently starting and he loves Green Bay. Hell, the guy still goes fishing with the Green Bay O-Linemen – tell me he would not have been a better choice.
Beyond that we never even tried to take a look at other quality OG FA’s like Cosey Coleman, Floyd Womack, Keydrick Vincent, Rick DeMulling
Instead he put all of his eggs in the Adrian Klemm basket. We also sent a late 2nd day draft pick who many believed would not be drafted out to be eaten by the wolves -- yeah that is doing wonders for the guys confidence.
I wanted to believe it would work and I could see the potential in the guy, but it was a big risk to bring in a guy who had a long injury history and did not even play the position as you only solution after letting two great guards move on to other teams.
I said it in the beginning of this thread and I will repeat it one more time –
I have not given up on Ted Thompson. I want to believe Ted has a plan and the ability to turn things around. He deserves an incomplete grade as we watch what transpires.
But before I go along with sending accolades his way we need to look at this point: he took us into the season shooting blanks at both the Guard positions and did nothing but downgrade our LB player. He has COMPLETE CONTROL over roster decisions and the team fell from division champs at 10 – 6 to 3 – 11 (so far). He showed no capacity to be able to find solutions as the season progressed -- like Sherman did when he went out and got Grady Jackson to plug the leaky ****. Hardly the kind of thing that makes me want to put a crown on his head.
CaliforniaCheez said:
I don't consider it slash and burn to offer a compromise to Sharper, give Hunt a fair chance (which Hunt blew). Getting Thomas in trade for Chris Johnson rather than cutting him and was salvaging anything out of Morely were good trades.
The 05 cap was very tight and Wahle's contract should have been revised in 04. He only had one month and very little to offer Wahle. Allowing Rivera to leave was a good business decision.
Who was dumped?
7 million for Sharper? multimillion Hunt? Chris Johnson of perpetual injury? The never seen Morely? James Lee? Leigh Torrence? Thurman?
The cutting of Wahle is the only example for a slash and burn approach.
I believe Thompson came into a rapidly deteriorating situation and did well with a small amount of funds to work with. Getting Little, Freeman, Thompson and O'Dwyer for veteran minimum price was good. Gado and Donald Lee were free as was Herron.
I see no starting over.
Now this off season Green, Davenport, Hendderson, Nall, Barry, Diggs, Longwell and Sander may not return. It is up to Ted and the agents.
He isn't Ceasar but he isn't going to trade 2 picks for True Luck, or use 2 picks on, James Lee, BJ Sander, Kenny Peterson, Chris Johnson.
He has earned some trust by not having a big screw up to date and being patient and disciplined on draft day. One thing he does understand is that 50% of your draft picks work out and half do not. It is best to make lots of picks. It is too early to saw he made good or bad picks in 05.
Ted Thompson is better the the old GM. He deserves some time to make up for the drafts of 2001-2004.
BTW Why did we need to cut Chris Johnson??? -- To keep Joey Thomas who we cut weeks later? Johnson obviously would have been a better return man than what we but back there. As for Thomas -- he could have been had on waivers instead.