Is it Thompson or is it Wolf?

[Pokerbrat2000]

Well, 25,000 seats have been added over the recent decades, the season ticket waiting list is populated with no small number of folks looking to sell in the aftermarket to out-of-towners, and I've noticed the prices on those aftermarket tickets have been slipping. Wasn't it just last year it was touch and go whether the Giants playoff game would sell out? This "always the bridesmaid, never the bride" routine is starting to wear a little thin. Like I said before, the Packers are not losing in the playoff on a last second pick on the goal line. They get historically embarrassed at least every other year. Going 10-6 and getting squeezed out of the playoffs would not be a good look.

Then there's the merchandise sales.

And then there's Executive Committee egos.

I would find it hard to believe that "get to the playoffs and see what happens" isn't wearing thin among at least some of the principals.

right, you made my point for me

How many Lombardi's do we have during that time frame?

Like I said, I am not implying that the Packer FO is sitting on their arses and being complacent, but there is much more emphasis on being a successful franchise/business, winning another Lombardi is just a positive side effect from that, but not absolutely necessary to hang on to your jobs....unless you are Shawn Slocum

I would be more worried about reading a Memo from the Packer FO that said.....

"We are tired of mediocrity, we are going ALL IN this year in order to try and bring home the Lombardi. If this fails, have your boxes ready".

Fans want the Lombardi and now it seems like nothing short of that is a success. The Packer FO, at the end of the season, toast their glasses with their bankers and say "Job well done!"

 

[HardRightEdge]

I think Murphy has been telling Thompson that he needs to use all avenues to make the team better... and GB is developing that.

I like it.

I like it too. At least 2 vet FA starting week 1, probably 3 with House up and running, and maybe 4 with Brooks depending on the injury situation. Throw in Kendricks and Francois. None of these guys are the kind of scrap heap minimum salary FA vets we've seen in camp in some prior years. Without them, the draft looks different with a whole lot more reliance on rookie performance, second year jumps or third year jumps. The moves appear prescient with respect to those latter two categories of "hopes and dreams" given preseason performance. And there was no breaking the bank on some 5 year, $50 million marquis free agents.

For all this whining about OLB even after the Brooks signing hit the rumor mill you'd think people forgot their whining about "no bookend" for years, including the first 3 years with Perry.

How about all the whining about OL depth? Has everybody forgotten going into a season with Barclay as the #1 OT backup, or Sherrod who didn't start looking any better than Spriggs until right near the end, or the "human turnstile" whose name I have temporarily blocked out, no doubt from the residual pain of having to watch him.

Hawk and Jones...it was not like the handwriting wasn't on the wall before the fateful year.

RB...years without a reliable runner. Remember going into a season with DuJuan Harris and just some guys standing behind him only to see Harris blow his knee?

How about dragging Vince Young and Seneca Wallace off the scrap heap for lack of a backup. Does anybody not believe this team has a better chance of winning with Hundley than Scott "Freaking" Tolzien?

M.D. Jennings as a starting safety? Really? We've got 6 guys, including PS, better than that.

And it's not like these examples rotated from year to year. They've overlapped with 2 or 3 position groups operating under a hope if not a prayer.

How about that long gap between Finley and Cook without much of a TE threat?

This year is very different with the FA adds covering weaknesses. The roster is stronger than where we left off at the end of last season. All the rookies could bust and this is still a better roster than at playoff time last year, but I doubt King or Jones won't be meaningful contributors.

Gunter as your #3 perimeter corner? We're in a better spot than that now.

Thanks to a radical departure in roster building this is the best group, all around, coming into the season than in many a moon.

We can debate the reasons for this departure, but one reason is certainly NOT the case, that being this roster going into the off season needing more repair and replace than in past years. That's revisionist history. There's a clear push to win going on here that has been absent in recent years.

 

[OldSchool101]

That bit of advice certainly was not required. Sounds a lot like "we have to agree to disagree", which of course is never a necessity.

It was once said in reference to disagreeing to agreeing to disagreeing.. that the notion to quell that motion can give one a devotion to second that emotion

 

[HardRightEdge]

It was once said in reference to disagreeing to agreeing to disagreeing.. that the notion to quell that motion can give one a devotion to second that emotion

Smokey!

 

[rmontro]

I've wondered for a while if Thompson would become more aggressive as Rodgers got older. The nearer they get to a QB transition, he less it makes sense to prioritize long term stability over short term improvement.

That makes sense, but I think it also has to do with changes in the league. Draft and Develop is a good base, but it's getting harder for teams to bring young talent along with the limits on practice time, so I think Ted is reacting accordingly. Also, the longer our postseason streak continues, it's getting harder and harder to ignore the "underachiever" tag that gets placed on us. I don't think Ted wants that to be his legacy. He would probably also like to outdo Ron Wolf by getting a second ring.

 

[Dantés]

That makes sense, but I think it also has to do with changes in the league. Draft and Develop is a good base, but it's getting harder for teams to bring young talent along with the limits on practice time, so I think Ted is reacting accordingly. Also, the longer our postseason streak continues, it's getting harder and harder to ignore the "underachiever" tag that gets placed on us. I don't think Ted wants that to be his legacy. He would probably also like to outdo Ron Wolf by getting a second ring.

It could well be a combination of both factors.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

Murphy's more business side.

There's no doubt Murphy is doing an excellent job handling the business side of the job.

I've wondered for a while if Thompson would become more aggressive as Rodgers got older. The nearer they get to a QB transition, he less it makes sense to prioritize long term stability over short term improvement.

Thompson hasn't jeopardized the long term stability of the team by signing several free agents to reasonable contracts this offseason though. A lot of fans had been advocating for him to acquire veterans at positions of need that way for some years.

That makes sense, but I think it also has to do with changes in the league. Draft and Develop is a good base, but it's getting harder for teams to bring young talent along with the limits on practice time, so I think Ted is reacting accordingly.

Unfortunately it seems it took Thompson six years to adjust to the new system in place.

 

[rodell330]

I wouldn't be shocked if someone else is helping TT make decisions behind the scenes. I'm not a doctor, but the guy looks like he has health issues...sounds like it as well. Don't be surprised if he hangs it up at seasons end. His pressers are hard to watch.

 

[Candidate for Deletion]

The future of this franchise is, and will be, Wolf the Younger

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

I wouldn't be shocked if someone else is helping TT make decisions behind the scenes. I'm not a doctor, but the guy looks like he has health issues...sounds like it as well. Don't be surprised if he hangs it up at seasons end. His pressers are hard to watch.

Nothing a blood transfusion won't fix

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[rodell330]

I like it too. At least 2 vet FA starting week 1, probably 3 with House up and running, and maybe 4 with Brooks depending on the injury situation. Throw in Kendricks and Francois. None of these guys are the kind of scrap heap minimum salary FA vets we've seen in camp in some prior years. Without them, the draft looks different with a whole lot more reliance on rookie performance, second year jumps or third year jumps. The moves appear prescient with respect to those latter two categories of "hopes and dreams" given preseason performance. And there was not breaking the bank on some 5 year, $50 million marquis free agents.

For all this whining about OLB even after the Brooks signing hit the rumor mill you'd think people forgot their whining about "no bookend" for years, including the first 3 years with Perry.

How about all the whining about OL depth? Has everybody forgotten going into a season with Barclay as the #1 OT backup, or Sherrod who didn't start looking any better than Spriggs until right near the end, or the "human turnstile" whose name I have temporarily blocked out, no doubt from the residual pain of having to watch him.

Hawk and Jones...it was not like the handwriting wasn't on the wall before the fateful year.

RB...years without a reliable runner. Remember going into a season with DuJuan Harris and just some guys standing behind him only to see Harris blow his knee?

How about dragging Vince Young and Seneca Wallace off the scrap heap for lack of a backup. Does anybody not believe this team has a better chance of winning with Hundley than Scott "Freaking" Tolzien?

M.D. Jennings as a starting safety? Really? We've got 6 guys, including PS, better than that.

And it's not like these examples rotated from year to year. They've overlapped with 2 or 3 position groups operating under a hope if not a prayer.

How about that long gap between Finley and Cook without much of a TE threat?

This year is very different with the FA adds covering weaknesses. The roster is stronger than where we left off at the end of last season. All the rookies could bust and this is still a better roster than at playoff time last year, but I doubt King or Jones won't be meaningful contributors.

Gunter as your #3 perimeter corner? We're in a better spot than that now.

Thanks to a radical departure in roster building this is the best group, all around, coming into the season than in many a moon.

We can debate the reasons for this departure, but one reason is certainly NOT the case, that being this roster going into the off season needing more repair and replace than in past years. That's revisionist history. There's a clear push to win going on here that has been absent in recent years.

Still have nightmares about Jones and Hawk starting at Ilbs. The slowest group of starting ilbs I've ever seen in my life.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

I wouldn't be shocked if someone else is helping TT make decisions behind the scenes. I'm not a doctor, but the guy looks like he has health issues...sounds like it as well. Don't be surprised if he hangs it up at seasons end. His pressers are hard to watch.

While Thompson reportedly had some health issues two years ago I haven't noticed a change in his appearance ever since. I agree that his press conferences are hard to watch but that has been the case over his entire tenure as he doesn't enjoy talking to the media.

 

[Dantés]

Oh my gosh...

 

[HardRightEdge]

I wouldn't be shocked if someone else is helping TT make decisions behind the scenes. I'm not a doctor, but the guy looks like he has health issues...sounds like it as well. Don't be surprised if he hangs it up at seasons end. His pressers are hard to watch.

Thompson has looked and sounded like death warmed over for years. I wouldn't make too much of that. I could see him kicked upstairs in the next couple of years to "GM Emeritus", or "Scouting Chairman" to Wolf's "Scouting CEO", or "Resident Yoda" to Wolf's Skywalker.

It's pretty obvious they want Wolf as the successor, but how many years will he wait? They've run out of promotions for him below the GM level. Rumor has it Wolf was at the top of Detroit's list in 2016.

The Packers would want to avoid a Favre-out-Rodgers-in type situation, but if Thompson is stubborn something will have to give.

Now, if Wolf had a hand in some of these off season decisions, then I think he's off to a good start. If not, then he's still just a scout and a roster-building cipher.

Scouting and roster building are two entirely different aspects to the job of GM.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

The Packers would want to avoid a Favre-out-Rodgers-in type situation, but if Thompson is stubborn out it something will have to give.

So you are saying TT will be GM for the Jets next season? I'm hoping that it doesn't get to that and I think TT is a smart enough guy to know when it's time to hang it up for the good of the team. I also don't see Eliot getting too over eager and just leaving behind what eventually could be his career job in a City that already loves and respects his Dad.

 

[HardRightEdge]

So you are saying TT will be GM for the Jets next season? I'm hoping that it doesn't get to that and I think TT is a smart enough guy to know when it's time to hang it up for the good of the team. I also don't see Eliot getting too over eager and just leaving behind what eventually could be his career job in a City that already loves and respects his Dad.

So how long do you think Wolf is willing to wait? Maybe Thompson wants to pull a **** LeBeau and do what he's doing until he's 80?

I don't give it more than two years.

 

[El Guapo]

To the OP, it is refreshing to see TT picking up the potential veterans that can put us over the top. These are the type of Ron Wolf moves that helped back in the mid-90s. TT has done it too, but not nearly as often. These are players that don't cost a lot but potentially provide the extra punch needed to get over the top. I don't think that anybody or anything is influencing it more than just circumstances. This new FA period at the start of the season is really right in TT's wheelhouse. The contracts being sought aren't exorbitant. The players still have tread on the tires. I would have been happiest if TT traded a WR or safety for a OLB, OL, or CB. I'm still happy though.

As for Teddy's tenure, Murphy has said that the job is his as long as he wants it. I take that to mean as long as the Packers stay playoff-competitive, he can be the GM as long as he desires. While I think that they all think highly of Elliott Wolf, and would like him to be the next GM, they aren't bending over backwards to make it happen. Fans seem to want it more, which either means that the fans are overly optimistic or the team isn't playing their hand correctly. Frankly I think that the Packers feel that they have a number of options, so why push out the guy that has an established track record of success both on the field and for the team's coffers. Elliott is starting to test the markets, but doesnt' appear to be in a rush to leave. I'm sure that his dad is also in his ear, telling him to think about how much better Rodgers did by sitting on the bench and watching Favre. The extra marinating time probably works for GM's too!

 

[Deleted member 6794]

I would have been happiest if TT traded a WR or safety for a OLB, OL, or CB. I'm still happy though.

I definitely prefer the Packers to sign street free agents like Brooks or Dial compared to giving up a player or pick to bring in help.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

I would have been happiest if TT traded a WR or safety for a OLB, OL, or CB. I'm still happy though.

Considering how many WR's are currently sitting on our roster and the only one that we cut who was picked up by another team (PS) was McCaffery, I think the value of our 12 original WR's to start camp was a bit over inflated.

Plus, we basically did trade away Elliot for Brooks and Ringo for Dial. Just didn't cost us any picks and we picked up a 7th rounder in the process.

 

[El Guapo]

I think that my thought process was more, trade away a Allison or Brice type of player who could be a legit starter on another team and let a McCaffrey or Merwin Evans provide the depth for us.

 

[C-Lee]

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[Dantés]

TT cannot win with some people. He's terrible because he won't sign people, and when he signs people it isn't really him. I guess when you start with the conclusion, you find creative ways to get there regardless of the evidence.

 

[HardRightEdge]

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All they need is Miami, a boat, some hos and Beckham!

 

[HardRightEdge]

Still have nightmares about Jones and Hawk starting at Ilbs. The slowest group of starting ilbs I've ever seen in my life.

I have a hard time choosing. The defensive backfield of play in 2011 ranks high on the list. Funny thing, that was the same talent as 2010 except with Burnett replacing Collins.

All of a sudden it was a gambling, route jumping crew that did not care much for tackling. Getting the INT count up and a Pro Bowl nod seemed to be the collective culture. Well, they got their 31 INTs but gave up a league record number of yards and a league leading number of 20+ yard plays. Great! 15-1! Then Eli decides he'll throw only one pick and they couldn't cover anybody worth a damn. You reap what you sow.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

I think that my thought process was more, trade away a Allison or Brice type of player who could be a legit starter on another team and let a McCaffrey or Merwin Evans provide the depth for us.

That's a risky proposition though as the team would have been one injury away of having to start a completely inexperienced player. That hasn't worked out that well in the past at several positions that were perceived to have a lot of depth entering the season.

TT cannot win with some people. He's terrible because he won't sign people, and when he signs people it isn't really him. I guess when you start with the conclusion, you find creative ways to get there regardless of the evidence.

Thompson definitely deserves credit for making some aggressive moves over the past few months as in the end he's the one making the final decision. I understand fans wondering about the reasoning behind him significantly changing his approach this offseason though.