Packers almost had Archie Manning instead of John Hadl

[ArizonaPackerFan]

I didn't realize that. I just read that today in Cliff Christls' Chat. Below is a blurb on that. It would have been interesting to see how that would have turned out, instead of wasting the draft picks we did on an over the hill QB.

: Jim of Minneapolis - I saw a blurb in your paper about the Packers almost trading for Archie Manning before being forced to shift their attention to John Hadl. The mind boggles at the possibilities! Do you have any more details? Thanks.

A: Cliff Christl - I wrote that. It was a done deal in 1974. Bill Tobin, who was Dan Devine's right-hand man, went to Atlanta, as I recall, where the Saints were playing to finalize the deal. The Saints started Bobby Scott at quarterback so Manning wouldn't get hurt. But Scott got injured. I think he blew out his knee. Manning had to play and the Saints had to back out of the deal. They wouldn't have had a starting quarterback.

 

[CaliforniaCheez]

Wow, They might not have had to give 2 2nd round picks to Miami for that Jim Del Gazo QB.

Talk about trading poorly and ruining a franchise.

Some will call it ancient history but we all can learn from it.

Ted Thompson hamstrung by the cap this year hasn't made any crazy moves like this.

 

[yooperfan]

In 1974 the Pack gave up 2 1st, 2 2nd and 1 3rd round picks for Hadl. In two years with the Packers he threw for 9 TD's and 21 INT's. He had QB ratings of 54.0 and 52.8.
The Pack went 6-8 and 4-10 with Hadl at the helm.
Pretty dark history.

 

[Buckeyepackfan]

And People wonderd why Bart couldn't get The Packers back to the playoffs. He had no draft picks to work with!!!!!

 

[net]

Starr had draft picks, he just had the lousiest personnel department in the league supporting him and a bunch of tight-******, narrowed-mined toads on the board of directors.
Bart also had a penchant to pick the wrong guy. He had a chance to draft Hugh Green, but chose Rich Campbell. Every scout in the league said the guy had a rubber arm and no balls, but Starr picked him anyway.

Regarding Archie Manning: he would have done some good things in Green Bay with Starr's offense. Bart's offense was tremendous...especially when he had Bob Schnelker, but he almost totally ignored the defense. He would find a player here or there, but most of the eggs went into the offensive basket.

Dan Devine liked to run the ball(check out John Brockington and MacArthur Lane) but Archie would have tossed the rock, too. It might have been exciting.

 

[Hammer]

In 1974 the Pack gave up 2 1st, 2 2nd and 1 3rd round picks for Hadl. In two years with the Packers he threw for 9 TD's and 21 INT's. He had QB ratings of 54.0 and 52.8.
The Pack went 6-8 and 4-10 with Hadl at the helm.
Pretty dark history.

Check out drafthistory.com to see who the Lambs got for those picks.
I'm not sure which of them were from the Packers, but take your pick. There were a lot of longtime starters selected for some pretty good Lamb teams in the mid-70s to early-80s.
Hammer

 

[Greg C.]

Maybe it's a good thing it didn't happen. It's better that the Saints are known as the team that ruined Archie Manning's career, rather than the Packers.