Packers and Langford

[ivo610]

http://www.jsonline.com/sports/pack...-in-miami-end-langford-0p4j96v-142879945.html

How does everyone feel about this guy?

 

[EvAn]

Yes.

 

[EvAn]

Too bad he just signed with the Rams lol

 

[SpartaChris]

Signed with the Rams this morning.

 

[ivo610]

Whoops

 

[Southpaw]

I see Ted enjoys sitting on his hands. Nothing new here.

 

[NelsonsLongCatch]

I was going to say, Langford and Wells defected to St. Louis. (They clearly haven't spent any time there.)

 

[SpartaChris]

I see Ted enjoys sitting on his hands. Nothing new here.

What's he supposed to do, jump at every single free agent prospect in the league and offer them a franchise breaking contract?

I feel like you keep thinking free agency is a black and white process, but it's not that simple. Money is a motivating factor, much more so than winning.

The fact that Ted is reaching out means he has interest in making a move, but he's smart enough not to sell out the future of the franchise for a one year shot at winning. This isn't a team that's so desperate to win that we need to throw out obscene amounts of money and over-pay for players.

As Ivo correctly pointed out in a previous post, Ted looks 3-5 years down the road, while fans seem to develop tunnel vision and only look at the upcoming year ahead. We have several key pieces to our team we need to be able to extend in the coming years, and they aren't going to be cheap. I'm fine with sitting on our hands and letting a deal come to us, so to speak, rather than reaching and overpaying.

 

[longtimefan]

What's he supposed to do, jump at every single free agent prospect in the league and offer them a franchise breaking contract?

I feel like you keep thinking free agency is a black and white process, but it's not that simple. Money is a motivating factor, much more so than winning.

The fact that Ted is reaching out means he has interest in making a move, but he's smart enough not to sell out the future of the franchise for a one year shot at winning. This isn't a team that's so desperate to win that we need to throw out obscene amounts of money and over-pay for players.

As Ivo correctly pointed out in a previous post, Ted looks 3-5 years down the road, while fans seem to develop tunnel vision and only look at the upcoming year ahead. We have several key pieces to our team we need to be able to extend in the coming years, and they aren't going to be cheap. I'm fine with sitting on our hands and letting a deal come to us, so to speak, rather than reaching and overpaying.

Yes Ted is suppose to jump at every f/a

We have seen Ted's non action for a long time now, surprises me that people think Ted will change

 

[bozz_2006]

HOW THE HELL ARE WE GONNA EVER WIN A SUPER BOWL WITH THIS @SS-HAT RUNNING THE SHOW!?!?

 

[SpartaChris]

HOW THE HELL ARE WE GONNA EVER WIN A SUPER BOWL WITH THIS @SS-HAT RUNNING THE SHOW!?!?

LOL!

 

[SpartaChris]

Yes Ted is suppose to jump at every f/a

We have seen Ted's non action for a long time now, surprises me that people think Ted will change

Surprises me that people think this is the way to build a team that wins consistently.

 

[Southpaw]

What's he supposed to do, jump at every single free agent prospect in the league and offer them a franchise breaking contract?

Once again twisting the concept of Free Agency into your own convoluted definition.

Also, nothing new here.

 

[SpartaChris]

Once again twisting the concept of Free Agency into your own convoluted definition.

Also, nothing new here.

Nope, just responding in kind to your own snarky response.

 

[bozz_2006]

I see Ted enjoys sitting on his hands. Nothing new here.

Yep, Lazy Ol' Uncle Teddy, sitting on his hands.

 

[Southpaw]

Nope, just responding in kind to your own snarky response.

Sure doesn't seem that way. Every time Free Agency or the name of a Free Agent is brought up it's like OMGzzzz do you want to ruin our team?!?!?! Free Agency is thought of around here as a way to build a team, not to supplement a need which is what it is supposed to be for.

It's been shown that using Free Agency is a great way to sustain success and put teams over. We were the first franchise to make a splash and it got us our first SB in decades. Free Agency gave us Woodson a key playmaker on our team that helped us win a superbowl.

The Patriots have been using Free Agency all the time and they were pretty much the most dominant team this past decade.

Building for the future and for sustained success is great. But at the same time we are in a position to win multiple SB's now.

Nobody is saying spend of fortune, but we lost one of if not our best offensive lineman and let a guys we were looking at slip through our fingers (sitting on our hands)

But hey, maybe I'm overreacting. The lack of addition despite the surplus of it happening around the league and the impatience of waiting for the draft is kind of annoying

 

[Southpaw]

I also can't help but notice that Ted has very little interest in re-signing any players that weren't drafted or signed under his watch. He didn't even bother to tender Jenkins and let Wells, a dependable player walk..... but yet Hawk, the first player he ever drafted and total scrub is given a huge extension.

 

[13 Times Champs]

I also can't help but notice that Ted has very little interest in re-signing any players that weren't drafted or signed under his watch. He didn't even bother to tender Jenkins and let Wells, a dependable player walk..... but yet Hawk, the first player he ever drafted and total scrub is given a huge extension.

amen.

 

[AmishMafia]

I also can't help but notice that Ted has very little interest in re-signing any players that weren't drafted or signed under his watch. He didn't even bother to tender Jenkins and let Wells, a dependable player walk..... but yet Hawk, the first player he ever drafted and total scrub is given a huge extension.

Rodgers was the first player that TT drafted as GM.

So back to the ego theory?

I think what is perplexing to some is that the Packers won a Superbowl, the most dominant team over the last 2 seasons and it isn't enough for some people. That there is somehow a problem now with the way the Packers are being run and there needs to be changes in TTs MO.

 

[okcpackerfan]

I like the non-action in free agency because it allows home grown talent to get a sense of loyalty to the team AND if we do pursue someone in free agency it feels like we get an ever so slight edge because of the fact we rarely go after anyone. If you are a free agent and the same teams are going after free agents every year and then the packers come calling it makes you feel better about yourself. This could be off-base and something that the majority of NFL players don't care about but I like to think it factors into the equation (a very small part).

 

[longtimefan]

I also can't help but notice that Ted has very little interest in re-signing any players that weren't drafted or signed under his watch. He didn't even bother to tender Jenkins and let Wells, a dependable player walk..... but yet Hawk, the first player he ever drafted and total scrub is given a huge extension.

Just curious...

The meetings that Ted, the coaches and the ones that handle the contract negotiations about the players that can be re-signed.... what is said about them?

Are the coaches the ones saying we dont want him back?? Are the cap gurus saying that there isnt enough money for them? Is Ted pounding his fist saying they cant come back?

I happen to know that sometimes MM refuses to have a player and Ted listens to him

 

[SpartaChris]

Sure doesn't seem that way. Every time Free Agency or the name of a Free Agent is brought up it's like OMGzzzz do you want to ruin our team?!?!?! Free Agency is thought of around here as a way to build a team, not to supplement a need which is what it is supposed to be for.

Probably because it seems like fans panic and are ready to throw themselves off a ledge every time some other team signs a free agent.

It's been shown that using Free Agency is a great way to sustain success and put teams over. We were the first franchise to make a splash and it got us our first SB in decades. Free Agency gave us Woodson a key playmaker on our team that helped us win a superbowl.

When used properly, this is correct. But you can't really compare the move we made for Reggie White to today's free agency, mainly because Reggie White's signing was at a time where there was no salary cap. You could throw money at players without having to worry about a budget. With the salary cap era, we have to balance talent and budget, and signing big names doesn't really allow you to do both.

In Woodson's case, Ted's approach to free agency becomes apparent- Let the market develop around a guy and then determine if it's worth pursuing without overpaying. Woodson was't signed until later in free agency, after the market determined he could be had for a premium. The players signed in the opening weeks of free agency often fail to live up to their contracts.

The Patriots have been using Free Agency all the time and they were pretty much the most dominant team this past decade.

Yup, but who are they signing? Wide Receivers. We're not exactly needy at that position.

Building for the future and for sustained success is great. But at the same time we are in a position to win multiple SB's now.

Yup, and we did it WITHOUT making big splashes.

Nobody is saying spend of fortune, but we lost one of if not our best offensive lineman and let a guys we were looking at slip through our fingers (sitting on our hands)

From what I've read, Scott Wells made it clear he wasn't interested in returning to the Packers and Chris Meyers' preference was to return to Houston. There was no way we were going to give Mario Williams $100 Million, and we don't need a wide receiver, so who else are we supposed to chase and over-pay? We've reached out to Wimbley, but so have 6 other teams, and Ted's not going to get into a bidding war or over pay for a guy whom he might consider to be only a marginal upgrade at best. Especially if there's already someone on the roster or in the draft that he has his eye on.

But hey, maybe I'm overreacting. The lack of addition despite the surplus of it happening around the league and the impatience of waiting for the draft is kind of annoying

Yes, you are overreacting. Your last sentence highlights the fact that many fans want us to be active in free agency solely for the purpose of doing something, and not because it makes any kind of sense. Ted's approach to free agency has given us 4 playoff appearances in the last 5 years, including two division championships, two trips to the NFC Championship game, one NFC Championship and one Super Bowl championship. We've also had a player become an NFL MVP, and an NFL DPOY. I'm not sure what more needs to be done to convince you that he knows what he's doing and that his approach to free agency is the right one .

 

[SpartaChris]

Just curious...

The meetings that Ted, the coaches and the ones that handle the contract negotiations about the players that can be re-signed.... what is said about them?

Are the coaches the ones saying we dont want him back?? Are the cap gurus saying that there isnt enough money for them? Is Ted pounding his fist saying they cant come back?

I happen to know that sometimes MM refuses to have a player and Ted listens to him

And sometimes the players themselves don't want to return, as is the case of Scott Wells.

 

[Bagadeez04]

Sure doesn't seem that way. Every time Free Agency or the name of a Free Agent is brought up it's like OMGzzzz do you want to ruin our team?!?!?! Free Agency is thought of around here as a way to build a team, not to supplement a need which is what it is supposed to be for.

It's been shown that using Free Agency is a great way to sustain success and put teams over. We were the first franchise to make a splash and it got us our first SB in decades. Free Agency gave us Woodson a key playmaker on our team that helped us win a superbowl.

The Patriots have been using Free Agency all the time and they were pretty much the most dominant team this past decade.

Building for the future and for sustained success is great. But at the same time we are in a position to win multiple SB's now.

Nobody is saying spend of fortune, but we lost one of if not our best offensive lineman and let a guys we were looking at slip through our fingers (sitting on our hands)

But hey, maybe I'm overreacting. The lack of addition despite the surplus of it happening around the league and the impatience of waiting for the draft is kind of annoying

The thing is....this Langford seems to be an average DE. Amassed an impressive 0 (ZERO) sacks last year I believe? Thing is if we were to get a guy like this who might be a good depth kind of guy, we would want to pay him moderately...not the 4 year/$24 mil he signed for.

If you're going to make a splash and sign an impact player in Free Agency, more often than not you're going to have to pay for it. Charles Woodson was a very rare scenario where we got him for cheap (relatively).

 

[TJV]

Without looking beyond the next paragraph, do you know what this list of players represents with regard to Ted Thompson’s ego?

Will Whitticker, Kurt Campbell, Craig Bragg, Mike Montgomery, Micheal Hawkins, Junius Coston, Adrian Klemm, Matt O’Dwyer, Brady Poppinga, Marviel Underwood, Marquand Manuel, Marc Boerigher, Ben Taylor, Dave Tollefson, Tyrone Culver, Tony Moll, Ingle Martin, Will Blackmon, Cory Rodgers, Frank Walker, Jason Spitz, Abdul Hodge, Daryn Colledge, Clark Harris, DeShaun Wynn, Duke Preston, Anthony Smith, Korey Hall, David Clowney, Allen Barbre, Aaron Rouse, Brandon Jackson, Justin Harrell, Brett Swain, Breno Giacomini, Jeremy Thompson, Brian Brohm, Brandon Underwood, Jamon Meredith, Quinn Johnson, Lawrence Guy, Ricky Elmore, and Caleb Schlauderaff.

It’s a partial list of the players acquired and jettisoned by Ted Thompson. His guys. I thought talk of Thompson’s big ego would virtually go away after we all watched his behavior after winning the title and compared it to others in the NFL who obviously have/had huge egos even if they haven’t/didn’t win it all. Thompson’s bias is clearly towards young players. Since he’s been the Packers GM since 2005, of course that bias means the players still on the roster acquired before he became GM are more likely to be waived than the younger players he’s acquired. And of course an NFL rookie in 2004 still in the league is heading into his ninth season. That’s well beyond the length of the average NFL career.

When Thompson became GM did he display his ego by exercising his new power by firing a lot of people in the front office and scouting staff and bringing in his own guys? I wouldn’t have blamed him for making some changes but he did the exact opposite. The charge of Thompson’s ego driving his decision-making began with the Favre-made mess. But looking back who now doesn’t realize the football decision to move on from Favre to Rodgers made all kinds of sense? Particularly when Favre wouldn’t commit to the team until after the pre training camp work was done. Not only that, but Thompson didn’t make Favre retire and even would have welcomed him back a month after his “retirement”. IMO the burden of proving Thompson’s decisions are ego-driven is clearly on those making the accusation. And with the evidence to the contrary it’s a heavy burden.