Packers free agent rumors?

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I forgot about Tretter being a FA. That makes at least two OL picks even more essential IMO. They may like Taylor and Rotherham but if they expect them to slide into the starter roles they definitely need some backups. I'm sure they have not entirely ruled out bringing Sitton OR Lang or even both of them back but I think conventional wisdom says at least one will be gone. I really hope they bring Tretter back. I like what he offers as a backup backup at center and guard.

I also looked ahead to 2018 Jeff Janis is an UFA then and if we want to keep him that will cost a boatload.

I haven't ruled out the Packers re-signing either Sitton or Lang but with limited cap space in 2017 I don't see both returning. I agree Thompson has to add a backup capable of filling in at both tackle spots in this year's draft but if the coaching staff feels comfortable with Tretter, Taylor and Rotheram as backups at guard there won't be another roster spot available.

If Janis is able to repeat his performance in the playoff vs. the Cardinals consistently there's no doubt it would cost a boatload of money to re-sign him in 2018. But as of right now his production would only justify paying him close to the minimum.
 

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I'm sure Matt Millen, Daniel Snyder, Jerruh Jones all feel the same way about how easy it is to GM a pro football team.

Exactly. Don't you think there are plenty of Joe Six-packs who could do just as good a job? Unfortunately, the latter two obviously think they ARE doing a good job, or they'd fire themselves.
 

PackerDNA

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Exactly. Don't you think there are plenty of Joe Six-packs who could do just as good a job? Unfortunately, the latter two obviously think they ARE doing a good job, or they'd fire themselves.


Nobody- at least not me- is saying it's easy. But if that had been my career path, and given the time and resources they have, I could have done the job and done it well. And yes, Given the above, I'm sure there are others here who could also.
 

PikeBadger

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Most likely true but there's no denying Thompson has been way too slow to address several positions of need over the past few years. Most of the armchair GMs around here would have tried to improve safety, tight end and inside linebacker more aggressively over that period.
At the expense of??????
 

PikeBadger

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Nobody- at least not me- is saying it's easy. But if that had been my career path, and given the time and resources they have, I could have done the job and done it well. And yes, Given the above, I'm sure there are others here who could also.
Yup, and I would be a much better president than either Obama or Bush.

A silly and completely meaningless statement but true nonetheless.
 

PackerDNA

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The Jets unexpectedly lose Ferguson to retirement. Next day they trade for Clady in Denver; with a swap of 5th and 7th rd picks, and Clady restructures contract. Pretty cheap.
This is my knock on TT; too safe, too risk averse, too wedded to his guys and his way while not using all means to improve nearly enough.
Not aggressive; the Jets and others are aggressive and proactive. Please, no weak retorts about the Jets record. Substitute any team- Pats, Broncos, Seahawks. If an upper level team like the Packers was more aggressive and proactive, they'd probably have another title or two.
 

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The Jets unexpectedly lose Ferguson to retirement. Next day they trade for Clady in Denver; with a swap of 5th and 7th rd picks, and Clady restructures contract. Pretty cheap.
This is my knock on TT; too safe, too risk averse, too wedded to his guys and his way while not using all means to improve nearly enough.
Not aggressive; the Jets and others are aggressive and proactive. Please, no weak retorts about the Jets record. Substitute any team- Pats, Broncos, Seahawks. If an upper level team like the Packers was more aggressive and proactive, they'd probably have another title or two.
True, he generally is wedded to his guys, his coaches, and he certainly believes in HIS way. I think he believes that players on other teams that are available, and free agents are generally marred players and not superior to his own.
 

PackerDNA

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Coming back with
same 'ol same 'ol' that wasn't good enough to begin with year after year doesn't work either.
 
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Who would also need to be replaced then. Roster churning very seldom produces good results.

I'm convinced Thompson could have re-signed most of the players I'm referring to for fair market value as no other team would have overpaid for the likes of Crosby, Perry or Starks.
 

PikeBadger

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LOL...you are right it could have been sarcasm. But I questioned the statement due to the fact that there are some who think Jeff Janis is the second coming of Jordy.
I think he's more like Bill Schroeder than Nelson.
 

Pokerbrat2000

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Something I always try to keep in mind with signing your own FA is that their value can be higher to their own team, call it a vested interest of developing that player for X amount of years. They are a known commodity that know the system they are in, as well as the system knows them. Take Starks for an example. Did we overpay him? Probably at first glance and probably in comparison to what other teams may have paid him. But Starks knows the Packers offense and Rodgers and the Packers coaching staff know what he can and can't contribute. So you have to place some value on that. Signing someone like Forte, while attractive on the surface, there are some unknowns. How will he fit in to the offense? How long will it take him to learn the playbook and read his own offensive line. Will he and Rodgers click? What is he like in the locker room? etc.

I'm sure there is no hard fast rule on figuring out this value and it no doubt decreases as a position requires less knowledge of the system (kicker for example), but it has become very obvious to me that TT places a fair amount of value on keeping a known commodity on the team. As long as that player still fits into the teams plans.

*Note* For those feeling Crosby was overpaid, please do not apply this theory. :D
 

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Pats, Broncos, Hawks, and the Packers have exactly 1 Superbowl victory since Ted Thompson has been GM. The broncos were more aggressive, caught some breaks and now will be lucky to get back to the playoffs. The Hawks won 1, had the benefit of one of the greatest choke jobs in the history of the NFL and played in another. The Pats are a bit of an anomaly, but still with 1 victory since Ted has been around. The Jets? The Jets? I got nothing I guess LOL Of all these teams, none of them have done anything the Packers and Ted Thompson haven't already done. I wouldn't say their approach is any better or worse really. The Hawks are already declining, the only thing that is going to save them, is a strong draft. The Broncos will need more than that. The Jets, again, I got nothing. Not sure they even belong on the list. I'm guessing if somebody retired giving an immediate 9 million in cap space, well, we'd probably tie up an upcoming FA, which I'm ok with too.
 

mradtke66

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Randy Moss to GB... That would net me same amount of superbowls as ted... :) Lynch for a damn 4th rounder?!?!?!? when we didnt have a RB and and and and and SEATTLE gets the rings... grrrr.

Again, you're arguing from a false premise.

Ted did try to try to trade for Moss. We reportedly had a deal worked out with the Raiders, but Ted wanted Moss to sign a 2 year deal in the restructure. Moss balked. As that was required to make the trade happened, it got stuck. The Pats then offered a similar deal to the Raiders, but were fine with a 1 year contract for Moss. As great as Moss ended up playing, I see why Ted wanted a 2 year deal--the Pats had to shove a pretty big pile of money at Moss the next year.

Again, all reports are that we DID offer a 4th for Lynch. Sadly, Seattle, by virtue of being a worse-record team that ALSO offered a 4th, made the Bills a better offer. We would have had to offer a 3rd. In hindsight, that would probably have worked out. At the time, I can understand walking away.
 

Vrill

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Pats, Broncos, Hawks, and the Packers have exactly 1 Superbowl victory since Ted Thompson has been GM. The broncos were more aggressive, caught some breaks and now will be lucky to get back to the playoffs. The Hawks won 1, had the benefit of one of the greatest choke jobs in the history of the NFL and played in another. The Pats are a bit of an anomaly, but still with 1 victory since Ted has been around. The Jets? The Jets? I got nothing I guess LOL Of all these teams, none of them have done anything the Packers and Ted Thompson haven't already done. I wouldn't say their approach is any better or worse really. The Hawks are already declining, the only thing that is going to save them, is a strong draft. The Broncos will need more than that. The Jets, again, I got nothing. Not sure they even belong on the list. I'm guessing if somebody retired giving an immediate 9 million in cap space, well, we'd probably tie up an upcoming FA, which I'm ok with too.

Also, don't forget, the Seahawks rode Wilson's cheap rookie contract too which enabled them to stack talent on that defense and elsewhere. Once Wilson signed that rich contract, you're beginning to see a lot of cracks in their armor. I think Seattle will be a 8-8 type of team this coming year. Their OL is in shambles. It might end up being one of the worst OL's in the NFL.

Meanwhile, the Packers continue to be consistent. We'll be a double digit win team once again barring injures to our main core. If we stay healthy, we are easily a 12-13 win team that contends for home field advantage.
 
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Meanwhile, the Packers continue to be consistent. We'll be a double digit win team once again barring injures to our main core. If we stay healthy, we are easily a 12-13 win team that contends for home field advantage.

Consistently make the playoffs, consistently exit early and/or in excruciating fashion. Home field advantage in the playoffs for the Pack hasn't meant much for some time.
 
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HardRightEdge

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Also, don't forget, the Seahawks rode Wilson's cheap rookie contract too which enabled them to stack talent on that defense and elsewhere. Once Wilson signed that rich contract, you're beginning to see a lot of cracks in their armor. I think Seattle will be a 8-8 type of team this coming year. Their OL is in shambles. It might end up being one of the worst OL's in the NFL.

Meanwhile, the Packers continue to be consistent. We'll be a double digit win team once again barring injures to our main core. If we stay healthy, we are easily a 12-13 win team that contends for home field advantage.
It wasn't just Wilson. Here are the aggregate cap numbers for Wilson, Sherman and Wagner:

2013: $ 2.3 mil
2014: $ 5.7 mil

2015: $22.2 mil
2016: $39.4 mil

I wouldn't assume SEA will be 8-8 nor the Packers 12-4, but those numbers show (1) the cost of winning (2) why it is very hard to stay on top, and (3) how important it is to get high production from guys on their cheap rookie contracts.
 

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