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By Mike Vandermause
The Green Bay Packers were the big losers Sunday in the Randy Moss sweepstakes.
A Moss trade to Green Bay has been rumored for most of the offseason, but the Packers couldn't close the deal.
They weren't aggressive enough in attempting to land a desperately needed offensive playmaker, and it will come back to haunt them. Somewhere in Mississippi, quarterback Brett Favre must be frowning.
Instead of adding a proven Pro Bowl receiver, the Packers' idea of helping Favre over the weekend was to draft a pair of unproven wideouts who will be hard-pressed to make an immediate impact.
The New England Patriots were the big winners in the Moss derby. They secured Moss' services for the bargain-basement price of a fourth-round draft choice and a reported $3 million in compensation in 2007.
Ted Thompson, the Packers' general manager, has taken a measured, cautious approach to building the roster. There are benefits to that philosophy, in which Thompson leans heavily on the draft and accumulating extra picks, mixes in occasional free-agent signings, and focuses on retaining solid players on the roster.
But there's a significant flaw in Thompson's strategy. At some point, a team has to be willing to take a risk, and Thompson seems unable or unwilling to do that. The safe way is not always the best way.
Former Packers GM Ron Wolf was a master at throwing caution to the wind. In 1992, he traded a first-round draft choice for Favre, who was a third-string quarterback. In 1993, he handed over a boatload of money to sign free-agent Reggie White. In 1995, he traded a second-round pick for tight end Keith Jackson. Those were key moves that helped build a Super Bowl championship team.
That go-for-the-throat mentality appears to be lacking in Thompson, who seems too willing to allow other teams to force the action and dictate terms.
His passive approach has left the Packers without a go-to running back. Thompson was outbid by the Houston Texans for free-agent Ahman Green during the offseason, and he wasn't willing to move up in the first round to select a premier back. In fact, Thompson never has traded up in the draft.
Besides an untested backfield, Favre will be forced to live with one bona fide star receiver — Donald Driver — and a collection of players high on potential and low on experience.
Thompson would do well to heed the advice of Wolf, who last week offered his philosophy on targeting certain players, either in the draft or on the trade market.
"The bottom line was, if you really wanted a guy, go get the guy," Wolf said. "So what if you gave too much? You would try to make that up some other way. The key was, make sure you got the guy you wanted to get."
The Packers failed to get Moss, a player Favre would have welcomed with open arms. The result is the Packers, who ranked a lowly 22nd in points scored last season, likely will continue to struggle on offense.
Asked Sunday if he needs to be more aggressive for the Packers to reach the next level, Thompson replied: "What we try to do is everything in our power … to help to make this team as good as it can be."
Thompson needs to venture outside his comfort zone and try harder. Only then will the Packers be as good as they can be.
