So they didn't belong in the NFL huh???

[Bruce]

Some writers like Christl and a good many posters lavished great praise upon Ted Thompson for cutting ties with players like Tony Fischer, Antonio Chatman, Mark Roman... declaring that they did not belong in the NFL.

A quick glance at "where are they now" begs to differ with such hasty analysis. Antonio Chatman is the top backup to Chad Johnson and the starting punt return for the Cincinnati Bengals -- a team that throttled the Packers a couple of weeks ago in an exhibition game.

Tony Fischer is the #2 HB, their 3rd down RB and playing on all of the special teams for the St Louis Cardinals.

And Mark Roman looks to have lost the battle for the starting FS spot with the San Francisco 49ers, but is the top backup at both safeties and playing in their nickel and dime packages.

Perhaps writers and fans who are at times quick to call players who will never be all pros, but are solid team players and contributors trash and bums should take pause and consider a little more carefully their hasty dimestore analysis of guys that somehow keep making a living playing in the NFL.

Given the Packers situation -- especially lack of depth at these three positions perhaps Ted Thompson would too.

 

[packerfan4ever]

cant cry over spilt milk,and now corey roghers is with the 49ers more milk to wipe up

 

[Bruce]

cant cry over spilt milk,and now corey roghers is with the 49ers more milk to wipe up

No one is crying and it is not spilled milk. It is just an interesting look at players that some were adament were not worthy of playing in the NFL.

BTW Cory Rodgers is on the 49ers practice squad -- he was not picked up by any team for their 53 man roster.

 

[Packnic]

i dont think anyone meant they couldnt play in the nfl...

im pretty sure it was a situation where they felt like we paid too much or they just got replaced with someone with as much talent and way more future potential.

Roman was let go for culver, manuel and underwood... three young guys with lots of potential... sure roman is a BACKUP safety now... but did we really need to pay him as much as he made to play backup when we can go ahead and get culver and underwood more PT.

Same thing for Chatman and Fisher. we are in no way missing either one of those guys right now. our top 4 recievers are better than chatman, and our top 3 running backs are better than fisher.... why keep these aging expensive backups around when we can develop fresh new talent.

 

[thetombradyhater]

are you sure Chapman is the Bengals to backup? because I thought he was their 4th or 5th WR.... and I did the Bengals for the GM Challenge. I am pretty sure at least Chris Henry is ahead of him and possibly Kelley Washington

 

[Bobby Roberts]

i dont think anyone meant they couldnt play in the nfl...

im pretty sure it was a situation where they felt like we paid too much or they just got replaced with someone with as much talent and way more future potential.

Roman was let go for culver, manuel and underwood... three young guys with lots of potential... sure roman is a BACKUP safety now... but did we really need to pay him as much as he made to play backup when we can go ahead and get culver and underwood more PT.

Same thing for Chatman and Fisher. we are in no way missing either one of those guys right now. our top 4 recievers are better than chatman, and our top 3 running backs are better than fisher.... why keep these aging expensive backups around when we can develop fresh new talent.

It was foolish to cut Roman before TC, especially with Manuel injured at the time. If nothing else, he would have provided a solid, experienced backup and push for a starting role. He could have always been cut during TC.

Fisher was a very reliable 3rd down back. We had a good set of RBs competing though and that didn't cost us much to lose him.

Chatman may not have been the best PR, but he was very reliable. I agree with attempting to upgrade, but it was foolish to drop him before testing the draft picks. It turns out that Rogers could catch cold, much less a punt. Now we're stuck scrambling to fill Woodson or Jennings in as the PR. Never underestimate the value of a PR with great hands when playing in Lambeau in Dec. or Jan.

 

[Bruce]

None of them were paid much at all. As for aging players:

-- Fisher is 26 yrs old and a talented 3rd down back, Heron is 24, smaller, slower, not as good as hands and less assignment reliable. (perhaps he will develop into the player that Tony Fisher, but anyone who thinks we are set at running back is not paying attention.

-- Chatman is 27 years old Vs Martin being 24, not a huge difference, but Martin is not the point. Currently the Packers are not set at punt returner, current plans are to use an oft injured (to use you term) aging veteran named Woodson to do so. Chatman is good enough to make 2nd team receiver and starting punt returner on a playoff squad and is one of the picks to make noise this season, but he is not good enough to make a squad where the talent is so poor they could not find more than 4 guys they found worthy of making their roster.

-- Roman is a whopping 29 years old VS Manuel being 27. Roman has started throughout his NFL career and made the squad that cut Manuel -- whose only starts were last season due to a season ending injury to the starter. Maybe you think the Packers have a sure thing in him, but so far he has looked like the career backup he has been.

None of this was intended to be a slam to Ted Thompson. If you don't remember all the folks who claimed they were bums and worse, praised TT for not signing or letting them go and said they did not belong in the NFL you have short memories.

The point is that these players were talented enough to take significant roles in the NFL, yet the Packers who arguably have the weakest depth in the NFL did not see worthy of even letting them compete for jobs -- which for the 2nd year in a row leaves the team extremely vulnerable to injuries at some very critical positions.

Frankly, I feel no allegiance to any of the above. If I were the GM I would have tried to upgrade and replace all three -- the difference between my thinking and TT's is whether you try to find replacements before guessing that your draftee's like Rodgers at punt returner and WR, Manuel, who not only has never been a starter but was coming off of a serious injury, and I shouldn't even have to comment on the running back situation, are going to produce players that are better.

 

[Bruce]

are you sure Chapman is the Bengals to backup? because I thought he was their 4th or 5th WR.... and I did the Bengals for the GM Challenge. I am pretty sure at least Chris Henry is ahead of him and possibly Kelley Washington

Henry backs up Houshmanhdzadeh on one side and Chatman backs up Johnson on the other.

Here is a link to their official depth chartdepth chart

 

[BoydAvery]

It was foolish to cut Roman before TC, especially with Manuel injured at the time. If nothing else, he would have provided a solid, experienced backup and push for a starting role. He could have always been cut during TC.

Ditto!

It's also still questionable whether Manuel is a better player than Roman.

 

[all about da packers]

IMO, the biggest mistake was cutting Fisher and Chatman.

The thing with Roman is that given his relationship with Kurt and also him "tell me you want to sign a guy" attitude didn't make it hard to get over him. I maintain he wasn't as bad a player as people made him out to be.

fisher's blocking and being able to catch were great. I'd feel a heck of a lot comfortable knowing Fisher is back there while Willy is down than I do with Leach/Gado/Herron.

Chatman..... was solid. He was due to break one, and eventually did. You can't speak enough about how he stepped up the way he did last year.

In the end, you can't go back. However I do think TT had plans to replace these guys, and those plans (******,Rodgers,Manuel) have fallen through. (Although Manuel may still have a chance) Now since those plans haven't worked, TT looks bad for those decisions.

 

[BoydAvery]

IMO, the biggest mistake was cutting Fisher and Chatman.

Chatman was workable but Fisher was a dog.

 

[Buckeyepackfan]

Tony Fisher was an undrafted free agent who surprised everyone by 1st making the team then 2nd becoming a very reliable 3rd down back, when thrust into the starting spot he did better than most back-ups, so where you get off calling him a dog is beyond me.

 

[BoydAvery]

Tony Fisher was an undrafted free agent who surprised everyone by 1st making the team then 2nd becoming a very reliable 3rd down back, when thrust into the starting spot he did better than most back-ups, so where you get off calling him a dog is beyond me.

With Green and Davenport going down last season Fisher had his opportunity but was pushed aside by Samkon Gado.

 

[Packnic]

yeah... fisher is definetly not something to get excited about ... green gado herron > fisher.

chatman is average at best. and wouldnt crack our top 3 we have right now. definetly wouldnt crack top 4 if krob is brought in.

 

[Buckeyepackfan]

Fisher was not ready to be the starter who was going to carry the ball 20-30 times a game, but he did do a good job when THRUST INTO THE STARTING JOB and oh by the way Gado never got his chance until Fisher himself was injured.

 

[BoydAvery]

yeah... fisher is definetly not something to get excited about ... green gado herron > fisher.

chatman is average at best. and wouldnt crack our top 3 we have right now. definetly wouldnt crack top 4 if krob is brought in.

I would take Chatman over Ferguson in a minute.

Last 2 seasons Chatman 71 receptions/with 5 td catches. Ferguson 51 receptions/with 4 td catches.

Ferguson is also injury prone.

 

[paxvogel]

Was Fisher cut or did he elect to sign with another team.

 

[TomAllen]

I always kinda like Fisher as a 3rd down back who can catch one out of the backfield.

Chatman was ok as a #4 receiver. Wouldn't want him in the top three though.

 

[BoydAvery]

Fisher was not ready to be the starter who was going to carry the ball 20-30 times a game, but he did do a good job when THRUST INTO THE STARTING JOB and oh by the way Gado never got his chance until Fisher himself was injured.

True, Fisher missed 2 games to injury giving Gado his shot.

But when Fisher returned he DID NOT take his job back from Gado. Why?

 

[BoydAvery]

Chatman was ok as a #4 receiver. Wouldn't want him in the top three though.

Even with better numbers than Ferguson?

 

[Buckeyepackfan]

Fisher was not ready to be the starter who was going to carry the ball 20-30 times a game, but he did do a good job when THRUST INTO THE STARTING JOB and oh by the way Gado never got his chance until Fisher himself was injured.

True, Fisher missed 2 games to injury giving Gado his shot.

But when Fisher returned he DID NOT take his job back from Gado. Why?

Because he was a good third down back!!!! Read my posts before replying to them.

 

[BoydAvery]

Fisher was not ready to be the starter who was going to carry the ball 20-30 times a game, but he did do a good job when THRUST INTO THE STARTING JOB and oh by the way Gado never got his chance until Fisher himself was injured.

True, Fisher missed 2 games to injury giving Gado his shot.

But when Fisher returned he DID NOT take his job back from Gado. Why?

Because he was a good third down back!!!! Read my posts before replying to them.

I think you're confusing yourself Buckeyepackfan.

Remember this post by you?

Tony Fisher was an undrafted free agent who surprised everyone by 1st making the team then 2nd becoming a very reliable 3rd down back, when thrust into the starting spot he did better than most back-ups, so where you get off calling him a dog is beyond me.

My answer was that when Fisher had an opportunity with Green and Davenport down he was pushed aside by Samkon Gado. End of story.

Your opinion that Fisher was a good 3rd down back behind Green and Davenport is another issue.

 

[Buckeyepackfan]

Gado was never brought off the practice squad until Fisher was hurt, when Fisher came back Gado proved he was able to cary the load, Fisher went back to his 3rd down back duties, until Gado was injured.

This whole thing started with you calling him a dog, which he never was, he made the team as a undrafted free agent and worked his way into a 3rd down back.

This petty arguing is why this forum has deteriorated into crap most of the time.

END OF STORY!!!!!!!

 

[TomAllen]

Chatman was ok as a #4 receiver. Wouldn't want him in the top three though.

Even with better numbers than Ferguson?

Yeah, cause I think Brett and the Pack deserve better quality WR's than have Fergy or Chatman at #3.

 

[pantherd]

Tony Fischer is the #2 HB, their 3rd down RB and playing on all of the special teams for the St Louis Cardinals.

St Louis Cardinals? You mean the St Louis Rams or the Arizona Cardinals? If he's playing for the St Louis Cardinals... then I'd have to agree that he doesn't belong in the NFL, but would fit in just fine in the MLB.