Thompson denies Favre recruited Moss

[Zero2Cool]

The Packers lost out to the New England Patriots in the Randy Moss sweepstakes. The Oakland Raiders traded Moss to the Patriots for a fourth-round draft choice. The Packers were among the teams interested in acquiring Moss.

It has been reported that quarterback Brett Favre was involved in recruiting Moss to come to Green Bay.

In an interview on ESPN early this afternoon, Packers general manager Ted Thompson downplayed those reports.

"There's not much truth to that part," said Thompson, who declined to talk in specifics about the Packers being involved in Moss trade talks.

-- Mike Vandermause

 

[Greg C.]

That's not a very strong denial, but it is a typical Thompson statement. I, for one, am glad Moss went elsewhere. He would've been a bad influence on this young Packers team, and it is highly unlikely they would have been Super Bowl caliber this year even WITH Moss.

 

[Zero2Cool]

I would have liked Moss mainly for Favre. Just to see him light it up a few games in his final year. After the year though I think dumping Moss would have been needed because I don't think Moss would respect the next QB worth a lick.

I was hoping he'd be a Packer, but I'm not overly disappointed he's not. What's done is done and its time for me to cheer my teams new rookie class and hope they kick some ***!

 

[Lare]

I agree Z2C. Having done next to nothing to improve the offense this offseason I think it's going to be a little sad watching a player like Favre doing everything he can to make chicken salad out of chickensh@t in his final year(s).

Moss wouldn't have made this team successful, but he would have made it more fun and interesting.

 

[DakotaT]

I agree Z2C. Having done next to nothing to improve the offense this offseason I think it's going to be a little sad watching a player like Favre doing everything he can to make chicken salad out of chickensh@t in his final year(s).

Moss wouldn't have made this team successful, but he would have made it more fun and interesting.

So the ninth ranked offense from last year is chicken ****, huh? You guys really need to get real. You want a crappy offense, look to the south and west of Lambeau. I think we can compete!

 

[IronMan]

I agree Z2C. Having done next to nothing to improve the offense this offseason I think it's going to be a little sad watching a player like Favre doing everything he can to make chicken salad out of chickensh@t in his final year(s).

Moss wouldn't have made this team successful, but he would have made it more fun and interesting.

So the ninth ranked offense from last year is chicken ****, huh? You guys really need to get real. You want a crappy offense, look to the south and west of Lambeau. I think we can compete!

We were ranked 23rd in scoring. Thats not very good.

 

[Lare]

So the ninth ranked offense from last year is chicken ****, huh? You guys really need to get real. You want a crappy offense, look to the south and west of Lambeau. I think we can compete!

I wonder what our offense would have been ranked last year without Green, Henderson and Martin. That's what we (and Brett) are looking at this year. Expecting a couple of rookies and unproven backups to fill those voids at the same level of performance may be a little bit unrealistic.

Sure, we will compete. The question is whether or not we can be competitive.

 

[OregonPackFan]

lol yea, Henderson and Martin really played key roles in last seasons offense....

I am confident one of our backs now can replace Ahman Green. Green rushed for barely 1000 yards, that is only average in today's league. I bet one of our backs will carry the rock for more than 1059 yards.

 

[Arles]

So getting another year of XP for our young OL and defense - as well as a healthy Jennings back won't help? How about adding RBs Jackson and Wynn, WRs Jones and Clowney and TE Harris? I guess they won't make up for the loss of David Martin and William Henderson.

Right now we have a better OL, more depth at RB, more depth at WR and many more playmakers on D (Rouse, Terrell, Walker, ..). Now we won't need to see Corey Williams be our starting run stuffing DT or Marquand Manuel at starting safety. Ruvell Martin won't be our 3rd WR and Noah Herron won't be getting half the carries at RB.

Yet, because we will be swapping Donald Lee or Clark Harris for David Martin, our season is down the tubes. We are much better than we were going into camp last season.

If you don't believe that - just look at some of the names that don't figure to play an active role this season - Marquand Manuel, Ben Taylor, Noah Herron, Ahmad Carroll, Ruvell Martin, Carlyle Holiday, Jason Hunter, Shaun Bodiford, Chris Francies, Tyson Walter, Tracy White and numerous others have already been replaced by much better and more talented options. We've lost basically 3 contributors (green, Henderson, Martin) and gained around 11 picks and one major FA addition (with more probably coming).

 

[OregonPackFan]

Green was running on his last wheels anyway, he's old, banged up. Now he is being replaced by some fresh blood. I think we're going to have a great year.

 

[Zombieslayer]

I would have liked Moss mainly for Favre. Just to see him light it up a few games in his final year. After the year though I think dumping Moss would have been needed because I don't think Moss would respect the next QB worth a lick.

I was hoping he'd be a Packer, but I'm not overly disappointed he's not. What's done is done and its time for me to cheer my teams new rookie class and hope they kick some ***!

Agreed. Just one year (or two) for Moss. After Favre retires, I wouldn't have kept Moss. It would have been awesome seeing Favre throw 25+ yard completions all day long to Moss. Oh well. At least we won't play the Pats next year.

Now on to '07. I hope this draft class turns out spectacular.

 

[Zombieslayer]

lol yea, Henderson and Martin really played key roles in last seasons offense....

I am confident one of our backs now can replace Ahman Green. Green rushed for barely 1000 yards, that is only average in today's league. I bet one of our backs will carry the rock for more than 1059 yards.

The thing is, I don't think we need to have a 1000+ yard rusher. Remember in '96, we didn't, and we won the SB. I'll be perfectly happy splitting carries and having a balanced offense.

 

[pyledriver80]

We were 23RD in Points Scored!!!!! That does not cut it!!

since then we have lost our starting back. You guys just go on blind faith

 

[OregonPackFan]

an average and VERY replaceable back in a league where 1000-yard rushers come and go like the seasons of the year.

 

[Lare]

If you don't believe that - just look at some of the names that don't figure to play an active role this season - Marquand Manuel, Ben Taylor, Noah Herron, Ahmad Carroll, Ruvell Martin, Carlyle Holiday, Jason Hunter, Shaun Bodiford, Chris Francies, Tyson Walter, Tracy White and numerous others have already been replaced by much better and more talented options. We've lost basically 3 contributors (green, Henderson, Martin) and gained around 11 picks and one major FA addition (with more probably coming).

I guess the questions I would have to ask are this, if Thompson is such a good evaluator of talent, why is he already having to replace the players you mention that he brought in? And when will the process stop so that we can finally have good enough players so that we can have a winning season? And if he's such a good drafter, why is he already replacing players he drafted in previous years?

I don't have a problem if you want to idolize Ted Thompson, all I ask is that you be realistic in assessing his abilities and hold him accountable for his inabilities. This is a team that went 12-20 the last two years. We all hope they'll be better this year, but expecting them to be because of this draft is IMO a little unrealistic.

 

[tabojc03]

we were 9th in yards and 23rd in TD, yes changes had to be made. Lets face it we do have to count on a few young players to contribute this season, to score TD not just yards. The key is going to be in the Red Zone. Thats where the young players need to get better. But we won't know if they can as long as the older players are there. Changes have been made and now people are upset on how these players are being replaced. Steelers are the same type of team. Replace more expensive older players with younger ones. TT is doing the right thing. We have a good scouting department, and he lets them do their job. As far as the topic, I never believed the reports of Favre asking for Moss. I saw the interview on ESPN, TT was convincing that the reports weren't true.

 

[Zero2Cool]

MOSS SIGNS ONE-YEAR DEAL

The New England Patriots got two steals on Sunday. First, they picked up one of the best receivers in the game for only a fourth-round draft pick.

Second, they got him at a bargain-basement contract.

Per a league source, the $21 million in salary over two years under Randy's prior deal was replaced by a one-year contract with a $3.5 million base salary and $1.5 million in incentives.

The only downside for the Patriots is that, if Moss re-establishes himself as a superstar in 2007, they'll have to pay him in 2008, either with a new contract or the franchise tag.

And the deal allows the Pats to evaluate Moss carefully in the offseason, training camp, and preseason. If Moss doesn't still have it, or if he is in any way a pain in the butt, the Pats lose not a penny.

 

[Arles]

If you don't believe that - just look at some of the names that don't figure to play an active role this season - Marquand Manuel, Ben Taylor, Noah Herron, Ahmad Carroll, Ruvell Martin, Carlyle Holiday, Jason Hunter, Shaun Bodiford, Chris Francies, Tyson Walter, Tracy White and numerous others have already been replaced by much better and more talented options. We've lost basically 3 contributors (green, Henderson, Martin) and gained around 11 picks and one major FA addition (with more probably coming).

I guess the questions I would have to ask are this, if Thompson is such a good evaluator of talent, why is he already having to replace the players you mention that he brought in?

Because almost all the guys I mentioned were undrafted stopgaps. If you looks our depth chart going into next season you will see it littered with guys TT recently drafted (Spitz, Wells, Colledge, Moll, Barbre, Jennings, Clowney, Jones, B. Jackson, Wynn, Rodgers, Martin). And that's just the offense - the D is stocked full as well. We were a young 8-8 team last season that got better as the season went on and we had only 3 vet FAs that were main contributors (Woodson, Pickett, Manuel). I'd say that says a lot about what TT can get in the draft, undrafted FA and trades.

And when will the process stop so that we can finally have good enough players so that we can have a winning season?

I think we should have a winning team this season - due in big part to TT's drafting.

And if he's such a good drafter, why is he already replacing players he drafted in previous years?

TT currently has 16 players on our current depth chart from the 05 and 06 drafts (6 starting). I'd put that record up against any GM in football. Now, he just added another 11 guys to improve even more. The guys he is replacing are mostly Sherman's or were undrafted injury stopgaps.

I don't have a problem if you want to idolize Ted Thompson, all I ask is that you be realistic in assessing his abilities and hold him accountable for his inabilities.

I don't idolize him (Manuel was a poor signing), but I don't want to poop on his cereal like everyone else here does. He has done a very good job in the last two drafts despite enormous negativity after both. This season has been no different I think his recent track record (ave of 3 starters and 5 depth from each draft) deserves more. This team has gotten better since 2005 and the main reason is TT's drafting.

This is a team that went 12-20 the last two years. We all hope they'll be better this year, but expecting them to be because of this draft is IMO a little unrealistic.

I expect many said the same thing after last year's draft - which saw a 4 game increase in wins. Unless people see huge names and media love on every move, they don't think we are getting any better. That's just not the case.

 

[Zero2Cool]

Ya know with his little outburst I can't imagine Brett had nothing to do with Moss coming here. I think he played some kind of role in the matter. I mean why be so frustrated if you didn't put any effort into making it happen?