Surprise! Packers Quiet on First Day of NFL Free Agency
Safety Jarius Byrd signed a monster NFL free agent contract on Tuesday, but not with the Packers.
C’mon, folks. You didn’t REALLY think that the Packers and general manager Ted Thompson were going to make a splash on the first day of NFL free agency, did you?
No way Thompson was going to fork over $56 million ($28 million guaranteed) like the Saints did for safety Jarius Byrd.
Give defensive linemen Lamarr Houston (5 years, $35 million, $15 million guaranteed) and/or Arthur Jones (5 years, $30 million) deals like they got from the Bears and Colts, respectively? Not on Thompson’s watch.
What about safety T.J. Ward? The Packers desperately need a safety and Ward’s deal with the Broncos (4 years, $23 million, $14 million guaranteed) is much more reasonable that Byrd’s. Sure, Ward came at decent market value, but Thompson wasn’t going to pay that much for a box safety.
The list could go on and on. Aquib Talib (6 years, $57 million, $26 million guaranteed), Linval Joseph (5 years, $31 million), Paul Soliai (5 years, $33 million, $14 million guaranteed). The prices were outrageous and the potential return on investment far from guaranteed. Hell, the Jaguars gave Toby Gerhart 3 years and $10.5 million. Toby Gerhart!
You didn’t REALLY think Thompson was going to suddenly start gambling on the high-risk game known as Day 1 of NFL free agency, did you?
If you did, hopefully you learned your lesson (again) for next time. If you’re upset that Thompson didn’t deviate from his norm and dive into Tuesday’s madness, don’t be.
There is still a long way to go in free agency. I do think Thompson is going to step outside of his comfort zone and bring in some free agents, but it sure wasn’t going to happen on day 1.
Once the chaos of the opening of free agency calms down and the funny money goes away, Thompson’s real work begins. That’s when bargains can be found and holes on the Packers roster plugged with players who sign contracts more in line with their true value.
But isn’t now the time to take a risk and overpay for a major free agent or two? After all, Aaron Rodgers isn’t getting any younger and the Packers have a few obvious holes.
There is never a good time to pay airport restaurant prices for hot dog stand talent like most teams do on the first day of free agency.
Because Thompson refuses to get caught up in that rat race, he’s never had to cut a quality player because of salary cap issues or desperately re-negotiate existing contracts so he can retain his own guys.
Thanks to Thompson’s philosophy, Packers fans will likely never have to wave goodbye to players like Clay Matthews, Josh Sitton, Randall Cobb, Jordy Nelson or Eddie Lacy because there wasn’t enough cap room to keep them after a recent free-agent spending spree gone wrong.
Despite the consternation over the lack of free agency moves, the Packers are in the playoffs every season and are perennial Super Bowl contenders. They have a ton of talent. The costs of retaining that talent add up in a hurry and you need to manage the cap in order to not back yourself in a corner.
Yes, I realize the comments section to this post will probably light up with all kinds of negativity toward Thompson and another early free-agency that went by without a whisper of anything happening at 1265 Lombardi Ave. That’s fine. Let it all out. Some of you may even have valid points.
But be patient. Just because Thompson didn’t sign that big name you had your eye on, it doesn’t mean he’s already thrown in the towel on free agency.
105 Comments On “Surprise! Packers Quiet on First Day of NFL Free Agency”
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My only complaint is the reports from the media (originating mostly in non-local media) that the Packers reached out to Houston, Jones,etc. And the talk that TT was going to be different this year gave some credence to the thought that there would be a first day signing. I know, shame on us for thinking that way, but when you hear the talk then you get your expectations up. I know this is partly because the NFL is a year round reporting cycle now and the airwaves etc have to be filled. I am not talking about you but rather the whole sports media cycle.
They probably did, but they wouldn’t bite on KMart Ted’s 1 year league Minimum offer.
Nothing to see here, keep moving people.
I just don’t understand what the plan is. What if Morgan goes down? Are they okay with Chris Banjo and Sean Richardson as our starting safeties? What if one out of the three defensive linemen go down? Then what? I’m sure we are going to pick up a few FA. I think we have to spend more of our cap according to the new CBA. I just didn’t want to throw a 3rd round safety in the line up and expect him to be a pro bowler. Or pick up a backup FA and expect him to fix everything. But that is what it looks like we’re gonna do
No worries KMart Ted will resign MD Jennings for $5 million a year.
I think Hyde will be starting at S next year. There is a chance GB takes Pryor or Clinton-Dix in Rd 1, but I think Louis Nix or Eric Ebron will be selected if they are still available. I’m actually liking Nix more each day. He should be taken higher than #21 but teams tend to draft for need.
My guess is TT will follow his M.O. and grab a S in rds 2-4. While McMillan (4th rd)flopped he found Collins (2nd) and Burnett (3rd) after the big S names were off the board. I’m 100% sure he believes he can do it again.
I’m also liking Nix more and more! If he checks out medically, we gotta take him. I’m just really worried that Ha Ha and Louis are gonna be gone when we pick. I would a agree on the middle round safety. The bad thing is that middle round safety will be one injury away from starting. Im hearing that TT really likes Tre Boston safety from North Carolina. Im gonna have to do some homework on this guy. In TT we trust
Packman, spending more of the “Cap” you speak of could mean losing Randall Cobb or Jordy Nelson next year at this time.
Sure, I’m with you, I would love to see some big deal like the Reggie White signing was in it’s day, but it ain’t gonna happen! Even the Woodson signing was looked at by most Packer fans as a bad deal, and living in the SF Bay Area I too questioned it. I am not a fan of Albino Ted, but as I watch this first day feeding frenzy with the big guaranteed money thrown around, and really good veterans being up to clean up salary caps, I try not to get too excited. I be really pissed to lose Cobb or Nelson.
Yeah i would agree 100% that we have to sign Cobb and Nelson. Im just wondering where the depth at safety and d-line comes in? We are one injury away from having what looks to be middle to low round picks starting for us. I wasnt thinking we would sign Byrd, but i was hoping for a vet or two at those two positions.
I suspect that we will see our G.M. do these 4 things to pickup the safety/safeties we need: (1)Sign a F.A. or two (just like he picked up some up last year for the defensive line and tightened. Sadly, he found that that we had better players and cut them). (2) Draft 2 safeties and see if at least one can rise up to the top before the season begins. It’s not unusual for good rookies to fly to the top of their roster. We saw this happen with our LT and RB this year. (3) See how our current young safeties mature and see if they are up to the job. At this level of play, it would not surprise me if one of them would be a late bloomer like Darren Sharper was. (4) See if one of our young corners is up to the job (You have probably read reports about Hyde). With our coaching staff, I think we have a lot of good potential for our safety position; but I am a little more concerned with our defensive line. We need some more nasty beef up there.
How do we know that TT did make overtures to these “top line” FA’s but they did not reciprocate the interest? The plan at safety appears to be to move Hyde there, which with Shields & Haywood coming back, seems like a logical move. The FA season is not over, & we hopefully will have 7 picks in the first 5 rounds (including comp picks), eager to see what our personnel looks like come opening day.
I’ll betcha the Packers are the youngest team in the league again. The two things Ted covets most is young and cheap.
How about old and dead? Why would you populate your roster with old retreads who end up playing special teams and sucking up your salary cap at higher veteran numbers?
Look at the roster: it’s not as if there aren’t any older/veteran players on this team, it’s that the guys who are role players and STs are very young. That’s why the average age of the roster is low.
Oh, and the average age of Seattle’s roster? Younger than the Packers this year. Just sayin’…
I think the right answer lies somewhere in the middle.
Dobber says: “Oh, and the average age of Seattle’s roster? Younger than the Packers this year. Just sayin’…”
I think the young players in Seattle are better coached.
Ted’s a joke….look at the players available to fill the gaping holes we have on defense. They are no longer available. Some, like Johnson and Byrd and a few others were way overpaid. Some, like Ward and a few others would have made an immediate impact. “What happens if Morgan goes down”? Morgan sucks! He was ranked in the bottom of the ratings for all safeties. He signs a big contract, enters his fourth year and goes backward. You think he’ll get better with someone else back there with him? Watch the 49r game again. As for Ted, bet the ranch he’ll sign Lazy ass Raji to that $4 million deal ’cause nobody else wants him. For a little more than that we could have had Ward. Going to be the same old story….he’ll sign a couple of bargain nobody’s, extend Jordy and even maybe Cobb, draft badly, develop worse and once again we will rely on AR to get us to the first round. Problem is everyone else has improved. Ted needs to retire and just slap on his headphones and listen to his Johnny Mathis LP’s…..
It’s frustrating to watch sometimes Bobby D, but lets wait a few days before we call it a season. This draft is deep, deepest in years and there’s still plenty of decent Free Agents that would improve the Packers. Ted’s not jumping out on day one of Free Agency, EVER. With that said there’s plenty of FA still out there that would improve the Packers. TT main goals this offseason I’d imagine was to sign Shields, extend Nelson and Cobb, and MAYBE sign a few pieces that will improve a 25th ranked defense.
Personally I’d like to see TT sign EDS so Rodgers doesn’t get killed and the line is stable. Sign someone like Randy Starks that’s over 30, but would be a great addition while others develop. I’m not panicking, not yet anyways. Now if Thompson does absolutely nothing then I’m with you, but I’m waiting past day one to make my judgement.
I agree – Ted’s riding in the clown car.
Thompson is not going to change. He’s never going to jump out on day one of FA and pay “Stupid Money” for a Free Agent, just not going to happen. I admit it’s hard to watch at times but at least we don’t have almost $9 million in dead cap money like the Bears do from releasing Peppers.
I don’t want to spend “stupid money” either, but then we had better forget about that deal with Raji, too. I’m completely disgusted every time I see him “dancing” with the OL opposite him. If I want to watch dancing, I’ll watch “dancing with the Stars.”
It was interesting that the biggest bounce on Day 1 was DB’s and DL’s, both huge areas on need for the Pack. While I have no pike with Ted standing pat as the crazy money chases rainbows, it’ll be interesting to see what, if any, Day 2/3 moves Ted may or may not make with what’s left.
Also interesting to see how ‘commoditized’ the WR and RB position has become. T.O., where are ya when we need ya?
After the money that we saw tossed into the NFL’s secondary’s yesterday, Shields deal looks even better.
Is there a TE in the market that makes sense for the Packers?
I am absolutely delighted that Byrd has signed with the Aints so all that white noise goes away.
Ted act on days 2 and 3? I’d be really surprised.
I would expect longer for him to sign anyone because we are still in the competitive-signing period that inflates the price tag.
Wait for the dust to settle and don’t expect much excitement until the draft.
Agreed. I think TT views the draft as the primary way to fill holes, and any signings will happen after that point. That prevents the “oh, we signed a top NT in free agency and now the top NT in the draft has slid to us at #21” problem. TT will take the player he perceives as being the best available (some need considered) and doubling those guys up is not productive.
Perhaps, but I’m wistfully hopeful there may be a surprise at an unexpected position such as TE or LB.
But in reality, who the hell knows?
Sheilds was a good signing and I know that we have a long way to go before we kick off the season but like everyone else, I am a bit concerned. I agree with the guy the other day when he said without Rogers we are a below average team. I am not excited that we are waiting to sign our own defensive players that were part of a horrible defense. As a part owner of the team, I am not interested in having a mediocre team. We need to upgrade. Ward signed for $23 million. He would have significantly upgraded the safety position. There were a few D lineman that signed similar money contracts. Ted, get off the can, man.
I think Ward would have been fool’s gold. The Packers primary need at safety is for a ‘cover’ guy, not a ‘box’ guy.’
It is a bit discouraging that all the ‘name’ FA safeties signed so fast, but signing Shields means we can move Hyde. If there is an FA back-up to sign plus a draft pick, Banjo and maybe Richardson are not on the team in fall.
Rodgers has 5-7 years left — do you really want to ‘sell out’ for a ‘title run’ in 2014 that means we have to gut the team to get under the cap in 2016, when Rodgers still has 2-4 prime years left? Do you want to waste half of his remaining elite career rebuilding?
Patience means the Packers don’t have to gut the team to get under the cap one year after extending their franchise QB. Or would you rather we were more like the Cowboys?
A lot of people are pinning hopes on Hyde at safety. I think it’s too early to tell whether that will really make much of an improvement. Especially partnering with Burnett.
I consider the Bills, Lions and Browns patient. If you’re asking me, I will tell you that I don’t want to be patient and wait any year. Our window is now and for the next 5-7 years. Draft and develop is a proven process but we could use help and leadership on this team. Much like Woodson provided. Waiting and patience is for losers.
We’ll said. Ward is not great in coverage, not by a long shot. Hyde WILL be better than Jennings. Has Chris Clemons been signed yet?
Patience can be difficult.
It’s taxing to watch the expensive talent get signed away and you wonder if one day we may be the Denver of the world and take that last shot at a ring for the stud QB beforewe descend into the madness that is currently the Vikes.
That being said, there is still alot of talent available on Defense. How about Jared Allen in Green and Gold? Draft day trades to snag a safety?
just thinking
History has proven out that “expensive talent” does not equate to championships….
It is extremly frustrating to watch our division get better while we sit on our hands.If every year we think we will get better by coaching up limited talent guys, especially on defense then we will be watching other teams advance in the playoffs. We keep doing the same old thing while expecting a different result….definition of crazy
The more things change, the more they stay the same……..do you mean the way we won the division 3 years in a row and will win it again next year? Yes, in that case I agree with you. GoPack!
8-7-1 won’t win anything next year – just another 20-something draft choice.
how do you know? 4-12 could win the division.
Do you think Rodgers injury had anything to do with that record, or do you think we just didn’t spend enough money on day one of free agency and that’s why we finished 8-7-1?
Rodgers injury exposed what we really have for a team around him.
yup, we keep doing the same old thing and win the division every year. how awful.
The more things change, the more they stay the same in Ted’s world.
He’s not going to overspend on other teams FA’s.
He will find a way to take care of The Packer FA’s he deems irreplaceable.
I believe The Browns really forced Ted’s hand when it came to signing Sam Shields, in the end he did the right thing and kept Sam in Green Bay.
Ted almost always let’s his guys explore FA, and in the end it seems he finds a way to bring back the guys he really wants to keep.
There was 16 this year, Shields and Lattimore will be back, who else?
We should know by the end of the weekend.
Living in Browns country it is funny to watch every year as they make big noise in FA and the expectations go sky high, only to watch as reality sets in around week 6 of the regular season.
It’s fun to play GM on the internet, but in the end Ted Thompson is where he is for a reason.
I’ll take his approach every year.
I’ll live with the decisions he makes and support the guys who run out on the field in September.
As always the easiest thing to find in America is someone who is an expert in something they know nothing about:)
You’re talking about Ted Thompson right?
“As always the easiest thing to find in America is someone who is an expert in something they know nothing about:)”
I read an interesting op-ed the other day about the death of the ‘expert’ in our society. The premise being that our expanded platforms in social media and internet/blogs not only gives people voice, but also gives them the notion that because they have a voice that voice (or opinion) must have merit regardless of the relevance or knowledge base of the poster. That has been true in sports since the dawn of sports.
I’ll shut up now.
The “experts” who receive the most attention in this day and age are usually people who have a pre-determined opinion regardless of the facts, then use talking points and keywords that connect in a way with a certain segment of the masses.
True experts readily admit that they don’t know everything and things are often not as cut and dry as they seem. True experts don’t make for good TV segments or talk radio, so you don’t hear much from them.
I’m surprised no one has taken a shot at me for taking that from an op-ed piece! 😉
Ever want to test the true depth of someone’s knowledge on a subject and faith in their beliefs?
Attack it vigorously but intelligently and gauge the vehemence of their defense of it.
Typically, the shallower the depth of that belief, the more desperate and rabid the defense of it. The stronger and more well founded your belief is in something, the less likely you are to be threatened by a challenge to it.
“Typically, the shallower the depth of that belief, the more desperate and rabid the defense of it. The stronger and more well founded your belief is in something, the less likely you are to be threatened by a challenge to it.”
This is actually a researched principle in psychology, although I can’t remember what it’s called…
I will withhold judgement until next year. TT had better fix this defense this year, and stop wasting Rogers career, and our golden opportunity of another Super Bowl. Franchise QB’S don’t drop in your laps often. With his past record of drafting D linemen you would think he would change his philosophy somewhat.
He should hire an assistant DL GM.
Those are called ‘Scouts’, aren’t they?
We have scouts?
This is so typical of Thompsons style. Almost all of the playoff teams from last year were active yesterday acquiring more talent or replacing players that they lost. We need some veterans that can come in and help make a statement to the team. Our defense is horrible and we do nothing it improve our situation. We cannot win anything with just young players that constantly make mistakes at critical times during key games. Get active and go after Ware or the Viking cowboy that can still rush the passer and help Matthews out. They can’t double team everybody.
Free agency isn’t over yet. Woodson was signed in June. Let’s keep our pants on, OK?
…and that’s the key. People are enamored with the big names that the press likes to throw around. How many teams signed several top FAs? Not many.
I think that the discussion of the Packer cap and cap room lead people to fantasize of filling it with 2-3 guys who, yes, could make a huge impact right away but could also spiral a team into salary cap hell in short order.
Long-term health is what this team is about in its roster moves. We shouldln’t expect any different, and I would hope that isn’t mortgaged for a “one year all-in” that costs the team by sentencing it to long stretches of irrelevance (70s and 80s for those of you too young to remember).
Some of the D’s problems were clearly injuries. Do you wonder how the D would perform with a healthy Matthews, Hayward and Perry? Calm down people. GoPack!
I agree with you that the Pack have injuries issues-so what makes you think that they are going to be any healthier this year? Pack have been the most injured NFL team under MM & Ted “reign”.
The Pack’s m.o. is to draft a player and try to fit a round peg into a square hole–which hasnt worked too well. Ted is not good @ drafting defensive players.
If you already believe that they are going to incur injuries again this coming year,why would signing more expensive injured players be a good thing?
Watching what Ted has done to this roster since the Super Bowl and hearing fans lend their undying faith in TT’s ways is absolutely mind boggling. What is wrong with admitting Grandpa Ted is a whack-job and starting over with a real GM? Why would that be a bad thing? Look at the over paid hodge-podge of players we have on defense. Most are tweeners. Why? Because Ted drafted them and they don’t fit the defense of DC. Solution: In year 10, with two failed defensive coaching staffs, have MM enter to shake up how we utilize our tweeeners. My God this is craziness. Soes anyone truly believe TT has a clue as to how to fix this chaos he has created called the GBP defense? I certainly don’t. We will be is same place two years from now. The only difference will be that AROD and CMIII will be another two years older. At that point Murphy will be forced to let Ted go. And we get to start over with a new GM, new coaches, a new system and new players. Maybe, 5 years from now, if we are very lucky, we will emerge from this morass with a defense and an offense. Of course, by then, our offense, except for possibly AROD, will need to be replaced as well. If the fans raised hell now, like they did when the clown drafted Harrell in R1, just maybe we can push this guy out one year sooner.
The’ve made the playoffs 5 years in a row. Does that earn no credit for a job well done?
Wayne Fontes’ Lions were in the playoffs 5 years our of 6, (’91-’96), and won only one of those playoff games. Chuck Schmidt, their GM, remained in charge until 2000. Only one playoff win in over a decade at the helm. Maybe, with TT, we can be like that.
No, please, not like that!
And those were the glory years for the Detroit Lions.
For the Packers, making the playoffs the last 3 seasons w/o winning the Super Bowl is looked at as a complete failure.
It kind of puts into perspective how lucky we are to be fans of a great organization.
Yep!
We already are NOT like that.
6 years of the last 7 in the playoffs, 6-5 record and a superbowl win and we will go back for more with a change to win each year if Ted DOESN’T OVERSPEND.
your sabbatical is over, Archie?
You wonder why you can’t beat teams like the 49ers, seahawks or any another elite team when it’s playoff time. I’m a huge packer fan since day 1 but this old school philosophy draft and develop is not going to work anymore when teams keep loading up in FA. Hell the Lions, vikings, and bears all beat us last year due to having a 1 man team in A Rod and a pathetic defense. Heres a fact the last time we signed a big time FA it was Charles Woodson and we won the super. You get what you pay for you act cheap and under pay players you get cheap results. And players would appreciate getting paid good money coming to green bay because the town can’t compare to the big cities and that also plays a huge role in the players mind so why not pay them.
“And players would appreciate getting paid good money coming to green bay because the town can’t compare to the big cities and that also plays a huge role in the players mind so why not pay them.”
The last I checked, the size of the salary cap is not inversely proportional to market size of the team, or related to fan base in any way.
What he’s saying is, players might not see GB as a desirable place to live, unless the money was sufficiently enticing.
(not lost on me, BTW)…and if that’s the case, small market, podunk-ville markets shouldn’t even have teams because they can’t compete on the same cultural and financial terms as large markets.
It’s the same salary cap for everyone. If the Packers have to overpay to get players to come to GB, then they’re sunk before this all even begins.
I guess all they have to offer FAs is a chance to win…
AONE,
Every team has passed on Woodson before the Packers picked him up. Try using a better example next time.
We will be a playoff team with Ted, because of Rodgers, but unfortunately, I don’t see the Pack winning another SB with TT at the helm. If we are a draft and development team only, you must hit in the Draft and aside from one pro bowl player, TT has done a miserable job on D and he won’t help fix it in FA. We will end up with a middle to bottom tier FA player, but that’s all. There will always be a team ahead of us that got the extra pieces in FA to push them over the top and made them SB champions.
I 100% agree with you on this. One-trick-ponies don’t win the show.
When reading these blogs, I can only wonder, “what is it like living a life where the glass is always 2/3 empty?”. I am not trying to be funny or snarky or a jerk. I am seriously curious, to those of you that think the worst and comment on it on virtually every post. One day of free agency has come and gone and you’ve already decided the team is going to lose. That we’re not good enough. All this talk of Seattle’s done this, SF did that….Denver signed so and so. Denver is pinning its hopes that manning has one year left and is mortgaging everything on that hope. Seattle is looking at Jermichael Finley, the same guy most of you trash on these blogs daily. So I ask, “does all the bemoaning and anger spewed out on this website make you feel better?”. If it does, ignore me, and keep going. I am happy if that’s the case. If it just adds to your anger, frustration and misery, I am curious why you continue doing so. GoPack!
Listen to the pitchfork crowd go! If we plug some holes by the end of the month with cheaper options I’ll be happy.
They are going to need to pay some free agents. They have way to many holes to address by drafting alone.
The roster looks like Swiss cheese(heads). 😉
On a positive note, Cleamons from Miami is still available, and most likely for a reasonable price. With that said, if the plan is to move Hyde to FS and allow Burnett to go to SS, I like that plan as well. In Nickel, that would put tramon, shields, Hayward, Hyde and Burnett on the field. I like the sound of that. GoPack!
My takeaway from all of this is that as far as I know no one has signed EDS yet or our other RAs ,which means to me that we may re-sign them at a reasonable price. As for worrying about not signing any of the big RAs yesterday, those teams may, emphasis on may be improved, but they have guaranteed nothing. None of the players signed yesterday are worth the money they signed for. Not one of them. Fools and their money are soon parted. Ted and the Pack will be fine. He will fill the gaps without putting the team in cap hell like the Cowboys. We will win the division and go from there. We need a season relatively free from major injuries, not a bunch of overpriced RAs, who maybe give us one good season and are done. BTW, we signed Woodson in 2007 and won the SB in 2010, not the same year we signed hemi. Go Pack Go! Thanks, Since ’61
Not sure how many of our FAs we want back.
The Bears just signed our ineffective cast-off M.D. Jennings. If he suddenly learns how to become an effective safety, I’m gonna pull my hair out and scream at MM and his staff.
Jim – if Jennings becomes an effective player it will support my point that Capers and some of his staff need to go. However, I don’t see Jennings being effective.
Thanks, Since ’61
Ted doesn’t sign tier 1 FA’s. Ted does not let tier 1 FA’s leave.
So last year TT offers a fat lazy blob an 8M a year contract but, will not offer the answer to our safety needs the same. Byrd is the answer we’ve been looking for to fill Nick Collins shoes. An intelligent, athletic, physical, ball hawking all pro free safety. Someone who could cover center field and eliminate the confusion that plagues this team. Hyde can not play FS, he doesn’t have the speed. He can play the slot and the box. Burnett is not the answer. Now we will hope a safety falls to us at no21. But even then, a rookie will be learning on the job with more confusion in the secondary. It took Collins 4 years to develop, Byrd was plug and play and then heading to the pro bowl. 9M for Bryd was not over paying. He’s young and a sure thing
I don’t remember us locking up Cobb or Nelson yet…good assumption i guess…and yes, i am interested in more than another NFC North championship…if your just satisfied with that i feel sorry for you…not setting your sights very high..
You can’t tango if no-one invites you to the dance.
You can always do the Lindy hop.
Just not the Lindy Infante hop…
Hahahaha! No, not that!
There it is! You can’t win anything without getting into the playoffs! Some seem to forget this.
I have seen many complaints about the Packers “standing pat” while other teams are “getting better”.
Maybe so, but no games are played in March. No championships or awards are handed out for anything done in March in the NFL. If anything, maybe a set of brass balls for some GM’s because they’ll need them when their star players are getting cut a year or two later because they can’t afford them all.
Reminder that some of the best FA additions in Green Bay happened after the first week of free agency. Reggie was an April transaction (not sure when FA started back then), Charles was a late April signing. Pickett was an April guy. As far as early day signees? Joe Johnson, 2002. Remember him?
It’s not new, teams knowingly over pay for guys on day 1 because that’s the guy they want. And that’s fine, good for them. Go Broncos Go!
When Aaron Rodgers, Clay Matthews, Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb all retire as Packers and having played only in Green Bay, don’t forget how and why it happened.
Who realistically thought the Packers were winning the Super Bowl in December 2010? Heck, early January 2011? None of us would ever have known had they not made the postseason. Get in and anything can happen. As Dobber says, “you got get invited to the dance”
Everyone is raving about NWO signing Byrd..It’s not like Byrd is a hall of famer. In fact you watch he will have a garbage year cause now he is ‘PAID’. Same goes for Talib, Houston etc.. I think TT will/has to sign some FA but day 1 was not the right time to get sucked in. How did Asomugha and the all star cast work out in Philly? “the dream team”
Does anybody remember the “Dream Team” in Philadelphia? All the championships they won using free agency? Oh, that’s right, big ol’ zero. How many of those big name free agents panned out for them? The same. A big name does not mean big production, what matters is proper scheme fit, attitude, work ethic, etc. I believe Ted is better able to judge these requisites better from college players than GMs trying to dump lousy locker room guys.
The only thing that upsets me about FA so far this year is that TT seemed to overpay for Shields, given the contract that Verner signed with Tampa. Most folks have Verner rated as a superior player, and he was singed for significantly less than Shields. So, the argument can be made that TT really has made a splash in FA by overpaying for a player.
That being said, if TT’s plan is simply to plug the hole at FS through the draft, then I think that his strategy is pretty flawed. This is because it pretty much forces TT to take a FS in the first two rounds, thereby limiting the team’s ability to draft for value. IMO, he should be either plugging the hole by signing a serviceable FA FS, or finding one in the crowded backfield that they have already. If he is sure that Hyde is their guy, then great! If not, I think he should be pushing hard to sign Clemons from Miami.
Here’s hoping for the best!
Out of respect for my own blood pressure, I won’t respond to the above comments 🙂 However a few numbers for those who think Ted is useless:
Ted Thompson vs Ron Wolf after nine years:
Ron Wolf: 92-52 record
Ted Thompson: 86-57-1
Both have one ring
Ron Wolf: 9-5 in playoffs
Ted Thompson: 6-5 in playoffs
Ron Wolf: Three division titles.
Ted Thompson: Four division titles
Ron Wolf had one non losing season, Thompson had three (though 2005 was not necessarily his fault).
Numbers don’t lie
Its getting very difficult to understand where these writers heads are. He makes fun of the big money signings, yet the Shields 9.75 per year signing is the same price as the Byrd, Talib and Davis signings. Talib and Davis are much better quality Corners than Shields and were had for the same price. It looks to me like TT went crazy in free agency, just the opposite of the articles narrative.
The Shields contract is nothing at all like Byrd or Talib – not even remotely similar. If all you do is look at a simple yearly average, you will never understand any NFL contract.
What we all agree on is the fact that the Packers need to add a number of impact players to raise the level of play across the board.
This thread would lead us to believe that the ONLY way to do that is via FA. That’s just not the case. If anything, wouldn’t you rather sign your steady starters via FA at modest contracts and try to find your impact players via the draft, where you can get guys cheap for their rookie contract and then the opportunity to lock them up long term in a second contract?
We may have been a perennial playoff team, but (1) except for one lightning-in-a-bottle year, we haven’t gotten out of the first round, and (2) our most recent playoff appearance was purely by luck. We’re going to be looking up at the Bears and the Lions this year and for at least several years ahead
because TT is doing such a lousy job of acquiring talent on the defensive side of the ball. Wouldn’t it be nice if (just for one year) Rodgers didn’t NEED to perform miracles to win ball games?
Thompson is wasting Rodgers’ best years.
Thompson overspends alright, it’s just on his own underperforming talent. You say ward costs too much but you do understand Burnett had ZERO picks last year and is recieved a bigger pay day than that last year? So you’d rather have an underperforming Burnett over a better taken in ward? Just because you drafted him? Houston and brown got about 1 mill more a year on average than we gave the underperforming brad jones last year. So you’d rather have jones than a talent like Houston because what? You know how much he’ll underperform but Houston is unknown as to how much he would? Youd rather have shields than Byrd? At around the same yearly average? Because hes ” your own” talent? We could’ve had Verner at half the money shields recieved while being one year younger and rated higher. Just because you overspend on your own guys doesn’t make it the right thing to do. Overspending is what it is no matter how you flip. Name me two. Safety’s on the market now that would make a difference for us now. Do the same for nt or de. I doubt youll even come up with a name let alone two that could make an impact on us. We don’t need role player we need impact ones. We don’t have a single one on the roster when clays on the bench. Not one. This is a much different defense than what we had in 09 and 10. Every top team in the nfl dabbles in free agency and its worked for the pats, broncos, 49ers, and Seahawks. I dont know why Ted believes hes better than that. He’s got a very off ego hes an awkward man
I’m not afraid to admit it…I’m a sucker. I actually thought TT was going to make a splash in free agency. Just can’t help but get my hopes up this time of year.
And even more pathetic, I’m actually holding out hope that they may sign Revis. TT supposedly was trying to trade for him a couple seasons ago, so maybe if he can get him for the right price…
Again, I know it’s pathetic
The Bears just signed MD Jennings…… I wish our team was active in free agency… Fire TT. 🙂
LOL. Sorry, bro. I clicked ‘dislike’ … then I realized you were joking.
I WAS joking but on this blog, you can never truly know…. GoPack!
Happens every year. People talk like sensible people for 10 or 11 months. Come March, and 85% of them go stupid.
Like there’s no way to improve a defense except to sign Jairus Byrd to a ludicrous contract.
Oh well. Every year.
The Packers are like the alcoholic that hasn’t hit the bottom yet. They (MM and TT) think they have a group of under achievers just waiting to break out this coming season. I was thinking they wouldn’t make the playoffs last year, that would have sped the process up but the were given a gift which they blew but it showed their real abilities. Until they miss the playoffs one or two years in a row the desperation will not prevail. I think it’s coming unless they make major changes on defense both players and coaches.
if you have aaron rodgers you have to win no less then 3 SB. otherwise you failed.
TT is failing. how can you give raji 8 milion and let ware go for 10?????? that is bad very bad TT
Here we go again 2 or:3 day nothig new no safety no dl no lb love when the dust get seatle there is no goint to be anybody to sign.wake up ted free agency is on and all of the others team are signin.