Ted Thompson - We stuck with the board

[woodbuck27]

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/258774501.html

Thompson: We stuck with the board

By Tom Silverstein of the Journal Sentinel

May 10, 2014

" •(WR) Saw as a very deep class. All three days we tried to go toward quality. It's definitely the way the board worked out. We stuck with the board.

•(Linebackers) We're good with our linebackers.

•(Needs) I don't know. I didn't go in trying to address need. We don't do that. If perception is we relieved a need, that's fine. That's not how we view our team.

•(Defense) Always trying to get better. Improve what you have. We went in wanting to make our team better and obviously defense is part of that. "

[red]

well then, we know why our defense continues to suck. TT thinks the two guys in the middle of it are just fine

[Just Jeff]

well then, we know why our defense continues to suck. TT thinks the two guys in the middle of it are just fine
That's about as ridiculous as saying that last year he was fine with coleman and harell. I know his face is unable to move, but did he say that with a straight face?

[mraynrand]

That's about as ridiculous as saying that last year he was fine with coleman and harell. I know his face is unable to move, but did he say that with a straight face?

yes, and he didn't blink. I'm telling' ya, TT would clean up the joint in a poker game.

[Just Jeff]

yes, and he didn't blink. I'm telling' ya, TT would clean up the joint in a poker game.

Gambling and drinking? I think you may be referring to another person named Ted Thompson.

[mraynrand]

Gambling and drinking? I think you may be referring to another person named Ted Thompson.

In a land of drunks, the sober man is king. Except Russia.

[Pugger]

well then, we know why our defense continues to suck. TT thinks the two guys in the middle of it are just fine

I suspect when our turn came up each time there wasn't an ILB on the board of value worth taking. Maybe Bradford will move inside?

[red]

I suspect when our turn came up each time there wasn't an ILB on the board of value worth taking. Maybe Bradford will move inside?


that would make a ton of sense, but our GM and head coach seem to thing he's just another OLB

[pbmax]

What do you expect the GM to say after a draft where he didn't like his ILB choices? We're terrible and hope to improve?

Taking the press conference for an actual evaluation of a player is dubious at best.

[Fritz]

Once
Shazier and Mosley were gone, the pickings were apparently mighty slim for everyone.

And if TT was dying for Shazier or Mosley, he probably could've traded his second and first and gotten one of them. He must've thought he didn't need either one that badly.

I'm curious as to what Sam Barrington can do.

[Pugger]

I truly don't think this was the best class of ILBers so this could be why he didn't trade up for Shazier or Mosley. Frankly IMO safety was a bigger hole that we needed to fill rather than ILB. If we can get better play from the D line and the secondary it we might be able to go with what we have inside there.

[woodbuck27]

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/258774501.html

Thompson: We stuck with the board

By Tom Silverstein of the Journal Sentinel

May 10, 2014

" •(WR) Saw as a very deep class. All three days we tried to go toward quality. It's definitely the way the board worked out. We stuck with the board.

•(Linebackers) We're good with our linebackers.

•(Needs) I don't know. I didn't go in trying to address need. We don't do that. If perception is we relieved a need, that's fine. That's not how we view our team.

•(Defense) Always trying to get better. Improve what you have. We went in wanting to make our team better and obviously defense is part of that. "


TT reached here ! If that was the best TT's Draft Board afforded him. His Draft Board was poorly constructed. That would account for how poorly TT has drafted in his time as the Packers GM.

TE Richard Rodgers certainly appears to be "a reach" (GRADE 5.22) and see information available on him on the internet. Richard Rodgers was expected to be a Rd. 5-6 pick.

http://www.nfl.com/draft/2014/profiles/richard-rodgers?id=2543569

Weaknesses TE Richard Rodgers: Tight hips. Average speed and suddenness -- dull in/out of breaks and struggles to separate vs. more explosive safeties. Unrefined route runner. Straightlinish after the catch. Started just 11 games in three seasons.

Add this...he had "ONLY" ONE (1) TD in his last season of College ball. What could TT have possibly seen in this fella to make him reach for him at Pick #98 overall or as his 3rd Rd. Compensatory pick? There were too many better skilled /productive/experienced and overall talented prospects available for Ted Thompson and the Green Bay Packers with this high draft pic. It's never a good thing to reach so much for a prospect.

TE Richard Rodgers Draft Projection = Rounds 5-6

TT and the Green Bay Packers reached with this pick.

http://www.nfl.com/draft/2014/tracker#dt-tabs:dt-by-round/dt-by-round-input:3

He looks pretty good here but this was a reach and NOT BPA. This was TT picking for need.

TT was graded below a "C" when he selected Center Corey Linsley with Pick #161 overall in Round 5 who was Graded @ 5.1 by NFL.Com.

http://www.nfl.com/draft/2014/tracker#dt-tabs:dt-by-round/dt-by-round-input:5

Weaknesses:

Center prospect Corey Linsley:

Has short arms. More strong than explosive -- doesn't roll his hips and blow nose tackles off the ball. Falls off blocks when he bends at the waist. Pedestrian foot athlete -- slow to cut off linebackers, labors to pull and lacks lateral quickness to recover when beaten. Stressed by quicker rushers. Tied for the lightest offensive lineman at the combine.

Draft Projection >>> Round 7-Priority free agent NOT a Round Five Draft Pick and as such Ted Thompson "reached again" and as I saw it his second reach and not BPA but pick for need in his 2014 draft.

Generally and overall it has to be very clear that TT drafted for need in this latest draft...he didn't pick BPA.

Overall TT drafted very well and "the Green Bay Packers overall Draft Grade" reflects that as a fact and compared to the rest of the NFL teams arguably led the class in the 2014 Draft.

[pbmax]

That would account for how poorly TT has drafted in his time as the Packers GM.

Facts and context. please. Tel me why you think Thompson has drafted poorly AND provide context that other GMs do substantially better over non-trivial lengths of time. Because I think your hypothesis is weak and unsupported.

You would get more traction from arguing that by eschewing free agency (by choice or not (http://packerrats.com/showthread.php?26787-Free-Agents-and-Green-Bay)), he has harmed his own performance in relying so much on the draft and develop method.

[woodbuck27]

I truly don't think this was the best class of ILBers so this could be why he didn't trade up for Shazier or Mosley. Frankly IMO safety was a bigger hole that we needed to fill rather than ILB. If we can get better play from the D line and the secondary it we might be able to go with what we have inside there.

TT drafted a prospect that might be an upgrade or will certainly push the 2013 roster ILB's to improve or lose their job as a Green Bay Packer.

http://www.nfl.com/draft/2014/profiles/carl--bradford?id=2543552

We also have *** maturing prospects brought in last season:

http://www.packers.com/team/depth-chart.html

ILB Depth Chart - Green Bay Packers:

LILB ... A.J. Hawk - *** Jamari Lattimore - Victor Aiyewa

MLB ... Brad Jones - *** Jamari Lattimore - Victor Aiyewa

[mraynrand]

No good GM drafts exclusively for BPA. IF he did, you'd see teams draft 6 WRs or something. Teams draft for need and BPA, so that if they want a particular O-lineman and TE, they might pick the guys they have rated the highest at those positions at a particular round, thinking that they next time they pick,they might not have a guy available there. That's crazy, some say, but I say that you CANNOT load up depth at say, DL, even if that is BPA, because you know that you just can't keep them all come cut down day. The TE and 'Center' made sense for TT's board because he wanted to get another interior lineman and TE prospect. They might not work out, but the picks made sense according to how they organized their board, relative to roster (need) and BPA.

[smuggler]

Okay, so maybe he reached with Adams, Thornton, and Rodgers. But he got good value with Bradford, Abbrederis, and Janis. Does that balance out? Just pretend he traded down and took everyone where they were projected. Not that hard.

[HarveyWallbangers]

Adams wasn't a reach. Many had him going early 2nd.

[pbmax]

Okay, so maybe he reached with Adams, Thornton, and Rodgers. But he got good value with Bradford, Abbrederis, and Janis. Does that balance out? Just pretend he traded down and took everyone where they were projected. Not that hard.

Personally, I'm not ready to concede this point. We have been here before with many players, most notably Collins and Jennings. Everyone screaming it was a reach and they could have waited if they loved them that much. After the dust had settled, began to get word that other teams valued the players in the same round.

We don't know what the Packers or the rest of the League thought of these guys. The public pundits and our guesses don't carry enough weight. Thompson isn't infallible, but the grade on NFL.com isn't enough to conclude a reach.

[bobblehead]

What do you expect the GM to say after a draft where he didn't like his ILB choices? We're terrible and hope to improve?

Taking the press conference for an actual evaluation of a player is dubious at best.

Not even dubious...shows a complete lack of ability to assess a situation.

[Bretsky]

If the cost to trade up was a 2nd I'd pass. I'd rather have HaHa and Adams than Mosley....now if we only had to give up a 3rd it's debatable. I'd probably have Mosley than the Cali TE and HaHa

[Cheesehead Craig]

College production does not equal NFL potential. Once again going back to Antonio Gates. Didn't play a down of college football, arranged a workout in front of NFL scouts and 19 teams offered him a contract. Not saying that Rodgers is Gates. However these men know football and can see the potential in players that we cannot. Getting caught up in measurables and stats is foolish.

[MadScientist]

Activating TT to reality translator...

" •(WR) Saw as a very deep class. All three days we tried to go toward quality. It's definitely the way the board worked out. We stuck with the board.

We lost Driver, Jennings and Jones the last two years, and Cobb and Nelson are in contract years. We fucking better get another good WR or two so were are not totally fucked.


•(Linebackers) We're good with our linebackers.

ILB wasn't a total tire fire last year so we took others earlier. The ones who were left later weren't worth shit.


•(Needs) I don't know. I didn't go in trying to address need. We don't do that. If perception is we relieved a need, that's fine. That's not how we view our team.

No shit we went for need. Safety last year was a black hole of suckitude, we need a new top notch WR, Peppers is just a 1 year stop-gap at OLB, Finley won't be back and our only center has zero experience and was injured most of last year. So fuck yes this was a need draft, in desperate hope that there are no more gaping holes on this team and Rodgers can be a difference maker.


•(Defense) Always trying to get better. Improve what you have. We went in wanting to make our team better and obviously defense is part of that. "

The defense stunk last year. We had to do something. If these new bodies don't make a huge difference then maybe Capers is the washed up has been you've made him out to be.

[mraynrand]

^^^^I'd enjoy being at that press conference.

[woodbuck27]

^^^^I'd enjoy being at that press conference.

You'd enjoy observing TT's obvious lies/deceit.

What can that man possibly imagine he gains from such baloney.

Does he really imagine he fools anyone with any knowledge of the draft class? That he see's something that others fail to see and measure?

If that's the case then we can now understand his too often blown draft picks.

[mraynrand]

If that's the case then we can now understand his too often blown draft picks.

Please present your evidence. Statistics compared to other GMs and Packer history. Otherwise I'll think you're just flapping your gums, motorboatin:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hetIPKqOktw

[Zool]

Collins, James Jones, Jennings, Jolly, Sitton, Finley, Nelson, Giacomini, Flynn, CM3, Lang, ETC....

All you really have to do is go over and see how many of his picks are still in the NFL.

Of course "sports fan guy" is always smarter than the "idiots running this team" and could draft a better team if given a shot. Oddly enough sports fan guy does not work with or near a sports franchise and doesn't aspire to use his considerable talents in player evaluation by applying for a position. It's far easier to wax poetic about it and find other complainers.

[denverYooper]

Collins, James Jones, Jennings, Jolly, Sitton, Finley, Nelson, Giacomini, Flynn, CM3, Lang, ETC....

All you really have to do is go over and see how many of his picks are still in the NFL.

Of course "sports fan guy" is always smarter than the "idiots running this team" and could draft a better team if given a shot. Oddly enough sports fan guy does not work with or near a sports franchise and doesn't aspire to use his considerable talents in player evaluation by applying for a position. It's far easier to wax poetic about it and find other complainers.

He's lucky if he can pull the fries out in time.

[mraynrand]

He's lucky if he can pull the fries out in time.

Amylopectin and amylose heating via boiling animal lipids was one of my greatest skills.

[Just Jeff]

Amylopectin and amylose heating via boiling animal lipids was one of my greatest skills.
That post made me turgid

[texaspackerbacker]

First of all, I don't see any need for Thompson or McCarthy or whoever to give honest accurate assessments to the media or to fans in general. If they have an obligation to us, the fans, it is to put a winning team on the field - NOT to tell the whole world, including other teams how it's done and what the thinking is.

Clearly, saying he's not drafting to needs is pure bullshit. Similarly, what the plans are for particular players is for us to speculate and them to shut up about until the sausage is made.

All that being said, here's some of my speculation: I think Bradford will get a good try at ILB - supposedly he can play there, and that's where the need is. I think Linsley will get a try at long snapper - to save a roster spot, but in the end, they will take the cautious route and keep Goode. I think they will use more 5 WR sets like several years ago - Abbrederis making the team in addition to Adams, maybe even Jaris. I'm thinking/hoping Richardson is gone and maybe Banjo too, with Goodson being a backup Safety. I really don't know what to make of drafting Richard Rodgers - having another project TE, to me, says maybe they don't think as highly of Bostick as some people think.

[smuggler]

Depends. If you see Rodgers in the preseason playing at 270 or 275, I think it's more an indictment of (or even just competition for) Quarless. If he comes in at 240 or so, Bostick might be done.

[mraynrand]

I'm thinking/hoping Richardson is gone

Why the hell would they dump Richardson? At worst, he would be relegated to first backup on the depth chart.

[woodbuck27]

Collins, James Jones, Jennings, Jolly, Sitton, Finley, Nelson, Giacomini, Flynn, CM3, Lang, ETC....

All you really have to do is go over and see how many of his picks are still in the NFL.

Of course "sports fan guy" is always smarter than the "idiots running this team" and could draft a better team if given a shot. Oddly enough sports fan guy does not work with or near a sports franchise and doesn't aspire to use his considerable talents in player evaluation by applying for a position. It's far easier to wax poetic about it and find other complainers.

TT "of course" had to hit on some picks.

That's just reasonable to expect.

Could he maybe of done better? I'm sure he'd tell you himself that he could have done better. That many picks disappointed him.

I'm sure of that because it's a TRUTH.

[woodbuck27]

Why the hell would they dump Richardson? At worst, he would be relegated to first backup on the depth chart.


Why? ...are you so angry? Calm down please...get a grip on your arrogance.

[run pMc]

First of all, I don't see any need for Thompson or McCarthy or whoever to give honest accurate assessments to the media or to fans in general. If they have an obligation to us, the fans, it is to put a winning team on the field - NOT to tell the whole world, including other teams how it's done and what the thinking is.

Clearly, saying he's not drafting to needs is pure bullshit. Similarly, what the plans are for particular players is for us to speculate and them to shut up about until the sausage is made.

All that being said, here's some of my speculation: I think Bradford will get a good try at ILB - supposedly he can play there, and that's where the need is. I think Linsley will get a try at long snapper - to save a roster spot, but in the end, they will take the cautious route and keep Goode. I think they will use more 5 WR sets like several years ago - Abbrederis making the team in addition to Adams, maybe even Jaris. I'm thinking/hoping Richardson is gone and maybe Banjo too, with Goodson being a backup Safety. I really don't know what to make of drafting Richard Rodgers - having another project TE, to me, says maybe they don't think as highly of Bostick as some people think.

Agree there's no law saying TT or M3 has to be totally honest/transparent, and in fact they have no incentives to be, nevermind that every GM acts the same. I think HHCD was probably the BPA (or at least on a short list) when it was their turn at 21, as for the other picks it's hard to say. I don't think picking 3 WRs screams drafting for need when one would have sufficed. As with many things the truth lies somewhere in between: he picked BPAs that fit their scheme and needs.

Bradford sounded a bit like Desmond Bishop 2.0 but it sounds like they will keep him at OLB. I guess moving to ILB is hard for some edge players because the play is happening from both sides. I like his motor and production but he's pretty short so he might be worth trying out inside all the same. If Peppers ends up being a one year rental and Palmer/Mulumba don't make a jump then Bradford is there for competition and depth.

Agree Linsley is there for competition for Goode and Tretter; fans (and McGinn) would be screaming about how TT went into the season unprepared at C if Tretter gets hurt or sucks...so the pick makes sense from a needs standpoint and he might have been the best C at that point.
Abbrederis makes it if he can return kicks and punts. He'll have to play ST regardless if he wants to stick as a #5. I worry about the concussion history and wonder if he gets a mystery injury and spends the year on IR and in the weight room. Janis is a question mark to me.

I think they like Richardson a lot and Banjo is the odd man out unless Hyde can't play safety. HHCD will start with Burnett on Day 1 of camp and be given every chance to prove he belongs. Goodson gets Nixon's snaps in camp but he's a project and at 5-11 195 he's a bit of a stretch at Safety. I think he's a developmental CB.

Richard Rodgers says he'll play at 260 which is closer to Quarless. I don't think he'll see a lot of live snaps unless injuries hit, but being a R3 pick he's a virtual lock to make the team. I know they like Taylor and Bostick but might not keep both, and I don't think they will keep Stoneburner. He's the #3 TE and will play ST. I think they like Bostick but want to see him continue to develop into Finley-lite. If he's just a tease they'll let him go.

[pbmax]

TT "of course" had to hit on some picks.

That's just reasonable to expect.

Could he maybe of done better? I'm sure he'd tell you himself that he could have done better. That many picks disappointed him.

I'm sure of that because it's a TRUTH.

Best player (Rodgers) falling to Packers was just luck. Reasonable to hit on some other picks. Could have done better. Many picks disappoint. These things could be said about any GM in the League.

But ...


If that's the case then we can now understand his too often blown draft picks.

By what standard of measure do you get this? And how do other GMs stack up according to your standard?

[Guiness]

lol @ wanting TT to be honest/transparent. If he did that, the Packers would get submarined and be screwed! They'd be like the German in WWII after the Enigma machine was stolen!

[mraynrand]

Why? ...are you so angry? Calm down please...get a grip on your arrogance.

stick to football posts please. Leave your personal attacks out of it. Thanks.

[woodbuck27]

lol @ wanting TT to be honest/transparent. If he did that, the Packers would get submarined and be screwed! They'd be like the German in WWII after the Enigma machine was stolen!

TT ha ha...and real/honest.

There's no danger of that and his ways.

Ask Brett Favre about that.

[woodbuck27]

stick to football posts please. Leave your personal attacks out of it. Thanks.

Aren't you the Choir Boy.

[mraynrand]

Aren't you the Choir Boy.

aim higher

http://mediareligion.files.wordpress.com/2010/03/mpw-73211.jpg

[red]

If the cost to trade up was a 2nd I'd pass. I'd rather have HaHa and Adams than Mosley....now if we only had to give up a 3rd it's debatable. I'd probably have Mosley than the Cali TE and HaHa

you gottaalso keep in mind though that any decent safety prospect was off the board by our second pick.

drafting HACD where we did was the absolute right move IMO

[mraynrand]

you gottaalso keep in mind though that any decent safety prospect was off the board by our second pick.

drafting HACD where we did was the absolute right move IMO

That's why TT was sweating it so much - after HHC-D it was second tier safety territory. Makes you wonder what they would have done if Shazier was still on the board. But never mind, what ifs suck.

[ThunderDan]

Peoples praise of Rich Rodgers in the SEA thread reminded me of the 2014 Draft. So I bumped this thread. Quite a few funny posts. Woodbuck saying that Rodgers and Lindsley were horrible picks. run pMc nailing point after point on page 2.

Great thread to look at again.

[Fritz]

I wonder if Woodbuck is still alive.

[ThunderDan]

red had a couple of good posts also. Nothing you would see in a game day thread when he is 6 beers into a case.

He was right on the ILBs and HaHa.

[pbmax]

What do you expect the GM to say after a draft where he didn't like his ILB choices? We're terrible and hope to improve?

Taking the press conference for an actual evaluation of a player is dubious at best.

After 38,000 posts I can just go Peanuts from now on.

Reruns of old posts.

[KYPack]

I wonder if Woodbuck is still alive.

He's playing in the pick'em.

And beating my ass.

[Rastak]

After 38,000 posts I can just go Peanuts from now on.

Reruns of old posts.



:glug:

[smuggler]

Yeah, run pMc was basically dead-on wIth the exception of RR

[Fritz]

He's playing in the pick'em.

And beating my ass.



So I wonder why he's not sharing his long-winded opinions with us on the board these days. Is he waiting for a loss to jump back in and explain why he's been right about TT all along?

[KYPack]

Woody's Woody.

I like that he's a nutty, die-hard Pack fan.

That, & I giggle when he yells at Rand.

[Pugger]

Woody's Woody.

I like that he's a nutty, die-hard Pack fan.

That, & I giggle when he yells at Rand.

He bitched at all of us.

[red]

red had a couple of good posts also. Nothing you would see in a game day thread when he is 6 beers into a case.

He was right on the ILBs and HaHa.

I'll get that fixed

I can't be known for non drunken ramblins

[mraynrand]

Woody's Woody.

I like that he's a nutty, die-hard Pack fan.

That, & I giggle when he yells at Rand.

good times. saved for posterity: http://packerrats.com/showthread.php?26529-The-Lunatic-Fringe

[Pugger]

I saw this on Deadspin:

Five Throwgasms

Chiefs at Packers: The Packers have a knack for having unheralded players step up and play well when it matters most and it is fucking INFURIATING. I would like the loss of a star player to crush them. But NO… no, they always have some asshole behind him ready to go because they’re committed to internal player development because they’re so goddamn PERFECT. Bah! I want scrubs to be SCRUBS. I want to be able to laugh at a rival team for having to put Barney Fuckdoggle in at corner or whatever. It’s a real let-down when Barney turns into a hidden gem, and Collinsworth is like, “You know, Al. I think I really LIKE this Fuckdoggle guy!” That never happens with my team. With my team, the shitty players are shitty.

:lol:

[pbmax]

^^ And remember, the writer's team is the Vikings. :lol:

[smuggler]

Modz please change my username to Barney Fuckdoggle.