Can someone explain what T.T. is doing...

[packers11]

I've been a T.T. supporter but come on, what the hell is he waiting for... Im starting to get really worried... Grant and Griffith both signed, along with most veteran rb's...

If I was favre I would not be happy right now... :!:

[Bretsky]

What is TT doing ?

My avatar sums it up

[pack4to84]

nice one Bretsky!

[packers11]

What is TT doing ?

My avatar sums it up

why isn't there any outrage at the fan fest or at lambeau itself...?

[digitaldean]

Though TT did make some decent FA moves last year, he is sitting on the sidelines this year.

I don't expect a drunken sailor type of spending spree, but I do expect to see a little more in the results department this year. Considering what we've lost in FA and what we needed before that, he needs to build through FA AND the draft.

He will have to draft a top flight RB in the first 2 rounds (Lynch, Bush). Same goes for TE (Miller in rd. 2, because Olson won't be available).

[CaliforniaCheez]

It is only March 10th

What happened last year?

DE Aaron Kampman Re-signed 3/11/06
S Marquand Manuel signed 3/13/06
T Kevin Barry Re-signed 3/15/06
DE/DT Kenny Peterson Re-signed 3/15/06
FB William Henderson Re-signed 3/20/06
WR Rod Gardner Re-signed 3/21/06
RB Najeh Davenport Re-signed 3/27/06
QB Tom Arth signed 3/22/06
WR Marc Boerigter signed 3/27/06
LB Ben Taylor signed 3/27/06
PK Billy Cundiff signed 3/27/06
PK Rhys Lloyd signed 4/10/06
WR Leo Bookman signed 4/13/06
DT Kendrick Allen signed 4/26/06
CB Charles Woodson signed 5/1/06
P Ryan Flinn signed 5/1/06

Look at that timeline and that Free Agent success rate!!

[Bretsky]

It is only March 10th

What happened last year?

DE Aaron Kampman Re-signed 3/11/06
S Marquand Manuel signed 3/13/06
T Kevin Barry Re-signed 3/15/06
DE/DT Kenny Peterson Re-signed 3/15/06
FB William Henderson Re-signed 3/20/06
WR Rod Gardner Re-signed 3/21/06
RB Najeh Davenport Re-signed 3/27/06
QB Tom Arth signed 3/22/06
WR Marc Boerigter signed 3/27/06
LB Ben Taylor signed 3/27/06
PK Billy Cundiff signed 3/27/06
PK Rhys Lloyd signed 4/10/06
WR Leo Bookman signed 4/13/06
DT Kendrick Allen signed 4/26/06
CB Charles Woodson signed 5/1/06
P Ryan Flinn signed 5/1/06

Look at that timeline and that Free Agent success rate!!


So he signed his own in Kampman= great signing
Woodsen signing was made after TT sat on his hands much of FA and frontloaded to use up cap space as opposed to signing a couple players and giving him a normal structured deal, but it was surely a success

The other signings didn't have much of an impact either way

[RashanGary]

Hey, just think B, if TT would have signed Bently and Witherspoon along with Woodson last year we would have two guys who dont' make a difference, one guy who does *woodson* and we would be against the cap like the idiot before him.

Then we'd have no money now to talk about redoing Barnett. Jenkins would probably get the one year tender instead of his reasonable deal.

But hey, we could get alot better now. Fact is we probably won't and when it comes to keeping Barnett next season it will be very tough.

Honestly, I'm not a huge Barnett fan but looking at this list of FA's makes me realize someithing. He's better than all of them excetp Clements and he'll come alot cheaper if we lock him up early.

I'd take Barnett on a long term deal over any FA out there right now. Taht is acctually what I"m hoping for.

[CaliforniaCheez]

Point A was the dates of the signings.

Point B was that free agency helped but few free agents really mattered to the core of the team.

[GBRulz]

What is TT doing ?

My avatar sums it up

B, I love it !!! :lol:

[red]

It is only March 10th

What happened last year?

DE Aaron Kampman Re-signed 3/11/06
S Marquand Manuel signed 3/13/06
T Kevin Barry Re-signed 3/15/06
DE/DT Kenny Peterson Re-signed 3/15/06
FB William Henderson Re-signed 3/20/06
WR Rod Gardner Re-signed 3/21/06
RB Najeh Davenport Re-signed 3/27/06
QB Tom Arth signed 3/22/06
WR Marc Boerigter signed 3/27/06
LB Ben Taylor signed 3/27/06
PK Billy Cundiff signed 3/27/06
PK Rhys Lloyd signed 4/10/06
WR Leo Bookman signed 4/13/06
DT Kendrick Allen signed 4/26/06
CB Charles Woodson signed 5/1/06
P Ryan Flinn signed 5/1/06

Look at that timeline and that Free Agent success rate!!

gotta throw this out there

free agency began on march 11th last year. and you left off pickett who was brought in on the 11th or 12th and signed on like the 14th or 17th

so we were doing something a little early last season

success rate? tayler was only a special teamer for us, and couldn't even beat out the shitty poppinga for the SAM. aleen only played in like 3 games then was out the rest of the season.

i usually would use injuries, but if others are going to bring up bentley in other threads ("see you wanted to sign him and he would have been hurt all year"), then i'll use it here

i like both taylor and allen, but their contribution to this team was very small last year. so don't try and use those as great signings

woodson and pickett were our only good signings last year IMO. not counting our own resignings

and as we all saw, we went into this last season with plenty of holes still, tt could have and should have done more then he did

[Scott Campbell]

I think B has blatently ripped off Tank's polar bear theme - right down to the avatar. All he needs now is:

Ted is Trapped In His Tortoise Shell - Chapter 13.

[Scott Campbell]

It is only March 10th

What happened last year?

DE Aaron Kampman Re-signed 3/11/06
S Marquand Manuel signed 3/13/06
T Kevin Barry Re-signed 3/15/06
DE/DT Kenny Peterson Re-signed 3/15/06
FB William Henderson Re-signed 3/20/06
WR Rod Gardner Re-signed 3/21/06
RB Najeh Davenport Re-signed 3/27/06
QB Tom Arth signed 3/22/06
WR Marc Boerigter signed 3/27/06
LB Ben Taylor signed 3/27/06
PK Billy Cundiff signed 3/27/06
PK Rhys Lloyd signed 4/10/06
WR Leo Bookman signed 4/13/06
DT Kendrick Allen signed 4/26/06
CB Charles Woodson signed 5/1/06
P Ryan Flinn signed 5/1/06

Look at that timeline and that Free Agent success rate!!


Where's Ryan Pickett? I thought that was their best signing.

[CaliforniaCheez]

Sorry, Pickett was signed on St. Patricks Day last year.

Today is only March 10th.

Why be impatient in free agency??

Few free agents even made the team.

[Charles Woodson]

It is only March 10th

What happened last year?

DE Aaron Kampman Re-signed 3/11/06
S Marquand Manuel signed 3/13/06
T Kevin Barry Re-signed 3/15/06
DE/DT Kenny Peterson Re-signed 3/15/06
FB William Henderson Re-signed 3/20/06
WR Rod Gardner Re-signed 3/21/06
RB Najeh Davenport Re-signed 3/27/06
QB Tom Arth signed 3/22/06
WR Marc Boerigter signed 3/27/06
LB Ben Taylor signed 3/27/06
PK Billy Cundiff signed 3/27/06
PK Rhys Lloyd signed 4/10/06
WR Leo Bookman signed 4/13/06
DT Kendrick Allen signed 4/26/06
CB Charles Woodson signed 5/1/06
P Ryan Flinn signed 5/1/06

Look at that timeline and that Free Agent success rate!!


Where's Ryan Pickett? I thought that was their best signing.


You cant compare most of those signings because the depth of this FA is very weak. Show me A Charles Woodson still out there and i'll quite down about TT

[RashanGary]

If the Packers are going to grow, it's going ot be from within just like every other team in the NFL. FA is the absolute worste way to fill a hole and should always be a last resort.

We don't have any holes as bad as CB was last year and with that in mind; I could care less if we get any FA's at all.

I'm looking forward to the draft. I'm also hopefull that the youngest team in the league gets alot better with a year of experience under everyones belts.

[HarveyWallbangers]

Sorry, Pickett was signed on St. Patricks Day last year.

Today is only March 10th.

Why be impatient in free agency??

Few free agents even made the team.

You can't be serious. Somebody pointed out that FA started later last year. Of the three major FAs that we signed (guys that got $2M+/year), two were signed in the first week of FA.

Who is the Charles Woodson that is available this year? There is none. Thompson used the same strategy as last year, but the FA class is weaker. The guys that this team should have targeted are mostly gone.

[MacCool606]

It's looking to me that the FA's we get will be nothing more that upgrading our depth.

[KYPack]

Also Ryan and Rayner were added at some point and appear to be solid kicking propects.

We NEED a safety like we needed another corner.

I was thinking of joining the "Anti-TT crowd", it's always more fun to bitch, but so far he hasn't paid any stupid money in the FA grab. That's part of doing a good GM job, but it is boring to the fans.

FA and the adding new talent process is only about 30% complete. many of us need to take a chill pill and see how he develops the roster.

Sorry, but it's true. It's a weak FQA crop and the ones that signed got stupid money. Waiting does make sense.

Somebody wanna make a stab at the "what's left ande who might get squeezed off a roster and be available" list?

[Bretsky]

Hey, just think B, if TT would have signed Bently and Witherspoon along with Woodson last year we would have two guys who dont' make a difference, one guy who does *woodson* and we would be against the cap like the idiot before him.

Then we'd have no money now to talk about redoing Barnett. Jenkins would probably get the one year tender instead of his reasonable deal.

But hey, we could get alot better now. Fact is we probably won't and when it comes to keeping Barnett next season it will be very tough.

Honestly, I'm not a huge Barnett fan but looking at this list of FA's makes me realize someithing. He's better than all of them excetp Clements and he'll come alot cheaper if we lock him up early.

I'd take Barnett on a long term deal over any FA out there right now. Taht is acctually what I"m hoping for.

I was never a Bently guy; I was a Witherspon and Hope guy.

But if we sign those two guys, we structure the Woodson deal differently.

Today we would not have as much in our cap but we'd have two less holes to fill as well.

Cheers,
B

[Joemailman]

I think B has blatently ripped off Tank's polar bear theme - right down to the avatar. All he needs now is:

Ted is Trapped In His Tortoise Shell - Chapter 13.

Michele is the new Polar Bear. I'm thinking of going back to the Kool-Aid avatar, since Retail Guy seems to have deserted the Krowd.

[GBRulz]

What? Can't a girl just have a pic of a cute little ol Polar Bear ? :lol: :twisted: :lol:

[red]

i think herron and miree are the same nfle players that were once mentioned as guys that should not be on the team

edit: how the hell did this get posted in this thread. i was posting it in another thread?

[Fritz]

I think people are just getting tired of winter, bored and antsy. So they're waiting and getting ticked at TT out of frustration.

Okay, so GB isn't going to win the Free Agent championship. Darn. But let's see how the that other season - playing season - goes.

[Bretsky]

I think people are just getting tired of winter, bored and antsy. So they're waiting and getting ticked at TT out of frustration.

Okay, so GB isn't going to win the Free Agent championship. Darn. But let's see how the that other season - playing season - goes.


THANK GOD FOR THE BADGERS

[4and12to12and4]

If the Packers are going to grow, it's going ot be from within just like every other team in the NFL. FA is the absolute worste way to fill a hole and should always be a last resort.

We don't have any holes as bad as CB was last year and with that in mind; I could care less if we get any FA's at all.

I'm looking forward to the draft. I'm also hopefull that the youngest team in the league gets alot better with a year of experience under everyones belts.

I have to agree here, and as much as I'd like to see TT throwing money around, honestly, there isn't anyone out there worth throwing it at. The best FA in my opinion was Adalius Thomas, and that would have been a stupid move to unload the bank on him, considering he plays primarily at a position which happens to be one of our strengths. Maybe we should have gone after Grant a little harder, but, he, just like all these other free agents this year, are being signed by teams for more than they are worth due to the lack of depth, and it just shows you why so many organizations never get over that hump, because they don't know what the hell they are doing. Look at the Redskins the last three years, they have spent ALL their money trying to buy the Lombardi Trophy through FA and what good has it done them?

Listen, TT is doing this the right way. Think of the success the Patriots have had. They run their business very similar to how TT is running things here at 1265. The only reason they are going on a bit of a splurge this offseason (Thomas and Stallworth) is because they were 2 quarters away from the Superbowl last year with a 21-6 lead. It is the same thing Wolf and Co. did by signing Reggie, and then getting Desmond and Bad Moon. We KNEW we were a couple of pieces away from having a DOMINATING team. Can any of you REALISTICALLY say that we should be spending this offseason to get to the Superbowl next year? Take those goggles off if answer is yes.

Look, I know there is a feeling of desperation here because this is probably Favre's last year, but I don't think that TT can look at it that way. If he panics thinking he has to assemble a championship team before Favre retires, we will be in a worse financial mess than when Sherman was here (remember, the guy who just paid Ahmad a billion dollar contract). As long as our defense continues to get deeper with talent (especially CB's and safetys) and our offensive line shows continued improvement and we get some more depth there, the wins will start to pile up and we can consider ourselves ready for a run at it. If Favre is gone by then, so be it. There's no other way to go about it. If we get REAL lucky and that happens sooner than later, than maybe Brett carries another Trophy around, but the odds are not with us for that, so let's remember, we ARE rebuilding, not getting those last couple of pieces like the Patriots. And if that doesn't work, go to your doctor and tell him you have migrane headaches, and get yourself some Vicadin for the rest of the offseason.

[The Shadow]

Well said.

[BooHoo]

Looks like the real changes to this years team will be from the draft. if you wait for TT to make huge gains thru FA, you will be very disappointed.

[cpk1994]

If the Packers are going to grow, it's going ot be from within just like every other team in the NFL. FA is the absolute worste way to fill a hole and should always be a last resort.

We don't have any holes as bad as CB was last year and with that in mind; I could care less if we get any FA's at all.

I'm looking forward to the draft. I'm also hopefull that the youngest team in the league gets alot better with a year of experience under everyones belts.

I have to agree here, and as much as I'd like to see TT throwing money around, honestly, there isn't anyone out there worth throwing it at. The best FA in my opinion was Adalius Thomas, and that would have been a stupid move to unload the bank on him, considering he plays primarily at a position which happens to be one of our strengths. Maybe we should have gone after Grant a little harder, but, he, just like all these other free agents this year, are being signed by teams for more than they are worth due to the lack of depth, and it just shows you why so many organizations never get over that hump, because they don't know what the hell they are doing. Look at the Redskins the last three years, they have spent ALL their money trying to buy the Lombardi Trophy through FA and what good has it done them?

Listen, TT is doing this the right way. Think of the success the Patriots have had. They run their business very similar to how TT is running things here at 1265. The only reason they are going on a bit of a splurge this offseason (Thomas and Stallworth) is because they were 2 quarters away from the Superbowl last year with a 21-6 lead. It is the same thing Wolf and Co. did by signing Reggie, and then getting Desmond and Bad Moon. We KNEW we were a couple of pieces away from having a DOMINATING team. Can any of you REALISTICALLY say that we should be spending this offseason to get to the Superbowl next year? Take those goggles off if answer is yes.

Look, I know there is a feeling of desperation here because this is probably Favre's last year, but I don't think that TT can look at it that way. If he panics thinking he has to assemble a championship team before Favre retires, we will be in a worse financial mess than when Sherman was here (remember, the guy who just paid Ahmad a billion dollar contract). As long as our defense continues to get deeper with talent (especially CB's and safetys) and our offensive line shows continued improvement and we get some more depth there, the wins will start to pile up and we can consider ourselves ready for a run at it. If Favre is gone by then, so be it. There's no other way to go about it. If we get REAL lucky and that happens sooner than later, than maybe Brett carries another Trophy around, but the odds are not with us for that, so let's remember, we ARE rebuilding, not getting those last couple of pieces like the Patriots. And if that doesn't work, go to your doctor and tell him you have migrane headaches, and get yourself some Vicadin for the rest of the offseason.

Amen and great post. IF you think throwing money around in FA is a cure all, ask yourself one question: What has spending a lot of money gotten the Minnesota Vikings? Answer: 6-10 and at home watching the playoffs on TV with a worse recrod than the team who uses the draft to rebuild.

[Bretsky]

If the Packers are going to grow, it's going ot be from within just like every other team in the NFL. FA is the absolute worste way to fill a hole and should always be a last resort.

We don't have any holes as bad as CB was last year and with that in mind; I could care less if we get any FA's at all.

I'm looking forward to the draft. I'm also hopefull that the youngest team in the league gets alot better with a year of experience under everyones belts.

I have to agree here, and as much as I'd like to see TT throwing money around, honestly, there isn't anyone out there worth throwing it at. The best FA in my opinion was Adalius Thomas, and that would have been a stupid move to unload the bank on him, considering he plays primarily at a position which happens to be one of our strengths. Maybe we should have gone after Grant a little harder, but, he, just like all these other free agents this year, are being signed by teams for more than they are worth due to the lack of depth, and it just shows you why so many organizations never get over that hump, because they don't know what the hell they are doing. Look at the Redskins the last three years, they have spent ALL their money trying to buy the Lombardi Trophy through FA and what good has it done them?

Listen, TT is doing this the right way. Think of the success the Patriots have had. They run their business very similar to how TT is running things here at 1265. The only reason they are going on a bit of a splurge this offseason (Thomas and Stallworth) is because they were 2 quarters away from the Superbowl last year with a 21-6 lead. It is the same thing Wolf and Co. did by signing Reggie, and then getting Desmond and Bad Moon. We KNEW we were a couple of pieces away from having a DOMINATING team. Can any of you REALISTICALLY say that we should be spending this offseason to get to the Superbowl next year? Take those goggles off if answer is yes.

Look, I know there is a feeling of desperation here because this is probably Favre's last year, but I don't think that TT can look at it that way. If he panics thinking he has to assemble a championship team before Favre retires, we will be in a worse financial mess than when Sherman was here (remember, the guy who just paid Ahmad a billion dollar contract). As long as our defense continues to get deeper with talent (especially CB's and safetys) and our offensive line shows continued improvement and we get some more depth there, the wins will start to pile up and we can consider ourselves ready for a run at it. If Favre is gone by then, so be it. There's no other way to go about it. If we get REAL lucky and that happens sooner than later, than maybe Brett carries another Trophy around, but the odds are not with us for that, so let's remember, we ARE rebuilding, not getting those last couple of pieces like the Patriots. And if that doesn't work, go to your doctor and tell him you have migrane headaches, and get yourself some Vicadin for the rest of the offseason.

Amen and great post. IF you think throwing money around in FA is a cure all, ask yourself one question: What has spending a lot of money gotten the Minnesota Vikings? Answer: 6-10 and at home watching the playoffs on TV with a worse recrod than the team who uses the draft to rebuild.


That logic is extemely flawed; where did NO signing some very key free agents get them last year ? 3-13 to one game from the Super Bowl.

There were MANY more factors involved in MN demise. Just like there were many reasons NO came back.

Free agency is a tool a GM can chose to use to help his team, IF you choose to play.

[esoxx]

There were MANY more factors involved in MN demise. Just like there were many reasons NO came back.




The main reason for Minnesota's demise was horrid QB play from a washed up Brad Johnson and a green as grass rookie in Tavarius Jackson. Think if they had signed Drew Brees what kind of record they would have had with the type of run defense they had.

It usually comes back to the QB position at the end of the day.

[MJZiggy]

And in NO's case, Bush and Coston. Which is what the the league was after when they gave the sucky teams the first picks in the draft. I'm not saying Brees didn't have a ton to do with it, but the FA signings wouldn't have made nearly the difference without the high draft picks and sleeper rookies.

[Partial]

yeah and Bretsky how often does a pro-bowl franchise player hit the open market?

I'd argue you could have signed the top 8 free agents this year and they wouldn't have the impact of one Drew Brees.

[SD GB fan]

i think NO's success had a lot to due with passion and intensity. they were hit by katrina. they drafted bush and acquired brees. and it was said over and over how much football meant to the city of new orleans. they were offensively talented, no doubt about that. and they had good coaching. but their makeshift LB corp (FA pick ups) and overall defense was exposed in the playoffs. even when we played them, as many will recall and say that we should have beat them.

[b bulldog]

Brees was a great signing for the Saints. The hurricane story was nice but don't forget about the talent that was on the Saints roster. All three were part of the winning formula for the Saints in 06.

[Green Bud Packer]

the drew brees situation was unique for free agency. san diego had to let him go to get rivers on the field . n.o. needed a qb and had the cash.great move for the saints. as far as ted's plan noone outside of the packer front office has a clue. see bretskys"still waiting" thread.

[b bulldog]

Arrigo does, he has insiders

[Bretsky]

yeah and Bretsky how often does a pro-bowl franchise player hit the open market?

I'd argue you could have signed the top 8 free agents this year and they wouldn't have the impact of one Drew Brees.


Brees was not the only free agent signing who immensely helped the Saints last year.; they executed a plan in free agency and it worked

[b bulldog]

Saints had a great year last season, it will be interesting to see how they do this year. They should be solid.

[Bretsky]

And in NO's case, Bush and Coston. Which is what the the league was after when they gave the sucky teams the first picks in the draft. I'm not saying Brees didn't have a ton to do with it, but the FA signings wouldn't have made nearly the difference without the high draft picks and sleeper rookies.

Yes, I know; we were one of the sucky teams.

And Brees was not the only successful free agent signing by NO.

Without the free agents the rookies would not have had nearly the success.

It works both ways

[HarveyWallbangers]

New Orleans didn't just sign Brees either.

Starting QB Drew Brees was a FA acquisition.
Starting LG Jamar Nesbit was a FA acquisition.
Starting C Jeff Faine was acquired in a trade with Cleveland.
Starting TE Mark Campbell was a FA acquisition.
Starting WR Joe Horn was a FA acquisition.

Starting DT Hollis Thomas was acquired in a trade with Philadelphia.
Starting DT Brian Young was a FA acquisition.
Starting LB Scott Fujita was a FA acquisition.
Starting LB Mark Simoneau was a FA acquisition.
Starting LB Scott Shanle was acquired in a trade with Dallas.
Starting CB Mike McKenzie was acquired in a trade with Green Bay.
Starting CB Fred Thomas was a FA acquisition.

That means only 10 of their 22 starters were drafted by them.

[MJZiggy]

Who did NO sign this offseason (not trying to make a point, just can't remember right now)

B, so there was just one team last year helped immensely by FA signings? Or were there more? I know people who don't mind holding off are talking about Wash and Minny, and those who do are talking about NO, but who else is there for examples on each side?

[b bulldog]

The one thing is, is that with Haslet, the Saints were chronic underachievers, even with good players. Payton did a good job as coach and Brees is a very solid QB.

[Green Bud Packer]

just a quick prediction: green bay will win more games than they won last season and n.o. will lose more games than they lost last season.

[SD GB fan]

New Orleans didn't just sign Brees either.

Starting QB Drew Brees was a FA acquisition.
Starting LG Jamar Nesbit was a FA acquisition.
Starting C Jeff Faine was acquired in a trade with Cleveland.
Starting TE Mark Campbell was a FA acquisition.
Starting WR Joe Horn was a FA acquisition.

Starting DT Hollis Thomas was acquired in a trade with Philadelphia.
Starting DT Brian Young was a FA acquisition.
Starting LB Scott Fujita was a FA acquisition.
Starting LB Mark Simoneau was a FA acquisition.
Starting LB Scott Shanle was acquired in a trade with Dallas.
Starting CB Mike McKenzie was acquired in a trade with Green Bay.
Starting CB Fred Thomas was a FA acquisition.

That means only 10 of their 22 starters were drafted by them.

that defense isnt anything special. it was servicable for a while but not a long term answer. they also got rid of joe horn. for all we know, NO could just be a one year wonder with a good coach.

[HarveyWallbangers]

Who did NO sign this offseason (not trying to make a point, just can't remember right now)

TE Eric Johnson (who a lot of us wanted) and LB Brian Simmons. Johnson should replace Campbell. Simmons will likely earn a starting LB spot.

Horn has left for Atlanta. Either draftee Devery Henderson or FA acquisition Terrence Copper will take his spot.

Pretty much the rest of their starters from last year return.

[HarveyWallbangers]

that defense isnt anything special. it was servicable for a while but not a long term answer. they also got rid of joe horn. for all we know, NO could just be a one year wonder with a good coach.

What's your point?

[b bulldog]

Colston and Bush will give them very solid weapons to go alongside Brees. They will be more than a one year wonder but they are not an elite team imo.

[HarveyWallbangers]

B, so there was just one team last year helped immensely by FA signings? Or were there more? I know people who don't mind holding off are talking about Wash and Minny, and those who do are talking about NO, but who else is there for examples on each side?

There were more. Most teams have some FAs. Ideally, you build from the draft, but even the Steelers have dipped into the FA pool to get a James Farrior.

My point is that it's just as silly to think that it's a great plan not to sign any FAs as it is to think that it's a great plan to sign a bunch of FAs. You have to use all methods to acquire players. Some FAs work. Some FAs do. You have to trust your scouts to determine which FAs will help your team and then go out and get them. It's either a failure of your scouting department not to find any FAs that would help or a failure of your GM not to acquire those FAs that would help.

[b bulldog]

IMO, the best plan is to build a strong foundation via the draft and than sprinkle in some needed players via UFA. TT did this last season, this year he hasn't yet.

[Bretsky]

B, so there was just one team last year helped immensely by FA signings? Or were there more? I know people who don't mind holding off are talking about Wash and Minny, and those who do are talking about NO, but who else is there for examples on each side?

There were more. Most teams have some FAs. Ideally, you build from the draft, but even the Steelers have dipped into the FA pool to get a James Farrior.

My point is that it's just as silly to think that it's a great plan not to sign any FAs as it is to think that it's a great plan to sign a bunch of FAs. You have to use all methods to acquire players. Some FAs work. Some FAs do. You have to trust your scouts to determine which FAs will help your team and then go out and get them. It's either a failure of your scouting department not to find any FAs that would help or a failure of your GM not to acquire those FAs that would help.


exactly

[MJZiggy]

There were more. Most teams have some FAs. Ideally, you build from the draft, but even the Steelers have dipped into the FA pool to get a James Farrior.

I know that, but everyone keeps tossing the same three or four teams around to prove their points. I was looking for some fresh ideas.


My point is that it's just as silly to think that it's a great plan not to sign any FAs as it is to think that it's a great plan to sign a bunch of FAs. You have to use all methods to acquire players. Some FAs work. Some FAs do. You have to trust your scouts to determine which FAs will help your team and then go out and get them. It's either a failure of your scouting department not to find any FAs that would help or a failure of your GM not to acquire those FAs that would help. I don't think that anyone's saying it's a great plan not to acquire any FAs. Free agency is far from over, though and I know you're gonna say the best ones are gone, but if it's the scouting department's job to determine which FAs will help, maybe they've done that and they just aren't the guys with the big names. There were over 400 guys on the market at the beginning of the season. Most aren't worth the money, but a few will be and are possibly still on the market somewhere. If they've done their jobs, when the time is right and it works out, they will sign someone.

[HarveyWallbangers]

I don't think that anyone's saying it's a great plan not to acquire any FAs.

No, there are people that act like not signing a single FA is alright. They have no worries about this offseason. They have no worries that most of the useful FAs are gone.

Without researching extensively and off the top of my head, it looks like for last year's playoff teams:

Jets had 3 starting OL, starting DT, starting LB, and starting CB that were FA acquisitions.

Kansas City had starting QB, starting WR, both starting CBs, starting S, starting LB, and both starting DTs that were FA acquisitions.

Dallas had both starting WR, three starting OL, starting NT, starting LB, and starting CB that were FA acquisitions.

Philadelphia, San Diego and Baltimore was mostly built from within.

Chicago mostly built from within, but did have four starting OL, Muhammad, Desmond Clark, and Thomas Jones that were acquired from other teams.

What I think it shows is that you have to draft well, but you can use FAs to build a winner. You can also be a loser with tons of FAs. You can be a winner with few FAs. You can be a loser with few FAs.

There's no blueprint--although drafting well is THE most important thing.

A lot of teams don't have the glaring 5 or 6 needs that we have.

[MJZiggy]

Did any of the teams in your post have seasons with no FA acquisitions? Or none that worked out? Like I said before, I'm not trying to make a point, I am asking questions. I personally have no worries right now. I know we have holes, but I also know that I was reading all summer about people that TT brought in. Some did well others not so much. I know he drafted very well last year. I know some of his picks were starters. I know a couple that were in the running for ROY. I also know that we had a few kids on IR. I know there's a reason he's a GM and I am not. I'm pretty sure he' a better GM than quite a few teams have (cause their teams suck. Yes, Millen, I'm talking to you and your buddy up in Minny too.). I'm sitting back and having a good time watching the Bears implode and waiting to see what TT's gonna do 'cause I know he'll do something. Eventually...

[HarveyWallbangers]

Plenty of teams have done nothing, and it hasn't worked out. See the Arizona Cardinals for many years. Plenty of teams have overspent on every FA out there, and it hasn't worked out. See the Washington Redskins.

[MJZiggy]

See the Arizona Cardinals for many years.

Hah!! That's what I wanted! A different team. (Then again they picked up one of the most coveted agents on the market last year and blew chunks with him, finding out that "they were exactly who we thought they were" in the process.) The entertainment never ends!

[Green Bud Packer]

and blew chunks with him, chunks is my dog and and if i find out denny green is messing with him again he is in big trouble.

[swede]

and blew chunks with him, chunks is my dog and and if i find out denny green is messing with him again he is in big trouble.

Crown his ass!

[Partial]

and blew chunks with him, chunks is my dog and and if i find out denny green is messing with him again he is in big trouble.

Crown his ass!

I think thats part of the problem!! :lol: :lol:

[swede]

I was thinking of joining the "Anti-TT crowd", it's always more fun to bitch, but so far he hasn't paid any stupid money in the FA grab. That's part of doing a good GM job, but it is boring to the fans.

FA and the adding new talent process is only about 30% complete. many of us need to take a chill pill and see how he develops the roster.

Sorry, but it's true. It's a weak FQA crop and the ones that signed got stupid money. Waiting does make sense.

I'll agree except for the fact that Griffith seemed like the right kid for the right money at a position of need.

That bothered me until it came to light that Oakland had some coaching connections from Atlanta that probably sold him on signing with them.

We must be about 45 days away from the draft. I simply have to get used to the fact that that may be the next time we add somebody to the roster.

[LaFours]

What? Can't a girl just have a pic of a cute little ol Polar Bear ? :lol: :twisted: :lol:

It looks like your polar bear just got done eating a smurf.