Will Thompson handle the offseason differently this year?

[woodbuck27]

I believe the move with Cory Williams was prudent.

I believe that TT is on a learning curve and he will show us more confidence in his position.

And, slowly the ice begins to crack.

TT ain't on a learning curve..he already had plenty of experience. YOU are on the learning curve.

Hey cracker.

[woodbuck27]

Good stuff man.

I think TT is gonna drop some major bankroll on a a few select player. G, DL, CB and LB is what I think he will be actively pursuing. With the #30 pick he will feel like he is playing with house money and make some risky moves.

He better.

You have been watching 3T all these years right? Has he ever shown he would do anything remotely close to this? I see him trading down because the draft is horrible this year and no one left @ #30 will be worth first round money. Look for him to trade out of the first round and pick up 27 other guys, half of whom make the roster as we continue our push to be the youngest team in the NFL every year.

Seriously though I wouldn't at all be surprised if he traded out of the first for a pile of picks and then kept the cream of the crop. If it ain't broke don't fix it (at least from his perspective) or as he would say "We like who we have here" and "We hope to be successful".

Isn't that 'the TRUTH'.

Some of us ( yet a few ) see it straight up. I'm sure also, that will change if TT does as well (I mean changes or grows). Certainly even now Ted is 'the Golden Boy' on this forum. GOD help anyone that even remotely challenges that.

Bottom line it's this:

PACKERS FOREVER!

[Scott Campbell]

Some of us ( yet a few ) see it straight up.

Geez - more of that false pride from Woodrow. He thinks his view is the only view.

[SkinBasket]

Certainly even now Ted is 'the Golden Boy' on this forum. GOD help anyone that even remotely challenges that.

Bottom line it's this:

WOODY'S CONFUSION FOREVER!

Assembling a team that loses the NFC Championship is an abject failure. We should definitely fire Ted and immediately trade all of our draft picks for Jerry Reese. It's the only solution.

[PackerBlues]

Re: Will Thompson handle the offseason differently this year

If you don't feel Williams was a contributor, that's fine. However, the overwhelming consensus would be directly opposed to that reasoning. Saying he isn't worth $6M a year is one thing...claiming he isn't a contributor is another.

Never said either. Williams was one guy in a rotation of many. Do not try to make him out to be more than what he was, just because a bunch of "talking heads" claimed that he would have been the best DT in Free Agency.

So what is your option for improving the DT position? Who is available that is clearly BETTER than Williams? Who can we draft at pick #30 that will make an immediate impact? How is subtracting Williams, who had 7 sacks the last two years, a way to improve this?

Drama Queen. My opinion from the start, has been that the D-line was not able to pressure opposing QB's worth a fuck. It has also been my opinion that Williams, having been a part of that same D-line, was not anything special, as you are trying to make him out to be.

Plenty strong? You just got done telling us how you loathe our inability to collapse the pocket consistently. Then you turn around and claim we would be "plenty strong" without Williams, who was the one guy who seems capable of collapsing the pocket from the DT position.

Well? Which is it?

Plenty Strong........Picket is a starter at DT. Jenkins has shown enough to be a starter at DT or De. Harrell was a fucking first round draft pick and should by now be able to start at DT. Then there was also Jolly and Muir. How many damned starters do you think a team needs at that position?

While I am content with whatever decisions Thompson makes, I am still entitled to my opinions. I don't think that Williams was worth the franchise tag. My thinking is that even with Williams last season, our D-line never looked like anything special. So, IMO, why waste that kind of money on Williams? There are a number of other ways to improve the team, or at the very least to add depth. I do not feel the need to question who out there would have been a better option in comparison to Williams. I question why there was any assumption that the team even needed him. He is not exactly an upgrade, and losing him did not seem like that big of a deal.........so did the Packers just Franchise Williams just for added depth? That $6 Million could have been used in a lot of other ways.

Why does this sound like the same damned argument that we all had in regards to weather or not Harrell was worthy of being a 1'st round draft pick?

[GrnBay007]

Alan Faneca to Packers?

Next up is the start of free agency on Friday. It will be interesting to see what kind of dollars Lance Briggs, Alan Faneca and Asante Samuel command. Randy Moss is expected to stay with New England. There aren't a lot of quality free agents on the board and there are teams with a ton of salary cap space to burn. The result will be some astounding deals. I'll predict Samuel to the New York Jets, Briggs to the San Francisco 49ers (even though SF didn't get a big return on its heavy spending last year) and Faneca to the Green Bay Packers (one last enticement for Brett Favre to return) -- Washington Times

--Ryan O'Halloran

http://video1.washingtontimes.com/redskins/2008/02/combine_day_34_wrap_ryan_ohall.html

[b bulldog]

The jets suppossedly are willing to pay big bucks for Faneca

[Bretsky]

Alan Faneca to Packers?



It'd take serious $$ and some solid competition to land this guy IMO

[The Shadow]

Some of us ( yet a few ) see it straight up.

Geez - more of that false pride from Woodrow. He thinks his view is the only view.

.................................................. ..................................
I'd bet that whatever he is currently looking at is NOT 'straight up!'

[b bulldog]

I agree B, never going to happen. I guess the Saints are real interested in Samuel. I think the Saints could be a team to be reckoned with if they make a few moves and they can stay healthy. McCallister will be the key for them next year as he always is.

[PackerBlues]

Re: Will Thompson handle the offseason differently this year

Last off-season, I was one of the biggest complainers when it comes to how Thompson was doing his job. I wanted to see Moss in Green and Gold (for Favre's sake, if for no other reason), and I wanted to see a veteran RB and perhaps TE signed, and also a veteran guard. None of that happened though, and the Packers still managed to go 13-3. Do I feel like a dumbass for all of my complaining? In all honesty, yes, a little. But, Moss did end up setting an NFL record for TD's in a season, the Packers had no run game until Grant showed up around week six, Bubba was not much of a factor at all, and M3 played "musical guards" (rotating) all season long.


It does not look like the Packers will lose any of their more talented players in the off-season. I could see KGB getting cut because of his high salary, and Williams may hit the road if Thompson does not put a tender on him or hit him with the franchise tag (not likely), but otherwise this team already looks to be in great shape going into next season.


So, my question is, will Thompson approach the off-season differently this year? Will having the 30'th pick overall, with no real pressing needs at any one position cause him to change the way he does things in comparison to previous off-seasons?


On Offense:


QB.......... Rogers should have enough knowledge of the system by now to take over for Favre if needed. So, IMO, QB is not a problem position.

WR..........Short of signing Moss or Chad Johnson, I don't know if you really could do much to improve this position.

RB..........Grant is our guy, and Wynn showed just enough to hold onto. We have depth at the position, and an upgrade from what we have now would be a suprise.

FB..........IMO, the only way this position gets upgraded would be through free agency. Sure we could draft a FB if he is the "best player available", but not very likely. I think it's more likely that the Packers will go with what they have at FB.

TE..........Short of trading for Jeremy Shockey, I don't know that this position is in need of an upgrade. Thompson was comfortable going into last season with what we had, but perhaps he may want to rethink Bubba's importance to the team, he showed flashes of his old self......inbetween injuries anyway.

OT..........Clifton and Tauscher are both still playing great, but they are both getting up there in years. Not a position to worry about just yet....

OG..........I think Favre made these guys look better than they were, simply by getting rid of the ball quickly, and avoiding the sack. Personally, IMO, these guys played like shit! It was bad enough to watch the pocket collapse as easily as it did, but these guys should have been embarrassed by their performance week to week. This is a position that I would love to see upgraded via Free Agency, short of that, would another rookie have as much value as opposed to just being patient with what we have?


Defense:


DE..........Kampman is playing the position as good as anyone in the game. I just do not think that KGB is worth what he is getting paid, as a situational player (pass rusher). Considering KGB's salary, I would not be suprised to see him cut (unless he restructures his contract). Is there a better Free Agent DE out there though?

DT..........Picket is the man, and Williams is probably as good as gone. I think Jenkins has great potential, and who really knows about Harrell yet. All I know, is that our D-line did not come close to putting pressure on the opposing QB in the games that we needed to see it. If this positon can be improved through Free Agency, I really hope that Thompson opens up his wallet and spends if he has to.

CB..........Woodson and Harris are both getting a little long in the tooth. Harris looked like complete shit against Burress in the playoffs. I do not think this position needs immediate upgrading, but it sure as hell would not hurt to look to the future via the draft if the right guy is available.

LB..........Barnett and Hawk are great. IMO, Poppinga is a meathead. The packers could use an upgrade at the position, preferably someone who can play in pass coverage. Again though as with many other positions on the team, it is not very pressing to replace Poppinga, it would be nice to though.

S..........Nick Collins and Atari Bigby look to be doing ok. I do not see this as a position that needs improving all that badly.


The Packers have a few players who will eventually have to be replaced due to their age......these same guys also happen to still be playing at a pro-bowl level, so there should not be any big rush to replace them. The young guys for the most part are playing great football. So, it seems like no one single position is in need of an upgrade any more so than any other position. So, if you buy into that, and taking into consideration the Packers position in the draft at #30............do you think that Thompson will do things differently this offseason?

Things have not changed much over a years time.

Anyone know what the cap space is this year? Not that it should matter, but the last I heard, Thompson has the Packers approx. 35 million under the cap.

[Gunakor]

Re: Will Thompson handle the offseason differently this year

Last off-season, I was one of the biggest complainers when it comes to how Thompson was doing his job. I wanted to see Moss in Green and Gold (for Favre's sake, if for no other reason), and I wanted to see a veteran RB and perhaps TE signed, and also a veteran guard. None of that happened though, and the Packers still managed to go 13-3. Do I feel like a dumbass for all of my complaining? In all honesty, yes, a little. But, Moss did end up setting an NFL record for TD's in a season, the Packers had no run game until Grant showed up around week six, Bubba was not much of a factor at all, and M3 played "musical guards" (rotating) all season long.


It does not look like the Packers will lose any of their more talented players in the off-season. I could see KGB getting cut because of his high salary, and Williams may hit the road if Thompson does not put a tender on him or hit him with the franchise tag (not likely), but otherwise this team already looks to be in great shape going into next season.


So, my question is, will Thompson approach the off-season differently this year? Will having the 30'th pick overall, with no real pressing needs at any one position cause him to change the way he does things in comparison to previous off-seasons?


On Offense:


QB.......... Rogers should have enough knowledge of the system by now to take over for Favre if needed. So, IMO, QB is not a problem position.

WR..........Short of signing Moss or Chad Johnson, I don't know if you really could do much to improve this position.

RB..........Grant is our guy, and Wynn showed just enough to hold onto. We have depth at the position, and an upgrade from what we have now would be a suprise.

FB..........IMO, the only way this position gets upgraded would be through free agency. Sure we could draft a FB if he is the "best player available", but not very likely. I think it's more likely that the Packers will go with what they have at FB.

TE..........Short of trading for Jeremy Shockey, I don't know that this position is in need of an upgrade. Thompson was comfortable going into last season with what we had, but perhaps he may want to rethink Bubba's importance to the team, he showed flashes of his old self......inbetween injuries anyway.

OT..........Clifton and Tauscher are both still playing great, but they are both getting up there in years. Not a position to worry about just yet....

OG..........I think Favre made these guys look better than they were, simply by getting rid of the ball quickly, and avoiding the sack. Personally, IMO, these guys played like shit! It was bad enough to watch the pocket collapse as easily as it did, but these guys should have been embarrassed by their performance week to week. This is a position that I would love to see upgraded via Free Agency, short of that, would another rookie have as much value as opposed to just being patient with what we have?


Defense:


DE..........Kampman is playing the position as good as anyone in the game. I just do not think that KGB is worth what he is getting paid, as a situational player (pass rusher). Considering KGB's salary, I would not be suprised to see him cut (unless he restructures his contract). Is there a better Free Agent DE out there though?

DT..........Picket is the man, and Williams is probably as good as gone. I think Jenkins has great potential, and who really knows about Harrell yet. All I know, is that our D-line did not come close to putting pressure on the opposing QB in the games that we needed to see it. If this positon can be improved through Free Agency, I really hope that Thompson opens up his wallet and spends if he has to.

CB..........Woodson and Harris are both getting a little long in the tooth. Harris looked like complete shit against Burress in the playoffs. I do not think this position needs immediate upgrading, but it sure as hell would not hurt to look to the future via the draft if the right guy is available.

LB..........Barnett and Hawk are great. IMO, Poppinga is a meathead. The packers could use an upgrade at the position, preferably someone who can play in pass coverage. Again though as with many other positions on the team, it is not very pressing to replace Poppinga, it would be nice to though.

S..........Nick Collins and Atari Bigby look to be doing ok. I do not see this as a position that needs improving all that badly.


The Packers have a few players who will eventually have to be replaced due to their age......these same guys also happen to still be playing at a pro-bowl level, so there should not be any big rush to replace them. The young guys for the most part are playing great football. So, it seems like no one single position is in need of an upgrade any more so than any other position. So, if you buy into that, and taking into consideration the Packers position in the draft at #30............do you think that Thompson will do things differently this offseason?

Things have not changed much over a years time.

Anyone know what the cap space is this year? Not that it should matter, but the last I heard, Thompson has the Packers approx. 35 million under the cap.

Things are a little different. OT has become a position which IMO needs an immediate upgrade now. And at OG, Josh Sitton has appeared to perhaps be worth the pick. Daryn Colledge has become borderline starting caliber, which implies that he's continuing to improve. I think he'll be solid soon enough.

I think our LB's are fine with Chillar, Barnett and Hawk in a 4-3 (should we be running a 4-3 in 2009). I like Bishop and Poppinga as primary backups to those starters. I don't think any changes are needed there at all, to be honest. At safety, I'd like to see them ditch Peprah and sign/draft another hard hitting SS in case Bigby doesn't return to 2007 form. I don't want to see Woodson back there if he's healthy enough to play press coverage on the corner ever again, and Rouse has had health issues.

Other than that, he's picking at #9 this year not #30, which by itself tells me that Thompson is going to do things differently this go around. Any GM worth his salary knows that when you go from #30 to #9 on the draft board in one year's time something has to be done differently. DL and OT seem to be the most glaring holes right now, and I'm certain he'll get something done to address that.