MODIFIED EXPECTATIONS OR VIEWPOINTS with the LEGEND GONE

[Bretsky]

Post Favre, I think the TT mentality is a very good fit in Green Bay.

As a fan I've said time after time it's about winning a championship.....nothing less.

That will be my final judgment on TT, as it was with Ron Wolf, Tom Bratz, and Bart Starr as GM's.

With Brett Favre on the roster, it was always my mojo that we should try to win sooner rather than later. To me that was a consistent combo of free agency and the draft. As a GM of Green Bay with Brett Favre, I am still luke warm on TT.

But now that the legendary quarterback has hung his cleats up, the TT methodology would seem to be the perfect rebuilding concept for Green Bay

We may make the playoffs; heck 8 wins might do it in the pathetic NFC North; but its logical to figure we'll take a step back and IMO we're not winning a Super Bowl anytime soon.

We're not hands down the youngest team the NFL with Favre and Rob Davis retiring and it's time for TT to continue to rebuild this squad through the effective stockpling of talent and draft picks.

The best way to make AROD successful is ask him to do less in his early years as he develops and stockpile talent on the defensive side of the ball.

If we choose not to sleepwalk through free agency again, it would seem wise to look at youthful players who will are not yet at their peak.....and if we are signing a starter they should be young and probably not yet in their prime

It may be a few years at best; it may never happen. But to me I think TT is the right GM to have in the Post Brett Favre Era.

Whether TT himself wins a title and his place on the pedastal remains to be seen IMO

[digitaldean]

That's why it's important to get some improvement in the O-line. A-Rod will face 8 man fronts until he consistently proves he can beat the defense. Ryan Grant will only go so far if that line doesn't open the holes.

He played great in the Dallas game. Let's just hope its a trend.

The Packers have a lot of tough games on the schedule.

[Bretsky]

I've looked through the OG's pretty closely; the Titan OG Bell would have been a nice fit IMO as would the Indy OG Scott.

Bell was the better player; he got around 4MIL per year I think.

Scott is young, mobile and improving; IMO he'd be a nice addition

But my expectations are not that high for next year so if TT decides to have faith in the OG's he has and see if they develop into competent and consistent players I'm fine with that now

[RashanGary]

We'll see how it goes. A part of me wishes TT was hired instead of Sherman a few years ago because this team might have made it over the top with Favre, but at the same time he might not have been ready for it either.

Ted's going to have to find a QB. Hopefully it's Rodgers but it doesn't have to be. I will say this; I've watched the Cowboy game three more times in the last couple days. Rodgers has a very strong arm and good feet. He has all of the skills. He was also presured on every drop back. They were coming at him with blitzes on every play and he was sacked, hit or hurried with almost every throw. He didn't flinch. He stood in, made things happen, didn't turn the ball over, he had to pass it more than they ran it because they were behind. He took the team within 3 points of DAllas after Favre spotted them a 17 point lead. He really had a hell of a game. He should have had 2 TD passes but Kuhn was knocked back at the 1/2 yard line. Really, he was impressive. Favre went out and the Packers acctually got better. Circumstance? Sure, probably, but you didn't feel like the team was in bad hands. He looked ready.

I think we have the right coach to develop a QB and everyone knows how I feel about the GM. I think this team is going to be OK. I don't know if they'll win the SB, but I do think Thompson stands a great chance even without Brett. I think the GM is the most important piece to any team. He controls the talent and the talent controls the w/l record.

[HarveyWallbangers]

Re: MODIFIED EXPECTATIONS OR VIEWPOINTS with the LEGEND GONE

With Brett Favre on the roster, it was always my mojo that we should try to win sooner rather than later. To me that was a consistent combo of free agency and the draft. As a GM of Green Bay with Brett Favre, I am still luke warm on TT.

I still don't understand this thinking. The Packers were devastated by the cap when he took over and bottomed out at 4-12 in 2005. We did sign FAs after 2005 and improved in 2006 to 8-8. Then, we took a huge leap. Would we really have done any better if Thompson GM'd like you wanted (ala the Redskins) and tried to buy Favre a championship? I doubt it. That rarely works--especially with a 4-12 team. Maybe Moss would have been the difference. Maybe he would have disappeared in the big games like he's always done and like he did with New England.

I think you just have to admit that Thompson has done a hell of a job. If he did like you said, we very likely wouldn't have won a championship (or at least we wouldn't have had any better chance than we did this year) and our future wouldn't look as bright. We wouldn't have found many of these young kids that now look like they can play.

To say Favre was the reason we went 13-3 is silly too. Favre has been here 16 years, and we only won 13 games three times. They went 13-3 because Thompson reshaped a 4-12 team to 13-3 in two years BY BUILDING THROUGH THE DRAFT. Think about that. That's insane. Now, we actually look like we have a chance in the post-Favre era. Nobody thought we would--including me (and including you, I'm guessing).

[RashanGary]

I'm more worried about LT than I am the OG spots. Cliffy will be turning 32. That position is just too important to be caught with no backup plan like we were with the guards a couple years ago.

CB is also a big need.

After that we could use talent at any position but it's not desperate IMO.

[HarveyWallbangers]

But my expectations are not that high for next year so if TT decides to have faith in the OG's he has and see if they develop into competent and consistent players I'm fine with that now

That's cool. Maybe we can both enjoy the master's work now.

[Merlin]

I disagree that A-Rod played "great" in the Dallas game. I think he played as expected for a backup QB and that isn't good enough. He brought a new dimension in being able to scramble for yards but history will tell you that good QB's in the NFL don't do that very often. He never looked off his primary read and the receivers got open for him to throw to. Previous to this, Rodgers wasn't real accurate or strong with is throws. That part seems to be coming along fine. The ability to get rid of the ball, recognize coverage, and react in an instant? Not Rodgers strong point at this time. If our guard play continues to be as poor as it has been, look for Rodgers to be David Carr II with one exception, he will get knocked out a lot earlier then Carr did.

We have to be realistic here. Rodgers is going to make mistakes. We are going to have to go through growing pains as with any first time starter. The question is, will what he can do well overcome his mistakes. We are bringing in Trent Green, why I have no idea. He isn't starting material anymore and he sure isn't much of a backup with his glass jaw. I don't think he is that great of a mentor either, at least not any better then Favre who we all know never "coached" a backup QB. Making a trade for Quinn would do wonders for our QB situation but that price is too steep IMO.

Rodgers hasn't had competition since he arrived in Green Bay. Ultimately if we do not have someone waiting in the wings to take over for him that he is afraid of taking over for him, we will endure the Randy Wright syndrome all over again. Randy Wright was a backup and then starter for Green Bay with zero competition, look how that turned out. I don't expect Rodgers to be Favre, but after all of the silver spoon treatment he has received, I don't expect to have to live through us putting up with mistakes very long. We need someone in camp who can push for the starting role. I just don't see that happening with Thompson.

I am wary of Aaron Rodgers as a long term solution for Green Bay. Thompson's biggest mistake was never allowing competition for Rodgers position on the team. Ultimately I feel that will come back and bite us in the ass.

[RashanGary]

Spitz - quality starter IMO


We need one more to step up between

Colledge, Coston, Barbre, Palmer, draftpick



OT is trouble though. OT is quickly turning into the same situation as OG three years ago. We really do need to get a backup plan developed soon or it could get ugly.

[RashanGary]

He was pressured more than Brett and made things happen. Say what you will, the game turned in our favor when Rodgers came on the field. It wans't that way before the injury.

That doesn't mean he's better than Favre, but for that day he played better and for all of us that have seen good QB play for many years, there was nothing to be disappointed about.



I don't know what to think of Rodgers. It's way too early, but he did not disappoint at all in that Dallas game.

[Merlin]

Spitz is quality because he can fulfill multiple roles. As a starting guard though, he stinks. He Plays very well at center and if I remember correctly that is his natural position.

[Bretsky]

Re: MODIFIED EXPECTATIONS OR VIEWPOINTS with the LEGEND GONE

With Brett Favre on the roster, it was always my mojo that we should try to win sooner rather than later. To me that was a consistent combo of free agency and the draft. As a GM of Green Bay with Brett Favre, I am still luke warm on TT.

I still don't understand this thinking. The Packers were devastated by the cap when he took over and bottomed out at 4-12 in 2005. We did sign FAs after 2005 and improved in 2006 to 8-8. Then, we took a huge leap. Would we really have done any better if Thompson GM'd like you wanted (ala the Redskins) and tried to buy Favre a championship? I doubt it. That rarely works--especially with a 4-12 team. Maybe Moss would have been the difference. Maybe he would have disappeared in the big games like he's always done and like he did with New England.

I think you just have to admit that Thompson has done a hell of a job. If he did like you said, we very likely wouldn't have won a championship (or at least we wouldn't have had any better chance than we did this year) and our future wouldn't look as bright. We wouldn't have found many of these young kids that now look like they can play.

To say Favre was the reason we went 13-3 is silly too. Favre has been here 16 years, and we only won 13 games three times. They went 13-3 because Thompson reshaped a 4-12 team to 13-3 in two years BY BUILDING THROUGH THE DRAFT. Think about that. That's insane. Now, we actually look like we have a chance in the post-Favre era. Nobody thought we would--including me (and including you, I'm guessing).

Make the Moss deal happen and brining in another OG, via free agency or trade, are really the two places that to me were no brainers. No idea if that means a title or not; I thought we'd have more time with BF.

I give TT a good portion of credit; but the elevated play of BF also cannot be ignored with that 13-3 record.

I do think TT is the right guy now

[Merlin]

I think that Favre carried the offense on his back until we got a running game going. He had some gutty performances early on that attributed to the attitude of this team the rest of the season. He wasn't able to carry the team once the running game failed though and I think that speaks volumes of the daily grind of being an elite NFL QB.

[HarveyWallbangers]

Re: MODIFIED EXPECTATIONS OR VIEWPOINTS with the LEGEND GONE

Make the Moss deal happen and brining in another OG, via free agency or trade, are really the two places that to me were no brainers. No idea if that means a title or not; I thought we'd have more time with BF.

I give TT a good portion of credit; but the elevated play of BF also cannot be ignored with that 13-3 record.

I do think TT is the right guy now

After we finished 8-8, did you even remotely think that Moss (after playing so shitty in Oakland and looking well past his prime) and one OG was going to make this a Super Bowl team? It's easy to say Moss was a no brainer now, but I don't think anybody thought Moss would have his best season ever after his last three bad seasons (he was ineffective and injured in Oakland and his last year in Minnesota). It turned out that way, but as a GM I think it would have been very questionable to take that chance on a player with questionable character on a young team you are trying to rebuild. Definitely not the slam-dunk people are making it out to be. Also, hasn't it been proven since that time that Moss didn't really want to play in Green Bay?

Plus, as a GM you had to know that if Favre did retire, there's no way Moss would have resigned with the Packers. Thus, you're trading a 3rd round pick (James Jones, in this case) for one guaranteed year of Randy Moss' services.

Now, let's talk about the good Thompson did. Everybody critcized him for not trading our pick for Cleveland's pick this year. Brilliant move in hindsight. Trading for Ryan Grant and Donald Lee. Maybe signing Koren Robinson will pay off. Solid drafting. Finding Atari Bigby. Extending guys like Donald Driver, Nick Barnett, and Aaron Kampman. Signing Charles Woodson and Ryan Pickett. Hiring Mike McCarthy.

[HarveyWallbangers]

Bottom line: Ted Thompson not only gave Brett Favre a chance to succeed (in fact, gave him a chance at another Super Bowl) before he retired but also put the Packers in position to have success after Brett did retire. That's pretty damn tough to do.