This is why it chaps my a$$ with all of the Packer trade

[SudsMcBucky]

I guess I'll just hope you're right about the strategy for THIS year and trust in TT's judgement, since he obviously proved me wrong before.

[Tarlam!]

No shit sherlock. Read what is written and take your blind hatred somewhere else.

It's this type of post, Merlin, that wins you so many friends around here.

[pbmax]

I second this opinion and would like to subscribe to his newsletter.

The other point that's been made about Ted's draft philosophy is the belief that evaluating talent that translates to the NFL is not easy. Just because you pick a guy in round 3 does not mean he's going to be a better player than the player drafted in the 7th. The more picks you have, the better chance of finding NFL talent, not just drafting college talent.

That and it's not like they missed out on a given player by trading down that was any more a sure thing than what they ended up drafting later. For all we know Ted got every player he wanted, but he took them where he could and picked up extra picks instead of taking the same player 10 spots earlier.

[Fritz]

Re: This is why it chaps my a$$ with all of the Packer trade

downs by TT. This article makes a quote that echoes statements I've made about this before. Trade downs are a great strategy when you're trying to build a team and have a lot of holes to fill, but not when you're quite deep at a lot of positions. At that point, you should be picking HIGH level talent. The following comment comes from that article:

"The proof will be in the competition, which starts with a rookie camp this weekend. But one sign of where the Packers stand is that all of the rookies, except perhaps those taken in the first three rounds, are going to have to fight hard to make the team." http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=744290

If the team is so deep at various positions that it will be very difficult for anyone outside the first 3 rounds to make the team, why would you trade down in those first 3 rounds for extra 4-7 round picks, when, in reality, the odds of them making the team aren't great. If you're now trying to build high-end quality depth or just trying to plug a couple of holes, wouldn't your strategy now switch to maybe trading up and giving up those lower round picks, or at least standing pat?

I dunno, maybe that's why I'm not an NFL GM, though.

I think the real reason you're not an NFL GM is because your avatar is two women kissing. You are too easily distracted.

[denverYooper]

Re: This is why it chaps my a$$ with all of the Packer trade

downs by TT. This article makes a quote that echoes statements I've made about this before. Trade downs are a great strategy when you're trying to build a team and have a lot of holes to fill, but not when you're quite deep at a lot of positions. At that point, you should be picking HIGH level talent. The following comment comes from that article:

"The proof will be in the competition, which starts with a rookie camp this weekend. But one sign of where the Packers stand is that all of the rookies, except perhaps those taken in the first three rounds, are going to have to fight hard to make the team." http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=744290

If the team is so deep at various positions that it will be very difficult for anyone outside the first 3 rounds to make the team, why would you trade down in those first 3 rounds for extra 4-7 round picks, when, in reality, the odds of them making the team aren't great. If you're now trying to build high-end quality depth or just trying to plug a couple of holes, wouldn't your strategy now switch to maybe trading up and giving up those lower round picks, or at least standing pat?

I dunno, maybe that's why I'm not an NFL GM, though.

I think the real reason you're not an NFL GM is because your avatar is two women kissing. You are too easily distracted.

I know I was distracted by his avatar.

[oregonpackfan]

In evaluating the depth level of this team, you have to take into consideration the record of last year's team--13-3 for the regular season. Teams with poor depth rarely reach that level of achievement.

Last year's team was one of the youngest in the NFL. Another year's experience to the young veterans improves the quality of the players, thus increasing the depth level.

[SkinBasket]

This shit is really old.

You are absolutely right. As usual, not in the way you intended, but that rarely matters in your case. Yet you keep signing the same tired old tune. At least give us some new shit to work with.

BTW, I'll call Ted today and tell him to get to work drafting you that memo you're demanding regarding his BPA drafting philosophy and formula. He's obviously been a failure at rebuilding and maintaining winning talent on this team and should be held accountable for his slipshod work by explaining himself to you.

Sometimes you're funnier than a wooden spoon to the balls Merlin.

[Patler]

You can argue on BPA but that BPA is who Thompson believes is BPA on his board. That doesn't mean they are the "real" BPA and I will always have contention with Thompson for not clearly defining his blanket BPA statements.

Why? Would any reasonable person assume it to be anything other than his or the Packers collective opinion? Besides, he does qualify his opinions as just that, opinions:

"Sometimes on the second day you're really scrambling, but we felt today we had guys rated (higher) that weren't going and we were surprised," Thompson said. "Sometimes we're going, 'What does everybody else know that we don't know?' But we felt like we were able to add some good solid players today."

"I hope this works out as well," Thompson said. "I didn't even notice we had three picks there. You know you have two twos going in, but once you get in there and do the trade you never know how it's going to work out.

"Hopefully, this will have an effect, too."

"I think 10 picks are better than six picks," said Thompson. ". . . Because if you have 10 picks, you have a better chance, the odds are better."

"It looks like it was better in '06 and '07 than it was in '05, but that happens with time," Thompson said.

For his part, Thompson doesn't specifically grade the personnel he got in the deals as much as he evaluates the decision-making in executing the trades.

"You look at it to make sure you didn't panic or do something illogical in the process," Thompson said. "Now whether the picks really panned out, you don't really worry about that, it's just, 'Did it make sense at the time based on your board?' You're always doing that."

Sounds to me like a guy who realizes it's only his opinion. But, he has confidence in his process, so he is adamant about following it, believing that mistakes are minimized by doing so.

"I think you just have to stick with your basics, and understand and keep reminding yourself that you're looking for good guys, good football players, and stay true to the work that you've put in," Thompson said of his philosophy. "Our guys, our coaching staff, our personnel staff . . . there are a lot of guys that have put in a lot of work, and continue to. We just work hard, try to do the right thing, and keep reminding ourselves what our goal is."

[hoosier]

You can argue on BPA but that BPA is who Thompson believes is BPA on his board. That doesn't mean they are the "real" BPA and I will always have contention with Thompson for not clearly defining his blanket BPA statements.

Why? Would any reasonable person assume it to be anything other than his or the Packers collective opinion? Besides, he does qualify his opinions as just that, opinions:

"Sometimes on the second day you're really scrambling, but we felt today we had guys rated (higher) that weren't going and we were surprised," Thompson said. "Sometimes we're going, 'What does everybody else know that we don't know?' But we felt like we were able to add some good solid players today."

"I hope this works out as well," Thompson said. "I didn't even notice we had three picks there. You know you have two twos going in, but once you get in there and do the trade you never know how it's going to work out.

"Hopefully, this will have an effect, too."

"I think 10 picks are better than six picks," said Thompson. ". . . Because if you have 10 picks, you have a better chance, the odds are better."

"It looks like it was better in '06 and '07 than it was in '05, but that happens with time," Thompson said.

For his part, Thompson doesn't specifically grade the personnel he got in the deals as much as he evaluates the decision-making in executing the trades.

"You look at it to make sure you didn't panic or do something illogical in the process," Thompson said. "Now whether the picks really panned out, you don't really worry about that, it's just, 'Did it make sense at the time based on your board?' You're always doing that."

Sounds to me like a guy who realizes it's only his opinion. But, he has confidence in his process, so he is adamant about following it, believing that mistakes are minimized by doing so.

"I think you just have to stick with your basics, and understand and keep reminding yourself that you're looking for good guys, good football players, and stay true to the work that you've put in," Thompson said of his philosophy. "Our guys, our coaching staff, our personnel staff . . . there are a lot of guys that have put in a lot of work, and continue to. We just work hard, try to do the right thing, and keep reminding ourselves what our goal is."

You would think that a quick look at the last three years would make this kind of discussion unnecessary. Does TT's staff's history with the last three drafts suggest a better than average ability to evaluate talent? Have previous decisions that many fans failed to understand at the moment (such as trading down with NE when that do-nothing WR from Florida was available and taking Jennings instead) been proven over time to be good ones? If so, how can anyone in their right mind argue that Thompson doesn't know what he's talking about when he says BPA?????

[SkinBasket]

If so, how can anyone in their right mind argue that Thompson doesn't know what he's talking about when he says BPA?????

That's where your inquiry fails in this case. You assume too much.

[Partial]

We don't have a lot of depth on our team. At WR, sure but the talent level severely falls off after the top 4-5 WR's.

I'm not too concerned as teams typically keep 5 WR.

We lost a DT and we need a good full time DE and more depth at DE.

You mean like Kampman and Cullen Jenkins, and then solid relief in KGB and the Thompson kid who 3T clearly thinks highly of as he traded up to get him.

We have nothing to back up our LB's & CB's

You mean like Brandon Chillar or Brady Poppinga? What team has 6 startin caliber LB that isn't running a 3-4?!? What about drafting a solid 3rd corner and having Tramon and Will as the 4th and 5th guys?!?

Our offensive line is set at tackle but not even close at guard as we don't have anyone on the team who should be starting at guard in the NFL right now.

I don't think we're set by any means but to make a statement like that is ignorant. Spitz has shown that he is a good player.

We have nothing as far as QB goes and we all know that one TE isn't going to cut it. I think Nelson is a little short for TE but he "looks" solid enough to be a blocker, maybe a few more pounds. He definitely has the speed.

We have Donald Lee, Troy Humprey and now the rook. I'd say we'll be just fine at TE. The rook looks like a game changing receiver.

I was surprised at how many Badgers got drafted because they really had no standout players that graduated. Good football players though.

What Badgers got drafted beyond Hayden and Ikegwuonu? I didn't see much of the draft.

[Partial]

We don't have a lot of depth on our team.

Please name 10 teams with better depth top to bottom in the league...if ours is so damned horrid.

Please name me 10 teams that are younger then ours...

Wait, you can't. End of discussion, now go pick an argument with someone else.

Once again, don't read the entire thread, or hell even what I said in it's entirety. This shit is really old.

Being a veteran team does not mean you're deep. This doesn't make any sense.

[Tarlam!]

Being a veteran team does not mean you're deep. This doesn't make any sense.

Er, what's a "veteran team" ?

[Lurker64]

Being a veteran team does not mean you're deep. This doesn't make any sense.

Er, what's a "veteran team" ?

A veteran team is a team that has had a lot of experience (particularly "playing together" and "in tight games").

A deep team is a team that has a lot of people with NFL caliber talent at most (if not every) position.

You can be a veteran team that's not deep, or a team that's not a veteran team but is deep. You can be a deep and veteran team, or you can be neither.

[Carolina_Packer]

I think Merlin is giving Thompson more credit where he feel he deserves it. He's adjusting to the fact that TT does things his way and has his way, and it's not necessarily bad but different than what others would do. Or perhaps he's seeing that TT's methods are making a positive difference.

I agree with Merlin that TT is taking the best player available according to his board, but see that as kind of like saying, she's the prettiest girl I see. Who else's eyes do I have to see her? It's actually his player personnel and scouting dept. too. He said he was influenced by Lenny McGill's high praise of Jordy Nelson, and you know he depends on his staff to bring him info, like any GM. BPA is implied to mean "according to the team at the time they were chosen". Do they miss badly? Of course. Do they have some nice surprises? Yep. More hits than misses generally makes you good at what you do and if you have a good HC and staff, it translates on the field.

Anyway, I do see Merlin coming around with TT and his methods.