Thompson Gaffes Contribute To Down Year

[sharpe1027]

Ted Thompson. This is a man that was suposed to be the drafting genious. Look at the results he has shown over the last three year as our teams first picks . Good grief.

I know its with a hope and a prayer when any College player moves into the NFL but I see 0-3 the last three seasons for TT's first pick in the three drafts.

0-3? Interesting way to look at it. I would say 2-3. You have two full-time starters, one of which had one of the best first-year starting stats of any QB ever. The other has been starting since day one of his career. Sure you can argue that Hawk is not an all-pro, but anytime you get a guy that looks like a starter for your next 8 years, don't complain.

[bobblehead]

Re: Article

The article was pretty accurate- that is for those of us who like FACTS. For the others who live with blinders on or love to make excuses, I can see why they would dis-agree. Also, for the record, Vandy has been one of TT's biggest supporters. It's just a case of someone having enough class to realize they were wrong in light of OVER-WHELMING evidence.

It's kind of ironic how the Thompson crowd here follows their leaders motto. Never take responsibility or admit being wrong even when the facts prove other-wise. Just keep blowing smoke up everyone's ass and hope for the best.

You realize that if our kicker can make a 52 yarder indoors off turf and then another much shorter one in chicago we are 8-8 despite the problems right?? I didn't read the article, but it doesn't matter. TT has been a fricking good GM. Perfect?? Of course not.

My only big gripe with TT and MM is that the mantra of everyone being accountable and fighting for the job has slipped away as the roster is filled with their guys. I think a benching of Grant early on would have helped, and I think Clifton should have sat a bit more pine early as well. On defense they did try to move guys around to improve production, but injuries were hell.

The NFL comes down to a handful of things that are key. QB play, LT play, and DL play. In rebuilding the roster we are in some trouble with DL play and potentially LT play. We can fix some of that this year. With the 9 pick I almost garauntee a LT or DL. I think we will be in the running for any premier DL that gets to FA.

I am reasonably sure we win at least 10 games next season and maybe as many as 13 again. I'll have a lot of fun in the offseason threads predicting what we will do, and what we need.

[bobblehead]

3) Jenkins could have been the terror he was in the 2007 preseason, as he plays most of the year relatively healthy.

As I'm sure you have read, I don't like Ted's approach with Jenkins at all. The guy hasn't shown that he can play effectively when nicked up, and he has been an injury in waiting for most of his short career.

When was he a terror last year? Surely in preseason, and even early in the regular season, but all the reports that I've read have stated that the coaches were dissapointed in him, and wanted him to become "tougher" and learn to play better when nicked up.

He really didn't play great last year. Certainly he was a huge improvement over the turnstyle KGB, but he did only have 1 sack, and I can't find his hurries stats. I believe he was 3rd or 4th behind KGB and Kampman, and possibly even Williams. Can anyone find the exact numbers?

I really feel like Jenkins gets a lot more credit than due for 2007. There is no denying the talent is there. Dude was unbelievably and looked like the second coming in preseason. But so far the regular season production isnt matching his potential by any stretch of the imagination.

Really good post partial, and great new avatar too. Jenkins has immense talent and moves like a little guy in a 300+ body...but until he stays healthy is nothing more than a tease.

[Lurker64]

0-3? Interesting way to look at it. I would say 2-3. You have two full-time starters, one of which had one of the best first-year starting stats of any QB ever. The other has been starting since day one of his career. Sure you can argue that Hawk is not an all-pro, but anytime you get a guy that looks like a starter for your next 8 years, don't complain.

Yeah, Rodgers and Hawk are definitely keepers. Harrell is looking like a bust, but that ship has not yet sailed. Nelson, though not a first round pick, is looking to be a receiver who (though not a superstar) is one of those really valuable guys who does the hard, nasty stuff, which is fine because we have our superstar receiver (Jennings), and you don't need a whole stable of superstar receivers.

So in the first round, I'd say Thompson is 2-1-1 (the last one is for 'not picking in the first')

[rbaloha1]

First, TT was fortunate AR lasted the season. A veteran qb should have been signed.

This was not a miscalculation. This was a calculated risk that panned out for Thompson. I'm not sure what there is to complain about. Other than possibly the Tampa game, what would having a journeyman veteran accomplished this year?

The point is TT was lucky. To assume A-Rod is able to play the full season was downright luck.

The two rookie qbs were clearly unready. Maybe a veteran qb would have helped A-Rod in the last 2 minutes.

Next season hopefully BB or MF emerges. If not, a veteran qb should be signed.

[rbaloha1]

[[/quote]I disagree about Hodge. Releasing a player who basically did nothing is not a mistake.[/quote]

Hodge lb play and ability to play special teams warranted a roster spot over Tracy White. Hopefully Danny L turns out to be someone able to contribute on defense.

[Lurker64]

The point is TT was lucky. To assume A-Rod is able to play the full season was downright luck.

Was it lucky? Don't most starting quarterbacks who play well, play the entire season, in an average season?

Short of specific major injuries or "running QBs" how often do you hear of a good young QB missing a game due to injury? I mean, it's possible that Rodgers could have torn an ACL like Brady and he'd be out for the year, but most QBs don't suffer torn ACLs in a given year. At most one or two do.

[sharpe1027]

The point is TT was lucky. To assume A-Rod is able to play the full season was downright luck.

The two rookie qbs were clearly unready. Maybe a veteran qb would have helped A-Rod in the last 2 minutes.

Next season hopefully BB or MF emerges. If not, a veteran qb should be signed.

According to some, he should have "known" that Harrell and Jenkins were going to get hurt, but yet he was "lucky" that Rodgers didn't get hurt? No way to win with that logic...

[rbaloha1]

Fifth, releasing Abdul Hodge. Maybe Hodge and Bishop on the field together have more impact than the overrated Hawk.

There's times when you read stuff like this and shake your head. Then there's times when you gotta believe there's a brain tumor involved. This is one of the later.

Hawk was drafted at #5 to be an impact player like Urlacher. IMO Hawk's play does not match the draft selection.

Recall Moss called out Hawk. Recall Bishop in one half had almost the same amount of impact plays as Hawk for a season! The lb play was extremely average and more than likely Bishop and Hodge would have played better than Hawk. Even TT recently said he was puzzled by Hawk.

HAWK SHOULD NOT BE RESIGNED!

[mission]

[

I disagree about Hodge. Releasing a player who basically did nothing is not a mistake.[/quote]

Hodge lb play and ability to play special teams warranted a roster spot over Tracy White. Hopefully Danny L turns out to be someone able to contribute on defense.[/quote]

Tracy White is head and shoulders above Hodge on STs and maybe only a sliver behind him at LB, although that's arguable.

[rbaloha1]

TT was supposed to cut KGB before the season when he had not yet even turned 31 years old at the start of the season, because in 2007:
-he had his best year since 2004?
-he was 1st on the team in "pressures" per snap?
-he was 2nd on the team in sacks, 17th in the NFL, a half sack behind Tuck?
-he was second on the team in total knockdowns?
-he was second on the team in hurries?
-he had had what was expected to be a minor procedure to clean-up his knee?

Based on all those things, TT was supposed to know that KGB's performance would fall of a cliff, from very good in 2007 to nothing at all in 2008?

I suppose he should have known enough not to lose any money in the stock market either?

TT is responsible for all the player movements, I agree, but some things that don't work out are not necessarily a mistake. How angry would fans have been if KGB rehabbed a couple more weeks, signed with another team, then duplicated his 2007 performance? Based on his performance in 2007, unless medical reports were very negative, I can't fault TT a whole lot for taking a chance on KGB coming around part way into the 2008 season.

Good point. KGB was a tough one especially when no displayed the ability to replace KGB.










. His skills were declining

[rbaloha1]

Fourth, signing BP to a long term contract was a bad decision. The guy may not even be start next season. Should be groomed a pass rushing specialist and special teamer period.

They can release him and avoid much of the money in the contract.
They paid him $3 million more this year than they would have under his original contract, and for that the secured another 4 years in which they have the option to keep him at fixed prices, or cut him to avoid the costs. Any year they decide he is not worth what they will have to pay him that year, they can release him with very little cap impact because most of the money came out of the 2008 salary cap..

Good point. Still imo a waste of $.

[rbaloha1]

The point is TT was lucky. To assume A-Rod is able to play the full season was downright luck.

The two rookie qbs were clearly unready. Maybe a veteran qb would have helped A-Rod in the last 2 minutes.

Next season hopefully BB or MF emerges. If not, a veteran qb should be signed.

According to some, he should have "known" that Harrell and Jenkins were going to get hurt, but yet he was "lucky" that Rodgers didn't get hurt? No way to win with that logic...

How many qbs last the entire season? At the start of the season there was adequate depth at dt. There is absolutely no way TT is at fault for the injuries?

At qb was there adequate depth?

[Patler]

First, TT was fortunate AR lasted the season. A veteran qb should have been signed.

This was not a miscalculation. This was a calculated risk that panned out for Thompson. I'm not sure what there is to complain about. Other than possibly the Tampa game, what would having a journeyman veteran accomplished this year?

The point is TT was lucky. To assume A-Rod is able to play the full season was downright luck.

The two rookie qbs were clearly unready. Maybe a veteran qb would have helped A-Rod in the last 2 minutes.

Next season hopefully BB or MF emerges. If not, a veteran qb should be signed.

So when TT is wrong about something he is incompetent;
but when he is right about something he is just "lucky"?

[Lurker64]

How many qbs last the entire season?

Looking at 2008 stats for QBs: Roethlisberger, Warner, Manning, Rivers, McNabb, Flacco, Ryan, Pennington, Rodgers, Eli Manning, Cutler, Delhomme, Campbell, Garrard, and Favre all had 16 starts.

Kerry Collins and Matt Cassell came in due to injuries to the annointed starters and started 15 games each.

Kansas City, San Francisco, Detroit, Cleveland, and Minnesota all had unsettled QB positions due to the lack of a clear starter. Jamarcus Russell, Kyle Orton, and Mark Bulger each missed one game due to injury; Trent Edwards missed 2; Tony Romo missed 3.

As far as I know the only QBs to miss more than 3 games due to injury this year were: Tom Brady, Matt Schaub, Carson Palmer, and Hasselbeck.

So in answer to your question, most QBs play at least 15 games if they prove competent to start.