Thompson's Boners

[Fritz]

Yes, the thread title is a cheap attention-getting scheme.

But for you younger folk out there, the word "boner" used to mean "mistake." And perhaps one could argue that sometimes a boner can be a mistake.

But I digress.

I came across this line in a GBPG article about opposing quarterbacks: "Buffalo Bills starter Trent Edwards threw for 102 yards with two interceptions and a 37.0 passer rating in the 34-7 loss at Green Bay in Week 2. Coach Chan Gailey plans to start Ryan Fitzpatrick this week."

This got me thinking . . . ol' Brian Brohm isn't even the second string QB on a lousy team. And thus it seems to me that he may have been Ted Thompson's greatest draft mistake. A second round whiff.

So who were Ted's biggest boners? (this word also works because you hear people sometimes say things like "Yeah, he had a boner for that player" when a GM sets his sights on a particular player).

To me, Brohm is the biggest blunder, followed by Aaron Rouse (round three) and Pat Lee (round two). Lee will pass Rouse soon if he gets cut when Harris and Bigby come back.

No, I don't count Justin Harrell. The guy flashed talent and the injuries in the NFL he received don't seem related to his college problems. That was just a guy who got hurt a lot. Not a bad pick in my estimation. Nor do I count Terrance Murphy for that same reason. Did anyone know how severe his narrow spine or whatever it was he had really was? I think not.

I also hesitate to count late round guys, who are often just fliers anyway. But if you want to count failed fourth round picks, that list would include Cory Rodgers at the top, followed by Jeremy Thompson and Allen Barbre.

Anyone else?

[billy_oliver880]

Brandon Jackson...I thought he was the answer to our rb issues when we drafted him. He lost his job to Grant who didn't even get drafted. Just a role player.

[Lurker64]

I think Abdul Hodge deserves mention, but Brohm is probably a bigger strikeout.

[packrat]

extending sherman's contract before firing him

[Brandon494]

AJ Hawk... I didn't like the "safe pick" with Hawk at #5 and thought Davis was a better talent and a playmaker Favre really needed at the time. I really believe he would have been a star day one with Favre throwing him the balls and then Rodgers instead of Smith, O'Sullivan, Hill and Dilfer.

[pbmax]

Anti-Polar Bear/Tank would like to remind everyone that had Thompson just drafted Logan Mankins instead of Aaron Rodgers, the Packers would have won 2 Super Bowls by now. Because Logan Mankins=Super Bowl wins. Just look at the Patriots record since they drafted him.

[Lurker64]

AJ Hawk... I didn't like the "safe pick" with Hawk at #5 and thought Davis was a better talent and a playmaker Favre really needed at the time. I really believe he would have been a star day one with Favre throwing him the balls and then Rodgers instead of Smith, O'Sullivan, Hill and Dilfer.

With perfect hindsight, that #5 in 2006 should have been spent on Ngata, not Hawk or Davis. Haloti Ngata is the best player to come out of that draft and he lasted to #12. Plus, if we had taken Ngata, we wouldn't have drafted Harrell whereas if we had taken Davis we wouldn't have taken Finley.

Honestly, I'd rather have Finley than Davis.

[mraynrand]

Anti-Polar Bear/Tank would like to remind everyone that had Thompson just drafted Logan Mankins instead of Aaron Rodgers, the Packers would have won 2 Super Bowls by now. Because Logan Mankins=Super Bowl wins. Just look at the Patriots record since they drafted him.

Tank tells me he likes the title of this thread. To celebrate, I will now play the entire "Ted Trapped in the Closet" Symphony for Strings in C major K.3462.

Biggest Boner for Ted is AJ Hawk. When you draft #5, you have to get an all pro - real difference-maker. In fairness, he makes up for it all over the draft board, selecting probowl talent from multiple rounds.

[mraynrand]

Honestly, I'd rather have Finley than Davis.

agree. Both have that nice size advantage, both can run, but Finley has a fluidity and flexibility (bend) that Davis lacks. Finley has better hands, and my impression is that he runs better routes.

[Joemailman]

Biggest boner was when Ted should have taken Favre back, traded Rodgers to Oakland, and groomed Brohm to take over eventually, but didn't. Being a good Christian, I've found it in my heart to forgive him.

[Fritz]

AJ Hawk... I didn't like the "safe pick" with Hawk at #5 and thought Davis was a better talent and a playmaker Favre really needed at the time. I really believe he would have been a star day one with Favre throwing him the balls and then Rodgers instead of Smith, O'Sullivan, Hill and Dilfer.

I wondered if anyone would mention this. But I don't think Davis has been quite superstar status - not yet. He seems to be great at times but not at others. Ngata was the one star near the top of that draft. Besides which, I don't think Hawk has been as mediocre as people seem to think. He's not a big time playmaker, but he's not really a bust. He's a solid pro. Those are the reasons I didn't include him.

But Abdul Hodge, that's a good one. And I thought that was an awesome pick, too, when Thompson drafted him. Of course, I thought Greg Jennings was a mediocre choice, and I thought James Jones was a nobody.

Good thing I'm not the Packers' GM.

[mraynrand]

AJ Hawk... I didn't like the "safe pick" with Hawk at #5 and thought Davis was a better talent and a playmaker Favre really needed at the time. I really believe he would have been a star day one with Favre throwing him the balls and then Rodgers instead of Smith, O'Sullivan, Hill and Dilfer.

I wondered if anyone would mention this. But I don't think Davis has been quite superstar status - not yet. He seems to be great at times but not at others. Ngata was the one star near the top of that draft. Besides which, I don't think Hawk has been as mediocre as people seem to think. He's not a big time playmaker, but he's not really a bust. He's a solid pro. Those are the reasons I didn't include him.

But Abdul Hodge, that's a good one. And I thought that was an awesome pick, too, when Thompson drafted him. Of course, I thought Greg Jennings was a mediocre choice, and I thought James Jones was a nobody.

Good thing I'm not the Packers' GM.

True that. Besides, we need you right here.

[Brandon494]

Of course I would rather have Ngata but from what I understand it was between drating Hawk and Davis, we went with Hawk. Also we could have still taken Finley, TT is known to take BPA. I do agree if we would have taken Ngata we wouldn't have taken Harrell but that whole 2007 draft sucked as a whole so its not like we would have really gotten someone special. Speaking of that 2007 I still think if the Jets don't trade up to get Revis he would be wearing green and gold.

[Lurker64]

Biggest Boner for Ted is AJ Hawk. When you draft #5, you have to get an all pro - real difference-maker. In fairness, he makes up for it all over the draft board, selecting probowl talent from multiple rounds.

Last 20guys drafted at #5: Eric Berry, Mark Sanchez, Glenn Dorsey, Levi Brown, A. J. Hawk, Cadillac Williams, Sean Taylor, Terrence Newman, Quentin Jammer, LaDainian Tomlinson, Jamal Lewis, Ricky Williams, Curtis Enis, Bryant Westbrook, Cedric Jones, Kerry Collins, Trev Alberts, John Copeland, Terrell Buckley, Todd Lyght.

There's as many guys there who are Hawk's quality or less as there are guys who are or were top flight talent. The draft's a crapshoot no matter where you're picking.

The word on the Hawk pick was "safe and unspectacular" which is pretty much what he's been. Right now we're looking for difference makers, but back then we were mostly looking for guys who belonged in the NFL. Could you have taken a guy who was better there? Sure (Ngata). Could you have taken a guy who was worse? Easily (Huff, Sims, Leinart, for example).

[3irty1]

If draft position and magnitude of bust-ation have equal weight in the boner equation, Brohm has to take the cake. Brohm's talent was simply mis evaluated. He just plain stinks.