A Bloggers Reaction: Is Ted Thompson Closing Green Bay’s Window?

[denverYooper]

CLosing the window is what Atlanta is doing this year. If they don't win in the next year or two, they will have to scrap the team and start from scratch.

When you build through the draft, the window is always partially open...because whenever you hit a really good draft, you will be in a position to succeed for awhile.

Amen. Atlanta hasn't won but 2 things - jack and shit. And Jack's getting ready to leave town.

[Packers4Glory]

The window aint shut. THey can still get the parts they need from the draft.

Next yr the window's wide open if they can get a little lucky on the injury front and hope they find an answer at offensive Tackle to go w/ Bulaga.

Walden's role on the defense sucking vs SF can not be understated. They need some smarter play on the other side of Clay.

[Pugger]

Are you sure Pugger?

Maybe just take another day to think about it.

I was being sarcastic. Every year when TT sits on the sidelines in FA while we watch other GMs overpay for other teams' cast-offs we get threads like this. Like King Friday said, as long as we keep building thru the draft and have an elite QB we are in contention. Some think this is saying I'm happy with just Divisional titles. Of course this is silly but you need to be successful in the regular season to get into the post season to have a chance.

[Patler]

I agree with what many of you have written. You keep the window of opportunity open so long as:
- your best players remain at their best.
- you retain young, key players
- you draft well
- you avoid salary cap cliffs
- you retain salary cap flexibility.

The window of opportunity closes when:
- your best players begin their end of career declines
- the roster has no one (even at different positions) to assume the roles of the leaders
- salary cap issues make too many impactful roster decisions for the GM

However, even if the window of opportunity remains open, that doesn't mean a team will be a top contender in a given year. Things have to go right. Sometimes the most significant and the least controllable is the team's attitude, its belief in itself and dedication to do whatever it takes to win.

[woodbuck27]

I was being sarcastic. Every year when TT sits on the sidelines in FA while we watch other GMs overpay for other teams' cast-offs we get threads like this. Like King Friday said, as long as we keep building thru the draft and have an elite QB we are in contention. Some think this is saying I'm happy with just Divisional titles. Of course this is silly but you need to be successful in the regular season to get into the post season to have a chance.

I interpreted your post as mere sarcasm. Possibly that resulting from disgust over how some are posting in this thread.

I believe that in terms of a window closing or closed. We're referring to a realistic shot at winning a Super Bowl. In the NFL that's all that matters to the top players. As a top team winning another Super Bowl should be the primary focus of the Green Bay Packers GM, coaching staff and players. How Ted Thompson gives our team the edge to be more than just a playoff contender.

Ted Thompson's primary focus 'every day', should be to put the Green Bay Packers in a 'truly serious' position to win the Super Bowl. Over the course of the past two seasons his efforts have resulted in lop sided loss's to the GIANTS and 49ers. Of course alot of that wasn't his fault. Both teams went on to play in the Super Bowl. The New York GIANTS winning Super Bowl XLVI.

Do I feel he should be fired for those results? Of course not.

Do I feel his window of winning another Super Bowl as our GM is closing? I certainly do.Why!?

Ted Thompson's putting all of his eggs in one basket this off season. His attention is on the draft. Adding 'a wish and a prayer' in terms of adversity. He had enough CAP space available entering free agency to plug a hole, ie at Safety. He ignored an opportunity to help our team. As Wist43 accurately informs us. We have over the top too many holes to address them all in free agency and to take such action would be faulty.

One more solid player, at one position added to our roster, would have at least offered the hope of help.

No !

Ted Thompson is all in a fret to extend Aaron Rodgers, with two years remaining in his contract, at the cost of the 2013 season and Super Bowl XLVIII !? Why the rush and for what? To make this prediction come true:

On Feb. 2,2014 two teams will compete for Super Bowl XLVIII. None of them will be the Green Bay Packers.

[ThunderDan]

Ted Thompson is all in a fret to extend Aaron Rodgers, with two years remaining in his contract, at the cost of the 2013 season and Super Bowl XLVIII !? Why the rush and for what? To make this prediction come true:

On Feb. 2,2014 two teams will compete for Super Bowl XLVIII. None of them will be the Green Bay Packers.

This thinking is nuts.

The GB Packers (MM, TT and MM) and ARod all know he is bing underpaid by $10,000,000+ a year.

If the Packers don't extend him, Arod has a few choices.
1. Sit out 2014 training camp and sign an extension before reporting
2. Show up for 2014 training camp wait until the season is over and resign with the Pack
3. Show up for 2014 training camp tell the Pack to stuff it that you are leaving after the season because the franchise disrespected him

Athletes are sometimes willing to gamble that they have a great season on a one year contract in hopes of signing the big contract the next year. Those same athletes realize that one hit could end their career and any chance to cash in.

I have a feeling if we don't extend ARod in 2013 we are looking at option 3.

[ThunderDan]

DP

[Bossman641]

As long as Rodgers and CM3 are around the window will always be open. There are so many question marks with injuries right now though that's it hard to know exactly where we stand. Bulaga, Sherrod, Perry, Bishop is more than any team added in free agency this year. If those guys (plus Quarless and Green) come back as solid contributors then we are set. If not, then there is a lot of work to do.

[woodbuck27]

This thinking is nuts.

The GB Packers (MM, TT and MM) and ARod all know he is bing underpaid by $10,000,000+ a year.

If the Packers don't extend him, Arod has a few choices.
1. Sit out 2014 training camp and sign an extension before reporting
2. Show up for 2014 training camp wait until the season is over and resign with the Pack
3. Show up for 2014 training camp tell the Pack to stuff it that you are leaving after the season because the franchise disrespected him

Athletes are sometimes willing to gamble that they have a great season on a one year contract in hopes of signing the big contract the next year. Those same athletes realize that one hit could end their career and any chance to cash in.

I have a feeling if we don't extend ARod in 2013 we are looking at option 3.

The thinking is 'nuts'. Come on......

Please show me one article where we read that Aaron Rodgers (or his agent) is anxious over his contract situation and giving the Packers 'a heads up' or demand to extend him ASAP.

[ThunderDan]

The thinking is 'nuts'. Come on......

Please show me one article where we read that Aaron Rodgers (or his agent) is anxious over his contract situation and giving the Packers 'a heads up' or demand to extend him ASAP.

Aaron was asked if he was going to hold out of the 2013 training camp regarding his contract situation earlier this month. See link below.

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/blog/mike-freeman/21817077/rodgers-doesnt-plan-on-holding-out-if-new-deal-isnt-reached

[woodbuck27]

Aaron was asked if he was going to hold out of the 2013 training camp regarding his contract situation earlier this month. See link below.

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/blog/mi...l-isnt-reached

Yes I read that article this month. Again why is Ted Thompson sitting on so much CAP space? The most common guess on that reason being a new contract for one or more of 'the big three'? To lock one or more of these players up ASAP.

Why is that? At what cost in terms of the Packers prospectus in 2013?

[pbmax]

Its also not going to get any cheaper to sign him than now. While the cap is flat, top level contracts continue to increase in value.

There are no obvious candidates to drive the price up, but Ryan and Stafford are due contracts sooner than Rodgers.

The Packers got a very good deal in 2009 by doing it early. I think they wish to repeat the experience.

I am not convinced we have seen conclusive proof that Rodgers is first in line ahead of Matthews and Raji, but it would be logical. The structure of the deal might impact what they can do for two other Pro Bowl level contracts.

We also don't know what stage they are in as far as discussions. Preliminary? Traded bare bones numbers? PFT had an article that was all headline last week that Rodgers was closer to getting extended than was publicly reported or something to that effect. But the article was a repost of Murphy's comments about how they wanted to get it done and that Ball was working on it and contained nothing new. I think it was SEO by Rodgers.

[woodbuck27]

Its also not going to get any cheaper to sign him than now. While the cap is flat, top level contracts continue to increase in value.

There are no obvious candidates to drive the price up, but Ryan and Stafford are due contracts sooner than Rodgers.

The Packers got a very good deal in 2009 by doing it early. I think they wish to repeat the experience.

I am not convinced we have seen conclusive proof that Rodgers is first in line ahead of Matthews and Raji, but it would be logical. The structure of the deal might impact what they can do for two other Pro Bowl level contracts.

We also don't know what stage they are in as far as discussions. Preliminary? Traded bare bones numbers? PFT had an article that was all headline last week that Rodgers was closer to getting extended than was publicly reported or something to that effect. But the article was a repost of Murphy's comments about how they wanted to get it done and that Ball was working on it and contained nothing new. I think it was SEO by Rodgers.

Now we're getting to it.

The discussion is IMO headed in the right direction to find TRUTH.

Ted Thompson is looking at the cost to lock up Aaron Rodgers. That has become the reason for any priority shift. TT is looking at that as a prerequisite in terms of 'a least cost analysis'.

[Joemailman]

I believe that in terms of a window closing or closed. We're referring to a realistic shot at winning a Super Bowl. In the NFL that's all that matters to the top players. As a top team winning another Super Bowl should be the primary focus of the Green Bay Packers GM, coaching staff and players. How Ted Thompson gives our team the edge to be more than just a playoff contender.

Ted Thompson's primary focus 'every day', should be to put the Green Bay Packers in a 'truly serious' position to win the Super Bowl. Over the course of the past two seasons his efforts have resulted in lop sided loss's to the GIANTS and 49ers. Of course alot of that wasn't his fault. Both teams went on to play in the Super Bowl. The New York GIANTS winning Super Bowl XLVI.

Do I feel he should be fired for those results? Of course not.

Do I feel his window of winning another Super Bowl as our GM is closing? I certainly do.Why!?

Ted Thompson's putting all of his eggs in one basket this off season. His attention is on the draft. Adding 'a wish and a prayer' in terms of adversity. He had enough CAP space available entering free agency to plug a hole, ie at Safety. He ignored an opportunity to help our team. As Wist43 accurately informs us. We have over the top too many holes to address them all in free agency and to take such action would be faulty.

One more solid player, at one position added to our roster, would have at least offered the hope of help.

No !

Ted Thompson is all in a fret to extend Aaron Rodgers, with two years remaining in his contract, at the cost of the 2013 season and Super Bowl XLVIII !? Why the rush and for what? To make this prediction come true:

On Feb. 2,2014 two teams will compete for Super Bowl XLVIII. None of them will be the Green Bay Packers.

Ah yes. The old "Ted Thompson isn't doing enough in free agency to give the Packers a shot at the Super Bowl" argument. In 2009, the Packers were lit up by Warner in the playoffs after being lit up by Favre (twice) and Roethlisberger in the regular season. Surely Ted Thompson needed to sign some key free agents in the offseason to shore up the defense so the Packers would have a shot at the Super bowl. And that's what he did, right? Ummm.....no.

So how did the Packers improve a defense that helped carry them to the Super Bowl in 2010?

Tramon Williams, a former street free agent, stepped up his game and was one of the NFL's top cornerbacks.
Sam Shields, an undrafted free agent, ably replaced Al Harris at CB.
Charlie Peprah, a career backup, ably started 11 games at SS when Morgan Burnett went down.
Desmond Bishop, a career backup and former 6th round pick, replaced an injured Nick Barnett and became one of the teams best players.
Eric Walden was signed off the street and had 2 sacks of Jay Cutler in the playoff clinching win over Chicago.
Howard Green was signed off the street when injuries decimated the d-line and became a force in the middle.

This is what Ted Thompson does. And there are still people who will say the Packers will have no chance at the Super Bowl because he hasn't signed any big free agents. Because that's what they do. Again. And Again. And Again. Oh well.

[Pugger]

Yes I read that article this month. Again why is Ted Thompson sitting on so much CAP space? The most common guess on that reason being a new contract for one or more of 'the big three'? To lock one or more of these players up ASAP.

Why is that? At what cost in terms of the Packers prospectus in 2013?

Because our TWO best players are considerably underpaid compared to their peers and both of them are due extensions pretty darn soon.