"TED THOMPSONS FORMULA FOR SUCCESS SIZZLES ""

[pbmax]

some vet backups and 3rd stringers might be nice to have for the vet minimum vs UDFAs picked up off the streets to fill gaps

guys who already know the pro game. sure guys off the practice squad might have been in our system longer, but does that mean they are better then a guy whos played 5 years in the league, but might not know our system as well?

it sure would have been nice once cbs started "getting hurt" (or just plain sucking) to be able to bring in someone who actually knew how to cover someone

Problem is that such an approach is not likely to succeed. One of the positions that people thought was OK for depth was CB. If anything, people were on the lookout for safety help, not CB help. Hayward and House left but you have Shields plus Randall, Gunter, Rollins and Goodson plus the other two prospects.

No one was looking for RB depth in March and April.

What Bob and the others are saying is that a difference maker must be found. But the number of times Woodson, Pickett, Peppers or Cook can be found is infrequent.

I think a bigger problem is the wist conundrum: continual problems with the Packers drafting of D personnel. That plus Capers vet friendly system produce poor results when injury strikes.

[Rutnstrut]

The problem is that TT has been so averse to FA that they are now desperate. If he had done this gradually it would have had a better chance to work. IF he breaks from the norm this year they may sign people that wouldn't work out of desperation. It's always better to buy when you don't desperately need what you are buying.

[vince]

The problem is that TT has been so averse to FA that they are now desperate. If he had done this gradually it would have had a better chance to work. IF he breaks from the norm this year they may sign people that wouldn't work out of desperation. It's always better to buy when you don't desperately need what you are buying.

Huh? Their elite level shutdown corner will likely have his career ended to protect his quality of life against concussion syndrome. I agree that does create a very important void in the roster, but what does that have to do with a historical aversion to FA? There was overwhelming consensus that the roster was deep and talented at corner going into the year.

TT should have spent/potentially wasted significant cap space to sign replacement elite players as insurance policies just in case one of their core elite players sustains a career-ending injury?

I guess they should sign Matt Ryan in case Rodgers goes down. How does that work?

[vince]

Are you trying to 'fritz' free agency?

No I have finally seen the light. In Bob We Trust. You too would be wise to show your faith in the virtue of bold free agent shopping to protect against injury - wherever it may surface (it could be anywhere so you need vet free agents everywhere) - and stand up against the darkside of shrewd cap management and player development for continuous playoff runs. Sell out my brotha! It just feels good - and tomorrow may never come.

[Rutnstrut]

Huh? Their elite level shutdown corner will likely have his career ended to protect his quality of life against concussion syndrome. I agree that does create a very important void in the roster, but what does that have to do with a historical aversion to FA? There was overwhelming consensus that the roster was deep and talented at corner going into the year.

TT should have spent/potentially wasted significant cap space to sign replacement elite players as insurance policies just in case one of their core elite players sustains a career-ending injury?

I guess they should sign Matt Ryan in case Rodgers goes down. How does that work?

There has been large holes in the defense before this year.

[Zool]

Rodgers is better than all of them, besides Manning.

Favre, Archie Manning, Tarkenton, Doug Williams. History is rife with HOF QBs that have 0-1 rings. So either the NFL is extremely tough to win a SB or fans have expectation levels that are unrealistic.

Pugger, your point about the Steelers is the fan base not the team IMO. The Rapist does have 3 SB appearances, but had a much better D. That could be coaching, players or both.

I will agree that the current front office does not have a good track record at drafting D and should at very least bring in some new blood for scouting D. At most, I think they should scrap the current D scheme and try again. It's not working.

I suppose at the end of the day it's Thompsons head on the block as he's the guy in charge, but if you bring in a new guy, who's to say he's not Matt Millen 2.0 and drafts 15 wrs in 3 years.

Be careful what you wish for, you just might get it.

[vince]

There has been large holes in the defense before this year.

You are asserting that the Packers are now "desperate" due to Thompson's "aversion to free agency." I'd say "desperate" is overly dramatic, but aside from that, I don't see the connection between their current situation, free agent activity, and previous years' defensive holes.

Every team has holes. The question is whether those holes actually cost the team or not. This year they did but I fail to see how those past holes related to the current "desperation".

I don't disagree that Doc Jennings and Jerron McMillan were misses as sidekicks to Burnett filling in for Nick Collins' tragic career-ending neck injury, and Brad Jones was a liability at inside linebacker. During that time though, the defense was 11th, 13th and 14th in points allowed - not elite but not a liability either. Plus all those guys have long since been replaced so what's the connection?

Throw 2013 out since Rodgers missed extended time until returning rusty the last regular season game of the year. They still made the playoffs but they had no shot to threaten the Super Bowl and everyone knew that.

So, how have those past holes caused current desperation, and how would previous free agent activity have addressed it? I'm trying to understand.

[Rutnstrut]

You are asserting that the Packers are now "desperate" due to Thompson's "aversion to free agency." I'd say "desperate" is overly dramatic, but aside from that, I don't see the connection between their current situation, free agent activity, and previous years' defensive holes.

Every team has holes. The question is whether those holes actually cost the team or not. This year they did but I fail to see how those past holes related to the current "desperation".

I don't disagree that Doc Jennings and Jerron McMillan were misses as sidekicks to Burnett filling in for Nick Collins' tragic career-ending neck injury, and Brad Jones was a liability at inside linebacker. During that time though, the defense was 11th, 13th and 14th in points allowed - not elite but not a liability either. Plus all those guys have long since been replaced so what's the connection?

Throw 2013 out since Rodgers missed extended time until returning rusty the last regular season game of the year. They still made the playoffs but they had no shot to threaten the Super Bowl and everyone knew that.

So, how have those past holes caused current desperation, and how would previous free agent activity have addressed it? I'm trying to understand.

Some are saying TT MAY explore fA this year. My hope is that IF he does it's not out of desperation and it will be too little too late. There are reports that he is actually realizing that the window with his all world QB is closing fast. Had he not been so stubborn before, they wouldn't need so much at once.

[Rutnstrut]

Favre, Archie Manning, Tarkenton, Doug Williams. History is rife with HOF QBs that have 0-1 rings. So either the NFL is extremely tough to win a SB or fans have expectation levels that are unrealistic.

Pugger, your point about the Steelers is the fan base not the team IMO. The Rapist does have 3 SB appearances, but had a much better D. That could be coaching, players or both.

I will agree that the current front office does not have a good track record at drafting D and should at very least bring in some new blood for scouting D. At most, I think they should scrap the current D scheme and try again. It's not working.

I suppose at the end of the day it's Thompsons head on the block as he's the guy in charge, but if you bring in a new guy, who's to say he's not Matt Millen 2.0 and drafts 15 wrs in 3 years.

Be careful what you wish for, you just might get it.

So you just keep throwing crap at the wall hoping eventually it sticks?

[vince]

Some are saying TT MAY explore fA this year. My hope is that IF he does it's not out of desperation and it will be too little too late. There are reports that he is actually realizing that the window with his all world QB is closing fast. Had he not been so stubborn before, they wouldn't need so much at once.

Maybe he will and maybe he won't. I'd like to see it but as long as the issue (pass defense) gets fixed I don't care how he gets it done.

On a related note, I see you're not interested in connecting any real dots related to your baseless criticisms Rut.

Just how much do you think they need and where?

I guess your right if you think they need vet FA's as insurance policies against unknowable injuries up and down the roster.

Rather than actually figuring out how it works with the cap though (it doesn't) and which young talents you'll need to prematurely give up on (all of them apparently), you're probably safer waiting to see where the rash of injuries actually occur and then blasting Thompson for negligently not signing vets at those specific spots after the fact.

What the hell it works for All-Knowing McGinn. Plus in second-guessing fantasyland, vet free agents are always guaranteed to be cheap and every bit as talented (assuming they had some in the first place) as they were back in their hayday - before whatever it was happened that caused their current team (or every other team in the league if you're scraping your free agents off the street) to no longer want them. There's no sense in being real when fantasy is so much easier.

[pbmax]

Bob's case here would be more believable if he didn't declare them Super Bowl favorites from the NFC each year.

[Pugger]

Favre, Archie Manning, Tarkenton, Doug Williams. History is rife with HOF QBs that have 0-1 rings. So either the NFL is extremely tough to win a SB or fans have expectation levels that are unrealistic.

Pugger, your point about the Steelers is the fan base not the team IMO. The Rapist does have 3 SB appearances, but had a much better D. That could be coaching, players or both.

I will agree that the current front office does not have a good track record at drafting D and should at very least bring in some new blood for scouting D. At most, I think they should scrap the current D scheme and try again. It's not working.

I suppose at the end of the day it's Thompsons head on the block as he's the guy in charge, but if you bring in a new guy, who's to say he's not Matt Millen 2.0 and drafts 15 wrs in 3 years.

Be careful what you wish for, you just might get it.

Yes, I realize I was talking about the Steelers fans and how they are assessing this past season compared to the angst I see by Packers fans here and on the other Packers forums I regularly visit.

[Fritz]

Are you trying to 'fritz' free agency?

"Fritz" as a verb. I like it.

[RashanGary]

Id like to back hand bob right across his big yap. Shut the fuck up, bob. Whap.

[Upnorth]

Id like to back hand bob right across his big yap. Shut the fuck up, bob. Whap.

Fritz him right up! Fritz the hell out of him! (Pretty good verb fritz)