Who should be the next GM?

[call_me_ishmael]

I also want a list of the marquee FA acquisitions made by Bellicheat, Dorsey, Schneider, and McKenzie (not counting Marshall Newhouse).

I would argue that this is less important than making your depth better and constantly cycling the bottom 40% of the roster as needed to get the best possible players.

BB is the best trader in the NFL though.

Schneider traded for Lynch, brought in Avril and Bennett.

I can't think of Dorsey's trades/signings but he has drafted a lot of speed.

[woodbuck27]

I also want a list of the marquee FA acquisitions made by Bellicheat, Dorsey, Schneider, and McKenzie (not counting Marshall Newhouse).

Are you actually defending Ted Thompson's style of trying to be a decent Packer GM?

I hope not as that would be a fail and all the same moot as he's finally history.

[Joemailman]

If someone is so motivated I would like a list of the top 5 FA's who signed huge money and how their team fared the next 2 years. I think it would be enlightening for many.

Top 8 (those averaging over 10 million per year) free agent signings from 2016:

Josh Norman - Washington - 5 years, 75 million - Washington went 8-7-1 and 7-9

Malik Jackson-Jacksonville - 6 years, 90 million - Jacksonville went 3-13 and 10-6

Olivier Vernon - New York Giants - 5 years, 85 million - Giants went 11-5 and 3-13

Keleche Osemele - Oakland - 5 years, 60 million - Oakland went 12-4 and 6-10

Janoris Jenkins - New York Giants - 5 years, 62 million - Giants went 11-5 and 3-13

Brock Osweiler - Houston - 4 years, 72 million - Houston went 9-7 and 4-12

Sean Smith - Oakland - 4 years, 40 million - Oakland went 12-4 and 6-10

Russell Okung - Denver - 5 years, 53 million - Denver went 9-7 and 5-11

With the exception of Jacksonville, the pattern is initial success that could not be sustained

[Pugger]

We had no one for likely the last 3-5 Seasons.

Didn't you notice that?

Paying attention is challenging.

Why must you be so damn condescending?

[woodbuck27]

Why must you be so damn condescending?

Seriously to keep on top of things takes a real commitment.

That's 'in fact' challenging. At least, I find that's the case.

[Joemailman]

Boy Wonder (Eliot Wolf) and Gutekunst being interviewed today.

[George Cumby]

Seriously to keep on top of things takes a real commitment.

To a nuthouse?

[woodbuck27]

To a nuthouse?

That's not impressive.

I care about the Green Bay Packers and winning Big!

TRUTH is a long ways separated from Myth. TRUTH is backed up with 'clear facts' to support it.

I dig for 'the Facts' and TRUTH and ignore myth's.

Believing Myth's takes little effort.

[George Cumby]

I rest my case.

[gbgary]

geesh...from what i'm seeing on the www it seems Ball has the inside track. can't say i'm thrilled about that. he's a numbers guy. one person called him the closest thing to TT out there. ugh! we need an aggressive, win-now, guy. a guy who knows talent. not a numbers guy. smh

[texaspackerbacker]

Top 8 (those averaging over 10 million per year) free agent signings from 2016:

Josh Norman - Washington - 5 years, 75 million - Washington went 8-7-1 and 7-9

Malik Jackson-Jacksonville - 6 years, 90 million - Jacksonville went 3-13 and 10-6

Olivier Vernon - New York Giants - 5 years, 85 million - Giants went 11-5 and 3-13

Keleche Osemele - Oakland - 5 years, 60 million - Oakland went 12-4 and 6-10

Janoris Jenkins - New York Giants - 5 years, 62 million - Giants went 11-5 and 3-13

Brock Osweiler - Houston - 4 years, 72 million - Houston went 9-7 and 4-12

Sean Smith - Oakland - 4 years, 40 million - Oakland went 12-4 and 6-10

Russell Okung - Denver - 5 years, 53 million - Denver went 9-7 and 5-11

With the exception of Jacksonville, the pattern is initial success that could not be sustained

It's safe to say there were a few other factors in those differences.

[texaspackerbacker]

geesh...from what i'm seeing on the www it seems Ball has the inside track. can't say i'm thrilled about that. he's a numbers guy. one person called him the closest thing to TT out there. ugh! we need an aggressive, win-now, guy. a guy who knows talent. not a numbers guy. smh

Absodamnlutely!!!!

Nothing wrong with knowing the numbers, though - as long as you manipulate them to advantage. A lot of great CEOs started out as accountants.

[Bossman641]

Throwing out some random thoughts

Sure sounds like Ball is the guy, at least if the reports are correct. This will be interesting as he is pretty much a complete unknown. He's certainly worked his way up and everyone who has worked with him has come away impressed. We know literally nothing of his personnel experience though. If promoting him means losing Gutekunst and Wolf I'm not sure it's worth it. Would we be going into FA/the draft without our top 3 evaluators?

Last thought - if Eliot Wolf's name was Eliot Smith I have to imagine people wouldn't feel nearly as strongly about him as they do.

[Bossman641]

One other thing....is Murphy the guy who hired Ari Fleischer? It's good to get outside opinions but between that and now his use of a search firm for the GM, it almost seems like he's unwilling to put himself on the line.

[call_me_ishmael]

@Bossman, eh, I agree a little bit on the name. I think people would be less firmly "wolf", rather more divided between "smith" and "gutekunst".

I think people want a personnel man because the Packers have long talked about how important it was to have a football personnel guy run the football org. Ball would be a departure from that, which as mentioned they have spoken often about how important it was.

Gutekunst and Wolf/Smith both have ties to Harlan regime, which has successfully done this transition before, where as Murphy and his ability to choose someone are unproven.