TT is setting up a situation where he HAS TO draft well

[RashanGary]

His first draft is questionable. His second draft looks top notch.

His first year in FA he got nothing. His second year he got a couple pieces.

Now we're looking at his third year. He is doing nothing in free agency but he seems to have kept together all of the young core. The talent within is growing but anyone who thinks we have enough to make the big leap from within is kidding themselves. Sure, the youngest team stands the best chance to grow but there is a ceiling on eveyr young player. We NEED more. If he has a B+/A- draft all worries will disappear. If he has a C-/D+ draft like his first one, we could be in trouble.

Thompson just put alot of pressure on himself to have a good draft. Last season his spoken theme was "Get good football players first." He spoke over and over about not being fooled by #'s and potential but to focus on who has made the most plays *big and small*. With the pressure to hit big, he might make the "potential" mistake. Thompson seems level headed enough to make the right decisions but a part of me is a little worried. We NEED This draft.

[Bretsky]

You are absolutely right Greg; Green Bay has many holes to fill and TT has not used free agency to fill any yet. Not a lot of room for error when you draft when you let that happen.

Since we barely missed the playoffs last year, I thought, mistakingly, that TT would take advantage of having more cap money than almost any team in the NFL and the actually target a couple players and maybe, just maybe trade up once.

But the complete opposite has occurred. And it's very likely TT could once again trade down multiple times and draft for quantity with several holes to fill.

[Scott Campbell]

Since we barely missed the playoffs last year, I thought, mistakingly, that TT would take advantage of having more cap money than almost any team in the NFL and the actually target a couple players and maybe, just maybe trade up once.

Huh? You really thought Tightwad Ted was going to unload a bunch of moola on Free Agents?

I've never gotten any indication that Ted was inclined to spend big on Free Agents. He's doing just what he said he would do.

[The Shadow]

And which draft for an NFL team is NOT needed? NOT crucial?
It seems to me that EVERY draft is crucial in the modern game.

[RashanGary]

I don't think the Patriots need to draft particularly well this year. They should be good for a couple of years either way.

For the long term, yes it is important for all teams.

But I agree Shadow that it is important for every club. I just think the way tT does things, it is that much more important for our team.

[wist43]

I think TT's rigid approach to FA and the cap will ultimately make it difficult, if not impossible, for the Packers to "win it all".

Do any of you think that TT will "overpay" for a guy, even if that guy were the missing piece, and vault us into the role of SB favorite??? I can't ever see that happening.

As a rule, I agree with taking the long view and building thru the draft; however, if a team is ever going to make a run at a championship they will invariably have to fill a hole or two, and they may have to take some chances in FA to get there... I don't think TT will ever do that.

The Favre window is closing, and TT is perfectly content to let the window close w/o really making a serious attempt to "win it all" while he still has a HOF QB under center... do any of you really think that Aaron Rodgers will ever lead this team to a SB???

If TT really believes that Rodgers is a SB calibur QB - he's living in fantasyland.

[Lurker64]

I don't think TT is unwilling for to overpay for a guy who he thinks fills a need in the team. I'm personally of the opinion that he went out and overpaid (thus outbidding the other suitors) Charles Woodson last year because we really had a huge hole at #2 corner.

If TT thinks he has a huge hole to fill, he'll sign somebody. I'm coming to the realization that Thompson just probably doesn't think we have any huge glaring holes where the guys we have on the team at those positions are completely unacceptable as NFL players. We might think differently, but McCarthy and Thompson have seen a lot more of the players than we have and are professional football talent evaluators, among other things, so I'm inclined to trust their opinions.

Keep in mind that the bulk of players in a lot of positions "of need" on this team:
1) Are young.
2) Learned a new scheme last year.

Both of these problems are somewhat ameliorated by the passage of time.

[ahaha]

To throw around money at the loser list of FA's this year just seemed silly to me. This year's crop looked like Plan B free agency. Blah!

[Scott Campbell]

I'm personally of the opinion that he went out and overpaid (thus outbidding the other suitors) Charles Woodson last year because we really had a huge hole at #2 corner.

I think that tells part of the story. He had so much cap space left, and it was so late in the FA period, that he was able to front load that contract and minimize the impact to future cap flexibility. He had to spend that money somewhere, and Woodson happened to be the best remaining candidate.

[Bub]

I think the draft should be to build for the future and to add depth. I think when you put yourself in position where you have to draft based on need(Carrol, Sanders, that POS DE from a few years ago), rather than the best available player you get in trouble. I believe we could have filled a few holes without overpaying. Griffith is a great example. Mcmichael is another. We could have addressed two of our major needs for around 4 mil/yr.

[LL2]

I think TT wants to be seen as a draft Genius. His approach to FA doesn't give himself much choice. I think he has some long term plan, and that plan does not include going to the SB this year.

[Patler]

I'm personally of the opinion that he went out and overpaid (thus outbidding the other suitors) Charles Woodson last year because we really had a huge hole at #2 corner.

I think that tells part of the story. He had so much cap space left, and it was so late in the FA period, that he was able to front load that contract and minimize the impact to future cap flexibility. He had to spend that money somewhere, and Woodson happened to be the best remaining candidate.

Yes, he had money to spend, but he didn't have to spend it then. He had until the last game of the 2006 season to spend it. There were lots of ways to spend it, including signing players to contract extensions during the season and/or signing players to the "phantom" bonuses that push the cap dollars into the next season. In the past some teams have done that with 10% or more of their cap dollars.

[The Shadow]

The Favre window is closing, and TT is perfectly content to let the window close w/o really making a serious attempt to "win it all" while he still has a HOF QB under center... do any of you really think that Aaron Rodgers will ever lead this team to a SB???
If TT really believes that Rodgers is a SB calibur QB - he's living in fantasyland.

1. The Green Bay Packers are not going to win a Super Bowl with Brett Favre for a number of reasons - team rebuilding, his diminished skills, etc. There is no 'Favre window'.
2. Aaron Rodgers has not been given a meaningful stage to allow any of us to properly evaluate him.
3. Instantly creating a championship caliber team is not realistic.
4. Favre can achieve his records while the team matures & Rodgers develops. It's all good.

[wist43]

The only FA I'm upset at not signing, or resigning is Green...

My argument is that the Favre window is closing, and they'll have no shot a winning a SB once he's gone - so, even though their chances of winning a SB while Favre is still here are slim at best - I would argue that a slim chance now, is better than no chance later.

That said, I give TT credit for getting the roster reasonably turned around in just 2 years - even though it is still a pretty weak roster - he took over a pathetic situation, and at least injected enough youthful talent that talking about "winning now" is not akin to insanity - borderline crazy, yes - but not insane.

[wist43]

Post Favre... what we have to look forward to is:

Aaron Rodgers floundering around on the field and in the training room, and a parade of Jeff Garcia's, Jake Plummers, and Trent Dilfers.

Maybe they'll get lucky, ala Tom Brady... maybe Ingle Martin is the guy??? One thing I'm pretty sure of - Aaron Rodgers ain't "the guy".