Favre or No Favre? Ted Thompson or No Ted Thompson?

[RashanGary]

I think Jolly stands a better chance to become good than Cole. Cole is what he is and that is pretty crappy. Jolly was a rookie at a position that requires a lot of strength. It's hard for rookie DT's to play right away.

Even if Jolly passes Cole and becomes a pretty good DT, it's still nice to have 4 good ones. Every line has 3 starting DT's or 3 guys who play starter minutes. The top 3 will play most snaps when everyone is healthy. Fact is, DT rotations are rarely healhty all year long so IF Jolly steps up he'll still be used quite a bit.

Also, in the redzone we also have Harrell and Corey Williams who can play DE. We could reasonably go with Harrell, Jolly, Pickett, Williams with a blitzing LB just in case it is a pass so they don't have all day.

If you consider the difference between Jolly and Cole playing 65% of the DT snaps and Harrell, you get impact where you had mediocrity. If you consider how much better we are with one common injury, you get impact instead of a glaring hole. If you consider having a guy that you think is a true stud in place of a guy who you think is a big drop off at a needed position then I think you made a pretty good decision at the end of the day.

[HarveyWallbangers]

Cole isn't that bad. There are worse guys you can have in a rotation. It's not like they are counting on him to play starter's minutes. He's had his moments.

[pbmax]

My concern with Cole is that while he seems to have a nose for the ball and can move, he regularly gets bulldozed by the double-teams.

That;s one of the reasons I was happy about the emergence of Williams at the end of last year. He seemed far stouter against the double-team.

Cole isn't that bad. There are worse guys you can have in a rotation. It's not like they are counting on him to play starter's minutes. He's had his moments.

[Merlin]

"Do I blame Favre for wanting to be traded? No, not at all. In fact I think it lends a lot of creditability to what I have speculated all along, Thompson doesn't want Favre."

I thought someone might say this. But if Thompson really didn't want Favre around, wouldn't he have jumped on this and traded Favre, claiming he wanted to honor the future Hall of Famer's wishes? It would be the perfect scenario for all you conspiracy theorists - TT gets his secret desire to be rid of Favre while pretending he didn't really want to do it, but only did so out of respect for the great QB. But TT didn't do that.

So Merlin, in my estimation the opposite of what you say is true. This whole flap actually undermines the claim of those who somehow think that what's behind all this is TT's fervent desire to get rid of Brett Favre.

No, it isn't the opposite. Thompson doesn't want to be the "guy who ran Favre out of town". He wants Favre to leave on his own. The problem? TT has been exposed.

Well, I disagree Merlin. Had Favre actually asked for a trade, it would have been TT doing the "right thing" by honoring the future HOF's request. This way it would have been TT NOT running Favre out of town, but simply acceding to Favre's request.

I wish I could agree with you but I don't believe for one second that TT will let anyone tell him how to run the Packers. He would hang onto him by saying how much he is wanted, blah blah blah. If he did agree to a trade, he would have asked for too much to make a trade possible thus keeping him in Green Bay and forcing retirement.

[woodbuck27]

Merlin, not sure where all the thoughts of TT's ego are founded. He simply has a plan and a method which he believes so strongly in that he doesn't waver from it.

Was Thompson known as an egomaniac in Seattle? Does he seek out attention as the Packer's GM? The guy is quiet and confident - does that automatically suggest arrogance??

TT has been a GM in the NFL and as our current GM I expect him to have the skills and demeanor to rebuild this organization.

In this day and age, NFL teams are like the tide with high points and low points. Given the shape of our roster due to age and lack of depth I see merit in Thompson's approach. Whether the players drafted are poor, average or solid starters still remains to be seen in just TT's third year as GM.

Would I rather have an impulsive GM like Sherman or calulate the odds and show no emotion poker player like TT as a GM? Obviously based on my defense of TT I'm for the latter.

The whole odd thing about all these recent postings is that I really don't care for TT the person. I rue the day I won't get to see Brett take the snaps under center for the Packers. But as a GM I feel that TT is doing what he believes as right for the organization and I have to believe that he has all the skills and tools to make those decisions that I as a fan can't.

Bottom line, I don't believe ego is what makes TT tick. Confidence about a plan he believes in (to his success or failure) does.

Nice post.

TT has a one pronged approach to re-building at the present and it does appear as if he is concentrating on 'D' first andn as a general approach I can't disagree with that.

He is re-tooling our OL and DL and that is as must be expected.

He doesn't put much hope in FAcy and we really don't have alot that is tradeable.

Yet my bitch on him comes fr. the way he allowed our 'O' to be further weakened this off season, with no proactive approach to making mends there.

He clearly failed our team in that regard. Drafting players on 'O' just doesn't answer the need for 2007. How long does it take for the best WR's drafted to develop? For drafted RB's and TE's? Check that out.

Thus Brett Favre is justifiably IMO more than annoyed.

If any members here would be honest and place themselves in Favre's place. Would you be happy with TT's efforts this off season?

All you who may take the stance that Favre should simply report and take another $12 million and shut his trap are certainly ignorant of what he is as a man and a PRO.

[Spaulding]

Thanks Woodbuck. I agree with you in that I don't blame Favre one bit for being frustrated by TT's FA signings. His draft from year in regards to Jackson, Jones, Clowney is still unknown and taking a WR in the first round still likely wouldn't have helped the team much this year due the learning curve.

I do have a problem with Favre though in complaining to the media. As the leader of the Packer I expect more from him. Guess that comes from my military background but you lead by example and him bitching to the media is not the answer.

I want to see Brett play for the Packers this year and longer if things go well. I would hate to see him in another uniform. He is one of the best things to happen to the Packers. I also can swallow the baggage that comes with his mouth but I will never condone it.

[pbmax]

Woodbuck, if I was Favre I would not be happy either. Its a natural reaction and an easily understandable one. His timetable is not the same as T2's.

But public complaining about it does not make the situation any better. I think we had our first glimpse of this after the 2005 season, when Favre waited a significant period of time before committing to next season.

At the time, it was thought that the Charles Woodson signing might have been a reaction to the pressure. But subsequent moves seem to suggest that T2 isn't moving based upon pressure from his QB.

So Brett and the Team need to make a decision. Is he willing to be on board the team's program as run by Thompson or does he wish to change team's and have a quicker chance to win elsewhere?

Because to delay that decision and conduct the yearly drama distracts from the team. And if the Pack do improve and attmept to lure more FAs, that atmosphere isn't going to help.

The other thing that could be going on, which would be infinitely sadder, is that neither side wants to be the bad guy and go on record as pro-Favre trade. Just waiting for the other side to blink and take the heat.

Nice post.

TT has a one pronged approach to re-building at the present and it does appear as if he is concentrating on 'D' first andn as a general approach I can't disagree with that.

He is re-tooling our OL and DL and that is as must be expected.

He doesn't put much hope in FAcy and we really don't have alot that is tradeable.

Yet my bitch on him comes fr. the way he allowed our 'O' to be further weakened this off season, with no proactive approach to making mends there.

He clearly failed our team in that regard. Drafting players on 'O' just doesn't answer the need for 2007. How long does it take for the best WR's drafted to develop? For drafted RB's and TE's? Check that out.

Thus Brett Favre is justifiably IMO more than annoyed.

If any members here would be honest and place themselves in Favre's place. Would you be happy with TT's efforts this off season?

All you who may take the stance that Favre should simply report and take another $12 million and shut his trap are certainly ignorant of what he is as a man and a PRO.