Top 20 UFA available

[b bulldog]

Bob Sanders
Jared Allen
Randy Moss
Alan Feneca
Asante Samuel
Albert Haynesworth
Nnamdi Asomugha
Lance briggs
Terrell Suggs
Flozelle Adams
Dallas Clark
Phillip Rivers
julius Jones
Justin Smith
Marcus trufant
Pat Crayton
Michael Turner
Gabril Wilson
Jamal Lewis
LJ Smith

Julius Jones wouldn't be a bad combo with Grant and Trufant would be an excellent move but he will be too damn expensive for TT.

[Partial]

I don't think 2/3 of those guys are going to be available.

[Rastak]

I don't think 2/3 of those guys are going to be available.

Yea, I would agree....nice list though.

[b bulldog]

Of the top 10, I only see Moss, feneca, Samuel and maybe Briggs being on the open market. Everyone thinks that the Pats will take a plAYER with their probable top 4 pick but I see them trading out so they can accumulate more picks cause they will most likey lose Moss, Samuel or Stallworth in the offseason. My bet is that they lose Moss and Samuel.

[vince]

Bretsky will probably disagree with everything I say here...

There's a lot of money out there next offseason. It'd be great to dream about TT sneaking in to nab a surprise value guy that others happen to not be going after, like Pickett a couple years ago (Dallas Clark would be HUGE).

Given the money in play though, I can't see TT matching (nor should he, IMO) what the other GM's will undoubtedly be throwing around as a result of the pressure from short-term oriented fans.

TT won't "go there" unless noone else is playing. Given the Packers' youth and talent, that's a strategy that makes perfect sense for this team. I'm seeing dozens of contracts the team could want to re-up in the next three years.

Reaching in the free agent market just doesn't make sense, IMO. It's easy to say, "Let's go for the gold." I believe the Packers are in position to be able do that every year. The question now is "will they screw it up?"

The most likely way for the answer to that question to end up being "yes" is if TT overpays for underperforming players.

The additional pieces this team needs next year can easily be added cheaply through the draft. No need to be desperate by any stretch.

Build strengths. Draft talent. Maintain financial flexibility. Don't reach (and especially don't be wrong) in free agency. Be a perenial NFL powerhouse.

[RashanGary]

Great post, Vince.


There is a lot that goes into the "build strengths" part of your post, but ulitmately I think this is the attitude that Thompson has that gives him an edge over many GM's. Think back to NE of the last 5 years. Every year they have had some huge weakness (DB's, RB, WR's, ect. . ). It wasn't the strength of their weakest link that brought them 3 championships, it was the overall strength of their team assembled by being oppertuinstic rather than desperate for multiple years. They took a shot now, but the blueprint that assembled their dynasty was oppertunism and building to strengths rather than being affraid of weaknesses.

[BF4MVP]

Bretsky will probably disagree with everything I say here...

There's a lot of money out there next offseason. It'd be great to dream about TT sneaking in to nab a surprise value guy that others happen to not be going after, like Pickett a couple years ago (Dallas Clark would be HUGE).

Given the money in play though, I can't see TT matching (nor should he, IMO) what the other GM's will undoubtedly be throwing around as a result of the pressure from short-term oriented fans.

TT won't "go there" unless noone else is playing. Given the Packers' youth and talent, that's a strategy that makes perfect sense for this team. I'm seeing dozens of contracts the team could want to re-up in the next three years.

Reaching in the free agent market just doesn't make sense, IMO. It's easy to say, "Let's go for the gold." I believe the Packers are in position to be able do that every year. The question now is "will they screw it up?"

The most likely way for the answer to that question to end up being "yes" is if TT overpays for underperforming players.

The additional pieces this team needs next year can easily be added cheaply through the draft. No need to be desperate by any stretch.

Build strengths. Draft talent. Maintain financial flexibility. Don't reach (and especially don't be wrong) in free agency. Be a perenial NFL powerhouse.

QFT..Although I'm not sure we would need Dallas Clark, Donald Lee is pretty damn good.

[HarveyWallbangers]

It would be nice to have a two TE set comparable to Jackson and Chmura. Imagine the nightmares this offense would cause if the could go to Driver, Jennings, Robinson, Jones, and Martin on one play and then the next play they could run a one back set with Clark and Lee at TE and Driver and Jennings at WR.

[Tony Oday]

There is not one guy on that list that would really make me go, damn that is awesome we signed him.

Maybe Sanders but damn I hate signing a saftey from another team because they are a product of the other three in the secondary.

OK Turner is a pimp...

[RashanGary]

Deleted because it's too much like my next post.

[RashanGary]

Ultimately, I think a GM is largely someone who is experienced enough to be aware of the pitfalls and limits talent evaluation so as to not overrate his own abilty,

who has the abilty to take his talent evaluation and use it in a way that takes into account a budget (and all of the basic economic concepts that apply to a budget like oppertunity cost or a relative gain),

who is oppertunistic in a way that takes advantage of other peoples mistakes. Maybe the GM recognizes that kickers are overpaid or linebackers are underpaid. This GM would be able to go against conventional wisdom to give himself an advantage. I think the draft pick value chart is another thing that is greatly skewed in the favor of the person trading down (in most circumstances, although talent evaluation is paramount here as well)


I think Ted Thompson's experience in finance gave him a solid base in economics. Because of the budget and the draft, I think those concepts can be readily applied and with this he has an edge. On top of that, he has a lot of NFL front office expereince and appears to be a very intelligent person, so I think he learned lessons that might be lost by many people. Just listening to him, I think he is very observant and aware of mistakes and successes. I think that experience gives him an edge over GM's like Sherman. I think Ted Thompson is a great GM. Even before 12-2, I had was completely impressed by many of the things he said because as simple as they were, they all seemed to consistantly based in wisdom, oppertunism and humility (knowing what he doesn't know for the most part). Anyway, your post was so similar to how I think, Vince, that I had to go into my oppertunism, budget speal Thanks a lot, you just wasted about 100 non suspecting peoples time.

Speaking of intellignet men with finiance backrounds, Mark Murphy seems like a guy with similarly applicable experience. I could see (TT and MM) as a match made in 'NFL football team building' heaven if MM can apply basic economic principles to the markets by using Ted's experience and knowledge to get a base and then allowing Ted to put the concepts into motion with his experience and skill getting it done right.

Both Ted and Mark Murphy seem like humble, intelligent men. I could see Ted being open to workign with Murphy (unlike the way Sherman cold shouldered Ted when he came in) and I could see Murphy knowing his limits and just giving ideas rather than suggestions or directions (because he should know Ted has more experience to find simple oversights to what might have otherwise been a brilliant idea.) Again, I could see them being a good team, but that is based of very limited knowledge. It's really only a feeling or a hunch based on listening to both guys talk in press conferences and knowing their backrounds.

[Merlin]

The Packers FA market will depend solely on #4. If Favre returns, look for minimal movement in FA. If Favre retires, look for movement at key positions like LT, either guard, running back and WR. Yeah I said it, WR. Bringing in a big name WR with Rodgers takes the pressure off of Rodgers. If Dallas Clark is available I look for the Packers to make a legitimate run at him. Bubba, Lee and Clark? Unstoppable with our young WR core, only if Brett comes back. With Rodgers we need a big name to take the camera off of him. Clark isn't big enough. Moss won't be available, the Patriots will sign him and let Stallworth retire.

If Thompson is anything he is predictable. If Thompson is for real, look for the Packers to take a QB in the first or second round if #4 hangs em up. If not, look for another defensive player, hopefully a CB in the first round. If Thompson does another "I am smarter then you" pick like Harrell, then he needs to be relieved of his GM duties.

Although the jury is out on Harrell with many posters here, when he has played it hasn't been anything stellar and he has been oft injured with small things this season. He is nothing but a walking injury and his less then mediocre play has more then shown that he is a first round bust. No player who is looking to enter the NFL should be in worse shape then Harrell was when he came to us. Sure, he injured his bicep, but he has another arm and two legs. Being out of shape is inexcusable for any player who was drafted let alone in the first round. He has made an impact on some people here, why I have no idea. They forgive his mistakes and blame them on him being a rookie and spooge over his 1-2 tackle performances. DT is NOT a hard position in the NFL. You take up space, period. He has fallen short this season in that position. This week who knows, he may have a hang nail and can't play. That is a testament to how his short career in the NFL has gone. Like it or not, Harrell is turning into Thompson's Jamal Reynolds. The only difference? Jamal Reynolds played the season before he entered the NFL, Harrell play 1-2 games. Thompson > Sherman? Don't bet on it.

[the_idle_threat]

Classic!

[Partial]

Why would Dante Stallworth, a 2002ish draft pick, retire? He was picked 6th out of Tennessee in 2002 or 2003 I believe.

[b bulldog]

Good post merlin, I agree that much depends on Brett. Stallworth retiring, where did that come from?