Thompson passed on Buffalo running back Marshawn Lynch
It’s too soon to criticize Ted Thompson for not acquiring Marshawn Lynch. Maybe the Packers always prudent general manager will trade for another back before the Oct. 19 deadline. Or maybe John Kuhn, Brandon Jackson and Dmitri Nance will prove capable of adequately replacing Ryan Grant. Or maybe rookie James Starks will come off the physically unable to perform list in a few weeks and provide a second half spark. Or maybe Green Bay can make a run to the Super Bowl without any semblance of a ground game. Sure that’s a lot of maybes, but the point is, it’s only fair to let things play out before Lynching Thompson.
It’ll be fascinating to watch how things unfold for Green Bay and Minnesota over the next few months. Thompson, despite a slew of injuries and an obvious lack of talent at right outside linebacker, has chosen to stand pat. He’ll apparently live or die with his players. Vikings’ GM Rick Spielman is taking the opposite approach. In desperate need of a wide receiver, he dealt a third-round pick to New England for Randy Moss. Ironically, that same pick would probably have been enough to pry Lynch away from the Bills.
For better or worse, Thompson believes in drafting and then developing talent. How well that strategy has paid off is a matter of opinion. On one hand, the Packers are blessed with one of the league’s youngest and most talented rosters. They’ve also gone to the playoffs in two of the past three seasons. On the other hand, a lack of quality depth at tackle nearly crippled the team a year ago and similar problems at running back and in the secondary threaten to do the same this season. They’ve also won just a single playoff game since Thompson took over in 2005.
So while it’s too soon to criticize Thompson, he’ll be fair game three or four months from now. There’s no excuse for another one and done in January. One playoff win in six years simply wouldn’t be good enough. Thompson deserves a lot of credit for formulating a blueprint and then sticking to it, but sometimes it’s OK, even necessary, to deviate from the plan. We’ll soon find out if not adding a few free agents in an uncapped year and not acquiring Lynch were two of the times when veering off course just a little might’ve been the best route to take.
Great article. I feel the same way about this… Let’s just wait and see.
I disagree that it’s too early to be critical. This is just another chapter in the story. Thompson proved last year when the offensive line was terrible that he wouldn’t make a deal to shore things up. This is just another example. The guy does well during the draft but his inability to utilize free agency and trades to fill gaping holes in the roster is ridiculous. He trusts in his roster and his coaching staff to a fault. Another area of concern is at Safety. Burnett is out now and Bigby is still a question mark. Does Thompson look into picking up a veteran like Michael Lewis that has years of starting experience? Nope… He’ll just go with Peprah, whom has already been cut, and probably sign Anthony Levine from the practice squad. Nice work Ted…
I beleive that when the line got out of hand last year, Thompson made a free agent move and signed Tausher. IMO he was a week or two late on that move but contrary to what you wrote he did use free agency to fix the O-Line last season.
In my opinion, unless TT finds another big time back such as Carolina’s DeAngelo Williams, the die for this year is cast: Packer passing attack and defense will both suffer due to lack of run game and return game.
My only hope is that AR doesn’t pay the price for TT’s bumbling in the form of a serious injury.
I’m beginning to seriously doubt whether GB will even make wildcard, let alone win a playoff game. If AR goes down mid-season, look for the roof to cave in. I think anything less than two well played playoff games and TT should be canned. But I have a feeling Murphy will stay with TT until at least the end if his 8th year (two more to go after this year).
Offense – Still incomplete, no run game and poor OTs.
Defense – Still incomplete, weak at LB and DB.
ST – Very poor.
No excuse after six years not to have good punt and kick return guys. Blackmon was good but TT has known for more than a year that his career was in doubt. Keeping 2 HB, 3 FB and 4 TE is crazy. Kregg Lumpkin was more valuable to this team than Donald Lee or Mike McDonald. Why didn’t he trade for the nickel CB from Denver that played for Detroit last Sunday (same guy who took ball away from Jennings on downfield pass by Rodgers)? Ditto Lynch.
I just hope the fans and management hold TT’s feet to the fire at the end of the season if he has grossly underachieved once again. They had to give him the boot in SEA to get to the SB and GB needs to do the same. Clock is ticking on guys like Woodson, Harris, Cullen Jenkins and Pickett, not to mention D Driver. Father time has already caught up with Ted’s bonus babies at OT aka the dinosaurs.
Oh well, I’m blue in the face so I’ll shut up.
I thought this was an excellent take on the situation. Often people will bring an emotional, reactionary response to a disappointment (Lynch) when something else might be in the works. At least people should wait until after the trade deadline to grip.
The team is 3-1 so a little rationality is in order. The author makes an excellent point—1 playoff win in 6-years isn’t good enough, Ted’s ability to locate and secure young talent notwithstanding. At some point a GM has the responsibility to go for it and get the team over the hump.
hey come on guys let up on Uncle Teddy….the man even said this year in an interview that he and Coach McCarthy (otherwise known as Mc fling cuz he doesnt believe in a run game and throws the ball 50 times a game, can you imagine Lombardi throwing the ball 50 times!!) said they would like to win a couple of Super Bowls…..nah Im with you all, Ted falls down all the time from not using other means besides the draft to make us better. yeah we are better with him and mc carthy than we were with Sherman and it was the right time to let Brett walk, but I agree, Thompson for whatever reason has failed to make us dominant by securing playmakers at important positions. Many Packer fans either grew up with the Lombardi Packers or Wolf Packers, both cases we were more dominant than Thompson Packers. We hold on like we did last sunday, we dont dominate like we did in the mid 90′s with Holmgren. There is rumor that the packers are pursuing Williams, but Ill believe it when he’s in uniform. I think Michael you said it best, the next few months for the Pack and Vikings will be interesting now that they got Randy Moss again, and least we forget the Bears, technically they are still in first place because of the poor game we played against them, they have the tie breaker. So its time to sit back and enjoy the ride its gonna be an interesting one.
The real issue that is NEVER discussed when bringing up TT’s philosophy is…$$$$$$$. Yes, money.
Green Bay is the smallest market in all of major professional sports. We just recently lost our cash cow in Brett Favre.
The Packers are forced to shop at Wal-Mart and thrift stores for players while teams like Minnesota can shop at places like Saks 5th Avenue.
While Minnesota is busy filling their needs with incredibly talented players who are spendy, we’re doing it on the cheap with the likes of Dimitri “Red Army” Nance.
As a follower of this franchise it grates me to watch media and fans alike not discuss the real issue. The Packers just don’t have the resources to compete and no excuse should be made for it. Just tell it like it is.
One can easily see why TT doesn’t want to part with picks. You can pay your draft picks so much less in comparison to what you’d pay a free agent. It’s always a money decision with TT. He can continue sitting in his office memorizing flash cards of the other 31 teams practice squad rosters while teams with resources land players like Randy Moss.
Money really has nothing to do with it. Even though there is no cap this year, most teams are operating as if there is because it will be back. Green Bay is in the upper half of revenue in the NFL, and even has to pay towards the teams in the lower half. It is all about Teddy’s philosophy, because he doesn’t like to throw big money at players or give up draft choices.
The fact that we’re in the upper half in revenue isn’t the issue. The Viking and their miserable stadium put them toward the very bottom in revenue. BUT… Their owner has deep pockets OUTSIDE of his team’s revenue stream. The Packers DO NOT have that. Zygi Wilf is free to dip into his vast resources and nab a player he covets. TT very well could covet players, too, but he’s constrained by our team revenue flow. That’s a MAJOR difference between our franchise and all the other ones in major sports.
If you want to deny money isn’t an issue be my guest. For me, I enjoy it. If you actually win a title in little old Green Bay, it’s that much sweeter than if your team was owned by Jerry Jones or Daniel Snyder.