For all the criticism he has taken the past few years, you have to hand it to Ted Thompson, the guy had a vision about how to construct a football team. And that vision has the Packers ready for a date with the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Super Bowl two weeks from now.
Thompson has taken plenty of heat for his team-building strategy. His critics have bemoaned the lack of marquee free agent signings, they ripped him and the organization for the handling of the Brett Favre situation and they've questioned his heavy reliance on the NFL Draft. But say what you will because the team Thompson built is one win from the franchise's fourth Lombardi Trophy.
Let's start with Favre. Thompson came in drafted a young quarterback out of Cal named Aaron Rodgers with the 24th pick in his first draft as GM. Favre suddenly had to confront the reality that the Packers were planning for life without him. Rodgers gets his shot, as well as the backing of Thompson and head coach Mike McCarthy. Then Favre wants back in, but Thompson says he has to earn his spot back.
The media ripped him for pushing out a legend, asking, ""how he could do this to a player who has meant so much to his franchise?"" they said.
He did it because he followed his vision. Rodgers was his quarterback, not Favre, and he believed that the kid from Cal would get his team to the Super Bowl, and like it or not, Favre just wasn't part of that vision.
That decision is looking pretty good right about now. Rodgers is emerging as one of the premier quarterbacks in the NFL, and during these playoffs he has been nothing short of spectacular. He has had a better first four playoff starts than any quarterback in history.
Seems like he is doing a pretty good job of filling those Favre-sized Crocs to me.
However, it's not just the decision to go with Rodgers that Thompson should be lauded for. His work in the draft and free agent signings are just as key to the Packers' success as the brilliance of Rodgers' right arm.
When you rely on the draft as your primary source of building a team you have to be as close to flawless as it gets. Make too many mistakes and your going to find yourself out of a job very quickly.
Fortunately for Thompson he has an amazing eye for NFL talent. In the 2005 draft, Thompson picked up safety Nick Collins in the second round, who was selected to his third straight Pro Bowl this year. From there he picked A.J. Hawk, Greg Jennings, Daryn Colledge (2006), Brandon Jackson, James Jones, Desmond Bishop, Mason Crosby (2007), Jordy Nelson, Jermichael Finley, Matt Flynn (2008), B.J. Raji and Clay Matthews (2009). And in this past year's draft he snatched an unheralded running back from the University of Buffalo in the sixth round named James Starks, and might I ask where the Packers would be without him right now?
But we don't see Thompson's scouting prowess in the draft alone, his work in free agency has resulted in players like Tramon Williams, Sam Shields, Charlie Peprah, Frank Zombo, Erik Walden and folk hero John Kuhn making the team. These guys are making GM's around the league look foolish for passing them over.
It's thanks to the amazing depth provided by these unheralded players that the Packers were able to survive the numerous injuries they suffered this year and find themselves where they are now.
And while most of Thompson's free agency dealings are small in nature, when he sees the right fit he pounces, as was the case with players like Charles Woodson and Ryan Pickett.
So let's step back and give a hand to the architect of the 2010 NFC champion Green Bay Packers. While some of his decisions may not always be popular and his methods questioned, Thompson has delivered the Packers to the Super Bowl and in the end that is what is most important to the team's loyal contingent of fans.
Still proudly sporting your ""Fire Ted Thompson"" t-shirt? E-mail Ryan at rmevans2@dailycardinal.com
