As the second-coming of college football’s signing day (also known as the start of the National Football League’s free agency period) clogged up Twitter feeds nationwide the last couple days, I could not help myself but to keep constant tabs on where the big names in this year’s free agent’s class would end up. While I scrolled through the constant updates courtesy of ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Chris Mortenson, or NBC’s Pro Football Talk, teams like the Seattle Seahawks, Miami Dolphins and San Francisco 49ers made the biggest moves while the rest of the league, including the Green Bay Packers, tried to play catch-up.
Green Bay’s lack of free agent activity should not surprise its religious fan base, yet fans were still grumbling about how general manager Ted Thompson needed to make moves or how the franchise, only two seasons removed from a Super Bowl championship, would be left in the dust because of its inactivity. At least, that is the vibe I got. However, despite the fans’ anxiety, my response to is simple: Let’s take a deep breath.
Whether Packers fans want to tuck their head between their legs and admit it or not, Thompson knows talent and knows how to evaluate it. If you need any further justification for that, simply look at his draft classes since he took the reigns of his current position in 2005.
It all started when Cal phenom Aaron Rodgers luckily fell into the Packers’ lap with the 24th overall pick in the 2005 draft. Thompson followed that selection up with the drafting of Greg Jennings in 2006. He dug deep in the 2007 Draft to get wide receiver James Jones in the third round and tight end Jermichael Finley in the third round the year after.
Moreover, he pulled off some very impressive draft-day trades, as he traded down in the 2008 draft to get wide receiver Jordy Nelson and struck gold again in the succeeding draft, trading up to snag defensive playmaker Clay Matthews. Not to mention, in the same draft as Matthews, Thompson drafted defensive tackle B.J. Raji with the team’s original pick.
If that isn’t enough for the cheesehead faithful, others surely understand Thompson’s premium general managerial skills. Don Banks, an NFL writer for Sports Illustrated, highlighted the top front offices in the league and not surprisingly, Thompson’s was second, only behind the 2013 Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens.
“The Packers almost always reside near the top of the list when it comes to the reputation of their front office, because they have the talented roster, draft track record, organizational stability and aversion to quick fixes in free agency that have almost always worked for the league’s best and brightest teams,” Banks wrote.
Thompson will not break the bank throughout the free agency fiasco, nor will he offer lucrative contracts to any highly touted player that becomes available. Rather, he will bring in guys either via the draft or free agency who fit the Green Bay system—a system that has led the green and gold to an NFC Championship appearance, a Super Bowl title and playoff appearances in five of the last six seasons.
While fans will still complain about the monotony of Thompson’s moves or the recent releases of notable players on both sides of the ball, his moves made complete sense, especially from a financial perspective. For example, the release of cornerback Charles Woodson will save the franchise $9.4 million in 2013 and $10 million in 2014, with none of it counting against the cap due to the lack of a signing bonus in the final two years of the contract.
Thus, Thompson is set up perfectly to wisely deviate money toward the team’s soon-to-be marquee free agents like Matthews, Rodgers and Raji, among others.
Whether Green Bay reels in running back Stephen Jackson from St. Louis—both sides were reportedly in contract talks, according to numerous sources—or drafts a head-scratching prospect in April’s draft, I ask you to do one thing: Trust Thompson. He knows what he is doing and the organization has a championship ring to prove it.
Would you like to see Thompson be more aggressive in free agency? Could you not care less about the Packers? Let Rex know your thoughts by sending him an email at sports@dailycardinal.com.
