Is Ted Thompson Not A Gambler?

This team is just so risk averse...not enough gambles on blowing 1st round picks, not enough INTs being thrown, etc. Murphy needs to bring in some World Series of Poker champions to explain to this organization what gambling means.

No he is not.

I don't think it is a matter of gambling or not gambling but rather just a bottom-line philosophy that you are alluding to in the post above.

 

For better or worse, TT acquires players who have played for other NFL teams less often than any GM in the NFL. Currently, 49 of the 53 members on the roster have never been on another roster. One of them, Kuhn was just on Pitt's practice squad. Another, James Jones spent but one season away from Green Bay before coming home. No other team in the NFL comes close to the Packers in terms of homegrown players on their roster.

 

I don't expect TT to deviate from this philosophy anytime soon.

If the Packers fall short yet again of winning a Super Bowl, then this risk averse strategy must be held to the fire. No longer can we say that Marshawn Lynch was simply not "Packer People" and that was the reason- not when you have some of the guys on this team today. These and other fallacies that have been the narrative are being exposed more and more frequently. McGuinn's hit piece exposes that.

So when this season concludes, all issues are on the table. The offense has not adjusted to Nelson's loss.  They have been pretty average for over a month. It is definitely time to re-evaluate all aspect: play calling, players, coaches. This ship is listing, and it needs repairs or it will sink.

Defensively same thing. 3 straight games demonstrating 2011 levels of incompetence. All hands on deck for evaluation. Now. The repairs must be made or the ship will sink.

It's time to look at Coaching. McCarthy made the call to give up play calling duties. Now his offense is sputtering. Is Clements the answer? Bennett? Is it really the loss of Jordy Nelson. Did they get their appraisal of the OL wrong?

When your MVP does not look MVP-like, you can't panic, but you better be aware. Ted Thompson's ultra conservative approach has put them in the position to allow us to expect great things. But the goal is not to create expectations- it's to live up to them.

So you are saying we need more "thugs?"  

 

 

Not taking a risk on Greg Hardy has really backfired on Thompson. Uncle Ted needs to game on a Seth Joyner and an Andre Rison type player because they made the difference 20 years ago.

McGuinn?

 

 

 

I would rather see the Packers not make it to the big game and whine about it, than to cheer on a bunch of low-lives.  But that's me. 

 

It's gambling when you are flipping a coin on the result. So no, I'd say Thompson is not a gambler, because he can't afford to be. Being a consistent winner requires managing to the cap. Which means little to no dead money on failed players. If you want a SFO, SEA, ATL, or any of the other one-hit wonders over the past few years go ahead and enjoy that fleeting success.

 

 

Green Bay's issues, ranked.

 

1. Dom Capers. Watching team after team convert third downs at a ridiculous clip has finally broken my backing of Capers. Green Bay is currently 20th in the NFL in opponents converting 3rd down at 42%. Yesterday Carolina only converted 33%. The two weeks prior to that GB allowed SD and Denver to convert 50% of their third downs. Cam left a 2-3 3rd down conversions on the field yesterday. 

 

I have to assume that people in the NFL that do this for a living have figured out Dom's tendencies on 3rd and plus 7 yards. And while Dom may deviate scheme a bit in those situations it seems evident teams are dialing plays based on the likelihood of what they will see in that situation. 

 

2. The offensive line. I have no damn idea what happened to this OL over the last month. Bak is Bak. Bulaga is really struggling. But now the interior is leaking water. IMO opinion the OL is a very close second behind Dom interms of what's hurting this team. 

 

The difference. I have a fairly high degree of confidence the OL is going to improve. I now have zero confidence anything is ever changing with Dom Capers.  

 

The last month has nothing to do with Ted and gambling, Olivia Munn, Pitch Perfect, or State Farm commercials.

 

 

Just get rid of Dom and then see where the Packers go. 

Joe Thomas isn't going to stop Bulaga or Linsley getting pushed up Rodgers' gunter every other down.  OL has been a mosh pit muddle with AR tap dancing around like Danny Kaye on speed.  He's been Barry Sanders in a phone booth the last couple weeks.  Unfortunately when he gets out of the booth, there's someone there to bury him.

Any of our beat writers would kill for that line! Too funny & great analogy!

6-2 and the season is over. Bummer. I really look forward to football. Might as well burn my tickets for this weeks game.

Trading a 1st and a 2nd is a coin flip for Joe Thomas? A perennial All-Pro LT, to protect your MVP QB?

 

Hmmm. I don't know.

 

What I do know is Thompson has two differing philosophies in play. One, he will take a flyer on a proven vet like Julius Peppers, intermittently, like once every 8 years, but will he deliver any additional support? The answer is clearly, "no."

 

Isn't that a disservice to that high quality player who signed with you, trusted you to put the pieces in place to win a Championship, when you don't finish the job as a GM? When you are able, but choose not to? Because your philosophy reigns supreme in your own mind? Trumping the real, readily apparent needs of your team?

 

I think it is a gamble to not add further, proven talent with all the pieces we have in play. Seems a pretty big gamble to not add help where needed, counting on your young roster of unproven talent to clean up the mess of inaction.

 

We have the cap room to absorb a quality roster addition. Looks like we will bank that, yet again, to keep our own players. Like, Mike Daniels, who is in a contract year, and completely underperforming. John Kuhn, who can't lead block nor pass protect anymore for ****. But, yeah, keep him on the roster... Maybe next year he will be the life of the Championship celebration party we won't be going to.

 

Keeping your own just to keep your own seems futile, especially when your own are not producing. Not winning. Nice philosophy, but if it doesn't work, for how many years now, what good is it?

 

Championships aren't won based on how many cap dollars you can bank for the next year. They are won with the right talent in the right positions.

This is such a weak response. So basically, if a fan wants to 'sign someone' it means they would be OK with a reprehensible human like Hardy?

A 1 and 2 wasn't enough, so this scenario does not fit the discussion.

 

Multiple sources confirmed Tuesday afternoon, just after the deadline had passed without a deal, that the Browns had asked for as much as two first-round picks from the Broncos at one point and that early Tuesday afternoon, Mountain time, the two sides were closing in on a package that included Thomas and a Browns fourth-round pick in exchange for the Broncos' first- and second-round picks in the 2016 draft but that the Browns also wanted to include the Broncos' 2016 third-round pick.

 

Trading for VD fits the coin-flip scenario:

a - would he be motivated to play out his contract this year for a team he didn't want drafting him in the 1st place?

b - how would he fit in the locker room?

c - limit development of Rodgers after Q comes back?

 

 

Lighten up Francis. Saying "sign someone" though is a pretty weak criticism though. You have no idea if that player will work out, whether they fit, whether the money made sense for either side. Not signing "someone" does not mean Thompson made a mistake. They have an entire department devoted to evaluating FA's and players on the trade block, pretty sure Thompson has all the info when he makes a decision about an FA signing.

It really is a bull**** response, as much as I like the GD. No one is saying anything close. There are players who could have been added to our roster who would have helped. It just doesn't happen with Ted, as a rule. To me, that is a flawed philosophy, especially when your MVP QB is running for his life back there. Again.

 

Bakhtiari is looking more and more like a well worn bandaid, on a cut that is not healing properly. LT is the 2nd most important position on any team.

I think I was pretty clear when I mentioned Joe Thomas. All indications are that he was available in trade.

 

I would have thought I'd read about all other 30 teams (other than TT of course) trying to trade for him, because obviously it's only TT who isn't jumping into the fray and offering to trade meaningless players like Chris Banjo for an elite LT.  Surely, Cleveland isn't asking for 1st round picks and/or actual great players, right.  Must have missed that...

Whatever. The compensation is debatable, but the importance of adding one of the best LTs in all of football is the main argument. I am firmly on record as having said I would have given up 3 1st round picks for the guy, and I believe it would have been well worth it. Someone else said the asking price was less than that.

 

As for Vernon Davis, it was an interesting article I posted from Forbes magazine. It wasn't my own premise.

Reports were it was 2 firsts and Denver was in serious talks with Cleveland

You must have.

Trust me, your post made me chuckle more than anything. Also, you have no idea if a draft pick, waiver wire pick-up, etc will work out either. I do agree that he has all the data he needs but the body of work overwhelmingly indicates he does not consider the trade or free agent signing as an major avenue for improving the team.

 

The irony is he has pretty much hit a home run the hand full of times he has dabbled in it.

NE's OL is being held together with bailing wire and duct-tape and BB didn't try to trade for Thomas?

 

 

Do we know he didn't?

3 first rounders...

 

Can you please link me to what NE offered?  How about Minnesota?  Philly?   Denver?  San Diego must have offered a lot with the WC up in the air in the AFC, right?  

Do you know TT didn't?  Both ended up in the same position on Joe Thomas.  

Yep. Just plug in Joe Thomas and all your worries are over. Hope the guy can memorize a playbook in a week. Cut as many players as needed to fit him under the cap. It is so easy, a caveman can do it.

I'm was not for trading for anyone at inflated prices, just trying to point out that none of us knows Which teams were in serious negotiations for anyone.  Other tHan reports that Denver was pretty serious about Thomas.

I stand by it. One of the best LTs in all of football to protect the blindside of an MVP QB.

 

Didn't happen. Now look at us. Did you see what was coming at Rodgers from his left side these past two weeks?

Joe Thomas is so great, he could've blocked his guy, Bulaga's guy, and Linsely's guy with his right arm.

Nevermind. Heaven forbid someone poses a thought outside the norm around here. Carry on.

 

No, also don't know Thompson didn't make a call.

Maybe not, but BB has traded for a DLineman (Hicks), WR (Martin), and LB (Bostic), since the 2015 season began.

 

 

Joe Thomas is bigger than Bill Brasky.