Packers GM Thompson dead at 68

[MinnesotaFats]

Guy drafted Rodgers

Overseen 30 consecutive years of greatness basically...

Young

[Art Vandelay]

Some great drafts but was reluctant to use free agency to put Arod in better position for another Super Bowl. Frustrating for the fans but his draft foundation is what this season is built upon. Gutekunst is more aggressive with free agency. Teddy could end up contributing to one more title posthumously. RIP "Bango"

[seaborneq]

Green Bay is not attractive to big time free agents. Upper management has one hand tied behind their backs trying to get good players to come to green bay and they don’t tend to pay their guys who pan out. Definitely making the most with the least in the nfl.

[MinnesotaFats]

Yeah GB has a difficult time w FA post expansion.

When Hou/ Jax/ Car all opened up southern markets and Tenn/ the west coast teams more predominantly black markets the era of impact FAs (like White or Howard) going to GB ended.

[Booya711]

Nobody should live in Wisconsin on purpose

[gauchojake]

OD'd on ranch

[Art Vandelay]

Yeah GB has a difficult time w FA post expansion.

When Hou/ Jax/ Car all opened up southern markets and Tenn/ the west coast teams more predominantly black markets the era of impact FAs (like White or Howard) going to GB ended.

Not sure what decade you guys are referring to! Sure, in the 80's FAs avoided GB, but that changed with White in 1993. Since then, when the Packers have seriously gone after a free agent, they've usually gotten them. It hasn't happened often with the "draft and develop" philosophy, but few have avoided them. Just last season, signing the 2 Smiths was a big coup. If a player wants to win & play with a HOF QB, they head to GB. Weather is very overrated and they can live anywhere in the offseason, although many stay north. This FA avoidance theory has been debunked for years. Arod, Yelich, and now Giannis are here long term so obviously not a bad place!

[seaborneq]

Not sure what decade you guys are referring to! Sure, in the 80's FAs avoided GB, but that changed with White in 1993. Since then, when the Packers have seriously gone after a free agent, they've usually gotten them. It hasn't happened often with the "draft and develop" philosophy, but few have avoided them. Just last season, signing the 2 Smiths was a big coup. If a player wants to win & play with a HOF QB, they head to GB. Weather is very overrated and they can live anywhere in the offseason, although many stay north. This FA avoidance theory has been debunked for years. Arod, Yelich, and now Giannis are here long term so obviously not a bad place!

Sure could have used a big time free agent pick up at cornerback yesterday and not a “draft and develop”. Got to quit giving up 30+ points when it matters in the playoffs.

[jjgold]

Packers Pro Bowl players drafted by Thompson

QB Aaron Rodgers (1st round, 2005)

S Nick Collins (2nd round, 2005)

LB A.J. Hawk (1st round, 2006)

WR Greg Jennings (2nd round, 2006)



WR Jordy Nelson (2nd round, 2008)

G Josh Sitton (4th round, 2008)

NT B.J. Raji (1st round, 2009)

LB Clay Matthews (1st round, 2009)

G T.J. Lang (4th round, 2009)



WR Randall Cobb (2nd round, 2011)

DT Mike Daniels (4th round, 2012)

RB Eddie Lacy (2nd round, 2013)

T David Bakhtiari (4th round, 2013)

S Ha Ha Clinton-Dix (1st round, 2014)



WR Davante Adams (2nd round, 2014)

DL Kenny Clark (1st round, 2016)

RB Aaron Jones (5th round, 2017)

Additional Thompson acquisitions who went to first Pro Bowl as Packers

CB Tramon Williams (undrafted FA, 2006)



FB John Kuhn (waivers, 2007)

CB Sam Shields (undrafted FA, 2010)

[Art Vandelay]

Sure could have used a big time free agent pick up at cornerback yesterday and not a “draft and develop”. Got to quit giving up 30+ points when it matters in the playoffs.

Agree on that - Getting rid of Pettine and King is a good start! Got Alexander locking up one side, need someone on the other. They haven't really targeted a CB in FA - maybe that will change.

[gummo]

Coach going for the field goal on 4th and goal at the end surely killed him.

[thezbar]

RIP