Ted Thompson’s stingy ways continued today as the Packers were quiet as a mouse at the beginning of free agency, leaving teams like the 49ers and Seahawks light years ahead of them going into next year. Even the Chicago Bears will be much improved with their tight end and left tackle acquisitions.
The Packers are stuck in the ways of Thompson and his mentor Ron Wolf, which pretty much means that one Super Bowl is good enough for them. Wolf wasted 10 years of Brett Favre’s career and now Thompson is set to do the same to current Packers’ QB Aaron Rodgers.
The moves the Packers make, or don’t make in the coming days will determine how many games I attend this year. The Packers raised ticket prices for the fourth straight year and thus far this offseason have not done anything to improve a team that is second fiddle at best in the NFC. They could easily slip to the middle of the pack by the end of the season.
Thompson might want to be reminded that the team added 6,000 seats to Lambeau Field this year, he might want to do something to keep them full. Yes, I know there are 100,000 names on the waiting list but only 99,000 can actually afford the tickets, so that number really means nothing. Start losing and Lambeau will be a ghost town like it was in the 70s and 80s, even though it was sold out every week.
Thompson has a high opinion of himself even though his last two drafts have been horrendous. Two wasted first round picks and little contribution from the rest. If the Packers goal is to just remain competitive with a bare bones payroll, then just say it. Enough with the “we’re here to win Super Bowls” talk if your biggest free agent signing the last two years is Duke Preston.
This free agent class had plenty of talent on both sides of the ball. Renting a player isn’t the worst thing in the world if you think have the talent to win a Super Bowl. The Packers do not have the talent to win a Super Bowl on the current roster, but adding a Steven Jackson or Dashon Goldson could get them over the hump. Another year of going backwards and it will get harder and harder to keep winning.
By already missing out on Chris Canty and not having Jackson on a plane to Green Bay tonight, Thompson has already missed the boat. The Bears are the clear favorite in the NFC North now, and if the Lions sign Reggie Bush and the Vikings sign Greg Jennings, I would put both of those teams ahead of the Packers.
We could be looking at a first to worst in one year. You have to wonder if Thompson’s days in Green Bay are numbered. The team has been in steady decline since winning the Super Bowl when it should be exactly the opposite. This is the “what have you done for me lately?” NFL and in Thompson’s case the answer to that question is zip, zero, zilch.