If you are a Green Bay Packers’ fan watching the Broncos win the Super Bowl yesterday was a punch in the gut. The Broncos and general manager, John Elway, just showed how important it is to build your team via all avenues available, unlike Packers’ general manager Ted Thompson, who only uses the draft to develop his team.
In his first free agency period after becoming GM Elway signed DeMarcus Ware, Aqib Talib and T.J. Ward. Imagine how nice those guys would have fit in Green Bay, who at that time was coming off two of the worst defensive years in team history. I’m sure Thompson didn’t even try to get any of those guys and probably laughed at the Broncos for spending so much money. Who is laughing now I?
Elway also signed starting guard Louis Vasquez that year but hasn’t gone wild in free agency every year. You don’t have to break the bank every year but if you want to win a Super Bowl you can’t sit on your hands year in and year out like Thompson does. With the exception of 2014 the Packers haven’t had a sniff of the Super Bowl and clearly regressed this year on offense when the young players Thompson counted on to be stars failed miserably. Guys like Richard Rodgers, Jeff Janis, Jared Abbrederis and and any one of many offensive lineman simply proved not good enough to play when given the chance.
Yes, Abbrederis and Janis had a good playoff game against the Cardinals, but are you going to bet your future on one game? The Packers will get Jordy Nelson back next year so that will help the receiver position but just think of what it would be like to have a guy like Alshon Jeffery or Marvin Jones opposite him?
The Packers have holes to fill at linebacker and desperately need depth at offensive line. Waiting years for guys to develop is not going to get the Packers back to the Super Bowl. Ron Wolf and Thompson were able to catch lightning in a bottle once because they had all-world quarterbacks, but neither were able to get that elusive second title that separates the elite franchises from the good ones.
So while the Broncos celebrate a Super Bowl title today, the Packers continue to tread water. Since nothing is likely to change under Thompson, the Packers’ chances of winning another Super Bowl under Aaron Rodgers aren’t good. They are good enough to make the playoffs every year but it would take a perfect storm for them to win the Super Bowl.