Cliff Saunders, here formerly of Sportsradio 1250 WSSP. By now I'm sure you have had enough of the A-Rod talk. I'm sure you've had enough of the gloom and doom surrounding the Bucks.

So, I invite you to check out my latest edition of Cliff's Notes! This week I take a look at Ted Thompson and tell you why players like Julius Peppers, Albert Haynesworth, and Terrell Suggs won't be wearing Packer uniforms next season.

Let me know what you think. Send me an email to saundersonsports@yahoo.com.

saundersonsports:

Cliff Saunders, here formerly of Sportsradio 1250 WSSP. By now I'm sure you have had enough of the A-Rod talk. I'm sure you've had enough of the gloom and doom surrounding the Bucks.

So, I invite you to check out my latest edition of Cliff's Notes! This week I take a look at Ted Thompson and tell you why players like Julius Peppers, Albert Haynesworth, and Terrell Suggs won't be wearing Packer uniforms next season.

Let me know what you think. Send me an email to saundersonsports@yahoo.com.

Makes sense to me. I expect Thompson to dable in free agency this year, but he will not make the big splash people are hoping for. That is what I like about Thompson...all the fantasy football'ers want him to sign the big names...and he doesn't give a rip what they think. He does it his way. 

 Here are some select quotes that should irritate the following.

Steamboat willie, Boobyj44, Aholio, Era "I smoke the pole" Ted, Calvalley Fan, and others if I missed you, I am sorry, but I don't really care what you think.

"Reality is this. Not only will none of those players sign with the Packers, but it's a good bet that none of those players will ever come close to signing with the Pack."

 "Thompson signed a long term contract extension about a year ago last I checked. The Packers are not known for eating a lot of money. In the economy we live in right now, most professional sports franchises will think very hard before eating money on a contract. This fact alone means Thompson is safer than his detractors would like him to be."

"But, Capers learned a lot while he was in Pittsburgh. one of those lessons was to develop your own players. The Steelers used to lose players to free agency year after year. They rarely, if ever, went out and signed a free agent to replace them. They just plugged the next guy in and watched him succeed. Thompson runs his team in very much the same manner. Capers will make do with what he has now, and with what Thompson will provide him in the draft."

"I'm not saying that it's the way I'd conduct the off-season if I were in Thompson's shoes. I'm just telling you that to realistically expect the Packers to make a big splash in free agency, is, well, unrealistic."

This is sure to cause many a twisted colon on this and other forums.  This just made my day.  So much angst, not enough time to enjoy it all.

Can't say that I disagree with anything in the article. Pretty much what I expect also. TT will not make a push for Peppers, Suggs, Haynesworth or Lewis. They will cost way too much. I expect him to look into possibly signing a 2nd tier player like a Chris Canty or Karlos Dansby. But only if the contract makes sense. no need to break the bank and put you team in a bind finacially. They need to sign their own key players to contract extensions first.

"Thompson runs his team in very much the same manner as Pittsburgh"

He tries to,in the same 4yr period TT's been in GB with 1 playoff appearance.The Steelers have 3 playoff appearances and 2 Super Bowl Championships.They also don't sign many FA's,,just like TT and they draft  "a little better'' than TT. Now thats an understatement.

TT "does it his way" and maybe "just like the the Steelers" but the results are like night & day compared to the Steelers.

Question for all the TT lovers. His last 3 #1 draft picks (Hawk 06,Harrell 07 & Nelson 08) would any team offer him a #1 right now or even a #2 draft pick for one of these guys? 

jerseypackerbacker:

"Thompson runs his team in very much the same manner as Pittsburgh"

He tries to,in the same 4yr period TT's been in GB with 1 playoff appearance.The Steelers have 3 playoff appearances and 2 Super Bowl Championships.They also don't sign many FA's,,just like TT and they draft  "a little better'' than TT. Now thats an understatement.

TT "does it his way" and maybe "just like the the Steelers" but the results are like night & day compared to the Steelers.

Question for all the TT lovers. His last 3 #1 draft picks (Hawk 06,Harrell 07 & Nelson 08) would any team offer him a #1 right now or even a #2 draft pick for one of these guys? 

I know its splitting hairs but Jordy Nelson was a 2nd round pick not a 1st!

Pack Attack

You are correct,thanks. A little egg on my face.....again.

Pack Attack:

Can't say that I disagree with anything in the article. Pretty much what I expect also. TT will not make a push for Peppers, Suggs, Haynesworth or Lewis. They will cost way too much. I expect him to look into possibly signing a 2nd tier player like a Chris Canty or Karlos Dansby. But only if the contract makes sense. no need to break the bank and put you team in a bind finacially. They need to sign their own key players to contract extensions first.

 

Listened to "some experts" discussing NFL free agency last night.  Their view was that the first tier guys (Haynesworth, Suggs, Peppers) will probably get the big money that's been out there the last few years.  However, because of the looming economical issues in the country right now, most teams do have some worries about player costs, and they felt that this would keep down the money for those 2nd tier players.  Listening to them discuss this, I was thinking that maybe TT's diligence had paid off, and maybe the market would be favorable this year for getting those players at a reasonable cost - teams are not going to "overpay" anybody but those top tier guys.  Maybe I'm dreaming, but it sounded like the perfect time for the Packers to make some moves - that the market was coming to us.

howardk4:

Maybe I'm dreaming, but it sounded like the perfect time for the Packers to make some moves - that the market was coming to us.

There are lot of teams out there that have plenty of cap room to spend.  What some people forget is that if the NFL does go uncapped, and it doesn't return, you are going to need a cheapskate running the show in Green Bay.  There is no way that the Packers can compete dollar for dollar with the Snyder's and Jones's of the world.

The move by TT to lock up Aaron is now becoming more and more relevant.  By doing it last year with cap money, TT has essentially locked up the most important position in football.  Much to some posters chagrin, it was the right move.

I am not against going out and getting a marquee player, but if you weigh the costs involved with production (The Greatest Defensive player ever to play Jared Allen is a perfect example) while he was productive, was he worth all the draft picks and the HUGE cash he got?  With a signing like that they should have been 12-4 or 14-2, instead they were a missed field goal from being 9-7 and sitting home.

swany11:

Makes sense to me. I expect Thompson to dable in free agency this year, but he will not make the big splash people are hoping for. That is what I like about Thompson...all the fantasy football'ers want him to sign the big names...and he doesn't give a rip what they think. He does it his way. 

+++++1

I expected TT to pull in FAs like these in the offseason.

wcheezer:

I am not against going out and getting a marquee player, but if you weigh the costs involved with production (The Greatest Defensive player ever to play Jared Allen is a perfect example) while he was productive, was he worth all the draft picks and the HUGE cash he got?  With a signing like that they should have been 12-4 or 14-2, instead they were a missed field goal from being 9-7 and sitting home.

Great.  Now you did it.  Anxiously awaiting a certain poster (troll?) to show up in 5, 4, 3, . . .

Judge Parins:

wcheezer:

I am not against going out and getting a marquee player, but if you weigh the costs involved with production (The Greatest Defensive player ever to play Jared Allen is a perfect example) while he was productive, was he worth all the draft picks and the HUGE cash he got?  With a signing like that they should have been 12-4 or 14-2, instead they were a missed field goal from being 9-7 and sitting home.

Great.  Now you did it.  Anxiously awaiting a certain poster (troll?) to show up in 5, 4, 3, . . .

Beetlejuice, beetlejuice, beetlejuice...........