Should Green Bay Packers Fire General Manager Ted Thompson?

Ted Thompson is going into his fifth season as the general manager of the Green Bay Packers. Ted Thompson has had many supporters; however, some of his support seems to be waning. This article will take a look at past and present controversies of Ted Thompson, and what Ted Thompson needs to do in order to remain in Green Bay.

The Green Bay Packers were coming off an 8-8 season where they just missed the playoffs. They ended the year on a four game winning streak, were the youngest team in the NFL, and the following season looked promising after Brett Favre announced he would return for the 2007 season. As the wide receiver position lacked depth and Greg Jennings was just coming off his rookie season, Brett Favre tried persuading Ted Thompson into acquiring Randy Moss from the Oakland Raiders.

Randy Moss eventually went to the New England Patriots for a fourth round pick. What made this so baffling? Ted Thompson selected wideout James Jones in the third round, a long-term project at wide receiver. Do you go with a long-term project in round three or arguably the best receiver in the NFL in the fourth round? If you go with the long-term project, then why keep Brett Favre around with such a commitment to rebuilding?

The following season, the Green Bay Packers made the NFC Championship. Randy Moss put up monstrous numbers in New England with Tom Brady. Greg Jennings emerged as a star wideout that season, which eased the distress of many Packer fans for not signing Moss. Regardless, the chance of a wide receiving unit of Randy Moss, Donald Driver, and Greg Jennings, with Brett Favre throwing it to them? Could have happened, and cheaply too.

One title possibly forfeited.

You know what is next: The Brett Favre saga featuring Ted Thompson. It is not even that Ted Thompson got rid of Favre as much as how he handled the situation. Yes, Brett Favre's waffling is tiresome, but was it necessary to hold Favre hostage throughout training camp? After all he has done for Green Bay and Ted Thompson can't even make a reasonable request to trade him to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Nope; Ted Thompson trades him to the New York Jets, a team that went 4-12 the previous season in a division with the defending Super Bowl Champion New England Patriots. .

If Ted Thompson would have been reasonable about the situation, Brett Favre may not have returned to play with the Minnesota Vikings. As a Packer fan, I hate seeing Favre in purple, but I do not blame him for wanting to show up Ted Thompson. The waffling of Favre may affect the Packers, but holding him hostage throughout training camp doesn't?

Hence, the ensuing chaos turned a promising 2008 season into a colossal failure as the Green Bay Packers finished 6-10. The only promising thing about the season was Aaron Rodgers performance and that seven of their losses were "near-misses."

Two titles possibly forfeited.

Ted Thompson is known as the anti Daniel Snyder. He builds his teams through the draft with limited free agency transaction. This works during the process of rebuilding. Once you have a team that is competitive, however, you use free agency to fill roster deficiencies.

After the 13-3 2007 season, Ted Thompson had an opportunity to add one or two final pieces to the NFL's youngest roster. Ted Thompson had the opportunity to have it led by Brett Favre, who has taken the Packers to two Super Bowls, winning one. Instead, Ted Thompson signs a backup linebacker and ships Favre out of town. Why would you rebuild off a 13-3 season that missed a Super Bowl appearance by overtime?

In 2009, same deal. Ted Thompson has the opportunity to sign an offensive lineman. He has an opportunity to sign a linebacker who has experience in the 3-4 that could help our younger players. He had a chance for Tony Gonzalez. He had a chance to add defensive line depth. Instead, Ted Thompson signs Anthony Smith, who he cuts after preseason.

After 2008, Ted Thompson should understand that we do not need anymore public relation disasters, especially during August. When he was asked about looking into Michael Vick, he stated "We look into everything." Personally, I believe that Michael Vick deserves a second chance, but the Green Bay Packers could not afford another locker room fiasco following Brett Favre. Does Ted Thompson want to be known as the general manager that would pursue a dog slayer, yet runs the hometown hero out of town? His huggermuggery on personnel decisions is unacceptable.

At least this shows that Ted Thompson understands that we need a veteran backup quarterback. Now why Thompson has not gotten a veteran backup quarterback in the last two years is anyone's' guess. There are no veterans as game-ready as Matt Flynn or Brian Brohm?

The Green Bay Packers yet again have a team that should compete for the championship. However, the roster transactions for Ted Thompson in 2009 have been puzzling.

Anthony Smith was released after the preseason. The ironic thing was the Green Bay Packers traded for Derrick Martin, a reserve safety for the Baltimore Ravens. Wednesday, the Packers released Aaron Rouse while Atari Bigby and Nick Collins are recovering from injuries. Currently, the Packers safeties are Jarrett Bush, recently acquired Derrick Martin, and street free agent Matt Giordano, who will need a few weeks to learn the 3-4 defense. Would it not be wiser to wait until after week 4 before bringing someone in so they can learn the system during the bye week? Why did Aaron Rouse make the roster to begin with?

The releases of Anthony Smith and Aaron Rouse also bring into question Jarrett Bush. All I can figure out is he must be the Troy Polamalu of practice.

All of this is while the Green Bay Packers maintain three fullbacks on the roster. Many teams only carry one fullback on there roster... the Packers carry three. With the depth of quality defensive back and offensive lineman becoming a major concern, is it that important to have a jumbo formation fullback? If the Packers do not improve their offensive line, Aaron Rodgers may not get out of the season healthy, let alone be a championship contender.

Three titles possible forfeited?

I have been a supporter of Ted Thompson, but the support continues to decease. With each personnel decision, it seems as if his long-term plan in building a franchise never disintegrates into a short-term objective. It just continues to reset itself.

The Green Bay Packers weaknesses could have been addressed in the off-season. Ted Thompson has had years to correct the offensive line. Instead, he relies on mid to low round projects like Allen Barbre. If an offensive line is weak, then it does not matter how strong you are at quarterback and the skill positions, you will be exploited. The Packers have had the youngest team in the NFL four years in a row. Young players are nice, but veterans have a better understanding of the game and can teach the young players.

Ted Thompson is not a bad general manager. He is like the Mary Schottenheimer of general managers. He is the person you want to rebuild your team and make them competitive, but he is proving incapable of getting them over that hump as a championship team because he is over-conservative.

In Green Bay, being competitive is not enough, especially when competitive means playoffs once in the last four years. In Title Town, the small town neighborhood people demand championships. Being the 90's Bills in "Youngest Team in the NFL" titles doesn't cut it.

REFERENCES:

Skip Wood, "Patriots Welcome Randy Moss after Trade from Oakland." USA Today.

Gregg Rosenthal, "Packers don't rule out Signing Vick." PFT.

Pete Dougherty, "S Aaron Rouse Release Surprises Teammates, Leaves Defense Thin." Green Bay Press Gazette.