Fresh off being recognized as Executive of the Year by Sporting News, one might assumes Packers General Manager Ted Thompson’s job is safe. While that may be true for the short term, this offseason will be crucial for Thompson.
Thompson has in many ways been a polarizing figure since becoming GM in Green Bay. With criticism for him seemingly hitting an all-time high early in the offseason of 2010, he was given a reprieve as the team he put together from the draft and through virtual unknown “street” free agents went on a stunning second half run and won the Super Bowl even though 16 players were lost for the year due to injury. All of a sudden, Thompson’s detractors had nothing to say. He had long been ridiculed for building the Packers the wrong way and not getting them enough help via free agency – but, there he was accepting the Lombardi Trophy when it was all said and done.
Fast forward to the 2011 season that is now in the books for the Packers. All through the season, praise for Thompson continued. The Packers sailed through the regular season to a franchise best 15-1 record. And there was the GM again looking like a genius.
Then the playoffs happened. The problems that had only been a minor nuisance to the Packers (lack of pass rush, secondary issues), exploded in their faces as the Giants walked all over the Packers’ players on the field and all over the hearts of the Packer faithful off of it.
It didn’t take long. Conversations that took place only as whispers during the season soon became hot topics in Green Bay. Why hadn’t Thompson resigned Cullen Jenkins, a top pass rusher, instead of letting him go free to Philadelphia? Why didn’t he try to shore up the secondary more? After Nick Collins was lost to injury in week 2, the defense never recovered.
While Thompson has gotten away in the past with virtually forgoing free agency with the best of intentions of “building from within,” this might be the year the stoic GM has to break tradition. The stakes are high. If Thompson continues his ways and doesn’t address the pass rush issue in free agency, he is taking a huge gamble that Mike Neal will step up his game on the defensive line or that he can get a quarterback harassing linebacker in the draft to play opposite Clay Matthews. If he goes with this option and it doesn’t pay off, causing the team to struggle next year, the Packer faithful will again be calling for Thompson’s head.
And who could blame them? This team has too much talent on offense to send it into another season without addressing the defense. If Nick Collins decides to retire in March like many are expecting, the hole in the secondary will become permanent until Thompson gets someone to fill it. Charles Woodson isn’t getting any younger, Tramon Williams unexpectedly regressed last year, and Charlie Peprah and Morgan Burnett were nothing special, so there is a definite need for a safety or corner in free agency. And wasting Matthews’ talent by not giving him someone to alleviate the double and triple teams he’s seeing would be foolish. Again, free agency can help here.
The draft and internal growth programs are great strengths of Thompson’s and the Packers. But this year, at least, free agency will likely be necessary. And there are names out there, Thompson just has to open his (the team’s) wallet. If he stays the course, the entire success of next season or lack thereof is on his shoulders. And if the results aren’t good, it won’t be long until the team at least considers a replacement. Most of the pieces are there, but it takes all of them to complete the puzzle. We’ll see what happens.