that explains why they are not a good team.

---

Yeah, exactly. I mean, how much do you have to suck to go 3-1 with your 3rd & 4th string QBs?

---

+1 Finny

+1 to NSD too for telling yooper to show some evidence.

@yooper I will back up NSD and say that you can make any statement you want on this board, as you are entitled to your opinion, but you do need to have evidence when making statements about "facts." For example, you have been saying lately how the last teams have gone to the Big Game because of free agency and trades, yet you gave no examples or data for that statement. All I am saying is if you are trying to make a factual point like that I would give evidence so we can see if your facts are facts.

---

Going back one more year to the 2006 Colts, I'm pretty sure that their only free agent signing was kicker Adam Vinatieri--a player the Packers pursued but lost out on because a dome is a much easier place for a kicker to play in.

Before that was the 2005 Steelers--again, few or no free agent signings.

Before that, you get into the Patriot years, which are a little more complicated. In 2001 they came out of nowhere to win it all, after having signed several low to mid-level free agents during the previous couple years. But before they won it in 2003, they signed Rodney Harrison, and in 2004 they added linebacker Rosevelt Colvin and got Corey Dillon in a trade. They did not win any championships after signing Adalius Thomas and Randy Moss.

---

It is if you want anyone to take your opinions on this issue seriously. Then again maybe you don't care, and I wouldn't hold that against you.

Still, the balance of the evidence is against you. I seem to remember from one of those "America's Games" series about one of the Steelers teams from the 70s hearing that literally not one player on their roster had ever been on another NFL team. I could be mistaken in it being that extreme, but even though that was a different era it was a dynasty built through the draft.

Others have pointed out plenty of other examples as well. So it seems that you have it backwards; it's the rule, not the exception.

---

I don't get the argument here. There are obviously advantages to building from the draft. I get that. I see the advantage. But why does it appear that the ones making this argument can't see the advantage of picking up a player that might get the team over the last hurdle?

I'm not suggesting you pull a Ditka and mortgage your team's future for one guy that might make a difference. But in a case like Moss or Lynch, there was hardly a price to pay. (I am not suggesting that we should have made a play for Moss, just that the Vikings felt they had a need at WR and they took a chance).

If what I'm reading is that if you have a build from within philosophy, then you can't make a FA pickup then I am calling BS. Every team has a build from within attitude, but that doesn't mean that if a player is out there at a reasonable price, that a build from within team can't make a play for said player.

Thats because they win by defense, look at last year when they lost 2 starters on defense, they lost to the likes of the Chiefs, Raiders and Browns.

This year they are 3-1 because of the defense. Before you say anything look and you will see 3 or 4 starters were free agents they picked up years before.

And also if you look at their previous drafts you will see they don't have a good record on that.

---

MI the difference from back then to todays game is very simple. It is called free agency 😞

---

So, erm, that means that they handle FA exactly like the Packers then, don't they?

I mean, the guys from years before are Woodson, Chillar and Pickett for us.

But I agree. You can get to the SB while completely ignoring FA, but that is quite hard. FA and trades are a perfect way to plug some holes. Not to drastically improve your team, Redskins style, but to add depth to a shallow position or add a veteran who can step in when needed. Maybe even start with the problems we have at safety.

Make the occasional splash to really upgrade a position. Thinking Charles Woodson here.

Lastly, before freaking out about how the Packers are doing, check out the 2008 Pittsburgh Steelers . Quite some similarities right there. Very streaky play, some similar injuries like at the RB position.

I'm well aware, though back then you had trades more often than you do now. I'm also not purposing we ignore free agency. I would like to see us get some safety depth at the very least but I just don't know who.

---