Green Bay — John Schneider worked for six seasons as the top personnel aide to Green Bay Packers general manager Ted Thompson. In that time, Schneider certainly learned the value of the NFL draft.

But when Schneider got his chance to run the Seattle Seahawks in 2010, he also took a broader approach to his job.

In the time since, Schneider has traded for running back Marshawn Lynch, defensive end Chris Clemons and wideout Percy Harvin. Schneider signed notable free agents such as defensive end Cliff Avril and cornerback Brandon Browner. And he's drafted extremely well, hitting home runs with players such as Russell Wilson, Earl Thomas and Russell Okung.

Seattle was 5-11 the season before Schneider assumed his general manager duties. Now, it has the NFC's best record.

John Dorsey served for two decades in Green Bay's scouting department. Then in January, he took the general manager job in Kansas City.



As of early November, Green Bay had a remarkable 50 players on its roster that had never played for another organization. At the time, Baltimore and Dallas were next with 41, while Atlanta and Miami had 40.

JSOnline  wrote:

In three of the last four seasons, Thompson hasn't signed an unrestricted free agent. And the last significant player Thompson acquired via trade was running back Ryan Grant in 2007.

Still, don't look for Thompson to deviate too far from the script he's used for nearly a decade now.

The Seahawks are looking to win now. In 5 years they will be average and declining. The Packers will be good for the next 10 years. So which is better? I know that at some points there wont be a "super team" and thoes times are more than not in the current nfl. The packers will win again when, much like 2010, there isn't a super team. Just a team that's really good and will win

Originally Posted by: The_Green_Ninja 

I'ts interesting to see the way Schneider and Dorsey have gone and if McKenzie can last a few years in Oakland it will give another glimpse of the D&D vs trade and FA debate. Most telling to me is that the trade and FA seems to be bearing more fruit right now with Seattle success and the recent rise of KC (we will see if KC continues to rise) and the Packers recent woes. (I said recent so don't bring up the SB in 2010. Keep in mind TTs two biggest FA acquisitions Pickett and Woodson had a lot to do with that as well)

We have all seen the way the assistant web get cast among coaches. The first I was ever really made aware of it was with Bill Walsh. It seemed like every third coach in the NFL had direct ties to Walsh for a while. Then it was Mike Holmgren and then it was Bill Parcels. This is the first time I am really aware of it in the upper management rankings however. Obviously a lot of that is because how many of us can name the GM of more than 4 or 5 teams at most. We just don't have the daily exposure to them as we do the coaches unless we seek the information out. Still its interesting to see how former Packer scouts and directors approach their jobs now they are the top dogs. Like I said earlier it is very interesting to see that, at least for now, they have seemed to stray from the masters teachings. (Note I use the term master in relation to their former boss and not to imply Thompson is a master GM)

Who knows, maybe once they reach that golden point they will fall into the D&D mode. I do think FA and trading is a way to build your team quicker as long as you are smart about it. That means not signing hyped up players that have played one good year out of 4 but rather looking for steady to rising players that are more affordable (think Moneyball) with potential to be reached. I am not convinced it is the best way to develop your team for he long haul if you continue with that as your main strategy. For that I think D&D is best for the main part of the plan. Notice I said main part.

Like many things is not wise to put all your eggs in one basket. Sometimes it may be better to sign that 2nd or even third tier FA DB than to trade down and take a safety in the 6th and 7th round. If you have the confidence in your staff to develop those rookies why wouldn't you have the confidence in them to bring out the best in that FA who has been a very good nickle back and part time starter for another team for the last three years.

I do think that if there is a FA out there that Ted Thompson thinks will help the team and not hamper future negotiations by tying up money he will get him. If Ted Thompson sees a guy that he has to have I think he will find a way to get him. Some people act as if he has a "NEVER EVER sign a free agent" code of conduct and that is simply not true. He just has a much stricter or at least much different, set of conditions that must be met to make a FA acquisition the right move. There just hasn't been that guy that he has to have.

Originally Posted by: sschind