Ted has signed free agents, both starters and backups in his tenure with the Packers. He just doesn't do it often. He's also signed his own free agents that were worth the new contract. I am not defending him for not making moves this year but I am also not going to sit there and say he never signs free agents. He blew it this season.

What free agents did you want Ted to sign this year? Which free agents would have made an impact? What trades would be realistic that wouldn't impact the draft and develop strategy of this team?

Seahawks traded a great center and a 1st round pick away for Jimmy Graham and they play better without the guy on the field. It doesn't always work out.

Originally Posted by: Yerko 

Which teams?

The Bengals for sure, Denver too (except Manning of course), Kansas City, Washington, New England, Carolina. Ooops they are all in the playoffs!

This season the FA market was weak, Thompson is not a gambler but I think this season he did well holding his chips.

Originally Posted by: luigis 

So Denver with high-priced FAs (in addition to Manning) like Emmanuel Sanders, DeMarcus Ware, Aqib Talib, and TJ Ward does not sign veteran free agents? You mean like Owen Daniels the TE? Or Vernon Davis the TE they traded for?

Or the Patriots who signed CBs Revis & Browner before last season's Super Bowl win along with WRs Amendola & LaFell? The Patriots signed 2 FA RBs in Blount and Lewis. OLBer Sheard is a free agent. Belichek made 3 trades for players this season alone.

The Broncos & Patriots roster are the complete opposite of TT's approach in GB.

In Carolina, they signed Charles Tillman, Michael Oher, Kurt Coleman, and Ted Ginn just last season. They have Mike Tolbert at RB, Greg Olson at TE, Jared Allen at DE, and many others.

Washington has long been known for foolishly signing FAs.

KC has Alex Smith at QB, Abdullah at S, Jason Avant at WR, Tyron Branch at S, Mike Devito DT, Jeremy Maclin WR, Sean Smith CB who all were acquired via trade or veteran free agency (oh and 2 former Packer OLBs in Dezman Moses and Frank Zombo).

You are correct about Cincy, however, they are the closest, but the Bengals still have many more players who played for other teams than GB does.

Originally Posted by: RichMcGeorge 

So no team in the league would have traded away a starting WR to the Packers? Do any of you remember the Packers adding John Jefferson, when we had James Lofton? Did Thompson even explore a trade with another team. Seems to me all he did was wait around the waiver wire for the slowest receiver in football. And the draft and develop plan at WR failed us, because Janis and Abbraderis don't even see the field as we prefer to keep sending in Adams, who has really digressed. So I'd like someone to try and explain to me how Thompson gets another pass. He failed us this season.

Next year we get Jordy and Ty back on the field and everything will good again, but Ted pissed this season away with his conservatism.

Originally Posted by: DakotaT 

Yes you are right but for this season neither of those teams made any significant FA signings, except KC with Maclin all the others stayed put.
Washington is changing the tide not wasting money in FAs and see what just happened to them...

Originally Posted by: luigis 

NE made 3 trades for players during the season. They signed a starting RB Lewis and OLBer Sheard during the offseason. Backup TE Scott Chandler, LB Jonathan Freeney were also signed. The Pats add veterans every year.

Denver acquired both Owen Daniels & Vernon Davis to play TE this year. Keo Shiloh, who had the INT that turned yesterday's win over San Diego, was signed this offseason. Starting guard Evan Mathis was signed this offseason. Tackle Tyler Polumbus was signed during the season. Starting S Darian Stewart was signed last offseason.

There is NO GM IN THE NFL who acquires fewer veterans via free agency or trades than Ted Thompson.

Originally Posted by: RichMcGeorge 

For one reason or another NE is a counter-example to any explanation we want to find for our team status.

- We never draft very high neither do they
- We have Rodgers so we can't waste in FAs, they have Brady and are very active in FA
- We claim our best WR got injured, they play with 2nd/3rd tier WRs and have no problem

Originally Posted by: luigis