The late, great Ted Thompson took over as GM of the Packers in 2005 and his first three picks were:

1.24 Aaron Rodgers
2.51 Nick Collins
2.58 Terrance Murphy

At the time, some "experts" thought this was a bad draft. A backup QB and a small school safety that nobody had heard of with his first two picks. Was this guy in over his head?

In retrospect, Rodgers was pretty good. I mean, I'll take Bart Starr if we're talking best all-time Packers QB, but the guy from Chico will be a first-ballot HOFer.

Nick Collins was developing into an all-time great safety when his career was tragically cut short.

But the guy I often think about? Terrance Murphy. I remember he looked good in the preseason, and then had a fluke neck/spine injury when he attempted to recover a Najeh Davenport fumble. He would never play another down. How good could he have been? The 2005 Packers WRs were so bad/injured that they played a guy named Taco, so it's reasonable to assume he could have had a positive impact. Lawrence "Taco" Lasalle Wallace. I think about Taco often too, because I still find his name hilarious.

Had Murphy worked out, might the 2005 Packers team have looked a little better? There's a butterfly effect here of course - if they did, maybe Mike Sherman doesn't get fired. Maybe the Packers never win a Super Bowl with Rodgers and Mike McCarthy. Or who knows, maybe Rodgers wins 3 or 4 with Sherman? Ok, maybe not...

I don't closely follow other NFL teams but it seems like the Packers suffered a rough patch of luck with Murphy, Finley, Collins, and then Sam Sheilds suffering career-ending or threatening neck/spine injuries. It's said that the Packers are conservative with these types of injuries, and I can't blame them, suffering repeated neck injuries is the type of thing that could cause someone to be paralyzed for the rest of their lives. But it makes me wonder how common these injuries are.

Bringing this back to the current state of affairs in Green Bay... Not that it's a particularly unique take, but I predict that Brain Gutekunst's career will be evaluated primarily on his 2020 draft. If Jordan Love is good, or even great, Gutekunst punches his card with Ted Thompson-like tenure, where only degrading health or his desire to move on to another team will see him give up his responsibilities. If Love is just okay, he'll have some wiggle room. If Love sucks, he'll have a short leash, maybe 1 or 2 years to pick a new QB and sort things out.

2005 was also the year the Packers picked up UDFA Samkon Gado, a Nigerian-American otolaryngologist. I had to look it up - an otolaryngologist is a doctor who specializes in head and heck injuries. If only the Packers had Samkon on their medical staff, maybe instead of gashing the Lions for 171 yards he could have sorted out Terrance Murphy, Jermical Finley, Nick Collins, and Sam Sheilds.

---

I feel they were pretty high on Murphy. Really bummed me out what happened to him. Not so much for Packers sake, but more so the human. 

---

Mike Sherman gets fired either way as I believe he was avoiding talking with Ted Thompson out of resentment ... both for taking his job and his control, but also drafting Brett's (his boy) potential replacement.

NIck College was a college CB... not a College S. And I think all teams.knew him after he 205lbs ran a mid 4.3 in the 40... and I believe it was said the Ravens sent the Packers a gift (maybe flowers?) with a sarcastic note, basically congratulations the Packers for taking their pick (S Nick Collins), which Packers had #51 and Ravens had #53.

Also Packers only had #51 as Mike Sherman (I believe as GM) upset CB Mike McKenzie, whom demanded a trade and McKenzie and a 6th rounder for QB JT Sullivan and a 2nd rounder (#51 overall).



Greg Jennings came a year later and looked ready and a Pro from Day 1... WR Murphy (like a lot of the WRs) wasn't ready and needed a lot of development, but of all the WRs that were drafted by Ted Thompson, Murphy looked like he had the more raw potential and highest talent ceiling potential... which is to say something with Jennings, Jordy Nelson, and Davante Adams.

Speaking of which, Adams did not become the #1 WR in the NFL for a while by having the more potential, he did it by completely and totally developing the talents he does have, which most NFL players fail to do and this is the sign of a true an amazing professional in my book. Since most players don't do this, Murphy probably wouldn't have, but if he just developed 80% he might of been a decent starter because his pure talent potential was so high.
​​​​​​

---

Yeah, Mike Sherman was gone no matter what. I believe Ted Thompson said he felt Sherman lost the locker room.

It was also said the Mike McKenzie ordeal really drained the GM Sherman and that affected the HC Sherman. I believe it was Bob Harlan who stated this as part of his reasoning to split up the duties between two people.

Davante Adams has the talent coming out of college. I don't think it was completely and totally developed in the NFL. I believe it was polished greatly in the NFL. I say this because I was constantly talking about it. And I kept getting verbally abused because the dude would keep dropping the ball and folks were saying WHY THROW TO HIM!! And my response was because he is always getting open! Dude had crazy quick feet that I think he'd be open on 5-7 yard slants all day long no matter what. 

Nick Collins CB in college, didn't remember that. I do remember the Ravens called the Packers saying they got a good one and they were about to take Collins with their next pick.

---

 
I believe we saying the same thing, but using the same word(s) with a different meaning creating some confusion.

 Adams absolutely had talents before the NFL... what I meant was that I believe other WRs have more ceiling potential than Adams, but Adams polished himself to 100% to maximum the talents he has...

Where guys with more ceiling physical potential talent than him, possible don't even get to 85% of maximizing their talents.

Therefore Adams is better because he's maximized his potential which is actually rare in the NFL, as there is always room for improvement, but with a select group of guys like Adams, I'm not sure he can get better, he's done an amazing job at maximizing his talents! Praise to him for doing something most can't do.
​​​​​​

---

I really have no idea what you said, or what you're saying. I was just saying Adams wasn't completely and totally developed in the NFL. Maybe it's being pedantic, but it came off like he was absolutely raw and without anything when he got drafted in the 2nd round. Obviously, that isn't the case and obviously you'd never infer such a thing. So, really, my comment was useless and pointless.

---