In 2007, it was Randy Moss. In 2010 it was Marshawn Lynch. In 2013 it was Steven Jackson. Every year, a lot of Green Bay Packers fans are up in arms over General Manager Ted Thompson's inactivity during free agency.
After Green Bay failed to sign running back Steven Jackson, fans on Twitter were fuming. Fans were calling for his firing. It was a little extreme for a running back who will be 30 by the time the season rolls around. Fans should know Thompson does not actually spend a lot of money during free agency. But every year, Green Bay still wins. Over the past four seasons, Thompson has compiled a 47-17 regular season record along with a 5-3 postseason record, including a Super Bowl win.
Signing big name free agents rarely works, just ask the Washington Redskins and Philadelphia Eagles. What happened with big time free agent Albert Haynesworth and his $100 million contract? That marriage lasted just two seasons and he seemed to stop caring after his big payday. Philadelphia made big free agent signings in 2011 of former Packers defensive lineman Cullen Jenkins and highly coveted cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha as well as traded for another cornerback, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. That team was called the "Dream Team" by quarterback Vince Young, who was all signed as a free agent that offseason. Well, all of those players are no longer with the Eagles and that dream turned into a nightmare after a 12-20 record in these last two seasons. If a team makes a poor free agent signing, it cripples a franchise and it takes them a few years to recover from it.
People wanted the Packers to sign Jackson as well as re-signing wide receiver Greg Jennings. I would have loved for that to happen, but there is a thing called a salary cap. At this moment, the Packers are comfortably below the salary cap. However, all that cap will be used up when they sign quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who is a free agent after 2014, and linebacker Clay Matthews to hefty new contracts. That does not even include defensive tackle B.J. Raji and James Jones, who are also free agents after next season. There was absolutely no way Thompson would be able to re-sign all of them as well as sign Jackson. Would you sacrifice re-signing Matthews or Raji to re-sign Jennings and sign Jackson? I didn't think so.
Thompson has a proven track record and has proven to make the right decisions more often than not. Green Bay is in the mix for former New York Giants running back Ahmad Bradshaw. If he signs, great, but if not, I am not worried. Thompson knows what he is doing and I would not trade him for any other GM in the league. No matter what happens, the Packers will be fine.
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