Free Agency and Ted Thompson

It seems General Manager Ted Thompson feels good about letting Randall Cobb hit free agency. I've got a problem with that for two reasons. It will drive up the price if the Packers do re-sign him, but more importantly Cobb will end up signing elsewhere.

 

Randal Cobb

 

Thompson pre-empted Aaron Rodgers and Jordy Nelson when it was their time to test the free agent waters and ended up with relative sweetheart deals. He could have done the same with Cobb as most reports kept saying Cobb was waiting for the front office to make a move and most Packers want to remain Packers.

 

From the lack of contract I have to conclude the development of Davante Adams has caused Cobb to be expendable. Like I said I have a problem with that. Except for the broken shin Cobb has been a durable player and last year took the step to become a superstar. In the Packer offense there is a need for three No. 1 receivers and right now before Cobb walks (and I think the odds are better than 75 percent he will and much to my chagrin will probably end up in Seattle to replace Percy Harvin) leaving just two.

 

You see Ron Wolf protegee John Schneider (I think the Packers got the raw end of the deal when Thompson came here from Seattle and Schneider went there) has no trouble spending money to get that final piece of the puzzle. Thompson acts as if the cap money (and I guess the coffee money, too) is coming out of his pocket and he hates to spend money.

 

I think (and you've heard me say this before) he wasted the last years of Brett Favre by not making a few strategic deals or free agent signings and is now wasting the prime years of Aaron Rodgers the same way by not signing veteran offensive linemen as backups, not signing or drafting inside linebackers, and now letting Cobb and some other keys players go through free agency.

 

The problem I have with the offensive line is that every year it seems the final roster has no backup tackles. So when someone goes down (Bulaga or is it really Buluga like the color man on the Cowboys game kept calling him) you not only lose the starting tackle, but you also lose a starting guard because the top reserve is another starter. So you lose two starting players with one injury. When Ron Wolf was here he signed aging vet Bruce Wilkerson, who ended up the starting left tackle in the Super Bowl when Ken Ruettgers went down. So instead of moving Aaron Taylor from left guard, etc.

 

Wolf also signed free agent defensive linemen Reggie White, Santana Dotson and Sean Jones and middle linebacker Ron Cox, who all started in the Super Bowl. Thompson wouldn't have done that.

 

Charles Woodson Intercepts Jay Cutler by Jeff Hanisch- US Presswire

To be fair (and I'm always fair, more or less) Thompson did sign cornerback Charles Woodson (who he got cheap because nobody wanted him) and defensive tackle Ryan Pickett, defensive lineman Howard Green (who he got cheap because he was at the end of the line) and Julius Peppers (see Green). Beyond those four I can't really see any free agent signing Thompson has made that has made any impact. But to be fair let's look at his free agent signings.

 

 

2006: 

WR Marc Boerigter (Kansas City), S Marquand Manuel (Seattle), DT Ryan Pickett (St. Louis), LB Ben Taylor (Cleveland), CB Charles Woodson (Oakland)...Pickett and Woodson (good job). Manual started and was terrible and cut after one year. Boerighter cut and Taylor not re-signed in 2007.

 

2007:

CB Frank Walker (N. Y. Giants) - (ok player who never amounted to much).

 

2008:

LB Brandon Chillar (St. Louis) - (was a starter, but was injured a lot and ended up being benched and cut loose)

2009: 

S Anthony Smith (Pittsburgh) - (a part-time starter later let go in 2011), C/G Duke Preston (Buffalo) - (was later cut).

2010:

 

DT Howard Green (New York Jets) - (like I said one of the heroes on the Super Bowl, who wasn't re-signed the next season, but still a good signing as the time).

 

2011:

None.

 

2012:

C Jeff Saturday (Indianapolis) - (replaced Scott Wells and was benched by the end of the year), DT Daniel Muir (FA) - (didn't make team twice over the years), DE Anthony Hargrove (Seattle) - (cut), DE Phillip Merling (Miami) - (cut), RB Cedric Benson (Cincinnati) - (became the starter, but got injured and never played again), RB Ryan Grant (Washington) - (cut).

 

2013:

None

 

2014:

None. Technically Julius Peppers was cut, so he was a street free agent and not an unrestricted free agent. But a great pickup for one season. I wouldn't pay him big bucks for next year. I think he disappeared in too many games and had to be spotted. I think he doesn't have enough left.

 

A look at the free agent list of 2006 proved Thompson did a great job his first year on the job, but apart from Woodson and Pickett, Green in 2010 for a half a season and Peppers last year free agency is not Thompson's thing.

 

Here are the top 25 free agents this year and the list of players who will not be wearing a Packer uniform next year.

 

1. Ndamukong Suh, Lions defensive tackle
2. Justin Houston, Chiefs pass rusher
3. Dez Bryant, Cowboys wide receiver
4. Demaryius Thomas, Broncos wide receiver
5. Jason Pierre-Paul, Giants defensive end
6. Julius Thomas, Broncos tight end
7. Mike Iupati, 49ers guard
8. Randall Cobb, Packers wide receiver
9. Devin McCourty, Patriots safety
10. DeMarco Murray, Cowboys running back
11. Jerry Hughes, Bills pass rusher
12. Jason Worilds, Steelers pass rusher
13. Jared Odrick, Dolphins defensive tackle
14. Pernell McPhee, Ravens pass rusher
15. Terrance Knighton, Broncos defensive tackle
16. Jeremy Maclin, Eagles wide receiver
17. Brandon Graham, Eagles pass rusher
18. Torrey Smith, Ravens wide receiver
19. Greg Hardy, Panthers pass rusher*
20. Byron Maxwell, Seahawks cornerback
21. C.J. Spiller, Bills running back
22. Nick Fairley, Lions defensive tackle
23. Brandon Flowers, Chargers cornerback
24. Brian Orakpo, Redskins pass rusher
25. Jordan Cameron, Browns tight end

 

On the list here I like Cobb, Mike Iupati, Dez Bryant (although I hate liking him), Justin Houston, Jerry Hughes and Greg Hardy (I hate him as a person). I would re-sign Cobb and go after Hughes to replace Peppers. I might also go after Jordan Cameron although I like Richard Rodgers and Andrew Quarless.

 

Next up re-signing or not re-signing what is Thompson's scorecard on that or maybe not if something better comes up and that post has to be postponed for a day or two.