FAKE NEWS - Packers Edition

            “There certainly are some indications that the Packers might be a little more aggressive in free agency this year,” Ian Rapoport said on NFL Network. “From what I am told, I would think the Packers are going to try to get some free agents this year, along with trying to re-sign Jared Cook.”

            If anyone, and I mean anyone, including the "Tedders" and "Ask Vic", who drink so much Ted Thompson Kool-Aid their tongues are a permanent purple (think about that Tedders as you wear your green and gold proudly, but underneath it all you are, yuk, purple as you pledge your allegiance to a man blindly like shorn sheep) think The Ted is going to change his stripes now you are sadly mistaken.

            All that crap coming from 1265 Lombardi Avenue about being active in the free agency market is just that, CRAP. From this point on I am only going to talk about unrestricted free agents and not street free agents like Julius Peppers, who was cut from the Bears when he was still under contract.

            When The Ted took over he was somewhat active in the free agent market only because he let his two long-time starting guards go for purely financial reasons, future Packer Hall of Famer right guard Marco Rivera to free agency and left guard Mike Wahle was cut, so the only free agents The Ted signed his first year was left guard Adrian Klemm from the Patriots and right guard Matt O'Dwyer from the Bucs.

            Just a little history on those two offensive line stalwarts. Klemm lasted eight games before he was benched in favor of a rookie center named Scott Wells and O'Dwyer was cut during training camp and retired. Rookie Will Whitticker became the starter at right guard and he lasted only one season.

            Left guard continued to be a problem for another 2 seasons with Jason Spitz, Daryn Colledge and one year later Junius Coston splitting duty and Tony Moll and Spitz splitting at right guard.

            In 2008 Colledge took over at left guard and remained the starter for 3 seasons before T.J. Lang took over in 2011. Right guard continued to be a problem with Spitz, Moll and Coston taking turns starting until Josh Sitton took over in 2009. The offensive line was a mess for 3 seasons because The Ted cut his excellent starting guards because he hates to pay offensive linemen any money.

            In 2006 The Ted had his only banner off-season with the signing of future Packer and NFL Hall of Famer Charles Woodson and solid defensive lineman Ryan Pickett. He also signed Marquand Manuel, a one-year starter at strong safety, and wide receiver Marc Boerigter, who was cut.

            Leading up to the Super Bowl team The Ted signed reserve cornerback Frank Walker in 2007 for one season, part-time starter inside linebacker Brandon Chillar in 2008, and guard Duke Preston and safety Anthony Smith in 2009 and both were cut.  The Ted didn't sign any in 2010.

            Since the Super Bowl team The Ted has signed only two UFA's, defensive end Anthony Hargrove of Bountygate fame, who was waived in training campe and was suspended the first 8 games of 2012 because of Bountygate and future Colt and NFL Hall of Famer center Jeff Saturday, who had nothing left in his tank, and was benched for the last two games of the 2012 season. The Ted hasn't signed an UFA since then.

            The Green Bay Packers have $43,568,612 cap room waiting to be used for the free agent signing period that started today. Yesterday The Ted opened his active involvement in free agency by re-signing exclusive rights free agent punter Jacob Schum (no news on how long) and re-signed Nick Perry to a 5-year deal before he could attract any interest. In a list of the top 5 free agents at each position by Cameron DeSilva from Fox Sports.com Perry was listed as the top free agent at defensive end/pass rusher and Schum was not listed.

            DeSilva also listed JC Tretter as the top center, Jared Cook as the 2nd tight end, Eddie Lacy as the 3rd running back, T.J. Lang as the 3rd guard, Micah Hyde as the 3rd safety and Julius Peppers as the 5th defensive end/pass rusher.

             The other Packers unrestricted free agents are T Don Barclay, LS Brett Goode, OLB Datone Jones and RB Christine Michael. The restricted free agents are OLB Jayrone Elliott and ILB Jordan Tripp and the exclusive rights free agents are WR Geronimo Allison, RB John Crockett, RB Don Jackson, FB Joe Kerridge, DT Christian Ringo and ILB Joe Thomas.

            NFL.com has a list of the Top 101 UFA's and this is where the Packers free agents land on the list: #15. T.J. Lang. #16. Nick Perry. #26 Micah Hyde. #33. Eddie Lacy. #34 Jared Cook. #47. Julius Peppers. #69. Datone Jones. #89 Christine Michael. Even on this list Don Barclay and Brett Goode didn't make the cut.

            George Gabrieliants from isportsweb suggests that The Ted should sign inside linebacker Dont’a Hightower from the Patriots, who is ranked 5th on the top 101 and cornerbacks Trumaine Johnson from the Rams and Prince Amukamara (former Giants No. 1 pick and last year with the Jaguars), who is ranked 40th on the top 101.

            Hunter Davis from Fansided thinks " Sure, they have Clay Matthews, but has he been viewed as a legitimate offensive play wrecker since 2011? Him and Julius Peppers had a spell in 2015, but have been sub par since then. Enter Dont’a Hightower.

            Hightower would give the leadership this Packers defense would need, and from what GM Ted Thompson has said to the media, they are looking to spend some money on it. They would, along with the other 31 teams in the NFL, want to acquire Hightower’s services.

            Also, with Clay Matthews hitting the age 30, and Hightower being only 26, they could be looking for a long-term replacement. With Julius Peppers potentially retiring, and should he play another year, the trio of linebackers can be one of the more dangerous groups in the league, and that has to excite Hightower if the opportunity is presented to him.

            Plus, the Packers have some serious cap space to spend. At around $43 million, and with little to no major re-signings on the horizon, they would be able to meet Hightower’s demands. It would turn around a Packers defense that has struggled in the past 3 years. The idea would be demand attention of Packers GM Ted Thompson and Packers fans everywhere."

            However, Johnson is off the market after signing a $16.7 million franchise tender with the Rams.

            Now we can wait to see how many UFA cornerbacks, running backs, inside linebackers, or offensive linemen The Ted will sign today or tomorrow, if the FAKE NEWS is actually the REAL NEWS, but I'm not holding my breath.