Packers opt for new, risky FA strategy as Rodgers' window begins to close
Along with star quarterback Aaron Rodgers, Ted Thompson was a hero in Green Bay for the vast majority of his tenure as the Packers' general manager.
The exec, named GM in 2005, was lauded for building a Super Bowl-winning roster with patience and clear purpose, and for eschewing big-money free-agent signings in favor of rewarding his own homegrown players. It was a philosophy that jelled perfectly with the Packers, the NFL's only publicly-owned team, and one based in the league's smallest market.
Unfortunately, Thompson stuck around long enough to see himself become the villain, chastised by the fan base for the very approach that once saw him anointed a genius.
The former GM's lack of free-agent moves become counterproductive when the defense clearly needed more reinforcements than his declining draft classes could provide, and decisions like not re-signing Casey Hayward - a second-team All-Pro in 2017 for the Los Angeles Chargers - only highlighted that he was either unwilling or unable to adapt his long-held and formerly successful strategies.
That shift also hinted Green Bay, for all its success since making Rodgers - drafted the same year Thompson took over as GM - the starter in 2008, is starting to truly feel the weight of earning just a single title from the future Hall of Famer's era.
The Packers clearly realized a radical change was needed, as they moved Thompson into a senior adviser role in January and replaced him with one of his proteges, Brian Gutekunst, who doesn't share his former boss' vision based on the Packers' first three major moves in free agency, despite spending the last 20 years with the franchise.
Jimmy Graham was captured to finally fill the long-standing void at tight end, but for a steep price - reportedly $30 million over three years, the highest annual average at the position - and with his 32nd birthday on the horizon.
Muhammad Wilkerson, another high-profile name, inked a reported one-year deal worth $5 million (plus $3 million in incentives). The defensive lineman can be dominant but has significantly greater off-field issues - which partly caused his release from the New York Jets - than the usual rare Packers free-agent signings like Julius Peppers or Charles Woodson.
Finally, the Packers parted ways with franchise stalwart Jordy Nelson, a move that not only signals Gutekunst already isn't afraid to make significant decisions but also saves Green Bay $10.2 million in cap space and creates the freedom to make more dips into free agency.
And all this happened before free agency even officially opened at 4 p.m. Wednesday. The Packers are usually still on vacation at this time, waiting comfortably on a beach somewhere with a cocktail in hand and making plans to pick up a few scraps before turning to the draft. Now, suddenly, Green Bay - one of the NFL's top examples of prioritizing the draft over free agency - is looking at every possible option to improve its roster.
The likely reason? The two-time MVP under center, whose absence for nine games last season emphasized the weakness of his surrounding cast and who will turn 35 years old during the 2018 campaign.
(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)
Rodgers is 5-6 in the postseason since winning Super Bowl XLV, twice losing in the conference championship. And the 2017 version of the Packers, even with Rodgers in the lineup, looked far from having the top-end talent or depth - especially on the defensive side of the ball - to challenge the likes of the Philadelphia Eagles, Minnesota Vikings, and New Orleans Saints for NFC supremacy.
Now, on the surface, the Packers' big moves aren't exactly slam-dunk wins.
An in-his-prime Graham, with his speed, size, and athleticism, would have been perfect for Rodgers, but the pass-catcher is no longer the force he once was. He was misused in Seattle, but his separation skills have declined and he may end up being simply a red-zone target to replace Nelson's eye for the end zone.
Wilkerson brings needed interior pass-rush, but he's a boom-or-bust signing after wearing out his welcome in New York due to his tardiness and lack of accountability. He could be explosive on the field, but risks being the type of locker-room presence the Packers don't need entering Rodgers' final chapters.
Lastly, Nelson has been Rodgers' go-to receiver for the past six seasons, and the two always had an innate chemistry that often seems to be lacking with other weapons in the offense. Nelson's contract wasn't workable, and his skills have declined since a 2015 ACL tear, but Green Bay must hope the benefits outweigh the drawbacks of potentially making its franchise quarterback uneasy without his security blanket.
But the point isn't that these moves are risks; it's that Green Bay is finally prepared to take them and not shun free agency as a mostly useless tool. Under new management, the Packers seem open to anything in order to maximize Rodgers' remaining years and reestablish their dominance in a conference stocked full of up-and-coming teams.
It remains to be seen how successful the change in philosophy is for Green Bay, and for Rodgers, but one thing's for sure: the NFL can no longer expect the same old passive Packers each offseason.