Green Bay Packers

Green Bay Packers: Will Ted Thompson take 'aggressive' approach to free agency?

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 4:50 p.m. ET

Fansided, Raymond Rivard/FanSided via Lombardi Ave

Green Bay Packers general manager Ted Thompson looks on during warmups prior to the game against the Arizona Cardinals at Lambeau Field. Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

If Green Bay Packers General Manager Ted Thompson is to follow the lead of quarterback Aaron Rodgers and go “all-in” with his approach to NFL Free Agency, many of the team’s holes and issues may be resolved.

But will Thompson actually depart from his past practice of acting like a shrinking violet when it comes to free agency and break out the check book this year?

I have my doubts, as does most of Packers Nation

If there was any sliver of hope that the team’s issues with injuries and it’s abrupt exit from the playoffs could sway Thompson to jump into the free agency fray, it came this past week when Ian Rapoport reported that there is talk about Thompson actually bringing in veteran players to help offset his draft and develop ways.

Green Bay Packers tight end Jared Cook makes a”the” catch of the 2016 season against Dallas Cowboys free safety Byron Jones (31) during the fourth quarter in the NFC Divisional playoff game at AT&T Stadium. Dan Powers/The Post-Crescant via USA TODAY NETWORK

Here’s what Rapoport had to say: “There certainly are some indications that the Packers will be a little more aggressive in free agency this year. From what I’m told, I would think the Packers are going to go and get some free agents this year, along with trying to re-sign Jared Cook, that is a priority for them.”

OK, we know it’s a priority, but everyone outside the organization has been saying that since Thompson took over as general manager more than a decade ago.

Aside from re-signing his own free agents – which in my opinion is the right thing to do – Thompson has never picked up any big name players who demand big money.

Yes, last year’s signing of Jared Cook to a $2.75 million single-year contract appears to be one of the better moves by Thompson over the recent past.

But if this team is going to develop a locker room that has a balance of experience and youth, as well as added depth, Thompson has to take a “win-now” attitude while keeping an eye on the future.

Green Bay Packers former general manager Ron Wolf looks on during a press conference to introduce the 2015 Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees at Symphony Hall. Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

All Thompson has to do is take a look back in Packers recent history at the work that his predecessor, Ron Wolf, completed while he was at the helm of the team. While that was a different era, the lessons that can be learned are important.

Wolf was not afraid to use the trade as a tool to bring in players of talent at specific positions.

Not only did Ron Wolf build one of the best defenses back in the mid-1990s with his “aggressive” approach, but it was never beyond the Hall of Fame general manager to pull off a trade here and there as well. In fact, Wolf was very active with the waiver wire and through the trade avenue when he was in Green Bay.

As far as trading, who can forget Thompson’s guts in pulling the trigger on the trade that brought Brett Favre to Green Bay?

I’m sure everyone understands how that turned out.

But what other lessons can Thompson learn about looking at his predecessor and how to build a team?

Let’s look a bit closer.

Ted Thompson, draft and develop is not enough

Ted Thompson needs to understand that when Ron Wolf pulled off the biggest free agent acquisition of all-time by bringing in Reggie White, Wolf understood he needed to surround White with other defensive players that would give the Packers one of the best defensive fronts in all of football.

So what he did is he went out and brought in guys like Gilbert Brown, Santana Dotson and Sean Jones. But he wasn’t done.

He also acquired players like Eugene Robinson, Andre Rison, Desmond Howard and Keith Jackson to help fill needs and add depth to an already solid roster.

That’s how you win championships. That’s how the Packers went to two straight Super Bowls and won one of them. It also helped set up the franchise for continued success for the next decade.

Draft and develop is fine if you’re a struggling franchise looking to win a Super Bowl in five years.

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers needs a deeper, more experienced team if the Packers are to win a Super Bowl before he retires. Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

But for a team that already has the core players in place and a future Hall of Fame quarterback in Aaron Rodgers, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that if you target a few areas on the team (this year being the defensive backfield), one can get a team ready to win now instead of in five years.

The old saying that you’ve got to spend money to make money certainly is something that Ted Thompson must understand.

When it comes to Aaron Rodgers, Thompson simply got lucky that nobody ahead of him in that 2005 draft needed a quarterback.

As for this most recent era of free agency and building a team, all Thompson has to do is look at a franchise like the New England Patriots. There is a team that seems to operate much like the Packers of the 1990s. Bill Belichick isn’t afraid to trade away players or pick up players midstream to help fill immediate needs.

And they do it without trading away the farm or the future.

So, yes … Ted Thompson needs to take a look at his own free agents and make a decision on whether he must re-sign them, but beyond that he needs to think about what players he needs to bring in to make this a Super Bowl-caliber team today.

Green Bay Packers head coach Mike McCarthy needs a deeper roster, especially on the defensive side of the ball. Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Yes, with Aaron Rodgers, the Packers are perennial Super Bowl favorites, but there always appear to be glaring holes where young players don’t seem able to fill.

This year, it was the defensive backfield. As Mike McCarthy was forced to play third and fourth-string players, it showed. Matt Ryan made it abundantly clear why this team needs to go all-in to add depth and experience in the defensive backfield.

This year’s list of Packers free agents is long, but we’re sure Thompson already has his players targeted …

PLAYER (12)	POS.	AGE	FROM	TO	2016 AAV	STATUS	MARKET VALUE
J.C. Tretter	C	25	GB	TBD	$643,977	UFA	Market Value
Nick Perry	OLB	26	GB	TBD	$5,050,000	UFA	Market Value
Julius Peppers	OLB	37	GB	TBD	$8,666,667	UFA	–
Mike Pennel	DE	25	GB	TBD	–	UFA	–
Christine Michael	RB	26	GB	TBD	$725,000	UFA	–
T.J. Lang	G	29	GB	TBD	$5,200,000	UFA	Market Value
Eddie Lacy	RB	26	GB	TBD	$848,103	UFA	Market Value
Datone Jones	OLB	26	GB	TBD	$1,929,147	UFA	–
Micah Hyde	SS	26	GB	TBD	$584,527	UFA	–
Brett Goode	LS	32	GB	TBD	$885,000	UFA	–
Jared Cook	TE	29	GB	TBD	$2,750,000	UFA	Market Value
Don Barclay	RT	27	GB	TBD	$700,000	UFA

One would expect that Julius Peppers, Mike Pennel, Christine Michael, Brett Goode, Don Barclay and even Eddie Lacy and J.C. Tretter may walk, while Thompson will most likely attempt to re-sign Nick Perry, T.J. Lang, Micah Hyde, Datone Jones and Jared Cook. However, given their ages, Thompson may elect to bring back Tretter and let Lang walk.

If Thompson can bring back the majority of those core players, he should have enough money in the bank to bring in a free agent or two to help this team, not only in 2017, but for the immediate future.