Let’s Temper the Excitement About The Packers Being Active in Free Agency

Every year, its the same thing.

“This will be the year the Packers are players in free agency.’

Every. Single. Year.

Since Ted Thompson became the Packers General Manager in 2005, the Packer have been little more than window shoppers during the free agency period. Rumors swirl that the Packers are interested in this player and that player, getting all the Packer faithful hopeful that Ted will actually sign that  “big name” free agent so many seem to want.

And every year, it is the same thing-nada, zinch, bupkis.

This is not to say the Packers are non participants. They are, just in their own way. While teams are shelling out millions of dollars on the top free agents at the start of free agency, Ted prefers to wait-and wait, and wait-until things quiet down, and sign players who fit his price range.

The names are hardly exciting, but they fit Ted’s idea of what he wants his team to look like.

So when it was reported that the Packers may be big spenders during free agency this year, many were excited by the prospect that this would finally be the year Ted would loosen the purse strings and go nuts during free agency.

My question is why should we believe this to be the case?

After nine previous off seasons with Ted Thompson at the helm, it is very apparent as to how he wants to construct his team-build using the draft, with resigning his own free agents taking precedent over any other players he wishes to resign. That is Ted’s M.O. It’s how he’s always done things.

Now it is true that in 2006, he went out and signed Charles Woodson and Ryan Pickett, both “big name” players who were on the market at the time. And many are quick to point this out when hoping that this would be the year of change for Ted and his approach to free agency. It should be pointed out that Woodson and Pickett were signed nearly a decade ago. A lifetime ago in NFL terms, and at a time when he was trying to rebuild the team. So the comparisons between then and now need to stop.

If the report by Ian Rapoport is correct, and the Packers do become players in free agency,  it will shock many. It would also send an indication to the rest of the league that the way Ted Thompson is approaching the operation of the Packers is changing, and that is a scary thought. But we have heard this talk before. We’ve heard that this was going to be the year they were active in free agency year after year after year, to no fruition. So why should this year be any different?

Until Ted Thompson goes out and is actually active during free agency, we should all temper our excitement level, to avoid disappointment if (when) it does not happen.

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John Rehor is a writer at PackersTalk.com.

He can also be heard as one of the Co-Hosts of Cheesehead Radio.