The Kerminator
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Thompson Signs Contract Extension
The Green Bay Packers have signed General Manager Ted Thompson to a contract extension and appear close to doing the same with coach Mike McCarthy.
Mark Murphy, the team’s president and CEO, said he and Thompson agreed to the multi-year extension in mid-December but waited to announce it until after the season so it wouldn’t distract from the team’s playoff push that ended with its Super Bowl win last Sunday in Arlington.
Murphy also said Thompson is working on extending McCarthy’s contract and there’s no reason to think a deal won’t be finished soon.
“I have every confidence that it will come to fruition,” Murphy said.
Thompson and McCarthy had two years remaining on their contracts, which last were extended in January 2008. Murphy wouldn’t comment on the length of Thompson’s new deal, but in ’08 the GM and coach had two years remaining and were extended for three seasons, to five years total. That likely is the plan for this current round of extensions as well.
The Packers hired Thompson, 58, as GM in 2005, and he in turn hired McCarthy, 47, in 2006. The two culminated their fifth season working together with an impressive Super Bowl run with a roster built on Thompson’s astute drafting and ultra-cautious approach to free agency, and the ability of McCarthy and his coaching staff to develop those players.
The Packers’ roster features enough young upper-echelon talent, including a franchise quarterback in 27-year-old Aaron Rodgers, to think the team can contend for titles for the next three to five years. Murphy considered it critical to keep in place for as long as possible this duo that heads the team’s football operations.
“We are positioned well for the future,” Murphy said. “Obviously Ted and Mike, and having them locked up, gives me a lot of confidence for the future. And the reality in the NFL, the two key factors are quarterback and defense, and I feel pretty good in both areas.”
Murphy said he began talking to Thompson about an extension during the Packers’ bye week in mid-November and reached agreement a month later. At the time they agreed, the Packers were coming off an upset loss at Detroit and at 8-5 were in danger of getting knocked out of the playoff race. But Murphy said he was impressed with the team’s strong, young nucleus, and how well it had played despite a spate of season-ending injuries that included losing one of their best players, tight end Jermichael Finley, and five other starters.
“At the time I did not think we’d be winning the Super Bowl,” Murphy said, “but I thought Ted had laid a pretty good groundwork for setting the team up for success into the future. It’s a tribute to him and Mike that we were able to finish the season the way we did. Regardless, if we hadn’t won the Super Bowl, I’d still have tremendous confidence in him.”
Murphy would not comment on Thompson’s new salary. Under his previous contract, Thompson was believed to be making about $2 million a year, and his new deal is sure to include a substantial raise, perhaps in the $3 million to $4 million range.
Thompson reached the pinnacle of his profession this year by sticking with and weathering criticism about his ultra-draft-oriented, steady-as-she-goes approach to building a team and re-signing his core players. In a league where the salary cap forces all teams to build through the draft, Thompson’s aversion to free agency is greater than most or even all his peers.
His team has only three players of note he signed as unrestricted free agents: cornerback Charles Woodson, defensive end Ryan Pickett and linebacker Brandon Chillar. In the last two offseasons, he hasn’t signed a noteworthy unrestricted free agent.
Instead, he’s relied on his draft picks and players picked up off the streets, and an inordinate number of them have turned into excellent NFL players: Rodgers (27 years old), Finley (23), outside linebacker Clay Matthews (24), receiver Greg Jennings (27), safety Nick Collins (27) and guard Josh Sitton (24), along with two undrafted cornerbacks, Tramon Williams (27), who was signed off Houston’s practice squad, and Sam Shields (23), signed as an undrafted rookie just last spring.
“(Thompson) has done things the smart way,” Murphy said. “If you want to have sustained success in the NFL you build through the draft and you develop your players. That’s what Ted’s been able to do. The draft is a hit or miss proposition, and you’re not going to hit on every one, but he’s done pretty well.”
One source who knows Thompson well said this week he thinks the GM will work at least until he’s 62, which was the age of retirement for his mentor, former Packers GM Ron Wolf. Murphy wouldn’t say specifically how long he thinks Thompson or McCarthy will continue in their current jobs.
“I hope a long time, they’re pretty good,” Murphy said. “In my position, it’s really comforting to have people that No. 1 are both good at their jobs, that like their jobs and work so well together. I think both have said they want this to be their last job. I know Mike has said that (publicly). I don’t know if Ted has, but I’d like it to be Ted’s last job.”
I guess we're stuck with him for awhile.
The Green Bay Packers have signed General Manager Ted Thompson to a contract extension and appear close to doing the same with coach Mike McCarthy.
Mark Murphy, the team’s president and CEO, said he and Thompson agreed to the multi-year extension in mid-December but waited to announce it until after the season so it wouldn’t distract from the team’s playoff push that ended with its Super Bowl win last Sunday in Arlington.
Murphy also said Thompson is working on extending McCarthy’s contract and there’s no reason to think a deal won’t be finished soon.
“I have every confidence that it will come to fruition,” Murphy said.
Thompson and McCarthy had two years remaining on their contracts, which last were extended in January 2008. Murphy wouldn’t comment on the length of Thompson’s new deal, but in ’08 the GM and coach had two years remaining and were extended for three seasons, to five years total. That likely is the plan for this current round of extensions as well.
The Packers hired Thompson, 58, as GM in 2005, and he in turn hired McCarthy, 47, in 2006. The two culminated their fifth season working together with an impressive Super Bowl run with a roster built on Thompson’s astute drafting and ultra-cautious approach to free agency, and the ability of McCarthy and his coaching staff to develop those players.
The Packers’ roster features enough young upper-echelon talent, including a franchise quarterback in 27-year-old Aaron Rodgers, to think the team can contend for titles for the next three to five years. Murphy considered it critical to keep in place for as long as possible this duo that heads the team’s football operations.
“We are positioned well for the future,” Murphy said. “Obviously Ted and Mike, and having them locked up, gives me a lot of confidence for the future. And the reality in the NFL, the two key factors are quarterback and defense, and I feel pretty good in both areas.”
Murphy said he began talking to Thompson about an extension during the Packers’ bye week in mid-November and reached agreement a month later. At the time they agreed, the Packers were coming off an upset loss at Detroit and at 8-5 were in danger of getting knocked out of the playoff race. But Murphy said he was impressed with the team’s strong, young nucleus, and how well it had played despite a spate of season-ending injuries that included losing one of their best players, tight end Jermichael Finley, and five other starters.
“At the time I did not think we’d be winning the Super Bowl,” Murphy said, “but I thought Ted had laid a pretty good groundwork for setting the team up for success into the future. It’s a tribute to him and Mike that we were able to finish the season the way we did. Regardless, if we hadn’t won the Super Bowl, I’d still have tremendous confidence in him.”
Murphy would not comment on Thompson’s new salary. Under his previous contract, Thompson was believed to be making about $2 million a year, and his new deal is sure to include a substantial raise, perhaps in the $3 million to $4 million range.
Thompson reached the pinnacle of his profession this year by sticking with and weathering criticism about his ultra-draft-oriented, steady-as-she-goes approach to building a team and re-signing his core players. In a league where the salary cap forces all teams to build through the draft, Thompson’s aversion to free agency is greater than most or even all his peers.
His team has only three players of note he signed as unrestricted free agents: cornerback Charles Woodson, defensive end Ryan Pickett and linebacker Brandon Chillar. In the last two offseasons, he hasn’t signed a noteworthy unrestricted free agent.
Instead, he’s relied on his draft picks and players picked up off the streets, and an inordinate number of them have turned into excellent NFL players: Rodgers (27 years old), Finley (23), outside linebacker Clay Matthews (24), receiver Greg Jennings (27), safety Nick Collins (27) and guard Josh Sitton (24), along with two undrafted cornerbacks, Tramon Williams (27), who was signed off Houston’s practice squad, and Sam Shields (23), signed as an undrafted rookie just last spring.
“(Thompson) has done things the smart way,” Murphy said. “If you want to have sustained success in the NFL you build through the draft and you develop your players. That’s what Ted’s been able to do. The draft is a hit or miss proposition, and you’re not going to hit on every one, but he’s done pretty well.”
One source who knows Thompson well said this week he thinks the GM will work at least until he’s 62, which was the age of retirement for his mentor, former Packers GM Ron Wolf. Murphy wouldn’t say specifically how long he thinks Thompson or McCarthy will continue in their current jobs.
“I hope a long time, they’re pretty good,” Murphy said. “In my position, it’s really comforting to have people that No. 1 are both good at their jobs, that like their jobs and work so well together. I think both have said they want this to be their last job. I know Mike has said that (publicly). I don’t know if Ted has, but I’d like it to be Ted’s last job.”
I guess we're stuck with him for awhile.
I guess we're stuck with him for awhile.
Simple logic? There is nothing logical about what Sabertooth wrote or that you agree with. Do you realize how whacked it is to think any team doesn't need to address a particular weakness because they won a championship.
Simple logic? There is nothing logical about what Sabertooth wrote or that you agree with. Do you realize how whacked it is to think any team doesn't need to address a particular weakness because they won a championship.
Simple logic? There is nothing logical about what Sabertooth wrote or that you agree with. Do you realize how whacked it is to think any team doesn't need to address a particular weakness because they won a championship.
