Ted Thompson Leaving GM Role Is the Right Move for the Packers

As the College Football Playoffs are the primary focal point of the sporting world right now, Ian Rapoport swooped in with a weighty report about the future of the Green Bay Packers:

Ted Thompson was the architect of the Packers’ Super Bowl title in the 2010-11 season, and will always deserve a lot of credit for making the decision with Mike McCarthy to draft and develop Aaron Rodgers, and ultimately tell Brett Favre no thanks when the legendary QB unretired.

Nevertheless, Thompson’s last few drafts have failed to pan out with impact players on defense. He has let players leave — Casey Hayward, Micah Hyde, Julius Peppers — who have excelled elsewhere. There has not been a discernible pass rush for the Packers, nor a player who can really force turnovers. Defensive coordinator Dom Capers bears a lot of the brunt for this as well, and he was fired earlier today.

Without Aaron Rodgers, the assembled pieces on offense have not looked so formidable either.

It will be interesting to see if the Packers go with an internal promotion — Eliot Wolf, Brian Gutekunst, and Russ Ball would come to mind — or if they make more sweeping changes to bring in a fresh set of eyes from the outside.

The Packers have a window of a few more years with Aaron Rodgers as an elite quarterback, and the timing is right to be proactive and shake things up in the organization.