December 23, 2012; Tampa, FL, USA; St. Louis Rams running back Steven Jackson (39) runs against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the second half at Raymond James Stadium. St. Louis Rams defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 28-13. Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

The question for the Green Bay Packers was never should they try to sign Steven Jackson, but rather how much should they bid?

That didn’t stop hoards of fans from attacking Packers GM Ted Thompson when his proven free agency approach led to the former-St. Louis Rams running back signing with Atlanta. Some have even gone as far as to demand Thompson’s ousting. Granted, most fans are smarter than that, but it just goes to show you how quickly people forget a championship run followed by two straight division crowns.

May 22, 2012; Green Bay, WI, USA; Green Bay Packers general manager Ted Thompson during organized team activities at Ray Nitschke Field. Mandatory Credit: Mary Langenfeld-USA TODAY Sports

Thankfully, the Packers’ organization doesn’t operate at the whim of the fans. Neither does Ted Thompson. During this free agency period, the Packers GM has approached former-Packer Cullen Jenkins and the aforementioned Jackson expressing interest. In both cases Thompson gauged the players’ level of reciprocal interest and gave both his price.

Thompson doesn’t look to sign players, he looks to acquire value. There’s no better way to build a team in the salary cap era. In Jenkins’ case, the New York Giants expressed greater desire (and overpaid accordingly). Jackson’s situation was a little more complicated. Several times since opting out of his contract with St. Louis, Jackson expressed considerable interest in coming to Green Bay. The Packers initially didn’t share the enthusiasm.

That changed this week, and blogosphere was abuzz over the potential marriage. The Packers are widely considered to be deficient at running back, and Jackson fits Green Bay’s zone-blocking scheme. But this is the NFL, and personnel decisions are not so simple.

This is where some fans disconnect with reality. The Packers need to preserve cap space to extend Aaron Rodgers and Clay Matthews. Thus, any deal with a free agent like Jackson must not cut into those funds. Even if Jackson returns to his 2010 form, unlikely as that is, he’s not worth the trouble if it means Green Bay losing its star quarterback or premier pass rusher. Despite this, the irrational segment of the fanbase wants to send Thompson to the guillotine.

While Thompson will never speak publicly about what transpired with Jackson, it’s easy to read the tea leaves. Jackson wanted (and received from the Falcons) a long-term commitment. The Packers, seeing Jackson’s age and the abuse he’s taken over nine seasons, didn’t want to commit for more than a season or two.

Jan 5, 2013; Green Bay, WI, USA; Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson (28) pushes away Green Bay Packers safety Charles Woodson (21) during the 4th quarter of the NFC Wild Card playoff game at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

The result was Jackson making Green Bay his backup plan, and that’s OK. Thompson’s approach prevents Green Bay from falling into salary cap hell. Look no further than the AFC North. The Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens both had to purge many of their best players just to get under the salary cap. In a few years, this offseason’s big spenders Seattle and Miami will have to do the same thing. It’s hard to win championships when you find yourself cutting your best players, something the Packers under Thompson very rarely had to do. When Green Bay does release a big contract early, it’s a case like Charles Woodson; a player who can no longer play at a high enough level.

Bringing this back to Jackson, it’s easy to see why Thompson balked at a three-year deal. Jackson’s productivity has dropped every year since 2009. Over that span, he led the NFC in carries with 1,171. That figure doesn’t even account for his catches out of the backfield, which add on another 177 touches. The combination of these hits has demonstratively worn Jackson down. Despite playing in all 16 games last year, he barely surpassed the 1,000-yard mark while averaging only 4.1 yards a carry. That’s hardly an elite back, let alone one worthy of a three-year contract after age 30.

Don’t agree? Let’s compare those numbers to a similar player who Packers fans are familiar with: Ahman Green.

Ahman Green battered defenses for many years, but the hits wore him down by his 30th birthday.

During his prime, Green was a powerful runner who also displayed great hands out of the backfield. His 1,883 rushing yards in 2003 and 594 receiving yards in 2001 are both team records. Green played well through his first seven season, but then the accumulated carries began to wear him down. His final full season in Green Bay, the then 29-year-old Green rushed for only 1,059 yards and 5 touchdowns. That season was eerily similar in many respects to Jackson’s final year with St. Louis. After that season, Green never rushed for more than 300 yards in a season again.

Now, that doesn’t mean Jackson will rush for less than 300 yards this year, but he won’t be the elite player most fans expect him to be. In all likelihood, 2013 will be Jackson’s last shot at a 1,000-yard season. Yet Atlanta will be paying him starter’s money for two additional years. It won’t be a surprise if Jackson doesn’t survive to the end of that contract. When that happens, there’ll be a lot of people who conveniently forget that they trashed Ted Thompson for not signing Jackson this offseason.

Jason Hirschhorn covers the Green Bay Packers for Lombardi Ave. He has previously written for Hail to the Orange, College Hoops Net, Mocking the Draft, LiveBall Sports, and the List Universe. He is currently a senior writer for Beats Per Minute, an indie-music webzine. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/JBHirschhorn.

Dec 9, 2012; Green Bay, WI, USA; Green Bay Packers wide receiver Randall Cobb (18) makes a one handed catch during the third quarter against the Detroit Lions at Lambeau Field. The Packers won 27-20. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

Randall Cobb Sunday again demonstrated his value as a receiver and special teams player for the Green Bay Packers – catching three passes for 62 yards and a touchdown and 3 punts for 13 yards – and though he left the game with an ankle injury in the third quarter, he played enough to garner an impressive team record.

Early in the game, Cobb set the franchise record for most combined net yards in a season with 2,342 yards receiving, rushing and returning kicks. Cobb eclipsed the previous record set by Ahman Green with 2,250 all-purpose yards.

Here’s what Cobb had to say about the team record:

There have been so many great players, it’s definitely an honor to be mentioned with those names. But I’m a championship guy. Records can be broken, but you can’t take championships away.

While outdoing Green, Cobb is coming close to the NFL record set by Darren Sproles, but it appears he will fall short of that record.

Sproles’ record of 2,696 yards set just last year seems out of reach for Cobb, but doesn’t diminish what he has done for the Packers this season. His consistency and ability to become a big time player can’t be underestimated. While the Packers stars, Jordy Nelson and Greg Jennings, went down with injuries for several games this season, Cobb’s production increased dramatically. When coupled with the play of James Jones, Cobb has become a major star in a short period of time and has become a weekly, reliable target for Aaron Rodgers.

The injury he suffered Sunday against the Titans didn’t seem serious, according to sources.

X-rays completed after the game were negative and he was scheduled to have an MRI on Monday. The early prognostication was that he might be ready to play this coming weekend against the Vikings. If he isn’t ready for this coming weekend, he would definitely be ready for the playoffs.

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Former Green Bay Packers general manager Ron Wolf (right) participated in the Packers recent symposium in Green Bay. Scott Rovak-US PRESSWIRE

This past week an important roundtable, “Sport and Society in America,” made up of Packers players and administrators of past days addressed a couple of really important issues: First, what it’s like to be a retired player and the transitions they experience; and why the hiring of coaching and administrators helped save the Packers franchise in the early 1990s.

Packers.com did a good job of providing a review of the highlights.

This symposium was long overdue and though highly underpromoted is something the Packers should do at least annually. Not only should they do a better job of promoting it to the general public, the team should live stream it and record it for future airing on television … it’s something that would make a great addition to the NFL Network.

This was an important gathering that I think everyone should take a look at by clicking here.

Ahman Green walks out of Lambeau Field for the final time after the Packers defeated the Seattle Seahawks in December 2009. Raymond T. Rivard photograph

Paul Imig posted an interesting article on his site at FSWisconsin - an interview with Packers all-time leading rusher Ahman Green who said he’s ready to play in the National Football League once again.

He made that statement, despite having carried the football last on Jan. 10, 2010, when he was playing for the Packers against the Arizona Cardinals in an NFC Playoff Game.

What’s interesting is that Green, who was with the Packers for the second time during that last stint, felt he was in as good of condition as any time during his career. Admitting that the Packers had Ryan Grant and some younger legs on the team, Green said he could have carried the load had the team given him the ball.

Not that he was complaining, he was happy to have landed back with the Packers.

Now he wants another shot and is waiting for the phone to ring. The four-time Pro Bowler is hoping there’s some team out there willing to call so he can have the opportunity to show what he can do.

Saying that he’s a “football player,” first and foremost, Green went so far to say that he would play anywhere – not just running back. In order to get a shot to be back on the football field, Green said he would even play special teams just to be part of a team.

“I’ve got at least five years left in me to play football,” Green told Imig today. With his home in Green Bay, the former Packer would be very interested if the Packers called. And given that the team is going to be relying on an unproven group of running backs, it’s not inconceivable the Packers may at least consider bringing Green in for a look-see.

With Ryan Grant unsigned and the tandem of James Starks and Alex Green coming into this season off serious knee injuries, the only healthy running backs on the roster are Brandon Saine and rookie free agents Duane Bennett of Minnesota, FB Nic Cooper of and Winston-Salem State and RB Marc Tyler of USC.

But given the Packers penchant for developing players, there probably isn’t room on a roster as deep overall for a 35-year-old former player.

Yes, the NFL is a business first … unfortunately for Green.

With all that said, we wish Green the best. He could probably be an excellent special teams player for some team and maybe even fill in at running back when needed.

But looking at things realistically, Green said, ”I can’t sit around and wait forever, so if it doesn’t happen, I’ve got to move on with my life.”

Class guy.

Here are a couple of videos for fun

There are those who are brutally honest about the happenings in the game. Some are witty and some just plain deadpan.

I thought it might be fun to give just a taste of what was posted last night during the Vikings vs. Packers game.

Enjoy.

Rob Demovsky (@RobDemovsky)
11/14/11 6:00 PM
The scene from Lambeau Field before tonight’s #Packers-#Vikings game. pic.twitter.com/LIcqUYmA
Green Bay Packers (@packers)
11/14/11 7:46 PM
Cobb first rookie in GB history to have a 100-yard KR, 80-yard PR in same season.

Green Bay Packers (@packers)
11/14/11 8:01 PM
Packers up 14-0, 5:02 remain in 1Q. Drive: 11 plays, 70 yards, 4:53 time of possession. 24-yard TD pass to Jennings

See more after the jump …

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The celebration of Ahman Green's career as a Green Bay Packer will occur tonight when he officially announces his retirement as a Packer. Raymond T. Rivard photograph

Green Bay Packers franchise all-time leading rusher Ahman Green will officially announce his retirement as a Packer in the media auditorium at Lambeau Field tonight, Thursday, Aug. 11, at 6:30 p.m.

Green announced his retirement last week and was hoping he would be able to sign a one-day contract with the Packers to make it official.

As of a few minutes ago, it became official when the Packers PR department sent out a press release announcing the event.

Former Packers RB Ahman Green, the all-time leading rusher in franchise history, will formally announce his retirement as a Packer in the Media Auditorium at Lambeau Field tonight at 6:30 p.m.

Ahman Green is the Packers all-time leading rusher.

The Green Bay Packers’ all-time leading rusher announced Friday his career was done.

Ahman Green said Friday that after 12 seasons in the league he was hoping to arrange for a ceremonial one day contact with the Packers so he could officially retire as a member of the team.

And rightly so.

Though Green left the Packers in 2006 in free agency, he gave the team several years of production and left just 47 yards shy of Jim Taylor’s team rushing record. After leaving the Packers, Green’s career was never the same but he did get the chance in 2009 to return to Green Bay in a back-up role and capture the rushing record.

In 2009 as a backup for the Packers, Green carried the ball 41 times for 160 yards – good enough to break Hall of Famer Jim Taylor’s team mark. (more…)

William Henderson has been one of my favorite all-time players … not only did he play for more than a decade – and play at the highest level – but he did so without complaint and with the kind of dedication that befits a Green Bay Packer.

Marco Rivera, also a silent, effective player who did his job almost as the invisible man, carried out his job like he was supposed to … unseen. Rarely did his number get called because of a penalty … never was he called out for dirty play. He melded with one of the best offensive lines ever to hit the field for the Packers. (more…)