Green Bay Packers: Ted Thompson’s top 30 draft picks of all-time
11. Greg Jennings (Ray’s pick)
After seven years with the Green Bay Packers catching passes from the two best quarterbacks to have played the game in the past 50 years, wide receiver Greg Jennings made the decision to bolt from Packers News and slide on over the Packers’ NFC North Division rival Minnesota Vikings.
He gave up catching passes from Aaron Rodgers to a situation where he was catching them from Christian Ponder.
On its surface, that seems like a really silly decision.
But given the fact that Jennings got a boatload of money to do so, I guess you can’t blame him.
But many point to the fact that the Packers actually had an offer on the table the year prior that would have paid him more per-year than he got in Minnesota … a fact that indicates Jennings wanted out of Green Bay of other reasons.
All that aside, on the football field, Jennings was a great find by Ted Thompson and one that benefitted the franchise for years.
One also can’t forget how Jennings’ role on the team helped Green Bay to a Super Bowl title in 2010.
Drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the second round (52nd overall) of the 2006 NFL Draft, Jennings only got better with each passing season.
As a rookie, he caught 45 balls for 632 yards and three touchdowns; in his second year of 2007 he caught 53 balls for 920 yards; and in 2008 he broke it open – catching 80 balls for 1,292 yards.
That 2008 season started a run of three straight years of 1,000 yards receiving or more. In 2011, when he missed three games, he just missed the 1,000-yard mark, coming in at 949.
Jennings was a go-to guy for both Brett Favre in his final two seasons in Green Bay and for Aaron Rodgers who took over at quarterback when Favre retired-unretired-and then was traded.
But changing quarterbacks didn’t hurt Jennings’ production in Green Bay.
Probably his best season came, not surprisingly, when he helped the Packers to a Super Bowl title in 2010.
Who can forget the fourth quarter third down reception deep inside the fourth quarter of Super Bowl XLV when Jennings caught that laser pass from Rodgers that kept the drive alive and led to a field goal that gave the Packers a six-point lead?
Who can forget that bomb in overtime Jennings caught from Brett Favre on the first play of overtime that won the game over the Jay Cutler-led Denver Broncos in 2007?
Those were great moments for Jennings – moments that Packers fans will remember for a long time.
His decision to go to Minnesota was a mistake … he even said as much after he was cut by the Vikings, eventually landing a deal with the Miami Dolphins.
So we let bygones by bygones and look fondly back on the time Jennings roamed the Frozen Tundra in Green Bay. It was a great time for both Jennings and his fans.
Ted Thompson did right by drafting Jennings in 2006.
We all know it and Jennings knows it.
Next: No. 11 (Freddie's pick)