Packers: Ted Thompson to ‘transition into new role’, no longer general manager
Green Bay Packers general manager Ted Thompson is changing roles with the team, who will now search for a new general manager, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
Talk about a blockbuster announcement. The Green Bay Packers will immediately begin their search for a new general manager.
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Ted Thompson will “transition into a new role”, and the Packers will replace him at GM.
The news from Rapoport came via Twitter on Monday.
Sources: #Packers GM Ted Thompson is expected to transition into a new role within the organization. The team will begin a search for a new GM. Bombshell.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 1, 2018
ESPN’s Chris Mortensen tweeted that the front office “will go through a reorganization”.
Ted Thompson will not return as the GM of the Green Bay Packers but will remain with the team. The front office will go through a reorganization with team president Mark Murphy defining new roles for current members of front office, per league and team sources.
— Chris Mortensen (@mortreport) January 1, 2018
Russ Ball, Packers VP of football administration, player personnel director Brian Gutenkunst and possibly director of football ops Eliot Wolf are expected to have re-defined duties as Thompson moves to another role, per sources.
— Chris Mortensen (@mortreport) January 1, 2018
This news comes on the same day that Packers head coach Mike McCarthy decided to move on from Dom Capers as the defensive coordinator. He also fired two of Capers’ assistants, inside linebackers coach Scott McCurley and defensive line coach Mike Trgovac.
After failing to make the playoffs for the first time since 2008, a number of questions have been asked of the Packers’ coaching staff and the general manager.
Aaron Rodgers’ injury exposed a number of issues that he had been masking with his elite play.
Without him, the Packers suffered two shutout defeats at home, and the defensive struggles continued in a big way.
The team is now undergoing a major shakeup.
Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported Monday that McCarthy wasn’t done making changes to his coaching staff.
Can confirm @RobDemovsky ‘s excellent reporting that #Packers DL coach Mike Trgovac and ILB coach Scott McCurley have been let go, in addition to Capers. The dismissals are not over. McCarthy making big changes.
— Tom Silverstein (@TomSilverstein) January 1, 2018
At the time of writing, he’s made three moves, all on defense. It remains to be seen what will happen next.
But the Thompson news comes as a major surprise.
The fanbase has largely been torn on the team’s longtime GM. While many have felt it was time for a change, others have backed Thompson’s ability to find talent in the draft.
At this stage it’s unclear what role he’ll be taking on next, whose decision it was and more importantly, who will now take over as the general manager of the Green Bay Packers. The offseason isn’t even a day old in Green Bay, but it’s already been eventful.
Next: Packers: 12 players that need to go this offseason
Let the speculation begin.