5 former Packers next in line for a Hall of Fame induction
By Joe Tuman
The 2023 NFL season begins on August 3 when the Cleveland Browns battle the New York Jets in this year's preseason Hall of Fame Game.
This contest, as always, serves as a precursor to the Hall of Fame festivities and inductions, with this year's ceremony taking place on August 5.
While none of the nine new additions to Canton are former Green Bay Packers players, that doesn't mean this will be the case in future years.
Not only are several ex-Packers long overdue for a bust in Canton, there are also numerous players who'll soon be eligible for induction after retiring in recent years.
Keeping these factors in mind, here are the next five Packers legends, in no particular order, who should be enshrined in the Hall of Fame.
General Manager Ted Thompson
When Ted Thompson took over as general manager in 2005, he immediately made a franchise-altering decision.
Selecting Aaron Rodgers with the 24th overall pick in that year's draft set the table for over a decade of success.
Rodgers lead Green Bay to a Super Bowl 45 victory and won four MVPs over the course of his impressive 18-year stay in Titletown.
Drafting arguably the greatest Packer ever is a huge accolade in itself, but Thompson made plenty of other great moves that solidify his case for Canton.
He proved a smart drafter across the board, and became known for his ability to keep impact players in Green Bay despite its small market status.
Thompson was especially great at drafting wide receivers outside of the first round. Greg Jennings, James Jones, Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb and Davante Adams were each picked by the executive, thus providing Rodgers and Brett Favre with plenty of talent.
When it came to free agency, Thompson usually prioritized re-signing his own players. However, he'd also make a big splash if he felt the time was right. The signings of Charles Woodson and Julius Peppers came at exactly the right time.
Woodson was lights out in the secondary, notably winning Defensive Player of the Year in 2009. Peppers is a surefire future Hall of Famer himself, but spent most of his career outside Green Bay. Nonetheless, Thompson's ability to land that type of talent adds to his resume.
Overall, the Packers made nine postseason appearances throughout Thompson's tenure between 2005 and 2017. They were a top-tier contender for much of that time, and his decision making played an instrumental part in that.
Tragically, Thompson's induction would be posthumous, as he died on January 20, 2021 at age 68. Already a member of the Packers Hall of Fame, a spot in Canton would further cement his NFL legacy.