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FRONT OFFICE“You have to do what you think is best for the organization,”Thompson said before the 2006 draft, when hechose LB A.J. Hawk with the fifth overall selection. “A draftis an investment in a player that’s going to be here for anumber of years.”Thompson’s philosophy on building a successful teamrelies heavily on drafted players as a foundation. In today’sNFL, teams can’t win consistently with free agency as theirprimary tool. And in building through the draft, the Packersplace a premium on character.But despite how much value he places on the draft,Thompson also will use the free-agent market as anothertool to build the roster. In Green Bay, he has brought inplayers like Woodson, Pickett and LB Brandon Chillar,among others, to either take over starting jobs or providevaluable, experienced depth at their positions.“I think free agency is a very interesting tool to useto help you patch some holes and do some things,” saidThompson, who signed five unrestricted free agents in2006, the Packers’ most since 1998. “There’s no reluctanceon our part. We do try to make certain that whatwe do is not just fantasy football. We’re investing in aplayer that’s got to come in and play a particular role. If wedon’t think that player can perform to that contract, then itdoesn’t make sense for us to do it just to say, ‘Look whatwe’ve spent.’”In Green Bay annals, Thompson is only the fourth generalmanager to serve exclusively from the front office,joining Verne Lewellen (1954-58), Vince Lombardi (1968)and Wolf (1992-2001).The low-profile Thompson has a proven track record asan evaluator. Overseeing Seattle’s draft board from 2000through ’04, Thompson provided the Seahawks a solidfoundation which they used to make three straight playoffappearances (2003-05). His 2003 draft saw Thompsonland three players – Brown, CB Marcus Trufant and S KenHamlin – who not only made immediate front-line contributionsas rookies, but who also became cornerstone playersfor years to come.Just one year later, those three were instrumental inSeattle’s 2004 NFC West championship. In the Seahawks’playoff game that year, 11 of 22 starters were acquiredthrough Thompson’s drafts.In his first two Green Bay drafts, Thompson selectedCollins in 2005 and Hawk, Jennings and G Daryn Colledgein 2006. All four were named to the PFW All-Rookie Team.In 2007, he also drafted K Mason Crosby, whose 397points are the most by a player in NFL history in his firstthree seasons.Prior to 2009, Thompson selected 43 players in his firstfour drafts as GM, signaling the rebuilding of the rostercore that had seen only 27 draft picks in the four years(2001-04) before Thompson returned to Green Bay.As a result, offseason competition for positions onGreen Bay’s 53-man roster hasbeen fierce since Thompson tookover, and should only becomemore intense in training camp in2010. The goal is to improve theteam’s play through competition,just as it was when Bum Phillipsannually brought in younger talentto try to take Thompson’s jobduring the former linebacker’s 10-year playing career with the HoustonOilers.A former Oilers teammate,Mike Reinfeldt, helped to launchThompson’s second football career.In 1992, Reinfeldt, then thePackers’ vice president of administration,recommended thatWolf take a look at Thompson asa potential pro scout for his staff.Wolf subsequently brought Thompson in to audition asa personnel evaluator, and Thompson always has felt helearned a lot from Wolf.“He taught me passion, he taught me work ethic, hetaught me believing in yourself, to have confidence, towrite down what you see, not what other people see, andto trust yourself.”During his first tenure in Green Bay, Thompson wasinstrumental in providing talent that produced an 83-45record, six straight playoff berths, two Super Bowl appearancesand the 1996 world championship. With his help,the team acquired free agents Reggie White, Sean Jones,Don Beebe, Santana Dotson and Desmond Howard.Through the draft, Green Bay added Darren Sharper,Vonnie Holliday and Donald Driver, one of the franchise’slowest-drafted Pro Bowlers.A possessor of strong football credentials and keenknowledge of the game gleaned from his decade-longplaying career, Thompson credits Wolf with deepeninghis understanding of the scouting process and cites hisexperience in Seattle working with Mike Holmgren as veryvaluable in terms of his growth as a football person, runningan organization and making decisions that affect theteam in the present and in the future.A versatile linebacker during his 10-year NFL playingcareer with the Oilers (1975-84), Thompson also was oneof the most durable players in team annals, missing justone of 147 contests due to injury. He started eight gamesover the course of his career and also played in seven postseasoncontests (1978-80), with the Oilers going 4-3 inthose games, losing the AFC Championship to the Steelersin both 1978 and ’79. He originally was signed by Phillipsas a non-drafted free agent.Thompson’s Oilers teammates included Pro FootballHall of Famers Earl Campbell, Mike Munchak, Elvin Bethea,Warren Moon and Bruce Matthews, current Packer Clay’suncle. He also served as a reserve kicker and converted allfour PATs he attempted in an emergency situation vs. theNew York Jets in a 1981 contest.Collegiately, Thompson was a three-year starter (1972-74) at linebacker and team captain (’74) for SMU. As asophomore, he played under head coach Hayden Fry, andPhillips, his eventual pro coach, was defensive coordinator.He also served as the team’s placekicker as a senior.Following his football career, in the spring of ’75, he letteredas an outfielder for the Mustangs’ baseball team. Hegained Academic All-Southwest Conference honors andgraduated with a bachelor’s degree in business administration.Born Jan. 17, 1953, in Atlanta, Texas, Thompson wasan all-region player at the city’s high school, lining up atrunning back, linebacker and placekicker. He also letteredin basketball, baseball, track and golf. He is single and enjoysan occasional round of golf in times of leisure.DRAFT &COMMUNITY ADMINISTRATION VETERANS FREE AGENTS2009 REVIEW HISTORYRECORDS &LAMBEAUFIELDMISC.19