You don't build teams via free agency. It doesn't work. You build through the draft. Anyone with a knowledge of the game knows this. People who say you can build via free agency wouldn't be saying this if the Packers had an aggressive GM.
However, the point that needs to be made is you need to use free agency. Yeah I get that Ted Thompson signed Charles Woodson and Ryan Pickett, but he was backed into a corner that year. The team was coming off of a 4-12 season and they needed someone so he actually went out and paid some money. However, when Thompson isn't backed into a corner, he flat out refuses to go big in free agency. That is the problem.
You build via the draft and then you put yourself over the top with a big move or two. This team needs to add a starter. Vonnie Holiday makes sense. Why not Tony G?
It's the lack of activity that is frustrating.
Oh and this talk that some teams have 30 free agents on their roster or whatever. Technically speaking everyone fills their roster out with street free agents, but those guys are no better than a Anthony Smith or Duke Preston. In fact a lot of those players are worse.
Zero's first post is spot on, but obviously those aren't the type of free agents everyone is talking about so this bs that Pittsburgh and New England had 30 free agents is ridiculous. Did they have 30 Ryan Picket like signings?
The answer is No. Their backups were more like Spencer Havner.