Ted Thompson presser: Packers war room is 'not a democracy'

Green Bay Packers general manager Ted Thompson doesn't meet with the media often. On the rare occasions when he does make himself available, he usually reveals little of substance.

On Wednesday, Thompson held a pre-draft press conference. While he didn't disclose the names of any players the Packers might consider next week, he did provide some insight into their draft process.

• Before Thompson took questions, he shared a few words about the passing of former Packers PR direction and team historian Lee Remmel. Remmel, who worked for the Packers for over six decades, died last week at the age of 90
• Thompson explained that the final week of draft preparation is about prioritizing responsibilities. "We know what takes time and what doesn't take time," he explained. "Most of the grind is over with. We have different things going on. There are relationships with other teams, agents, finishing up boards. As we get closer it all starts to die down."
• Thompson acknowledged that he doesn't get to see prospects in person as much as he once did. "Not as much as much as before with the advent of video. If there's a pro day in Florida today, we can get video tomorrow." Thompson says he'll still get to local pro days such as Wisconsin's.
• As Thompson has said before, positional need isn't the driving factor behind the team's draft decisions. "It doesn't carry as much weight as other organizations," he explained, adding, "That's not the way to draft, the way to draft is to take the best player available. You don't know what you need. This isn't play time. This is real life. People get banged up. Things happen. What you think you're strong at, you might not be strong at."
• As can be expected, there is always diversity of opinion within the war room regarding prospects. Thompson says he hears what his assistants have to say, but he ultimately makes the call. "It's not a democracy," he explained.
• Unlike other teams, the Packers choose not to announce prospect visits. Thompson thinks it provides his team with a competitive advantage. "We don't think it's a lot of peoples' business," he said. "If I can keep something from Team B just a little bit, then that helps the Packers in my opinion."
• Many expect Green Bay to select a quarterback at some point during the upcoming draft. Thompson says that while other organizations struggle to scout signal callers who run the spread, he believes you can still figure out which players can play the position. Asked why he hasn't drafted as many QBs as his mentor Ron Wolf, Thompson said, "That's the way it's worked out. We do, too. We like taking quarterbacks. It's just the way it works out. We want this more than this."
• The Packers' cornerback depth isn't what it used to be after the departures of Tramon Williams and Davon House. However, Thompson isn't too worried. "We feel ok. We've got some guys who we think can play and we're going to give them a chance," he said. "We prefer to keep all of our guys, like I said a the combine."
• Thompson acknowledged that not all draft classes have developed as expected. "You do self-examination on how we got to there, how come it worked, how come it didn't work," he said. "What are you going to do? But you examin it and see where you messed up. It's not anybody else's fault. It's my fault."
• Thompson also explained the process of targeting players in the draft. "It varies," he said. "Sometimes, you like a guy but there's no way he's going to get to you. So you live with it. Sometimes, a guy stays on the board a little bit longer that you think is a good player and other teams might not appreciate as much."

That's all for Thompson. Keep your internet machines tuned to Acme Packing Company for the latest Packers news and developments.