Mike McCarthy Reportedly 'Fed Up' with GM Ted Thompson's Free-Agency Approach

The Green Bay Packers have been one of the top teams in the NFL the past decade, qualifying for the playoffs eight times and winning Super Bowl XLV.

Mike McCarthy has been the head coach for those 10 seasons, and despite the success, he is reportedly not happy with how Green Bay general manager Ted Thompson has been handling free agency, per Bob McGinn of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

"According to several sources, McCarthy is fed up with his boss' unwillingness to take a chance and reinforce the roster with veteran players that might be unknown to the Packers but have the talent to contribute," McGinn wrote.  

Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk dove deeper into the issue. "Thompson and his predecessor, Ron Wolf, rarely rolled the dice on free agents with recognizable names. Beyond Reggie White, Charles Woodson, and Julius Peppers, the Packers have resisted the pursuit of established veterans since free agency arrived 23 years ago."   

Going after high-priced veterans late in their careers is sometimes a risk (just ask Washington owner Daniel Snyder), but the right signing also can be the final piece of the puzzle for a contending team. One of the few Green Bay did sign, defensive back Charles Woodson in 2006, was a Pro Bowler on the Super Bowl XLV-winning team.

McGinn also pointed out Thompson doesn't have to "answer" to a traditional owner in Green Bay, allowing him to continue to make his own decisions, something that certainly adds to McCarthy's frustration. 

The Packers have done well in the draft, selecting quarterback Aaron Rodgers, wide receivers Randall Cobb and Jordy Nelson and linebacker Clay Matthews—all top contributors on the team. However, all the success over the past 10 years has led to just one Super Bowl appearance with one of the best quarterbacks in the game.

Year	Record	Result
2006	8-8	No postseason
2007	13-3	Lost in Conference Championship
2008	6-10	No postseason
2009	11-5	Lost in Wild Card Round
2010	10-6	Won Super Bowl
2011	15-1	Lost in Divisional Round
2012	11-5	Lost in Divisional Round
2013	8-7-1	Lost in Wild Card Round
2014	12-4	Lost in Conference Championship
2015	10-6	Lost in Divisional Round

It's never great when internal business is aired publicly, but the Packers should still compete next year. They will bring back their core contributors, and Nelson will be healthy after missing the entire 2015 season.

If Thompson changes his ways and McCarthy gets his, maybe that one game-changing free agent will put Green Bay over the top.