Russ Ball Reportedly Favorite to Replace Ted Thompson as Packers GM

Russ Ball is emerging as the front-runner to replace Ted Thompson as the Green Bay Packers general manager, NFL Network's Peter Schrager reported Friday.

Ball serves as the team's vice president of football administration and player finance. He has been in the Packers front office for 10 years. 

Packers Wire's Zach Kruse speculated Ball's ties to the team could aid him in his quest to become the team's general manager:

owever, the reality may be the opposite. Packers beat writer Bob McGinn (h/t Jason B. Hirschhorn of SB Nation's Acme Packing Company) reported head coach Mike McCarthy's relationship with Ball has worsened in recent years. Were the Packers to hire Ball as their GM, McCarthy would consider leaving Green Bay altogether.

ESPN.com's Jason Wilde also reported that Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers may not be on board with hiring Ball, either:

he potential pitfalls behind potentially angering Rodgers largely go without saying. He's the Packers' most irreplaceable player, and he only has two years remaining on his contract.

In the event Ball's promotion was the final straw for McCarthy, the timing of his departure would create massive headaches as well, since Green Bay fired offensive coordinator Edgar Bennett and defensive coordinator Dom Capers. The Packers would have to fill out the three most important positions on its coaching staff in the same offseason.