What's a GM to do? Stay the course, if you're Packers GM Ted Thompson.

An 8-8-1 win-lose-tie record can change people. After all, it's a bit of a sign of averageness (is there such a word?) if not outright mediocrity. That's where the Green Bay Packers find themselves after an injury-riddled, albeit NFC North Division Championship-winning season. Also, getting bounced in the first round of the playoffs -- by the same team, no less -- doesn't leave a good taste in one's mouth.

So what will GM Ted Thompson do to get the Pack back among the true contenders?

Well, to hear what Thompson had to say yesterday while he was scouting the Senior Bowl in Mobile, AL, not much different than he has done in prior seasons. According to an article by Tyler Dunne in yesterday's Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Thompson said "...we try to make sure we make the team better and we put the team in a better position than we were," Thompson said. "So we'll just work at it. You don't know specifically what that entails, but we'll search every avenue and try to do that."

Photo of Ted Thompson by Mark Hoffman, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Now, many Packer fans and pundits have criticized Thompson's approach for not actively pursuing free agents that might help the Packers get back to the Super Bowl. But Thompson, as Dunne writes, "...refutes the notion that he snores through free agency. The GM did sign Charles Woodson and Ryan Pickett to big deals once upon a time...in 2006." Since winning the Super Bowl in 2010, however, Dunne continues, "Green Bay's marquee signings have been center Jeff Saturday and defensive tackle Anthony Hargrove in 2012 and tight end Matthew Mulligan in 2013."

So, there's that. Thompson may not have been snoring through free agency, but sure seems like yawning has been pretty abundant.

Dunne's article is well worth reading. You can find it here.