During the 12-year regime of Green Bay Packers general manager Ted Thompson, fans became accustomed to one thing when it came to free agency: Don't expect much.
Though Thompson struck gold in bringing in future Hall of Famer Charles Woodson en route to a Super Bowl, even Woodson was a bit of a distressed asset at the time. Thompson would improve around the edges, but his aversion to spending for players on the open market became a trademark, much to the chagrin of the fan base.
In his second year as general manager, Thompson's successor showed he was willing to be different.