There were jokes. There were smiles.

But by the end of Ted Thompson's pre-draft news conference Thursday, the Packers general manager had (once again) revealed little about what his team plans to do in a week's time.

Thompson wouldn't have it any other way, and given how important each draft is for the well-being of the Packers franchise, you shouldn't either.

Here are some points of note from Thompson's less-than-revealing news conference:

--The process regarding Nick Collins' future is on-going. There has been no determination yet. Thompson said it's more important to get the decision right than done quickly or before the draft.

--Thompson feels his roster is balanced overall, and he doesn't think he needs to target any one position.

--Glad to have compensatory picks. As Ron Wolf always said, "The more swings at the plate you have, the better you do."

--Very keen on college free agency after the draft. Obviously, the Packers have done well in that area in recent seasons.

--As was the case in Seattle with Paul Allen, Thompson has received to little to no interference during the draft from CEO Mark Murphy.

--Thompson said he was fine with the quarterbacks behind Aaron Rodgers. That group includes Graham Harrell and Nick Hill.

--Bigger school prospects are easier to evaluate and project to the NFL level given the competition faced. Thompson has hit on several small school prospects, however.

--Thompson said he'll draft for long-term investment, not short-term need. He may "subconsciously" look more towards defense, but it won't be intentional.