Green Bay Packers beat writer Paul Imig of FoxSportsWisconsin.com believes that free agent Jermichael Finley will be back with the Packers next year one way or another. The major question is whether the Packers sign Finley to a long-term deal or use the franchise tag to retain him, giving themselves another year to see if the 24-year-old drop-prone player can become more consistent before they dedicate major long-term bucks to him.
Franchising Finley got a little bit harder after Head Coach Mike McCarthy's year-ending press conference in which he acknowledged that Finley often plays wide receiver in the Packer offensive scheme. "He's a tight end, but he also plays the one-receiver situation and the No. 2 slot sometimes and plays in the one slot to the three-man side," McCarthy said. "Those are the type of things when playing in a multiple offense, we treat all the perimeter players the same because it's about matchups."
Finley's agent wants him to be tagged as a wide receiver rather than a tight end because the money difference is significant-as in $$$millions significant. McCarthy's comments would seem to add to Finley's leverage.
Using the franchise tag on Finley can still be done-but it won't be easy.
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