Packers 2014 free agents - who leaves/stays? (Flynn Re-Signs)

Ya, zero chance the man shows any interest in a big name free agent at the start of the stupid season. Thank goodness.

Stupid season starts in about 36 hours.

 

I know it's a pipedream but it sure would be nice to have 2 competent safeties this season

 

Here's the thing I love about Emery. When he sees a problem or deficiency, he attacks it via multiple angles. He doesn't just sign one FA, he drafts the position as well.

 

It was pretty obvious Whitner  is Burnett to Goldsons Nick Collins. Even with Eric Reid Whitner looked lost last year. As much as I love the idea of Pryor and Burnett that's taking 2 years to develop, if ever. Burnett needs a defensive QB like Byrd or Ward. 

       
       
Hell, I would settle for one

I think there is still hope for Burnett. He definitely was bad last year, but I think he can perform well if he has a competent FS on the field with him.

PackersNews

According to a report Saturday by Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, Raji will take the “next few days” to determine his value on the market after the early negotiating period for free agency opened at 11 a.m. Saturday.

I wonder how long the Packers will keep Raji's offer on the table before they pull it

@PackerUpdate

Seven teams are interested in signing TE Andrew Quarless. No surprise. He looks very good until you actually see him play on a weekly basis.

Until he signs it or signs with another team?

I personally think the offer is already pulled.  Raji has no leverage on this.  He hasn't played well to expect any better contract.  Let him walk!!!!!!!!! I want some new players on this defense and losing Raji will force The Packers to bring in some new faces. 

Various reports/rumors put the Packers intersted in Oakland’s Lamarr Houston, Baltimore’s Arthur Jones and Kansas City’s Tyson Jackson. This could be the result of the Raji situation from the standpoint of:

a - their agents creating the interest thinking Raji is out of the picture

b - the Packers have real interest because they've moved on from Raji

 

Things is though, none of these guys are NT's and reportedly the Packers are wanting to play BJ there more this year if he [re]signs.

 

 

Ted don't flinch.

I'd rather have a really talented DE like Lamar Houston or Arthur Jones than overpay for Raji. You can get by with a rotation of marginal players at NT (veterans and rookies), but DE is a position where you really need talented players. He's not a fit at 5-tech so you're overpaying for a NT when you can get a similarly talented player like Louis Nix in the draft for 1/4 the price. 

 

 

Actually, he does have some leverage with the waiting game.  Raji knows the Packers are short on the Dline.  If he can stall until Houston, Jones, Jackson are signed, the Packers choices become fewer. 

 

The Steeley-Eyed assassin never flinches

 

 

 

It's anything but obvious.  Not sure you were watching 49ers games or you only look at tackles but by all accounts by people that do this for a living, Whitner had a very very good year.  In fact, he had a much much better year without Goldson in 2013 than he did in 2012.

 

Here's some stats

Touchdowns allowed in 12 - 12

Touchdowns allowed in 13 - 2

Opposing QB Rating in 12 - 130.6

Opposing QB Rating in 13 - 61.8

Catch rate 12 - 77.8

Catch rate 13 - 52.0

 

Even the guy arguing that the Niners should let Whitner go stats in the first sentence "There’s no denying that Whitner had an excellent 2013 season, and fully deserved all the credit he got."

 

Pro Football Focus shows him as the 14th overall FA  You may not like Whitner and that's fine, but to say he was only better with Goldson is flat out wrong.  

 

Another interesting fact.

 

"In 2012 when quarterbacks threw to a player Goldson covered, they had a low passer rating of 69.1. In his first year with the Buccaneers that was up to 121.4."

 

If anything, Goldson was the one that was lost without Whitner...

2013 was an outlier year for Whitner. I don't think what he did in 2013 is indicative of what your consistently getting. I think a team that gives him a big contract is making a mistake. JMO.

Paul Soliai is also on the market and he's a few years older than Raji but for a 3-4 year, reasonable contract he'd be solid.

It's not a democracy. At some point, I will make the call.

 

 

 

I'd think his time in a NFL locker-room weighs heavily on his decisions. A back-up linebacker and special teams player for 10 years. Only started eight games in his career but played in 146 of 147 games. Available and Accountable. This is why he likes AJ Hawk sucks.

 

Also, his time as a Financial planner/analyst has to help (along with Ball) in determining value.

 

 

 

Steeley-Eyed Assassin indeed.

 

 

I honestly think we would be just fine with Pickett at NT, mentoring a young guy like Louis Nix for a couple seasons. 

Yes...but Nix scares me a bit...he's a fatty...and the potential to eat himself out of the league is big. Hageman might be a better pick...but I don't argue with the need. 

There will be some solid DT talent available at #21..might even be able to trade back a few picks and still get one.

Maybe not Nix specifically, but a wide body like that. Mike Daniels could and should also be in the mix at NT. 

This likely applies to Finley as well. Thought this was interesting to read..

 

From Monday Morning MD:

 

It has recently become popular to have a personal or treating doctor write a letter to teams clarifying how healthy they think a player is. After reports of failing Combine physicals, Alabama team doctors wrote letters and gave interviews on behalf of prospective first round draft pick Cyrus Kouandjio. In addition, following the recent subpar season of free agent wide receiver Hakeem Nicks, it was made public that letters of support were written by his knee and ankle surgeons.

 

These letters mean very little to teams and team physicians. Despite the efforts of the player’s agents to change public opinion and get teams to improve medical grades, little is likely to change.

 

First, with federal privacy (HIPAA) laws, the only way a treating physician can release information is through patient consent. No player (or agent) will allow the release of negative information. Therefore, these letters are by nature biased and universally positive.

 

Second, the agents refer their star players to these physicians. These are good surgeons, but they are somewhat beholden to the referring agents. I am not saying that these doctors will write dishonest letters of support, but they are certainly likely to take the “glass half full” approach.

Third, team physicians and medical staffs will always trust their own judgment when it comes to draft evaluations and free agents. This is why the Combine medical exam is so important, as every team doctor gets to examine every draftee. Also, all free agents will still need to pass the signing team’s physical.

 

Finally, in my experience, when teams receive these letters, they are simply given to the team medical staff, as general managers don’t pay them much attention. Most team physicians are highly experienced sports doctors. They are trusted by the team for a reason and are not likely to be influenced by outside sources. I doubt any general managers change their draft board based on the mock drafts produced by Mel Kiper or Todd McShay. It would be the same thing to expect team doctors to change their opinions based on a personal doctor.

 

A Washington Redskins orthopedist happened to write letters of support saying both Kouandjio and Nicks are healthy. It will be interesting to see if the Redskins draft Kouandjio or sign Nicks.

@ryanohalloran

Red Bryant on #Jaguars: "I know the defense from the top down. I'm excited to help their franchise turn it around."

 

@ryanohalloran 

Bryant said he was going to green bay and then kansas city and the Redskins were interested before signing with #Jaguars.

 

  Never gets old!!

 

I heard Rome on the radio during lunch saying Peter King said the Packers overpaid for Shields because Shields is a pedestrian CB.  Further proof that Peter King doesn't know sh*t.

They probably did overpay a little....so what.  Every team has players that are overpaid.  The key is to not overpay too much, not have too many players that fit that category and not be hamstrung with bad signing bonuses beyond a player's usefulness.

 

it wasn't the overpay part that raised my BS flag - it was the "pedestrian CB". 

Packers paid for the potential upside with the Shields signing. Time will tell if they made the right call.

Why is it that it seems like we are looking for talent on the defensive line every year? Poor coaching or poor drafting?

Speaking of Finley.

 

Or, injuries on the DL.

Pedestrian. Ok.

 

Speaking of pedestrian, did you see what our favorite rivals to the west gave to Everson Griffen? Wowza.

So you're saying that, when healthy, our DL has been good?

Yeah, you can bet if Belicheat had given Shields the same contract, Petey would be wiping his chin over it.

Wow, that offers some insight into all the BS medical reports that get leaked

Also shows why teams have to trust their own docs

 

Swing and miss on some guys...inability to convert 4-3 DE or 3-4 OLB to 3-4 DE comes to mind as well.

 

But they also hit a homerun on Pickett as a FA...Raji year 1 was good, then they moved him...getting Jolly back was a real boon. Daniels is going to be a star. CJ Wilson...while I am not a huge fan, has been a serviceable backup. Jury still out on Worthy.

No, didn't say that.  Just saying injuries are also a factor.  We haven't really seen what players like Jerel Worthy and Datone Jones can do when healthy for a season.

Exactly, only Bill hasn't got quite the same warchest right now... He wasted  $8 M in "dead" money on his favorite felon.