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

Shields reportedly wants 22mil over 4 years......SIGN HIM NOW

4 yr deal leaves room for Shields to build legacy to allow for 'BIG' deal at age 30 or extension at 29 with Packers.

Shameless commercial plug, TT: Just do it.

       
       
where did you hear this? Thats kinda cheap so therefore I have a hard time believing it

 

 

Tim Jennings is signed for 4 years / $22.40 million

I think Shields is better than Jennings but it's a better comparison than some other guys

The number that is being quoted on Shields is on the low side from what some "experts" have been saying. If true I would expect Sam to be sign once the window to resign the teams own Free Agents opens.

I read (speculation) somewhere a week or so back that it could be a $25mm / 4 year deal but that the first year would be bigger ($8mm ish) and more guaranteed. Basically getting him for 4 years with most of it in the 1st and 2nd years. 

I would be fine with that.  I think it's cheaper than Tramon Williams or Burnett, both of whom are probably overpaid.

http://nflspinzone.com/2014/02...-years-22-4-million/

If rumor be true I don't what Thompson is waiting for

If the above is true, can't say I blame them. Will be very interesting to see what Raji will get in FA. He has next to no stats. I do not know what his agent is going to do to "sell" him aside from pointing out he's a healthy player who's durable.

Going from turning down a rumored 8mil. per year deal to letting him walk in just a span of 3 months.  Interesting.

 

If the reporting on Shields' number is accurate there has to be more to it and I'm with Silverstein that's it's probably a structure issue.

Everyone's favorite writer says the Packers are prepared to let James Jones walk. Based on what Boykin did last year it's hard to really argue with that decision.

I wouldn't mind having Pickett back at a reasonable price but Raji can walk if he still wants 8 million or more.

If GB offered him $8 million and now are willing to let him walk it stands to reason Raji has a fundamental issue with Capers defensive scheme and has informed GB he wants to go elsewhere. 

I always thought Raji's best position was at NT, not as a 3-4 DE.  Unfortunately for him, that was also Pickett's best position. But worst of all, unlike long-time NT's like Casey Hampton and Vince Wilfork, I just don't think Raji wants to play there.  It appears he wants to be a DT in a 4-3.  So instead of just letting Pickett leave/retire and moving Raji to where he was originally drafted to play, we'll likely have to say goodbye to a young top-10 pick and start over at this critical position.

If Shields only wanted 22.5 over 4 years does anyone think he wouldn't already be signed?   

 

Money talks:Drew Rosenhaus, the agent for unrestricted free agent Sam Shields, hasn't spoken publicly about his contract demands.

 

But a source familiar with Rosenhaus said the basis for the deal Shields wants is the four-year, $22.4 million contract Chicago Bears cornerback Tim Jennings signed in January. More than half of Jennings' deal is guaranteed and the first-year compensation is more than $8 million. -jsonline

I'd speculate the basis Rosenhaus and Shields want is the 4 years and the extra guaranteed money up front but at closer to 7 million a year.  The structure they desire is in the open for any team that's interested and it's just a matter of coming in with the highest amount of money.   

 

I think it's easy to sit back and say the Packers will get a better deal when free agency starts and Sam finds his true value, but  he's going to have a heads up on which teams are interested.  If he gets a deal he likes from a team he likes he may not even give the Packers an option to match.  With so many CBs on the market there could very well be pressure to take the first, best deal before the money dries up.

        

I think the problem with Pickett is that he's lost a lot of athleticism and quickness and at this point in his career he's really just a space eater.   He's a good locker room guy but he's not getting any younger and if it means Daniels gets more reps than so be it.

 

I continue to be puzzled by BJ Raji and how he just completely fell off the face of the planet this past year.    You would think in a contract year he'd be motivated and put up big numbers but 2013 was easily his worst year as a pro.   I don't know if it was scheming or he just simply got lazy but I would not throw big money at the guy.  I just think it's too big of a risk.  

 

Letting Jones walk wouldn't surprise me either.   Boykin stepped up this year and I have a feeling they will try to allocate big $$$ to Jordy and/or Cobb so JJ gets lost in the shuffle.   I like Jones and if the money were right I wouldn't be opposed to bringing him back but I think they have greater needs in other areas.

 

Didn't he also have Finley out the door last year?

If it were possible to get James Jones back, I'd love for him to stay. Obviously keeping Jordy and Cobb are going to be the top priorities, though. Not really a tough decision to let Jones walk if it makes it difficult to keep either of the other two guys. I do wish him the best at his future team, unless that team is the Vikings, which would be just an absolute shocker if they made a move to acquire him, wouldn't it?

 

If Shields is looking for a 4 year, 22 mil contract, TT should sign him to that yesterday. I think having that contract front loaded would be a  good thing. Since there's a lot of cap room to play with right now, it would make sense to do it that way. If his play drops off towards year four, he could be let go without too much of a cap penalty at that time if I understand it correctly.

 

Then again a heavily front loaded contract for Shields would really hamstring TT in his quest to sign "as many as five" free agents, wouldn't it? 

Great news on Raji, but I'll kinda miss "Big Grease", even if he is getting old.

The Packers seem to have an extremely easy time finding WRs. Nelson/Cobb/Boykin is still a better trio  than 3/4ths of the league. Jones is a good player, but they can replace him without much trouble. I would bet that he's gone.

They must also like White, in addition to Boykin. The way Boykin played last year, I think Jones can go or stay and it would be a seamless switch. I also have faith that somewhere in the seventh round, TT will be sending a WR name to the podium and that guy will probably be quite serviceable as well. 

Agree with sschumer on where Raji should be, and it sucks if he doesn't want to play there. I still think he could be a force for the Packers.

 

Letting Jones walk is the right decision and makes sense. I like the guy but Boykin's emergence definitely made him expendable. With Jordy and Cobb both looking at extensions, they can't afford to give Jones another contract as well. Not to mention this draft is deep with WR's. I expect them to draft one in the mid rounds, and depending on what they do in FA, TE or S will be what I expect them to take in rd1

They were prepared to let JJ walk the first time his contract was up. My only question now is if he again discovers a soft market for his services whether the Packers will take him back at their price. His age and the strong emergence of Boykin tells me that's probably unlikely.

Everything depends on contract demands. The Packers have a number that they think Jones is worth and won't re-sign him unless it is to that number. They have the leverage so they won't budge. If he agrees to their contract demands then he will definitely be back. I doubt that number is anything significant considering the talent they have and will be re-signing this season. I bet Jones could get a better deal elsewhere.

Regarding Jones I agree he would need to be at ROTTT price for a couple reasons.

He is at the age where he will lose speed.  Never being a burner could be an issue.

Boykin plays same type with upside and cheap.

Nelson and Cobb one year away from new contract.  Ted likes to keep the pipe line full at WR position.  I expect him to draft a WR early to begin orientation of the next feature WR in Green Bay.  It always takes a year or two for the new guy to fit in.

 

In a side note; Erin Andrews new gig on DWTS.  I expect new dressing rooms pics early and often.

They may very well but they possibly may not. They could just  view going with the younger and cheaper alternative without a significant drop-off in production as the best way forward.

Jones could get mo money elsewhere, but at some number, he becomes relatively inexpensive injury insurance.

We've seen Jordy dinged, Cobb missed most of the season, Finley went down etc. Jones knows all 3 WR positions and no rookie or 1st year guy can bring that to the table. His role will diminish, but I still like Jones vs 3rd and 4th DBs for another season- the problem is that he'll want a longer deal and that's probably the tougher point for GB to commit to than the $2-3 M he'll earn next year.

I like JJ around for those very reasons as well.  It's kinda ironic.  The team that he is most valuable to, the GBP, won't pay him that value.   I hope he doesn't want a long term deal at 29 y/o.  Longest I'd do is 3, and 2 would be preferable.

I don't think it's an either or decision - could easily be both or neither - but assuming JJ and Starks required a contract in the same ballpark, who would you bring back if you had to choose?

I likes me some Starks as well but with Lacy, Franklin and DuJuan back this fall plus undoubtedly some free agents...  I hope we could live without him.  Now if Lacy went down early in camp, dog forbid, I'd want Starks back in an Iowa hour.

Well, I think the reason the agent came out and said " I don't think the Packers even want him" is because he wasn't feeling the love and agents don't like being unloved in February/March

 

Its a tactic to let other teams know, to put some pressure on TT and to try and gain some leverage. Ted just goes about his business and he doesn't share the love at this time of the year. So who cracks first ? The players and agents; Jones would love to finish in GB

 

And while that plan works well for 2nd tier guys like Jones, its the wrong strategy for chasing the Big Fish. Those guys need to be woo'd and Ted isn't the guy for that role. Somebody else in the org. needs to cover that IF they ever go after a Big One

 

True Satori. Similarly with the Pickett and Raji news about the Packers letting them walk. Does anyone believe that the Packers have told the player or their agent that they don't want them back? Ted giving the agents the silent treatment doesn't mean he doesn't want the player back. Like Jones, he likely has a $$ amount and contract length for all of their UFA's and he is not ready to publicize that info.

 

 

I think it's a lot simpler than that honestly. I think they just say "we want to sign Player X for this much money, no more" regardless of what else they have depth wise. That's why they re-signed him in 2011. They could have easily let him walk and found a younger, cheaper option because they had Nelson, Driver, Jennings and obviously were targeting WRs in the 2011 draft. He met their demands though and it worked out. I see the same thing happening this year. They know how much they want to spend on him and they will welcome him back if he agrees to it. I think it's the same for any free agent, I think they are interested in any player that would improve the team, but they don't want to pay more than they think the free agent is worth. 

I think you're absolutely right. My guess is that "the silent treatment" means that the Packers aren't negotiating. I'm sure they have a "Take it or Leave it" offer to these agents/players and are focusing on the draft right now, rather than be in constant communication/negotiation. 

I think right no there is a lot of smoke being blown by players agent. I think some agents are trying to pressure teams to sign a player before free agency begins because for most players free Agency is a huge gamble. In the case of Jones there maybe little interest in him, he may have to wait until teams start looking for bargains that is when Ted may make an offer to Jones.

Anyways the Packers(Ted) are so close mouth I suspect any report on what the packers are planning with suspicion.