What about cutting Finley, keeping Jennings?

lambeausouthMember

JerMichael Finley is scheduled to make $7 million in 2013. It's all but a foregone conclusion that Greg Jennings will be leaving Green Bay.

As somebody that's not overly familiar with how the financials work out in the NFL, I will ask for some opinions here.

Finley, though he was better in the second half, is being paid as a top 5 tight end in the NFL, and his performance does not equal his pay. And I'm not sure if he'll ever return to the player he was before the injury. Greg Jennings, though he has been injured much of the last season, showed in the last game of the regular season that he was still a receiver to contend with.

Would the Packers not be better off keeping Jennings, using some of Finley's money to pay him? It's been discussed that Randall Cobb can do the exact same thing that Jennings has done, but I'm not ready to make Cobb into a pure possession receiver. He offers too much as a "wildcat" option, so to speak, and he's at his most dangerous when he's utilized in several different positions. Part of Cobb's appeal is that he's a match up nightmare for other teams.

If we cut Finley, kept Jennings, and made DJ Williams (who I think will ultimately be the starting tight end) the starter now, would that not also free up a little bit more cap room to help resign somebody like BJ Raji, or perhaps pursue a middle linebacker in free agency?

1/19/1312:26 AM

Original Post

Replies sorted oldest to newest

H5Keyboard Warrior, troll hunter

Keep both.

1/19/136:24 AM

TravisLLMember

I found this salary cap page. http://www.overthecap.com/packers.php If this information is accurate then here is some potential cap savings

51 players total
$116,887,974

Potential Cap Savings

Charles Woodson $10,000,000
Jermichael Finley $8,250,000
Ryan Pickett $6,106,250
Jeff Saturday $3,750,000
John Kuhn $2,350,000
AJ Hawk $2,250,000
James Jones $3,250,000

Locks to be cut (IMO)

Jermichael Finley
Jeff Saturday
Savings = 12,000,000

cut/restructure

Charles Woodson
John Kuhn
AJ Hawk
Savings = ?

restructures

Ryan Pickett
James Jones

The rookies should take up 5 million. If Finley and Saturday get cut (likely) and with the rookies signed we should have a total cap number around 110,000,000. This is with Greg Jennings not signed. Clay Matthews and Aaron Rodgers not extended and Woodson, Kuhn, Hawk, Pickett, and Jones still on the roster without new deals.

I would rather cut Woodson and use that money to extend Clay Matthews. Also John Kuhn isn't worth $2,350,000 with the way we use him. I think we would be fine there. AJ Hawk really isn't worth cutting with the amount of dead space he would cost. Ryan Pickett is interesting because he is a good player, but he would save us a significant amount ($6,106,250).

Should be interesting to see how it shakes out.

1/19/137:31 AM

TschmackMember

Pickett is an interesting guy. 6 mil seems like a lot of cash they could save or divvy up elsewhere.

However, in this defense those tackles are critical to occupy blockers and Raji and Pickett really don't have guys waiting in the wings to replace them if either guy left.

To me the obvious cuts are Saturday and Kuhn. I think Hawk or Finley could go as well but I'd feel better knowing we had a young and and comer to backfill and that is a question mark also. Woodson (on paper) should be cut but of all of those guys listed he is still the most valuable in terms of on the field leadership and decision making. With the exception of the SF game he played very well in his new role.

1/19/137:40 AM

PackyMember

Woodson would have to take a huge pay cut for the Packers to keep him.

1/19/137:54 AM

ammoCheese Master

Nobody and I mean nobody but TT wanted Woodson six years ago. Will any other team want him now? Especially with the money he will want. I think it's the Packers or nothing. A new deal heavily front loaded would work. By heavy I mean no more than $5 million in the 1st year and no more than $12 million in a 3 year deal.

1/19/138:11 AM

michiganjoeMember

Williams has been a bit of a disappointment and Quarless is probably a better option at this point. The coaches spoke very highly of Finley which leads me to believe they'll bring him back. Jennings wants the final big payday with a long-term deal and TT doesn't appear to be interested it that.

1/19/138:31 AM

lambeausouthMember

Williams has been a disappointment in practice, camp, games...? I haven't seen him on the field much, and everybody raved about his hands. So he isn't nearly Finley's size. I'm ok with not having a beast over the middle. Give me somebody who will catch the ball.

Regarding Jennings-what is he going to want, and what are we going to offer? In other words, what's the gap? 7 mil from Finley could cover the gap, and leave a few extra million to play with. That's likely an oversimplification, but if it's between a proven commodity and an on again, off again talent with a history of drops, I choose Jennings, especially if his injury issues are now behind him post surgery.

1/19/138:56 AM

lambeausouthMember

How close to 100% is Quarless? Each athlete is different, but if Finley were let go, and Quarless were the guy...well, we remember how much Finley struggled coming out of the gate post surgery.

I am very glad I don't have Ted Thompson's job. He's got a lot of tough choices to make, and the 2013 Packers will have a lot of new faces.

1/19/138:58 AM

michiganjoeMember

quote:
Originally posted by lambeausouth:
I haven't seen him on the field much....

There's a reason for that and Crabtree had better production. He may eventually get to be starting material, but there's no indication the coaches feel he's close.

1/19/139:05 AM

H5Keyboard Warrior, troll hunter

More importantly in the near term than who to cut or restructure is who to re-sign?

PLAYER            POS     TYPE
Cedric Benson     RB      UFA
Donald Driver     WR      UFA
Greg Jennings     WR      UFA
E. Dietrich-Smith G       UFA
Ryan Grant        RB      UFA
Brad Jones        LB      UFA
Jeremy Ross       WR      UFA
Erik Walden       LB      UFA

Sam Shields       CB      RFA
Tom Crabtree	  TE	  RFA
Rob Francois      LB      RFA
Frank Zombo       LB      RFA

1/19/139:06 AM

lambeausouthMember

In a perfect world, I'd like to keep Benson (he can be had for cheap, and he's the only back with a chance to make the 2013 roster that has any kind of pedigree) Jennings, EDS, Ross, Shields, Crabtree and maybe Jones.

If we do keep Finley, who's the odd man out? Do we keep 4 tight ends again? Finley, Williams, Quarless and Crabtree? Crabtree might be the odd man out. Quarless has more upside, and I still think Williams will be an outstanding receiving tight end.

What about Starks? Is he still under contract for next season? I don't see him listed. I just don't know if the guy can stay healthy. For the last two years, he's been taking up a roster spot, and we've not gotten a lot of production from it.

1/19/139:19 AM

PakrzFREEZE!

Finley being cut is far from "likely."

1/19/1311:02 AM

CUPackFanMember

Jennings is gone. I get why people want to keep him but this is not the kind of guy that TT keeps around. He'll be over 30, he's been injured the last 2 years, he'll be expensive, and TT has been drafting WR's to replace him. A WR corp of Nelson, Jones, Cobb, Boykin and Ross is pretty damn good.

Why break the bank to further strengthen a strength, when it could result in losing (or cutting) guys at positions of weakness?

1/19/1311:35 AM

TdogProspective Member

it wasn't reported very much but DJ Williams played the last 3rd of the season with a broken finger.

1/19/1312:12 PM

chickenboyTic Toc

quote:
Originally posted by Tschmack:
To me the obvious cuts are Saturday and Kuhn .

What do you mean? Where else do you get a HB/FB/Short Yardage guy?

1/19/1312:15 PM

ChongoX4 O.G.

A young TE blocking for a TB on short yardage is preferrable to Kuhn carrying the rock IMO.

Kuhn is gone.

EDS and Brad Jones back. Walden too...all will be cheap to re-sign.

Shields is the best corner on the team the last 2 years.

Just don't think Gerg is going to be affordable. If you're the Packers how do you justify WR1 money when he's shown it for one season? It may bite the Packers, but Miami and Minny will pay top dollar for him. There's sme good WR available this year. May be time to draft and develop one. Or maybe Boykin is ready to shine.

1/19/1312:29 PM

packerboiI lick rainbows

All anyone really has to do is watch MM's season ending PC and that's pretty much all you need to know whether Finley will be back.

See Capers as well.

I'd be very very surprised if either isn't here in 2013.

1/19/1312:37 PM

GBFanForLifeLarge Member

Kuhn isn't going anywhere. Special teams and 3rd down back. Only fullback on the team.

1/19/132:02 PM

H5Keyboard Warrior, troll hunter

League year starts March 12th... Finley is due his roster bonus ($3.5mm) on 15th league day (Mar. 27th if my cipherin' is right). So Thompson has some time before deciding to cut, trade, extend, or do nothing with Jermichael.

2/6/133:49 PM

BorisPerson Man Camera Dildo Shop - NFLFU®

My guess is they will do nothing & Finley will be on the team in 2013....to the delight of Free Safety

2/6/133:54 PM

GoallineLarge Antenna

Let them both go. My magic words for this off-season? Youth movement.

2/6/135:05 PM

chickenboyTic Toc

quote:
Originally posted by Goalline:
My magic words for this off-season? Youth movement.

They were the 6th youngest in 2012!!!!

2/6/135:06 PM

"We"-Ka-BongYou ungrateful biscuit eating son of a bitch

your words with a lisp

youff moofmen

2/6/135:08 PM

"We"-Ka-BongYou ungrateful biscuit eating son of a bitch

your words in Dutch

jeugdbeweging

2/6/135:10 PM

"We"-Ka-BongYou ungrateful biscuit eating son of a bitch

back-masking?

smoke marijuana

2/6/135:11 PM

Boston JimMember

quote:

Originally posted by Hungry5:
More importantly in the near term than who to cut or restructure is who to re-sign?

PLAYER            POS     TYPE
Cedric Benson     RB      UFA
Donald Driver     WR      UFA
Greg Jennings     WR      UFA
E. Dietrich-Smith G       UFA
Ryan Grant        RB      UFA
Brad Jones        LB      UFA
Jeremy Ross       WR      UFA
Erik Walden       LB      UFA

Sam Shields       CB      RFA
Tom Crabtree	  TE	  RFA
Rob Francois      LB      RFA
Frank Zombo       LB      RFA

The only UFA's worth anything are Jennings, EDS, and maybe Jones.

Jennings wants the big contract and being over 30 with a bunch of injuries, I don't see him getting it.

EDS and Jones are backups and shouldn't demand too much money.

Sam Shields should be a priority.

Tom Crabtree should be considered.

Francois and Zombo suck.

2/6/135:13 PM

TdogProspective Member

I wanna see what Jeremy Ross can do next year.

2/7/138:14 AM

FedyaMember

I'd like to see Ross not fumble punts.

2/7/138:34 AM

titmfatiedNo Code

I'd like to see him not be put in the spot of having to field a punt inside the 10 in a playoff game when Cobb should have handled that. Completely changed the complexion of the game.

2/7/138:54 AM

GoallineLarge Antenna

quote:
Originally posted by chickenboy:
quote:
Originally posted by Goalline:
My magic words for this off-season? Youth movement.

They were the 6th youngest in 2012!!!!

Too old.

2/7/139:03 AM

IL_Pack_FanMember

Totally forgot that the Pack should be in line for a comp pick for Jennings, assuming Ted can resist the urge to go on a FA spending spree.

I doubt he could net the team a 3rd since that would take an Asomugha like deal, but a 4th should be in the bag for 2014.

2/7/1310:06 AM

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