Packers Daily Links: Dashon Goldson to Green Bay Speculation

Former Packers safety LeRoy Butler shares his thoughts on Dashon Goldson. That and more in today's Daily Links...

It takes one to know one, as the saying goes. Former Packers safety LeRoy Butler, in an article appearing in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, spoke to the possibility of the Packers pursuing upcoming free agent safety Dashon Goldson of San Francisco. "If (Green Bay) had a kid like that, he could put you in a position to have two of the best safeties in the league," Butler said. "He has good size, good instincts, runs well and he'll hit you. He's one of the most complete safeties right now. But again, it's definitely going to cost you some money." According to reporter Tyler Dunne, Goldson is reportedly looking for a deal that will pay him $8 million per season. While the Packers most definitely could use a player like Goldson, it's unlikely they come up with the money he'll command.

Now that Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco has signed a deal making him one of the highest-paid players in the NFL, attention in Green Bay turns to how the deal will impact the next contract Aaron Rodgers signs. "Theoretically, the Packers could get an extension with (Clay) Matthews done, then shift their focus to Rodgers while taking a wait-and-see approach with (B.J.) Raji, knowing the franchise tag would be an option for retaining him," writes Jason Wilde of ESPNMilwaukee.com. "That (David) Dunn represents all three players could help the process, but no one knows for sure." That would seem like the natural process to get things done. But with Flacco making in the realm of $20 million per season, Rodgers would figure to exceed that.

More on the Joe Flacco and Aaron Rodgers connection comes from Fox Sports.

Linebacker Clay Matthews is called the most undervalued player on the Packers roster by ProFootballFocus.com. "If it wasn’t for a hamstring injury that kept him out of four games, Matthews could have put up some monstrous numbers," writes Michael Renner. "Even still, the fourth-year linebacker was the second-most valuable player on the Packers, and the second-highest graded 3-4 outside linebacker. Something tells me he won’t be on the undervalued list for long." It wouldn't surprise me if Matthews signs a contract extension before the start of free agency in a little over a week. Of course, I wouldn't be surprised if it takes a little longer than that as well.

The annual checkup series continues at Fox Sports Wisconsin with analysis on Nick Perry and Marshall Newhouse.

The possibility of signing free agent defensive lineman Chris Canty is dug into by Lombardi Ave. and Rant Sports.

LeRoy Butler recently delivered a cheesehead bed to a contest winner in Wisconsin.

Blog posts at AllGreenBayPackers.com look at Jermichael Finley's future and the offense's pre-snap motion in Green Bay.

Other items at Lombardi Ave. discuss Johnny Jolly and the Packers' restricted free agents.

The Packers offensive line is analyzed at Acme Packing Company.

Video: From Fox 11 in Green Bay, Project Leap took place inside the Lambeau Field atrium this past weekend...

Brian Carriveau is the author of "It's Just a Game: Big League Drama in Small Town America," and editor of Cheesehead TV's "Pro Football Draft Preview." To contact Brian, email [email protected].

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Comments (23)

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imfubared's picture

March 04, 2013 at 10:17 am

I do not see where TT can sign any free agents. His problem is all the others teams are owned by billionaires with deep pockets.
TT on the other hand can only spend what is available to the team via sales of sport items, tickets sales, tv contracts. There is not a billiionaire standing around passing out big time contract money.
Truth is Mathews and Rogers my eat up 1/3 or more of the money the pack have to give to everyone else.
We let Wells, and Jenkins go because we could not afford them. No way we get any top free agents when TT does not know how much Rogers and Mathews will be getting. Until then, I don't see the pack improving much.
We can all dream of great acquisitions to help fill holes but that takes money.

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Brian Carriveau's picture

March 04, 2013 at 10:20 am

There is no issue of other teams being owned by billionaire owners with deep pockets. The salary cap prevents teams from out-bidding for talent.

This particular season, it's the contract extensions due to Aaron Rodgers and Clay Matthews that will make them among the highest paid overall and highest paid defenders, respectively, in the entire NFL.

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ArodMoney's picture

March 04, 2013 at 10:46 am

*Matthews
*Rodgers
Don't spell them wrong again

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Derek in CO's picture

March 04, 2013 at 11:13 am

Amen to that. If you can't spell the names, you aren't a Packer fan. Hey imfubared, ever heard of salary cap?

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MarkinMadison's picture

March 04, 2013 at 11:18 am

Cash on hand impacts the ability to put out big signing bonuses, even with the salary cap. That said, I've never heard that the Packers are unable to sign a player due to lack of cash.

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Stroh's picture

March 04, 2013 at 09:57 pm

Packers have plenty of cash on hand. Last I heard the chest was at over 100M and rising every year. They aren't the small team that people percieve by income. They are making money hand over fist. Only restriction for the Packers is the same for others, the salary cap. Packer otherwise could be bigger spenders. The cap and revenue sharing make the Packers a very lucrative team.

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Randy's picture

March 04, 2013 at 11:56 am

Gholston reportedly wants 8 million a year as a free agent. JMF is set to be paid 8 million and while none of the other TE's on the roster are going to scare anyone, we can sse a 1st rnder on a TE and get the safety we've been missing since Collins was forced to retire w/o breaking the bank.

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MarkinMadison's picture

March 04, 2013 at 12:34 pm

Remember that JMF is $8M for one year. You pick up Gholston he'll want a multi-year contract at $8M a year. That will put a crimp in your cap as you go to re-sign the "big three" over the next two years.

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IowaPackFan's picture

March 05, 2013 at 09:22 am

What's the M stand for. Oh, I think I know...

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rjw's picture

March 04, 2013 at 11:55 am

If GB can get Goldson for $8 mil they need to find a way to make it happen. He is the kind of player, in a critically important position, that will make the entire defense better. His on-field leadership won't stand for players like Tramon Williams running away from tackles. When evaluating where to invest money, Goldson can be the D's QB and change the Pack's "soft" reputation on defense. When evaluating where to spend $8 mil / year, Thompson is sure to realize a tight end who makes an occassional great play can't offer close to the level of return that a player like Goldson provides.

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mark's picture

March 04, 2013 at 12:01 pm

Goldson is looking for $8 million per year. Ask yourself, who would you rather have: Dashon Goldson or Steven Jackson? About the same amount of money, no? For me, it's a no-brainer: Steven Jackson all day!

But here's another option/idea: go after RFA Chris Ivory (Saints), draft a safety in round 1 or 2, and you end up with great options at both positions, without breaking the bank in either scenario.

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Beep's picture

March 04, 2013 at 12:17 pm

Stephen Jackson the running back right? The almost 30 year old RB with 2400 carries? No thanks. He'll be washed up before a 3yr/24mil deal is over. He's already past the proverbial 28 years old when most great recent running backs start to decline.

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Evan's picture

March 04, 2013 at 12:57 pm

Yeah, in what world is Stephen Jackson getting $8 million a year?

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Franklin Hillside's picture

March 04, 2013 at 12:19 pm

Did I wander into a fantasy football message board?

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Walty's picture

March 04, 2013 at 01:55 pm

I like Leroy a lot. His X's and O's stuff with Silverstein is really great, but I think his analysis of the off-the-field game is hit or miss.

TT can't afford to sign Dashon Goldson. It'd be great to have him but we just have too many other players that need to be paid first. Add to that the fact that this draft is deep at the safety position and Butler's comments make even less sense.

In my opinion, the one guy the Packers should be heavily looking at to sign is Chris Ivory. He immediately upgrades our running game and is better than any back in this upcoming draft. He's a long term solution as he's just 24 years old and has carried the ball just 256 times.

He was buried on the New Orleans depth chart but has top 15 RB talent. He blew it up whenever he got the chance to start (he has a 5.4 career rushing average). He has good size and thus DuJuan Harris could be used as a nice complimentary/change of pace guy.

And on top of all that, he'd come relatively cheap.

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Evan's picture

March 04, 2013 at 02:09 pm

Couldn't agree more. I've been riding shotgun on the Chris Ivory bandwagon since the trading deadline.

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California Cheesehead's picture

March 04, 2013 at 02:35 pm

Really like the Ivory idea, been on the same page as you guys with that for a while. I can also see where LeRoy is coming from with Gholdson. A safety is a safety. I'm keen on opinions in soccer when it comes to a team signing a center back, as that's what I play.

Butler, Sharper, Collins...we've had some great safeties.

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NoWayJose's picture

March 04, 2013 at 04:11 pm

$8M is big cheese for a safety.

You better be getting the best for that kind of money.

Is the position ever worth that much? I don't know. But TT might see a pretty clear correlation btw the loss of Mr. Nick Collins and the state of the defense the last two years... Stranger things have happened.

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cow42's picture

March 04, 2013 at 05:16 pm

just stop with this free agent talk.
draft and develop.
that's what they do.

we all better hope McmIllian, Jennings, Green, Harris, Smith, Perry, Worthy, Daniels, Newhouse, Sherrod, EDS, are the real deal... cuz that's who we're sinkin' or swimin' with.

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June's picture

March 04, 2013 at 08:34 pm

Is Leroy saying that Burnett is one of the best safety's in the league?

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Evan's picture

March 04, 2013 at 09:41 pm

I've read a lot that this is actually a bizarro free agency year - lots of quality players and few teams with cap room. That could help drive down the price on some of these guys for the Pack.

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MarkinMadison's picture

March 04, 2013 at 10:36 pm

The safety crop looks so good that I'd rather see them draft a safety and money put elsewhere. The Packers have had bad luck drafting DL. If they can get Canty, I'd say put the money there.

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imfubared's picture

March 07, 2013 at 06:47 pm

This guy is not coming to GB. He wants da moooney not green bay. Mooney rules and GB has none.

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