Kentrell Brice wants to return to Packers in 2019 under multi-year deal
-- Kentrell Brice could be playing under a new defensive coordinator by next season, but if it were up to him, that wouldn't be the case.
The Green Bay Packers' fourth-year safety will be one of their two restricted free agents at the start of the new league year on March 13 -- the other being wide receiver Geronimo Allison. The Packers could offer deals before then and be granted the right of first refusal by other pursuing teams if they wanted to keep either one.
But according to ESPN's Rob Demovsky of ESPN, Brice not only wants to remain in Green Bay through 2019, but wants a multi-year deal.
Brice was originally picked up by the Packers as an undrafted free agent in 2016, beating out offers from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Jacksonville Jaguars. He played in all 16 games his rookie year and accounted for 20 total tackles, but finished his second season in the league on injured reserve with a significant ankle injury that later required in-season surgery.
Despite having played various positions in the Packers' defense under former coordinator Dom Capers, Brice never answered the call of serving an exclusive role in the team's secondary. He didn't offer much alleviation to a disastrous safety unit in 2018 either.
Capers was the first coordinator Brice played more than one season for since high school. He had a new defensive coordinator in each of his four collegiate years at Louisiana Tech, never really forming any familiarity or consistency in the defenses he was playing in.
The Packers fired Capers on January 1, paving the way to the hiring of Mike Pettine just over a week later.
Brice's performance still struggled -- arguably even more so -- in his first year with Pettine, but there's the possibility that he could find himself more comfortable in Pettine's scheme with a second opportunity. But there'd have to be mutual interest between both parties for that to come to fruition.
The Packers have a growing number in salary cap space, currently sitting just north of $36 million. If they decide to let Brice hit the market, they'd be more than capable of being able to utilize either one of free agency or the draft to fill the void.
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Zachary Jacobson is a staff writer/reporter for Cheesehead TV. He's the voice of The Leap on iTunes and can be heard on The Scoop KLGR 1490 AM every Saturday morning. He's also a contributor on the Pack-A-Day Podcast. He can be found on Twitter via @ZachAJacobson or contacted through email at [email protected].
Comments (60)
Ryan3468
February 28, 2019 at 10:18 pm
Let him walk.
TKWorldWide
March 01, 2019 at 03:02 am
If GB is handing out multi year deals to guys who aren’t effective, I’ll take one too, thank you very much.
Qoojo
March 01, 2019 at 06:17 pm
Sounds good, but it has to be a position where I can't get hit. Heck, I don't want to even think about one lineman even accidentally sitting on me.
KevinGibson
February 28, 2019 at 10:27 pm
Multi-year deal???? Um, OK
BoCallahan
February 28, 2019 at 10:45 pm
Ask Muhammad Wilkerson if he thinks the Packers should resign Brice.
Fire_Gute
March 01, 2019 at 03:19 pm
The only impact Bryce made all year was taking out or own guy. He belongs in the AAF
Mike Wendlandt
March 03, 2019 at 02:06 pm
Wilkerson doesn't blame Brice for his injury. He did an interview for the Athletic about it. Brice came to visit him and was blaming himself. Wilkerson told him to stop, as it was a football play. Comments like these are getting beyond parody. Injuries happen in football, especially when players feet are dug into the turf.
Skip greenBayless
March 03, 2019 at 03:44 pm
Brice sounds like he's a mental wreck blaming himself for the injury of another teammate. I think what he needs to do is take this year off or possibly the next two (with pay) and let him heal mentally. Then come back refreshed and a new man. Hopefully one to two years of time off will help and we all need to support him.
Dash
ScaryGary
February 28, 2019 at 11:55 pm
brice reminds me of bush. maybe we should keep him on the squad so he can make the biggest play of his life in the biggest game
Mike Wendlandt
March 03, 2019 at 02:07 pm
He's got a ton of athleticism and isn't afraid to make a hit. I don't want him as a starting safety, but as a depth guy (3rd of 4th), and a special teams leader like he was in 2017, I'd be down for a cheap multi-year deal.
Johnblood27
March 01, 2019 at 12:15 am
Addition by subtraction.
buh bye
kevgk
March 01, 2019 at 11:25 am
That doesnt apply because he isnt a personality problem. Its only addition if you use the money and replace the spot with someone better.
He is very versatile, home grown talent, and wants to stay in town. 3yr $6mil offer with some incentives. We shouldnt be so eager to jettison a position of need unless we have answers.
Fire_Gute
March 01, 2019 at 03:22 pm
Of course he wants to stay in town. He wants to stay in the league. Hes not versatile, he sucks. He has absolutely no business being 2nd string.
GBPDAN1
March 01, 2019 at 01:38 am
No. Let's significantly upgrade the position
Leatherhead
March 01, 2019 at 11:49 am
Yes, let's upgrade the position by cutting our best guy who's also pretty cheap. That's a fantastic idea.
We need 5 on the 53 man roster. We do not have 5 safeties better than Brice. Josh Jones....who two different staffs have put on the bench while Brice started.....is probably guaranteed one of those spots on the basis of being on the third year of his rookie deal.
You pursue a top safety as your primary FA target. You resign Brice. You spend a premium pick on a safety who you hope will be better than Brice. That's how we strengthen the position.
jannesbjornson
March 01, 2019 at 12:28 pm
Brice has proved he does not know the Pro Game. He is a liability in coverage and undisciplined as a tackler leading the safeties in misses.
He is replaceable.
Leatherhead
March 01, 2019 at 07:36 pm
So, Ted Thompson and Brian Gutekunst have gone into the the last two seasons with a starting safety who doesn't know the pro game, is a liability in coverage, and is undisciplined as a tackler.
In your opinion, what does that say about the acumen of our current and former GM?
Tundraboy
March 01, 2019 at 06:10 pm
Agree with everything Old School. Same thing applies at OLB and OL. There's just not enough depth at either of those position groups to do anything but fill it the way you outlined. As for Brice he'll have to settle for whatever we give him. Does that make me Old?
Mike Wendlandt
March 03, 2019 at 02:09 pm
For a cheap multi-year deal, it'd be a good move. He's got a crazy amount of athleticism. I don't want him as a starting safety right now, but as a top backup and special teams leader, he's a great fit. He goes in, works hard, does his job, and plays without fear. Those guys will always find a spot in the league.
Ryan3468
March 01, 2019 at 01:43 am
How cheap is cheap? Multi year incentive deal with no guarantees. Brice hasn’t shown he belongs. I get you can’t fire everyone.
jannesbjornson
March 01, 2019 at 12:29 pm
Raven Greene is a better prospect.
Mike Wendlandt
March 03, 2019 at 02:10 pm
Is he? He's made the same mistakes in coverage that Brice did without the athleticism or special teams work. Greene is a bigger work in progress than Brice is by far.
Ferrari Driver
March 01, 2019 at 02:02 am
A multi-year deal? No offer from us and if he doesn't get signed and the Packers feel he may help on special teams or as a limited backup player, league minimum on a one year contract. Too many Packer fans lost hair by pulling it out watching him out of position last year and missing tackles as well.
JonathanSpader
March 01, 2019 at 03:27 am
Brice was a liability. Packers really need upgrades at the safety position through draft and FA.
Lphill
March 01, 2019 at 05:34 am
When he first showed up he seemed effective and a thumper , as time went on he seemed to miss on plays more and more , let him walk .
NickPerry
March 01, 2019 at 05:49 am
I'm sure he wants to come back to GB...They paid him for the last several seasons based on one hit he made what, 3 years ago?
No, just NO on Brice. Maybe he'll go to the Bears.
jeremyjjbrown
March 01, 2019 at 06:49 am
I would support the Packers paying Brice to play for the Bears.
MarkinMadison
March 01, 2019 at 06:51 am
That might be the biggest disconnect between how a player sees himself and how the fans see him that I have ever read.
Tundraboy
March 01, 2019 at 06:12 pm
It's up there that's for sure.
stockholder
March 01, 2019 at 07:11 am
No to the multi - year. But Yes to a prove it 1 year again.
egbertsouse
March 01, 2019 at 07:36 am
You have to hand it to this guy, he has a set of big brass ones! He learned at the feet of HHCD.
Guam
March 01, 2019 at 08:08 am
This is one of the few times I have seen a unanimous reaction from CHTV fans. MarkinMadison nailed it, Brice is delusional. Maybe a one year veteran minimum deal depending on what Gute gets done in FA and the draft.
Since'61
March 01, 2019 at 08:19 am
No to Brice. Not even a one year prove it deal. We were 6-9-1 with him we can be 6-9-1 without him. Let him walk, improve the position, get better players.
Thanks, Since '61
Johnblood27
March 01, 2019 at 11:18 am
Chuck him!
There, I finished it for you...
Since'61
March 02, 2019 at 11:31 am
Thanks Johnblood! The Packers need to move forward from TTs era of UDFAs and bring in guys who can play. Keep the faith. Since ‘61
Leatherhead
March 02, 2019 at 12:04 pm
Actually, UDFAs are the best bargain in football. And when you get a UDFA like Tramon Williams, or Sam Shields......that's as good as it gets.
TXCHEESE
March 01, 2019 at 08:37 am
I've been a Brice supporter in the past, but have to agree with '61. He is a willing tackler, but he doesn't have the closing speed you want for someone playing in the defensive backfield. Maybe a good STer, and possibly a backup, but a minimal 1 year contract is all I could offer. I'm betting there are more talented players out there.
Lare
March 01, 2019 at 09:01 am
The Packers do need to sign at least one and probably two safeties to multi-year contracts. But they need to be a lot better players than Kentrell Brice.
LeotisHarris
March 01, 2019 at 09:13 am
You can't always get what you want.
TKWorldWide
March 02, 2019 at 06:48 am
Mick said it first.
Dzehren
March 01, 2019 at 09:16 am
Sign Adrian Amos and draft a safety early and 1 later in the draft.
Leatherhead
March 01, 2019 at 09:21 am
I like Brice, and apparently, both Capers and Pettine like him because when he's healthy enough to play, he's on the field.
Burnett gone. Dix gone. Whitehead gone. But Brice is still here.
Brice plays while Jones and Campbell sit.
If we had 5 guys who were better safeties than Brice, I'd be fine with letting him go. We don't. Right now, we have nobody better.
How many of the people who want him gone felt the same way about Fackrell? My guess is, quite a few of you.
Thegreatreynoldo
March 01, 2019 at 10:55 am
I think these are fair questions. And both Capers and Pettine and/or Whitt thought the same.
Until we find some bodies who are better, you have a point. Just don't ask for guaranteed money that amounts to more than a workout bonus. I am certainly not going to advocate for guaranteeing a million or two for this guy because he is not good: he doesn't rise to the level of below average.
Leatherhead
March 01, 2019 at 11:28 am
I think that saying Brice isn't even below average, based on what these last two seasons, is kind of like critiquing the swimming skills of the Titanic survivors.
Put him on the field in a system he knows, when he's healthy, surrounded by people who know what they're doing and it's entirely possible he'd look like a better player.
When the tent is on fire, the circus looks different.
I would also be interested in how Gutekunst could start the 2018 season with a guy who "isn't even below average"....after releasing Burnett and then following it up with sending Dix and Whitehead away. I mean, if this is true, then it's kind of a commentary on Gutekunst's judgement, isnt' it?
Thegreatreynoldo
March 01, 2019 at 12:27 pm
I agree with the part about Gutekunst. I was screaming for Gute to sign Boston, Reid or Vacarro for next to nothing ($1.9M, $1.5M, $1.4M). All of them were rated much higher than Brice (87th Safety) and a 51 grade). He didn't, and I gave him a demerit for that failure.
JonathanSpader
March 01, 2019 at 04:38 pm
I was screaming for Gute to draft Derwin James when he fell to us in the draft. To sign Reid when he was sitting there in FA.
Doug Niemczynski
March 01, 2019 at 10:17 am
No. Awful decision maker.
Leatherhead
March 01, 2019 at 10:34 am
OK Doug, if he's so awful, why have two different HCs, two different GMs, and two different defensive coordinators thought he was the best we had? Why have we let Burnett, Dix, Whitehead, Marwan Evans, etc. leave and continued to play Brice? Why does a 2nd round pick (Josh Jones) sit on the bench while Brice plays? He had more snaps at safety than anybody else last year...….why?
Are they all stupid? Of course not. Brice is the best safety we have. We keep 5 safeties on the 53 man roster, and we activate 4. When we have 5 safeties better than Brice then we can let him go. Right now, we don't.
He's cheap. He'll remain cheap. We don't have to offer him a multi-year deal, given that he's a RFA, but if we offered him a multi-year deal that averaged about $1 million/year over 4 years, about half-guaranteed, then why would that be a bad thing?
Doug Niemczynski
March 01, 2019 at 04:48 pm
Have you ever listened to the guy talk? He says the eord "dog" every 3rd word.
Swisch
March 01, 2019 at 05:36 pm
You make some good points, Old School.
I've seen Kentrell make some excellent tackles, and he's young enough at age 24 to improve in coverage.
It may be way too early to give up on a guy who is highly affordable and may just be ready to come into his own.
ILPackerBacker
March 01, 2019 at 12:34 pm
There is a difference between 'being the best we have' and hope. Morgan B was far from the second best S his rookie year. If he were not hurt and a better player put on the field due to injury it might have cost us the super bowl appearance.
Brice was starting due to potential, not results.
His results were never justification for being on the field. Better coaching and better philosophy would have had Williams and HAHA at S from the beginning of the year.
Brice has tons of potential, he is not now a starter. he is physically in position to make plays. he is not making them. Morgan B was physically unable to get into position. Ergo Brice is better because he at least can get in the way.
Put better players around him and every player is better. Example Lane T the preseason when Josh was let go v Lane T with Bahk and Corey next to him.
Doug Niemczynski
March 01, 2019 at 04:46 pm
The best of the worst!
CAG123
March 01, 2019 at 04:34 pm
Some of the logic seems to be "if you don't have anything better than trash, keep the trash" does that really make sense? Why would/should they keep a guy that's constantly out of position, relatively slow, doesn't make impact plays, and whiffs on tackles just because he's "the best" they have? You can get an undrafted FA from Montana Community College with 5 games experience to do the exact same thing Brice does for way cheaper.
MaruishiEmperor
March 01, 2019 at 06:42 pm
Is this guy for real? He wants a multi-year contract? HaHaHaHaHa He's got a career as a comedian cos he sure sucks as a football player.
Rossonero
March 02, 2019 at 11:17 am
What is Brice smoking? He clearly is overestimating his value. He was torched on a regular basis and one of the team leaders in missed tackles.
Leatherhead
March 02, 2019 at 12:07 pm
So it's a surprise to you that one of the leading tacklers also is one of the leaders in missed tackles?
Torched on a regular basis? No. Once Tramon moved to safety and cleared up the communications we were better, including Brice.
Two different HCs, two different DCs, two different GMs, and Brice was the choice every time. Obviously, you know something they don't.
CAG123
March 02, 2019 at 01:10 pm
Wait so being one of the leaders in tackles means you can/should be a leader is missed tackles? Does that apply for every position? Should the leader in rushing also be the leader in fumbles/fumbles lost? or the reception leader also the leader in dropped passes? Wait how about the team leader in picks also give up the most touchdowns? Just because he had a 36 year old Williams there to hold his hand means he's worthy of being kept around? None of that really makes sense.
Lare
March 02, 2019 at 12:41 pm
From Zach Kruse's year-end review on Brice at Packeswire-
"According to Pro Football Focus, Brice allowed a passer rating of 150.1 on 29 throws into his primary coverage and missed 12 of 57 tackle attempts. He allowed big plays down the middle of the field and too often swung and missed as an open-field tackler.
Of the 93 safeties in the NFL that played 300 or more snaps last season, Brice ranked 87th in overall grade at PFF.
Andy Herman, who grades every play for CheeseheadTV, ranked Brice as the Packers’ fourth-worst defensive player in 2018 and the second-worst defensive player the last two seasons. He earned negative grades in nine of the 14 games he played last year.
The original round tender for Brice is projected to cost the Packers a little over $2 million in 2019. Nothing about Brice’s play the last two seasons suggests he’s worth bringing back at that salary."
Bunkerbill
March 02, 2019 at 01:52 pm
Offer him a one year minimum Veteran's contract or just let him walk.
MikeS
March 02, 2019 at 03:38 pm
Let Brice go somewhere else and fail for them. Time to move on.