Packers Should Be "Really Good" at Free Agency
-- Just last offseason, the Green Bay Packers signed more free agents than they had in over a decade.
While the looming whiff on signing Martellus Bennett to line up at tight end recaps an eventful 2017 offseason, in 2018, coach Mike McCarthy still thinks the Packers can -- and should be -- good at the whole free agency thing.
"Free agency, we're going to be really good at it," McCarthy said at this week's NFL Annual Meeting in Orlando.
"We have the best facilities. When you bring a player into Green Bay, you bring them through those facilities and just the whole operation. I've never not seen a guy go, 'Wow, I never knew it was like this here.'"
While the Packers have signed just three free agents this year as opposed to the seven unrestricted free agents they targeted last offseason, the impact each signing individually carries seems all the more significant.
Tight end Jimmy Graham was brought in to solidify his position, but also provide quarterback Aaron Rodgers another option in the passing game that will now function without wide receiver Jordy Nelson, who was released by the team earlier this month.
Defensive lineman Muhammad Wilkerson is reunited with the Packers' newest defensive coordinator, Mike Pettine, in hopes of rejuvenating the player he was with the New York Jets when he previously worked with Pettine on a defense that ranked in the top-five of virtually every category during Wilkerson's first two seasons.
Cornerback Tramon Williams had a reunion of his own with the team that signed him as an undrafted free agent in 2006. Now back in Green Bay and coming off of a stellar season with the Arizona Cardinals, the 35-year-old Williams brings unbridled veteran leadership to a young cornerback room that's spearheaded by last year's 33rd overall pick, Kevin King.
The Packers' signings this time around seemed similar, albeit more detrimental to team success, to how they operated last year after losing seven players to free agency.
The Packers lose two offensive linemen in T.J. Lang and JC Tretter, they sign two other offensive linemen in Jahri Evans and Justin McCray. They lose a tight end in Jared Cook, they sign two others in Bennett and Lance Kendricks. They lose hybrid defensive back Micah Hyde, they sign Davon House. They lose outside linebacker Julius Peppers, they sign Ahmad Brooks.
Their plan all along to replace running back Eddie Lacy, who was also lost in free agency, seemed to be to draft three other players at the same position.
"Players who've played here, they thought it was really cool," McCarthy said. "Lambeau Field, the tradition, it's like a college atmosphere. But when they walk in and see the facilities and whole operation, to a man they're all blown away by that. We have resources there we're just tapping into."
That isn't to say the Packers are done pursuing "every avenue" of player acquisition, as new G.M. Brian Gutekunst would like to put it. If they've shown anything up to this point, it's that keeping they're keeping their options open.
"We were pretty much in every conversation. We were very much in the know of what was going on in the marketplace," Gutekunst said. "We kind of knew where things were going. There were some things that got to a certain point and we backed off because that wasn't going to be in our best interest, and there were some other things that we kind of pressed and got accomplished."
The Packers have indeed been in a multitude of conversations with free agents, which is more than they can see occurred under Gutekunst's predecessor, Ted Thompson.
Signing Chicago Bears cornerback Kyle Fuller to an offer sheet -- that the Bears eventually matched -- was a stunning enough move to ensure that the Packers won't be leaving any stone unturned in free agency. Much like McCarthy had hoped, they're getting pretty good at it.
"I felt really good about our knowledge of where everything was happening with all the players that we were interested in -- which was good.
"I think the message to the agent representatives to a lot of these players got out that we were somebody they should consider. So we were very much a part of that conversation, which was good."
__________________________
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 (56)
Lphill
March 29, 2018 at 05:45 am
One more experienced corner and the draft should take care of the rest , round one I would prefer the best pass rusher , then who knows what's next.
GBPDAN1
March 29, 2018 at 11:03 am
You're right, Lphill, an expensive corner is need badly. But at this point, I'm worried we missed out on one. None are left in FA except Breeland. We failed to land him the first time around. Hope we can the second time around.
TKWorldWide
March 29, 2018 at 11:58 am
As long as the “best pass rusher” is really good!
Lare
March 29, 2018 at 06:10 am
Its obvious that there is no one happier than Mike McCarthy that Ted Thompson is no longer in charge.
I got a kick out of his comments on the Mo Wilkerson meeting; "I said, 'Hey, we don't ever do this; how we doing?' " McCarthy recalled this week at the NFL annual meetings in Orlando, Florida. "He said, 'How the hell do I know? I've never done it, either.'
"I said, 'Well, good. Why don't we do the deal and get the hell out of here?' We just laughed."
Hopefully this ushers in a new era for the Packers where every effort is made to have a talented and deep roster across the board every season.
NickPerry
March 29, 2018 at 06:33 am
I find it strange when anyone "Dislikes" a comment when the poster mentions Thompson in anything other than a favorable way. People here were pretty damned excited the day Thompson was removed from the GM position while other like myself were doing back-flips from glee. It seems people have a short memory when it comes to Thompson's last several seasons.
We all witnessed EXACTLY what happens when you remove Aaron Rodgers from the picture. The Packers won 3 games without Rodgers last season against 3 of the BIGGEST Doormats in the NFL (Cleveland, Tampa Bay, Chicago) AND needed OT to beat Tampa Bay and Cleveland to do it. Yes the Packers had a ton of injuries again but common folks, Thompsons last 3 years in the GM chair set this franchise back.
Now not even 90 days into his term as the new Packers GM Gutekunst is being criticized by some. HEY, it took TIME to dismantle the Packers roster the way Thompson did. It won't be fixed in less than 90 days with limited cap space and a 35 year old QB waiting to get PAID.
The Packers should be "Really Good" in Free Agency but it will take time. The fact that they've even been involved in the NFL's "March Madness" AND improved their team is a good enough start for me. Keep it going Gutekunst. You've improved the Packers D-Line and TE position to a place that potentially could be the best it's been since the 90's. It's not a overnight fix, but it's been a "Really Good" start.
jh9
March 29, 2018 at 10:50 am
IMO if it's too early to criticize BG, then it's too early to say: "AND improved their team..."
Packer_Fan
March 29, 2018 at 08:06 am
I just will say this. TT will be the guy who squandered seven of the best years of the all world QB, Rodgers. There is no reason the Pack shouldn't have been back to the Super Bowl several times in the last seven years.
jh9
March 29, 2018 at 08:34 am
Spot on. And I would also like to add Mark Murphy and Mike McCarthy to that list. It was, and is, an organizational failure.
Just as a football fan gets frustrated and angry when his team fumbles the ball away in the Red Zone, the Packers organization fumbled with Aaron Rodgers and the opportunity to win multiple Super Bowls with him.
That's how I feel.
Bert
March 29, 2018 at 08:59 am
Ditto jh9. Given it took several years of defensive shortcomings to cut ties with Capers, poor overall player development and Ted's series of poor decisions on draft day, Murphy and Mike are NOT getting out of this with clean hands either. Keeping McCarthy around gives me pause about the upcoming season. I'll give him the benefit of the doubt for 2018 but I'm hoping the organization has him on a pretty short leash.
DD
March 30, 2018 at 07:50 am
P acker Fan is correct. Time with Rodgers has been wasted. Yes GB has great facilities, but has anyone questioned why free agents don't sign and leave GB? Perhaps the city? Perhaps MM and his no scheme offense which is stale, predictable, and very vanilla? Perhaps players want a more retro, upbeat, in the now head coach and offense? Perhaps keeping MM is the Achilles? Let's be realistic fans. Rodgers isn't the problem, it's MM. You'll be watching and seeking his removal after this year, and MM knows it. One year to change and produce something innovative and exciting.
worztik
March 29, 2018 at 10:02 am
Nick, There are many posters here that I do not recognize! Seems like they came out of the woodwork to make some comment based on what they heard some “expert” spout off on! So sad... not free thinkers or avid followers of the team. The consensus among them is so obviously ignorance run amok that the thumbs down on negative TT comments just reinforces their lack of understanding! I, for one, pass on many of the NEW commenters because they often sound like mocking birds flocking for the ritual predraft event highlighted by their lack of pure football knowledge and Packers history!!! It comes with the territory, I presume...
GBPDAN1
March 29, 2018 at 11:24 am
I agree, N Perry. I'm glad TT is no longer GM. I'm disappointed that BG didn't land a high profile CB, but at the end of the day, he has been left with TTs mess that he's trying to fix. With a good draft and smart work in FA, we should be in good shape next year. 2018 is a mini rebuild year.
I strongly believe that Rodgers and us Packers fans would have had 1 - 2 more SBs if Ted wasn't around the last 6-7 years.
NickPerry
March 30, 2018 at 04:32 am
UGH...You and I both!
DD
March 30, 2018 at 07:52 am
GBPDAN: One thing remains, MM. Chew on that too.
DD
March 30, 2018 at 07:52 am
GBPDAN: One thing remains, MM. Chew on that too.
WKUPackFan
March 30, 2018 at 04:56 am
Nick, I respectfully downvote a huge majority of anti-TT comments for the following reasons:
1) TT was primarily responsible for 13 years of success exceeded only by New England. Everyone knows the winning percentage and number of playoff appearances during TT's tenure, there is no need to repeat those statistics. TT belongs in, and someday will be inducted into, the Packers Hall Of Fame; and
2) Anti-TT comments lend aid, comfort, and encouragement to the two most egregious posters we have here, Finwiz and John Kirk.
Finwiz has posted multiple comments containing homophobic and racial slurs. On March 1, 2018 at 10:19am, in a comment to the G.M. Brian Gutenkunst Wants To Be Really Aggressive In Free Agency article, Finwiz stated that TT is a "f****t", and that TT's alleged homosexuality was the reason for his failures. Finwiz then went to state that all homosexuals are "deviants", while using his alleged Catholic faith to justify these slurs. Prior to that comment, Finwiz had denigrated African-American players intelligence and motivation while referring to them as "spades".
Kirk's "exaggerations" are well documented. Specifically to this discussion, Kirk has repeatedly represented as fact that TT is, and has been, afflicted with Alzheimer's disease.
The people who flippantly or harshly bash TT's intelligence and acumen for running the team apparently agree with the slurs set forth by the individuals above.
I applaud Jersey Al in the strongest terms for his comment earlier this week that slurs of any kind will not be tolerated here. CHTV has been extremely quick to act when these issues have been called to their attention. For example, the March 1 comment referred to above was deleted after CHTV was notified.
carlos
March 30, 2018 at 09:10 am
Amen, Nick Perry. Well said.
Irish_Cheesehead
March 29, 2018 at 02:10 pm
There will be a lot of veterans released and re-signed after the draft and into training camp. This isn't over by a long shot. I like our approach so far. You really won't see the whole picture until week 1.
NickPerry
March 30, 2018 at 04:31 am
Nice, actually all the comments were spot on but I like the week 1 reference a lot. They'll be a lot of veterans who'll be able to help the Packers released before week one.
Since'61
March 29, 2018 at 06:43 am
I am confident that the Packers have first class facilities but it could also be that Graham signed to play with Rodgers and Wilkerson and Williams signed to rejoin Pettine. OH and then there is that money thing.
It is good to hear that the Packers intend to remain active in free agency. They need to bolster the roster with better players at several positions. Plus, the more players and agents they speak with the better they will become at evaluating talent and making offers to free agents. Thanks, Since '61
Brett Bolzenthal
March 29, 2018 at 07:09 am
While I do agree and appreciate the new change and GM, what doesn't make sense is the missed opportunity to sign some of the talented CBs or Safeties that have been signed dirt cheap...and in no way would have hurt our limited salary cap like Tyrann Mathieu. As we get closer to the draft, the opportunity is now pretty much gone, barring a trade, even if we get Denzel Ward, Darwin James, or Davenport (whom id prefer, since without pass rush no CB is going to be able to cover for an entire 20 seconds every down). We need to at least add guys like Breeland, Breaux. There are just too many holes to fix in the draft...and often takes a year. Many 1st round picks, could flop, happens all the time. Who knew about Kings lingering shoulder injury prior to the draft? Gunts needs to make a move here...
OnWisconsinGoPack
March 29, 2018 at 10:19 am
Although I agree with you on Mathieu, wanted him in Green Bay desperately, no one has signed any of the other safeties and they only CB worth going after that has been signed was Trumaine. He got big $ from the Jets, but I was not in love with Malcom Butler, so I personally am glad we didn't go down that route and I think we could have made a stronger play on Fuller. Maybe this all leads to a Patrick Peterson trade ;)
Cardinals need a QB and they could obtain our 1st and 3rd for PP to move up into top 4 to take a QB. Plus his cap # is the same or slightly less than Trumaine's but we are getting the best CB in the league in his prime. One can wish right.
carlos
March 30, 2018 at 09:17 am
Hey Brett, I really wanted the “Honey Badger”. Certainly could’ve afforded him. Maybe they tried and he didn’t want to go to Green Bay.
dobber
March 29, 2018 at 07:27 am
"They lose outside linebacker Julius Peppers, they sign Ahmad Brooks."
Let's be fair on this: Peppers's contract expired in January. Brooks didn't come on board 'til he was cut by the '9ers at the end of camp. I'll give TT credit for making was appeared to be a really solid acquisition (before Brooks's back went **schploink!**)--hell, I thought it was a great move when it happened--but otherwise he was prepared to go into 2018 with what he had on the roster and his fingers crossed for good health...which wasn't good enough.
worztik
March 29, 2018 at 10:07 am
DOB, As Nick said about the down votes, you got one here for your opinion, which I tend to agree with! about trying to replace Peppers. SMH...
flackcatcher
March 29, 2018 at 10:56 am
We still don't know the whole story on Thompson's last couple of years in Green Bay. The whole Ball, Murphy thing bothers me along with the suddenly announced new power structure. Even for Ted the last two years in FA was weird. I'm afraid there is an pretty ugly back story that we may never fine out. (Yeah I thought the FA would cover that teams holes too. Then it all went south.....)
Lare
March 29, 2018 at 02:08 pm
Could be, the moves they made in free agency last year were totally out of character for Ted. Have to wonder if they were already covering up for whatever his issues are and someone else was calling the shots.
As you say, we'll never know.
Thegreatreynoldo
March 29, 2018 at 03:02 pm
Unless the competition for the GM position between Ball, Wolf and Gute was a massive farce, if TT was calling the shots you'd have to think Mark Murphy only had the authority. I suppose say Wolf could have been given a trial run and that's why he isn't the GM today.
Razer
March 29, 2018 at 09:17 am
I like that Gutekunst is in the game and actively searching for pieces. The next step is the draft and training camp cuts. Between these two avenues we should be able to add enough pieces. The bottom half of the roster has lots of room to develop better depth.
As far as I am concerned, we have already made the biggest improvements via the coaching changes. Pettine has a big challenge ahead but a change in philosophy for this defense was first order of business. We still need another good corner and some pass rush. And hopefully, we won't have to watch a defense struggling to line up for the snap or get enough guys on the field.
Change was needed and we appear to be walking down a better path.
RCPackerFan
March 29, 2018 at 07:53 am
So far I like what Gutekunst has done. To be honest though, most of the players sign based on the $$. Graham signed in part to play with Rodgers, but sounds like the Packers offered him the most money. Wilkerson mostly signed because of Pettine. Allen Robinson for example has said it came down to GB and Chicago. We don't know exactly why he chose Chicago over GB, but one would have to assume they offered more $.
Between now and the draft I think we will see Gutekunst making a few more moves. I wouldn't be surprised to see House come back. I wouldn't be surprised to see them looking at some veteran OL to provide depth. I also wouldn't be surprised if they go after one of the safety's that are still available. And it would not surprise me to see him make a trade. Trades are becoming more frequent. One of his first moves as a GM was making a trade. Don't be surprised if he makes a trade right before or during the draft.
For me the real test for Gutekunst will be in the draft. We won't know how well he did for a few years, but that will be the biggest test for him. Nail the draft.
They currently have 12 picks. Will he be aggressive and try to move up at some point? Or will he let the board come to him, or possibly move back to gain more picks in the middle rounds? IMO, I hope we see him being aggressive but smart aggressive. They currently have 6 picks in the first 138 picks or something. Myself I would like to see them keep as many of those picks as possible. They need a good core of youth to come in and play. WR, TE, OL, DL, LB, DB's all could use some sort of infusion of young talent.
iam1955cudakid
March 29, 2018 at 08:03 am
I'm glad we didn't overpay for one of the high priced free agent corner backs.
stockholder
March 29, 2018 at 08:08 am
Really good at free agency? Garbage. Thats whats in free Agency. Truthfully; Players nobody wants. How many veterans have come here and couldn't make it. It wasn't just TT. Yes you sometimes win with a Woodson, Peppers, and you get lucky with some. But for the most part; Too expensive, over-rated, medical questions, and you hope the change in scenery helps. The biggest reason is you want a player that has experience, and it solves the crisis at that position. The win ,win situation doesn't always work. He's damaged mentally, and believes he's better than he is. We've had too many leave GB, they played like they had jet lag. They didn't get resigned did they!! Everyone wants to be appreciated and make money. But the word Dynasty is gone now. It's revenue for the players, and a management shuffle that keeps us hooked. Let's draw the line, and not get to carried away here. Sherman was fired for his approach. Nobody gets Really Good at getting players. It's Luck. Just like the draft.
zeke
March 29, 2018 at 10:22 am
I think it was Carl Banks that said that when you sign a free agent, you're also signing all the reasons why he's a free agent.
Finwiz
March 29, 2018 at 10:26 am
Damn, that's a really good point.
If these guys were so good, their previous teams would have found a way to sign them.
Lare
March 29, 2018 at 02:10 pm
Thankfully, the Packers found a way to sign Reggie White.
worztik
March 29, 2018 at 03:50 pm
WOW... that takes me back to when I could look down and still see ma dick... just sayin’...
Finwiz
March 30, 2018 at 09:26 am
I did 105 gut crunchers on the nautilus this AM to make sure I still can!
worztik
March 29, 2018 at 05:33 pm
I’m totally envious, Fin... my belly doesn’t look like a washboard... it looks like an old washerwoman’s big butt!!! I could do 200 crunches... if I “wanted” to!!! I also have a small lake in Northern WI that I’m selling if you’re interested... just askin’...
worztik
March 29, 2018 at 03:49 pm
Can you say sarcasm Fin???
EdsLaces
March 29, 2018 at 08:11 am
It's funny we finally sign a couple free agents and yet it's still nowhere near enough . Gutes got a plan . He's sat back and heard us all b#tch yeeear after yeeear and you think he wants to be TT 2.0? Give it time folks sheesh.
[email protected]
March 29, 2018 at 10:14 am
IMO, we need to look at other teams' rosters and try to find some hidden gems at CB. ie Jason Varret (LAC), he was high draft pick, showed potential, then injuries hit him. Sliding back in this years draft may be enough compensation, or throw in 4th/5th round to Chargers to get him. Same thing at WR. OL typically takes time to develop. Don't just settle for FA and players who are let go.
Andrew Lloyd Peth
March 29, 2018 at 10:29 am
So far, I'm not impressed with our new GM, but one look at last year's FA decisions shows Ted Thompson had totally and utterly lost it. Virtually nothing but massive downgrades everywhere, from TE to LB to OL to DB--what a complete disaster.
Coupled with his poor drafting over the past several seasons, Ted's FA follies show us two indisputable facts:
1. Ted's firing/demotion was wayyyyy overdue.
2. This roster is a mess being carried by an immortal QB who is cracking beneath the weight.
This is why I keep saying we're in a 2-offseason rebuild, not a 1-offseason reload. Gut is trying to rush this while holding on to declining vets with high pricetags. He wants a quick-fix, 2018 contender while still overhauling Ted's mess for 2019 and beyond.
Focus, Gut, focus. Acknowledge what you've been left. Target 2019, and commit to a 2-offseason rebuild. Drop the bandaids and perform some surgery.
In short, Gut, GET REAL.
Since'61
March 29, 2018 at 01:47 pm
ALP - I agree with you on the mess Gut has inherited, but he has already begun to perform the surgery you mentioned in your post. He has chucked Jordy and Burnett and traded Randall. On the acquisition side he has added a very good TE, a solid DL and veteran CB. They may be bandaids but he needs to work with the cap space he has while simultaneously improving the roster which I think his moves have done.
Graham is an improvement at TE and should fit in well with Rodgers and Philbin. Wilkerson is solid veteran depth on the DL and better than anyone on the roster after Daniels and Clark, so another plus for me, and he knows Pettine's defense. TW is a veteran presence for the CB group and another player who knows Pettine's defense.
Randall for Kizer is a TBD, but Randall is no loss to me with his poor technique and bad attitude. Kizer Kizer could be a big + at backup at backup QB but only time will tell. Jordy is a regrettable cap casualty at a time when we need fresh legs on the boundary.
Gut's attempt to steal Fuller from the Bears was a bold move which I was happy to see. I am not all in with Gut yet but I think he has been solid so far given what he has had to work with. Time will tell of course, but there are more moves and the draft yet to come. I'm willing to support Gut through 2019 at least unless he pulls a few totally WTF moves. From my perspective he still has his mulligan. We should be fair and give him at least one or two between now and 2019. Thanks, Since '61
Andrew Lloyd Peth
March 29, 2018 at 03:43 pm
Jordy had to go, Randall is little loss but doesn't save much cap space, and only a complete imbecile would have re-signed Burnett with our cap situation.
We need to LET GO of 2018 and drop Matthews and Cobb, saving $20 million in desperately needed cap space--like any rational adult would do. We even have to renegotiate with Bulaga.
This roster and cap is a mess. Time for an adult to fix it.
HankScorpio
March 29, 2018 at 05:35 pm
"We need to LET GO of 2018 and drop Matthews and Cobb, saving $20 million in desperately needed cap space--like any rational adult would do."
For what? There isn't talent that is worth $20 mil of cap space without paying crazy. There are no difference makers left. Just guys that *might* be able to plug a hole and play solid. Solid is nice and would sure be an upgrade in some places. But they have enough cap space to sign 3 guys like that at today's prices now. Maybe they need to trim back a little for 3 of them but I'm talking Jake Ryan/Lance Kendricks trimming, not HHCD much less Cobb/Matthews.
The Packers don't exactly have a great cap situation but it's not a huge hindrance at this point. Maybe a few weeks ago it hurt. I would argue not but that's beside the point now. It's not hurting them much anymore. It certainly doesn't rise to "any rational adult" level. That's just hand-waving hysterics.
dobber
March 30, 2018 at 09:09 am
I tend to agree. What does slash and burn of two contracts that come off the books after 2018 accomplish? They can be cut at any time they need the $$$. When they needed $$, they generated it (cut Nelson). If they decide they would rather have rollover in the cap, they can still cut those players. I don't think the current cap situation really prevented Gutekunst from doing anything that he really wanted to do in FA.
Many here have argued that the impending signing of #12 gets in the way of what they want to do...but, again, they can generate money and cap room any time they want to. Slash and burn is an immature approach. It's cutting off your nose to spite your face. I would argue there's much more adult in the current approach.
Thegreatreynoldo
March 29, 2018 at 04:31 pm
Since 61, so you agree with ALP's diagnosis but not his prescription. If the prescription is to tank 2018 and focus on 2019, it makes no sense to bring in one year players like Wilkerson and Twill (yeah, Twill is a 2-year deal, but there will be another Twill out there in 2019). We're down from the $72M in cap space in 2019 to $41M. Figure $35M or less after AR's extension gets done. We'll also need to make decisions on HHCD, Monty, Ryan, CM3, Cobb, and Wilkerson, or need to find replacements somehow for 4 starters. There still are some but fewer obvious ways to generate cap space next year if needed:
Daniels ($8.5M), Bakh ($7.8M), Bulaga ($6.7M), Graham ($5.33M) Twill ($4.75M), Linsley ($4.1M), Crosby ($3.6M). We might find young cheap players at some of those positions, and Bakh and Linsley might be young and good bets to be good long enough to extend or push the cap hits into 2020 and 2021.
There probably won't be any comp picks in 2019. We still have cap space this year that can be rolled over into 2019, or spent. We'll see what Gute decides on that.
Since'61
March 29, 2018 at 10:21 pm
TGR- I never said, nor do I believe that the Packers should tank the 2018 season. We should never waste a season with Aaron Rodgers, assuming he isn't injured. I am only responding to ALPs comment that he is not impressed with Gut so far.
I'm just stating that I think Gut has done a good job so far. In fact, I expect that the players he has signed will be significant contributors in 2018. Will they be enough to get us through the playoffs? Too soon to tell.
As I posted there are more moves to come and with a solid draft who knows how far this team can go in 2018. We can worry about the 2019 cap space when it gets here, although I expect 2018 to be CM3 and Cobb's last season in Green Bay. ALP is correct in that more surgery is needed in the roster, the difference is that I'm willing to give Gut more time to get it done. Thanks, Since '61
4thand1
March 29, 2018 at 11:20 am
I've read all the comments, and as usual a lot of great points. Getting really good at FA is a crap shoot. We will only know if our current signings were good til after the season. I think the 3 major signings all look like they will help out a great deal, but I thought that last year too. As to the trolls or just plain dicks that like to dislike just about everyone's comments...................suck it.
worztik
March 29, 2018 at 02:21 pm
Amen!!!
worztik
March 29, 2018 at 12:31 pm
Am I the Lone Ranger here that believes the reason for Gute’s apparent absence in big FA moves is due to one major factor... that being, the huge contract for Rodgers that many of the posters here feel is justified!!! How can he make ANY moves until he absolutely knows where the negotiations are heading? Or, is he debating whether or not to renegotiate Rodgers contract at this time and still be able to keep CMIII and/or Cobb? I don’t know! Common sense tells me that we can’t sign anyone and pay Rodgers like he wants to be paid. (Notice I didn’t say “deserves” to be paid!) I don’t know the exact numbers that each player accounts for against the cap... I really don’t care about the minute details! However, add up the totals of the big money players and take what’s left and divide it by the remaining players on the 53... we have to stock our roster with UDFAs and draft picks to be in line with the cap as there’s not a ton of money left. Just in case you were wonderin’...
Lare
March 29, 2018 at 02:26 pm
Although I'm no capologist, I don't think Rodgers new contract is a big impact on the salary cap this year unless they want it to be. They could restructure in such a way as to lessen the cap hit this season, giving them more money to use to sign free agents if they decided to do so.
Or, they could simply let Rodgers play out the final two seasons of his existing contract and then franchise tag him for a couple of years after that. That would eliminate much of the guaranteed money people are saying he wants, and by then he would be almost 40 and they could see how his health holds out.
Bottom line, I don't think the issue with the Packers signing free agents this year is as much the amount of salary cap they have to work with as much as it is players getting paid more than they think they're worth.
4thand1
March 29, 2018 at 02:32 pm
He'll make more on endorsements than a NFL contract if he continues his great play.
flackcatcher
March 30, 2018 at 12:29 am
SO TRUE....
DD
March 30, 2018 at 08:18 am
Take all the fly crap out of the pepper and what is the Packers Achilles? MM. Wake up fans. 12th year. No improvement. Stale, no scheme, no change MM. Why we do not SEE and say this is beyond me. With no Rodgers making plays and making it exviting MM would have been gone years ago.
DD
March 30, 2018 at 08:19 am
After the 2018 season you'll be saying you're right.