Packers' Off Season Moves and 2017 Roster

[Deputy Nutz]

Free agent wish list

Lawrence Timmons ILB from Pittsburgh
He is 30 years old but I imagine he has 2/3 good years left

Calias Campell DE from Arizona
30 years old could be an upgrade in the pass rush

Glenn Dorsey DT from San Fran
31 years old, could offer another body in run defense, and he will be relatively cheap

Trumain Johnson CB from the Rams
27 years old, big cornerback that will cost between 10 and 13 million a season

Stephon Gilmore from Buffalo
26 years old ball hawking cornerback. He is over 6 feet tall and he will not be hit with the franchise tag. He will cost about the same as Johnson

Jermaine Gresham TE from Arizona

Martellus Bennett TE from the Pats
Good blocker and receiver, he would be an upgrade over Rodgers, and even a better option than Cooks.

Chris Baker DE from Washington
6-2 320 pounds 29 years old, would beef up the middle of the packers defense. He has the size and ability to play either position on the defensive line. He would be a mid to high priced free agent some where between 5 to 8 million a year.

Jabaal Sheard DE from Pats
Smaller frame at only 265 pounds, played about half the snaps on defense for the Patriots. He is probably going to command 8 million on the free agent market which might be more than what the Packers are looking to pay for part time player.

The more I look at the available free agents the Packers need to keep Nick Perry, and if the price is right 1-3 million resign Julius Peppers. I still say the Packers are better off cutting or restructuring Clay Matthews and spending his money else where, but he still has that burst off the line that everyone was so enamored with Atlanta's defense.

[pbmax]

So is this the official Packers 2017 FA thread?

Cause here is an update on contract demands:

Jason_OTC @Jason_OTC
With all the cap space this year I think it will be more difficult than usual to get players to agree to paycuts without trying free agency

[Deputy Nutz]

I am sure Matthews could get his asking price, but it won't before a contending team if the Packers were to cut him. If the Packers choose to keep him he still could contribute but his role should be significantly reduced. I feel like longer he is on the field the better teams do against him in the passing game. He is horrible in coverage and he is turning into a one trick pony rushing the passer. If he gets a good jump he has a change to bump into the QB, if he gets stalled on the snap he is toast and he gets run out of the pocket. Playing him less might also help his health.

[Deputy Nutz]

TJ Lang is probably history with the Packers. His asking price will get met by another team before the Packers agree to terms with him. I think he is replaceable but not with anyone that is currently under contract with the Packers.

[pbmax]

Ian Rapoport ‏@RapSheet 59m59 minutes ago
More veteran casualties related to salary cap charges: #Eagles are releasing CB Leodis McKelvin, source said.

[pbmax]

Anyone who has access to PFF want to post the rankings of potential FA CBs?

[red]

I don't have pff but wasn't mckelvin mostly a return guy?

I don't think he ever made it as a cb

Nvm, sounds like he was an ok cb

[texaspackerbacker]

Free agent wish list

Lawrence Timmons ILB from Pittsburgh
He is 30 years old but I imagine he has 2/3 good years left

Calias Campell DE from Arizona
30 years old could be an upgrade in the pass rush

Glenn Dorsey DT from San Fran
31 years old, could offer another body in run defense, and he will be relatively cheap

Trumain Johnson CB from the Rams
27 years old, big cornerback that will cost between 10 and 13 million a season

Stephon Gilmore from Buffalo
26 years old ball hawking cornerback. He is over 6 feet tall and he will not be hit with the franchise tag. He will cost about the same as Johnson

Jermaine Gresham TE from Arizona

Martellus Bennett TE from the Pats
Good blocker and receiver, he would be an upgrade over Rodgers, and even a better option than Cooks.

Chris Baker DE from Washington
6-2 320 pounds 29 years old, would beef up the middle of the packers defense. He has the size and ability to play either position on the defensive line. He would be a mid to high priced free agent some where between 5 to 8 million a year.

Jabaal Sheard DE from Pats
Smaller frame at only 265 pounds, played about half the snaps on defense for the Patriots. He is probably going to command 8 million on the free agent market which might be more than what the Packers are looking to pay for part time player.

The more I look at the available free agents the Packers need to keep Nick Perry, and if the price is right 1-3 million resign Julius Peppers. I still say the Packers are better off cutting or restructuring Clay Matthews and spending his money else where, but he still has that burst off the line that everyone was so enamored with Atlanta's defense.

Gilmore would seem to be the best one to target. Timmons at a reasonable price would be good too, unless they think Ryan and/or Martinez can improve a lot - which I'm not real optimistic about. Campbell is a good player, but I don't think he plays 3-4 DE and might not be suited to do so.

I disagree that either of those TEs would be better than Cook, and not even that much better than Rodgers, considering that they would probably get a lot more money. R. Rodgers is under-appreciated IMO.

I would not cut Clay Matthews, although maybe a slight restructuring might be in order. Bottom line is, he should come back healthy and still be near the top of his game. I'd keep Perry but not break the bank to do so. And yeah, I also would like to see Peppers for another year or so.

[King Friday]

If Peppers is willing to come back for the vet min...fine. Otherwise, forget it. He's strictly a situational guy at this point...but he could provide depth in a pinch for a limited time. He may be willing to consider it for a last shot at a ring.

Can't cut Clay...his crazy ass play against the Giants is evidence of that. However, he may need to restructure and he also needs to understand his days as an every down OLB may be over.

I don't think Ted signs anyone the first 2-3 days of free agency. I just hope he gets into the fray before July.

[pbmax]

There is a ton of money floating around. The Packers have $40+ mil in cap space and are 13th at that number. There will be some huge and dumb deals early.

[woodbuck27]

I am sure Matthews could get his asking price, but it won't before a contending team if the Packers were to cut him. If the Packers choose to keep him he still could contribute but his role should be significantly reduced. I feel like longer he is on the field the better teams do against him in the passing game. He is horrible in coverage and he is turning into a one trick pony rushing the passer. If he gets a good jump he has a change to bump into the QB, if he gets stalled on the snap he is toast and he gets run out of the pocket. Playing him less might also help his health.

Clay Matthews is the new KGB.

He is grossly overpaid.

[woodbuck27]

RE: T.J. Lang...Does this seem about right?

Prediction: Four years, $32 million ($15 million guaranteed)

Green Bay's front office almost always takes care of its own.

With T.J. Lang (29 Years old), there's not much choice. Aaron Rodgers can't go into the 2017 season without at least one of his former two star guards with Josh Sitton gone. That bodes well for a Lang return.

[vince]

Gilmore would seem to be the best one to target. Timmons at a reasonable price would be good too, unless they think Ryan and/or Martinez can improve a lot - which I'm not real optimistic about. Campbell is a good player, but I don't think he plays 3-4 DE and might not be suited to do so.

I disagree that either of those TEs would be better than Cook, and not even that much better than Rodgers, considering that they would probably get a lot more money. R. Rodgers is under-appreciated IMO.

I would not cut Clay Matthews, although maybe a slight restructuring might be in order. Bottom line is, he should come back healthy and still be near the top of his game. I'd keep Perry but not break the bank to do so. And yeah, I also would like to see Peppers for another year or so.

I agree that Gilmore has the physical press-man skills that best fit what the Packers need. Johnson is a top-shelf cover corner which the Packers desperately need but doesn't have the physicality you'd hope to also get.

Gilmore, Bouye, Claiborne, Johnson, Kirkpatrick, then the rest IMO - for what the Packers need.

Campbell is a prototypical 3-4 DE. It's what he plays in Arizona and he's played it well. At 30 he'd be a good value pick up if underpriced but that seems unlikely.

I think Ryan and Martinez are good, smart young players that figure to develop into what you're looking for inside. Their deficiencies were mostly due to inexperience in playing the run too aggressively at times. They'll learn.

I agree with the rest. Perry is going to command a lot but he's worth up to $10 mil/yr. I think. When he's available, he's a much-needed physical presence against both the run and pass. Neither Elliott nor Fackrell are physically ready for three-down duty.

[vince]

RE: T.J. Lang...Does this seem about right?

Prediction: Four years, $32 million ($15 million guaranteed)

Green Bay's front office almost always takes care of its own.

With T.J. Lang (29 Years old), there's not much choice. Aaron Rodgers can't go into the 2017 season without at least one of his former two star guards with Josh Sitton gone. That bodes well for a Lang return.

I wouldn't mind seeing Lang re-signed but no way at that deal. 4 years is too long and $15 mil is too much risk. If in two years he's fully broken down that's $8-10 mil dead cap to eat. The Packers aren't going to structure that one.

Halve that deal in every way and that's more realistic. Or if there's a 3rd year it's not costly to get out from under.

Lang is a hell of a player. Tough, experienced, everything you want in the trenches - except old and beat up.

[3irty1]

I'd like to retain Lang, although going really nuts in FA would probably mean he walks. His age doesn't bother me one bit. Lang is a real tone-setter and a tough SOB.

It'd suck to see Perry get away. If this defense is to improve, I think he's part of that solution.

Peppers should come cheap and he's still useful.

I'd bring Lacy back if his health and salary warrant the risk.

With this minus the cap needed to sign draft picks I'm not sure what's left. Gilmore makes sense to me. Shields made what? 12M? Gilmore should be in that ballpark although he's not been quiet about his paycheck. For Gilmore alone $12-$14M is honestly pretty terrible value but I think it could be justified on the grounds that he's in the mold of Randall. For years we've had an embarrassment of riches at CB by the standards of this league. Without Shields, we find ourselves for the first time in forever without any real bell cow in the room. Even with a replacement for Shields, we're still pretty much SOL if our other guys don't make a jump as pros. This is especially true for Randall but it wouldn't hurt for him to hang around a guy like Gilmore.

[pbmax]

Lang at $8 mil per year is the 3rd highest paid Guard. Not sure coming off foot injury he is going to qualify for that on 3rd contract. He'll be luck to get in Top 10 ($4mil per).

[Deputy Nutz]

I heard rumors that Lacy is up to 270 pounds and he is constantly tweeting about food. Not good for him if rumors are true. Also heard unsubstantiated rumor that he has an alcohol problem but I haven't heard anything press related to that. Packers should walk away from the potential disaster relying on Lacy for another season. The Draft will offer some good value in the mid rounds.

If the Packers skip free agency, especially in the secondary then apparently they believe Randall and Rollins can bounce back in their third year. That doesn't give a whole lot of confidence that the Packers are going to approach the off season any differently than years past, which is a mistake. Rodgers is not satisfied with this roster and I guarantee he will start making more noise about it in the future.

Compare Peppers to aging veterans like Dwight Freeney who made 1 million to be a part time pass rusher. I would pay Peppers a million just to fill depth on the roster and give you a little pass rush.

I think all Packer fans want Lang resigned, he is a team player and a leader in the locker room. Also there is no replacement on the roster at this time and the Packers have needs to address in the draft outside of looking draft a starting offensive guard. Lang is banged up which might cut into his pocketbook. He wants to stay a Packer but who knows about discounts.

Paying Clay Matthews 15 million to be a part time player is against good common sense.

[pbmax]

Lang at $8 mil per year is the 3rd highest paid Guard. Not sure coming off foot injury he is going to qualify for that on 3rd contract. He'll be luck to get in Top 10 ($4mil per).

That number if for right Guards only. Top 8 are $6 mil per year and above. I don't think Lang cracks that. But with more cap room, there will be inflation.

[3irty1]

With saving money for draft picks, you've probably got around 38M in cap.

Rough estimates for our guys:

Perry: 8.5M
Lang: 6.5M
Tretter: 6M
Peppers: 2.5M
Hyde: 2.5M
Cook: 4M
Datone: 4M
Lacy: 3.5M

Say I sign Perry, Lang or Tretter but not both, Peppers, Hyde, and Cook. I'll have about 14-15M left to go shopping assuming I roll nothing and make no mid season extensions.

It'd sure be nice if Rodgers would marry an international supermodel who makes more than he does so he can play for 10M less than market value.

[Rutnstrut]

With saving money for draft picks, you've probably got around 38M in cap.

Rough estimates for our guys:

Perry: 8.5M
Lang: 6.5M
Tretter: 6M
Peppers: 2.5M
Hyde: 2.5M
Cook: 4M
Datone: 4M
Lacy: 3.5M

Say I sign Perry, Lang or Tretter but not both, Peppers, Hyde, and Cook. I'll have about 14-15M left to go shopping assuming I roll nothing and make no mid season extensions.

It'd sure be nice if Rodgers would marry an international supermodel who makes more than he does so he can play for 10M less than market value.

Rodgers could anyway, it's not like he'd be in the line at the soup kitchen.