Mike Neal: Still Not Contacted About Al Jazeera Report

[pbmax]

http://www.jsonline.com/sports/packers/packers-free-agent-mike-neal-takes-uncertainty-of-nfl-future-in-stride-b99725895z1-379715521.html

1. Packers have not offered a deal
2. He has visited the Lions and Seahawks
3. Living in Tampa

[pbmax]

About the investigation and his free agency, did it have an impact?


I think it influenced it heavily, heavily, heavily, heavily, heavily. And that's just from meeting with other teams and hearing what other teams have to say. You have to take everything into account. If you don't, then you're kind of cheating yourself out of the whole ordeal. I think that when you look at it, out of all the people that they had reported that are playing in the NFL, who was the only one that was a free agent? It was me. You know what I'm saying? You don't see guys getting cut or anything like that because they've already signed a contract. I was the only one hitting the free-agent market out of that group of guys. I think that that affected it because most teams wonder what is the league's position on everything. To be quite honest with you, I would never even know. Never once have I been contacted by the NFL about anything, about what's going on.

[Carolina_Packer]

About the investigation and his free agency, did it have an impact?


Originally Posted by Neal

Never once have I been contacted by the NFL about anything, about what's going on.

So, you're saying there is something going on, huh?

Well, I don't know if the tepid response to his free agency is a direct correlation to what is being reported by Al J. Zeera, whoever he is, but it has to be related somehow. I think he's a good, not great player, and NFL clubs likely have more inside scoop, and might consider him not worth the price of admission. Also, the more he sits on the market, the easier it is to bring him in cheaper, like after someone goes down early in the season, or if they don't have to guarantee much/anything. He may not have humbled himself enough to accept that, or nobody is making any offers yet.

[red]

So, you're saying there is something going on, huh?

Well, I don't know if the tepid response to his free agency is a direct correlation to what is being reported by Al J. Zeera, whoever he is, but it has to be related somehow. I think he's a good, not great player, and NFL clubs likely have more inside scoop, and might consider him not worth the price of admission. Also, the more he sits on the market, the easier it is to bring him in cheaper, like after someone goes down early in the season, or if they don't have to guarantee much/anything. He may not have humbled himself enough to accept that, or nobody is making any offers yet.

I'd call him more average then good

JAG worthy

[mraynrand]

Neal was the Packers best lineman in the 2-4. He will be sorely missed on 2-4 first downs when the Packers don't care about stopping the run.

[Fritz]

Neal was the Packers best lineman in the 2-4. He will be sorely missed on 2-4 first downs when the Packers don't care about stopping the run.

The Packers never care about stopping the run. Ted Thompson specifically drafts wussy players to ensure that it will not happen, and Dom Capers designs his defenses specifically to be soft against the run. That's why they let Neal go. He was too good against the run.