Now the Deleware County Times chimes in on Walker Trade

[gureski]

Some of their article is stuff we already have heard but they have some new info in that this is the first time any talk of two 2nd rounders has been discussed or the possibility of a deal involving conditional picks.

http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=16493709&BRD=1675&PAG=461&dept_id=18170&rfi=6

It also talks about the Packers 'showing their hand' before the draft. Not sure what that's supposed to mean.

Regardless....it's news and it's about the Packers so read away.

Giving credit where credit is due....this came from footballguys.com

[MJZiggy]

I can't imagine why, after just dumping TO, they'd want to take on his little prototype.

[HarveyWallbangers]

I don't think Javon is nearly as bad as Owens. Owens has gotten paid, been in good individual situations, and played for winning organizations--and he still hasn't been happy and has derided teammates and coaches unmercifally. Javon isn't very bright and has been taking bad advice from hanger ons (family and friends). There have been rumors that he's hurting for cash. I'm guessing he went out and spent his bonus and the fact that he hasn't been able to spend like he did his rookie year (with the $5M bonus) is at the crux of this problem. As much as I'd like the Packers to trade him if they can get value, I don't see him being a problem child once he gets paid by another organization.

[FavreChild]

Walker does not = TO, though.

Walker has never been anything but a good teammate and hasn't had any on-field or locker room issues. Even the "rift" between him and Favre is debatable (who's at fault?), and they're still on amicable terms. Walker's beef is with the Packer organization only. And recall that he never actually "held out."

TO, well, he has a beef with everyone.

J-Walk may be a risk based on whether he'll fully recover from injury, but not a personality risk. He's an OK guy.

[Tarlam!]

..I'm guessing he went out and spent his bonus and the fact that he hasn't been able to spend like he did his rookie year (with the $5M bonus) is at the crux of this problem...

Let's see, 20% goes to his agent, so his taxable is 4M. What does that leave him? I don't know my way around your tax rates...

[swede]

J-Walk may be a risk based on whether he'll fully recover from injury, but not a personality risk. He's an OK guy.

I think you can be an okay guy and still be a personality risk.

This beef started with Javon, not the Packers. Any team talking about him to the Packers is fully aware they are balancing his substantial upside with both his potential for recovering from a serious injury AND his potential for being a team distraction whenever his brother-in-law needs more bling.

[Partial]

100 bucks on that if the Pack offer him a fair extension he signs it and Shuts the f up

[FavreChild]

True. But you know what? Anybody's a personality risk, then.

No one feels sorry for Walker on account of money. But most likely every single one of us has felt underappreciated/undervalued by our employer at one point. A lot of employees feel like that every day - sometimes rightly so, sometimes not so much. Does that make us all "problem children?"

Once in a while, the situation deteriorates beyond repair. It's not just money - it's a culmination of frustration and hard feelings over a long period of time. And that's what I think it is in Walker's case.

Heck yes, he'll be happy to get more money, too. But I highly doubt this will be a pattern of behavior that will continually manifest itself with Walker. He's never even approached the level of TO, as Harvey put it, with the constant derision of teammates and coaches.

Javon just wants to go work for a new company - is that so hard to relate to? And yeah, he ultimately wants his new employer to recognize his work by giving him more money.

[Partial]

My thoughts are if you weren't happy with your initial contract then don't sign it. No one forced him to commit for 5 years, he saw a little extra cash in case he didn't pan out so he hopped on. Turns out he did pan out, and being a man he should deal with the ramifications of his actions.

What sickens me is how these people don't care what type of message they're sending to the youth of America. These guys are supposed to be role models, instead they are what is turning America sour.

[gureski]

Walker does not = TO, though.

Walker has never been anything but a good teammate and hasn't had any on-field or locker room issues. Even the "rift" between him and Favre is debatable (who's at fault?), and they're still on amicable terms. Walker's beef is with the Packer organization only. And recall that he never actually "held out."

TO, well, he has a beef with everyone.

J-Walk may be a risk based on whether he'll fully recover from injury, but not a personality risk. He's an OK guy.

Walker doesn't have a beef. That's the problem with his stance. He was paid a generous bonus as a rookie and a nice salary through his first two seasons. He never once complained about being overpaid. In his third year he broke out with a great season and immediately demanded more money. He didn't just demand more money....he threatened a holdout and demanded Randy Moss type money. He had no right to such a deal. He had not earned such a deal. Then he came back and got hurt. He still hasn't earned the deal he is asking for.

His comments regarding Favre seem to have a tint of envy to them. He's pissed Favre is the player he is and that Favre commands the respect he commands. None of that is reason for Walker to have a 'beef' with the Packers.

Walker has no stance. He's just being a jerk. Nobody has disrespected him. It's just who he is.

[MJZiggy]

..I'm guessing he went out and spent his bonus and the fact that he hasn't been able to spend like he did his rookie year (with the $5M bonus) is at the crux of this problem...

Let's see, 20% goes to his agent, so his taxable is 4M. What does that leave him? I don't know my way around your tax rates...about $20.


I'm kidding. That would put him in quite a tax bracket though. Still leaves him with more than I'll ever make in my lifetime.

[gureski]

Packerchatters and Matt Miller - NFL Draft Almanac are reporting the following....

"According to sources close to the San Francisco 49ers organization, the team has offer the Green Bay Packers a 2007 second-round pick for wide receiver Javon Walker. However, the Packers are reportedly attempting to secure a pick in the 2006 draft instead. "

[b bulldog]

They will probably have the first pick in the draft next season so it would be a nice pick but I would rather have Seattle's 31 if available this season.

[gureski]

I'd rather have a 1st or a 2nd rounder this year. If it's a 2007 pick then it better be conditional so that it can turn into a 1st.

I also wonder if the Packers would rather trade Walker to the AFC where they wont have to play against him year in and year out. I don't know anything to be saying that but it's usually what teams do when trading good players. They try to get them away from their schedule and frequent competition. The Broncos deal would work there.

[Rastak]

I'd rather have a 1st or a 2nd rounder this year. If it's a 2007 pick then it better be conditional so that it can turn into a 1st.

I also wonder if the Packers would rather trade Walker to the AFC where they wont have to play against him year in and year out. I don't know anything to be saying that but it's usually what teams do when trading good players. They try to get them away from their schedule and frequent competition. The Broncos deal would work there.


If I'm the 49ers it would turn into a 4th if he knee didn't recover.

[MJZiggy]

This is just one of those questions, but how does the Delaware County Times know ANYTHING about a possible trade between Green Bay and anybody. I question their credibility.

[Fritz]

Me, I was happy to see that somebody's reading the ol' Delaware County Times. A fine newspaper.

I'd take just about any of those scenarios - a second next year, a late first this year. I'd trade Walker and move right on down the road.

[Harlan Huckleby]

I'd rather have a 1st or a 2nd rounder this year. If it's a 2007 pick then it better be conditional so that it can turn into a 1st.

Cliff Christl speculated that Walker is only worth a 4th round pick this year!

I don't think any of us understands the market for an injured wide receiver who refuses to play for the team that is trying to trade him. It's too complex. I wildly guess he is worth a conditional 2nd round.

[MJZiggy]

Were we trying to trade him?? Or are these teams trying to get us to trade him because that's what he wants?

[Harlan Huckleby]

What are the alternatives to trading him?

Walker can sit-out 10 games next fall, continue his rehab, then make an appearance to fulfill his obligations to the Packers. Then the Packers get nothin.

I don't think the PAckers hold many cards.

[MJZiggy]

As GBM said, just because we activate him, doesn't mean we have to play him. let him ride the pine those last six games (oops, we don't think he's sufficiently recovered from his horrific knee injury!!) and see what kind of big long-term contract he gets after that. If he's gonna be cry, let's give him something to be cry about is what my Daddy always used to say.

[Partial]

Then we get nothing. The only way we'll ever get the value for him is to trade him now, or risk him not coming back and being effective. If he is though, then we play him, and franchise him and trade the rights to him for a 1st or second.

[HarveyWallbangers]

Well, waiting might give us more value for a pick next year. I'd recommend that course of action if a 4th round pick is the best offer. Walker is said to be on schedule and he's a hard worker. If we wait, it could show that his rehab is coming along better. At this point, nobody knows how far along he is. Maybe he'll be ready by the time training camp rolls around.

Ideally, you get a pick in this draft and a conditional higher pick in a future draft.

[MJZiggy]

We could do that at the end of the season anyway. We may not get as much for him, but the next guy who is thinking of pulling this kind of crap might think it through a little more. Besides, if they figure out a way to suspend him or deactivate him for even ONE of those games (say, he can't keep his mouth shut about how unfair it is) and gets slapped with a one-game suspension for misconduct, then it's all over and we have his rights for another year. With that one, you frustrate him and maybe have our buddy John Clayton sniff for a story (I'm sure he's dumb enough to do it) and he might just vent a little.

[HarveyWallbangers]

The trade deadline ends after week 6. After the season, he is a FA. We can't wait beyond week 6 of the NFL season. If I had to guess, I'd say you'll see a situation similar to Mike McKenzie (trade in the first few weeks of the season). Maybe Thompson can convince Walker to stay patient until he's healthy before a trade is consumated.

[ND72]

i honestly feel like he's goign to get traded draft weekend. I don't know why, I just do. Personally, I hope he's traded to a team in the AFC (denver) then we dont' ahve to deal with him if he does come back to form. but then there is the old football player in me that says trade him to the 49ers, probably a worse team than us, so we have a better chance of getting to hit him.

[Harlan Huckleby]

As GBM said, just because we activate him, doesn't mean we have to play him. let him ride the pine those last six games ...see what kind of big long-term contract he gets

I expect JW would be delighted to finish out his contract this way, get a little spending money, allow time for full recovery with no risk of further injury. And other clubs are hardly going to care about Walker's symbolic time on the pines.

Even if this strategy did harm JW, the Packers aren't in the business of being spiteful.

Face it, the Packers are the losers in this situation. Hard to say how JWalk will come out, but Pack is in no-win situation. They've lost their most talented player. All Thompson can do is damage control, get what he can.

[retailguy]

I expect JW would be delighted to finish out his contract this way, get a little spending money, allow time for full recovery with no risk of further injury. And other clubs are hardly going to care about Walker's symbolic time on the pines.

Even if this strategy did harm JW, the Packers aren't in the business of being spiteful.

Face it, the Packers are the losers in this situation. Hard to say how JWalk will come out, but Pack is in no-win situation. They've lost their most talented player. All Thompson can do is damage control, get what he can.


Harlan,

I really hope that this post is exactly backwards to what actually happens. While I concede that it doesn't look so good at the moment, we all know that Javon's retirement threat won't happen. If it did, he goes on the packers reserve/retired list and never becomes a free agent. If the rumors of money problems are true, that ain't gonna happen.

Lets say he "rides the pine" for the last 6 games of the years, after missing the first 10. (With money problems, yeah right, thats gonna happen). But, what is to keep Ted from franchising Javon anyway? Hey, if he knows he's recovered, why not? Now, he's guaranteed a 1st round draft choice, or at least the leverage in a trade, and basically forces Walker to come back to the table. If walker plays, it probably costs TT in the ballpark of about 10-12 million for the franchise tag next year. That's what they'd pay in a signing bonus anyhow, plus walker takes the injury risk for future seasons. They've got the cap room to do that, don't they? Walter Jones got franchised 3 years in a row, and many say that the Seahawks got the better end of that deal, and very little risk.

What is the key point, is, will TT blink? I've seen zero indication so far in his tenure that he'll blink. If he doesn't, walker either plays, or gets franchised, and plays next year. If walker comes in and behaves as McKenzie did, then there is a signal to the other teams that he really is a turd, like TO. Say what you want to about TO, his contract really wasn't that great, being that it is really three 1 year deals.

I just don't buy the concept that JW has all the leverage. I think he has zero leverage. The only thing he can hope for is a media frenzy, or locker room discord. The odds are in TT's favor. Will he blink? We'll see.

[Harlan Huckleby]

But, what is to keep Ted from franchising Javon anyway? Hey, if he knows he's recovered, why not?

I don't think it is in the Packer's interest to get into a two-year battle with a player who doesn't want to be in Green Bay. The GM has better uses for the franchise tag. It would just damage Green Bay's reputation among players and lead nowhere. Even if you could force a sullen JW to collect millions to stay in GB, what would be the point?

[MJZiggy]

As GBM said, just because we activate him, doesn't mean we have to play him. let him ride the pine those last six games ...see what kind of big long-term contract he gets

I expect JW would be delighted to finish out his contract this way, get a little spending money, allow time for full recovery with no risk of further injury. And other clubs are hardly going to care about Walker's symbolic time on the pines.

Even if this strategy did harm JW, the Packers aren't in the business of being spiteful.

Face it, the Packers are the losers in this situation. Hard to say how JWalk will come out, but Pack is in no-win situation. They've lost their most talented player. All Thompson can do is damage control, get what he can.The little detail you're forgetting is that if he gets himself suspended for a game, he doesn't earn his season and we retain his rights...

[Harlan Huckleby]

The little detail you're forgetting is that if he gets himself suspended for a game, he doesn't earn his season and we retain his rights...

This is called winning the battle and losing the war. Extending the drama into 2007 is not going to build a better team in Green Bay. In fact, it just re-enforces/reintroduces the old stereotype of Green Bay as the Siberia of the NFL. The Cincinnati of the NFC.

Much better to cut losses.