Harris and Barnett

[Brando19]

Two players hoping to get their contracts redone by the Packers reiterated their positions this week. Though neither linebacker Nick Barnett nor cornerback Al Harris made threats to hold out, both indicated they want something done this offseason.

From SI.com...
I would love to resign both of these guys...but if the Packers had to lose Barnett...I'd love to see them sign Lance Briggs.

[HarveyWallbangers]

Briggs ain't going anywhere. Reports are that Chicago is going to franchise Briggs.

[MadtownPacker]

Yeah, saw that about Briggs too. Oh well.

Keep Barnett and throw Al a bone! The only changes needed on D are Manuel and Poppinga.

[LL2]

I kind of would expect nothing to be done if history repeats (JWalk). The smart thing would be to give Barnett a new deal. What is he age wise? Around 25? Keeping him and Hawk together gives a solid LB group for quite a few years. I think Harris is a great all around player but his age isn’t going to help him.

[SudsMcBucky]

I'm all for throwing Harris a bone. Heck, he'd probably be happy with a good Pro-Bowl bonus. That way, he's also paid for continued good performance, not really costing GB much risk.

[Brando19]

Yeah, saw that about Briggs too. Oh well.

Keep Barnett and throw Al a bone! The only changes needed on D are Manuel and Poppinga.

I think Manuel needs to go and he needs to go fast, but I think we need to keep Poppinga around another year. I truly believe he has potential. The Safety position must be addressed in the offseason or draft. I think our D is good after that.
As far as Offense...the Packers are in desperate need of a TE and another WR. A RB would be nice too along with another VETERAN Offensive Lineman to protect the million dollar QB.

Ummmm....oh...and a Devin Hester would be nice as well. :)

[pittstang5]

I kind of would expect nothing to be done if history repeats (JWalk). The smart thing would be to give Barnett a new deal. What is he age wise? Around 25? Keeping him and Hawk together gives a solid LB group for quite a few years. I think Harris is a great all around player but his age isn’t going to help him.

Nothing to be done - Well, not all true. Driver had two years remaining and received a contract extension last year. TT will give extensions to players that deserve it. Driver deserved it.

Now, do Harris and Barnett deserve an extension. I feel they do. I hope something can be worked out.

[wist43]

Hopefully Underwood can take over for Manuel, but even if Underwood comes back healthy, they need to address Safety pretty early in the draft.

At this point, I could see bringing Barnett back at a mid-level contract, but he'll be looking to break the bank, and as I've said, some deranged GM out there will be willing to oblige (Matt Millen???).

Harris's performance would say he deserves a bump in pay, but I don't know about a long term extension - as most of us have been saying, that when he hits the wall, he'll be in big trouble b/c he simply doesn't have a step to spare.

[SkinBasket]

I think Manuel needs to go and he needs to go fast, but I think we need to keep Poppinga around another year. I truly believe he has potential. The Safety position must be addressed in the offseason or draft. I think our D is good after that.

Our D is good after that? I hope you're kidding. Maybe you didn't notice Patrick Dendy's time on the field this season? We need at least two more CBs. If you doubled Dendy's abilities, he might be able to carry the nickleback spot. As it is, he is a 5 or 6 on any other roster - assuming he would even make any other roster. We also need two Safeties. Counting on a player returning from a season ending injury with no experience is silly and Manual should be jettisoned.

LB is paper thin to boot. There's only so long you can give a guy free reign to fuck up the defense because of his "potential." They finally found a way to hide Poppinga in coverage adequately by the end of the season, but his severe limitations still exist. He has abysmal coverage skills and he is often indecisive and ineffective when sent on pressure. It's not like he's an absolute beast against the run, so I'm not seeing the trade off for the holes in his game. Hodge is an unknown despite all the talk, and White and Taylor aren't exactly what you like to see for depth, despite White's good ST play.

The line is fine, if not lacking a true complement to Kampman. I like the rotation inside, and it was great to see the play of the line improve when GB collectively grew a pair and benched Wonky McGoo (aka KGB). A younger, much cheaper version of KGB at end would be nice (and no, Hunter is not the answer).

I know we can't just go out and find answers to every problem spot on D, but saying we're one or two players away from being "fine" is a bit far-fetched.

[Patler]

I have very mixed feelings about the Harris situation. It's not like he signed a contract when he was playing at one level, and then played better than anyone expected. When he signed his contract he was the player he is now. He signed a year early and got a fair contract eliminating the risk of injury in the last year of his old contract. Then, he was barely into his new contract when he apparently regretted having signed it.

If he had played 4 years under his old contract, or was within a year of it expiring, like Driver, I would feel differently. But he had played only one full season after having signed it, and was complaining already. He was more than pleased in October 2004 when he signed it , finished that season, played 2005 and then felt "taken advantage of" at the end of the 2005 season. That's a bit ridiculous in my opinion, since he was the same player at the end of 2005 as he was during 2004.

[Brando19]

I think Manuel needs to go and he needs to go fast, but I think we need to keep Poppinga around another year. I truly believe he has potential. The Safety position must be addressed in the offseason or draft. I think our D is good after that.

Our D is good after that? I hope you're kidding. Maybe you didn't notice Patrick Dendy's time on the field this season? We need at least two more CBs. If you doubled Dendy's abilities, he might be able to carry the nickleback spot. As it is, he is a 5 or 6 on any other roster - assuming he would even make any other roster. We also need two Safeties. Counting on a player returning from a season ending injury with no experience is silly and Manual should be jettisoned.

LB is paper thin to boot. There's only so long you can give a guy free reign to fuck up the defense because of his "potential." They finally found a way to hide Poppinga in coverage adequately by the end of the season, but his severe limitations still exist. He has abysmal coverage skills and he is often indecisive and ineffective when sent on pressure. It's not like he's an absolute beast against the run, so I'm not seeing the trade off for the holes in his game. Hodge is an unknown despite all the talk, and White and Taylor aren't exactly what you like to see for depth, despite White's good ST play.

The line is fine, if not lacking a true complement to Kampman. I like the rotation inside, and it was great to see the play of the line improve when GB collectively grew a pair and benched Wonky McGoo (aka KGB). A younger, much cheaper version of KGB at end would be nice (and no, Hunter is not the answer).

I know we can't just go out and find answers to every problem spot on D, but saying we're one or two players away from being "fine" is a bit far-fetched.

Take a chill pill...kiss my butt...and give me my opinion. :evil:

[HarveyWallbangers]

If he had played 4 years under his old contract, or was within a year of it expiring, like Driver, I would feel differently.

I might be wrong, but I don't think Driver's contract was one year from expiring. I think it was at least two years from expiring.

[red]

If he had played 4 years under his old contract, or was within a year of it expiring, like Driver, I would feel differently.

I might be wrong, but I don't think Driver's contract was one year from expiring. I think it was at least two years from expiring.

:whaa:


you do know who it is you're questioning right?

this is not happening man, i must be dreaming

[MadtownPacker]

If he had played 4 years under his old contract, or was within a year of it expiring, like Driver, I would feel differently.

I might be wrong, but I don't think Driver's contract was one year from expiring. I think it was at least two years from expiring.This is gonna get ugly. :P

If he is pissed about his contract tthen he shoudl be pissed at Sherman for talking him into it. TT seems to like to pay up now instead of later.

[Patler]

If he had played 4 years under his old contract, or was within a year of it expiring, like Driver, I would feel differently.

I might be wrong, but I don't think Driver's contract was one year from expiring. I think it was at least two years from expiring.

I think you and I mean the same thing, I was probably confusing in how I stated it. As soon as the new season gets started, I think of those with contracts that are up at the end of the season as having expiring contracts. Those that expire next year I think of as having one more year. I look at "years to expiration". Somone in the last year of their contract has 0 years to expiration, etc.

It is common to renew in the last year, like Wells this year. Wells was renewed with zero years left on his contract. They did Driver when he still had one year left on his contract, the 2007 season.

The old Packer salary cap list always listed them that way, "years to expiration". The ones to worry about were the ones with "0" years to expiration. It made sense to me, and I have thought of it that way ever since.

[Patler]

If he had played 4 years under his old contract, or was within a year of it expiring, like Driver, I would feel differently.

I might be wrong, but I don't think Driver's contract was one year from expiring. I think it was at least two years from expiring.This is gonna get ugly. :P

If he is pissed about his contract tthen he shoudl be pissed at Sherman for talking him into it. TT seems to like to pay up now instead of later.

The only one he should be upset with, if the contract is bad, is his AGENT. His agent is the one who should be advising him on the "fairness" of the contract.

[MadtownPacker]

I think his contract is fair cuz that is what he signed for but CBs that lock down WRs like Al arent going to be easy to find and damn sure aint gonna be as cheap. If $$$ is gonna be handed out it should be given to the guy thats has earned it and stayed with the team. That guy is Harris.

[b bulldog]

The bears need to redo Grossman's, Jones and Briggs's contract. Drew represents Jones so with his last year being next season, if they don't extend him that will get messey and Rex wanted an extension also. Ian Scott is also a big named Bear player who will be cashing in. I think he is restricted.

[SkinBasket]

Take a chill pill...kiss my butt...and give me my opinion. :evil:

I am chill... I will not kiss your butt.... Am I not allowed an opinion that conflicts with yours?

[Partial]

If he had played 4 years under his old contract, or was within a year of it expiring, like Driver, I would feel differently.

I might be wrong, but I don't think Driver's contract was one year from expiring. I think it was at least two years from expiring.

:whaa:


you do know who it is you're questioning right?

this is not happening man, i must be dreaming


:lol: :lol: You guys all crack me up!!!

[Partial]

I say hook a brother up. Organization has plenty 'o cash, and I am a firm believer in taking care of your own. If you do it all in one year it isn't going to hurt the cap beyond that one year, so unless TT plans on making good use of it there really is no reason not to, ya heard?

[red]

you have two team leaders, that set a good example for the young guys, they train hard and work hard, and keep their noses clean

these are the types of players you want to take care of. just like driver

it sets a good example for the young guys

[woodbuck27]

you have two team leaders, that set a good example for the young guys, they train hard and work hard, and keep their noses clean

these are the types of players you want to take care of. just like driver

it sets a good example for the young guys

Yes !!!

These are both decent Packer players and Barnett was drafted by us as well.

Al Harris was given his first real shot with the Packers.

[Brando19]

(This is from Packersnews.com)

The Green Bay Packers are open to extending linebacker Nick Barnett's contract this offseason and have had amiable preliminary talks with his agent.


However, the chances of finishing a deal anytime soon depend in large part on Pro Bowl linebacker Lance Briggs signing a long-term deal with Chicago early this offseason, and also the kind of deal General Manager Ted Thompson and Barnett are willing to accept based off that.


Barnett has one year left on his rookie contract at a salary of $691,000, but he has wanted to extend that since last season.


The Packers, like many NFL teams recently, appear more willing to be proactive regarding extensions for core players who have a full season or more left on their deals. Barnett's agent, Charles Price, has been talking regularly with Packers Vice President Andrew Brandt since late last year.


"We have common starting ground in that they'd like to have Nick for the long haul, and he'd like to be there for the long haul," Price said Tuesday. "That's pretty much all we've established at this point. There's an incredible starting position, and after talking to Andrew Brandt, we both feel good about working together to get this done."


Part of the market for linebackers was set late last year, when Minnesota's E.J. Henderson signed a five-year, $25 million deal in December that included a $10 million signing bonus. Barnett surely will want a better deal.


The questions are, how much better, and how close to the more lucrative deal Briggs probably will sign this offseason?


Briggs, 26, has become one of the NFL's top linebackers and was selected for his second Pro Bowl this season. He'll be a free agent on March 2, but the Bears are trying to sign him to a long-term deal before then, and if they can't, they're expected to use their franchise tag on him. That would guarantee Briggs a $7.2 million salary this year, though the Bears would try to reach a long-term agreement sometime in the offseason.


Barnett, who turns 26 in May, doesn't have Briggs' credentials — he hasn't been to a Pro Bowl — but he's one of the Packers' best young players and a core member of the defense. He's also proven to be durable. In four seasons as their middle linebacker, he has missed only one game. Last season, he broke his hand against New England on Nov. 19, then sat out the following week at Seattle before playing the rest of the season wearing a cast.


With the salary cap going up about $7 million this year to about $109 million, salaries for core players will continue to escalate. Barnett will have to weigh his desire to get paid similarly to Briggs against the risk of sustaining an injury, whether he could get a Briggs-type deal in free agency next year and whether the Packers might use their franchise tag on him. It's difficult to know how much guaranteed money Briggs will get if and when he signs a long-term deal, but a decent guess is the $15 million range.


"If things pan out and everybody gets a good look at the lay of the land and what free agency could bring for a guy like Lance Briggs this year," Price said, "then we'll probably be able to say, 'Look, if we got to this point next year you could make a pretty good argument Nick is going to get Lance Briggs money.'"


Brandt acknowledged having ongoing conversations with Price but would not comment further.


Price repeatedly expressed optimism the sides can reach agreement but said Barnett won't stage any offseason protests if they don't. Cornerback Al Harris, for instance, sat out all voluntary minicamps and organized team activities last year to signal to Thompson that he wants a contract extension this offseason.


"I don't think so," Price said when asked if Barnett is considering a similar maneuver. "There's a contract in place. Whether it's perfect or imperfect, he signed it, and it's coming up on its last year. Nick's not going to walk away from it, he'll honor it. If it gets reworked, that's awesome, and in the event that it doesn't, it doesn't change anything."

[pittstang5]

(This is from Packersnews.com)

"There's a contract in place. Whether it's perfect or imperfect, he signed it, and it's coming up on its last year. Nick's not going to walk away from it, he'll honor it. If it gets reworked, that's awesome, and in the event that it doesn't, it doesn't change anything."

Wish more players had that type of attitude.

[Fritz]

Throw Al a frickin' bone, too.

Where you gonna find a guy who can do what he does? In compensation for the raise, just lop off the last year of the contract so you don't have to eat cap space with a guy who will be long in the tooth. Basically just move his money up front.

[BallHawk]

Throw Al a frickin' bone, too.

Where you gonna find a guy who can do what he does? In compensation for the raise, just lop off the last year of the contract so you don't have to eat cap space with a guy who will be long in the tooth. Basically just move his money up front.

Even with an extension Al is a freakin' bargain. He's as good as other corners in the league who are getting paid millions more.