Ahman Green to visit Denver Broncos

[woodbuck27]

http://milwaukee.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?zi=1/XJ&sdn=milwaukee&zu=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.greenbaypressgazette.com%2F

Posted March 2, 2007


RB Green to visit Denver Broncos

By Pete Dougherty
pdougher@greenbaypressgazette.com

Halfback Ahman Green is taking a free-agent visit to the Denver Broncos tonight, according to a report in the Denver Post.


The Packers are trying to re-sign Green, who is an unrestricted free agent, and worked well into last night and today as they tried to reach a contract agreement.

However, with free agency opening on Thursday night at 11:01 p.m., Green decided he wanted to test the market to see what his value is and whether the Packers will pay him a comparable contract if it's higher than they've offered already.

The trip does not mean he won't re-sign with the Packers, but it could make his re-signing more difficult.

Denver is looking for a running back after trading starter Tatum Bell to Detroit as part of a deal to acquire cornerback Dre' Bly.

Green is one of the top halfbacks in this year's free-agent market, though his value is diminished somewhat by his age (30) and recent injury history that includes a serious torn quadriceps tendon in 2005.

The Broncos use the same zone-blocking run scheme the Packers used last season.

[pittstang5]

DAMN! This is getting serious.

[PaCkFan_n_MD]

Come on we got to sign him. What if lynch is gone in round one, then we have nothing. I would rather have two good backs spilting carries, instead of risking not having any.

[BallHawk]

Come on we got to sign him. What if lynch is gone in round one, then we have nothing. I would rather have two good backs spilting carries, instead of risking not having any.

We could always pick up a back later on the first day, such as Kenny Irons or Antonio Pittman. However, signing Green should be TT's number 1 priority.

[Pack_Attack88]

chill out... although i like green, he is not worth 5+ a year!!

we would do fine with Morency, Herron, and a running back in the draft... I really like Booker out of FSU!!

besides, if we lose Ahman, we will also sign someone in FAency at a fraction of the cost, probably for only a little less production then the aging, broken down Green...

[PaCkFan_n_MD]

Come on we got to sign him. What if lynch is gone in round one, then we have nothing. I would rather have two good backs spilting carries, instead of risking not having any.

We could always pick up a back later on the first day, such as Kenny Irons or Antonio Pittman. However, signing Green should be TT's number 1 priority.

I agree those could be options, but I have changed my opinion on Lynch, I think he would be great in this system.

[gureski]

You can't overpay for a 30 year old RB with lots of wear on him who is one year removed from a serious injury.

If Denver or some other team is willing to shell out big money to Green then I tip my cap to Green for getting the money and thank him for his time.

We will be fine at RB. There are alot of RB's out there to be had in free agency, trades, and the draft ...not to mention our own roster with Morency.

[BallHawk]

chill out... although i like green, he is not worth 5+ a year!!

we would do fine with Morency, Herron, and a running back in the draft... I really like Booker out of FSU!!

besides, if we lose Ahman, we will also sign someone in FAency at a fraction of the cost, probably for only a little less production then the aging, broken down Green...

Who out in the FA pool would you suggest that TT would sign? Keep in mind, they have to be suited for the ZBS.

Regarding Booker, he's worth a shot on day 2, but he just might be a bit too small. You never know, though.

[PaCkFan_n_MD]

chill out... although i like green, he is not worth 5+ a year!!

we would do fine with Morency, Herron, and a running back in the draft... I really like Booker out of FSU!!

besides, if we lose Ahman, we will also sign someone in FAency at a fraction of the cost, probably for only a little less production then the aging, broken down Green...

Actually 5 million a year is not a lot anymore. He's worth a 3 year 15 million dollar contract. He just turned 30 so he would be on our team until he's 32, not that old really.

[BallHawk]

Morency has a lot of potential and if he showed well at training camp, I would have no problem making him a starter, however, it's more than likely he is no more than a very good #2, which you need in this league nowadays.

Also, I agree with most people on this board, that if some team is willing to give a 4+ year deal with lots of guaranteed money, than TT should pass.

[woodbuck27]

You can't overpay for a 30 year old RB with lots of wear on him who is one year removed from a serious injury.

If Denver or some other team is willing to shell out big money to Green then I tip my cap to Green for getting the money and thank him for his time.

We will be fine at RB. There are alot of RB's out there to be had in free agency, trades, and the draft ...not to mention our own roster with Morency.

Yea sure.

How many backs are out there with Ahman's talents,attitude and leadership ability; with the knowledge of our playbook and the ZBS that will give us the same chance for a successful season (this) as Ahman should?

Signing Ahman Green is a no brainer priority for the Packers, as long as he's not kissing his own goodbye on this one.

[wist43]

TT seems to like to inexplicably play it cool, to his own detriment...

Green is a "must sign" IMO. Yes, they can take a back in the 1st round and get some production out of him, but Green is a known commodity, he's still a very solid back, and a contract in the $4/5 mil/yr range isn't unreasonable.

If Green Walks, this will definitely be a strike against TT in my book - maybe not reaching the level of the Walker mess, but still unnecessarily self destructive.

[pittstang5]

Who out in the FA pool would you suggest that TT would sign? Keep in mind, they have to be suited for the ZBS.

Totally agree and that's my biggest worry, there are no FAs out there that offers the comfort Green gives me.

We're sorta in a catch 22. We all want Green back, but if he's gonna get 5 mil plus a year, at his age, I can't see the Pack retaining him.

I'm all for drafting a RB 1st, 2nd, 3rd...whatever round, but the chances of a RB coming in and starting in the ZBS right away and being successful are slim. Green gives the Pack the ability to bring in a young draftee and groom him for a year or two until he's ready.

Morency - I'm just not comfortable with him being a starter...yet.

[MJZiggy]

Aaaaaiiiiiiiiiii!!!!! (Did TT not read my sig?)

[BallHawk]

Morency - I'm just not comfortable with him being a starter...yet.

Agreed. I'm intrigued to see what will happen to him later down the road.

[Sparkey]

If Green signs with someone else, life goes on.

All of Green's big years were in Shermans Power Gap running scheme. I dont necessarily think his departure would be a horrible loss.

The pack is very high on Arliss Beach, the kid from Kentucky that hurt his ankle in TC last year. Plenty of rb help in the draft.....

[woodbuck27]

TT seems to like to inexplicably play it cool, to his own detriment...

Green is a "must sign" IMO. Yes, they can take a back in the 1st round and get some production out of him, but Green is a known commodity, he's still a very solid back, and a contract in the $4/5 mil/yr range isn't unreasonable.

If Green Walks, this will definitely be a strike against TT in my book - maybe not reaching the level of the Walker mess, but still unnecessarily self destructive.

I feel that this hardly compares to the Ted Thompson stance in the Javon Walker ' let me out of Green Bay baloney ' that put us all through certain degrees of hell or disappointment.

Ted Thompson deserves a certain defense in that issue, no matter how passionate one might have been about Javon's value to us.

In this case.

Unless Ahman can come away with really BIG (too much money) and the cost yesterday was 12-15 $ Million guranteed. He should have been signed.

The repurcussions of failure at RB without Green and his going on to success are too great for TT not to get it done. In other words a strike against Ted Thompson.

[wist43]

I'm not saying the situations are similar, just that this one is just as much of a head scratcher for me.

Signing Green is a no-brainer in my book.

[GBRulz]

I guess I don't expect Green to seriously consider Denver, considering he has a big asthma problem.

ok ok ok, maybe a little wishful thinking on my part !!!

[prsnfoto]

Unless this OL improves by leaps and bounds this system is a run to keep them honest 3.5-4 yard gameplan. I to would like to see Ahman stay but just about anybody will do Morency and a second or third rounder. TT is building the D first and as long as Brett keeps playing they will be competetive after that I am very afraid unless they find a REAL QB or Barry Sanders has a son we can draft.

[]{ilr]3]

I guess I don't expect Green to seriously consider Denver, considering he has a big asthma problem.

ok ok ok, maybe a little wishful thinking on my part !!!

I think moving south would be a bigger problem since mold and other allergins are more common in wetter climates. Altitude is not that big of a problem for most asthmatics (and my wife being one)

[swede]

The Ahman Green situation may have been a tough hand for TT to play.

AG was relatively determined to see what he is worth on the open market. Green Bay apparently worked hard to get Green signed. But every big number Green Bay presented would have made AG dream about the prodigious amounts of cap space around the league and all the GMs throwing cash at players.

He'll have to sit in a few cozy offices, tour a few workout facilities, get blown during a limo ride, and then look at the contracts. He might not come back.

I don't think we should overpay other teams' players, but this is one situation where we should have overpaid one of our good players by a lot.

[]{ilr]3]

Maybe he is playing this like he did with Aaron Kampman who also wanted to stay with the team.


Go see what others will give you and we will match it. Let the market decide your worth.

[swede]

I think he is, but Aaron was restricted. Ahman is under no obligation to let us match any offer.

He could easily be gone with a big sales job. :(

[]{ilr]3]

I think he is, but Aaron was restricted. Ahman is under no obligation to let us match any offer.

He could easily be gone with a big sales job. :(

I guess I thought AK was an UFA at the time as well. :shock:

[HarveyWallbangers]

Kampan was an RFA when he signed with the Vikings, and the Packers matched. Last year, Green Bay resigned Kampman just before he got to FA, so this is different. Kampman never went on visits to other teams.

[CaliforniaCheez]

Wasn't there a post about Green signing a 3 year deal with the Broncos.....

[Spaulding]

Different Green.

[GrnBay007]

MEMO TO TED:

WE WANT AHMAN!! GET R DONE!!! :!:

[Fritz]

"get blown during a limo ride,"

Can't Ted match that? Come on, Ted. Pull out the stops, baby. Call up Freddy Smoot. He'll hook you up.

[MJZiggy]

I LOVE the quote at the end.

By Pete Dougherty
pdougher@greenbaypressgazette.com

Halfback Ahman Green took a free-agent visit to the Denver Broncos on Friday night in what appears to be the start of a weekend free-agent tour.

The Packers are trying to re-sign Green, who is an unrestricted free agent, and worked well into Thursday night as they tried to reach a contract agreement. However, with free agency opening on at 11:01 p.m. Thursday, Green decided to test the market to measure his value and see whether the Packers will pay him a comparable contract if another club will offer more than they already have.

The trip to Denver doesn’t mean he won't re-sign with the Packers, but that and the prospects that taking one and possibly two visits immediately thereafter could make his re-signing much more difficult.

Green is one of the top halfbacks in this year's lean free-agent market, though his value is diminished somewhat by his age (30) and recent injury history that includes a serious torn quadriceps tendon in 2005.

Denver is looking for a starting running back after trading Tatum Bell to Detroit as part of a deal to acquire cornerback Dre' Bly, and they use the same zone-blocking run scheme the Packers used last season. However, the Broncos reportedly also are exploring a possible trade with Buffalo for halfback Willis McGahee, along with other options in free agency. The other top backs in free agency are Baltimore’s Jamal Lewis and Indianapolis’ Dominic Rhodes, plus New England just released 32-year old Corey Dillon on Friday.

Green is believed to have two other visits set up this weekend, one with Houston, where former Packers coach Mike Sherman is the Texans’ offensive coordinator and assistant head coach. The other destination was unavailable, though teams looking for a starting running back include the New York Jets and the New York Giants.

Green has told the Packers he’d prefer to remain with them, so there’s a decent chance he’ll take his visits without signing and then resume negotiations with all interested teams. But there’s also the chance that one of the teams will make a strong offer that he’ll accept on the spot, or make a better offer after his visits than the Packers are willing to pay. Green appears to be seeking a bonus in the range of $5 million or more, and a multi-year deal that averages about that much a season.

If the Packers lose Green, it’s unclear whether they’d replace him with one of the aforementioned available halfbacks or via the draft. They have Vernand Morency as their change-of-pace No. 2 back, though considering his lack of size — he’s 5-feet-9 and 213 pounds — they’re unlikely to make him their No. 1 back because of the injury risk. Noah Herron is their No. 3 halfback.

Packers General Manager Ted Thompson appears to be laying low at the start of free agency and mainly keeping tabs on Green and his attempts to re-sign tight end David Martin. Martin’s agent, Terry Williams, could not be reached for comment, though the sides don’t appear close to a deal. Multiple league-wide sources said they’ve seen no reports to the league offices or heard from agents that any players are visiting the Packers this opening weekend, which is the most expensive time to sign free agents.

The Packers so far haven’t made a strong pitch for recently released receiver Joe Horn, a four-time Pro Bowler who was cut by the New Orleans Saints on Thursday. His agent, Ralph Vitolo, said Atlanta and Jacksonville have shown the most interest in his client so far.

The Saints released the 35-year-old Horn on Thursday because they were unwilling to pay his full $4.45 million salary this year. Horn also is coming off a groin injury that sidelined him late last season but that Vitolo said is about a week away from being full strength.

Thompson has said he’s looking to add a veteran receiver, and Horn could be a possibility because he has a close relationship with Packers coach Mike McCarthy, who was New Orleans’ offensive coordinator from 2000-04. Atlanta is familiar with Horn from playing against him twice a year in divisional play since 2000, and Jacksonville’s director of pro personnel, Charles Bailey, knows Horn well after working for the Saints’ front office from 1999-2002.

“Going into free agency (the Packers) aren’t going to be throwing money around,” said Vitolo, who said he’s had preliminary contact with the team. “They’re going to be careful about what they’re doing and look into it and see if it’s a good move for them and Joe. Jacksonville and Atlanta are definitely interested and are doing their background checks into his injury and everything. They all have a need (at receiver). We just wanted to narrow the list to teams that have a need and know Joe. But who wouldn’t want to go to the Packers? They’re getting better and the organization itself — they all want to go there.”