Nick Collens skipping offseason program, looking for new dea

[Gunakor]

Trade Collins? lol.

Ok lets trade our 25 year old pro bowl safety.

How about we stop being so dam cheap and pay our good players. I mean shit we have tons of money to spend. I took four years to develop this guy and now that he finally gets it people are open to trading him? I just don't get it.

We owe you a tremendous debt of gratitude then! The problem with "pay the good players" is that every time you rework someone's contract it opens the door for someone else to come in and demand a new deal. If you do that every time someone outpeforms their contract, pretty soon your salary structure will be a mess. In addition to that principle, there are two specific factors the Packers need to look at: (1) Core guys like Jennings and Kampmann who will need to be re-signed; how would redoing Collins's contract affect their ability to retain their other core players this year and next? (2) Collins is in the fourth year of a 5-year original deal. Rotoworld says he's due to make over 3 million this year. Does that include the incentives he reached last year? How does that compare to other safeties around the league who are at a comparable point in their careers (three or four years in, one pro bowl, etc.)? I'm not opposed to renegotiating in principle, but I think it should be done on a case by case basis while taking into account how valuable the guy is to the team, how far from market value their current deals are, and what other needs the team has.
EDIT: after reading the WSJ article it sounds like Collins is more or less taking the high road so far, as compared to Javon Walker. Judging from what has happened in the past I think he stands a much better chance of getting close to what he wants if he flies low under the media radar.

lol. It was supposed to say IT took four........

Collins is just as important to this team as Jennings and Kampman are. And just like Kampman and Jennings the guy has one year left on a contract that he has outplayed. When players step up their game they deserve to get paid accordingly. When players don't play up to their contracts they rework their deals or are cut.

We don’t spend money on free agents so we should at least pay our guys when they play good.

Collins is slated to make 3 million this year. He's only had one good year in four, so I'd say that number is completely justified. He played good for one year, and he IS getting paid for it. How much more that that do you think he's worth?

He's got 2 years left on his deal, so I'd tell him that if he plays one more year at the level he played at last year then I'd negotiate an extension which would pay him like a Pro Bowl FS. Not before. We know he can play at an elite level now, but can he do it consistently? That's a very important question which needs to be answered before I'd consider a lucrative extension, and considering his salary this year as is, I don't think that's asking too much.

[Partial]

I don't think Collins is nearly as important as Kampman. Maybe Jennings.

[Lurker64]

[quote="pbmax"]And, of course, this could all be premature:



I think "I'm not going to show up to the offseason workouts because my wife is having a baby" is probably forgivable.

[Patler]

Collins is getting an increase (salary or bonus) in 2009 of $2.5M in addition to his original 2009 salary of $515,000. His cap figure will be $3.415M

Based on 2008 salary information:
Collins 2009 cap figure of $3.415M would have ranked 13th highest in 2008.
Collins one-year salary + non-signing bonus income of $3.015M would have also ranked 13th highest in 2008.

That seems to be a reasonable place for him in the final year of a 5 year contract. It is understandable for him to want to negotiate an extension as soon as possible. It is also reasonable for the Packers to want to see him play at least part of 2009, to better assess if he is the somewhat better than average safety he appeared to be in his first four seasons, or if he is one of the better safeties that he appeared to be for 1/2 to 3/4 of the 2008 season.

[Patler]

He's got 2 years left on his deal, so I'd tell him that if he plays one more year at the level he played at last year then I'd negotiate an extension which would pay him like a Pro Bowl FS. Not before. We know he can play at an elite level now, but can he do it consistently? That's a very important question which needs to be answered before I'd consider a lucrative extension, and considering his salary this year as is, I don't think that's asking too much.

Collins has just one year left, not two. His contract expires after the upcoming season. Extending his contract at some point during the '09 season would be completely reasonable.

[Gunakor]

He's got 2 years left on his deal, so I'd tell him that if he plays one more year at the level he played at last year then I'd negotiate an extension which would pay him like a Pro Bowl FS. Not before. We know he can play at an elite level now, but can he do it consistently? That's a very important question which needs to be answered before I'd consider a lucrative extension, and considering his salary this year as is, I don't think that's asking too much.

Collins has just one year left, not two. His contract expires after the upcoming season. Extending his contract at some point during the '09 season would be completely reasonable.

Ah, my fault. Thought he was under contract through 2010. Still, I don't think he's earned more than the 3 million he's slated to make this year. I'd be all for extending him with a Ryan Grant type incentive laden contract, one that would pay him like an All Pro should he continue to produce like one. But 2005-2007 was not so long ago that I've forgotten how bad he looks at times, and any contract extension would have to be team friendly enough to protect ourselves should he regress.

Keep in mind that the DB's coach that he's worked with recently and has had a big hand in his development is no longer on our staff, and the defensive system he's been in is no longer the one we use. Collins will be playing a lot of single high safety this year, something he hasn't done a whole lot before. It's no guarantee that his production this year will even justify the 3 million he's due to recieve already, much less an even greater salary. We have to be careful here.

[bobblehead]

This is not mandatory and Nick Collins has every right to sit home. If he fails to repeat his '08 performance this decision will cost him MILLIONS of dollars....especially if its due to him not being there. Now, if he is simply waiting 3 weeks while his wife gives birth and he is working out with a personal trainer I have no problem with this.

I wouldn't give him a dime more until I see another 8 games this season. I probably wouldn't have given Rodgers his deal until midway through this year either, but I understand it.

Collins has ONE good season under his belt and it being paid plenty for that ONE season. He could come out this year and look lost again...its not unheard of.

[Patler]

I just reread the JSO article at:

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/41564302.html

and I want to comment on the following excerpt:

According to a source familiar with the situation, Collins is home in Florida with his wife, waiting for the birth of their third child. The club is aware why he is not there. Collins is expected to report for the off-season conditioning workouts after his child is born.

However, Collins and his agent have been frustrated by a lack of interest on the Packers' part to negotiate a contract extension and it's possible Collins will take his time before reporting to the workouts. During the team's Fan Fest last week, Collins said he intended to take part in the off-season conditioning program so that he could begin learning the 3-4 system.

Is it not also possible that Collins will jump on the first plane he can and get to GB as soon as possible after his child is born? Based on Collins comments at Fan Fest, isn't that the more likely scenario. What basis is there for the allegation that he might procrastinate?

Another example of trying to make a story where one may not exist.

[Fritz]

Sounds like this may be as much about the birth of a child as it is about the birth of a new contract.

[mission]

Sounds like something a man should be around for. Let's make a story out of it.

[Fritz]

I just reread the JSO article at:

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/41564302.html

and I want to comment on the following excerpt:

According to a source familiar with the situation, Collins is home in Florida with his wife, waiting for the birth of their third child. The club is aware why he is not there. Collins is expected to report for the off-season conditioning workouts after his child is born.

However, Collins and his agent have been frustrated by a lack of interest on the Packers' part to negotiate a contract extension and it's possible Collins will take his time before reporting to the workouts. During the team's Fan Fest last week, Collins said he intended to take part in the off-season conditioning program so that he could begin learning the 3-4 system.

Is it not also possible that Collins will jump on the first plane he can and get to GB as soon as possible after his child is born? Based on Collins comments at Fan Fest, isn't that the more likely scenario. What basis is there for the allegation that he might procrastinate?

Another example of trying to make a story where one may not exist.

Here, try this one, Patler: However, Collins and his agent have been frustrated by a lack of interest on the Packers' part to negotiate a contract extension and it's possible that Collins could pull a Brett Favre and "retire."

Here's another good one: However, Collins and his agent have been frustrated by a lack of interest on the Packers' part to negotiate a contract extension and it's possible that Collins will demand a trade to the New Orleans Saints so he can play closer to home and be united with former Packer Darren Sharper.

Here's a good one: However, Collins and his agent have been frustrated by a lack of interest on the Packers' part to negotiate a contract extension and it's possible that Collins is equally unhappy about the firing of Kurt Schottenheimer and may stay at home with his new child while his wife pursues a career in medicine.

Wait, how about this? However, Collins and his agent have been frustrated by a lack of interest on the Packers' part to negotiate a contract extension and it's possible that pigs will fly out of this writer's butt.

It's not that hard, Patler - c'mon, try it!

[PaCkFan_n_MD]

Fair deal -

five year 82.35567 million

[Patler]

Here, try this one, Patler: .......

.......(redacted for brevity)

It's not that hard, Patler - c'mon, try it!

How about this one:

However, Collins and his agent have been frustrated by a lack of interest on the Packers' part to negotiate a contract extension and it's possible Collins will show up in camp, work as hard as he can to perform even better in 2009 so he can really stick it to the team at the bargaining table and make them sorry they didn't negotiate an early extension at a lower cost.

I know, I know...that is not very likely in the NFL today.

[billy_oliver880]

Who is his agent.... bus cook?

[Guiness]

Is it not also possible that Collins will jump on the first plane he can and get to GB as soon as possible after his child is born? Based on Collins comments at Fan Fest, isn't that the more likely scenario. What basis is there for the allegation that he might procrastinate?

Another example of trying to make a story where one may not exist.

I was thinking the same thing - this is a good example of a journalist stirring shit. I know I took time off for the birth of both my kids - even to the point of angering my boss by refusing to return to work when one was 'late'. So I can understand that he could probably care less what the Packers think of his staying home.

I have to subscribe to the 'where there's smoke, there's fire' line of thinking though. IF his agent did say they were upset with the lack of progress, this could well be the start of something, and it would be foolish to ignore it. His reason for staying home is valid, but it looks like his agent is using the opportunity to point out they're not happy.