"Patience While the Packers Grow Up"

[Fritz]

Clifton is not going to have the same cap number either, even if he comes back. And I think we'll see a Brett next to Ted in the skybox before T2 gives $7 million or so per year to a guard and safety.

Jennings got nowhere near $10 mil, I understand rounding but that is too far. If he fails to hit incentives, his deal is just over $7 million per year. $7.5/year max.

I'm trying to throw some numbers out there to figure out what these guys might be demanding. It's easy to say, "Collins should be a priority." or "Colledge should be next up." like many have, as well as "TT will and should never give a safety or guard $7 mil./yr." and one could even agree with both of those statements, but that doesn't get a deal done.

I'm with the "wait and see" camp on Collins, but it's fair to assume he is interested in getting something reasonably close to market rate for his services. What is that? I don't know, but his partner out in Hawaii has had a say in establishing it. Given your statements about TT's likely position, it suggests that signing some of these guys might not be such a slam dunk. What does Colledge think he could fetch on the open market? Hard to say, but I'd like to find some existing comparables for a 4-year solid starter coming off his rookie year to have some basis for what I think he should be worth in today's continually escalating marketplace. The closest I could find in the time I took was Snee. He's likely better than Colledge, but it's at least something to work from.

I will say that I think TT got a steal with Jennings' new deal. I was a little quick in looking at Jennings guaranteed money and suggesting it is his cap number for this season... His cap number for '09 is 8.2 mil according to JSO.

And it is possible Colledge gets close to Snee's number, if there is a cap and it keeps going up. If the owners win some savings, then either the cap will not rise for some time or it will need to readjust downward. Snee might have gotten the son-in-law bonus though.

Wilson vs. Collins:

...........Sk.....Int......Yds.....TD......Lng.....PD......FF.....Fmb......FR......Yds.....TD......Tkl.....Ast 
Wilson...2.96....2.88....69.28...0.32....35.00...9.44....2.08....0.00....0.96....21.44...0.32....79.20...18.24

Collins..0.00....2.89....95.21...1.05....29.25...11.02...1.31....0.00....0.00....0.00....0.00....60.59...13.90

Numbers are averages per season, assuming 16 games started (like ERA). A lot depends on whether Collins is the guy from last year or the previous 3. I can see his point more clearly while looking at these stats. He might be unlikely to duplicate that year in a new D, considering it took time in the last one.

I did not know that Collins is gay.

But that should not factor into re-signing him. I have more confidence that Kampman can adapt to the new scheme than I have in Collins. I'd like to see Collins through training camp and into a half-dozen games or so before extending him. However, he appears unwilling to show his wares. He wants to get paid.

Could there be any takers on the trade market? Maybe a safety-safety swap? The Pack could take on a bigger contract (or longer term, I should say) if the new guy is proven in the 3-4. But I don't know if that guy is out there, and if he is why anyone would want Collins in a 3-4 with a big contract, unless they felt he was a significant athletic upgrade over whoever they'd be trading.

It's so confusing.