Progress made with Raji deal

[red]

Question.....

Who was the last player to hold out in GB and go on to have a good career afterwards with GB?

Sharpe, Michaels, Freeman, McKenzie, Walker, Franks, Grant, Raji

At least McKenzie had a good career elsewhere, Grant had a down year. Then again, the rest of Freeman and Franks' years were down years, Michaels career was a down year, Sharpe had a career ending injury shortly thereafter, same with Walker (essentially).

Holding out in GB is like being on the cover of Madden.

technically, i don't think you can call this a hold out, seeings how he isn't under contract. in fact there hasn't even been a contract presented to him to be able to sign

so i think we might have our loophole

[Patler]

Seems like Ken Ruettgers held out every year.

I think he held out twice some years!
Seriously, did the guy only sign one year contracts? It did seem like he was always holding out.

[MichiganPackerFan]

Wasn't Barnett so excited to get to camp he was waiting in a nearby parking lot?

[Kiwon]

Yeah, Barnett was in his car and waiting to get the word of his deal so that he could join TC.

It's just too bad that the business side of things couldn't be taken care before TC. I know everybody waits for the upper tier guys to get their deals so as to gauge what their deals should be but the different scenarios should already be basically prepared.

Doesn't LegalZoom have a template for rookie contracts?

[KYPack]

Every year, it takes me a couple weeks to remember where you find this chart:

Signing status of 2009 NFL Draft first-round picks
NFL.com


Pk Player Pos. Team Status Contract
1. Matthew Stafford QB Detroit Signed 6 years, $72 million ($41.7M guaranteed)
2. Jason Smith OT St. Louis Signed 5 years, $61.775 million ($33M guaranteed)
3. Tyson Jackson DE Kansas City Signed 5 years, $57 million ($31M guaranteed)
4. Aaron Curry LB Seattle Signed 6 years, $60 million ($34M guaranteed)
5. Mark Sanchez QB N.Y. Jets Signed 5 years, $60 million ($28M guaranteed)
6. Andre Smith OT Cincinnati Unsigned
7. Darrius Heyward-Bey WR Oakland Signed 5 years, $38.25 million ($23.5M guaranteed)
8. Eugene Monroe OT Jacksonville Unsigned
9. B.J. Raji DT Green Bay Unsigned
10. Michael Crabtree WR San Francisco Unsigned
11. Aaron Maybin DE Buffalo Unsigned
12. Knowshon Moreno RB Denver Signed 5 years, $23 million ($13M guaranteed)
13. Brian Orakpo DE Washington Signed 5 years, $20 million ($12.1M guaranteed)
14. Malcolm Jenkins CB New Orleans Agreed 5 years, up to $19 million
15. Brian Cushing LB Houston Signed 5 years, $18 million ($10.435M guaranteed)
16. Larry English DE San Diego Signed 5 years, $17.8 million ($9.9M guaranteed)
17. Josh Freeman QB Tampa Bay Signed 5 years, $36 million (10.25M guaranteed)
18. Robert Ayers LB Denver Signed 5 years
19. Jeremy Maclin WR Philadelphia Signed 5 years, $15.5 million ($9.5M guaranteed)
20. Brandon Pettigrew TE Detroit Signed 5 years, $14.6 million ($9.4M guaranteed)
21. Alex Mack C Cleveland Signed 5 years, $15 million ($8.3M guaranteed)
22. Percy Harvin WR Minnesota Signed 5 years, $14.25 million ($8.4M guaranteed)
23. Michael Oher OT Baltimore Signed 5 years, $13 million ($7.82M guaranteed)
24. Peria Jerry DT Atlanta Signed 5 years, $13.25 million ($7.55M guaranteed)
25. Vontae Davis CB Miami Signed 5 years, $13.3 million ($7.35M guaranteed)
26. Clay Matthews LB Green Bay Signed 5 years, $13.2 million ($7.1M guaranteed)
27. Donald Brown RB Indianapolis Signed 5 years, $12.835 million ($6.845M guaranteed)
28. Eric Wood C Buffalo Signed 5 years, $13 million ($6.5M guaranteed)
29. Hakeem Nicks WR N.Y. Giants Signed 5 years, $12.54 million ($6M guaranteed)
30. Kenny Britt WR Tennessee Signed 5 years, $12.25 million ($6.5M guaranteed)
31. Chris "Beanie" Wells RB Arizona Signed 5 years, $11.8 million ($6.345M guaranteed)
32. Evander "Ziggy" Hood DT Pittsburgh Signed 5 years, $11.3 million ($6.1M guaranteed)


I really don't think this wait is all Raji's "fault". There is a hole in the slots every year that takes awhile to sort out.

I say he signs after Monroe. 5 years 35 million (19 mil gar).

Crabtree and A. Smith will be the last two signed.

[Waldo]

All the reports out of Jax I've read indicate Jax isn't even close.

One of the parties has to cave on the windfall line, last year Jax proved it won't be the FO (they had the same slot last year). #8 will continue to be a yearly holdout until a FO caves, then #9 is a holdout.

Monroe won't be signed until he figures that out.

Big fuss is if Jax's FO caves, Raji's agent can try to push the line down. Crabtree OTOH is trying to bust the system and push the line past 10, which Maybin is waiting on.

We are a long ways from the next contract signing unless Raji decides enough with this foolishness and orders his agent to get him signed now.

[KYPack]

Maybin's signing wouldn't help?

The Bengals won't move on Smith. Bengal owner Mike Brown has let #1's go unsigned for a year before. Jax? Yer right, they won't move.

Can't the Pack make the "KY offer"? 19 mil guaranteed sound like the right number. This signing is a key for our D. The prices are about set even if a couple hard-liners (and the teams left are hard-liners) won't do anything. Shit why are we grouped w/ Jax, Cincy, Buffalo and those guys?

I've never understood how Jax even got a freakin' team.

[Bretsky]

If we have to wait for the Jags we're screwed; I think their 1st round pick last year missed nearly all of TC as well

[retailguy]

Shit why are we grouped w/ Jax, Cincy, Buffalo and those guys?

Oh, I don't know. 6-10 might have something to do with it.

[pbmax]

Seems like Ken Ruettgers held out every year.

I think he held out twice some years!
Seriously, did the guy only sign one year contracts? It did seem like he was always holding out.

He was Brett before Brett was. But he held out, contract or no, to save his knees.

I remember when he came back the year of the Super Bowl run and just couldn't do it anymore. Holmgren and others had really cajoled him into giving another shot and he wasn't the same. Holmgren could be brutal to guys missing camp (Dorsey Levens anyone?) but he was pretty kind to Ruettgers if I recall.

[KYPack]

Shit why are we grouped w/ Jax, Cincy, Buffalo and those guys?

Oh, I don't know. 6-10 might have something to do with it.

When ya play bad, it's bad luck to grouped in the draft with shitty teams that are cheap organizations.

I say we sign Raji around the 3rd pre-season game.

[pbmax]

Brandt at the National Football Post states that Aaron Maybin's agent (11th pick overall-Bills) has told people his current strategy is the "Crabtree market". In other words, wait for Michael to sign.

Brandt also does not believe Parker was behind the sudden influx of stories about Crabtree staying out the entire year. He calls is the "herd" effect. Non-professionals around the player.

http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/Dont-expect-Crabtree-to-sit-out-season.html

[Bretsky]

http://www.jsonline.com/sports/packers/52922982.html

As I and others have noted earlier waiting for the Jags, if we are, will not help us much

[pbmax]

Bedard (via PFT) has Raji leaving Green Bay.

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/52995532.html

He got a tip from someone who saw him at the airport and then confirmed it with the airline. Raji was flying to Chicago.

[Partial]

This draft class sure has some big egos and some trouble for being a twenty year shitty draft. Crabtree is being a first rate weiner.