Where's Them Contract Extensions?

[Tarlam!]

Can you use 2 - one franchise and one transition?

Exactly my question. Can you??

[Lurker64]

Conspicuously missing from the posts above is the name Kampman.

No? No interest? Or let him be to see how he plays?

The Kampman situation is, I think, the easiest. If he plays well, extend him during the bye week. If he struggles making the adjustment, you tag him and trade him.

If Collins contract get sticky, who do you use the tag on then?

Can you use 2 - one franchise and one transition?

Next year, in absence of a CBA extension, you can use three IIRC.

[Fritz]

Say, speaking of contracts, where's MM in his?

[Waldo]

A restructuring of Drivers contract is going to come soon too. Next year is a dummy year for him, he looks good and doesn't appear to have lost a step at all. Add another year or two. Jones will be cheaper then when he needs a new deal.

I don't agree here. Let Donald's deal run out. Even if he hasn't lost a step yet, after two more years he surely will. I'd be perfectly happy with Jennings, Jones, Nelson and whoever else Ted digs up between now and then. Spend the money on a position of greater need.

Guys that are Drivers age/stature don't get a lot of guaranteed money. As long as there is a fair deal in place for his level of quality, the team will keep him around. He can easily ride it to 4th WR status before the team lets him go (a la Rod Smith). The key though is fair contract. Marvin Harrison would still be a Colt if he was only slated to make a million or two.

Driver is slated to make more than 7M next year. As much as Greg. The team will cut him before letting him earn that. Al Harris' last extension tacked on a small amount of extra money up front for extra years at a declining rate down the line. $$ will not be the reason Al is cut. By paycheck he is expected to be our nickel CB next year, not starter.

The kind of thing I am envisioning is something along the lines of:

Currently:
2009 - 5.5M
2010 - 7.2M
2011 - FA

My guess (something along the lines of):
2009 - 6M
2010 - 4.5M
2011 - 3.5M

Which really is a pay cut/extension, not a raise. A year is tacked on, and he gets a little extra up front this year, but the yearly value declines.

[Scott Campbell]

A restructuring of Drivers contract is going to come soon too. Next year is a dummy year for him, he looks good and doesn't appear to have lost a step at all. Add another year or two. Jones will be cheaper then when he needs a new deal.

I don't agree here. Let Donald's deal run out. Even if he hasn't lost a step yet, after two more years he surely will. I'd be perfectly happy with Jennings, Jones, Nelson and whoever else Ted digs up between now and then. Spend the money on a position of greater need.

Guys that are Drivers age/stature don't get a lot of guaranteed money. As long as there is a fair deal in place for his level of quality, the team will keep him around. He can easily ride it to 4th WR status before the team lets him go (a la Rod Smith). The key though is fair contract. Marvin Harrison would still be a Colt if he was only slated to make a million or two.

Driver is slated to make more than 7M next year. As much as Greg. The team will cut him before letting him earn that. Al Harris' last extension tacked on a small amount of extra money up front for extra years at a declining rate down the line. $$ will not be the reason Al is cut. By paycheck he is expected to be our nickel CB next year, not starter.

The kind of thing I am envisioning is something along the lines of:

Currently:
2009 - 5.5M
2010 - 7.2M
2011 - FA

My guess (something along the lines of):
2009 - 6M
2010 - 4.5M
2011 - 3.5M

Which really is a pay cut/extension, not a raise. A year is tacked on, and he gets a little extra up front this year, but the yearly value declines.

He'd be a fool not to jump all over that. Nobody will pay him $7M next year.

[RashanGary]

Nah, not gonna happen. He's not going to take that deal, doesn't have to.

[Waldo]

Nah, not gonna happen. He's not going to take that deal, doesn't have to.

Depends if he understands the reality that the Packers will surely cut him after this season instead of paying his roster bonus next year, if he doesn't restructure.

[Tarlam!]

I look at Waldo's prediction and Nick's and I am a bit torn.

What is to stop TT taking a guy like DD and saying "you know what, we'll play out your contract, 'cause you are a true Packer great. You deserve every penny. Anybody who does what you did for this franchise will not be cut".

I wish he would do something like that.

[Scott Campbell]

Nah, not gonna happen. He's not going to take that deal, doesn't have to.

Unless Jennings goes down and Donald goes off for 1500 yards this season, he won't see that $7M in 2010.

[Scott Campbell]

I look at Waldo's prediction and Nick's and I am a bit torn.

If you're Ted, you can't let your personal feelings for the guy cloud your business judgment.

[Tarlam!]

I think you're right, SC. But, I think it's good business to have positive examples.

Hey, but I don't run the franchise.

[Waldo]

I look at Waldo's prediction and Nick's and I am a bit torn.

What is to stop TT taking a guy like DD and saying "you know what, we'll play out your contract, 'cause you are a true Packer great. You deserve every penny. Anybody who does what you did for this franchise will not be cut".

I wish he would do something like that.

The Colts cut Marvin Harrison over $$, the Rams cut Tory Holt over $$. Don't think that Driver is immune.

He doesn't need to be cut. He needs a contract in-line with his contributions. He is still a #2/high end slot receiver. While that isn't worth #1 WR money, it is still worth some bank.

With a pay cut/extension he still would get more money, because the team would keep him around longer.

[RashanGary]

If I was Driver, I'd rather get cut and then let all the teams desperate for WR's bid on me. He'll be 34 next year. He's still good, not injured, not dropping (like Harrison/Holt), not making 10 mil+ like Harrison/Holt. He'll get bidders.

I could easily see him getting a 3 year deal worth 16 million and 7 of it in the first year (signing/roster bonuses).

No need for him to take less than 7 next year.

[Fritz]

Aging wide receivers are not worth 7 mill a year. You can say, right now, that Driver is still playing at a high level, but there is no way to know if he'll do so this season. If he does, there's no way to know if or for how long he could keep that up.

Marvin Harrison, after all, didn't begin to fade until he began to fade.

Just cuz we like the Donald and think he's different doesn't mean he really is. Unless you're Benjamin Button, you're aging.

[Waldo]

If I was Driver, I'd rather get cut and then let all the teams desperate for WR's bid on me. He'll be 34 next year. He's still good, not injured, not dropping (like Harrison/Holt), not making 10 mil+ like Harrison/Holt. He'll get bidders.

I could easily see him getting a 3 year deal worth 16 million and 7 of it in the first year (signing/roster bonuses).

No need for him to take less than 7 next year.

You are nuts if you think Driver will get more than high end #2 money in FA (3-4M).