Packers offer contract to Tramon Williams

[mission]

It's tougher to incentivize (based on game production) a CB contract than a RB's.

Good point. I thought about that, especially since some of these guys are so shutdown that balls never come their way and really nothing happens. Hard(er) to quantify that.

[gbgary]

he'll be gone if tt tries to get him on the cheap...then we'll be in real trouble.

[Iron Mike]

He was on the Jim Rome show yesterday, so of course, he's gonna want the extra $....

[ThunderDan]

he'll be gone if tt tries to get him on the cheap...then we'll be in real trouble.

TT pays his players that perform. He has shown that over and over again.

[vince]

Joe Whitt isn't doing Teddy any favors here. He should be Tramon's agent.

http://www.jsonline.com/sports/packers/106358368.html

"Show me a corner having a better year," said Joe Whitt, the team's cornerbacks coach. "Name one. At the corner position, he's outplayed all of them."

Whitt makes it a point each week to watch tape of the top-rated cornerbacks. If Williams can sustain his level of play of the past seven weeks through 16 weeks, Whitt says he would be deserving of the Pro Bowl.

Williams has been responsible for one play of 20 yards or more and no touchdown passes, and has drawn one penalty. Those are the marks of a shutdown cornerback.

"You want quarterbacks, guys who can protect quarterbacks and a guy that can cover," Whitt said. "Those are the guys that get really paid. I'm not about getting him paid. But, if he can really take away a No. 1 (wide receiver), the value has to be high. As long as I'm coaching here, I would love to be coaching him."

[TheCheese]

It's tougher to incentivize (based on game production) a CB contract than a RB's. Tramon has paid his dues, been a good soldier, and is now entering his prime years. I think TT will sign him to a deal closer to $8 mil./yr. than $6, or he won't get him signed.

Whatever deal he signs will quickly be dwarfed by other deals. What's Asamougha getting? $15 mil./yr.?

Tramon is in a good spot with the aging Wood and possibly over-the-hill Harris being the only other proven commodities at a vital position.

Good to see someone looking at this the right way. From Tramon's perspective he knows he can get more, and he will. Ted knows this and is aware he won't be able to get him cheap. It will be around 8 mil a year.

A great cover corner is going to command a premium wage. Grant was rewarded after a half a season and you people don't think Tramon won't be? Get real. If anything Tramon has more of a model citizen history with us than Grant was, and hes got the play to back it up. Consider the declining play of Woodson and Harris due to age and there is no way Ted lets him walk unless hes asking for Revis/Aso money.

It really shouldn't be too hard to see, theres no way Tramon accepts that contract offer. Like I said, he shouldn't.

Also to who suggested Cromartie is playing better than Tramon, have you been watching the Jets games? Wait till tomorrow morning and you tell me if hes been playing better. The reason you are hearing about how good hes playing is because of where he was in the past, garbage. Now hes playing a lot better, but not top 5 cb so far.

And so far this year, due to injury, Tramon has also been playing better than Revis who has been a liability. We will see how much he jumps back to form this upcoming game due to him having the extra time to heal up. Samuel also hasn't been top 5 this year. He gives up way too much underneath, and gambles too much.

[TheCheese]

Joe Whitt isn't doing Teddy any favors here. He should be Tramon's agent.

http://www.jsonline.com/sports/packers/106358368.html

"Show me a corner having a better year," said Joe Whitt, the team's cornerbacks coach. "Name one. At the corner position, he's outplayed all of them."

Whitt makes it a point each week to watch tape of the top-rated cornerbacks. If Williams can sustain his level of play of the past seven weeks through 16 weeks, Whitt says he would be deserving of the Pro Bowl.

Williams has been responsible for one play of 20 yards or more and no touchdown passes, and has drawn one penalty. Those are the marks of a shutdown cornerback.

"You want quarterbacks, guys who can protect quarterbacks and a guy that can cover," Whitt said. "Those are the guys that get really paid. I'm not about getting him paid. But, if he can really take away a No. 1 (wide receiver), the value has to be high. As long as I'm coaching here, I would love to be coaching him."

As I stated, he will get paid a premium wage.

[RashanGary]

I'm guessing he gets 6.5 mil per year. 5 Years, 32.5 mil with about 8 up front.

[pbmax]

Man, I really hope Williams isn't a punk about this and gets a fair contract without it becoming an issue.

He's our future (and present) in the secondary but if he's going after Top 5 position money we might have a problem.

He deserves top 5 money though. Name 5 cornerbacks in the NFL playing better than him.

Revis
Cromartie
Bailey
Asomugha
Samuel

Bailey is having a tough year. Samuel is declining and almost was replaced on his own team. At one point last year, I don't think he started. Tramon may not deserve top five money, but he is not far off from that level. It will be an interesting bet on his part. He probably would get more, but there may be not football. He also could get squeezed if UFA rules change from 4 years accrued service in the next CBA.

If Tramon is worried about those issues, he might bite on less.

[Guiness]

I was waiting for someone to bring up the fact that Revis has been a liability this year - not as bad as CWood, but his play has fallen off, due to injury and some other reasons (got his money, got lazy?)

Samuel is indeed declining, and (Champ) Bailey is on the downside of his career as well.

Who are the top 5 CB's in the league right now? I really don't know...Asomugha is the only shoo-in, as far as I'm concerned.

pbmax is also quite right that this is a good year to lock up some players. Remember Tramon wanted more money at the beginning of this season as well, but signed. With the chance of no football next year, that bonus money has to look really tempting.

[The Leaper]

I agree he's having a good year so far. He also has yet to face any offense (or WR) that is scary good through the air. Rankings in passing yardage/QB rating:

Philly - 8th/6th
Washington - 9th/23rd
Detroit - 13th/21st
Chicago - 16th/29th
Miami - 17th/20th
Buffalo - 26th/13th
Minnesota - 27th/30th

Look at the QB ratings on the offenses we've faced. Clearly, Tramon hasn't been playing against elite passing competition to this point. Only 2 teams above 20th in QB rating...and one of those is Buffalo. Philly is the only competent passing offense we've faced thus far.

Sorry, but I'm not about to hand him a Pro Bowl berth just yet...regardless of what any coach says. I like Tramon...I'd love for him to remain a Packer long term...but I ain't breaking the bank yet for 7 games against mediocre competition. Starting at around $6M is fair IMO...and if Tramon keeps up the great play for a 16 game season, then his price tag can go up.

[mission]

I agree he's having a good year so far. He also has yet to face any offense (or WR) that is scary good through the air. Rankings in passing yardage/QB rating:

Philly - 8th/6th
Washington - 9th/23rd
Detroit - 13th/21st
Chicago - 16th/29th
Miami - 17th/20th
Buffalo - 26th/13th
Minnesota - 27th/30th

Look at the QB ratings on the offenses we've faced. Clearly, Tramon hasn't been playing against elite passing competition to this point. Only 2 teams above 20th in QB rating...and one of those is Buffalo. Philly is the only competent passing offense we've faced thus far.

Sorry, but I'm not about to hand him a Pro Bowl berth just yet...regardless of what any coach says. I like Tramon...I'd love for him to remain a Packer long term...but I ain't breaking the bank yet for 7 games against mediocre competition. Starting at around $6M is fair IMO...and if Tramon keeps up the great play for a 16 game season, then his price tag can go up.

Philly, Chicago and Minnesota were supposed to pass all over us. Never happened. Months ago, all anybody wanted to talk about was the AZ game and how we can't stop a passing attack. It didn't take very long for us to forget about all of that... T-Will is a huge part of it.. especially with Woodson playing up and down.

He's shut down each team's top receiving threat with maybe the Miami game being somewhat of an exception.

[The Leaper]

Who are the top 5 CB's in the league right now? I really don't know...Asomugha is the only shoo-in, as far as I'm concerned.

It does seem like we are in the midst of a changing of the guard at CB. A lot of the big names from the last 4-5 years are starting to hit the downside of their careers. However, I think there are a lot of very talented kids with less than 5 years of experience that are very comparable to Tramon...some even probably better at this point. Think Brandon Flowers, Ron Bartell (yeah, the Rams have a very good young CB) or Aqib Talib.

[Tarlam!]

Thompson has thrown way too much money at the aging veterans on the team who won't bring much in return for that cash.

About time he tosses money at someone younger with potential.

Leaper, I disagree with the red. Almost everybody lauded TT for giving Tascher, Cliffy Chuck, Harris and DD bumps in their salaries. Obviously, only cliffy is playing well.

But these contract also have great PR value for the youngens they want to keep, clearly signalling the Packers brass take care of their own. And it's not said that the other guys can't pick up their games, especially if A-Rod gets his game firing and guys like Chuck and Al aren't on the field for long stretches.

I agree with what I bolded in Green fully.

[Tarlam!]

It's tougher to incentivize (based on game production) a CB contract than a RB's.

I agree with this, Vince, but IIRC, TT incentivzed Chuck's very first contract heavily e.g. number of games played, mostly because Chuck had a strong injury record. Now, Chuck didn't want to come to Green Bay by his own admission and no other teams came calling, so he had to take the deal.

I'm not sure what other incentives were in the deal, but I'm pretty certain it was incentive laden, because dounbt remained around the league whether he'd be motivated and successful.