Jermichael Finley's recent tweet and TT drafting of 2 TE's

[Tarlam!]

high performance potential + significant injury history + possible ego for a blockbuster contract, etc.

Javon Walker

[Tarlam!]

Different situation as of right now. JF has shown up every year. Walker wanted a new contract and wouldn't play without one. It was either trade him or watch him sitting on the sidelines.

True to a point. Walker had a breakout year without injury. finley han't manned the barricades. Apart from that, it's similar.

[Patler]

Wow I actually agree with skin

Finley is a top 5 TE in the league and you guys think taking a TE in the 5th and 6th round somehow means TT is trying to replace him? It's known Finley isn't the smartest guy but stop comparing him to TO and Moss just because he's excited about getting back on the field since his injury. After Finley our TEs arent even that good! Lee is old, I never did see what some saw in Quarles, and Crabtree is just a guy. Finley is going to remain a Packer for awhile.

Lee has already been released.

I think calling Finley a "top 5 TE" is premature. He could become one, but has to show he can stay healthy first. He might be a guy who misses games every year, and never has quite the career anyone hopes. The Packers might have concerns about his knee, which had complications and required follow-up surgery for an infection. There are question marks about Finley, not huge ones, but several.

[ThunderDan]

True to a point. Walker had a breakout year without injury. finley han't manned the barricades. Apart from that, it's similar.

No they really aren't. Until JF doesn't show up and demands a new contract or he won't play they are different.

We are projecting our own biases into the JF situation. I have always thought that actions speak louder than words. JF has always been there.

It's not JF issue that D Lee fumbles the ball and someone runs straight into his knee as JF tries to make a tackle.

[Tony Oday]

Finley will be kept in check by GJ, AR and DD on offense. He knows that if he stays with AR he will get the ball, win games, and at 30 get a MONSTER deal with Washington...this is the new plans for GB players

[Brandon494]

Exactly, you don't let go of players with the talent this guy has and most of all our star QB has a great relationship with him.

[gbgary]

no problem with fin's tweet. trying to turn him into a cancer, like owen, from that is silly. and it's not a message to fin, it's a message to the other tight ends. tt is just trying to build the best team he can.

[Lurker64]

I felt we drafted a TE who projects more to a fullback/H back with more offensive skills than Hall, and another who can contribute to ST. If Finley perceives either as a threat, he has some self confidence issues, which I don't think he does.

Yeah, the people to be worried about he drafting additional TEs are the tight ends on the roster who are not named Jermichael. Since Quarless and Crabtree will have to compete for their jobs. Jermichael Finley thinking that DJ Williams will take his roster spot is like Greg Jennings thinking Randall Cobb will take his roster spot.

Correspondingly, the only person who should be nervous about Alex Green is Dmitri Nance.

[Patler]

Exactly, you don't let go of players with the talent this guy has and most of all our star QB has a great relationship with him.

I don't think they will want to let him go anymore than the Brewers will want to let Prince Fielder leave. In order to sign Finley to an extension during the season, he will want to forgo free agency. If he wants to test his value as a FA, he very well could be offered a contract that the Packers will deem too rich for their cap (assuming we again have one).

I think a lot of people are forgetting that Wolf had to let a lot of very good players leave because he just could not afford to keep them all. Wolf let guys go who were and became pro-bowl players and one who became a DPOY. It really is a good problem to have, although it can be frustrating for the fans at times.

If the Packers can retain 4 WRs like they have had the last three years, and if Quarless or another TE proves to be a legitimate receiving option even if not as good as Finley, Finley might be deemed more expendable than someone else at a position of less strength.

Salary cap wise, the Packers could find themselves in a situation where they can afford to keep only two of Sitton, Finley and Nelson. They could decide that Finley is the least key performer. After all, as others mentioned, they did just fine without him in 2010.

[Lurker64]

I don't think they will want to let him go anymore than the Brewers will want to let Prince Fielder leave. In order to sign Finley to an extension during the season, he will want to forgo free agency. If he wants to test his value as a FA, he very well could be offered a contract that the Packers will deem too rich for their cap (assuming we again have one).

I think that the key difference here is that Finley potentially faces a franchise tag designation immediately in his contract year. It's not certain that the franchise tag will exist in the new CBA, but since the alternative involves "Peyton Manning becoming a free agent immediately" I'm pretty sure the NFL is going to fight for one. The TE Tag number is always modest. Finley seems like the classic "tag, then extend during the season" kind of player, at least in terms of his role on the team and production to this point. I never want to have to predict how he's going to act.

[Patler]

Yeah, the people to be worried about he drafting additional TEs are the tight ends on the roster who are not named Jermichael. Since Quarless and Crabtree will have to compete for their jobs. Jermichael Finley thinking that DJ Williams will take his roster spot is like Greg Jennings thinking Randall Cobb will take his roster spot.

Correspondingly, the only person who should be nervous about Alex Green is Dmitri Nance.

I don't think anyone is suggesting Finley has to be worried about his spot this year, but stockpiling players at TE could unearth enough talent to make Finley expendable when his contract expires, in favor of retaining others.

[Patler]

I think that the key difference here is that Finley potentially faces a franchise tag designation immediately in his contract year. It's not certain that the franchise tag will exist in the new CBA, but since the alternative involves "Peyton Manning becoming a free agent immediately" I'm pretty sure the NFL is going to fight for one. The TE Tag number is always modest. Finley seems like the classic "tag, then extend during the season" kind of player, at least in terms of his role on the team and production to this point. I never want to have to predict how he's going to act.

That's certainly possible, but I think the next three years could be expensive ones for the Packers. It won't be long before Rodgers will have fallen so far behind the top QBs that they will have to do something with his contract again. Sitton and Nelson will be due with Finley. Then Matthews and Raji. There will probably be others who surprise us with their performances and will earn contracts we don't anticipate (Shields, another LB, Neal or Wilson). It will go on and on, and at sometime they will lose someone they would like to keep.

Who knows, maybe it will be Sitton they let go, if Newhouse, McDonald and Lang come on. Wolf let Timmerman go when it looked like he had able replacements.

[Brandon494]

I don't think anyone is suggesting Finley has to be worried about his spot this year, but stockpiling players at TE could unearth enough talent to make Finley expendable when his contract expires, in favor of retaining others.

Of maybe MM saw something he liked with the way NE were using TEs in their system. You do know this is a copy cat league after all and giving Rodgers more targets in the red zone should never be overlooked. I mean who do we really have behind Finley? Quarles has shown NOTHING except that he has no hands and trips over his own feet on routes and Crabtree who is just a guy. Not to mention that the two guys drafted are also projected to be fullback/H back type players like Chris Cooley.

[Brandon494]

That's certainly possible, but I think the next three years could be expensive ones for the Packers. It won't be long before Rodgers will have fallen so far behind the top QBs that they will have to do something with his contract again. Sitton and Nelson will be due with Finley. Then Matthews and Raji. There will probably be others who surprise us with their performances and will earn contracts we don't anticipate (Shields, another LB, Neal or Wilson). It will go on and on, and at sometime they will lose someone they would like to keep.

Who knows, maybe it will be Sitton they let go, if Newhouse, McDonald and Lang come on. Wolf let Timmerman go when it looked like he had able replacements.

You also have to account for the contracts that will be taken off the books when its time to resign these players like Barnett, Grant, Clifton, Driver, and Woodson.

[Lurker64]

It is good to note the distinction between what Finley tweeted last year when Quarless was drafted ("why do we have need a TE?") and what he tweeted this year after we drafted two ("Huge TE room this year I love it.."). I think that shows personal growth.