UNOFFICIAL Salary Cap Thread

[RashanGary]

I see that as a possibility too, Patler.

We all clamored that the day would come where there wasn't enough money to go around. The way Ted was building talent, he was pushing money ahead for a time when we'd have too many good ones to keep. That day has come.

Rodgers
Matthews
Raji
Sitton
Finley

In that group, if we have a tough choice to make, Finley is the one I'd let go. He's an excellent player with character concerns and injury concerns. The first 4 are no brainers, but we'll have to see how it develops. Things can change in two years and we might just keep'em all.

And then Bulaga, Neal, Burnett, Starks, Sherrod, Cobb, Green, Williams, etc. . . .

Who knows who's going to be stars in that group, but if Ted's trend continues, at least two will be.


Now is the time. If Ted makes good choices over the next 5 years, we could be the all decade team.

[Smidgeon]

Sitton won't break the bank as a guard.

[Lurker64]

Sitton won't break the bank as a guard.

More than you think. He's a player who would instantly help at least 30 of the 31 NFL teams that don't currently have him (New Orleans is arguable, though Sitton has a pass-pro lean on Jahri Evans), and his agent knows this. I wouldn't be at all surprised to see Sitton get Hutchinson money from somebody, if we're not willing to go that high.

Sitton's going to cost at least $6-7m a year to keep. (The highest paid NFL guard is making about $8m/year).

[Patler]

I will be surprised if TT ever makes any player the highest paid in the league at his position. It just doesn't seem his kind of thing. Maybe he will with a QB, but I will be extremely surprised if he does so with Finley, no matter how good he is. Last year proved that a top-receiver TE is more of a luxury than a necessity. If another team is willing to make Finley the highest paid tight end, TT will let them. I think TT will consider that to be "overpaying". If the young O-lineman pan out, Sitton could be gone, too. TT learned from Wolf, and Wolf didn't do much to keep guards around even when he had real good ones. He did invest in tackles, however.

[MadScientist]

Highest paid at a position and overpaying are not TT characteristics, but paying a fair price for good talent is. How often has TT let a really good healthy player just walk, at least since he got the cap under control?

[mraynrand]

Highest paid at a position and overpaying are not TT characteristics, but paying a fair price for good talent is. How often has TT let a really good healthy player just walk, at least since he got the cap under control?

just once:



well, I suppose he did get a third round (Clay Matthews) pick out of him, so maybe that doesn't fit the 'just walk' criteria...

[Lurker64]

I will be surprised if TT ever makes any player the highest paid in the league at his position. It just doesn't seem his kind of thing. Maybe he will with a QB, but I will be extremely surprised if he does so with Finley, no matter how good he is. Last year proved that a top-receiver TE is more of a luxury than a necessity. If another team is willing to make Finley the highest paid tight end, TT will let them. I think TT will consider that to be "overpaying". If the young O-lineman pan out, Sitton could be gone, too. TT learned from Wolf, and Wolf didn't do much to keep guards around even when he had real good ones. He did invest in tackles, however.

I think that if Finley lives up to expectations next year (or in the next two years, if he gets franchised after next year) Thompson wouldn't mind giving him the top TE contract. Finley's the sort of TE who's a TE/WR combo, and the salaries the top TE salary is about the same as the 10th highest paid WR. So I don't think Thompson would have trouble throwing an $8-$9m contract at Finley, considering that's a bargain salary for a top producing wide receiver, and Finley would be one of their top receivers in a no-TE set.

Finley's contract expires after next year, and I can't see Thompson letting him walk. Either he gets franchised (because the franchise number for TEs is low) or he gets extended.

[Patler]

Highest paid at a position and overpaying are not TT characteristics, but paying a fair price for good talent is. How often has TT let a really good healthy player just walk, at least since he got the cap under control?

Kind of begs the question of what "really good healthy player" means.

He did let Kampman walk, who was coming off surgery but seemed OK. You can argue he no longer "fit" the Packers, but the coaches insist there is always a way to let a good player be productive in any defense, and Kampman was a good player. Pickett isn't a classic DE either, but it worked. I thiink it really came down to Kampman just not wanting to be there anymore.

The other question that must be asked is how many players that he re-signed really could have signed substantially bigger contracts elsewhere at the time? Maybe Clifton. So far, it has been mostly a lot of young players on the rise who he managed to sign early. However, the Packers are likely now entering a time when other teams will covet their players, their agents will know it, and and TT is likely to let some go that we will wish he hadn't had to. Wolf was forced to let a lot of really good healthy players walk, but only a few were regrettable.

[Lurker64]

Kind of begs the question of what "really good healthy player" means.

He did let Kampman walk, who was coming off surgery but seemed OK. You can argue he no longer "fit" the Packers, but the coaches insist there is always a way to let a good player be productive in any defense, and Kampman was a good player. Pickett isn't a classic DE either, but it worked. I thiink it really came down to Kampman just not wanting to be there anymore.

I think the combination that Thompson won't let get away is a good, healthy, young player. Kampman was 30 when Thompson let him walk. Finley will be 25 when his contract expires, which means he'll be back. Grant will be 29 when his contract expires, which means he's unlikely to be back. Jennings will be 29 when his contract expires, which means it will be dicey as to whether he'll be back.

[mraynrand]

I think this year's draft shows TT's long term strategy. With all he guys on IR, there was going to be competition for a lot of positions on the team. TT could have easily traded up to take chances on "impact players," but he deepened his draft, even with a loaded roster. TT is going to continue to stock the cupboards and he will let older guys walk. Every once in a while he'll move up, but I see him continuously building through the draft and rookie FA and saying bye-bye to veterans who get priced out as Lurker suggests.

[Joemailman]

I think the combination that Thompson won't let get away is a good, healthy, young player. Kampman was 30 when Thompson let him walk. Finley will be 25 when his contract expires, which means he'll be back. Grant will be 29 when his contract expires, which means he's unlikely to be back. Jennings will be 29 when his contract expires, which means it will be dicey as to whether he'll be back.

The thing with Kampman is he may not have wanted to come back. He never showed much enthusiasm for playing OLB in the 3-4, although he wasn't bad. Finley will likely be back unless he decides Green Bay isn't the location he likes. Grant is unlikely to be back. Jennings I think will be back. WR's have a pretty long shelf life in the NFL. Plenty of very productive ones in their 30's.

[Lurker64]

The thing with Kampman is he may not have wanted to come back. He never showed much enthusiasm for playing OLB in the 3-4, although he wasn't bad. Finley will likely be back unless he decides Green Bay isn't the location he likes. Grant is unlikely to be back. Jennings I think will be back. WR's have a pretty long shelf life in the NFL. Plenty of very productive ones in their 30's.

Jennings, I think is an "it's too early to tell." It's entirely possible that the state of the roster will make him irreplaceable by the time his contract expires, and it's also possible that the state of the roster will make him entirely replaceable (I don't think TT is going to stop scouting and drafting WRs, and he's shown a knack for it.) I'm not sure if Jennings's game really translates that well when he starts losing steps, but it's too early to say.

[Guiness]

Sitton will command big dollars, no question about it. I don't doubt it will be Hutchison type money, and TT may well balk at paying that to a guard.

[Patler]

Sitton will command big dollars, no question about it. I don't doubt it will be Hutchison type money, and TT may well balk at paying that to a guard.

If he is a true disciple of Ron Wolf, he won't pay it. Wolf had a different combination of starting guards almost every year. When he first came he had a rotating door at guard with older veterans coming and going, several starting for other teams after leaving GB. When he got good young starters like Taylor and Timmerman, he let them walk away too as soon as they first became FAs.

[Smidgeon]

Jennings, I think is an "it's too early to tell." It's entirely possible that the state of the roster will make him irreplaceable by the time his contract expires, and it's also possible that the state of the roster will make him entirely replaceable (I don't think TT is going to stop scouting and drafting WRs, and he's shown a knack for it.) I'm not sure if Jennings's game really translates that well when he starts losing steps, but it's too early to say.

And I think Jennings' game translates really well even without the speed.

The thing that he's first known for isn't his speed but his route running. For example, Larry Fitzgerald said once that he studies Jennings' tape when it comes to route running.

I've also heard that Jennings is excellent at disguising routes. As in: he runs every route the same speed so defenders can't key on whether it's a deep route, a hitch, a slant, etc. When I first heard this, it was said that he ran routes like Jerry Rice. Apparently most WRs run them different speeds.

I think Jennings will be savvy and productive well after he loses a step. Remember his WR awareness as a rookie was off the charts to the point that even Favre was impressed? The game where he saw the other WR wide open deep down the field and was pointing him out so the ball wouldn't be thrown to Jennings?

I think he'll be good for a long time; I think he's a special player; and I think he could one day challenge Canton (not saying he will--just that he could).

Now, I'm not someone to jump out and say that for just anyone. I tend to withhold my opinions until I'm certain. But I'm on his bandwagon (also on Rodgers', Matthews', Collins', and Raji's bandwagons). I believe that Jennings is more than another WR. He is a different mold from what many consider as a WR1, but I think he's good.