Packers Sign Finley

[jklowan]

You can catch the quotes and notes from Ty Dunne, Wilde and Kareem Copeland on Twitter but essentially:

1. Finley was surprised the negotiations turned around so fast and it was one call on Wed am.
2. Knows all money and contracts will make a huge jump in 2014 so another reason to accept 2 year deal
3. Knows the values of Gronk and Graham's contracts and thinks it doable as a 26 yo FA. Said he came to game with nothing, so not worried about risk of waiting to land big one.
3. Signing contract in Indy with Ted and Russ Ball

Wilde had this quote: "It was all of a sudden. It was one phone call. it was like night and day – it switched. I was like, ‘What? Ted?’"

Perhaps Green Bay got a bite on Flynn trade bait and needed to move things along to shore up the cap?

couldn't the pack just make a 1st or 2nd round tender on Flynn and not have the impact on the cap as Flynn could wait to sign it

[Upnorth]

He's not an rfa, just a fa. I thought that earlier as well.

[jklowan]

He's not an rfa, just a fa. I thought that earlier as well.

what is the cap hit on the transition tag?

[RashanGary]

Not bad. Hopefully he puts it all together this year. I only read the first page. Is it time to franchise Flynn?

[Lurker64]

Is it time to franchise Flynn?

If you can reach a handshake deal to trade Flynn before the last day you can apply the tag, you franchise Flynn. Otherwise, you just don't use the tag. Too much risk involved if you aren't sure that you can trade Flynn.

[ThunderDan]

If you can reach a handshake deal to trade Flynn before the last day you can apply the tag, you franchise Flynn. Otherwise, you just don't use the tag. Too much risk involved if you aren't sure that you can trade Flynn.

I thought I heard there were two tags also. A franchise tag and a transition tag.

The franchise tag requires the average pay of the top 5 players at that position or 120% of last years salary. If another team offers the original team can match. If they don't match the other team gets the player and gives up 2 1st round picks.

The transition tag is average pay of the top 10 players at the postion or 120% of last years salary. If another team offers the original team can match. If they don't match the player goes without compensation.

[gbgary]

it's funny...a while back every thread was turning into a finley thread, and now this finley thread is turning into a flynn thead.

[Iron Mike]

Funniest thing I heard about it was this a.m. on WDUZ some caller expressed surprise that Finley could hold a pen long enough to sign his name to the contract....

[pbmax]

Thunder Dan's franchise and transition tag definitions are from the last CBA, both have changed though its a similar idea of an average of salaries at that position. Another change is that poison pills have been eliminated apparently (no more Steve Hutchinson deals).

But the transition tag is for a right to match only. The Packer's don't want to pay him starter money to stay. A team that signs him will pay starter money. Since there is no compensation due to the Packers, the transition tag is useless as they would refuse to match.

[Smidgeon]

People were worried that Finley was looking for the highest money deal. Turns out he just didn't want the uncertainty:

“I thank (agent) Blake (Baratz) and the Packers organization for meeting right in the middle because I really didn’t want to test the market. That’s my honest-to-God opinion.”

“We got that high-powered offense,” Finley said. “I didn’t want to leave that. You don’t want to leave a team like that. You’ve got Aaron Rodgers back there throwing the ball, you don’t want to mess that up.”

[mission]

People were worried that Finley was looking for the highest money deal. Turns out he just didn't want the uncertainty:

“I thank (agent) Blake (Baratz) and the Packers organization for meeting right in the middle because I really didn’t want to test the market. That’s my honest-to-God opinion.”

“We got that high-powered offense,” Finley said. “I didn’t want to leave that. You don’t want to leave a team like that. You’ve got Aaron Rodgers back there throwing the ball, you don’t want to mess that up.”

And as some have been saying this entire time, the idea that Finley wanted the absolute most money wasn't really based on anything but speculation because of his/wife's personality.

[gbgary]

People were worried that Finley was looking for the highest money deal. Turns out he just didn't want the uncertainty:

“I thank (agent) Blake (Baratz) and the Packers organization for meeting right in the middle because I really didn’t want to test the market. That’s my honest-to-God opinion.”

“We got that high-powered offense,” Finley said. “I didn’t want to leave that. You don’t want to leave a team like that. You’ve got Aaron Rodgers back there throwing the ball, you don’t want to mess that up.”

anyone that had maturity questions about him should have had them answered after this.

[smuggler]

Yeah, I was mistaken on the compensation. There are 2 different tiers of franchise tag. Exclusive rights cost more. Non-exclusive rights allows matching or two first round picks as compensation.

E: also, there is no longer a transition tag designation

[Patler]

It makes me wonder if the deal includes an agreement by the Packers not to franchise him in 2014. That would be one thing that would be in Finley's favor. The contract seems to be for not a lot more than tagging him for two years would have cost. I can understand him accepting that if it ensures he won't be tagged in 2014. Otherwise, he hasn't gained much that I can see.

I guess I am just not as sharp as I was. As Silverstein pointed out today, the heavy compensation in year two reduces the chances of the Packers franchising him in 2014 because of the 120% rule. The tag would cost about $10 million if his 2013 compensation is $8.25 million, and some are now saying his 2013 number is closer to $9 million.

[pbmax]

http://blogs.greenbaypressgazette.com/blogs/gpg/insider/2012/02/24/finley-deal-details-benefits-of-two-year-contract/

Some more details on the numbers. $6.2 in '12, $8.0 in '13, $500,000 escalator in '13 (trigger not mentioned), $14.7 mil total. Copeland doesn't differentiate bonuses, but if he is right about these numbers being the salary, it boosts the case for Finley having some franchise tag protection in '14.