Nick Collins to Be Released by the Packers

[Deputy Nutz]

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/148881405.html

[Deputy Nutz]

Interesting. Either he is not healthy enough to play, or the team just doesn't want to have Nick Collins' spinal fluid on their hands.

[Ballboy]

Kinda of expected, one would wonder if the Donald Driver & AJ Hawk moves are next.

What numbers does this save us against the cap?

[Deputy Nutz]

They just restructured Donald and AJ Hawk just signed his deal last year and would cost the Packers significantly to release him, some where in the neighborhood of 6-8 million

[Scott Campbell]

Kinda of expected, one would wonder if the Donald Driver & AJ Hawk moves are next.

What numbers does this save us against the cap?

Probably not much. His salary was about ~$3.5M, but now they have to account for the remainder of his signing bonus. And I don't remember how much that was.

[ND72]

Kinda of expected, one would wonder if the Donald Driver & AJ Hawk moves are next.

What numbers does this save us against the cap?

neither will happen. Donald might redo to lower amount, but not release. AJ would cost us more to cut him than to keep him.

[Scott Campbell]

Good luck Nick. What a terrible way to end an otherwise terrific Packer career.

[sharpe1027]

Damn it. I was really hoping to get him back.

[Upnorth]

What a way to kill the upbeat feeling going into the draft. TT has to hit an extra home run to make up for this loss. I hope the BPA is a saftey at some point during the draft.

[Patler]

It will be interesting to see what happens. Will he retire because medical reports were not favorable, or will he try to sign on somewhere else because the reports were good and the Packers just didn't want to take the chance?

From the team's perspective, this hurts. It was a position that seemed to be filled with a rock solid player that could play another 4-6 years. Losing a 28 year old star sets things back, just like early round draft picks who never develop. It results in a weakness you hoped not to have..

[Scott Campbell]

[RashanGary]

Driver needs a pay cut
Thompson is on record saying "they said DJ Smith was too short. We think he's a really good player"
Cutting Hawk costs 6.4 mil (but saves them 3.8 in base, so it's really 1.8 mil net loss), but saves a lot of money each of the next 4 years (money for Matthews/Raji)
Woodson's pay goes way down after this season. His play should decline, but he's still good and he should be safe.



SUCKS TO LOSE COLLINS. UGH!!!!!!


If we want to keep guys like Jennings, Matthews, Raji and Rodgers, it means we're going to have to play with younger, less expensive players around them. High priced, mediocre players are all at risk. Like Barnett a couple years ago, Hawk is on that bubble now. Driver too unfortunately.

The downfall of having too much talent is that you have to pick and choose the guys you think are difference makers over the guys you think are getting paid too much.

[ND72]

damn...I really liked Collins. He was a "gem" for Thompson. He and his family were really good community people. Still remember refing a charity game when he played...him and tramon williams were just stupid athletic. They would just keep throwing alley-oops to Collins, and he would just jump over people.

Buddy of mine just text me. Said he asked his chiropractor about it. He said the neck itself is likely fine, and is in no danger of having any lingering or dangerous effects. It's what is happening in his spine that the team is likely worried about. He said most cases he's seen from this same type of situation would lead him to believe Collins could come back for maybe 2-3 more years, but likely have many back issues caused by his spine, and would retire by then, and also have further issues with his back the rest of his life.

[Patler]

What numbers does this save us against the cap?

Probably not much. His salary was about ~$3.5M, but now they have to account for the remainder of his signing bonus. And I don't remember how much that was.

Per JSO:

Collins was to get $4.05 million in salary and bonuses, and the Packers will gain $3.05 million against the cap. SO there must be only $1 million to account for. Plus, I think he was signed only through 2013 anyway, so just two years worth of bonuses to account for.


As I recall, Collins was signed during the uncapped season, and received a big chunk of his contract as salary that year rather than as the typical signing bonus.

[Brandon494]

Saw this coming but still sucks, Collins was the 2nd best FS in the league behind Ed Reed. I doubt it will happen but I would still like them to move Woodson to FS next season.