Hawk my be in line for the Barnett treatment. . . . If not this year, next

[RashanGary]

If we have the talent to replace him then he needs to be cut. If we don't we cant afford the defence to get worse in any position. The one exception is when it comes to getting contracts signed early IMO and needing the space next year.

I'm with ya, Patler. If we cut him now, that's 5 mil we save next year to do the same thing. Murphy said the cap was going to stay relatively flat the next couple years. Said it would make resigning players tough. If we have ILBs that are somewhere between a slight drop to a slight gain for 1/4 of the price, it only makes sense to do it.

5M/year saved for the next 3/4 years is a big deal. Goes a long way to upping a guy like Matthews.

[smuggler]

I don't think he will be cut this year for one simple reason: The product on the field. Even if it costs us $4+m in cap space, they won't risk cutting Hawk when they don't have a reliable ILB to replace him on the roster.

[Upnorth]

I don't think he will be cut this year for one simple reason: The product on the field. Even if it costs us $4+m in cap space, they won't risk cutting Hawk when they don't have a reliable ILB to replace him on the roster.

That is my thoughts as well, unless there is some negotiations on extensions on going that we are not aware of and they need the space. I think of Hawk (after last year) as an average ILB and as such he is over paid. If we can find an average ILB to replace him we would be much better off. The problem is it seems our LB corp has gone from an asset a few years ago to a bit of a liability in the interior.

[gbgary]

I keep hearing that bishop is really showing in camp. hawk may be expendable more sooner than later.

[rbaloha1]

Overpaid signal caller. For several years I have been saying to trade Hawk for a draft pick. Remember Kampman?

[smuggler]

Kampman was borderline elite for 2+ years. Hawk was never anywhere near that level at LB.

[RashanGary]

Mark Murphy says the cap is going to stay flat the next 2 or 3 years.



DJ Smith and Lattimore have gotten big praise this camp. Nelson, Cobb, Jones, Driver and Borel (also gotten big praise this camp) Woodson only makes 6.5 next year, compared to his 10.5 this year (4M roster bonus this year)


Cut Hawk now - 5M savings next year. Keep Hawk this year, and you save almost nothing next year.

Let Jennings go next off season, we save 5M from what we're paying this year, but probably 10M for what we'd have to pay him

Woodson doesn't get the roster bonus next year. That's 4M savings


That's 14M savings from this years cap number




Next years key FA

TJ Lang - Should get about 3M increase (should sign him this season or before the season I'm guessing)


Then you have the 2014 FA's and this is where it gets sticky because most of them should be resigned next offseason (the spot we're looking to save money)

Morgan Burnett (Coaches say people are going to know his name after this season. 4M)

Finley (Should be a wash. 7M now, somewhere in that area later)

James Jones (Having a great camp holding onto the ball. Shouldn't cost much more than we're paying him now and he's a good veteran #3 if he can hang onto the ball)

Kuhn (shouldn't be an increase in pay)

Clay Matthews (You'd think we re-up him either early this season, or next offseason. He's only making 1.5. Have to think he's going to get upwards of 10M

Mike Neal (If he has a big season, he could get 5M or so, we'll just say 2.5 since we never know what we're going to get)

Marshall Newhouse (if he proves to be a reliable LT, he'd be worth 5M. Let's just call it 2.5 since we never know what we're going to get)

Ryan Pickett (should come cheap)

BJ Raji (Could easily see him going from 2M to 8M)

Shields (you'd think he's worth a 2M pay raise even if he's a nickle back)

Starks (gotta think he's worth a 1.5 M pay raise)


Then there is AR. He's 2015, but he could easily be locked up next offseason or during the season (2 years early.) That's a 5M increase (since it's coming early, even if he makes 19M/year added on, it blends in with the two remaining years.)

That's about 30M in additional costs, very likely to come next offseason/season. Of course, we'll be losing Woodson within a year or two, but even then, the 14M savings plus 6 for Wood is only 20M. Even if we cut Hawk now and let Jennings go, we're still 10M in the red. If we keep Jennings and Hawk around, we're going going to be 25M in the hole. We'll have to start parting ways with guys at positions we have no backups for. How many guys are we going to have to let go to make up that 25M? ? ? Can we afford to lose guys on the OL (Bulaga for example?)



And if you look at 2015, there are some potential big pay increases there too. Bulaga, Cobb, Nelson, and any number of young players who tend to step up on our roster.

Most of the guys on our team are either young, or in their prime. We're not gaining any cap space and we're up against it right now. Of course, every year we get good young talent too and it's always cheap in the beginning.

Looking at the big picture though, we're going to have to make choices. Mid/Low priced glue guys are no-brainers. They add up though. They're 2nd contracts are bigger. We have several of those. Clay, Raji and Rodgers are no brainers. . .

The fact of the matter though, we're like any SB winning team. We're going to have to let some of them go, even the really good ones. Facts is facts. Looking ahead, you'd think it's very possible to let the ones go where we have the most talent behind them. We just don't have enough money to keep this team together. We're going to have to rely on the next wave and if we're going to do that, let's rely on the promising next wave, not the ones who look like busts.

[Joemailman]

Justin,

I believe TT has a plan, and I'll bet it doesn't include dumping Jennings. Hawk, Pickett and James Jones (#4 WR with Cobb coming on) will all be expendable. If Tramon Williams can't return to elite status, they may decide not to pay him 6-7 million a year. I think Jennings will be a Packer for life.

[Brandon494]

Sorry but it makes zero sense to let Jennings walk. Thankfully TT is our GM so I'm 100% confident Jennings is not going anywhere. TT will cut cut other players like Woodson, Pickett, or Saturday before he'll let Jennings walk. You get rid of players who are past their prime, not players who are in it.

[ThunderDan]

Sorry but it makes zero sense to let Jennings walk. Thankfully TT is our GM so I'm 100% confident Jennings is not going anywhere. TT will cut cut other players like Woodson, Pickett, or Saturday before he'll let Jennings walk. You get rid of players who are past their prime, not players who are in it.

Absolutely, you pay your young, talented players. You let go your underperforming, older, declining players or make them restructure their contract to help the team.

[Joemailman]

Jennings is the epitome of that the Packers want in a player. He's a great player, he's a team guy, he doesn't stay stupid things in the press, and he stays out of trouble off the field. Along with Rodgers and Matthews, he epitomizes what the Packers want the organization to be about.

[Patler]

A more telling thing might be this:

WTMJ pregame show had a roundtable discussion. Topics were presented, and everyone had to respond.
First question - Which player that will surprise many fans could be in danger of losing their spot?

First directed to Vic Ketchman, and he instantly said A.J Hawk. Then explained - DJ Smith is looking very good, and when you consider the others providing depth, Hawk could be in trouble.

Others mentioned were Starks, Walden, any and all backup O-linemen.

Did the powers that are the Packers tell Ketchman to put that kernel of thought out there?


Incidentally, Mark Tauscher was also a participant, along with the standard WTMJ characters. Tauscher did a very nice job. Hope he is a regular.

[pittstang5]

Due to what happened with Bishop, I highly doubt Hawk is going anywhere this year.

[Patler]

Due to what happened with Bishop, I highly doubt Hawk is going anywhere this year.

Not watching the game, but I heard he got hurt.
What happened???

[rbaloha1]

Due to what happened with Bishop, I highly doubt Hawk is going anywhere this year.

I know -- darn it!