Scott Wells - injuries keep piling on

[Guiness]

Sure predicate the success of a Packer GM's move; based on the future misfortune of a former Packer Pro Bowler. That's just precious.

Sure TT predicted Scott Wells misfortune with his health. Thus smartly decided it was prudent to let him walk. Then TT elected to go with a near 40 year old end of career candidate at center.

TT has such a crafty and ingenious nature. Some here actually believe that.

I don't think TT was foolish enough to believe Saturday was an upgrade, or even anything more than a stopgap. He needed to hold the fort until EDS or someone else took over. Saturday came a lot cheaper than Wells, and his deal will not create any dead money next year. I'm not sure of the contract situation, but I'd bet that if SW doesn't play next year, the Rams will be carrying his contract, or part of his pro-rated bonus or maybe even the rest of it if he gets cut! The contract was either 3 or 4 years for $24 million.

[woodbuck27]

I don't think TT was foolish enough to believe Saturday was an upgrade, or even anything more than a stopgap. He needed to hold the fort until EDS or someone else took over. Saturday came a lot cheaper than Wells, and his deal will not create any dead money next year. I'm not sure of the contract situation, but I'd bet that if SW doesn't play next year, the Rams will be carrying his contract, or part of his pro-rated bonus or maybe even the rest of it if he gets cut! The contract was either 3 or 4 years for $24 million.

I'll just add these comments without trying to upset 'the peanut gallery':

a) Scott Wells is having some bad luck.

b) Our team missed his pressence on our OL last season.

[Bossman641]

Sure predicate the success of a Packer GM's move; based on the future misfortune of a former Packer Pro Bowler. That's just precious.

Sure TT predicted Scott Wells misfortune with his health. Thus smartly decided it was prudent to let him walk. Then TT elected to go with a near 40 year old end of career candidate at center.

TT has such a crafty and ingenious nature. Some here actually believe that.

You are missing the point of my post WB.

TT and the organization made a calculated decision that they could not afford to pay Wells what he was requesting. Whether it be out of fear of injury or financial concerns, who knows. Rut has brought up Wells ever since as a sign of TT's failure. He brought it up before Wells got injured and he has even brought it up after Wells got injured.

You can't keep everyone. That's the reality of salary-cap football.

[woodbuck27]

You are missing the point of my post WB.

TT and the organization made a calculated decision that they could not afford to pay Wells what he was requesting. Whether it be out of fear of injury or financial concerns, who knows. Rut has brought up Wells ever since as a sign of TT's failure. He brought it up before Wells got injured and he has even brought it up after Wells got injured.

You can't keep everyone. That's the reality of salary-cap football.

Yes but you might re-call that I wasn't exactly onboard with TT's decision to desert OL chemistry by allowing Scott Wells to get away last season.

As 'a pure decision' I felt that TT would regret that move this season; that irregardless of Scott Wells misfortune with his health.

[mraynrand]

Yes but you might re-call that I wasn't exactly onboard with TT's decision to desert OL chemistry by allowing Scott Wells to get away last season.

As 'a pure decision' I felt that TT would regret that move this season; that irregardless of Scott Wells misfortune with his health.

I don't see a lot of regret out there for the decision to part ways with Wells. The outcome of the season didn't have much to do with Wells being gone. in retrospect though, they could have penciled in EDS at center right away and then brought in another free agent guard. In any case, neither of those moves would have prevented injuries to Bishop, DJ Smith, Bulaga, Perry, Woodson, or assignment screw ups in the playoffs. And now the Packers don't have the burden of Scott Well's contract, do they.

[woodbuck27]

I don't see a lot of regret out there for the decision to part ways with Wells. The outcome of the season didn't have much to do with Wells being gone. in retrospect though, they could have penciled in EDS at center right away and then brought in another free agent guard. In any case, neither of those moves would have prevented injuries to Bishop, DJ Smith, Bulaga, Perry, Woodson, or assignment screw ups in the playoffs. And now the Packers don't have the burden of Scott Well's contract, do they.

Where I take exception is with any inuendo that TT is discerning for not resigning Scott Wells. That in particular as we're now aware of his unfortunate luck with health.

I felt our OL was better with Scott Wells as our center. I'm aware of the other factors concerning player loss due to injury that hurt our OL.

[mraynrand]

Where I take exception is with any inuendo that TT is discerning for not resigning Scott Wells.

It's speculation. That sometimes happens on blogs.

[Joemailman]

Scott Wells received 13 million in guaranteed money from St. Louis. There's just no way TT was going to give anything like that to a 31 year old center. There were talks between The Packers and Wells, but reports were the 2 sides were far apart. I'm sure that's why.

[Guiness]

Scott Wells received 13 million in guaranteed money from St. Louis. There's just no way TT was going to give anything like that to a 31 year old center. There were talks between The Packers and Wells, but reports were the 2 sides were far apart. I'm sure that's why.

I wonder how much age had to do with it? Good OL tend to extend their careers into their mid-30s, it's not like they've got a step to lose! SW had very little injury history (that we know of) so you'd think he was a candidate for a multi-year contract.

So why didn't he get one? Either TT had information on the deteriorating state of his knees that Rams didn't know about, or he just didn't think he was worth that much money period. I'd guess the former, he's had his knee scoped twice in the past year, once before the season, and once after the season.

[Patler]

I wonder how much age had to do with it? Good OL tend to extend their careers into their mid-30s, it's not like they've got a step to lose! SW had very little injury history (that we know of) so you'd think he was a candidate for a multi-year contract.

So why didn't he get one? Either TT had information on the deteriorating state of his knees that Rams didn't know about, or he just didn't think he was worth that much money period. I'd guess the former, he's had his knee scoped twice in the past year, once before the season, and once after the season.

It is not uncommon for medical staffs on different teams to have different opinions on the long range impact of players conditions. It happens even with draftable players. One staff finds risk minimal, while another finds it significant. The same could have happened with the Rams and Packers about Wells, but we will never know for sure.

The Packers are very choosy about who they will commit large contracts to when players reach the later part of their careers. Wells wasn't one of the select few that they were willing to pay a lot to. Age, condition, contract demands both in length and guaranteed money were all likely factors.

[mraynrand]

The Packers are very choosy about who they will commit large contracts to when players reach the later part of their careers. Wells wasn't one of the select few that they were willing to pay a lot to. Age, condition, contract demands both in length and guaranteed money were all likely factors.

How much do you think that suppresses a player's value, in general? Take Jennings - the Packers show no interest in locking him up; you have to think it affects other team's estimate of his value. Maybe not the case for Wells?

[sharpe1027]

How much do you think that suppresses a player's value, in general? Take Jennings - the Packers show no interest in locking him up; you have to think it affects other team's estimate of his value. Maybe not the case for Wells?

Yeah, but you could make the same argument for pretty much every free agent. That might also be why the Packers are relatively selective in signing other team's free agents. Some of the guys that they have brought in had non-injury related concerns bringing down their value, whether it is Woodson with an allegedly had a poor attitude in Oakland, Koren Robinson and Hargrove with suspension issues. Others are FA because they weren't drafted or were cut from their previous team. Perhaps they feel that they get better value that way.

[pbmax]

I also think that targeting a FA and making him a priority means the medical evaluation will need to be pretty terrible before the process would be stopped. There is less room for nuance and exactitude than with the original team.

I think the signing team figures it will protect itself from the downside of a prognosis with a carefully constructed contract.

[Rutnstrut]

I don't see a lot of regret out there for the decision to part ways with Wells. The outcome of the season didn't have much to do with Wells being gone. in retrospect though, they could have penciled in EDS at center right away and then brought in another free agent guard. In any case, neither of those moves would have prevented injuries to Bishop, DJ Smith, Bulaga, Perry, Woodson, or assignment screw ups in the playoffs. And now the Packers don't have the burden of Scott Well's contract, do they.

While no one can say how things would have went had they kept Wells. I can and did say things would get worse with Saturday, he wasn't even a stopgap. Saturday was a step backwards at the center position.

[pbmax]

While no one can say how things would have went had they kept Wells. I can and did say things would get worse with Saturday, he wasn't even a stopgap. Saturday was a step backwards at the center position.

That's the definition of stopgap.

Of course no one knows what the odds are of injury if he stays with the Packers. But we know that older players get hurt and play worse as a result more frequently.

Saturday wasn't his replacement, he was the less costly option.

Now the Packers can simply pay EDS and look to upgrade EDS instead of playing a waiting game with Well's healthy and hoping EDS is good enough.