2014 Free Agency Rumors and or Speculation

[Zool]

Na that's some FA goggles. Raji has had the better body of work between the two for sure. I know how you feel about Raji but Jackson is a corn-studded turd.

Well he just got a huge check. He can update from corn to diamonds.

[red]

you guys are nuts to think a do nothing raji is better then anyone at this point

he was like our 4th or 5th best lineman that last 2 years

[run pMc]

if our free agents are on the market, and no one wants them, we give then a deal near the minimum right? if a guy comes back with no offers, we don't throw 3 or 4 million a year at him like we did a couple years back (i forget who the player was)

that makes sense right?

I think, if for example James Jones gets no offers (unlikely, but still) you don't lowball him with the vet minimum but you pay him what you think he's worth. It's insulting to the player if they've been a performer, and there's no point bringing someone back into the locker room if they are going to gripe about their contract a week after they sign it.

I wouldn't throw crazy money at them, though.

Starks is a good backup, but with Harris and Franklin coming back he's not a high priority. His injury history also counts against him, as does the fact that everytime Rodgers dumps the ball off to him I hold my breath that he won't drop it. You'd have to be high on multiple drugs to pay him more than $1.5-2M/yr, especially with the other RBs still available.

You could spin it that what little interest there has been from other teams shows how good GB is at identifying and keeping its core players. We've gone thru most of the team's FAs in another thread, and I think most felt the majority were 'meh', so no surprise. There isn't going to be a big bidding war for Rob Francois. Pickett's getting old, Raji's hasn't produced, Wilson's JAG, Finley and Jolly might be done, Newhouse and M.D. Jennings are probably gone, etc.

Whether they the vet minimum depends on what their FA market value is. Contract demands play a role as well. I'd bet every team would sign Raji if they could get him at the vet minimum.

[red]

Come on TT, let's do SOMETHING today...

don't hold your breath

[wist43]

You guys really didn't think TT was going to sign anyone did you??

As for our pathetic defense - I'm serious when I say we should just forget about it, and quit throwing draft picks and money at it. All those high picks, and all that money... and we're one of the worst defenses in the league. We could get those results with street FA's across the board.

[red]

I think, if for example James Jones gets no offers (unlikely, but still) you don't lowball him with the vet minimum but you pay him what you think he's worth. It's insulting to the player if they've been a performer, and there's no point bringing someone back into the locker room if they are going to gripe about their contract a week after they sign it.

I wouldn't throw crazy money at them, though.

Starks is a good backup, but with Harris and Franklin coming back he's not a high priority. His injury history also counts against him, as does the fact that everytime Rodgers dumps the ball off to him I hold my breath that he won't drop it. You'd have to be high on multiple drugs to pay him more than $1.5-2M/yr, especially with the other RBs still available.

You could spin it that what little interest there has been from other teams shows how good GB is at identifying and keeping its core players. We've gone thru most of the team's FAs in another thread, and I think most felt the majority were 'meh', so no surprise. There isn't going to be a big bidding war for Rob Francois. Pickett's getting old, Raji's hasn't produced, Wilson's JAG, Finley and Jolly might be done, Newhouse and M.D. Jennings are probably gone, etc.

Whether they the vet minimum depends on what their FA market value is. Contract demands play a role as well. I'd bet every team would sign Raji if they could get him at the vet minimum.

but if no one else wants them, then their market value is 0

[run pMc]

you guys are nuts to think a do nothing raji is better then anyone at this point

he was like our 4th or 5th best lineman that last 2 years

I'm glad he didn't sign for $8M -- he's not worth that money.

I agree his production has not been good since the SB year. I think he'll get a short-term deal for more than his production justifies (even 1y/$4M seems high IMO) based on that one year, his "potential" and age. Mike Daniels has outplayed Raji, for example, but Raji's name will get him noticed and offers. I honestly wish they could find someone who can replace him, but 330# men who can move like he can (when he wants to) are hard to find.

[Bossman641]

you guys are nuts to think a do nothing raji is better then anyone at this point

he was like our 4th or 5th best lineman that last 2 years

FA is the allure of the unknown. We obviously know our guys and can pick them apart a hell of a lot better than we can other teams' guys. Not sure how much you value what Polian says (I don't) but he grades Jackson a D, CJ Wilson a D, and Raji a C-.

[pbmax]

but if no one else wants them, then their market value is 0

Takes two to tango. Not signing doesn't mean has no value. Means they don't agree to value. If they are offering to play for minimum and getting no offers, then you point holds.

Don't think anyone is to that point in March.

[run pMc]

but if no one else wants them, then their market value is 0

True...sort of. In M.D. Jennings' case, I don't think he'll get any offers, and they can bring him back at the minimum to be a backup S/ST player.

Like I said, the contract demands also play into it.

In Raji's case, the reports of the rescinded $8Myr offer and the 1y/$4m offer on the table are out there, so he can shop around for that. If no other team bites, that doesn't mean TT will pull the $4M offer and give him the vet minimum.

[Packers4Glory]

We have to have some other measure of Thompson versus every other GM than "overpaid" own guys, because the scale is tilted beyond useless.

Between them, Morgan Burentt, AJ Hawk and Brad Jones have less guaranteed money than CB Alterraun Verner. Yet the CB I have only heard of in the last 3 weeks is a "steal" and the three Packer defenders are "overpaid".

Those three helped a terrible Packer Defense stay in a playoff game that was completely winnable if the QB, who is apparently not overpaid, could solve a Cover 2 man without waiting for a sack.

Its the first day of FA, every team that signed a player is overpaying. Its a safety they need for Pete's sake. Not a damn Franchise QB. You could get a Pro Bowl safety in Round 3.

Relax.

doesn't help with the growing pains a rookie safety is going to have. It takes a couple years for safeties to get it. I don't want to rely on a rookie safety in the playoffs under the bright lights.

[red]

cardinals, eagles and us are some of the teams interested in mike neal

according to Mike Garafolo

[red]

doesn't help with the growing pains a rookie safety is going to have. It takes a couple years for safeties to get it. I don't want to rely on a rookie safety in the playoffs under the bright lights.

yeah, even collins wasn't very good his rookie year, it took him 2 or 3 years before it "clicked"

[HarveyWallbangers]

I think the talk on Raji has reached hyperbole level. He hasn't been that bad. He was that bad the last half of this year after Jolly got injured, but he's been a solid player for many years. He played at Pro Bowl level in 2010. He was above average in 2011, average in 2012, and not good in 2013. I don't like the career projectory, but it seems the move to DE hasn't worked as well as they had hoped.

[HarveyWallbangers]

http://jerseyal.com/GBP/2013/12/19/what-happened-to-packers-defensive-lineman-b-j-raji/

Through the season’s first eight games, Raji was a force. He was energetic and explosive and spent a good amount of time in the opposing team’s backfield. It looked like the Raji of 2010 had returned and he was finally establishing himself as one of those elite defensive lineman who doesn’t put up big stats, but makes a world of difference each and every week beyond the box score.

Then Raji fell off the face of the Earth. He didn’t just regress, he disappeared...

Rumor has it that Raji turned down an $8 million per season contract extension from the Packers earlier this season. At the time, the offer made sense. Raji is a big and athletic lineman who played well inside and was able to hold his own outside. He’s also durable, a rarity on the modern-day Packers. He wasn’t a superstar, but $8 million per year for the type of player that Raji was matched the market rate.

Now, after Raji’s disappearing act, $8 million per season seems like about $7.5 million too much.