2014 Free Agency Rumors and or Speculation

[Bretsky]

you don't have to overpay to come to GB. We have perhaps the best QB in the league. A strong offense. In the playoff hunt every year. A super bowl contender nearly every season. Believe it or not some guys want to win and will go where the money and the best shot to win. If we offer Player A the same deal as Miami where is the dude going to sign? If he's worth a shit as a competitor it's here. If he's just a party guy then we don't want him anyway.

In concept that should be how it is. Just seems like it's been a long long time since the above has been the case. I can't think of recent examples.

[Bretsky]

I'm not going to lie, I'm kind of frustrated this offseason. I have never been one to want TT to go out and spend big money in free agency, but with almost 30 million in cap space and with the cap supposed to sky rocket the next few years, I would like us to be more active this year. It only makes sense. At the very least we should be bringing back most of our good players if not going out and trying to land a starter to fill a hole.

we still may bring back the good players
Rather than find top free agents we'll probably absorb cap space this year with Cobb/Nelson deals and maybe another one or two

[HarveyWallbangers]

Agree. That looks like a bargain to me as well. It's actually more along the lines that I was hoping we could sign Shields for. Somewhere in the 4/24-28 million range.

Only if you buy the Verner is as good as some of the talking heads projected. It's group think. I've been wondering why Shields was underrated by the talking heads, but I'm guessing he was more highly thought of among personnel people than talking heads.

[Rutnstrut]

PONDERING THOUGHT

Do players want to come to GB if they are from elsewhere ? If the answer is no....and TT would have to seriously overpay....maybe that's a reason we don't nibble into FA

much

Then it's his job to do whatever it takes to make them want to come to GB, why does TT constantly get a pass for not doing his job properly?

[Bretsky]

Only if you buy the Verner is as good as some of the talking heads projected. It's group think. I've been wondering why Shields was underrated by the talking heads, but I'm guessing he was more highly thought of among personnel people than talking heads.

We never get the GM's views other than what McGinn offers; the closest we get to hear is from guys like Pat Kirwin, Bill Polian, and all the guys on the NFL network. They were all of the view that they were surprised GB paid Shields what it did but they felt TT must have felt like he was still rising as a player and if he continues to do so it's not a bad deal. They all felt it's a great deal for Shields in that if his play does fall off the Packers could part ways year 3 and Shields would have received 20MIL over 2 years with another chance to hit free agency.

Last, but not least, they felt like GB would have been in a very rough situation if they lost Shields.....and with his agent...most likely pressuring the Packers for every last penny...it was probably a smart move to retain him in a rising cap market, even if they overpaid

[Packers4Glory]

In concept that should be how it is. Just seems like it's been a long long time since the above has been the case. I can't think of recent examples.

I don't recall us ever being beat out for an offer because TT doesn't go after big free agents. We get the low hanging fruit. IIRC even the Woodson signing was late and it was up in the air between us and maybe TB? I don't recall us doing much in the early stages of the FA period.

What I fear is we will go into 2014 without a legit safety. I don't think we can afford a rookie back there blowing coverages and thinking too much. we need a guy who is experienced and somewhat of a difference maker. If we sit and wait we will pay the price again in the secondary.

[PaCkFan_n_MD]

we still may bring back the good players
Rather than find top free agents we'll probably absorb cap space this year with Cobb/Nelson deals and maybe another one or two

Seems to me with that cap supposed to go up a lot next year and the year after that Cobb and Nelson shouldn't be that big of a problem to sign. Rodgers and Clay are in the prime years, the strategy should probably change a little. A lot of decent deals being made for the first day of free agency. Ward and Verner are both solid players who signed decent contracts for example. Verner signed for a lot less than Sam and in all honest if I could have him at that contract and cut Tramon I would.

[Bretsky]

Then it's his job to do whatever it takes to make them want to come to GB, why does TT constantly get a pass for not doing his job properly?

IMO...not our staff's strength to sell GB

Wolf and Holmgren massively recruited Reggie White to Green Bay; would anybody think our staff would be capable on doing that now..or try ? I know I know...different market with a cap versus no cap.

[SMBASS]

we still may bring back the good players
Rather than find top free agents we'll probably absorb cap space this year with Cobb/Nelson deals and maybe another one or two

Only if you buy the Verner is as good as some of the talking heads projected. It's group think. I've been wondering why Shields was underrated by the talking heads, but I'm guessing he was more highly thought of among personnel people than talking heads.

Who knows Harvey? Verneer seems to be a good ascending young player similar to Shields so it's all a crap shoot. Lord knows personnel people have never been wrong about a player before so I don't consider them to be the end all, be all either. We all read comments from the infamous, "scouts" and "personnel" people around the league that end up being no more right or wrong than the talking heads or people on this board.

[Bretsky]

I don't recall us ever being beat out for an offer because TT doesn't go after big free agents. We get the low hanging fruit. IIRC even the Woodson signing was late and it was up in the air between us and maybe TB? I don't recall us doing much in the early stages of the FA period.

What I fear is we will go into 2014 without a legit safety. I don't think we can afford a rookie back there blowing coverages and thinking too much. we need a guy who is experienced and somewhat of a difference maker. If we sit and wait we will pay the price again in the secondary.

I can't argue with any of your points and perhaps I read too much into this but here are my pondering thoughts
These deals get crazy day one; I think teams are spending time contacting agents, players and chatting money well before the period
Then visits are made and deals are closed.

So either we are not trying at all early on, or we are trying but can't get these guys to consider us at all....for some reason.

I know there have been a couple who visited and we lost...but since I can't even remember then there were not prominent.

[PaCkFan_n_MD]

Updating an earlier item, free agent DeMarcus Ware will visit the Broncos.
It will be Ware's first visit, and quite possibly his last. Players rarely get away from their first visit, while Denver can offer Ware a shot at a Super Bowl title after years of toiling in Dallas. As long as Ware has realistic monetary demands, a deal can likely be worked out.

[Bretsky]

Seems to me with that cap supposed to go up a lot next year and the year after that Cobb and Nelson shouldn't be that big of a problem to sign. Rodgers and Clay are in the prime years, the strategy should probably change a little. A lot of decent deals being made for the first day of free agency. Ward and Verner are both solid players who signed decent contracts for example. Verner signed for a lot less than Sam and in all honest if I could have him at that contract and cut Tramon I would.

For what it's worth PackFan......I completely agree with you and IMO you are spot on.....while I throw out points to ponder...truth be told I wish we'd be more aggressive in free agency as well. There were playmakers to be had where we had serious weakensses. And poof.....nearly all of them are gone

[Bretsky]

Updating an earlier item, free agent DeMarcus Ware will visit the Broncos.
It will be Ware's first visit, and quite possibly his last. Players rarely get away from their first visit, while Denver can offer Ware a shot at a Super Bowl title after years of toiling in Dallas. As long as Ware has realistic monetary demands, a deal can likely be worked out.

I had a feeling Denver would land Ware or Allen.
Denver and New Orleans...with the age of their QB's.....are taking measures to win now

[red]

For what it's worth PackFan......I completely agree with you and IMO you are spot on.....while I throw out points to ponder...truth be told I wish we'd be more aggressive in free agency as well. There were playmakers to be had where we had serious weakensses. And poof.....nearly all of them are gone

and a lot of those guys didn't get insane crazy money like a lot of TT appologists say happens in free agency, which is a good reason not to partake in it

[PaCkFan_n_MD]

For what it's worth PackFan......I completely agree with you and IMO you are spot on.....while I throw out points to ponder...truth be told I wish we'd be more aggressive in free agency as well. There were playmakers to be had where we had serious weakensses. And poof.....nearly all of them are gone

Yeah ask me three ago years I would completely agree with staying out and re-signing your own. But I just don't get it now. So the plan is to sign Nelson and Cobb and maybe two or three of our other free agents back and try to fill all the other holes with the draft again. Idk but doesn't seem like a good idea this year with the NFC as stacked as it is and Rodgers and Matthews both getting older. We might wish we were more aggressive during this time if we look back in five years. Made sense say back in 2010 when we had a roster loaded with talent, our best players being really young, and the cap barely moving. But now?