Shield's testing the market

[PaCkFan_n_MD]

Would be interesting if TT enters the bidding for Byrd and lets Shields walk. Would you rather have Byrd and draft Gilbert if he's available, or keep shields and draft Clinton-dix/Pryor. I think I would actually rather have Byrd/Gilbert over say Shields/Clinton-dix since we need more immediate help at FS.

[Guiness]

Would be interesting if TT enters the bidding for Byrd and lets Shields walk. Would you rather have Byrd and draft Gilbert if he's available, or keep shields and draft Clinton-dix/Pryor. I think I would actually rather have Byrd/Gilbert over say Shields/Clinton-dix since we need more immediate help at FS.

I like that idea - if the numbers being thrown around for Shields are accurate, they're pretty close to the Safety franchise number, which would have to be the starting point for talks with Byrd.

I get the feeling that would be a non-starter though. Byrd has not signed with the Bills, and I doubt it's because they're not trying or being cheap. I think Byrd wants to play someplace warmer, and Buffalo to Green Bay is pretty much a lateral move that way.

edit: looks like Byrd want to be the top paid safety in the league, ~$10M. Damn close to the CB franchise tag.

[red]

I like that idea - if the numbers being thrown around for Shields are accurate, they're pretty close to the Safety franchise number, which would have to be the starting point for talks with Byrd.

I get the feeling that would be a non-starter though. Byrd has not signed with the Bills, and I doubt it's because they're not trying or being cheap. I think Byrd wants to play someplace warmer, and Buffalo to Green Bay is pretty much a lateral move that way.

edit: looks like Byrd want to be the top paid safety in the league, ~$10M. So essentially the same as the CB franchise tag.

byrd and bills are still talking

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/03/04/jairus-byrd-says-hes-still-talking-to-the-bills/

and even though byrd denies it in the article, "sources" say he turned down a 3 year 30 million dollar deal from the bills

[red]

huh, heres an article today from PFT that talks about how reported "guaranteed" money, isn't actually guaranteed

i guess they do exist

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/03/04/derek-cox-deal-illustrates-the-problem-with-injury-only-guarantees/

[PaCkFan_n_MD]

Serious question..

If we lose both Shields and Raji, should we cut Tramon Williams IF we don't plan on keeping him past next season?

I'm not throwing in the towel if we lose both players, but how much of a difference would Williams make for one year if we are still in the process of rebuilding the defense. Losing Shields and Raji only creates more holes that need filling. Holes that probably can't be filled in one year. Let House, Hayward, Hyde, and whomever else we pick up a long the way play. Would you rather have 7.5 million extra to spend on extensions for younger players/pushing forward into following years rather then spending it on Williams for one year. If we lose Shields, Raji, and maybe even Neal, its safe still to say we are still in the process of rebuilding the defense. If Tramon is not in those long term plans then whats the point of keeping him at that salary for a year? Having an extra 8 million could always come in handy if not this year then next.

[red]

i like how you say "if we lose raji"

i think we might actually be calling other teams trying to find someone who will sign him away so he can't come back to us

but if we lose shields then no, i would not then want to also get rid of tramon. i don't think hes all that great, and imo he's way over paid, but at this point we don't know if haywards hamstrings will allow him to play this year and hyde might end up playing safety. leaving us with house and bush as our cb's

[mraynrand]

Cleveland wil make a serious bid for Byrd. They are already talking about T.J. Ward as a former player.

[red]

Cleveland wil make a serious bid for Byrd. They are already talking about T.J. Ward as a former player.

that seems to be the consensus, seems like everyone and their mothers has those two linked right now

[PaCkFan_n_MD]

I realize Raji is as good as gone, but that doesn't mean we don't need someone to replace him. We have below average safeties, below average ILBs, and unless Worthy, Boyd, and Jones all play amazing this year, as it stands we also have a below average dline. All in all, we have a couple decent corners, one OLB we can count on, and potential on the dline. To me losing Raji (although he hasn't played well recently) and Shields sets us back further. Unless TT signs some (as in more than one) free agents on defense that can make significant contributions, I don't see the point of having Tramon for one year if he's not in our plans going forward. Once we lose Raji, Shields, and possibly Neal, we would need significant additions on defense not to be horrible. All I'm saying is why pay an older vet for one year if its not going to pay off? Let House, Hyde, a draft pick or two, and hopefully Hayward play.

Put it another way. If Tramon Williams was a free agent and we had 40 million cap space would you sign him to a one year deal worth about 8 million or just hold onto that money to sign someone who might actually be apart of the team for more than one season. Of course I'm basing this on the assumption that he's gone after next season.

I'm not saying cutting him is the right move, just that depending on how this off season plays itself out it might be worth considering.

[gbgary]

lets just cut, or let walk, all our best players. imagine the cap room we'll have if we could get rodgers off the books. tt could have us at maybe 70m below the cap. just think what we could NOT do with that!

[PaCkFan_n_MD]

lets just cut, or let walk, all our best players. imagine the cap room we'll have if we could get rodgers off the books. tt could have us at maybe 70m below the cap. just think what we could NOT do with that!

Nice. Yeah lets do that. Lets cut Rodgers. Matthews too. Don't forget Cobb and Nelson. Lets not go over board though, lets keep Bush and Brad Jones.

[call_me_ishmael]

Would be interesting if TT enters the bidding for Byrd and lets Shields walk. Would you rather have Byrd and draft Gilbert if he's available, or keep shields and draft Clinton-dix/Pryor. I think I would actually rather have Byrd/Gilbert over say Shields/Clinton-dix since we need more immediate help at FS.

Definitely. I just don't think Gil is gonna be available.

[3irty1]

i like how you say "if we lose raji"

i think we might actually be calling other teams trying to find someone who will sign him away so he can't come back to us

but if we lose shields then no, i would not then want to also get rid of tramon. i don't think hes all that great, and imo he's way over paid, but at this point we don't know if haywards hamstrings will allow him to play this year and hyde might end up playing safety. leaving us with house and bush as our cb's

I wonder where Ted really stands on Raji. Whether you love or hate it about Ted, he seems reluctant to ever make a low ball offer even when its exactly what's needed in cases like Woodson, James Jones, or this year Raji. I assume this is so he doesn't make an offer that could be received as insulting opting instead to let the free agent market do the humbling for him and making his offer under circumstances where they will be better received. I don't think that Raji was so horrific that he played himself completely out of an offer, I have a feeling this is Ted's way of proposing a pay cut. If another team overpays, then good for Raji I guess because we can't afford to.

[wist43]

Why would Raji want to come back??

He's not a 2-gap Nose Tackle... he knows that, I know that, most everyone acknowledged that when he came out in the draft. So what does Capers do with him?? He uses him as a 2-gap NT, lol...

Might as well have tried playing him at Safety.

If I'm a defensive player who is unfortunate enough to be drafted by the Packers, I'm just marking time until my rookie contract runs out, and I can leave for a better environment.

[pbmax]

I wonder where Ted really stands on Raji. Whether you love or hate it about Ted, he seems reluctant to ever make a low ball offer even when its exactly what's needed in cases like Woodson, James Jones, or this year Raji. I assume this is so he doesn't make an offer that could be received as insulting opting instead to let the free agent market do the humbling for him and making his offer under circumstances where they will be better received. I don't think that Raji was so horrific that he played himself completely out of an offer, I have a feeling this is Ted's way of proposing a pay cut. If another team overpays, then good for Raji I guess because we can't afford to.

I agree to a point. But nearing FA, he doesn't offer a deal to avoid it being shopped by the agent.

He has been rather brutal with Hawk and Crosby right before camp, when there were no alternatives.

But he could have had Woodson for a song, it had to mainly be a question of his level of play.