Elite Pay, But Not Elite Play

[Joemailman]

Aaron Rodgers Cap Hit: 19.25 million. 15th in passing yards, 3rd in TD's, 11th in Passer Rating

Clay Matthews Cap Hit: 13.75 million Played in 5 games with 12 tackles and 3 sacks

Sam Shields Cap Hit: 12 million Played in 1 game with 3 tackles

Julius Peppers Cap Hit: 10.5 million 8 tackles, 3.5 sacks

Randall Cobb Cap Hit 9.15 million 402 receiving yards (55th in NFL) 3 TD's

Jordy Nelson Cap Hit: 8.3 million 509 receiving yards (30th in NFL) 7 TD's

About 47% of Packers salary cap tied up in these 6 players. Not a lot to show, other than Rodgers" TD passes and Jordy's TD's. Is it any wonder Packers are mediocre right now?

Rodgers isn't going anywhere. Peppers is probably in his last year with Packers. Shields could be forced to retire. If not, do Packers keep paying him? Matthews' hamstring problems have returned again. Jordy is a crafty receiver, but will he get his speed back? Cobb needs Packers to have a true #1 for him to be truly effective.

Packers have some tough decisions to make this offseason. Any thoughts?

[pbmax]

You can't keep Nelson and Cobb at that rate if it costs young talent. One would have to go.

But since young talent at WR will be comparatively cheap, their continued presence on the roster will be dependent on other salaries, not other WRs.

So if you do Lang and Perry this offseason, then the pressure starts to ramp up.

[Joemailman]

Do the Packers get any salary cap relief if Shields has to retire, or does the remaining signing bonus money (3.125 million) all hit in 2017?

I actually didn't realize until now that 2017 is the last year on his contract.

[red]

a rod hopefully will get better with a new HC

peppers should have retired last year, he'll be gone for next year for sure, this is the last year of his contract

mathews is never on the field when we need him most, and even when he is, he's far from the elite player he once was

shields is done, i'm sure we'll have some kind of cap hit from him, but i doubt its the whole thing, probably just bonus money

cobb never should have been paid that much money for what he is, a slot reciever totally dependent on other wr's to get the coverage off of him

jordy has lost a big step. lets all hope he can still get it back, or else he isn't worth the big bucks anymore either

looking at it this way, you see just how devoid we are of elite talent, we get guys getting paid like elite talent, but we are getting little return for our money

[Patler]

Peppers obviously is done
Shields is a FA in 2018, if they even have him back next year, which I doubt.
Mathews, Nelson and Cobb are FAs in 2019. I suspect those three to be back next year, but one or more could be Sittonized in 2018.

[gbgary]

no tough decisions this off season... except how far to move up and get a wr in the first round!

[Patler]

Do the Packers get any salary cap relief if Shields has to retire, or does the remaining signing bonus money (3.125 million) all hit in 2017?

I actually didn't realize until now that 2017 is the last year on his contract.

The remaining year of the signing bonus would count against the 2017 salary cap.
If Shields fails his physical at the end of the season, and fails the preseason physical in 2017 for the same reason, he is entitled to half his 2017 base salary to a maximum of $1,150,000.

Looks like Shields could count $4,275,000 against the 2017 salary cap if concussions keep him from playing.

[Pugger]

no tough decisions this off season... except how far to move up and get a wr in the first round!

If the team keeps playing like they have been moving up won't be necessary.

[woodbuck27]

If the team keeps playing like they have been moving up won't be necessary.

Yup.

[Anti-Polar Bear]

Peppers's not the freak he was in his prime, but man, dude still shows up for work everyday - unlike that milksop Claymaker. Gonna be sad to see Pep go. Even sadder to see him leave the game without a ring as nothing more than a rich man's Jared Allen.

In my humble stoic opinion, the Claymaker is still elite at OLB when he's on the field, even though he's now the football equivalent of a "cougar" at 30-something. Problem is, the Claymaker's, to quote myself, "Softer than an impotent rooster." Claymaker can't stay on the field, and even when he's fine and dandy, he won't stay on the field. Packers might as well use that $14 M they will pay the Claymaker next season on a shutdown corner instead.

Keep an eye out for Janis in the next 8 games. This dawg will rock the league and make Nelson expendable.

[Anti-Polar Bear]

If the team keeps playing like they have been moving up won't be necessary.

If Pack don't finish 4-12, I'd rather see the team move up to get RB Leo Fournette. It will be interesting to see how Josh McDaniels plays his cards as GM/Coach of the Packers in 2017.

[denverYooper]

McDaniels might have improved with age but he was a disaster in Denver the first time around.

Be careful what you wish for.

[Fritz]

Joe, I think your post at the top is really incisive. You can debate talent on the roster in places, you can debate coaching, all of that, but when you simply look at the guys you're paying to be blue-chip players - the stars, the difference makers - they're not making that difference.

[Anti-Polar Bear]

McDaniels might have improved with age but he was a disaster in Denver the first time around.

Be careful what you wish for.

In another universe, Wolf said something like that back in 2000 about Belichick. Said the ole Bill was a disaster in Cleveland. Mike Sherman was hired to coach the Pack instead.

If Bretsky is correct, J-Mac is the second coming of Belichick the Patriot.

[pbmax]

In another universe, Wolf said something like that back in 2000 about Belichick. Said the ole Bill was a disaster in Cleveland. Mike Sherman was hired to coach the Pack instead.

If Bretsky is correct, J-Mac is the second coming of Belichick the Patriot.

One of the lessons Belichick learned was that he wanted control of the roster. Wolf wouldn't have given him that. He was never going to be hired to coach the Packers in 2000.