Official Free Agency/Offseason Thread

[RashanGary]

Bring reed back

Everyone keeps saying we need to draft more guys for the d-line. Well, here’s a guy that isn’t too bad and shouldn’t cost a ton of money

The rest can go. I don’t want to hear about “locker room leaders”, when we looked as shitty as we did last year. The leadership in this team didn’t do much in that Detroit game to get the rest of the team fired up, or being smart

For sure. I’m growing tired of Rodgers always rambling on about the older guys being so important. It’s a young man’s game. Draft guys who are ambitious and driven and they won’t need an old guy taking up a roster spot to explain to them why working out is important. And does Rodgers even work out in the offseason? That guy is full of some bullshit lately. And I like him for his conspiracy theories.

[Joemailman]

Listened to an interview with Lazard. His agent and Packers are talking. However, I didn't get the impression he thinks anything will get done before he enters free agency.

[Bretsky]

For sure. I’m growing tired of Rodgers always rambling on about the older guys being so important. It’s a young man’s game. Draft guys who are ambitious and driven and they won’t need an old guy taking up a roster spot to explain to them why working out is important. And does Rodgers even work out in the offseason? That guy is full of some bullshit lately. And I like him for his conspiracy theories.

Listen to the pro Rodgers homers like Wilde and Tausch

Even they admit Rodgers doesn't have the same offseason regiment he once had

They also note he was very very very pro OTA's up until a few years ago

And then admit some within the organization feel it's time to move on

SHHHHHHHHHHHHh; Bob McGinn has merit

[Joemailman]

Rams and LB Bobby Wagner have agreed to part ways. If Released, Rams will have 7.5 million of dead money and save 5 million on the cap.

[Joemailman]

Packers have restructured the contracts of Preston Smith and Jaire Alexander, saving about 16 million on the cap in 2023. According to Spotrac, this gets them about 6 million under the cap.

[ThunderDan]

And we have the following players to resign or replace:
Amos, Cobb, Lowry, Crosby, Lazard, Tonyan, Reed, Lewis, Leavitt, J Ford, Wilson, Nixon, Barnes and Nijman.

That's at least 4 starters, our K and the swing 3rd T.

[Teamcheez1]

Packers have restructured the contracts of Preston Smith and Jaire Alexander, saving about 16 million on the cap in 2023. According to Spotrac, this gets them about 6 million under the cap.

Now if we can get rid of both Rodgers and Bakh, we’ll be well on our way to reshaping the team.

[texaspackerbacker]

The media pukes which so many of ya'all adore are now saying that the Packers are NOT gonna be in rebuilding mode this year hahahahaha. All I can say about that is DUH!!!

[Joemailman]

The media pukes which so many of ya'all adore are now saying that the Packers are NOT gonna be in rebuilding mode this year hahahahaha. All I can say about that is DUH!!!

What are you talking about? It was always common knowledge Packers would restructure contracts this year to stay competitive. There will probably be a couple more.

[ThunderDan]

What are you talking about? It was always common knowledge Packers would restructure contracts this year to stay competitive. There will probably be a couple more.

Exactly, that amount of restructuring is just enough to sign our draft picks. Still have to sign a bunch of guys to be starters with not much cap space to do it. So, we are going to have to clear more space to sign average FAs or start a bunch of rookies.

[run pMc]

Packers have restructured the contracts of Preston Smith and Jaire Alexander, saving about 16 million on the cap in 2023. According to Spotrac, this gets them about 6 million under the cap.

added void year to each. not a fan of that but hopefully by then it won't bite them. Also sounds like they are working on restructures for Bakhtiari and either a restructure or extension for Clark. I'd try to extend him if possible, he's got 2 years left on his current contract I think, and probably has 3-4 good years left in the tank.

[run pMc]

The media pukes which so many of ya'all adore are now saying that the Packers are NOT gonna be in rebuilding mode this year hahahahaha. All I can say about that is DUH!!!

They were over the cap by a significant amount (~$20M) before reworking Jaire, Preston, and Aaron Jones. They HAD to do something by Mar 15 to get under the cap.
I would think they might look at extending Gary with some of that space. They'll also need several million to sign draft picks, and then a few million beyond that for mid-season signings and IR settlements.
It's not like they have tons of space to go on a FA spending spree... this is basically to get under the cap. It does mean they are about out of contracts they can rework this year.

[texaspackerbacker]

It's NOT the restructuring that is a surprise. Anybody with a lick of sense knew the Packer would be manipulating the cap like that. What's surprising is those media shitheads - always so late to the game - finally coming to the conclusion that the Packers are in it to win it next season, same as always - DUH. How many idiotic articles have there been as well as stupid lines in here about "reshaping the team" and similar crap?

Ya'all worry worts who get in such a tizzy about the salary cap need to do some thinking for yourself instead of following your favorite media puke, mostly from out of town who don't know or care about the Packers and in fact wish ill for the team they are supposed to be covering.

As I have said many times, there are few things more stupid and disgusting in sports than a team you like "rebuilding" - tearing down/having a "boom or bust" mentality. Thankfully, the Packers don't have and haven't had for a long long time that idiotic mentality, and for us in Wisconsin, thankfully neither have our teams in basketball and baseball.

[run pMc]

How many idiotic articles have there been as well as stupid lines in here about "reshaping the team" and similar crap?

I haven't really read any tbh. I tend to read APC and JSO and don't read stuff like Florio. If you're watching ESPN, most of those personalities know nothing with the exception of a few who are actually reporting stories, not stating their own opinions.
There's a difference between an opinion/editorial and an actual new story. McGinn and his "Packers are disgusted with Rodgers" is at its heart an opinion piece he's based on gut feeling and reading some tea leaves. Rapaport reporting that Jets have inquired about Rodgers is a story.

A roster is going to average something like 30% turnover every year, so "reshaping" or whatever people call it is nonsense.
As for "rebuilding", I don't think that applies to GB either -- they have a lot of players under contract next season already (if you include the futures contracts etc.) and a number of talented players. Compare with the Bucs, who will be rebuilding with a number of key players becoming FA, Brady's retirement, and their cap space mess.

It's entirely possible Rodgers feels the team would be rebuilding THE OFFENSE if they don't bring back some of "his guys" like Tonyan, Lewis, Cobb, Lazard, Crosby (he also named Bakhtiari), but that's not a full rebuild. That's a list of mostly aging players who any GM would probably look to replace based on their age, contracts, and performance last year. Even on offense, they still have a solid OL and Jones/Dillon, plus a pair of young WRs who might get better as soon as next season.

I'm not sure what you're reading or listening to, but I stay away from the national media -- they often can't even get the names of players right. The JSO reporters and even press credentialed guys like Andy Herman are much more plugged in to what's going on and will give you a more sane perspective on what's happening.

[Bretsky]

I don't hear anybody noting GB is going to rebuild.

Whether we end up with the Lova Machine or Karen as our QB's we're not looking to rebuid.

And ditching low level low upside older guys like Randall Cobb and Mercedes Lewis for younger talent who can improve a lot is NOT rebuilding, as some would like to us believe.