KGB

[RashanGary]

He looked invisable. I think this may be his last season in GB.

I'm really hoping that a pass rushing DE falls to us in the draft this year. We need pressure from the blind side and we're just not getting it at all from KGB.

[Tony Oday]

He was fighting a double all game. He did get some preasures however he did eat up an extra blocker to make it so Jenkins, Williams and Kamp only had single blocks all game...

[Fritz]

I think Ron Wolf was right: he's best suited to being a third down pass rusher.

[Partial]

Well, lets look at it this way. The lions have pretty good defensive ends and neither of them were any bigger of a factor than KGB. He isn't Reggie White, but so far this season he hasn't look like a liability and looked like a pretty good player.

[Pack0514]

Did anyone see Jason Hunter make that Special Teams tackle? I didnt see him line up on the defense though. I was surprised he was even active for the game...... Okay sorry, back to KGB.....

[GoPack06]

I would like to trade him. I think if we could get like a second round or thrid round pick for him. Put Montgomery and Hunter in. Nothing against KGB but if we're looking to go younger. We knock out his big cotract and get a draft pick for him.

[retailguy]

I would like to trade him. I think if we could get like a second round or thrid round pick for him. Put Montgomery and Hunter in. Nothing against KGB but if we're looking to go younger. We knock out his big cotract and get a draft pick for him.

His contract is not that bad. If I recall it had fairly palatable salaries right up to the end of it.

I realize he got a "blockbuster" deal when he signed it, but it is no longer the "cap albatross" that everyone makes it out to be.

We've got what we've got, a one dimensional pass rusher.

He, as someone else so astutely pointed out, took on a double team all day, in fact, if he hadn't been doubled, there would have been a guy to block Hawk on his great sack. Don't lose the big picture....

[KYPack]

I would like to trade him. I think if we could get like a second round or thrid round pick for him. Put Montgomery and Hunter in. Nothing against KGB but if we're looking to go younger. We knock out his big cotract and get a draft pick for him.

His contract is not that bad. If I recall it had fairly palatable salaries right up to the end of it.

I realize he got a "blockbuster" deal when he signed it, but it is no longer the "cap albatross" that everyone makes it out to be.

We've got what we've got, a one dimensional pass rusher.

He, as someone else so astutely pointed out, took on a double team all day, in fact, if he hadn't been doubled, there would have been a guy to block Hawk on his great sack. Don't lose the big picture....

The big picture is the big contract.

He's got the second highest salary on the team.

2006 Cap hit $5,421,429

Remaining Pro Rated Salary cap hit $4,714,287

His contract was and is a big problem. It bothers the team's palate big time.

[PaCkFan_n_MD]

Whats his salary next year?

[Scott Campbell]

Age is particularly cruel to his single dimension - speed. He's declining.

[KYPack]

Whats his salary next year?

Around 3.9 million.

If we cut him this year, it was a $10 million hit.

We will cut him after this season and absorb the $4,714,287 hit and move on.

KGB's contract is one of the worst in Packer history. That said, I really like the guy, he played hard, he was just one dimensional. We will be out from under it after this season

[retailguy]

The big picture is the big contract.

He's got the second highest salary on the team.

2006 Cap hit $5,421,429

Remaining Pro Rated Salary cap hit $4,714,287

His contract was and is a big problem. It bothers the team's palate big time.

KY, couldn't disagree more.

When he signed his deal in 2003, he got way too much money. I don't, and never have, disagreed with that fact. Fortunately for the Packers, the salary cap has climbed from 75.007 million in 2003 to 102. million in 2006, a 36% increase.

This raised the "average" pay of a Defensive End, and made KGB's contract palatable. The fact that he is in the 4th year of a 7 year contract and his base is spiking, in itself, doesn't make the contact burdensome.

From my vantage point, you release players for three principle reasons:

1. They can no longer play
2. There is someone on the team ready to step in who is cheaper.
3. The team can no longer afford the players contract.

1st, KGB, can play, he has value, and if released, he'd be picked up instantly. Pass rushers, even one dimensional ones, have significant value in this league. We can debate "how effective KGB is", whether or not the majority of his sacks came in "garbage time", or whatever, but he can play.

2nd, if they release KGB, WHO steps in? If you ask me, the major problem is not his contract, it is the fact that the team has NOBODY to complement him. One of the reasons he still plays all the time is that the team doesn't have anyone to step in, that can defend the run better than him. So, how do you get those guys? With Thompson, that's through the draft. I think most of us can agree that he's not likely to find a good DE in free agency, sign them, and then jettison KGB. Montgomery is at this point, disappointing, and Jason Hunter is just as small as KGB. There isn't anyone else on the roster. That means the draft, and that means there won't be anyone to start 2007 unless they come through free agency.

3rd, the packers have no current cap problems. They are even front loading contracts to spend the money they have. They sure won't release him for this reason.

Now, it comes down to, is he overpaid? Surely you think so, KY, and there are others here that agree with you. I don't. He's paid a ton of money, and he WAS overpaid in 2003. But today, in 2006, his contract is "average". Pass rushing DE's are a valuable commodity and almost all are overpaid. I'd do some salary comparisons, but those I picked would "be the wrong guys". They'd all be better or more valuable than KGB, and I'd be accused of "slanting the numbers or the personnel to support my agenda".

So, if you want to name 3 contemporaries in the NFL, NOT on their rookie contract, who you feel are solid comparisons to KGB, I'll do the contract comparisons. I believe that will back my point, that KGB is NOT OVERPAID, and furthermore, that his contract is no longer a bad deal. It should be, at this point, a VERY good deal for the Packers, which it IS NOT, but it is not the albatross that it used to be, or could have been.

Finally, KGB, is a solid guy, with an impeccable reputation, leadership skills, and has NEVER been accused of being a "problem child". He's the kind of veteran you want in a locker room full of inexperienced guys. If TT took your point of view, and decides that the guy is hopelessly overpaid, and furthermore, that he's not likely to get more money on the open market, don't you approach him first to restructure?

I just don't see them dumping him at this point, even though he is a Sherman guy. Greenday/Mraynrand is right, Sherman's guys are disappearing at an alarmingly fast rate, so anything is possible, but it sure isn't a slam dunk, ESPECIALLY on the basis of his contract.

See this article with a blurb on KGB's contract if you don't believe me:

"Gbaja-Biamila, in the meantime, is scheduled to make $5 million next year, when he'll turn 30. That will be well within the going rate for good pass rushers. But that's assuming his sack total increases or at least doesn't drop below the eight sacks he had last year. He had 13½ in 2004."

http://www.packersnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060917/PKR01/609170622/1989

There are other things in this article that I intend to address with my financial analysis based upon the DE's you provide, I'm not just cherry picking, but it, to me at least, supports the perspective that KGB is not overpaid, even for being one dimensional. I'll maintain he's being used improperly, out of necessity, but still. He should be in there on passing situations on 2nd down, and in 3rd down situational packages, but expecting him to hold the point on clear rushing downs is, and always has been stupid. That, however, is NOT KGB's fault.

[SkinBasket]

2nd, if they release KGB, WHO steps in? If you ask me, the major problem is not his contract, it is the fact that the team has NOBODY to complement him.

I think that for the money he makes, we could find someone who is at least as ineffective as he is. I absolutely hate Hunter and the fact he made the team says we suck in a nutshell. But I would rather have him trying to ineffectively speed rush while being destroyed on running plays for 3.5 million less than KGB.

[retailguy]

2nd, if they release KGB, WHO steps in? If you ask me, the major problem is not his contract, it is the fact that the team has NOBODY to complement him.

I think that for the money he makes, we could find someone who is at least as ineffective as he is. I absolutely hate Hunter and the fact he made the team says we suck in a nutshell. But I would rather have him trying to ineffectively speed rush while being destroyed on running plays for 3.5 million less than KGB.

Skin,
Who rushes the passer at that point? Kampman is a try hard guy, sure, but sacks haven't been his specialty. He's had one really good year, and a couple of pretty good years, but he doesn't have the numbers KGB has got.

This defense doesn't rush the linebackers as a basic philosphy, therefore the rush has to come from the front four. Pickett was brought in as a run stopper, and doesn't have a pass rush track record, so that leaves Jenkins. He's good and I like him, but how effective will he and Kampman be without KGB? KGB is taking a lot of double teams, leaving either Kampman or Jenkins with a single blocker. I'd maintain that's one of the reasons Kampman was so successful last season. I'm sure others will disagree with me.

We need a run stopper DE that can hold the point. Finding someone who can do that, AND rush the passer is a tough find in free agency, and won't come cheaper than KGB.

[b bulldog]

tHIS WILL PROBABLY BE HIS LAST YEAR IN gb UNLESS he redoes his contract