Is Al Harris the next Packer holdout?

[BobDobbs]

"I know my days are numbered here," Harris said as he packed gear into his bag before leaving for the night. "I think this is my free-agent season."

Harris, who has been quiet since summer about his unhappiness over a contract that doesn't expire until after the 2009 season, was asked if he was playing for his future.

"Little of both," he replied after the 31-14 victory over the Arizona Cardinals. "I'm playing to help the team win but. . . ."

Harris knows that his financial window will close long before the six-year, $18.635 million deal that he signed in September 2004 expires. Earlier in the year, Harris and his agent reportedly asked the Packers for two roster bonuses worth a combined $5 million and some Pro Bowl incentives, but they didn't get very far.

The Packers have $7.52 million of space beneath the salary cap and are looking to extend the contract of one or more deserving veteran players before the end of the year. It remains to be seen if they'll give more money to a cornerback that will be 32 in December.

If they don't, it seems a distinct possibility that Harris might follow the lead of cornerback Mike McKenzie and wide receiver Javon Walker and attempt to force a trade.

[BobDobbs]

This is a tough one, no?

Granted the situation isn't particularly pressing right now, because it seems that Al will play out the season as if he's playing for a free agent contract. It is a reality that has to be looked at.

Harris is definitely playing at a high level and is outperforming his contract compared the standard pay scale for cornerbacks. He's 31 and not a guy with tons of speed like Darrell Green or Deion Sanders. So, if he loses a step that could be the end of his productivity.

I think that we could say with relative certainty that the he will holdout, because he won't see a multi-million dollar bonus in 2010.

If you're the Packers what do you do? It would seem that someone is going to get their contract re-worked. And it would be Harris, Green, or maybe Barnett(he's in a free agent year I believe). Green and Harris are similar. Do you want to pay a bunch up front for someone who may not play up to their contract in a few years. This leaves you carrying dead money a couple of years down the road if you have to cut them.

I say pay him. If the story if correct that they want a 5 million dollar bonus plus pro bowl incentives. Can't really begrudge the guy pro bowl incentives, especially because he doesn't put up the interceptions to realislistically make it. And 5 mil prorated over the next three years of his contract is about a 1.7 mill a year bump to the cap. Seems doable avoids a protracted holdout and let's players on the team know that if you produce we will pay you.

Not to mention it took years to replace Mackenzie and there is no one on the roster ready to step up yet.

[the_idle_threat]

Yes, this is a tough one.

On one hand, it's an opportunity to do what many believe should have been done in the Javon Walker situation: Pay your performing players before a conflict arises that results in burned bridges.

On the other hand, Al Harris is not Javon Walker. Walker, before his injury, was an ascending young player with a Pro Bowl future; Harris is an aging pro who plays a speed position, and yet he does not have great speed and is on the wrong side of 30. At times this season and late last season, Harris has already looked like a lesser player than he was a few years back.

Putting any large amount of additional money into Harris is a huge risk with little chance for reward. I think they should make the determination in the offseason, after they have seen what Blackmon and the other young guys can do. If there is truly nothing in the cupboard, then perhaps we kick a few nickels to Harris to keep him happy for another year. IMO.

[The Leaper]

Yeah...it isn't very hard when you look at it.

Thompson didn't pay Walker...who had much more of a gripe to get a pay raise and had a far brighter future ahead of him. There is NO WAY he is going to pay Harris.

It is also very unlikely that Harris is going to find another NFL team willing to trade for him...because of his age. He can whine all he wants, but the bottom line is that every dollar he misses in his current deal with Green Bay is going to be a dollar less he has toward his retirement. He isn't getting another deal from anyone IMO...and Thompson isn't going to let him skip town either.

[Rastak]

Yeah...it isn't very hard when you look at it.

Thompson didn't pay Walker...who had much more of a gripe to get a pay raise and had a far brighter future ahead of him. There is NO WAY he is going to pay Harris.

It is also very unlikely that Harris is going to find another NFL team willing to trade for him...because of his age. He can whine all he wants, but the bottom line is that every dollar he misses in his current deal with Green Bay is going to be a dollar less he has toward his retirement. He isn't getting another deal from anyone IMO...and Thompson isn't going to let him skip town either.

I'd take Harris as a nickel back in a flash. It all depends on what the asking price is. If it's a first or second, you are right, it ain't happening.

[packinpatland]

Pay the man the money, he's worth it, he's proven.

[OS PA]

Yeah...it isn't very hard when you look at it.

Thompson didn't pay Walker...who had much more of a gripe to get a pay raise and had a far brighter future ahead of him. There is NO WAY he is going to pay Harris.

It is also very unlikely that Harris is going to find another NFL team willing to trade for him...because of his age. He can whine all he wants, but the bottom line is that every dollar he misses in his current deal with Green Bay is going to be a dollar less he has toward his retirement. He isn't getting another deal from anyone IMO...and Thompson isn't going to let him skip town either.

Teams may be unwilling to trade for somebody as old as Harris, but why are they so willing to pay them millions upon millions of dollars in free agency?

Didn't Miama trade both of it's aging cornerbacks the offseason before last year for two 2nd round picks? Aren't they still playing in a starter role, and not just playing, but playing well?

The Packers just paid 10 Million dollars for an aging cornerback, Ty Law signs on to a team every year, and he is "over the hill".

I agree with the youth movement that Thompson is trying to set up, but I also believe that we need to keep our key veterans. Veterans are like coaches.

[SkinBasket]

Veterans are like coaches.

Well maybe Al can teach the young kids how to drop easy interceptions in what he thinks is his "contract year." It seems he's developing quite the knack for it after all.

Al is getting old. He plays well, but has breakdowns in every game this season. Holding calls are increasing (see 3rd and 25 vs Arizona), his physicality is decreasing, and I've never seen any evidence he has taken any of the legion of young DBs under his wing to mentor them.

It's not a question of if Harris can contribute to another team or not. I'm sure he can. It's a question of over-paying an aging player who is showing evidence of decline and seems to think he's worth more than he is. Fuck him. Let him see how much the market bears for slow 31 year olds with declining ball skills and a tendency to decide for himself when his contract ends. As Leaper pointed out - he has no leverage, and IMO, he sure as shit hasn't made any argument this season that he should be paid more than he is.

[Scott Campbell]

He has far less leverage than McKenzie or Walker. Ted's been around the block on this once before. It'll be interesting to see what he has learned, and if he decides to change his approach.

I certainly respect the way Harris is going about this so far - far more than those other two clowns.

[Bretsky]

Al Harris has been the best defensive player the last three weeks, hands down. We still are sitting on a lot of unused cap money; I'd have no problem if TT does some sort of restructuring a keep Harris along with a Barnett extension. Crud, put as much as you can on this year's cap as well.

[mraynrand]

The Packers could probably afford to give Harris a contract something like what they gave Woodson. meaning that they could front load some bonus and make the contract effectively a very short one. That way they can keep him happy and keep him for a short time until his skills tail off.

I wouldn't get too upset about the comments. First, he knows he has virtually no leverage. He's getting older and slower, and his value is dropping. So why not try to force the issue a bit after playing some decent games - that's pretty much all he has to go on. Second, the Packers don't have the combined coach/gm thing, so McCarthy can still probably motivate the guy to play without having to be the object of scorn for not ponying up more coin. Third, Harris sounds like a guy who just wants a little love. Dude dropped a TD INT, is getting eclipsed by Woodson because Woodson is Woodson and has made some plays, and Harris also knows he's (Harris) is a pretty good corner in a marginal secondary. I think McCarthy gives him a big ole hug and the Pack moves on.

[run pMc]

Trade him to an AFC team for a low 2nd or early 3rd round pick. Maybe we can send him to HOU so he can rejoin Sherman.

Seriously, he's a good player and it would suck to let him go, but he's on the wrong side of 30 and his contract demands are iffy. Smart teams don't pay 32 year old CB's huge $.

We need upgrades in the secondary anyway. That means we may be looking at replacements or upgrades for Harris, Manuel and Dendy.

[LL2]

Give Harris a little dough


My first Packer Rat post. Not quite a newbie, to Packer forums. I was the one that provided a lot of eye candy as LambeauLeaper in the jsonline forums. I think the last avatar with a hot babe in a Farve jersey show her booty is what got me the boot. I can’t figure that one because you see hot buttocks in SI swimsuit issues and FHM magazines all the time. Oh, well. I haven’t read the fine print here so not sure if it will happen here.

On to the Harris situation. I agree that we need to see more of Blackmon before deciding what to do with his contract situation. It’s funny that he was happy with it 2 years ago, but now that Woodson is making big bucks he’s unhappy. That’s the way it goes I guess. Woodson is starting to earn his paycheck, but still has a ways to go to earn it all. I think Harris is an asset worth keeping around for a few more years, so if I was TT I would try to find a middle ground a pay him. The Packers need his veteran leadership and the younger guys are quite ready yet.

[MJZiggy]

Nice to see ya LL2. welcome to the forum. I tend to agree with you on Blackmon. If he's as good as they think he will be, Al has a problem. It's gonna be an interesting ride.

[Cheesehead Craig]

Al Harris has been the best defensive player the last three weeks, hands down. We still are sitting on a lot of unused cap money; I'd have no problem if TT does some sort of restructuring a keep Harris along with a Barnett extension. Crud, put as much as you can on this year's cap as well.

Disagree on this. Harris has been burned on several occasions over the last 2 weeks, but drops and poor throws have bailed him out. Woodson has clearly outplayed him lately. Yes, Harris makes good plays, but I don't know if he's worth a large pay increase or not. If this is his FA year, he's not playing like it is.