Green Bay and Chicago (only teams without a signing)

[Bretsky]

Don't you guys see where FA gets you. Just look at the Vikes and Redskins! Why pay top $$ for people others don't want!

How would we have done without Woodson last year ?

This is a general question to all of the posters that use the excuse that we can not "overpay" for the Turtle.

Surely we overpaid for Woodsen at the time.

And we'd have been in severe trouble without him. I have a hard time using the excuse that FA doesn't help in your success.

[Bretsky]

I would say Woodson at just over 4 mil. cap # is a great deal...

Nearly all of the posters thought we overpaid Woodson "last year" based on where he was in his career. The previous two years he did next to nothing and was considered an outcast and not a hard worker when he signed the deal.

And many don't expect that contract to go through it's term; if you figure that it's fair to say he got a heck of a lot better than 4MIL per year.

[Partial]

1) Cullen Jenkins RFA They signed a defensive lineman who can play all four positions and rarely gets injured. Good attitude guy.

2) They signed one of the most expensive Free Agent longsnappers in the league.

3) They got great value in TE Donald Lee for 595K minimum plus "modest bonus". He has 63 catches for 664 yards in 4 years. That in a market where the vikings paid 18 million over 5 years with 7 guaranteed for a TE with 35 catches and 253 yards in the same 4 years.

4) Added LB Tracy White and 5 year veteran OL Andrew Walter.


There is some lack of research.

THANKS VERY MUCH! I feel so much better now.

Alright buddy, who should they have signed other than the old and broke down Ahman Green?

[MJZiggy]

Don't you guys see where FA gets you. Just look at the Vikes and Redskins! Why pay top $$ for people others don't want!

How would we have done without Woodson last year ?

This is a general question to all of the posters that use the excuse that we can not "overpay" for the Turtle.

Surely we overpaid for Woodsen at the time.

And we'd have been in severe trouble without him. I have a hard time using the excuse that FA doesn't help in your success.

Thanks, B. You've made the point I've been trying to make all along. We did pay Woodson a lot of money (and pissed off Harris in the process to the point we had to redo his contract as well) and he wasn't signed until very late. He demonstrates that you can find guys later in the offseason that will make a huge difference to the team's success. Thompson saw that he had benefits to offer the team and took care of business. What makes you think at the beginning of March that it won't happen again? He's brought people in but not signed them. Maybe that means that when the guys got into town, in the discussions it became apparent that it wasn't a good fit. I don't know. I'm not speculating, but I'm just not willing to panic right now. There can be definite problems in getting a great big name guy that doesn't quite fit. (see Edgerrin James--great player, just not the killer in AZ everyone thought he was gonna be) I don't know what's going on in TT's office (I'm sure you'll share your ideas) but I know it worked out ok last year and figure he knows more about what's going on in there than I do. Last year I was really hoping for Vinatieri, but he didn't sign with us. TT still found a kicker before the season started, right.

[red]

I would say Woodson at just over 4 mil. cap # is a great deal...

???????????

he signed a 7 year 52.7 million dollar deal

thats about 7.5 a year

we didn't get a bargain by waiting to sign him. people need to stop saying we got a good deal for woodson because we waited so long. we gave him one of the biggest deals last year. and i don't remember him being a high demand guy, thats why he was still there that late

[CaliforniaCheez]

Woodson's deal has a big break in cost after 3 years.

I see it as a 3 year deal with a lot of back end costs that make it look large.

Woodson's deal is really a 3 year deal and his replacement has to be found this year or next or it begins to get expensive.

The deal is why so many keep saying the Packers need a CB in the draft.

[HarveyWallbangers]

Thanks, B. You've made the point I've been trying to make all along. We did pay Woodson a lot of money (and pissed off Harris in the process to the point we had to redo his contract as well) and he wasn't signed until very late.

Harris complained about his deal even before the Packers signed Charles Woodson.

[red]

Woodson's deal has a big break in cost after 3 years.

I see it as a 3 year deal with a lot of back end costs that make it look large.

Woodson's deal is really a 3 year deal and his replacement has to be found this year or next or it begins to get expensive.

The deal is why so many keep saying the Packers need a CB in the draft.

NO NO NO

i call bullshit

you and everyone else use full contracts to show how insane all the deals are that are being made

none of those deals are what the appear to be. none of those guys will get all that money

but now its ok, to see contracts for what they are. only when it helps your cause out

complete bull shit

[Packnut]

Contracts

Woodson's deal has a big break in cost after 3 years.

I see it as a 3 year deal with a lot of back end costs that make it look large.

Woodson's deal is really a 3 year deal and his replacement has to be found this year or next or it begins to get expensive.

The deal is why so many keep saying the Packers need a CB in the draft.

NO NO NO

i call bullshit

you and everyone else use full contracts to show how insane all the deals are that are being made

none of those deals are what the appear to be. none of those guys will get all that money

but now its ok, to see contracts for what they are. only when it helps your cause out

complete bull shit

red- don't be so hard on them. I think the problem is some of these guys don't know how to READ the contracts or understand them.

[BooHoo]

All of this FA talk and non-talk is getting old. I can't wait until the draft next month.

[Brohm]

Contracts aside, I like the idea of drafting a DB every year. We have one of the best cornerback tandems in the league, each with a different skill set. It would be a good idea to stock up on some young talent that can learn behind these two, before they get to long in the tooth.

Edit: Some may think it overstocking, but hey...we got Ahman Green for Fred Vinson once the dust settled DB's are always in demand, just like a good, young developing QB (Hasselbeck, Detmer, Brooks, etc.).

We need to get back to that.

[Patler]

Re: Contracts

Woodson's deal has a big break in cost after 3 years.

I see it as a 3 year deal with a lot of back end costs that make it look large.

Woodson's deal is really a 3 year deal and his replacement has to be found this year or next or it begins to get expensive.

The deal is why so many keep saying the Packers need a CB in the draft.

NO NO NO

i call bullshit

you and everyone else use full contracts to show how insane all the deals are that are being made

none of those deals are what the appear to be. none of those guys will get all that money

but now its ok, to see contracts for what they are. only when it helps your cause out

complete bull shit

red- don't be so hard on them. I think the problem is some of these guys don't know how to READ the contracts or understand them.

Well, I know how to read them, as well as the CBA, There are two things to look at, signing bonuses and salaries + bonuses over the first two to three years. Many of the contracts this year are absurd in the guaranteed money in the first year or two.

Woodson's deal isn't all that expensive over the first few years, so yes, he was realtively inexpensive.

4 million signing bonus
4.4 million roster and "other"bonus in 2006
1.5 million salary in 2006
1.25 million salary in 2007
2.3 million roster/"other" bonus in 2007

...and, don't forget, much of the 6.7 million in "other" bonuses in 2006 and 2007 are "per game" bonuses that are not earned if he is on onjured reserve. There is tremendous protection for the team in that contract. This was a huge step down for woodson, who was demanding much more guaranteed money early in FA.

So, looking at various scenarios ask youself these questions:
How much would GB have been out if Woodson never made it out of training camp?
Or if he had been hurt and done at some point during the season?
Or was cut after 2006?
Or is cut after 2007?

Now, compare that to some of the other contracts last year or this year. If you really look at them, Green has more guaranteed money than Woodson through the first two years, which is about all either one will last.

When I complain about a contract, it is based on the money the team can't avoid paying at various stages in the contract.

[Scott Campbell]

Re: Contracts

[When I complain about a contract, it is based on the money the team can't avoid paying at various stages in the contract.

Seems like you haven't had that much to complain about in that regard since they showed Shermy the door.

[Patler]

Re: Green Bay and Chicago (only teams without a signing)

The Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears are the only two teams in the NFL who have not signed a free agent.

Well, there goes the argument, that 1/3 of the league "has not been active in free agency, WHAT is the rush?".

What a joke.

I believe the premise of this thread is inaccurate. I'm sure someone will correct me if I am wrong.

Carolina has signed one FA, Na'il Diggs, who was their own FA. So how is that different than GB resigning Walter or White who were both UFAs?

I don't believe the Giants have signed a FA, they made a trade.

Indianapolis signed one, Morris, who of course was their own FA.

The Jets haven't signed a FA, they made a trade too.

Pittsburgh has signed one, Najeh Davenport, who was their own. So how is that different than GB resigning Walter or White who were both UFAs?

So I think it is accurate to say 7 of 32 teams have not been active in FA.

[HarveyWallbangers]

Re: Green Bay and Chicago (only teams without a signing)

So I think it is accurate to say 7 of 32 teams have not been active in FA.

Thanks. That makes me feel much better.