Barnett Contract Done

[mraynrand]

Not trying to bash Brett at all here but he is an old QB who won't play much longer. I like the fact that TT isn't trying to make moves so Brett can try to make a legit run in the NFC only to get smashed by a AFC team in the Super Bowl. We are farther away than most people think.

I'd rather see the Packers get smashed in the Superbowl than finish their season after week 17.

[Rastak]

Looks like Barnett got a lot more than EJ Henderson, which makes sense because Barnett has show a whole lot more in his career than EJ.


I think Henderson got 10 mil in total gar money. All in all, a pretty good move by the packers in my opinion. Nicely frontloaded which on the negative side prevents the Packers from recovering it should something go wrong legally (maybe a jaywalking spree) but on the positive side it eats up this years cap but keeps the cap down the next couple years. makes sense to me.

[MJZiggy]

Nah, Rastak, I've read the new policy. He gets caught jaywalking again, he'll get suspended for the year and we won't have to pay him...

[Rastak]

Nah, Rastak, I've read the new policy. He gets caught jaywalking again, he'll get suspended for the year and we won't have to pay him...

Except the upfront money already paid of course! Based on the bad pub Green Bay got last time, I do not expect there to be any jaywalking arrests anytime soon.

[retailguy]

Not trying to bash Brett at all here but he is an old QB who won't play much longer. I like the fact that TT isn't trying to make moves so Brett can try to make a legit run in the NFC only to get smashed by a AFC team in the Super Bowl. We are farther away than most people think.

I'd rather see the Packers get smashed in the Superbowl than finish their season after week 17.

Me too. Completely agree.

[retailguy]

Most of the guys you listed were street or rookie FAs. Name the FAs they signed that got more than $1M/year. Personally, I'd much rather have the team do what Thompson has done. He tried the cheap FA route the last two years and it got him the Matt O'Dwyers and Marquand Manuels. How did that work? It usually doesn't.

Harvey, listing the UFA's isn't the point I'm trying to make. I'm not looking for the next Reggie White in free agency.

I'm looking for the next Mike Vrabel, or Roman Pfifer. Everyone points to Brady, but it's deeper than that. New England has had constant cornerback problems, yet they find a way to win, using depth at other positions. That depth came largely from free agency of some type.

We've got 7 starting holes, plus a bunch of depth issues. We got ONE guy so far, and passed on at least THREE others who could have helped fill spots, EVEN IF we are building through the draft.

Brady didn't "carry" that 2001 team to the playoffs. Did he play well? Of course. But that was the year of the infamous "tuck rule" if you recall, and they got a bit of luck, plus the defense played well, including all those "no name" guys you mention.

Who is our "backup" fullback? How about a backup "Tight End"? How about a complementary wide receiver to Driver and Jennings (who is also unproven)? Who is going to run the damn ball? How about a backup safety for Manuel? Maybe a weakside linebacker? Kickoff returner? Some safety depth so we can rid ourselves of Manuel? We can't improve on Miree? We can't improve on Bubba Franks? We can't improve on Marquand Manuel?

ALL THESE GUYS are coming from the draft? ALL THESE GUYS are coming from within? We don't have that much talent, and rookies don't step up in those numbers. Somewhere, we are playing 2007 with HOLES. We don't know where yet, but we will. Why not reduce those odds a bit with a proven player at a fair price, even if he's just a stopgap for a season or two?

That's what New England and Baltimore did. Chicago also. That's my point. Get off the high dollar UFA kick. That's never been what I wanted, and you guys know that.

Slicing and dicing the "type" of free agent is pretty pointless and cheapens your argument. You all talk about "building through the draft", but the majority of players on any team bounce around and fill "roles". I agree that the "core superstars" should come from within, but what about the rest of the guys? what's wrong with some of them being free agents?

[esoxx]

Not trying to bash Brett at all here but he is an old QB who won't play much longer. I like the fact that TT isn't trying to make moves so Brett can try to make a legit run in the NFC only to get smashed by a AFC team in the Super Bowl. We are farther away than most people think.

I'd rather see the Packers get smashed in the Superbowl than finish their season after week 17.

Me too. Completely agree.

Yeah I'd sure hate to win an NFC Championship along the way.

[PaCkFan_n_MD]

TT should of paid Ahman Green and went after Griffin and Hamlin. Griffin signed for about a mil a year and Hamlin a got 1 year for 2.5 mil. None would of broke the bank and would of both been upgrades with no long term repercussions. Both of these pick ups would have been like the signing of Frank walker. They would buy time for us to draft their replacements.

While I am a TT supporter and I do agree with building through the draft, it wouldn't hurt to sign some cheap upgrades to help the team now while were filling our holes.

[ND72]

On the local Appleton espn radio...they said that Ted was in contact with Ahman Green's agent up until the last second, offering "about as much as the Texans did"...but Ahman's agent said Ahman felt it was just time to move on, and back into the system he loved in Sherman's.

So I don't blame Thompson for that...he tried. I am one who said from the beginning of the offseason, that if Ahman Green left, it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world. And I still don't. It just depends on how we do in the draft.

[retailguy]

On the local Appleton espn radio...they said that Ted was in contact with Ahman Green's agent up until the last second, offering "about as much as the Texans did"...but Ahman's agent said Ahman felt it was just time to move on, and back into the system he loved in Sherman's.

So I don't blame Thompson for that...he tried. I am one who said from the beginning of the offseason, that if Ahman Green left, it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world. And I still don't. It just depends on how we do in the draft.

I don't believe this. If that was the case, he could have locked him up before free agency started.

Reports at the time had Thompson maxing out at about 4.5million and this seems logical knowing what we know about Thompson.

I just cannot see Ted Thompson getting into a bidding war for GOD, much less a football player.

[ND72]

Thompson has been known for making some bids...he out bide Tampa Bay for Charles Woodson, and he stayed in the bidding war last year for LaVarr Arrington. And I'm sorry, Ahman Green isn't worth much more than what Thompson reportedly offered at 4.5 million. Even that, I feel, is too expensive.

[b bulldog]

I agree and with his running style and history of injury, his better days are behind him imo.