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Right on the money
Packers $13.3 million beneath salary cap
By BOB McGINN
bmcginn@journalsentinel.com
Posted: Aug. 8, 2007
Green Bay - If the Green Bay Packers ever want to toss the dice and go after an expensive player, this year and next look like as good a chance as any to do it.
Brimming with salary-cap room and with nowhere they have to spend it, the Packers can play out 2007 and head into free agency next winter in prime shape.
"Quite frankly, every team goes at it differently," general manager Ted Thompson said Wednesday. "If you think you've got a shot to do something, maybe you become like the Yankees and say, 'OK, fine. We'll go for it.' I'm not knocking the Yankees, but they can throw some money at it and fix it."
Thompson's steady-as-she-goes stint astride the Packers' football helm suggests Yankee-like aggressiveness isn't forthcoming. Should he change course, however, the money is there for him to make waves.
Presently, the Packers stand $13.3 million beneath their adjusted salary cap of $109.653 million, giving them the ninth-most room in the National Football League. Of their 90 players under contract, 71 have deals beyond this season.
Of those 19 players with expiring contracts, there's not one that the Packers must break the bank to retain.
"We're always involved in something," said Thompson. "But I wouldn't categorize anything as pressing."
Among the six unrestricted free agents, tight end Donald Lee is the only starter and defensive tackle Corey Williams perhaps is the most valuable.
Running back Vernand Morency heads the six-man class of upcoming restricted free agents, but he would have a lot to prove before the Packers would deem it expedient to throw money at him.
Thompson has based his rebuilding effort around the draft, not free agency or the trade market. Draft choices are younger and work cheaper than veterans, which is one reason the Packers have such vigorous financial health.
At the same time, Thompson decided against what he considered overspending to retain such players as Mike Wahle, Marco Rivera and Darren Sharper in 2005, Ryan Longwell and Mike Flanagan in '06, and Ahman Green and David Martin in '07.
It's also possible that Javon Walker might have stayed in Green Bay if Thompson quietly would have satisfied his monetary requests before runaway emotions on both sides led to his trade in April 2006.
Since taking over in January 2005, Thompson has made his most significant cash outlays by extending the contracts of such players as Bubba Franks, Aaron Kampman, Donald Driver, Scott Wells, Al Harris, Nick Barnett and Cullen Jenkins. Of the group, only the Franks signing can be questioned.
"We want to make sure we're in a position where we can make decisions based on football merit as opposed to dollar signs," Thompson said. "We don't want to be in that type of position ever. So we try to make good decisions, sign our own players and go forward.
"If we need to do something or have an opportunity to do something we're in a position where we can do that and not stretch ourselves too thin. Simple as that. Same way someone would with a budget anywhere."
Even 18 months from now, the Packers should have few concerns. The only players of substance due to become unrestricted free agents in March 2009 are Mark Tauscher and Brady Poppinga. Tauscher will have played 10 seasons by then and might be nearing the end, and Poppinga has yet to prove he's a long-term starter.
"We work hard to try to provide flexibility for the present while protecting the future," said Andrew Brandt, who negotiates almost every contract as vice president of player finance.
The Packers also have gone well past the point where the retirement of Brett Favre would damage their cap. If Favre retires after this season, with three years left on his contract, his $12 million base salary for 2008 would become void. The only cap remaining charges would be $600,000 in '08 and $300,000 in '09.
As it stands now, the Packers rank about 23rd in so-called "dead money" at $3.2 million (3.3% of their cap), well down from about $7.2 million 12 months ago.
Only six departed players are counting more than $100,000 against Green Bay's cap, including Ahmad Carroll ($1.861 million), Cory Rodgers ($348,840), Kevin Barry ($306,720), Donnell Washington ($177,500), Mark Roman ($175,000) and B.J. Sander ($145,907).
Contrast that with the Houston Texans, who have nine of their ex-players counting more than $1 million. The Texans lead the NFL with $32 million.
"'Dead money' is just part of doing business," Thompson said. "I don't know we did better or were smarter. Maybe we were luckier. This is a game of people."
Using a "pay as you go" philosophy, the Packers have used favorable cap situations in recent years to front-load contracts of their veterans. Most NFL deals provide more money to players the longer they play, but in many cases the Packers structured contracts to use up immediate cap space and lessen the load later.
A total of 18 players presently counting $1 million or more against Green Bay's cap have contracts for next year. Thirteen of those 18 players have cap-salary increases for '08 that total $8.81 million whereas the other five show decreases next year totaling $4.61 million.
Unlike some teams, the Packers haven't had to cut useful players because the later years of their contracts became prohibitive. With the salary cap expected to rise another $8 million or so next year, the Packers will have more than enough room to maneuver.
"As best we can, we're comfortable trying to stay a little bit ahead of the game," said Thompson. "I do think teams are better now at managing this end of the football process."
Packers $13.3 million beneath salary cap
By BOB McGINN
bmcginn@journalsentinel.com
Posted: Aug. 8, 2007
Green Bay - If the Green Bay Packers ever want to toss the dice and go after an expensive player, this year and next look like as good a chance as any to do it.
Brimming with salary-cap room and with nowhere they have to spend it, the Packers can play out 2007 and head into free agency next winter in prime shape.
"Quite frankly, every team goes at it differently," general manager Ted Thompson said Wednesday. "If you think you've got a shot to do something, maybe you become like the Yankees and say, 'OK, fine. We'll go for it.' I'm not knocking the Yankees, but they can throw some money at it and fix it."
Thompson's steady-as-she-goes stint astride the Packers' football helm suggests Yankee-like aggressiveness isn't forthcoming. Should he change course, however, the money is there for him to make waves.
Presently, the Packers stand $13.3 million beneath their adjusted salary cap of $109.653 million, giving them the ninth-most room in the National Football League. Of their 90 players under contract, 71 have deals beyond this season.
Of those 19 players with expiring contracts, there's not one that the Packers must break the bank to retain.
"We're always involved in something," said Thompson. "But I wouldn't categorize anything as pressing."
Among the six unrestricted free agents, tight end Donald Lee is the only starter and defensive tackle Corey Williams perhaps is the most valuable.
Running back Vernand Morency heads the six-man class of upcoming restricted free agents, but he would have a lot to prove before the Packers would deem it expedient to throw money at him.
Thompson has based his rebuilding effort around the draft, not free agency or the trade market. Draft choices are younger and work cheaper than veterans, which is one reason the Packers have such vigorous financial health.
At the same time, Thompson decided against what he considered overspending to retain such players as Mike Wahle, Marco Rivera and Darren Sharper in 2005, Ryan Longwell and Mike Flanagan in '06, and Ahman Green and David Martin in '07.
It's also possible that Javon Walker might have stayed in Green Bay if Thompson quietly would have satisfied his monetary requests before runaway emotions on both sides led to his trade in April 2006.
Since taking over in January 2005, Thompson has made his most significant cash outlays by extending the contracts of such players as Bubba Franks, Aaron Kampman, Donald Driver, Scott Wells, Al Harris, Nick Barnett and Cullen Jenkins. Of the group, only the Franks signing can be questioned.
"We want to make sure we're in a position where we can make decisions based on football merit as opposed to dollar signs," Thompson said. "We don't want to be in that type of position ever. So we try to make good decisions, sign our own players and go forward.
"If we need to do something or have an opportunity to do something we're in a position where we can do that and not stretch ourselves too thin. Simple as that. Same way someone would with a budget anywhere."
Even 18 months from now, the Packers should have few concerns. The only players of substance due to become unrestricted free agents in March 2009 are Mark Tauscher and Brady Poppinga. Tauscher will have played 10 seasons by then and might be nearing the end, and Poppinga has yet to prove he's a long-term starter.
"We work hard to try to provide flexibility for the present while protecting the future," said Andrew Brandt, who negotiates almost every contract as vice president of player finance.
The Packers also have gone well past the point where the retirement of Brett Favre would damage their cap. If Favre retires after this season, with three years left on his contract, his $12 million base salary for 2008 would become void. The only cap remaining charges would be $600,000 in '08 and $300,000 in '09.
As it stands now, the Packers rank about 23rd in so-called "dead money" at $3.2 million (3.3% of their cap), well down from about $7.2 million 12 months ago.
Only six departed players are counting more than $100,000 against Green Bay's cap, including Ahmad Carroll ($1.861 million), Cory Rodgers ($348,840), Kevin Barry ($306,720), Donnell Washington ($177,500), Mark Roman ($175,000) and B.J. Sander ($145,907).
Contrast that with the Houston Texans, who have nine of their ex-players counting more than $1 million. The Texans lead the NFL with $32 million.
"'Dead money' is just part of doing business," Thompson said. "I don't know we did better or were smarter. Maybe we were luckier. This is a game of people."
Using a "pay as you go" philosophy, the Packers have used favorable cap situations in recent years to front-load contracts of their veterans. Most NFL deals provide more money to players the longer they play, but in many cases the Packers structured contracts to use up immediate cap space and lessen the load later.
A total of 18 players presently counting $1 million or more against Green Bay's cap have contracts for next year. Thirteen of those 18 players have cap-salary increases for '08 that total $8.81 million whereas the other five show decreases next year totaling $4.61 million.
Unlike some teams, the Packers haven't had to cut useful players because the later years of their contracts became prohibitive. With the salary cap expected to rise another $8 million or so next year, the Packers will have more than enough room to maneuver.
"As best we can, we're comfortable trying to stay a little bit ahead of the game," said Thompson. "I do think teams are better now at managing this end of the football process."
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