Starting to get irritated with lack of free agency news..

[adambr2]

Very well said.

Thanks.

I get the willingness to pay more for your own. I really do. Familiarity in most cases can't hurt.

But at some point, if you're paying your own "Player A" 4 years and 24 million at his position, and an equal or better "Player B" earned 5 years and 20 million on the open market, you're not being very efficient.

 

[JacobInFlorida]

He's the best player at his position in the NFL. I don't know how exactly you're defining impact player but Byrd certainly compares a heck of a lot more closely to Clay Matthews than he does to James Jones.

Best player at his position is subjective.

My point was Clay Matthews is a guy a franchise will do what is necessary to keep. He's a "build your cap situation with this guy in mind", offer him what is necessary kind of guy. The Bills obviously didn't feel Byrd was that impactful to them and not many other teams seemed to think that way either. He's a safety. Not a position that's make or break in a defense.

 

[JacobInFlorida]

Thanks.

I get the willingness to pay more for your own. I really do. Familiarity in most cases can't hurt.

But at some point, if you're paying your own "Player A" 4 years and 24 million at his position, and an equal or better "Player B" earned 5 years and 20 million on the open market, you're not being very efficient.

Who's player B and how do you gauge efficiency? Maybe the packers front office evaluation is that shields was that good compared to what the market is saying.

 

[JacobInFlorida]

^This!

I have been thinking EXACTLY the same thing. I am glad that Shields is back, but just find it strange that the Packers are so willing to pay big money and often over-pay for our own guys, but so reluctant to pull the trigger on others. There is risk in both cases-- neither are guarantees.

I don't buy the "they must be FAs because there is something amiss" theory.

Maybe the packers talent evaluation staff have determined that for the money, their guys are better than what's out there? Maybe they felt all things considered, shields was the best CB available and gave him what they think he'll be worth?

 

[longtimefan]

It would tickle me to see Allen go to Chicago and Peppers to minnesota. Meanwhile the Packers bring in some guy from Pittsburgh. Lol amazing smh. The defense is already making huge strides.

In chat you wanted Allen to go to the Bears and do well, to teach TT a lesson?

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[Deleted member 6794]

Best player at his position is subjective.

My point was Clay Matthews is a guy a franchise will do what is necessary to keep. He's a "build your cap situation with this guy in mind", offer him what is necessary kind of guy. The Bills obviously didn't feel Byrd was that impactful to them and not many other teams seemed to think that way either. He's a safety. Not a position that's make or break in a defense.

Once again, the Bills offered Byrd a contract that would have made him the highest paid safety for part of it. He didn´t accept it because he wanted out of Buffalo.

 

[adambr2]

Best player at his position is subjective.

My point was Clay Matthews is a guy a franchise will do what is necessary to keep. He's a "build your cap situation with this guy in mind", offer him what is necessary kind of guy. The Bills obviously didn't feel Byrd was that impactful to them and not many other teams seemed to think that way either. He's a safety. Not a position that's make or break in a defense.

Um....yes they did. He just wouldn't take it. They paid him as the best player at his position.

This is silly, to say that teams didn't think Byrd was "very impactful". As far as your statement that safety isn't a "make or break" position in a defense, I hardly even know what to say. It certainly "broke" us last year.

I bet the Bears feel the same way, particularly about Chris Conte.

I can't believe any Packer fan would undervalue the safety position if they watched our safety play at all last season. Just because a top safety doesn't make as much as a top corner doesn't make them not "impactful".

 

[JacobInFlorida]

Byrd knew he was going to get more money than what Buffalo offered and he did. That and his disappointment from being tagged last year and no real effort by Buffalo to sign him last year are the reasons he turned it down. I'm not arguing that Buffalo was his top choice, but from everything I was told, they weren't really out of the picture either if they would've paid him more than the Saints.

Second, the notion that safety was what broke us last year is not really true IMO. There were issues all over the defense. We weren't as bad there as some like to think. Certainly not a strength, but not bottom of the barrel as is the popular opinion here.

I never said safeties don't have an impact. I just don't believe we go out and overpay for a the "best" free agent safety and we're suddenly great on defense. I just don't think the value is there.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

Byrd knew he was going to get more money than what Buffalo offered and he did. That and his disappointment from being tagged last year and no real effort by Buffalo to sign him last year are the reasons he turned it down. I'm not arguing that Buffalo was his top choice, but from everything I was told, they weren't really out of the picture either if they would've paid him more than the Saints.

The Bills offered to make him the highest paid safety over a portion of the deal. That was before the Steelers restructured Troy Polamalu´s contract, so I actually think they offered him more than the $9 million per year the Saints will pay him.

Second, the notion that safety was what broke us last year is not really true IMO. There were issues all over the defense. We weren't as bad there as some like to think. Certainly not a strength, but not bottom of the barrel as is the popular opinion here.

They didn´t have a single interception!!! For the first time in at least 50 years!!! We had for sure one of the worst safety tandems in the league.

 

[bubba]

We signed 2 already. Our own guys nobody else wanted. Don't seem like a lot of teams interested in many of our guys. Don't worry TT will take you all back and we will field the same sorry defense as last year plus a few rookies. I expect Raji will be our next signing. Lucky MD Jennings signed with the Bears or he would be back also. Looks like TT is saying to Capers I gave you good players you need to coach them better. So the bad defense must be a coaching issue.

BJ yes! what a prediction. We are slowly getting our wonderful defense back together.

 

[Carl]

I can't wait until the team is good again this season and I can tell all the people who are panicking I told you so.

 

[Shawnsta3]

5 straight playoff appearances, 3 straight division titles, keep on doing what you're doing Ted. You've got my stockholder and fan support.

 

[easyk83]

I say this every year... but remember Ted's biggest FA signing didn't occur until May.

 

[Carl]

We signed 2 already. Our own guys nobody else wanted. Don't seem like a lot of teams interested in many of our guys. Don't worry TT will take you all back and we will field the same sorry defense as last year plus a few rookies. I expect Raji will be our next signing. Lucky MD Jennings signed with the Bears or he would be back also. Looks like TT is saying to Capers I gave you good players you need to coach them better. So the bad defense must be a coaching issue.

You somehow know nobody else wanted Shields? He didn't even hit the market so I'm not sure how you could know that. I guarantee though if he did, there would have been teams interested.

 

[NOMOFO]

win division go to playoffs repeate - win division go to playoffs repeate -win division go to playoffs repeate -win division go to playoffs repeate -win division go to playoffs repeate -win division go to playoffs repeate -win division go to playoffs repeate -

one of the winningest teams in the nfl under TT repeat - one of the winningest teams in the nfl under TT repeat -one of the winningest teams in the nfl under TT repeat -one of the winningest teams in the nfl under TT repeat -one of the winningest teams in the nfl under TT repeat -one of the winningest teams in the nfl under TT repeat -

 

[longtimefan]

We have spending money right?

http://www.packerforum.com/threads/we-dont-have-as-much-money-as-you-think.50989/

 

[FrankRizzo]

BOUGHT some PEPPERS.
Secretly. No advanced rumors of this even with JP being in Green Bay for a visit.

SUCK IT WERDER and Albert BREER and Adam Schefter!

I wonder if we have money to sign Safety Chris Clemons too..... that would fill all holes on defense other than upgrading ILB with Chris Borland in the draft.

 

[PikeBadger]

Don't worry...the excuse will start rolling in come mid season when the defense is ranked in the bottom of the league . We're young, guys are hurt, blah blah blah. Teddy can do no wrong to some of these guys. I really don't hate TT I don't , but there are other GM's who seem to have more urgency.

Urgency or impatience?
Many of the gm's churn their roster annually and never develop team unity because of the revolving door. Thompson is a very patient, unhurried man. That fact drives the immature chicken littles here crazy.......... And makes me giggle.

I'm not a TT can do no wrong guy, but I do understand that he, the scouts, and the coaching staff have a lot more info to work with than any of us keypad clowns on this forum

Don't worry...the excuse will start rolling in come mid season when the defense is ranked in the bottom of the league . We're young, guys are hurt, blah blah blah. Teddy can do no wrong to some of these guys. I really don't hate TT I don't , but there are other GM's who seem to have more urgency.

 

[jaybadger82]

Once again, the Bills offered Byrd a contract that would have made him the highest paid safety for part of it. He didn´t accept it because he wanted out of Buffalo.

This underscores the nature of free agency that seems lost on many posters here (not the captain, specifically).

Landing a quality free agent is often more complicated than offering the biggest contract. You're dealing with a person that has a life outside of football. A free agent's decision to sign may depend as much on quality of life as it does on money. Believe it or not, these are actual human beings with lives outside the football field and they're going to evaluate a variety of factors before they uproot themselves in order start somewhere else.

A free agent has to want to play for the Packers. And Green Bay may not be the destination of choice for many free agents.

Take a look at Byrd: he clearly wanted out of Buffalo, turning down a larger deal to stay with the Bills. Perhaps he didn't like the cold weather or life in a small northern town bored him. (Sounds a bit like Green Bay.) While we can offer a spot on a playoff contender, so can the Saints. Plus New Orleans has warm weather and a much lower income tax rate. The assumption that we could have / should have just convinced Byrd to play here seems out-of-touch. I'm not sure whether the Packers approached Byrd but I suspect he had no interest in coming to Green Bay unless we paid a significant premium.

Going back to Woodson in 2006, from his Wikipedia page:

Woodson has stated that at the time of the contract he "did not want to come to Green Bay" due to a perception that the city is less than cosmopolitan, but was forced to do so because the Packers were the only team to offer him a contract. The cornerback has since lauded the Packers organization, Mike McCarthy, and the people of the State of Wisconsin for having faith in him, and has declared that "it was truly a blessing coming to Green Bay."

So, when courting free agents, I think it's safe to say Green Bay faces some hurdles. There's a perception, as Woodson mentions. It's probably not the most exciting city to be young and wealthy in. The weather gets pretty crappy. The income tax rate is higher than many other markets.

Bottom line: the worldview that says we should be able to just go out and get whatever free agent ignores the fact that you're dealing with a person that may not be interested in coming to Green Bay.

It's a bit of a childish perspective that demands a particular free agent ("I want it and I want it now!"), like a spoiled child demanding a candy bar from mommy at a grocery store checkout. Free agency is really more like courtship between adults and sometimes the pretty girl at the bar is going to turn you down.

OK. Lecture over. I'll climb off my soapbox.

 

[GoPGo]

I guarantee you he would have called Byrd , Allen, Peppers, ware or whoever would give this team the best chance at winning now. Of course he would've had a plan but please believe he would have tried to improve by at least adding one of those guys listed above . TT? Let's draft and hope for the best.

You were saying?

 

[NOMOFO]

You were saying?

 

[FrankRizzo]

I can't wait until the team is good again this season and I can tell all the people who are panicking I told you so.

You told us so?
Told us what?
Vegas already had us as about the #5 ranked team as far as odds to win next Super Bowl.

We've been good for awhile. We were good last year. With Rodgers.
Big difference between good and great though, right?

Who here said we aren't good, with Rodgers?
Told us so? Told us what?

 

[Carl]

You told us so?
Told us what?
Vegas already had us as about the #5 ranked team as far as odds to win next Super Bowl.

We've been good for awhile. We were good last year. With Rodgers.
Big difference between good and great though, right?

Who here said we aren't good, with Rodgers?
Told us so? Told us what?

You've really never seen anybody on here say we are average or can't compete with the best or think the Bears or catching up? I sure have.

 

[ivo610]

People are allowed to have opinions even if they are about Teddy calm down. You can clearly tell which teams want to improve and are willing to do what it takes to get there. The Broncos are already slated in the SB to represent the AFC while the Packers are probably the 5 th best team in the NFC. There is a great chance we will make the playoffs but this team will not sniff another SB at its current state hate to break it to you guys who wear rose shaded glasses. The Packers have none Nothing to catch up to the Niners, Or Seahawks or even Saints for that matter. It wouldn't shock me if someone else wins the North . Rodgers will forever be linked to Farse in another way ....1 SB title if this keeps up. That my friends is a dam shame.

Hows New Orleans, Denver, and San Fran doing?

 

[adambr2]

You can clearly tell which teams want to improve and are willing to do what it takes to get there. The Broncos are already slated in the SB to represent the AFC while the Packers are probably the 5 th best team in the NFC.

Aside from the fact that you were dead wrong on both counts, can you see how ridiculous this sounds? "You can clearly see which teams want to improve?" Do you honestly believe that Ted Thompson does not WANT to improve the team? Do you think he's out there playing golf in March, with agents calling him, and he's saying, "Nah guys, this is my me time. I'm not really interested in looking at anybody. Get back to me before the draft."

The Packers have done Nothing to catch up to the Niners, Or Seahawks or even Saints for that matter.

Niners, no playoffs, salary cap hell next year. Saints, ditto. Seahawks, I guess we'll find out on Sunday, but the fact that we're playing in the NFC Championship Game is pretty good evidence that you were wrong.

It wouldn't shock me if someone else wins the North .

We know, Rodell. You do this every single year. You freak out in the spring and tell us that we're stuck in neutral or regressing, and the mighty Lions, Bears, and Vikings are getting better. You go ahead and punch Super Bowl tickets for the NFC offseason free agency winner (Broncos this year).

For the love of God I'm asking you just this one offseason to let things play out, sit back and R-E-L-A-X, and accept the knowledge that while you are certainly a passionate Packer fan, you would make a complete disaster of a GM. Please stop assuming that the Lombardi will be awarded every year to the team that buys the most expensive players. It will save you a lot of egg on your face at the end of every season.