Who deserves a new deal first: Matthews or Rodgers?

[FrankRizzo]

Read the info first, then vote. McGinn has some great info on these things.
Good info here, my question is which guy should they give a new, long-term contract to, first?
Aaron or Clay?
Rodgers or Matthews?

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This salary cap # info can't be right. Can it?
http://www.sportscity.com/nfl/salaries/green-bay-packers-salaries/

This is some good info here, from Bob McGruff:
http://www.jsonline.com/sports/pack...ace-about-to-get-tight-ho6uq85-170795046.html

The way it stands now, there are 20 players under contract to Green Bay for next year who are to count about $98.36 million. The unadjusted cap for 2012 is $120.6 million, and projections are that the cap will remain almost flat until 2016.

That doesn't include wide receiver Greg Jennings, either. That's because the two sides are so far apart that it's almost a fait accompli he will depart as an unrestricted free agent in March if he isn't traded first.

Jennings' current cap salary is $7.5 million. If the Packers place the franchise tag on Jennings, the immediate charge on their cap would be about $10 million.

The gorilla in the board room is David Dunn, the agent whose client list includes quarterback Aaron Rodgers, linebacker Clay Matthews and nose tackle B.J. Raji.

Indications are that the Packers would like to have the contracts of all three players extended by early 2013, quite possibly by the start of the National Football League year in early March.

After this (2012) season, Rodgers will have two years left on a 2008 contract that ranks him 12th among quarterbacks in average per year at $12.7 million.

Matthews' original deal expires after the 2013 season.
Ditto for Raji, whose option for 2014 will become void.

Using rough estimates, let's say the cap salaries for Rodgers, Matthews and Raji climb by a total of $18 million for 2013. How the Packers decide to accommodate such an increase could impact the team significantly.

"It's a challenge being a good organization like this," defensive end Ryan Pickett said. "They draft well. Pick up good players. Then it's time for everybody to get paid.

"So they have a tough road ahead of them. It's going to take some hard work because we've got so many good players. I hope we can keep everybody together, man, because we've got a chance to keep doing special things around here."

IMO, Matthews deserves the new deal more than anyone not only on our team, but in the NFL.
That dude has way outperformed his contract. He's as important to the defense as Rodgers is to the offense, almost.
He's played 4 years on that rookie deal.

There's no way in hell that we can afford Jennings back. Finley is debatable.
And Woodson can't stay at that #.
It really sucks that we're locked into overpaying so much for Hawk, a guy who makes no big plays... he gets paid to make big plays, not just be there.

Sam Shields will get a big raise too... will we slap the 2nd round tender on him?

 

[tynimiller]

Re-structuring or doing something with Woodson's enormously large number is crucial and will impact how we play out the rest. I also feel Jennings just doesn't make sense at his age, his desire to stay (lacking), and our other weapons. I'll live with however they treat Finley...

Say you cut both Finley and restructure/cut Woodson that is a TON of money!

 

[ivo610]

You part ways with finley, Kuhn, Saturday, Woodson, and see what you can do about hawks contract.

I would work on Rodgers contract bc it's the bigger one. It's the one you can work with the most to give flexibility in other years. It's going to be a longer contract than Matthews.

I get nervous at the thought of having the highest paid offensive and defensive player on the team.

I'd try and finagle Matthews $ to be impacted by the number of games he plays. Hurt every season isn't good.

It's not like they can't work on both at the same time though, they can and are.

 

[Vltrophy]

If CW is willing to play for $2M next year then great! He supposed to make about $6.4M. As much as he's hurt $2M is sufficient. Hawk had a good year this past season. What we NEED to do is either draft a 6"2"-6"5" 320lb DT to work beside Raji or get a FA.

 

[7thFloorRA]

Just have CWood sign for 2 mil give a 2 mil donation to the hospital he usually donates to.

Kuhn's time has come. He really serves no purpose. Crabtree can be used as the extra blocker if need be. Crabtree also had more rushing yards than Kuhn this year just on that 1 special teams play.

Shields showed enough that he needs to be payed to stay. He improved quite a bit this year in spite of the lengthy injury.

Hawk just makes too much. Its time to go unless he takes a big cut. He was better this year but he still has too many holes in his game that good teams exploit.

The guy I am not sold on is Raji. He is too damn lazy half the time. Can't win with that kind of effort. Can't do it. Can't pay him to be a dead *** every other play.

 

[Vltrophy]

I'd like to keep GJ & Finley if we can get GJ at a discount b/c of his injury & Finley aggrees to a pay reduction as he's not worth his check. I actually expect KC to make a move for both Flynn & GJ. I'd be willing to let GJ go since we do have a good depth of WRs. When it comes to finding top WRs TT has the inside track

 

[bozz_2006]

Re-structuring or doing something with Woodson's enormously large number is crucial and will impact how we play out the rest. I also feel Jennings just doesn't make sense at his age, his desire to stay (lacking), and our other weapons. I'll live with however they treat Finley...

Say you cut both Finley and restructure/cut Woodson that is a TON of money!

You do have to make sure you're looking at the right numbers. Their salaries combine for ~$11M next season, but because of bonuses and whatnot, their cap hit is around ~$16M. So, if they're cut, that ~$5M discrepancy stays on the books. Are they both in the final year of their contracts in 2013? Finley is, I'm pretty sure. Not sure about Woodson, but if he has a couple years left, you'll have to look at how much money stays on the books in subsequent years as well.

 

[Vltrophy]

You do have to make sure you're looking at the right numbers. Their salaries combine for ~$11M next season, but because of bonuses and whatnot, their cap hit is around ~$16M. So, if they're cut, that ~$5M discrepancy stays on the books. Are they both in the final year of their contracts in 2013? Finley is, I'm pretty sure. Not sure about Woodson, but if he has a couple years left, you'll have to look at how much money stays on the books in subsequent years as well.

I think CW has 2 yrs left on his contract. I can see a minimum of at least 5 guys not on the team next yr & as many as 10

 

[FrankRizzo]

I'd hate to be the one who asks Woodson (agent) to take a pay cut.

We all saw how bad our run defense was against Peterson missing Woodson, then when Woodson came back he made a big difference.
Of course, he was still part of the green sea parting against Kaepernick & Gore. But at least Woodson tries to get in there all the time and isn't afraid of contact like most of the other DB's are.

 

[Vltrophy]

I would hate to lose CW but w/his injuries the amount of games he misses I can't see TT paying him $6.4M

 

[El Guapo]

I'll catch hell for this, but I believe that Matthews is more crucial to the team than Rodgers. That said, we will sign both of these guys so who gets signed first really is really not an issue.

 

[ivo610]

I'll catch hell for this, but I believe that Matthews is more crucial to the team than Rodgers. That said, we will sign both of these guys so who gets signed first really is really not an issue.

I'll throw some hell your way for that.

Come on, it's a QB league.

 

[ivo610]

I'd like to keep GJ & Finley if we can get GJ at a discount b/c of his injury & Finley aggrees to a pay reduction as he's not worth his check. I actually expect KC to make a move for both Flynn & GJ. I'd be willing to let GJ go since we do have a good depth of WRs. When it comes to finding top WRs TT has the inside track

Jennings is going to sign with the team that pays the most $. That won't be the packers. I think if you are talking long term Jennings isn't a good signing for the packers.

Finley has no incentive to renegotiate. They could cut him and then he'll get a multi year deal somewhere else. It's a win win for him.

 

[Vltrophy]

Jennings is going to sign with the team that pays the most $. That won't be the packers. I think if you are talking long term Jennings isn't a good signing for the packers.

Finley has no incentive to renegotiate. They could cut him and then he'll get a multi year deal somewhere else. It's a win win for him.

i can't see another team paying Finley more than the Packers are. He's not worth it

 

[ivo610]

i can't see another team paying Finley more than the Packers are. He's not worth it

You are right, sort of. No team is going to pay him 8 mil a year. But some team could easily sign him to a 4 yr contract which in total value would be worth more than his 1 yr $8 mil contract

 

[BorderRivals.com]

I really don't care who gets paid first as long as both Rodgers and Matthews sign long-term deals ensuring we enjoy the prime of their careers!

And I completely agree with the Kuhn assessment. The one play he brought to the team - the FB dive - is SOOOOO predictable.

 

[bozz_2006]

Honestly, I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if Wood volunteers to take a pay cut if it'll keep the band together.

 

[Bensalama21]

I believe we will restructure Woodson's deal.

Rodgers will be the first to sign a max contract, followed by Matthews (close to max?)
Hawk will have to be resigned due to a need for linebackers
We will see from there

 

[El Guapo]

I'll throw some hell your way for that. Come on, it's a QB league.

True but McCarthy's system turned around Favre's career, made Rodgers an MVP, and got Flynn a big contract. Folks were down on what they first saw of Harrell, but I truly believe that with the Packers receiving corps and the ability to get high production out of whomever is in the system, Rodgers himself is less important than Matthews...and that's not taking anything away from Rodgers.

If our team was just as saavy about plugging in "the-next-guy-up" to play outside linebacker, my opinion would easily change.

Like I said though, we are signing both guys so this isn't an either or discussion. It's more of a hypothetical about who first and why

 

[ivo610]

True but McCarthy's system turned around Favre's career, made Rodgers an MVP, and got Flynn a big contract. Folks were down on what they first saw of Harrell, but I truly believe that with the Packers receiving corps and the ability to get high production out of whomever is in the system, Rodgers himself is less important than Matthews...and that's not taking anything away from Rodgers.

If our team was just as saavy about plugging in "the-next-guy-up" to play outside linebacker, my opinion would easily change.

Like I said though, we are signing both guys so this isn't an either or discussion. It's more of a hypothetical about who first and why

So you are saying taking Rodgers out of the line up would have less of an impact on the teams success than Matthews? Reguardless of one touching the ball 40 times a game and the other very rarely?

Favre did decent with McCarthy but he's a HOF talent. Flynn didnt get a whole lot of love in FA and is now on the bench. You must have alot of faith in Harrell

 

[FrankRizzo]

I'll catch hell for this, but I believe that Matthews is more crucial to the team than Rodgers. That said, we will sign both of these guys so who gets signed first really is really not an issue.

*We haven't seen the Packers without Rodgers.
When we don't have Matthews, it's an ugly sight.

 

[Kitten]

Rodgers without question. This is no slight on Clay but, you take care of your elite QB first. Ideally both at the same time but if it comes down to it Aaron has to come first. I personally don't think it will be a problem or even an issue who gets signed first. I think they will both be signed no questions.

 

[El Guapo]

So you are saying taking Rodgers out of the line up would have less of an impact on the teams success than Matthews? Reguardless of one touching the ball 40 times a game and the other very rarely?

Favre did decent with McCarthy but he's a HOF talent. Flynn didnt get a whole lot of love in FA and is now on the bench. You must have alot of faith in Harrell

Yup. That's what I'm saying. You actually prove my point with Flynn. They saw him as playing great in the system, not so great outside of it. Again, I'm not laying faith in Harrell but faith in the system. You must also be forgetting about the years when teams "dared" Brett Favre to beat them, because he was sloppy and a shell of his MVP years prior to 2005. McCarthy brought the work ethic out of Favre and he had one of his best seasons in 2007. I don't think that had as much to do with Brett deciding to play better, but McCarthy and his QB system pulling that HOF talent back out of the guy.

The last time Rodgers was off the field, our backup almost beat a good Patriots team in Foxboro. I don't have the same faith in backup defensive ends

 

[BorderRivals.com]

I'm sorry, but this is absolutely absurd to me that this is even a discussion. We all know Matthews is great. He's one of the best defenders in the league. But, this is a league focused on QBs and you can only win when you have an elite QB. Think about it, the great pass rushers don't carry teams: Ware, Jared Allen, Julius Peppers, Von Miller... Heck, Houston got better when Mario Williams left. Now think back to the last several SB winners: NYG (Eli), GB (Rodgers), Pitt (Big Ben), NE (Brady), NO (Brees), Indy (Manning)... It's not an accident the common denominator is an elite or near-elite QB winning a SB. Rodgers is the most important player to this team.

 

[Southpaw]

Both guys need to get a new deal. They are both the best players on their given side of the ball.

We also need to find a way to keep Woodson for at least another year while we either groom Heyward for the postion or seek out one in the 2014 draft or in the FA pool.