2017 NFL Free Agent wishlist

[Pokerbrat2000]

I agree. Just figured maybe FanInColorado knows something that we don't.

I got impatient waiting for his response LOL

although, it would be nice that if a player retires/doesn't play, they lose any unearned signing bonuses, as well as the team not being on the hook for them.

 

[Poppa San]

I got impatient waiting for his response LOL

although, it would be nice that if a player retires/doesn't play, they lose any unearned signing bonuses, as well as the team not being on the hook for them.

http://www.behindthesteelcurtain.co...-retirements-and-trades-affect-the-salary-cap

Okay, there are actually two "buts" for retirements. When a player retires, the team has the option to pursue the return of a portion of the signing bonus equal to the unplayed portions of the contract, and that money is no longer counted against the salary cap. This is typically done through an arbitrator. This is known as the "Barry Sanders Rule" because this is exactly how the situation played out in his case, as he was required to pay back a portion of his bonus. The difference between now and then is there was no precedent when Sanders played; now, it's explicitly written into the CBA to allow for this arbitration.

(Maybe we can get CM3 to retire and become an actor in the remake of Thor.)

 

[Chris H]

Agreed.

Never too early to talk about our own pending free agents though? Not sure if a thread has already been started?

Julius Peppers OLB 36 - $8,666,667
T.J. Lang G 29 GB - $5,200,000
Nick Perry OLB 26 - $5,050,000
Jared Cook TE 29 GB - $2,750,000
Datone Jones OLB 26 - $1,929,147
Brett Goode LS 32 - $885,000
Eddie Lacy RB 25 - $848,103
Christine Michael RB 26 - $725,000
Don Barclay RT 27 - $700,000
J.C. Tretter C 25 - $643,977
Micah Hyde SS 25 - $584,527

In order of priority for me:

Lang, Tretter, Cook, Perry, Jones......beyond those 5 guys, let the chips fall as they may.

What about Hyde he is too valuable to lose, he has been so good on defense.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

What about Hyde he is too valuable to lose, he has been so good on defense.

Based on the last half of his season (after my post), I would include Hyde in that list of guys to resign, yes.

 

[Dantés]

As far as outside free agents, the guys I am keeping an eye on are:

-Chandler Jones, OLB, ARI
-Stephon Gilmore, CB, BUF
-Trumaine Johnson, CB, LA
-Dont'a Hightower, ILB, NE
-Zach Brown, ILB, BUF

I highly doubt that Jones or Hightower hit free agency, but there it is.

 

[Mondio]

I don't think ILB is on the radar personally. I think they like their guys, and with how this defense needs to operate, they better focus more on OLB and CB's

 

[PackAttack12]

Anyone that suggested re-signing Lacy, just say NO! Seen that movie enough.

 

[Sky King]

Every year we go through this. Every year TT continues to be...well...TT. Himself. Until he retires the front office is going to disappoint us when it comes to the hope that he will obtain more than just a rare (cheap) established FA pickup once in a blue moon.

I've got nothing against such bargains. Nobody does. But I'm not fond of avoiding free-agency when that also means the team virtually shuns the only viable option that remains for fixing glaring weaknesses (outside of D&D). Obviously, not all weaknesses have been adequately addressed via D&D along with the team re-signing some of its own. There needs to be a reasonable balance struck between strengthening the roster without also handcuffing it financially.

Besides, doling out millions to one of your own players can be just as much of a crap shoot as doing so for an established free-agent from another team, maybe more so if an incumbent has a chronic history of injury. All are at risk of injury after they sign lucrative contracts, homegrown players, too, as Shields and Matthews prove. And all big ticket signings, homegrown or not, could experience a drop-off in performance once the bank account gets very healthy. No wonder Shields wants to continue "playing." His status quo is rather lucrative.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

I don't think ILB is on the radar personally. I think they like their guys, and with how this defense needs to operate, they better focus more on OLB and CB's

I still don't think Joe Thomas is a guy you want out there much. He played much better this year and I hope he continues to improve but he continues to make mistakes and seems lost a lot of the time. While ILB is more solid with Ryan and Martinez, they both need to continue to improve and start making some impact plays. I still would like to see some attention given to the ILB position, if for nothing else depth. Injuries this year almost decimated the position once again.

 

[Mondio]

sure, you don't ignore it, but you can put prime Ray Lewis in there and if we don't have pass rushers and DB's, our defense will do no better. Until those positions are taken care of, what we have is good enough

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

sure, you don't ignore it, but you can put prime Ray Lewis in there and if we don't have pass rushers and DB's, our defense will do no better. Until those positions are taken care of, what we have is good enough

I hope you are right, because ILB has been a position of weakness far too long. Like the CB position this year, I think a lot of our issues on defense were directly related to the crap we had at ILB, more so in years prior to this one. As long as Martinez and Ryan keep getting better, which I see them doing, depth at the position could be the only concern.

 

[Dantés]

I don't think ILB is on the radar personally. I think they like their guys, and with how this defense needs to operate, they better focus more on OLB and CB's

The Packers need playmakers on defense... somewhere, anywhere. I agree with you that OLB and CB are bigger needs, but those position groups also might not yield any good options (at OLB, I actually don't think it will and at CB I am skeptical).

 

[HardRightEdge]

Three thingss don't go together in that statement. TT, Free Agents, Target

If TT is still at the controls come the Free Agency Period, do you really think he is going to change his spots? Sure, he might pick over the scrap heap a month later, and grab a player like Cook, but I just don't see him targeting any FA's that will have a big impact.

Yeah. Saturday, Peppers, Cook. Those certainly are not the only FA signings over the last 5 years, but they're the only ones signed to be starters at meaningfully above the vet minimum. Guion turned out to be a decent value, but he was expected to be a rotational player until Raji went on IR before the season started.

Will Thompson go in for a Peppers-like splash? I wouldn't expect it.

 

[HardRightEdge]

Of course, if the Packers were to bring in a 4-3 DC some FA action might be in order.

I doubt that too.

Or if Thompson steps down.

What are the odds of that?

This organization in nothing if not stubborn.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

Personally, I don't think this team is that far away from the top, Atlanta game aside. A new DC with a fresh approach, as well as a GM (new or old) who isn't averse to plugging some holes on defense with a few quality veterans would be my cure. But what do I know?

 

[Mondio]

Yeah. Saturday, Peppers, Cook. Those certainly are not the only FA signings over the last 5 years, but they're the only ones signed to be starters at meaningfully above the vet minimum. Guion turned out to be a decent value, but he was expected to be a rotational player until Raji went on IR before the season started.

Will Thompson go in for a Peppers-like splash? I wouldn't expect it.

Nobody expected Peppers either

I'm surprised by nothing anymore, but this off season seems like it would make sense in a lot of ways to bring in some FAs if we were ever going to. So I should probably expect none

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

Nobody expected Peppers either

I'm surprised by nothing anymore, but this off season seems like it would make sense in a lot of ways to bring in some FAs if we were ever going to. So I should probably expect none

TT did it with the TE position last year by going after Cook. So maybe, just maybe he will have learned something from that success and take the same approach at the CB position as well as OLB.

 

[Un4GivN]

Based on the last half of his season (after my post), I would include Hyde in that list of guys to resign, yes.

I would include Hyde with a group of people in line to work at McDonalds.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

I would include Hyde with a group of people in line to work at McDonalds.

I might have agreed with you 2 months ago and I wouldn't break the bank on Hyde, but I think he is the corp player you need for depth on the defense and special teams, at the right price.

 

[RicFlairoftheNFL]

So about 10 hours into my 12 hour work shift I began thinking to myself of some free agents out there I wouldn't mind Green Bay picking up. Now regardless if TT is back next year or not, I believe this coming off-season will be the year they go into some unknown territory and seriously shop for some players due to their less the stellar 2016 campaign.

If this were the case then who would you like the Packers to pick up? Who out there do you think would contribute the most to improve this team to insure 2017 does not turn into another 2016?

One player I wouldn't mind the Packers looking at is CB Prince Amukamara. He is currently on a one year deal worth 5.5 mil with Jacksonville and will be 28 at the start of next season . Depending on what happens with Shields come seasons end he could be a good investment, especially if they don't want to go secondary with their first round draft pick.

I like where your head is at positionally in FA. Not sure cause I've not seen enough of him if Amukamara is the guy though.

 

[RicFlairoftheNFL]

I would include Hyde with a group of people in line to work at McDonalds.

Hyde is showing ability. So unless you want a McDonald's crew playing Defense next year you're way off the mark.

 

[King of Jeans]

I think we NEED to resign Cook, Perry, and Lang. anyone else I don't give a s**t about. maybe Hyde.