2020 Contracts Expiring Discussions

[tynimiller]

So this topic has spilled into many a thread so figured I would give it's own space for discussion.

Players with contracts expiring in 2020 for us are as follows: listed by Name then age:

Exclusive Rights Free Agents - As long as Packers want them back, these will be back for camp:

• Will Redmond
• Tra Carson
• Tony Brown
• Allen Lazard
• Tyler Lancaster
• Jake Kumerow
• Robert Tonyan Jr.
• Chandon Sullivan
• Evan Baylis

Restricted Free Agents - These could be brought back cheap most likely

• Adam Pankey - 25
• Lucas Patrick - 26

Unrestricted Free Agents - Decisions on these would truly be needed

• Bryan Bulaga - 30
• Mason Crosby - 35
• Tramon Williams - 36
• Jason Spriggs - 25
• Kyler Fackrell - 27
• B.J. Goodson - 26
• Geronimo Allison - 25
• Blake Martinez - 25
• Marcedes Lewis - 35
• Dan Vitale - 24
• Ibraheim Campbell - 27

I will place my predictions and thoughts in comments following this original post.

 

[tynimiller]

I'll start with my at the moment thoughts in separate categories of the Restricted/Unrestricted:

Would like to see us sign: Bulaga, Goodson, Lucas Patrick

Would like us to if they don't retire: Tramon (great vet and still capable), Marcedes (perhaps one of the best #2 or #3 TEs in the game with the blocking and hands he offers as a bonus)

Mind isn't made up yet: Martinez, Allison (depends on season and others), Vitale, Fackrell (depends on progress Gary makes IMO)

Time to let go: Crosby

Don't care enough either way: Spriggs, Campbell

 

[GleefulGary]

Which of those are restricted?

 

[Dantés]

So this topic has spilled into many a thread so figured I would give it's own space for discussion.

Players with contracts expiring in 2020 for us are as follows: listed by Name then age:

• Bryan Bulaga - 30
• Mason Crosby - 35
• Tramon Williams - 36
• Jason Spriggs - 25
• Kyler Fackrell - 27
• B.J. Goodson - 26
• Geronimo Allison - 25
• Blake Martinez - 25
• Marcedes Lewis - 35
• Adam Pankey - 25
• Dan Vitale - 24
• Will Redmond - 25
• Tra Carson - 26
• Tony Brown - 23
• Allen Lazard - 23
• Tyler Lancaster - 24
• Ibraheim Campbell - 27
• Lucas Patrick - 26
• Jake Kumerow - 27
• Robert Tonyan Jr. - 25
• Chandon Sullivan - 23
• Evan Baylis - 25

I will place my predictions and thoughts in comments following this original post.

The players in bold are exclusive rights free agents. As long as the Packers want them back in camp, they will be back. I would gladly bring all of them into camp and I'm sure many of them will make the 2020 roster.

The italicized players are restricted free agents, so they can also be brought back fairly easily. I am pretty ambivalent about both of them.

Of the true unrestricted free agents, this is how I see them:

Should Resign:

• Bryan Bulaga: Bulaga is still playing at an elite level, and tackles are really difficult to find. The FA market for tackles will be a wasteland, and not resigning him would essentially lock the Packers into drafting the best OT, worthy or not, with their first pick. So keep Bulaga and improve your depth.
• Dan Vitale: Vitale is young, fits Petals' offense very well, and should be cheap.

If the Price is Right:

• Kyler Fackrell: Fackrell is a really useful player as a 3rd/4th option. If there isn't a strong market for him, I would be all for it. But the Packers could get priced out quickly, so no big deal if they can't retain him.

Not Interested:

• Mason Crosby: Age
• Tramon Williams: Age
• Marcedes Lewis: Age
• Jason Spriggs: Performance
• Geronimo Allison: Performance
• Blake Martinez: I see Martinez as an inherently limiting player because he neither has take-on skills nor man coverage ability. Even at a market discount (e.g. 9M/season), I think the Packers can do better.

Don't Know Enough:

• Ibraheim Campbell
• B.J. Goodson

 

[GleefulGary]

The players in bold are exclusive rights free agents. As long as the Packers want them back in camp, they will be back. I would gladly bring all of them into camp and I'm sure many of them will make the 2020 roster.

The italicized players are restricted free agents, so they can also be brought back fairly easily. I am pretty ambivalent about both of them.

Of the true unrestricted free agents, this is how I see them:

Should Resign:

• Bryan Bulaga: Bulaga is still playing at an elite level, and tackles are really difficult to find. The FA market for tackles will be a wasteland, and not resigning him would essentially lock the Packers into drafting the best OT, worthy or not, with their first pick. So keep Bulaga and improve your depth.
• Dan Vitale: Vitale is young, fits Petals' offense very well, and should be cheap.

If the Price is Right:

• Kyler Fackrell: Fackrell is a really useful player as a 3rd/4th option. If there isn't a strong market for him, I would be all for it. But the Packers could get priced out quickly, so no big deal if they can't retain him.

Not Interested:

• Mason Crosby: Age
• Tramon Williams: Age
• Marcedes Lewis: Age
• Jason Spriggs: Performance
• Geronimo Allison: Performance
• Blake Martinez: I see Martinez as an inherently limiting player because he neither has take-on skills nor man coverage ability. Even at a market discount (e.g. 9M/season), I think the Packers can do better.

Don't Know Enough:

• Ibraheim Campbell
• B.J. Goodson

I agree with all of this, except Crosby.

He's still performing adequately. Have to bring in competition before letting him leave, imo. Can't imagine he'll ask for that much money.

 

[tynimiller]

Which of those are restricted?

Amending original post, give me a second.

 

[tynimiller]

Lucas Patrick IMO is playing himself into a for sure back up role here in GB, I'm betting we sign him to a two or three year deal honestly.

 

[Dantés]

Also, 2020 Cut Candidates:

• Jimmy Graham: Save 8M against the cap; incur 3.7M in dead money
• Lane Taylor: Save 4.55M against the cap; incur 1.4M in dead money
• Corey Linsley: Save 8.5M against the cap; incur 2M in dead money

The first two are as good as gone. I don't think that Corey Linsley will be released, and I'm not calling for it to happen. But there are a couple things working against him-- he's an inherited player, both to GM and HC, he's a low value position (by avg. salary-- not saying C isn't important), and they save a pretty hefty amount of space by releasing him.

 

[El Guapo]

Hmmm, I thought that Spriggs was cleanly released. I didn't realize that they brought him back onto IR.....release.

Dantes - I assume that you are putting Lucas Patrick at center if Linsley is released. Who then becomes the backup center/guard? I'm not sure that we have the depth for that kind of move. Madison and Pankey don't give me warm fuzzies.

To the OP, I would bring back almost all of the ERFAs, both RFAs, and Martinez for sure. On the "for-the-right-price" list of UFAs, I'd go with Bulaga, Crosby, Williams, Fackrell, Goodson, and Lewis. Vitale should cost nothing to sign and I'm agnostic on Allison, but he should remain cheap and only until we draft some stud WRs.

Spriggs is just on IR for the free cookies. Then he is gone.

 

[HardRightEdge]

I'll start with my at the moment thoughts in separate categories of the Restricted/Unrestricted:

Would like to see us sign: Bulaga, Goodson, Lucas Patrick

Would like us to if they don't retire: Tramon (great vet and still capable), Marcedes (perhaps one of the best #2 or #3 TEs in the game with the blocking and hands he offers as a bonus)

Mind isn't made up yet: Martinez, Allison (depends on season and others), Vitale, Fackrell (depends on progress Gary makes IMO)

Time to let go: Crosby

Don't care enough either way: Spriggs, Campbell

The Packers already have $184 mil in cap committed to contracts for next season. That's for only 40 players including none of the names in your OP list.

You're going to reduce that by by $12.6 mil by releasing Graham ($8 mil in savings) and Taylor ($4.6 mil in savings). There are no other notable candidates for cap savings.

That gets you to roughly $171 mil for 38 players with around $9 mil currently in unspent cap to be carried over. A signing of any vet of note before the trade deadline (Sanu, for example) would eat into the carryover and also count against the cap next year if he's got another year on his contract as with the case with Sanu. We also don't know what Clark's extension might look like if there is one.

Even without those variables you'll have the upper round picks to pay, filling out the roster, paying the PS, having to double up with guys on PUP or IR, yada, yada. I think you might need to be more selective in your choices. You also have to think about another possibility, going into the free agent market for an expensive player at one of these or other critical spots. You might be dropping Allison? Well, maybe we need to sign a quality FA slot receiver whether Allison walks or not. I doubt he'll be back, but that's just a sense, not a committed opinion.

Those are broad bush strokes with indications of where your cap might be. The details are premature.

 

[Dantés]

Hmmm, I thought that Spriggs was cleanly released. I didn't realize that they brought him back onto IR.....release.

Dantes - I assume that you are putting Lucas Patrick at center if Linsley is released. Who then becomes the backup center/guard? I'm not sure that we have the depth for that kind of move. Madison and Pankey don't give me warm fuzzies.

To the OP, I would bring back almost all of the ERFAs, both RFAs, and Martinez for sure. On the "for-the-right-price" list of UFAs, I'd go with Bulaga, Crosby, Williams, Fackrell, Goodson, and Lewis. Vitale should cost nothing to sign and I'm agnostic on Allison, but he should remain cheap and only until we draft some stud WRs.

Spriggs is just on IR for the free cookies. Then he is gone.

I'm not calling for Linsley's release. But yes, if it were to happen, then the implication would be Patrick, a FA, or a draft pick would replace him.

 

[tynimiller]

I'm not calling for Linsley's release. But yes, if it were to happen, then the implication would be Patrick, a FA, or a draft pick would replace him.

Honestly, I could foresee the argument for Linsley being let go IF we decided to resign Bulaga...I wouldn't be very comfortable filling both holes left if we let both walk. However, I'll admit Patrick stepped in already in Linsley's absence this season.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

Taking a look at the unrestricted free agents there's not a single one the Packers absolutely have to re-sign next offseason.

As I've mentioned in other threads the team should be hesitant to offer Bulaga another multi year deal based on his age and injury history.

While Clark isn't headed for free agency Gutekunst would be smart to negotiate a long term contract with him before the start of next season.

 

[HardRightEdge]

I'm not calling for Linsley's release. But yes, if it were to happen, then the implication would be Patrick, a FA, or a draft pick would replace him.

Well, right now our backup center has trouble snapping the ball to the right guy.

I'd say it is quite premature to be sending Linsley packing. He's a good player and only 29 years old next season. A possibility would be rewriting his 2020 year while adding an additional 3 years out to age 32. Under that scenario, his $7.7 mil salary could be dropped to $1 mil, give him a nice signing bonus, and defer a piece of the current 2020 cap hit to 2021 and beyond. There's a few mil in 2020 savings in that formulation.

We also want to be careful not to use the day 1 and 2 picks more than once.

 

[HardRightEdge]

Honestly, I could foresee the argument for Linsley being let go IF we decided to resign Bulaga...I wouldn't be very comfortable filling both holes left if we let both walk.

I think that's a pretty solid assessment. Paying both might be problematic.

 

[Dantés]

I knew no good would come from mentioning the implications of releasing Linsley.

I am not calling for it or predicting it. I noted what the cap savings would be because they are significant.

 

[tynimiller]

I knew no good would come from mentioning the implications of releasing Linsley.

I am not calling for it or predicting it. I noted what the cap savings would be because they are significant.

I think it becomes a very viable thought and option should the staff convince Bulaga to come back at a price they're comfortable with. It would come down to their feelings of our ability to plug a C in or how they feel the draft will come to them...in 2020, but also possibly how well they like the prospects of T's in the 2021 draft possibly

 

[Deleted member 6794]

I think it becomes a very viable thought and option should the staff convince Bulaga to come back at a price they're comfortable with. It would come down to their feelings of our ability to plug a C in or how they feel the draft will come to them...in 2020, but also possibly how well they like the prospects of T's in the 2021 draft possibly

It's probably easier to replace a starting center in a heartbeat but even if the Packers decide to re-sign Bulaga they have to add a quality backup tackle next offseason via the draft.

 

[tynimiller]

It's probably easier to replace a starting center in a heartbeat but even if the Packers decide to re-sign Bulaga they have to add a quality backup tackle next offseason via the draft.

I don't disagree entirely.