The Green Bay Packers reached a contract agreement late Friday night with first-round draft pick Justin Harrell, the former University of Tennessee defensive tackle who their coaches feel can be a dominating interior player, ESPN.com has learned.
Harrell will sign a six-year contract that voids to five seasons if he reaches certain playing time levels, agent Eugene Parker confirmed. The deal has a maximum value of just under $15 million and slightly more than $8 million in guarantees.
Parker, who wrapped up the negotiations just before midnight, and following a long day of bargaining, lauded the professionalism and creativity of Green Bay vice president Andrew Brandt in helping craft the deal. "He deserves a lot of credit," Parker said.
Green Bay officials were criticized by some of their fans for the selection of Harrell with the 16th overall pick in April, with many feeling that the Packers should have opted instead for a running back in that slot. But Harrell is a player whose stock rose dramatically in the weeks leading up to the draft, and he is a player with a tremendous upside.
The concerns about Harrell, a standout tight end and basketball forward in high school, come from the fact he missed considerable time because of injuries during his Vols' career.
Two major setbacks, a broken right ankle that required surgery in 2003 and a torn bicep that limited him to just three games in 2006, marred his college career. Most talent evaluators felt that, without issues about his durability, Harrell might have been a top 10 selection.
Because of the injuries, Harrell appeared in just 35 games in four seasons. He registered 85 tackles and four sacks.
Harrell has very good size (6-feet-4 ½, 300 pounds), but can probably afford to add more weight to his frame. Surprisingly fluid for his size, Harrell can be a disruptive defender for stretches of games, but probably needs to develop more consistency. He is expected to be a part of the Packers' tackle rotation as a rookie.
