Next years Free Agents

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HardRightEdge

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I think many are giving Shields too much credit. He is a good cover guy, not elite. Not on the level of Revis, Sherman, Patrick Peterson or Haden. He is a dreadful tackler, terrible in run support. Overall an above average guy but should not be given elite money. EDS is one of the bottom ten centers in the league, I think Ted will look to upgrade the OC in the draft. Get Bulaga back healthy add an good young OC and I think this line could be very good.
Shield's tackling has improved the last two seasons and would qualify as adequate given his coverage skills. Elite money? no. Second tier? I think so. Will we pay it? That's in doubt. Should we pay it? Yes.

Tretter or Lang will be our starting center next season. Tretter, Lang and Barclay will be competing for the C and RG spots. Upper round picks will go to other positions...as always.

We've certainly missed Bulaga this season. Let's hope that hip doesn't affect his agility.
 

Dblbogey

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If I were TT:
Offense: Re-sign EDS and James Jones. Our offensive line is then Bakh, Sitton, EDS, Lang, Bulaga, Barclay, Sherrod and Tretter. That's a pretty good OL with depth. We have 4 quality receivers. AT RB - Lacy, Starks, Dujuan and Franklin. That's a pretty good group of RB. Draft a TE early.
Defense: Let Raji walk. Cut Tramon. Cut Brad Jones. Goodbye Jermichael. Re-sign Pickett. Re-sign Shields but don't exceed $8 million/year. Move Hyde to safety. Finally sign one truly quality free agent - either a NT, ILB or Safety. Aside from a TE, draft nothing but defense, heavy on linebackers and corners.
There is no charge for my invaluable services.
 
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FrankRizzo

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*$&*@&*# COULD HAVE HAD JERRY HUGHES CHEAP LAST YEAR from Indianapolis!
I told everyone he was NOT fit for a 4-3 DE but WAS fit for our 3-4 OLB.
The opposite of Nick Perry, who is NOT a fit for a 3-4 OLB but might be for a 4-3 DE.
This was so obvious to me and any of us who watched him at TCU.

Buffalo figured it out, got him cheap.

We keep searching for OLBs like him........
 

lambeaulambo

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To me, EDS needs to go. Not the caliber of a center you need to protect Rodgers. Not so sure about Pickett, would rather have youth.
 

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I don't understand how/why people consider EDS dispensable. What are the other options we'd have? A second-year player in the rookie from Cornell who hasn't played a down? Just exactly what has EDS done that makes him so bad? He's fine. We don't need elite play there, just a guy to get the job done. That's what he does.

Also, I think we can let Starks go. Remember, we have DuJuan coming back next year at a minimum salary. I really like him as a nice change of pace back. Starks is injury prone (remember, he was hurt earlier this season). And we have Franklin in the wings still too. So, there really isn't a need to spend any money on Starks.

Shields is highest priority. But, he certainly isn't this elite talent some think. He's a very good CB and one we should want to keep on our team - even if it costs us Tramon. I have some fear, though, that his agent - Rosenhaus (sp??) - will be driving the price pretty high though, which could put us in a bad spot.

I agree with most of the other sentiments - Quarles should be a good get. Pickett for vet min. or near it could be smart, especially if Raji doesn't come back. Something to consider - with Raji's recent terrible play, he might be a good one-year, prove it contract that I'd be all for. Finally, Mike Neal may be too costly. He's been above-average this season and he could have played himself into a contract that I'm not sure TT is willing to dole out.
 

PFanCan

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*$&*@&*# COULD HAVE HAD JERRY HUGHES CHEAP LAST YEAR from Indianapolis!
I told everyone he was NOT fit for a 4-3 DE but WAS fit for our 3-4 OLB.
The opposite of Nick Perry, who is NOT a fit for a 3-4 OLB but might be for a 4-3 DE.
This was so obvious to me and any of us who watched him at TCU.

Buffalo figured it out, got him cheap.

We keep searching for OLBs like him........

Really? I had no idea that you advocated for Jerry Hughes and that you are frustrated that it didn't happen. Please remind this board in every single thread, no matter what the topic is, into the future without stop.
 

13 Times Champs

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I don't understand how/why people consider EDS dispensable. What are the other options we'd have? A second-year player in the rookie from Cornell who hasn't played a down? Just exactly what has EDS done that makes him so bad? He's fine. We don't need elite play there, just a guy to get the job done. That's what he does.

Also, I think we can let Starks go. Remember, we have DuJuan coming back next year at a minimum salary. I really like him as a nice change of pace back. Starks is injury prone (remember, he was hurt earlier this season). And we have Franklin in the wings still too. So, there really isn't a need to spend any money on Starks.

Shields is highest priority. But, he certainly isn't this elite talent some think. He's a very good CB and one we should want to keep on our team - even if it costs us Tramon. I have some fear, though, that his agent - Rosenhaus (sp??) - will be driving the price pretty high though, which could put us in a bad spot.

I agree with most of the other sentiments - Quarles should be a good get. Pickett for vet min. or near it could be smart, especially if Raji doesn't come back. Something to consider - with Raji's recent terrible play, he might be a good one-year, prove it contract that I'd be all for. Finally, Mike Neal may be too costly. He's been above-average this season and he could have played himself into a contract that I'm not sure TT is willing to dole out.
I agree with you on EDS and Shields is probably a guy we need to keep. Also, the other stuff. But I'm not so sure we should leave Starks go. Lacy runs so hard and I'm afraid he is going to spend some time on the injury list during the season. I'd like to see us have the same type of back that Lacy is come in. Harris is more of a change of pace back to me. Frankly (no pun intended) Franklin hasn't showed me much so I don't like him as an option.
 
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FrankRizzo

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You lobbied for him for a good long time. You also said Perry was the second coming of Orakpo.
^ I drank Ted's Kool-Aid! Before that draft, I did not want Perry. I watched him at the combine in Indy, and I heard him answer a question about which he prefers, a 4-3 DE or a 3-4 OLB, expecting him to say whichever, but he said 4-3 DE because he wants his hand on the ground! When one says that, that means something IMO.

But after we took him, I came on board with the pick, deferring to Ted. Hoping he'd be that power rusher like Orakpo and Woodley. The guy has showed the power but somehow cannot avoid hurting himself.

Again, had we just scooped up the natural OLB Hughes, we never would have reached for Perry last year, could have used that #1 pick on a safety. Oh well, we all make mistakes.
 

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Talented, second-contract FAs at highly valued positions will still get paid...QB, LT, WR, edge rusher, cover corner.

While the 2014 cap is expected to remain relatively flat and still below the 2009 peak, there has still been inflation among the core position / top dollar players...the savings from the rookie salary scale is rising to the top.

The other guys will get squeezed, as we started to see last season...30+ guys, solid starters, lower value position players.

As for Shields, $15 mil guaranteed would rank 7th. among current CB contracts, while 2 of those top 7 are fully guaranteed, low total dollar rookie deals signed under the new rookie scale (Peterson, Claiborne).

http://overthecap.com/top-player-salaries.php?Position=CB

Shields might be asking for that, but I doubt it will be offered. A $12 mil guarantee would rank 13th., or 9th. among vet contracts (Gilmore and Milliner also have fully guaranteed, low total dollar deals). That sounds close to right, given Shields is in his age sweet spot (just turned 26). The negatives are low draft status (from a market value standpoint), a history of not being particularly physical, and not being the same guy in zone that we see in man-to-man cover corner mode.

Tramon Williams' 2010 renegotiation (in the uncapped year) was for 5 yrs./$38 mil/11 mil guaranteed. That sounds about right for Shields who's best play (the last 2 seasons) matches Williams' 2010 best.

What concerns me is you just don't hear Packer coaches or management ever giving him much love. They had no qualms about talking to the press about his bad tackling in 2011, but not much said when the league doesn't throw at him or the league's low QB rating against him when they do.

That concerns me.

Give him Raji's money and call it a day, why doncha.

3-4 years after Williams' deal, you have to factor in the inflation that comes with NFL contracts. I could see him getting a deal that averages $7.5-9m per year with $14-15m guaranteed. Keep in mind that guys like Charles Tillman will be free agents this year as well which will start to raise the bar again.
 

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He might ask for that but he won't get it.

Might not get it here but he might get it elsewhere. That's the downside of letting a guy reach free agency. If the Packers refuse to pay market rate (and I'm not saying that is market rate, I'm saying it COULD be) then Shields will go elsewhere and you can add another position on an already terrible defense that we need to fill in the draft.
 
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HardRightEdge

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Might not get it here but he might get it elsewhere. That's the downside of letting a guy reach free agency. If the Packers refuse to pay market rate (and I'm not saying that is market rate, I'm saying it COULD be) then Shields will go elsewhere and you can add another position on an already terrible defense that we need to fill in the draft.
There's no expected increase in the cap. $15 mil guaranteed is top tier, top 5 corner money. Nobody will pay that. I want to see Shields signed, but #10 money is about as high as anybody should go.

There's also a misconception about the significance of early signings.

Prior to the new CBA, teams would look to extend a contract or two because cap dollars did not carry over...use it or lose it. Now, cap dollars carry over. There's less incentive to go for early signings.
 
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HyponGrey

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again showiung my naivety about how the NFL works, what is the difference betwen a free agent and a restricted free agent?
A year. You can "Tender" a RFA which means if another team wants him, they have to give up a draft pick or else you get the player back on the cheap. To answer your real question, <4 accrued seasons (6 games total on any team) IIRC
 
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FrankRizzo

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I just got done looking at the *#&*@ Niners roster.

First of all, they're luck as hell to always be healthy.

But look at their guys they obtained NOT thru the draft.
DE Justin Smith -a former #4 overall pick of Bengals
WR Anquan Boldin -Super Bowl MVP this year
CB Carlos Rogers -a former #9 overall pick in Rodgers draft
S Donte Whitner -former 8th overall pick of the Bills
DT Glen Dorsey -former 5th overall pick of the Chiefs
OLB Ahmad Brooks -former Bengals Pro Bowler

These guys are A) extremely talented players, hence being drafted so high, B) all starters, C) that adds depth to the overall roster as the draft picks aren't banked on being starters.... the younger guys can be the depth guys and learn and grow and improve behind these experienced studs.
There above are 5 of 11 starters on defense (who were obtained via free agency), along with draft picks like Novorro Bowman, Patrick Willis, Aldon Smith, and this year's #1 pick safety Eric Reid.

You all know Ted HATES bringing in players who have played on other NFL rosters.
That stat this year they showed in October blew me away. He only had 3 guys on the WHOLE roster who had ever played on another NFL team: Pickett, Kuhn, and Seneca Wallace.

The ultra-conservative Bob McGinn wrote a piece this week saying he thinks Ted Thompson should, and will, make some moves finally this off-season in free agency to bring in some players. Better late than never I guess.

Too late for a talent like Hughes, or a safety like LaRon Landry who we could have had 2 years ago fairly cheap, but there will be some guys available who can provide better play than the young guys like MD Jennings, and there should be an ILB who can replace Brad Jones and give us a real middle linebacker who can sniff out the holes better.

I believe our ILB play is bottom-10 in the NFL easily.
And we know our safeties have a total combined ZERO interceptions on this whole season.
That's tough to beat right there, ZERO.

If Teddy can find some vets to just those 2 positions, I think our defense can improve a lot next year.
I also think if we can get Gregg Williams or Rex Ryan as DC, that will do wonders. But that's a Christmas dream probably, unless the Bears light us up for 40 embarrassing points Sunday.

Who here knows where to find next year's NFL free agents to be?
I want to see the ILB and S who might become available.

OK I found some lists myself. http://www.spotrac.com/free-agents/nfl/
Of course, TT never will be a buyer of the top talent.

Safeties
  • Jairus Byrd, Buffalo
  • TJ Ward, Browns (the thug who broke Gronkowski's knee.. I hate tackling like that, but better on our team than to our team)
  • Chris Clemons, Miami
  • Donte Whitner, San Francisco
  • Antoine Bethea, Colts
  • Ryan Clark, Steelers too old
  • Malcolm Jenkins, Saints -former top-10 pick, this is someone the 49ers would sign to replace the older Whitner, who they gave a huge contract to about 4 years ago. This would be my ideal one signing right here.

Inside Linebackers

  • Brandon Spikes, NE
  • Karlos Dansby, Arizona too old
  • Jonathan Vilma, Saints, too old
 
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Sunshinepacker

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There's no expected increase in the cap. $15 mil guaranteed is top tier, top 5 corner money. Nobody will pay that. I want to see Shields signed, but #10 money is about as high as anybody should go.

There's also a misconception about the significance of early signings.

Prior to the new CBA, teams would look to extend a contract or two because cap dollars did not carry over...use it or lose it. Now, cap dollars carry over. There's less incentive to go for early signings.

Teams routinely carried money from one year into the next by using ridiculous "likely to be earned" incentives in the last CBA, so that's not really anything that new, teams just don't have to use loopholes to do it anymore. I also mentioned the $15m as the TOP number, obviously if that's the case then you would imagine a smaller signing bonus/less guaranteed money. Would you rather sign someone for $48m over four years with $48 m guaranteed or would you rather sign him for $60m over four years but only $30m is guaranteed?
 
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HardRightEdge

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Teams routinely carried money from one year into the next by using ridiculous "likely to be earned" incentives in the last CBA, so that's not really anything that new, teams just don't have to use loopholes to do it anymore. I also mentioned the $15m as the TOP number, obviously if that's the case then you would imagine a smaller signing bonus/less guaranteed money. Would you rather sign someone for $48m over four years with $48 m guaranteed or would you rather sign him for $60m over four years but only $30m is guaranteed?
Depends.
 

HyponGrey

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The ultra-conservative Bob McGinn wrote a piece this week saying he thinks Ted Thompson should, and will, make some moves finally this off-season in free agency to bring in some players. Better late than never I guess.
McGinn also said Grease came in overweight and that we'd be fine without Rodgers. I'm also not sure I'd call him conservative, especially when it comes to TT. McGinn worships Wolf, and is critical of TT for not operating in like manner.
 

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