Packers reach deal with Finley

[Raptorman]

If the Packers do not sign Wells, then they probably do. Obviously the dream scenario is tagging Flynn and trading him for a 1st rounder, allowing us to draft Konz at OC and a top defensive prospect. It's a pretty long shot though.

Wells is a FA. He has no effect on the current cap numbers unless they sign him. The Packers would have to cut players or make sure Flynn signs the tag and they can trade him on the 13th before the deadline of the cap. Not sure what time that is but FA and the trading period does not start until 4pm. If the league year starts earlier the Packers would be over the cap without cutting players.

 

[AaronShockley]

So TT casually asks "So, what do you think Flynn is worth in a trade" instead of "what will you offer". Then he has not discussed a trade, but everyone realizes what was implied. This happens every year and I have never seen so much as an eyebrow raised.

Still tampering. If you ask what you can get for a player if you sign him, casually, then sign him, you continued your rights to the player, so it's still against the rules. That's why the rules are there, to prevent crap like this.

Could we get away with it, maybe, but I'm gonna bet it doesn't happen as much as we think. You have a pretty good idea what a players worth without asking around. Just from chatter not including you. They don't need to find out ahead, they are smart enough to make the right decision either way.

 

[ivo610]

The other question is, do the Packers have the cap room to tag Flynn and be under the cap on March 13th? They can tag him but can't trade him until the 13th. They have to be under the cap on the 13th. A trade on the morning of the 13th is possible IF Flynn signs the contract. But a trade that fast with say a team like Miami would raise questions by other teams if they were not allowed to talk to the Packers about a possible trade.

Parting ways with clifton and Driver would leave room. could be a sign if they do.

 

[AmishMafia]

The other question is, do the Packers have the cap room to tag Flynn and be under the cap on March 13th? They can tag him but can't trade him until the 13th. They have to be under the cap on the 13th. A trade on the morning of the 13th is possible IF Flynn signs the contract. But a trade that fast with say a team like Miami would raise questions by other teams if they were not allowed to talk to the Packers about a possible trade.

I think if they cut Clifton they have the space. They have to have the cap space by the end of the day when they put the tag on him. They also have the opportunity to restructure Woodson if necessary.

As far as Wells goes, I think the Pack lets him test the waters. I'm not sure he will get a better deal than the Packers will offer him.

 

[ExpatPacker]

Wells is a FA. He has no effect on the current cap numbers unless they sign him. The Packers would have to cut players or make sure Flynn signs the tag and they can trade him on the 13th before the deadline of the cap. Not sure what time that is but FA and the trading period does not start until 4pm. If the league year starts earlier the Packers would be over the cap without cutting players.

True. I think they could create the cap space as others have pointed out, but it may take a little too much fanagling to do a sign and trade that could create more headache than benefit. Not unless it's really clear that there's some team out there that wants Flynn. Right now however most teams in need of a QB are looking to get them in the draft--Luck, RQIII and Tannehill. Teams may be a little too worried about the Kevin Kolb scenario to pay that kind of cash for Flynn.

I can see some team offering Flynn in the neighborhood of 8-10 mill.

 

[longtimefan]

So that works out to about 50k per drop right?

Jk, it's a great deal for both sides. Good job TT. But this makes you wonder, who gets the tag now? If at all

I like the deal...

I pegged him for looking for more..

Wells gets the tag

 

[ExpatPacker]

I like the deal...

I pegged him for looking for more..

Wells gets the tag

This may have been a good move on TT's part for just that reason. The prospect of being franchised may bring Wells' salary demands back down to earth and give TT some negotiating room.

 

[ivo610]

This may have been a good move on TT's part for just that reason. The prospect of being franchised may bring Wells' salary demands back down to earth and give TT some negotiating room.

I dont see it in the packers best interest to sign him long term. 1 year deal would be in our best interest.

 

[ivo610]

I like the deal...

I pegged him for looking for more..

Wells gets the tag

You have to assume his agent found the market to be soft for him. No way he would have signed otherwise

 

[longtimefan]

You have to assume his agent found the market to be soft for him. No way he would have signed otherwise

I think you are correct, but I still pegged him for demanding more..

I was listening to a sports talk show recently in Milwaukee and they discussed Fin and what he would want.

All 4 of them on the show said 10 mill, WR money

 

[PFanCan]

Great news! The price is right, two year term is ideal. Just made my day.

Wells up next. Get 'er done, Ted.

 

[PFanCan]

True. I think they could create the cap space as others have pointed out, but it may take a little too much fanagling to do a sign and trade that could create more headache than benefit.

I am in the same camp. I don't know the details of the CBA, but Raptorman seems to and what he states is quite clear that the Packers have little to no leverage.

Additionally, from Flynn's point of view, why would he want his future team give a draft pick to the Packers, rather than using it to help his new team? I don't see any motivation here.

 

[IamAthimble]

Great for the team. All Finley has to do is work on the drops and he can still be a top five TE. And it being for only two years gives him motivation to play better for a bigger payday later.

 

[armand34]

I really didn't think finley would command that kind of money, maybe the production of guys like Graham & Gronk helped bring that price up...I see the tag having a more realistic chance of landing on Flynn now, Pats did that w/ Cassel and got a 2nd rounder for him

 

[NelsonsLongCatch]

Additionally, from Flynn's point of view, why would he want his future team give a draft pick to the Packers, rather than using it to help his new team? I don't see any motivation here.

If tagged, Flynn wouldn't have a choice. He's either "accept that his new team is giving up a draft pick" or hold out the entire year. It's not like he has a choice to be tagged.

 

[7thFloorRA]

I wouldn't tag wells. Lineman are lumped into 1 group so he would get the average salary of basically the top 5 highest paid LT's and I think the number is 9.4.

 

[PFanCan]

If tagged, Flynn wouldn't have a choice. He's either "accept that his new team is giving up a draft pick" or hold out the entire year. It's not like he has a choice to be tagged.

Ah, yeah. Understood. Not sure what I was thinking...

 

[AaronShockley]

So for those of you who are still hating on Ted Thompson, take a look at the structure of Finley's new deal.

http://espn.go.com/blog/nfcnorth/post/_/id/38750/bbao-structure-of-jermichael-finley-deal

With the deal set up like this, if he still has a problem with all the drops again, the Packers have an opportunity to get rid of him after only 5.5 million dollars. Which is a big bargain for a player of his quality, even if he doesn't focus all the time.

 

[Lunchboxer]

Thats a good deal. If he still has a problem. It did not cost the packers anything hardly.

 

[fettpett]

He's under contract with the team until March 13th, THEN he becomes a FA. They can talk to whoever they want about trading him without it being against the rules.

 

[shield4life]

Wouldn't it be better if we Franchise Wells instead of Flynn? I mean yes, we can tag Flynn and get a trade ... but look at it this way, we could franchise Wells like that he would actually be beneficial for the team, he would even be older by a year so it might even help with negotiations. It would even give us that 1 year laps that we could draft / produce a center even he wouldn't want to return the year after.

Assuming we do Franchise Flynn ... what are we looking @ getting back ... moving up the draft? If it's moving up the draft about 10-15 spots then I'm all for it ...

Would this trade be possible? ... Flynn and our 2nd round for the Seattle pick?

 

[El Guapo]

The Finley contract was smart. I'm still skeptical since the guy didn't play like he was in a contract year, but he's got lots of potential. The contract length says to me that Finley wants to win another ring in GB and then jump ship to cash in before he's too old. The two years also gives TT more time to figure out which of his gaggle of tight ends could be a successor to Finley.

I wouldn't tag Wells at all. We've got the guys to survive without him. They could tag Flynn assuming that the wink wink deals are viable. Ideally TT needs two teams to bid up Flynn's services...not just one. They could cut Clifton and/or Driver prior to the 13th deadline with the promise to rework the deal in bring them back at the minimum after the 13th. I'm still in the strong opinion of doing that for Driver but not for Clifton. Chad will be a Packer hero for many decades to come, but his body is done.

 

[bozz_2006]

I agree he wants to cash in. They all do. But where are you getting that he wants to jump ship. He loves being a Packer. If in two years he gets a way bigger offer elsewhere, he will certainly go there. But I have seen nothing from him, ever, to make me think he wants to get another ring and then jump ship.

 

[TJV]

I have been waiting to comment on the Finley deal until we saw the numbers. After hearing it was a $15M two-year deal I'm very happy to see it's really a one-year deal for $5.75M. That's very close to the franchise number for TEs without using the tag. My guess is Finley won't be paid his $4.45M roster bonus at the beginning of the 2013 season. If his drops continue, if he suffers a severe injury, if he greatly exaggerates his worth, or if the coaching staff begins to view him as a selfish player as some fans do (the staff clearly doesn't view him like that now), he'll be waived. If he's just asking for too much, IMO there would be a very small chance he would return to the Packers as Jones did after determining his market value. If he fulfills his potential, the Packers will extend him to reduce the 2013 cap hit and he'll get his huge payday. When the news came out, I expected Finley would get about half of the $15M this season; this is much better than that.

A couple of things regarding Flynn: I believe there is a carryover of unused cap room from last season so I'm not sure if the previous estimates of the Packers' cap situation were accurate. If Thompson wants to risk it, I believe the way it will work is the Packers will tag Flynn (but of course have to stay under the cap) and tell his agent to shop him around and let him know the price the Packers will accept for Flynn. Both the Packers and Flynn have leverage in this situation. The Packers are vulnerable if Flynn signs the tender before a deal is struck. But if he does, the leverage the Packers have is they can then trade Flynn to a team Flynn doesn't want to go to. The Packers would get less in trade but still should be able to do better than a comp pick. A good compromise IMO is for the Packers not to ask too much in a trade (I would be very happy with a second round pick) and for Flynn to cooperate and sign the tender after a deal is struck. In this scenario the Packers get decent compensation and Flynn gets to pick his destination. The team he goes to doesn't have to enter a bidding war for his services and it isn't giving up too much compensation. Win. Win. Win.

I wouldn't use the tag on Wells and I don't think Thompson will. If the tag amount was just for OCs, maybe; but it's not. If they can do a tag and trade with Flynn I would rather have an extra pick in the top 60 in this draft and have EDS compete with rookies for the OC job than have a 2013 comp pick for Flynn and overpay Wells, which would be likely IMO if they tag Wells.

 

[bozz_2006]

Costs WAY too much to tag Wells.