Are we in the third or fourth tier of free agency yet? That’s about when we surmise linebacker Mike Neal deserves to find a new team.
No one has jumped at the chance to sign Neal and for good reason.
Neal put up 36 tackles, four sacks and one forced fumble while starting 15 games in 2015. Those might be noteworthy totals if he were, say, a rotational player for 16 games in 2015.
But no, Neal played more snaps at outside linebacker than anyone on the Green Bay Packers — more than 800 in all.
By comparison, Nick Perry played approximately half as many snaps and recorded 31 tackles, 3.5 sacks and one forced fumble. The numbers are virtually the same, except Perry needed half the time to accumulate his.
The truly amazing thing is, the Packers coaching staff kept sending Neal out there week after week even though he wasn’t producing. Hopefully, we’ll no longer have to deal with such nonsense.
Neal is a free agent and, as far as we know, the Packers haven’t expressed any interest in bringing him back. Fingers crossed it stays that way.
Who has tossed around the idea of signing Neal?
#Packers LB Mike Neal has visited the #Seahawks and #Lions, source said.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 17, 2016
The disappointing thing in that report is the past tense. Neal HAS visited Seattle and Detroit.
Since Neal doesn’t have a contract yet, that would suggest neither Seattle or Detroit thinks enough of him to offer one.
Would someone please take Mike Neal off our hands?! Please!
The last thing we want is Neal hanging around contractless until he’s willing to accept anything and the Packers obliging him.
The Packers love to hang onto guys who are just guys.
Neal isn’t even that. We would very much like to say good riddance once and for all.