It’s probably not the contract extension you were expecting the Green Bay Packers to be focusing on (cough, * Greg Jennings * cough, cough), but the team signed punter Tim Masthay to a four-year extension Friday.
Masthay received $5.465 million in the contract, which runs through 2016. That includes a $1.2 million signing bonus, according to Ian Rapoport.
Not bad for a guy for a guy who strolled in off the street with no NFL experience and won a training camp punting battle in 2010.
Masthay has averaged 44.6 yards per punt and 38 yards gross in his two-year career. Last season, he averaged 45.6 yards per punt and 38.6 gross.
Whew! Thank god this is behind us. Now let’s get back to worrying about the pash rush…
Not the most exciting signing, but it´s an important one and a smart one. It´s a great deal for the Packers, paying the guy an average punter´s salary when he´s one of the better ones. Masthay may have been willing to sign it since he gets a sure $1.2 million now rather than risking a career-ending injury…better safe than sorry for him. I´m sure that a new contract for Jennings is a lot tougher. Jennings is a terrific player, and I hope he stays a Packer, but there´s a limit above which I´m sure the Packers can´t exceed given the salary cap.