It has been widely believed that tight end Jermichael Finley and his $8 million salary (which includes a $3.5 million roster bonus due in March) would be released by the Green Bay Packers in the offseason. Well, not so fast!
The Press Gazette has suggested Finley will be back, based on comments Mike McCarthy made earlier this week. In fact, they claim McCarthy’s praise almost certainly means Finley will be back next season.
“I really felt Jermichael Finley was a different man, a different player from the bye week on,” McCarthy said. “I had an opportunity to talk to him about that at length in his exit interview, so I feel very good about the way he finished the year. He did some good things Saturday night (at San Francisco). There was a change in that young man.”
Boom!
A few things come to mind here.
First, I’m not really sure why the Packers would want to give $8 million to a guy who caught 61 passes for 667 yards and just two touchdowns. Finley was third on the team in catches, fourth in yards and tied for sixth in receiving touchdowns (with Donald Driver, who hardly played).
Plus, he was an almost constant distraction with his “I have no chemistry with Aaron Rodgers” refrain.
The Packers are clearly overpaying. That’s top 10 tight end money for a guy who isn’t one of the top 10 tight ends in the NFL.
Second, is the distinct possibility the Packers planted the story that Finley would be released in order to get him to shut his mouth and straighten up.
That report came out on Dec. 18. The last time Finley said something controversial and/or stupid was on Dec. 13 when he said the Bears were better off without Brian Urlacher.
Coincidence?
Probably not.
Lastly, the Packers are obviously preparing for life without Greg Jennings, who’s about to be an unrestricted free agent. Donald Driver is expected to retire. Can the team afford to lose three pass catchers this offseason?
That would be a tough blow. We’re guessing the internal thinking is the Packers will overpay Finley so they don’t have to retool two positions.
It remains to be seen how this will play out. Unlike the Press Gazette, we don’t feel like there are any guarantees for Finley.
Last updated on November 7th, 2013 at 09:07 pm
I’d take back the Finley we saw in December. It’s amazing that he now holds the Packer season record for tight ends. Imagine if he had caught anything in the first two thirds of the season. He still needs to find a way to keep in check his attitude and his agent. Cancer can spread fast.
He did play better down the stretch. Contract years always seem to bring out the best in people so I bet he will be fairly decent next year. The other tight ends on this roster clearly don’t seem capable of supplanting Finley.
That being said I would rather give this money to Jennings to keep him around and just draft a replacement. Too bad he is probably un-tradeable.
I think Ted Thompson has had one of those mini-strokes.
(Was it this last draft, or the one before, where on the 3rd day the press was asking him about a player, and he said: “Well, he’s got a nice smile.”
W. T. F.?)
The Packer organization is turning into Briarcliff; fuck, let Pepper run it.
There are 4 or 5 TEs in this upcoming draft who will be every bit as good as him or better and way cheaper. Two that are considered elite are Eifert and Ertz…I also like Ryan Otten, Travis Kelce from this list.
http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/prospectsearch?year=2013&position=TE&school=
If I was GM, I’d draft one of these guys, release the J-Mike show and look for more quality help on D Line via FA with the savings…if I were GM.
This guy, Zach Sudfeld from Nevada is really good as well. http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/players/1620110
we have lots of options on our roster at TE today……………
Have Crabtree get a few more Tat’s that disguise him so he looks like turf, and then give him the starting job.
Hell, yeah.
He already looks like a giraffe-leopard.
Who’s gonna mess with a giraffe-leopard?
Who knows how to mess with a giraffe-leopard?
Trade him for draft picks. Somebody out there will want him, right?
Cut FinMe, Driver and Hawk and use that cash to pay Jennings.
Let me decode that statement by MM for all of you:
‘I cant stand this guy and hes one of the cancers on our team causing us to under perform. So im going to say something really good about him to improve his trade value. Please, please, please take this guy out of my locker room so AR can sleep at night again.’
Finley is gone.
Great posts, all of them….
Thanks for the insight (and laughs)….
Great ending to memorable week…
Starting with a Klapperdick butt kickin ending with cracked tooth and a visit by the latest installment if the flu…..
What about Bostick?
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A guy I’m ready to ditch is DJ Williams.
IMO, a TE needs to catch and block — but every time I see him on the line, he’s upright and lock-kneed, arms extended, but not heart-fully engaged in the opponent.
Bend at the waist, bend at the knees, be prepared to use those muscles in the thighs, butt, and back to displace the defensive player.
I just don’t see effort in this guy, and after two years he should have his shit somewhat together by now…
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Jibber-jabber-Jermichael has my permission to move on…