Green Bay Packers center Jeff Saturday is calling it a career after 14 NFL seasons.
Saturday appeared on 1070 The Fan in Indianapolis on Friday and said he’s decided to hang it up after the Pro Bowl.
“We’ll finish it with sunsets in Hawaii and call it a much better career than I would have anticipated,” Saturday said on the Grady and Big Joe Show.
Saturday, a six-time Pro Bowler, played his first 13 NFL seasons for the Indianapolis Colts. The Packers signed him to a two-year deal before the 2012 season to replace Scott Wells, who left as a free agent.
Despite making the Pro Bowl — which was much more of a reputation selection than a performance one — Saturday was benched by the Packers in favor of Evan Dietrich-Smith after 14 games. Frankly, the demotion was deserved. Saturday never approached his Indianapolis level of play with the Packers.
In hindsight, letting Wells go now looks like a mistake by general manger Ted Thompson.
By retiring, Saturday essentially saves the Packers the trouble of cutting him during the offseason. Saturday was due $3.75 million in 2013.
Slow news day.
Good player, smart man…got out before he embarrassed himself.
This is what i said when Saturday was signed………TT should never have let Scott Wells walk…Huge mistake…What was worse than letting Wells walk, is that TT didnt have a plan to replace him. So that left free agent J Saturday….as TT’s savior….As it was reported, TT over paid for Saturday, because as i said at the time, Saturday was a “forced” signing, TT had no choice but to sign him. So in turn, Saturdays agent held the leverage. So TT signed him for 4 million….Now keep in mind, he could have kept Wells for 6 million. Wells was 31, in his prime, and a veteran with the Packers. Not to mention, Scott Wells was a warrior. Looking back…wouldn’t it be nice to have to have Wells, Lang, Sitton, and EDS to keep for depth, or competition for a starting guard spot?….Now we go into a new off season, with Newhouse, and Barclay as Tackles…Hopefully Bulaga is back 100%. But no football mind in the NFL, would consider this 0 line in good shape. And letting Wells go…didnt help it. Plus it seems to me, James Campen isnt exactly making much of a difference as 0 line coach….Lets bring someone in, coach or players, who have a clue how to run block, besides Barclay.
Saturday outplayed Scott Wells, by the way, who couldn’t even get on the field.
There was NO WAY you were going to sink big money into the center position, especially for a guy who was not a very good run blocker. Letting Wells go was a no brainer. He is nothing special as St. Louis is already finding out.
EDS was always going to be the eventual center. Saturday was nothing but a stopgap.
Interestingly, EDS is now a free agent himself. I imagine he will sign for much less than Wells did. Advantage TT.
Props to Saturday for knowing when it is time to get out. He’s a pro’s pro and I am proud he was a Packer.
Yea…..He outplayed him? Is that why Saturday was benched, because he played so well? Scott wells got injured sure, but there is no saying he would have been injured had he stayed in G B. If you want to be “proud” Saturday was a Packer for 1 year, you hang your hat on that. The reality was he was a forced, over paid signing, that offered us sub par performance..And BTW….You have co clue what EDS is gonna sign for…As always Iltarion, i can always count on reading your post for a good chuckle….