Hey, forgive us for not being on this on Friday when Wes Hodkiewicz was on it. Unlike Wes Hodkiewicz, we have a life and as such, we — and by we, I mean me — went to Coachella this weekend. But we came home before it ended, left all the scantily-clad broads and debauch behind, because we know you wanted this shit — the Green Bay Packers‘ penciled-in starting center, Evan Dietrich-Smith, has signed his one-year tender.
So now that formality is out of the way. Dietrich-Smith will make $1.323 million in 2013.
What maybe, kinda is interesting, is the Packers apparently didn’t do anything to lock Dietrich-Smith up long-term. Instead, they sat around until he signed the tender, which was the lowest possible tender. As a restricted free agent, Dietrich-Smith could have signed an offer sheet with another team and the Packers would have received no compensation if they failed to match that offer.
This tells us two things.
1. The Packers aren’t sold on Dietrich-Smith as their long-term answer at center like they are with, say, T.J. Lang as their long-term answer at left guard. And maybe that contract taught them a lesson…
2. You will take what the Packers offer or you will go fuck yourself, because it is a goddam privilege to play for the Packers and you should want to do it for free! See Steven Jackson, Greg Jennings and anyone else the Packers have shown “interest” in this offseason.
So, as you know, the Packers strategy with any free agent is to shove their collective thumbs in their asses and pretend like nothing is going on. And after that they try to sell guys on the fact that they’re going to get a Christmas card featuring a photo of Mark Murphy and Ted Thompson in matching sweaters.
Word on the street is the Packers will draft a center to compete with Dietrich-Smith or give Greg Van Roten, an undrafted free agent in 2012, a shot to win the job.
How appealing does any of that sound? Evan-Dietrich Smith, Greg Van Roten learning a new position or a rookie.
Solid.
EN 
ES 
DE
If reading this article were my only exposure to Packers news, I would believe that this team is shit and that they will finish dead last in the division.
Packers shouldn’t even take the field this year.
Who knows what they will do with the o line.
Shape shifters encouraged to apply.
The Packers’ handling of EDS means only that there is no market for EDS, they are aware of it, and would like EDS to prove himself as a full time starter before handing him a big contract.
Also, EDS signed the tender so that he could participate in tomorrow’s OTA. Props to him. That doesn’t necessarily mean that the Packers aren’t working on a long-term contract for him.
My concern regarding the center position is about zero. A bigger concern is Sam Shields skipping OTAs rather than signing HIS tender.
Again with all the “We never sign any free agent” crybaby nonsense? Of course they are not sold on EDS being the long term solutution at center. You keep telling us how smart you are Monty, yet all we hear is diarrhea of the mouth about not signing other teams castoffs. Ask Philly fans what they think of free agency after years of having a draft and develope strategy.