Jermichael Finley has gone from the focal point of the Green Bay Packers offense to maddeningly inconsistent complainer. It looks like he might end up going back to being more of the former this season.
Everyone has been singing Finley’s praises this offseason and preseason, including quarterback Aaron Rodgers. You can add coach Mike McCarthy to that group. McCarthy says Finley is having his best training camp.
“He’s having his finest training camp, I think it’s clear-cut,” said Packers coach Mike McCarthy on Tuesday following practice.
And offensive coordinator Tom Clements.
“It’s not just this camp, the whole spring,” Clements said. “He’s been outstanding. He’s been working hard. I think he’s improved his blocking tremendously. He’s become a more detailed route runner. He’s finishing plays.”
We saw Finley’s ability to make an impact in last Saturday’s preseason game, when he had four catches for 78 yards in just three series. Of course, Finley’s ability to make plays has never really been in question.
It’s his head that’s always been the question mark. From saying stupid shit to dropping passes to giving zero effort to block on running plays, the Packers never knew what they were going to get from Finley if he wasn’t getting the ball.
That appears to have changed now that Finley is in the final year of his contract. Funny how that happens when a guy is playing for a payday.
In addition to putting on more weight and dedicating himself as a blocker, Finley has also canned the outspoken act. He’s just playing football, which is a welcome turn of events.
If he stays the course, Finley could have that monster season we’ve been expecting for so many years now. And he just might earn that big payday in the process.
I think so…
75-85 catches, 11 TD’s this season????
With Jennings gone & all these rookie recievers (& nelson & Cobb’s health issues) I think this is reasonable.
He performs he prices himself out of gb he plays like a dick he doesn’t get resigned either way I don’t see him in gb next year
Agree. We’re basically renting him for this season.
Albeit I think he has a good one.
Isnt’ he a top 5 paid TE already? I don’t see the cap number being tremendously larger than it is now. In fact, we could probably save cap dollars by prorating the signing bonus if we did want to re-sign him.
No way. Tag his ass. We’ll get this year’s worth of production (a contract year) and next year’s production (in essence another contract year) and at that point we can decide what to do which would be most likely let him walk.
The most difficult thing about what a GM is not talent evaluation, it’s determining which guys are going to play once they get paid. I think this is why Ted Thompson treads so lightly in free agency…He KNOWS that can’t be quantified and it’s a big variable he would rather do without.
Now does Jermichael Finley strike you as a type who wants to be the best there ever was…like a Tony Gonzalez or Jason Whitten type? Or do you get the feeling this guy will turn into nothing more than an average player once he gets paid the big bucks? Finley is doing all the right things right now but it’s because he knows his big payday depends on it.
I’ll take two more years of top-notch production from Jermichael before I send him packing. Call it payback for him underachieving here all these years.
But let’s just take it step by step. He hasn’t done anything this year yet for us to warrant even tagging him.
I’d like to see 1 year of top notch production…lol
hombre… The tag will probably be on Raji
He knows he’s up for a contract, and is playing lights out. reminds me of albert haynesworth….
I sincerely hope he has the monster year we’ve all been anticipating for so long. If there was ever a time that this team needs this man to stand and be counted, it is upon him. We can regretfully recall how painful it has been to watch so much potential be lost to the vagaries of youth.
But I’m also pragmatic enough to realize that this will be his last year in Packer colors.
Agreed. It isn’t like J-Mike having a monster year would be a bad thing. This team needs it.
The Packers could tag Finley next season and keep him. The tag wouldn’t be that much higher than what they are paying him now.
“The tag wouldn’t be that much higher than what they are paying him now.”………Which just goes to show how much he’s being overpaid now. I’ll celebrate the day he leaves Green Bay. Pat him on the back if anyone wants to in a contract year where his agent told him to shut his mouth ( He’s a cancer to a team)….He hasn’t done shit yet.
Ah I see I’m late to the “tag Finley” party.
if the dude keeps his lips tight and will just bring it this year he just may get the feel of a SB Ring …lord knows he has always had the talent to be an all pro…now lets see it all come together this season!
I look at Finley like I look at Cutler…Both have been in the league awhile, and both are overpaid based on potential…..It’s like a dog chasing it’s tail.
I think finley has a monster year and then will have one next year and the year after. I think after his monster year this season he will like the way it feels to play at an all pro level and continue to want it for the rest of his career. I think the packers will like enough of what they see this year and then the franchise tag next year to resign him to a long term contract worth a little more than what he is paid now. I think even when he had a big mouth, he wasn’t a huge distraction to the team, it didn’t affect the outcome of any game imo. It was blown way out of proportion in my mind.
^ this, completely agree with you kris
I would like to agree with this but I don’t see him staying healthy that long. I don’t know what it is, but every time he takes a hit he just looks really awkward. Is he trying to avoid contact? I can’t put a finger on it but every time a body flies in his direction I hold my breath.
I think I know what you’re talking about.
Maybe because he’s so tall, he takes the hits in his legs/knees. Seems like his feet/cleats stay anchored and he jackknifes at the hip.
It’s got a weird, crash-test-dummie look to it…
Wow….Got it all figured out?…lol…..You got Saturdays winning lottery #’s also?
Get back to me on sunday about this, it will take time for me to think these numbers up to a prediction and i think it will take until at least sunday for me to get these numbers clearly in my mind. i think.
No…dropped passes
I’ve been watching him closely these last two practices, and regardless of what the coaches say, he looks like a different player. He looks real smooth in his routes and honestly his hands have been great. He made a fantastic catch yesterday for a TD that no other TE on our roster could have made, IMO. I’ve not been a huge fan of Finley, but he might have that season everyone has been waiting for, this season. Which would be A – OK in my book………
Hey Vijay, you’re the sit-in GM here.. What do you want to do with Finley after this season?
If they were smart…the payday would come from someone else via sign and trade.