Free agency is off to a fast and furious start, but more on that later. The Green Bay Packers did a little housekeeping prior the signing period opening, tendering linebacker Jamari Lattimore.
Lattimore received the low tender of $1.431 million, making him a restricted free agent. If the Packers hadn’t tendered Lattimore, as was initially expected, he would have been free to sign anywhere.
Now, the Packers have the right to match any offer Lattimore receives.
Last month, the Packers thought they could be thrifty, not tender Lattimore and still bring him back (paying him less than $1.4 million). The Packers must have been convinced there’s a market for his services in the past week and thus changed their mind.
Lattimore was a boss special teams player in 2013 and flashed some playmaking ability as an injury replacement for Brad Jones on defense. However, he was hella inconsistent.
If he can nail down the elusive consistency in 2014, he might just be able to push one of those bums out of the starting lineup. The bums I speak of are, of course, Jones and A.J. Hawk.
So it looks like Lattimore will be back. M.D. Jennings? Probably not so lucky.
Jennings was also going to be a restricted free agent, but there’s been no word that the Packers bothered to tender him. And let’s be honest. Why would they?
I believe in Lattimore’s talent.
WHEW! Tendering Lattimore!
That’s it. Pack it up! Too much action for one day. I’m exhausted. Free agency 2014. That’s a wrap!
Shields.
Now Lattimore.
If we can just get Raji…
…WE CAN GET LAST YEAR’S DEFENSE BACK !!!
Yea.
IN TED WE TRUST!!!
Jesus christ. Well, already lost out on Houston. Lets count on the guys on the roster to improve! I dont know how a team that has a very tight salary cap situation like the bears manages to sign houston over the packers. The bears are going to pass them up in the division if they arent careful
Lamarr Houston to the Bears?
Damn it.
Easy there, guy. TT obviously talked to Reggie McKenzie and it seems that whatever was said, made it clear that he isnt worth that kind of money. The Raiders, themselves, had about 70 million in cap space (literally) and they didnt deem him worthy of a contract. Consider that.
I cannot wait to watch this defense fall flat on their faces again next year.
C’mon!
Buck up!
They may rise to 24th.
You’re forgetting that Capers is an excellent coach!
Kato, you are misinformed.
The Bears have lots of salary cap space. In addition, they are looking to trade or release Julius Peppers. Obviously, if you are going to do something like that, they better have someone else to fill his role. Enter Lamar Houston.
The Raiders and Reggie McKenzie have $60 M to sign free agents, and yet, they let Houston walk. What does that tell you? Yeah, I wouldn’t be signing anyone from Oakland or Cleveland who have plenty of money to keep their own if they feel it is worth it.
Good points as usual, Iltarion.
Bears lose Tillman, Melton & Peppers…
OOOOOOHHHHHH. I’m so scared of those pussies
So what are the packers going to do with their salary cap space? Spend it on extending Nelson and Cobb? Great fucking idea. Yeah, our offense will continue to put up 35 ppg in the regular season as long as aaron rodgers is healthy. Then they will run into a defense in the playoffs and like an extra shot for a girl with no alcohol tolerance, the spiral will begin, and the defense will be blown to pieces as usual. And the offseason will be filled with questions on defense, as it has been for the past 3 offseasons. Either their defensive coaching staff are a bunch of total idiots, or they have no talent. So far I have seen them try and turn draft picks and undrafted free agents into gold, and I havent seen that work. Mark my words, the defense will gashed as usual, per status quo with the green bay packers organization.
They believe in Casey Hayward, Jerel Worthy & Nick Perry. All of whom were our top 3 draft picks in 2012 & were hurt last year.
Hey, great idea!
Let’s screw our offense to hopefully help our defense!
Love it!
Let’s lose a couple of our best players so that we can sign a couple players that other teams didn’t want!
Man, these are some great ideas! I hope you have TT on speed dial!
It wouldnt screw the offense. Hell they could keep Cobb. They have 29 million in cap space. With aaron rodgers at qb, i dont think it really matters who they have at receiver. Look at undrafted Jarrett Boykin. You are so in love with TT it is obnoxious. This team is falling further and further behind the rest of the NFC it is alarming. What the fuck has this team done since 2010? NOTHING. The only reason they have won a playoff game is they played the queens. The defense was the weakness each year. THEY HAVE TO DO SOMETHING. Obviously the draft isnt working. They have spent like 14 draft picks on defense the past 3 years. MIke Daniels is the only one that has made an impact, jury is still out on Hayward. It is either personnel or coaching. TT retained Capers, so it must obviously be personnel in TT’s mind. So he is going to draft more people and hope they work out! Idiot.
What about teams like Seattle, New Orleans, San Fransisco, that have been on top of the NFC and will be next year. Pretty sure they have utilized free agency. Justin Smith, Percy Harvin, Cliff Avril, any of those names ring a bell? New Orleans defense is going to be pretty good this year, which is all that team needs with their offense. New England has been a top team in the AFC and they have used free agency and trades as well. Draft and develop only works if you hit on draft picks. Hasnt worked out for your beloved Ted Thompson for the past few years.2 embarrassing playoff blowouts.
They’re out of money, many of their best players (particularly in SF’s case)-said FAs-are getting old and the whistle’s a’blowin’.
How was Hawk a ‘bum’ last season? He was one of our best guys.
Packers defense might be sub-par compared to the elite’s, but I don’t think I’d say they were “blown to pieces” when they lost to one of the 2 best teams in the league on a last second field goal to finish the season. Who knows? Maybe the right guys will get hurt this season on defense and 2010 can happen again. Already ditched Finley so that’s a step in the right direction
A lot of ifs here. So we want to count on getting lucky rather than taking active steps to improve the team? That has worked out so well. I am getting so sick of the comparisons to the 2010 team. More and more it is proving to be a lightning in a bottle team
Look no further than the class of the NFC, seahawks and 49ers. They both have made key free agent signings that have keyed long playoff runs. Green bay hasnt had a playoff run since 2010. And they are falling behind in talent.
true….but look at both of their QB situations. They are on their rookie deals. They can afford to splurge in other areas. Things will change dramatically if Kaep gets anywhere close to the 18M he wants.
I’m sorry. What exactly did the 49ers do in free agency that “keyed long playoff runs” because I must have missed it.
And what again did the Seahawks do?
Yeah, they signed Michael Bennett and Cliff Avril. However, that was because Chris Clemmons got hurt in the playoffs and Bruce Irvin was facing a suspension. They needed replacements.
The Seahawks were one play away from the NFC Championship the year before, playing without Clemmons. If he plays, who knows, they could have went to the Super Bowl that year.
So, did Bennett and Avril help? Sure they did. But how are they the key to a run when the same run could have been made the year before without them?
Quick. Name key free agent acquisitions for the last 10 Super Bowl champs. Yeah, good luck. There is a reason why the saying in the NFL is – play in March, don’t play in January.
Uh, the packers with Charles woodson? Kind of a major part of why that defense was able to do what it did. Ryan Pickett and Howard Green were solid as well. Percy Harvin played a role in seattles win. His 60 yard run from scrimmage was a key play early on and set the pace. The Packers got flat out lucky they won a super bowl. Hate to admit it, but they did. If DeSean jackson never returns that punt for a td against the giants, the packers dont make the playoffs. And where would TT be then? There wouldnt be an ounce of success for his stupid conserative draft and develop approach.
And Charles Woodson was a second-week FA; name a team that signed a first-week, big-name FA who won the SB. The Bills? The Buccaneers? The Chiefs? The Eagles? The Donkeys?
Furthermore, ALL of the teams to win the last 10 Super Bowls (Seahawks, Ravens, Giants, Packers, Saints, Steelers, Colts, and Patriots) rely/-ied heavily on the draft-and-develop philosophy. Only two teams who lost the last 10 Super Bowls (Cards and Eagles) relied on free agency to patch major holes.
Do you see the pattern?
Ah, how can you be a “lightning in the bottle” team when you went 15-1 the following season? Yeah, that’s idiotic.
And lost in embarrassing fashion in the playoffs. Yeah, that is real idiotic. Defense went from 6th ranked to last in one year. I would say that is definition of flash in a pan.
Actually, if they were a terrible team for a number of years before and after the SB run, then they would epitomize “flash-in-the-pan”. The fact that they weren’t very good two years consecutive prior to the run and have been one of the best teams in football since actually proves them to be the exact opposite.
I thnk the 3 yr vet minimum is around 750K, so this tender is only 700 K more. I say only, but I talk in NFL contrct dollars & cap. If nothing else, let him lead the ST. we need some veteran experience there.
thats the problem…Hawk was one of our best guys…looks like another year of hope and praying that someone actually does “develop” and “take the next step”…if that doesn’t happen maybe one of the big cheese’s will be “taking the next step” right out the door…
Of course it was a lightning in a bottle team. That argument is probably true for all Super Bowl champions. Injuries fall the right way, ideal playoff matchups, etc. 2010 doesn’t even happen if Desmond Bishop doesn’t get forced into the lineup, for example. Seattle probably wins it all the last 2 years if they don’t lose their leading sacker to a blown knee on Washington’s awful field. Just two examples. All they can do is put the deepest roster out there without destroying the salary cap and hope for the best.
BREAKING NEWS!!!
Ted Thompson shuts off all the phones and stops communications with free agents as he travels to Southeastern Missourii St. to scout a linebacker he thinks could convert to safety coming off his 4th acl tear in 5 years. By golly he has a lot of upside, I bet I can sign him for a minimum contract after the draft as an undrafted FA so that way we can resign our own mediocre players like Brad Jones! We can also still have 20 million left over in cap room! Team with the most cap left over wins right?
He “found” Shields, Mike Daniels, Jordy Nelson, Boykin, Tramon Williams, Nick Collins, Ryan Grant, Dujuan Harris, Greg Jennings, James Jones, Josh Sitton, Bakhtiari, Hyde, etc… All mid-to-late round pick and thats just off the top of my head. Calm down.
We’re not even 12 hours into Free Agency…. Calm down.
We’re the only team in the NFC to make the playoffs 5 straight years and even YOU would have to agree we’re only getting better. CALM DOWN.
Yeah, this team is really improving from 2010. One playoff victory. 2 blowout losses in embarrassing fashion in the playoffs. The defense continuing to crumble. Very inspiring. I feel horrible for Aaron Rodgers. I just hope he can win a Super Bowl with someone else before he retires, because it sure as hell wont be with green bay as long as TT is GM. He wont give Houston 6 million annually, but he sure as hell will give one half of the worst safety tandem in the league 6 million and Brad fucking Jones 3.5 million. Simply stunning.
If you mean resigning our whole crappy dl from last year..then yeah were getting so much better..i wouldnt resign any our free agents except maybe kuhn..maybe
Kuhn is a must if TT has any integrity at all!
I’m curious to know metric one uses when determining whether a Super Bowl championship team (2010 GB, etc) is actually improving the following seasons.