This will not surprise you at all, but we found it interesting nonetheless. The Green Bay Packers have spent less than any team since free agency opened.
Now, they get the title of being the cheapest franchise in the NFL on a bit of technicality, but still, they’re obviously thrifty. Ted Thompson is the guy who buys condoms and cologne at 99 Cents Only.
The Packers have spent just $2.75 million in total contract value since free agency started. That number was zero before today.
The $2.75 million is courtesy of Letroy Guion’s shiny new one-year deal. When the Packers officially sign B.J. Raji that number will go up slightly, but not much. At most, Raji gets another one-year, $4 million deal. However, we don’t see how the Packers can justify paying him more than Guion, so we’d be surprised if it’s that much.
What about Randall Cobb and Bryan Bulaga, you ask?
There’s the technicality.
Technically, those deals were done before the signing period officially started, so they don’t count. If they did, the Packers spend would be at $74.5 million.
That’s still nowhere near the teams at the top of this list. Perennial losers the New York Jets ($173.9 million) and Jacksonville Jaguars ($172.5 million) are No. 1 and 2. The Miami Dolphins are a distant third ($139.8 million).
Just above the Packers are the Pittsburgh Steelers, who have spent just $6.75 million.
The difference between the Steelers and Packers is the Steelers don’t have much money to spend. They have just $7 million in cap space, compared with the Packers’ $21.8 million.
Interestingly, the Lions and Vikings appear to have adopted Green Bay’s philosophy, at least this year. Both are in the bottom 10 in free agency spending. The Lions have spent the third least ($8.6 million) and the Vikings the fifth least ($11.8 million).
The Chicago Bears?
Well, they’re your drunk uncle in a whore house.
They’ve spent $68.4 million, which is the ninth-highest total in the league. Of course, they have a new general manager who wants to see if he can drive the Bears into oblivion faster than the two clowns before him did.
Tough act to follow, but we’re sure he’s giving it his all.
Ted is just so darn smart…sometimes i wish he was just a tad dumber though….just a little once in awhile…