The Green Bay Packers — and every NFL team — will have more money to spend this offseason.
The salary cap will be set at $143.28 million for 2015, a bump of a little more than $10 million from the 2014 number of $133 million. That gives the Packers a just over $30 million in spending cash, which is the eighth-highest total in the league.
Free agent spending spree, right?
Come on. You know better.
We know the Packers are high on re-signing at least three of their own guys — receiver Randall Cobb, tackle Bryan Bulaga and defensive tackle Letroy Guion.
Those deals, should they get done, will take up half of that $30 million right there. Possibly more.
What’s left will go to bargain signings, most likely of their own free agents, and the remainder will get stashed away for either future contract extensions or to be rolled over to next season.
Ted Thompson could surprise, of course, but there’s no reason to expect a deviation from the formula at this point.
For years I have watched TT and MM work through this time period and always seem to question some of their decisions. Each year brings some answers and this year is no different. We should have already completed contracts with both Cobb and Bulaga but there is clearly more issues than is being discussed. They appear to want more than we need to pay them thinking they will hit the jackpot in FA. If playing in Oakland, Jacksonville, or Tennessee is worth a little more money, Good Luck! Opportunity to win should be worth something but as in years past, money is all it is about to the players. Loyality means little. Both of these players had great seasons, but have spent the better part of their 4 years healing from injuries. Other players such as Jennings, Jones, Wells, and Dietrich-Smith, should be examples of the grass is not always greener.
Mr. Phillips, what you’ve just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.
then wtf did somebody award that buffoon MM any brownie points?
get a effin’ HC already!
How much is that house?
It’s $1.2 million.
OK, I’ll give you 3 years of loyalty as a down payment and finance the rest.
Fuckin A, dude.
Ted Thompson should resign Bulaga. It’s pretty obvious Cobb wants more than the reported $9,000,000 a year deal.
i think maybe Mr. Phillips is pretty much right on…the rumor now has Cobb expecting to be offered $12 mill from Raiders…Ted aint gonna pay that and he shouldn’t…thats maybe why he drafted three WR’s last year…time for Janis to get his shot if Cobb leaves…can’t really blame Cobb, he knows part of his success is having a been in a favorable system with one of the best throwing him the ball…but he’s one bad injury away from being nothing….hopefully this will work out but i don’t blame the Packer for not paying ridiculous money for anyone..
I’m not saying sign him long term, but you don’t let talent like that get away when you’ve got a super bowl contending team.
We have 30 million in cap space this year…the smart move would have been to tag him and revisit next year or resume negotiations before he signs his offer sheet.
Tag him and pay him 4 million more a year than your #1 receiver Jordy Nelson? Using that logic you shouldnt have paid Jordy the money you did, let him test free agency, and focused on paying Cobb.
That makes no sense.
I love Cobb but as with Favre, great QB’s make great WR’s. No way we pay him more than 9 mill a year, no way. If he wants more, good luck playing for teams with shit QB’s.
tell that to WR larry fitzgerald. you’ll be eating a FB sandwich after he points out that he took a home discount this year to help his team with the salary cap, so don’t be surprised if he gets a little upset with your ignorance about how a great WR can’t exist without a “great” QB.
right, billybong; turns out the 100 million they paid AR for nothing is looking pretty ridiculous. trade him now while his stock is soaring. get a young D stud like JJ Watt and draft one of those speedy negro QB that are really RB who are protected from being tackled by the current nfl “touch FB” rules.
There is one word that best describes Thompson and that is deliberate. That trait is maddening to many Packer fans, but is probably exactly the trait the organization likes.
I hated last year that we did not sign EDS, but you know what it worked out for the best. Then there are other times like having really no quality safeties or ILB’s and you wonder why?
It is all part of draft and develop, then resign the good ones. There are still a few days to see what happens. We just need to remain calm and deliberate just like Thompson. I have to admit, it is a hard trait to have as a fan.
I see Tom Brady as the opposite of Rodgers. Tom is obsessed with winning and Aaron with celebrity. Which is totally fine, both are elite QBs. The difference between them is # of rings. Tom will sacrifice his annual salary payout in order to restructure his contract and make the team Super Bowl caliber each and every year, Aaron so far will not do that. Aaron is younger so it’s not quite panic time yet but we were so close last year that one can’t help but feel there’s an opportunity or window here. Therefore, it is logical to break from “tradition” of not spending in free agency (as we did with Peppers) and add another stellar defensive or offensive piece to make another run now.
trade AR for a D superstar like JJ and draft a talented young QB/RB who can take advantage of the current nfl “touch FB” rules to protect the QB.