We predicted this might happen when we ran down our list of the Green Bay Packers’ unrestricted free agents — that center J.C. Tretter probably wouldn’t be back.
The thinking was the Packers already had Corey Linsley, who is capable and would be much cheaper than Tretter. And while we love Tretter’s athleticism — he adds a whole other dimension to the running game when he’s on the field — the Packers don’t NEED to re-sign him.
It now appears that Linsley isn’t just going to be a little cheaper than Tretter, he’s going to be substantially cheaper.
Tretter’s agents, Alan Herman and Jared Fox, received a wealth of interest at the NFL scouting combine this week, the source said. They had met with six teams by Thursday afternoon and had two meetings still to come, one of which was with the Packers.
Preliminary conversations indicated Tretter could receive some considerable offers when he becomes an unrestricted free agent next week. Other teams are expected to pursue him more aggressively than the Packers, the source said, and Tretter is likely to accept a larger contract to become a starting center.
The one thing that we thought might slow the market for Tretter, giving the Packers a chance to re-sign him at a more modest deal, was health.
Three of the four years Tretter has been with the Packers, he’s had a significant injury. He lost his entire rookie season to a broken ankle. He missed half of his second season (and lost his starting job to Linsley) because of a knee injury. Tretter missed nine games and ended the year on IR with another knee injury in 2016.
There’s some bad luck in there, but Tretter hasn’t been available for even half the games he could have in his four-year career.
We know the Packers aren’t going to get into a bidding war for Tretter. They don’t need to. Plus, in addition to big money invested in David Bakhtiari and Bryan Bulaga, it now appears the Packers may at least consider re-signing guard T.J. Lang. That would require a third substantial investment in the offensive line.
Tretter may pull in more than the $6 million-plus annually Bulaga is making on the open market.
So you can see how this is going to play out.
9 Comments
Yes, i can see how this 0 line thing is playing out. And none of it is good.
Well, this is an example of how insane free agency is. The guy has barely played and may get $6 million annually? This is bad, what happens if Bahk goes down? They don’t have another guy that can play left tackle. Spriggs didn’t show me much last year, hopefully he gets a lot better.
Nick Perry had one season out of 5 where he stood out. The Packers are about to sign him to a 4 or 5 year deal that pays him around $32-40 million. Probably more considering it’s Ted.
The valid question then is, how many good seasons do we get for our money the next 5 years.
Springs was asked to play guard, an he is too lean for that. Heck, maybe even for OT, but after the offseason he will have added some weight.
Spriggs did show some things…just none of it that was pretty looking. i’m not putting final Judgement on him. But holy shit, that was some kind of ugly. We give him a season, couple training camps, we’ll see what he’s made of this season, maybe from necessity.
Tretter will get 5-6 mill/year. I think TJ Lang gets about 7.5.
If the Packers lose both, were kinda fucked, i’ll say it. We lose 2 starting guards in 1 year and collaterally, we lose depth. Who do we have besides Spriggs, who’s pretty tall for a guard ( whose not ready)…Barclay? A couple other nobody’s? I’m sure big Ted will sign some UDFA for depth and, that’s his pattern there.
Worst case scenario this line reverts back to a weakness, and we’ll hear from all the NFL QB Guru’s on here how Rodgers gets sacked because he holds on to the ball too long……when in reality, he’s trying to make a play and score points, seeing as that’s the only way this team wins. What’s he supposed to do, wait for the defense to start winning games?
But if that happens, and he holds the ball too long. Maybe some of you experts can all ride up to Green Bay together and show him what he’s doing wrong.
Or we can take Kato’s idea, and just trade Rodgers, and start Hundley.
BTW…Don’t be surprised if Brandon Marshall ends up with the Patriots.
I really hope not. That would be the rich getting richer.
I don’t look at it like that.
I see a team that makes moves to improve their team on a yearly basis. Whether it’s a move for short term, or long term, they make moves to field a complete competitive team. They move forward.
No offence Ted.
STEP 1
Back-stab Sitton who was playing great on a very team friendly contract, show everyone what kind of “family” the Packers are (the organization treats players about the same as family as Rodgers treats his own family….)
STEP 2
Alienate T.J. Lang and don’t even compete for his pro bowl services.
STEP 3
Let Tretter go as well.
PRESTO
Average Lane Taylor at LG, injury-prone very average or else Linsley at Center, and Don “Revolving Door” Barclay at RG. So, from two pro bowlers and an exceptional athletic talent plummeting down to a whole lot of average to terrible.
This is not a recipe for success. Say what you want about drafting replacements. Maybe so but those same draft picks could have been used in positions of need like, say, the entire defense, pick ANY position.
Sitton was due to MM’s vengeful controlling egotistical ways. Tretter and Lang are maybe due to TT trying to justify that goofy contract he gave Barclay by forcing him into a starting role. That and the command TT save money to bolster profits even more so the Packer conglomerate can buy even more of Green Bay in shady real estate deals that line their pockets.
And all of this enabled capably by the arrogantly blind Packer faithful.