Packers sitting pretty with $30 million of cap space as free agency nears

[LambeauLegs]

It looks like the assumption has been made that Packers inside Linebackers will be a big target in the draft with Hawk and Jones gone according to this info:





The Green Bay Packers and general manager Ted Thompson are money managers of the right kind, and with the expected releases of veterans A.J Hawk and Brad Jones, they will have $30 million to go shopping with in 2015 free agency.

Thompson isn't a spender, but he does occasionally reach out to the right free agent such as the case in 2014 when he plucked linebacker Julius Peppers off the market.

According to Tom Silverstein of JSOnline, the Packers have enough cap space where they do not even have to make any financial moves if they choose.

JSOnline writes:

'Some NFL organizations would not be able to trim their roster of two well-paid veterans like A.J. Hawk and Brad Jones without some kind of serious consequence to their 2015 salary cap. If they choose to jettison the two linebackers before the start of free agency March 10 — and why wouldn't they? — they will have at least $30 million of salary cap room to sign any number of their 11 unrestricted and three restricted free agents, including the two big ones, receiver Randall Cobb and tackle Bryan Bulaga. They are in such good shape that they really don't have to lessen linebacker Julius Peppers' scheduled $12 million cap hit or mess with anyone else's contract.'

 

[anotheridiot]

as much as I hate the packers, one of the best run organizations in football. Bear fans would want Suh signed for 30 million per year.

 

[RP-29]

Here's a list of the Packers' unrestricted free agents.

CB Tramon Williams $9,500,000
DL B.J. Raji $4,000,000
T Bryan Bulaga $3,829,000
CB/ST Jarrett Bush $2,033,333
LB Jamari Lattimore $1,431,000
QB Matt Flynn $1,078,750
FB John Kuhn $1,051,875
WR Randall Cobb $1,021,179
DT Letroy Guion $985,000
CB Davon House $720,145
QB Scott Tolzien $645,000
RB DuJuan Harris $645,000

The first thing that jumps out at us is Cobb has been grossly underpaid for his production and he's a key cog in the Packers' offense, so getting him re-signed should be priority #1.

The second thing that jumps out is Tramon is grossly overpaid for his production. He made $2.5M more than Darrelle Revis. Resigning him should be priority only if he's willing to take a $4M paycut. If he digs his feet in the sand and refuses to sign for less, he can be some other desperate team's overpaid underperforming problem.

Bulaga may not be an elite tackle, but he's a good tackle and continuity on the offensive line is important. Given his injury history, he can't expect much more than he's been getting, so resigning him at a similar price point should be a probability.

Guion's legal troubles probably have him off the team.

Considering the Packers resigned Raji to a 1-year, $4M deal last year to see if he could regain his game, only to get absolutely nothing out of him after blowing his biceps in the preseason, I'm betting they lowball an offer to him this year which easily gets trumped by another team looking to bolster their defensive front by any means necessary.

The other guys could be re-signed at similar price points or let walk and it wouldn't affect the team much, although I think it's important to keep one of the backup quarterbacks for the sake of continuity.

So... Assuming Tramon re-signs for about half, Raji and Guion are gone, the other UFAs re-sign at similar price points and Cobb gets a big raise, that should still net about $10 million in cap space for a free agent or two if Ted Thompson so chooses.

 

[leomaz]

Revis made 12 million last season

 

[packfancjh]

I would rather see them resign House than Williams. Much more upside. Williams is not the same corner he used to be.

 

[RP-29]

Revis made 12 million last season

Okay, to clarify, Revis' cap hit was $7M.

 

[packerzrule]

I would rather see them resign House than Williams. Much more upside. Williams is not the same corner he used to be.

Roger that.

 

[packfancjh]

Just read a report that says Bulaga is seeking 7-9 mil per year. Good luck with that! The top paid RT last year only made 7 and he is not a LT. He should be around 5-6 mil

 

[packfancjh]

THANK YOU LORD BRAD JONES GOT CUT!!!!!!!

 

[Tainthappening]

Just read a report that says Bulaga is seeking 7-9 mil per year. Good luck with that! The top paid RT last year only made 7 and he is not a LT. He should be around 5-6 mil

Yeah... I have the feeling he is going to look for LT money, he may have played his last game as a Packer.

I expect Cobb will be back.