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Tag Archives: Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packer Fans Should Exercise Calm & Patience During this Offseason
Unless you are really into the draft, this is usually a pretty boring time of the year for Packer fans. But this offseason seems like it will be a little different.
A little over a week ago there was a sizeable portion of the Packer fan base losing their collective minds over reports that Sam Shields would be testing free agency and not resigning with the Packers any time soon, if at all. This was confirmation to Ted Thompson haters that he was in fact trying to destroy the Packers from within. In actuality this was probably a smart, albeit predictable, ploy by Shields’ agent, Drew Rosenhaus, to leak this information to media outlets which in turn would exert some pressure on the Packers to increase their offer.
Now that the Packers and Shields have come to terms on a 4 year $39 million contract extension, all the anger and consternation over his potential departure has dissipated, replaced by anger and consternation over whether the Packers overpaid for Shields’ services. As John Rehor points out in his latest article, sometimes you just can’t win.
A few days after the Shields news, a report came out that the Packers were close to signing BJ Raji to a 1 year deal. A deal that in my opinion would be a win for both the Packers and Raji. The Packers wouldn’t immediately have to worry about having to find a nose tackle in free agency or the draft, and Raji gets a year to rehab his value on the free agent market.
Focus Shifts to Defensive Line
Yesterday, the Green Bay Packers signed cornerback Sam Shields to a four-year, $39 million contract to help solidify their secondary.
It may seem like an overpay based on what Shields has done so far, but it was necessary, and the contract was designed very nicely by general manager Ted Thompson. Shields, 26, is still an ascending player at a premium position. He did a great job shadowing the number one wide receiver of opposing teams last season, and a player who can do that is just so hard to find.
Free agency is about what a player can do for you in the future and not about what he has done. Shields’ elite speed and wide receiver ball skills will not be going away. He may not be an elite corner yet, but he is right on the cusp of that. The Packers have one of the best cornerback groups in the NFL with Shields, Tramon Williams, Casey Heyward, Davon House and Micah Hyde.
With Shields’ contract out of the way, the Packers can now focus on rebuilding the rest of their defense. Keeping Shields only ensures that the defense will not get worse. Even after the signing, the Packers have about $28 million in cap space available to use this offseason.
The Packers still have huge holes at safety, inside linebacker and along the defensive line. It sounds as though rebuilding the defensive line is their next goal.
The Week In Review at PackersTalk.com
This week at PackersTalk.com:
Ross offered a little perspective on the Green Bay Packers and how they do business.
Matt proposed that the Packers free agents are replaceable.
Ian discussed the prospects of the Packers resigning free agent center Evan Dietrich-Smith.
Will a Wisconsin Badger be drafted this year? There are some good candidates for this to happen.
Ross continued his position by position analysis by looking at the inside liebackers.
John revisited the NFL Network’s Top 10 Packers of all time-making a few changes to their list.
The PTRN team produced another MEGA SHOW this week, with ESPN business analyst and former Packers VP Andrew Brandt joining the Cheesehead Radio crew as the special guest
Ol’ Bag of Donuts returned with their latest edition of their podcast.
From the Benches also returned with their latest podcast.
Be sure to stop by AllGBP.com and check out this week’s edition of Surviving Sunday: Packers News, Notes and Links for the Football Deprived. It is a must read every Sunday of the far too long NFL off season.
Follow Packers Talk Radio Network on Twitter @packerstalknet and visit the PTRN Facebook page. Check it out, and give it a LIKE today!
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John Rehor is a writer at PackersTalk.com.
He can also be heard as one of the Co-Hosts of Cheesehead Radio. ---------------------
Ted Thompson Cannot Win Regarding Free Agency
Ted Thompson just cannot win.
Every off season, critics complain that he is not active enough during free agency season. His unwillingness to venture into these strange waters and sign the “big name” free agent that many desire leaves him as an open target.
Then he goes out and does things like resign free agent CB Sam Shields.
Of all the Packers free agents, Shields was the one player who needed to be targeted to be resigned, and that is exactly what Thompson went out and did.
And here is where the criticism begins.
Shields’ new deal, reportedly 4 years/$39 million, had some saying Thompson overpaid for Shields. And that may be true. Shields is not a top tier cornerback-yet. But his new contract will reportedly make him the second highest paid cornerback in the NFL in 2014.
If the numbers are correct, and Shields continues to ascend as a player, he will be a bargain by the third and fourth seasons of this new contract. A bargain contract for a (hopefully) top tier player. And that is a move that every Packers fan would be praising.
But right now according to some, Shields has been overpaid for the body of work he has produced.
And this is where Thompson just cannot win.
If Shields was allowed to walk away in free agency, fans would have been sharpening their pitchforks and lighting torches, with Ted Thompson being the recipient of the attacks.
Ol’ Bag of Donuts: The Dawn of Free Agency
After a brief offseason hiatus, Chris and Adam are back just in time for Free Agency opening on Tuesday. They go in-depth on the Sam Shields situation, the benefit of bringing back Raji and how Thompson needs to eliminate needs heading into the draft. But most importantly, they give you the ‘sexy’ name that is most likely going highlight the Packers’ 2014 Free Agency class.
Listen using the player below or download the podcast from the Packers Talk Radio Network on Itunes.
Find Additional Football Podcasts with Packers Talk Radio Network on BlogTalkRadio
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Chris Lempesis and Adam Somers bring their offbeat brand of podcasting to Packers Talk Radio Network, with the latest rumors, news, and prognostications about your Green Bay Packers.
Follow them on Twitter at @olbagofdonuts and @ASomers_time and stay tuned to Packers Talk Radio Network every week for more of Chris and Adam! And head on over to the PackersTalk iTunes account, subscribe, and enjoy great Packers podcasts nearly every day of the week!
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From the Benches: Free Agent Defection?
On the newest edition of From The Benches, the guys react to the recent news that Sam Shields will be allowed to test the free agent market. Following a good discussion, and some predictions about where Shields will end up the guys move on to their final edition of Free agent primers before continuing their draft series. The guys pick out some of the wide receivers from this year’s deep class that they like, and talk about where the Packers could target some of the players from that position.
The boys go Behind The Bench, in honor of NFL Network’s dynasty week, the guys pick who would make their version of “Packers Mount Rushmore”. To end the show Ryan takes this week’s version of the show’s signature series “You’re gonna want to cut that.”
Listen using the player below or download the podcast from the Packers Talk Radio Network on Itunes.
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From The Benches is the latest podcast from the Packers Talk Radio Network, featuring hosts Jacob Westendorf, Ross Uglem, and Ryan Hillesland.
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The Yearly Revisiting of the NFL Network’s Top 10 Green Bay Packers
In what has become an annual tradition, it is time to revisit the NFL Network’s list of the Top 10 Green Bay Packers of all time.
This year, this program is being featured during “Dynasty Week” which has an entire week of Packers programming scheduled to satisfy the need for football in the off season. With this in mind, now seems to be the perfect time to see if the list is accurate, or needs some revisions.
To refresh everyone’s memory, here is the list as they originally came up with:
10: Jim Taylor
9: Jerry Kramer
8: James Lofton
7: Herb Adderley
6: Paul Hornung
5: Ray Nitschke
4: Reggie White
3: Bart Starr
2: Brett Favre
1: Don Hutson
During last year’s revisit of the list, there were a few players who were worth discussing their inclusion on this list, and should be discussed again.
Although he was injured for half of the 2014 season, Aaron Rodgers’ career stats speak for themselves. Has he warranted a spot in this exclusive list yet?
What about Donald Driver, who retired as the team’s all time leader in receptions and receiving yards?
Dave Robinson entered the Pro Football Hall of Fame this past year. Does this equal a Top 10 all time ranking for the Packers?
After careful consideration, my revisited list last year featured the removal of James Lofton, and the inclusion of Aaron Rodgers:
