Suffering through your favorite team’s bye week can be an ominous period for any NFL fan. While fans want to see more action on the field, it serves as a chance for not only players, but coaches to recharge. The players play and coaches coach. Yet coaches also have the responsibility of evaluating talent and preparing for the future. Even during the heat of the season the bye week allows for time of reflection.
The loss of Aaron Rodgers could have very well catalyzed this process for the Packers. When he announced on Conan this week he had thirteen screws inserted to repair his collarbone the news was hardly comforting. If true, doctors have weighed in stating this could prolong the healing process and jeopardize Rodgers’ season even more. Regardless, the Packers have to look forward. They will try to make the playoffs and give Rodgers a chance to play. But if things continue to go south, Green Bay’s personnel evaluators will analyze their 2018 free agents sooner than later. As it stands right now the Packers will be nearly $29 million under the cap. If Marcellus Bennett is serious about his retirement at the end of the year this number will be even lower. Bringing in serious talent from outside the organization will be a real possibility.
Prior to that, the Packers will need to take care of their own first. Rodgers is still due for a pay raise and the Packers will not be able to put it off much longer. With Matthew Stafford making $28 million a year for the next half decade, #12 will certainly command more. Assuming GM Ted Thompson is going to stick around through the 2018 offseason he will have tough contract decisions to make. And not just with Rodgers.
SS Morgan Burnett
Dom Capers has missed the quarterback of his defense the past two games. Communication has been off completely, particularly in the secondary. Mike McCarthy has been adamant about seeing improvement there. Burnett had the best season of his career in 2016 and 2017 was shaping up to be even better. How often do you find a player that can fit in at safety, linebacker, and corner. He is third on the team in tackles despite his missed time. Burnett has even outplayed his sidekick Clinton-Dix who was a pro bowler last season. His age will be 29 in January, though safeties tend to play at a high level into their mid 30s.
Projected contract: 4 years, $33 million
WR Davante Adams
Adams is the most intriguing prospect on the Packers roster when it comes to contracts. How he finishes this season without Rodgers at the helm should tell enough about his true value. Adams is not the possession receiver Antonio Brown is, nor does he possess the vertical speed of a DeAndre Hopkins. The Packers would be taking a great leap of faith paying him number one receiver type money for years to come. However, Thompson and his confidants can ill afford to develop another mid round receiver while Rodgers is ready for his second Super Bowl.
Projected contract: 3 years, $34.5 million
C Corey Linsley
Linsley is about as solid as they come as far as NFL centers go. When the Packers had the chance to resign JC Tretter, they put their belief into a former fifth rounder in Linsley. According to PFF, he is graded as the 20th overall center (Tretter is 18th). There is room for growth, but the chemistry he has built with Rodgers will not go unnoticed when negotiations start.
Projected contract: 4 years, $22 million
CB Davon House
House was a solid pickup for Green Bay during the 2017 offseason. They hated to see him go in 2015, but were not ready to pay him over $6 million a year. He is signed for the veteran minimum and has played his way into a slightly better deal. Although he will never be a shut down corner, the Packers will need his services as a rotational player for the next couple years.
Projected contract: 2 years, $8 million
OG Jahri Evans
Evans’ battle against father time is going well thus far, but it will inevitably be a loss he has to take. Early penalties from the beginning of the season have since been forgotten. His play has picked up and he has started in every game for the Packers. A rarity for this offensive line. Evans would be a great mentor for another year, but anything beyond that would be a waste of a roster spot.
Projected Contract: 1 year, $3 million
OLB Ahmad Brooks
I think we all miss Julius Peppers.
Projected Contract: Let him walk
TE Richard Rodgers
If Bennett is serious about this being his final season, then third string Richard Rodgers’ stock just rose tremendously. Rodgers will never be a great route runner, but his pass catching abilities are formidable.
Projected Contract: 2 years, $6 million
WR Jeff Janis
The Janis experiment has gone on long enough. His special teams services can be saluted, but his days as a receiver have nothing to show for. If a QB like Rodgers cannot turn Janis into a serviceable receiver, maybe no one can. He will get another shot somewhere else.
Projected Contract: Let him walk
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Brandon Carwile was a Cheesehead at birth. His dad grew up attending games at Lambeau and passed on the legacy. He has covered the Packers for over five years and currently works with packerstalk.com. Find him on twitter at @PackerScribe.
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8 responses to “Contracts for Packers 2018 Free Agents”
Janis’ stock would go up if they would put him in the huddle with Hundley. They both play better when the other is on the field.
Yes!! Agree. Different set of receivers.
Nice article. I’m really curious to see the market for Adams at the end of the season. We can’t let him walk (Jordy nearing the end) but what is “fair market value” for a WR that is not likely to post very good numbers this year? Hopkins in Houston got a big contract but he had a longer track record of success. Rodgers injury could provide Packers a discount.
I would have thought Burnett was too much a luxury, but with HaHa playing like garbage, maybe TT ponies up.
Brooks and Janis I think we have to wait till end of season to determine. Brooks has played well at times and we don’t know what Beigel brings yet. Fackrell prob isn’t more than a 4th or 5th string OLB and ST player…. sad to admit that. Janis could be the 1 designated ST player (like Bush was). I remember when MM used him for jet’s sweeps or reverses once or twice last season. Thought we would see much more of that from Packers, with both Cobb and Janis capable of running it. If you watch Andy Reid in KC, they kill defenses with it. I think MM is missing an opportunity not using more misdirection.
The “offensive genius” McCarthy reads too many of his own green and gold koolaid stories. This Packers team CAN’T pull guards for misdirection or sweeps, they rarely fool anyone on defense–biggest difference between Lombardi’s team/offense and McCarthy’s style?? Lombardi challenged opponents to stop his, McCarthy doesn’t have the run game/run blocking to be consistent to protect the passing game. Defense SITS on WR’s with press cover and McCarthy’s O-line hasn’t consistently protected Rodgers well enough. When the fans in stands and at home can see it, WHY would McCarthy think opponents don’t? He should’ve OPENED up this offense far more than he has, when GB goes down again this season without another SB shot, his DC DUMB Capers should FINALLY BE FIRED and maybe that will put some urgency in McCarthy’s strategy.
idk, MM has had some good RB’s, especially the rookie season Lacey had. We road him and ok defensive play to a 500 record with rodgers out. Put Matt Flynn back there and MM could prob do it again with Jones and Monty. Jones has had 2 straight 100 yard games, we’ve been running ok. Think the prob is he is trying to have Hundley run Rodger’s offense instead of changing the offense to max Hundley’s play. MM tried to do it with the boot legs and QB keepers, but he had Hundley sit in the pocket and try to read the D like Rodgers, only to throw short passes or bail on the pocket too early.
Trust me, Ted will let them go and the players will excel elsewhere. For goodness sake, how long does it take for our upper management, Murphy, to figure it out. The problem is our coaches!!
Some games, most games, our receivers don’t get much separation. Watch other teams receivers against us and they’re wide open. Maybe try the receivers who Hundley works with and throws to, like Allidon, Janis, Davis? Why not? MM had no imagination really. Same plays, run 6 yard out, 2 yard out, run; no surprises. Try a different set of receivers few times, who knows? End arounds, draws, more screens, slants, TE down the seam?
Allison…