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I haven't paid attention to when free agency opens up and thought it's not here yet, but then saw Wahle sign with Seattle. How could he do that?

Cut players can be signed at anytime, regular free agency begins on the 29th (I think).

Thursday is the last day to tag a guy. Looks like Corey will not be given either tag.

If we really want to "go for it" next year we can put a tag on Corey, it would just be a one year deal. He would get about $6 million. Then next year we can let him walk. We don't have to give him a long term deal.

I say tag him, bring him back for a year and by the end of next season we will have a good idea of Harrell is any good or not.

Weak. I simply don't understand the point of letting a valuable player go when we don't have cap concerns and likely won't be making a splash in free agency.

We aren't one of the top teams in terms of cap space. Despite not blowing our load last season, about half the league projects to have at least as much space as us. There won't be a lot of big names changing addresses, so the competition to get starters this spring is going to be fierce and guys will get overpaid. I can't see Thompson getting in on that action.

So why then wouldn't you bring back Corey if it had absolutely no effect at all in terms of your long term cap? The only reason I can think of is they don't believe he's worth that six and half million dollars and they can get similar (or better) production from the current roster. Unless they plan on taking a defensive lineman in round one, I don't see it.

That said, defensive end is the deepest position in the draft. Five players received the grade of 'Rare Prospect' from Scouts Inc. Three more received a grade of 'Outstanding Prospect'.

Chris Long
Vernon Gholston
Derrick Harvey
Calais Campbell
Quentin Groves
Philip Merling
Lawrence Jackson
Chris Ellis

With a little luck, we could see one of those elite pass rushers fall into our lap. We could use a bit of speed on the edge, allowing the team to move Jenkins back inside.

That would be the only way losing Williams for nothing would be somewhat palatable.

Personally, this decision would be a no-brainer for me: you franchise him. Young, active, healthy, DTs with pass-rushing AND run-stufing abilities don't come along very often; so if you have one, you absolutely cannot let him go w/out some sort of compensation. Even by tendering him, it won't preclude the Packers from making a large offer to another UFA (which would be the only reason why a team this far under the cap wouldn't do it). Williams loves Green Bay and proved to be one of the very few tackles who made it through last season w/out some sort of injury. Heck, thompson's justification for drafting Harrell last year was "you can't have enough of these d-tackles," so I'm not sure how he could justify letting Williams go this year.

I really like Jolly, but Cole is just a body and the jury is still out on Harrell. If Harrell doesn't progress next year and Williams goes elsewhere and dominates, wouldn't you be wishing you had ponied up some cash for Williams (for at least a year to make sure you've got what you think you've got in Jolly and Harrell)?

If the Packers determine that Williams isn't worth the one year nearly 7mill cap figure, then they do it and trade him. (Depending on the interest, I might do this anyway). There's little doubt in my mind the Packers could get a 2nd or 3rd round pick for him, but I wouldn't trade him unless they got a second. While this draft is deep at DE, the DT spot leaves something to be desired. For a teamin the middle of round 2 looking at the epitome of inconsistency Frank Okam, wouldn't you rather take the proven (but still young) Corey Williams? I think this is something the Packers could capitalize on.

This draft is very deep at DE and RB, while solid at DB. If the Packers decide to franchise Corey and then trade him for a 2nd rounder, they could arguably walk away with upgrades at all 3 of those positions (perhaps a TE or OLB as well). If Thompson has proven one thing, it's that he's very, very good with extra picks. Corey Williams just might be the ticket to another one.


End of the day, I just can't see why the Packers would let Williams go w/out compensation. He's jsut too young young, too versatile, and too valuable to let walk away. If he leaves and Johnny Jolly or Ryan Pickett is injured in week 1, we are going to sorely wish Williams was still on this team. I don't think that's a risk we should take.

Bedard says as much today in the JS Weblog.

If the Packers have a guy in Williams that has top 10 value, how does Thompson just let Williams walk away and get nothing in return? That