TJ Lang signs four year extension.

[MickeyDavis]

The four-year contract extension OG T.J. Lang signed with the Green Bay Packers is worth $20.8 million in new money, according to a source with access to NFLPA salary information.

Lang will receive a $5.5 million signing bonus and his salary cap number for this year is $1.8 million. Lang's original base salary of $1.26 million is incorporated into the deal as well.

By comparison, OG Josh Sitton's five-year extension was worth $33.75 million or $6.75 million per year. Sitton received a $6 million signing bonus and $8.9 million total in guaranteed money.

Sitton's numbers reflect the fact he started 34 regular-season games before he signed his deal. Lang has started only 19.

Lang's $5.2 million average shows how much the Packers value him and expect him to be their starter for the next five seasons. He might have been able to make more on the free agent market after this season, but being able to pocket $5.5 million was undoubtedly too attractive to pass up.

In discussing the reasons for signing Lang, GM Ted Thompson said that normally the big money goes to left tackles, but "we feel that quality, big people across the whole offensive line are hard, hard to find."

[El Duderino]

I imagine the fates of Finley and Jennings are linked.

Yeah, if Finley steps up as a legit no. 1 receiving option then I think it'd be a lot easier to let Jennings walk.

Finley only has a two year deal though. If he blows up, i highly doubt that Ted pays to keep Finley with Rodgers, Clay, and Raji all needing to be paid big money in the next year or two. Clay and Aaron will get especially big money.

That was the risk for both sides in the only two year extension for Finley. He got less guaranteed money by not taking a 4-5 year deal, but if he has two really good years, he'll be a free agent just as the cap goes up significantly and he'll only be 27.

[MikeIsGood]

Great move.

[Bucksfans1and2]

I imagine the fates of Finley and Jennings are linked.

Yeah, if Finley steps up as a legit no. 1 receiving option then I think it'd be a lot easier to let Jennings walk.

Finley only has a two year deal though. If he blows up, i highly doubt that Ted pays to keep Finley with Rodgers, Clay, and Raji all needing to be paid big money in the next year or two. Clay and Aaron will get especially big money.

That was the risk for both sides in the only two year extension for Finley. He got less guaranteed money by not taking a 4-5 year deal, but if he has two really good years, he'll be a free agent just as the cap goes up significantly and he'll only be 27.

Finley's an underrated piece on this team. These athletic TEs do so much for an offense.

[Ayt]

Or how much Jennings actually wants to be in Green Bay

I think he's going to want Fitz like money. I just wouldn't be willing to give him that.

Jennings won't command anything close to Fitzgerald money. There isn't a single team in the league that would offer him an 8 year, $128.5M contract with $50M guaranteed.

He turns 29 in roughly a month, so a team would be looking at giving a gigantic deal to a smallish WR who would be turning 30 in September. He's a phenomenal route runner with great hands who is extremely smart overall, but you still don't pay a guy like that absurd Fitz type money into his mid to late 30's. The number of WRs in the history of the league that would command Fitz money at age 30 is miniscule.


He's much more likely going to look for something in the Vincent Jackson range. 4-5 years at about 10-12M per year with around around 40-50% of the money guaranteed. I can't see any scenarios where he gets more than that. I'd bet we can sign him to a 4 year, 45M deal (roughly) with guaranteed money around 22M. Of course, we may not do that and use the franchise tag on him since we don't have any other major FA we'd need to save the tag for. I don't know if TT would want to roll like that with a guy who is prominent in the lockerroom, so my guess is that we do bring him back at 4 years, 46M with 20M guaranteed.

[Newz]

Jennings won't command anything close to Fitzgerald money. There isn't a single team in the league that would offer him an 8 year, $128.5M contract with $50M guaranteed.

Correct me if I'm wrong... but isn't that what he based his last deal off of? What Fitz got?

I wouldn't mind Jennings on the deal you laid out though. (The 4Y/$43-46 million)

[Marley2Hendrix]

Jennings won't command anything close to Fitzgerald money. There isn't a single team in the league that would offer him an 8 year, $128.5M contract with $50M guaranteed.

Correct me if I'm wrong... but isn't that what he based his last deal off of? What Fitz got?

I wouldn't mind Jennings on the deal you laid out though. (The 4Y/$43-46 million)

Correct sir, and I do remember the buzz around that time being Jennings did not particularly care for life in Green Bay and was looking to get out of here (actually recall this being discussed on this very forum). Now, that was a championship, pre-MVP caliber Godgers ago, and some years/maturity ago, so things may have very well changed on that front. I'll also add, Jennings and Fitz are real tight and we shouldn't openly discount the ego side of things when it comes to making considerably less than your buddy whom you feel is no more talented than yourself. That being said, I largely agree with Ayt's analysis.

[MickeyDavis]

Jennings does want to play in a big city, something he's wanted to do since college. I'm not sure why it really matters for someone like him. He doesn't do the bar/club thing. Of course he's smart enough to know having a great QB is the most important thing. TT knows how important it is to surround AR with weapons. Driver is almost done. If Cobb and one of the young guys (if one of them makes the team) shows real talent I do believe TT would let Jennings walk. That's the nice thing in the NFL, you have the tag you can use if you wish, Jennings only leaves as a FA if we want him to.

[Marley2Hendrix]

The always great Bob McGinn:

Bob McGinn ‏@BobMcGinn
TJ Lang's deal averages $5.2M and ranks 12th among NFL G's. At No. 11 is Arizona's Daryn Colledge. No way in heck he should be behind him.

[emunney]

I thought the Jennings thing was mostly about his wife hating the weather. I think my attitude would be that I'm retiring in my 30s, we can move to the surface of the sun if you want to at that point.

[PkrsBcksGphsMqt]

The always great Bob McGinn:

Bob McGinn ‏@BobMcGinn
TJ Lang's deal averages $5.2M and ranks 12th among NFL G's. At No. 11 is Arizona's Daryn Colledge. No way in heck he should be behind him.

McGinn always hated Colledge, didn't he?

I guess who didn't though.

[MickeyDavis]

Jennings and his wife both grew up in Michigan, I'm not sure how much weather factors in.

[PkrsBcksGphsMqt]

Jennings and his wife both grew up in Michigan, I'm not sure how much weather factors in.

Pretty sure Jennings is on the record stating that his wife doesn't like cold weather and would like to move somewhere warmer. Lots of people grow up in northern states, doesn't mean they wouldn't want to live some where warmer. With that being said, I think Jennings would prefer having his QB be Rodgers instead of someone like Kevin Kolb, even if the weather isn't all that great in Wisconsin.