2013 Off Season Thread - Working On Ext For Burnett - Pg 129

[Bucksfans1and2]

Seattle has a better overall roster than Green Bay given their defense, OL, and running game. Wilson is the key for them next year. From week 9 on, he had a QB rating over 100 every game except for week 14 vs Arizona and 92.9 vs Washington in the playoffs.

If he can build on his fabulous rookie season and not regress at all, Seattle is going to a beast to face next year, especially at home where they have arguably the biggest home field advantage in the league. To me, their biggest problem is being in the same division as the 49ers because Seattle landing home field in the playoffs would make them the clear favorites IMO.

Crazy to think that such a short time ago the NFC West was a terrible division.

The way you beat the Seahawks is to run on them. Bruce Irvin is a 240 pound, stick figure, that stands straight up and has no idea how to use his hands. Jermichael Finley could block that dude.

Their run defense was below average last year, but with as well as they defend the passing game, their defense can still be really good because in most games, it's just hard to score enough points in today's NFL by mainly running the ball.

I'm by no means saying that run defense is irrelevant today, but if say i had the choice of picking defense

A. Below average run defense/above average pass defense

B. Below average pass defense/above average run defense

I'm taking defense A without question

No doubt,

Smashing them in the face is only step 1.

Hit them hard enough and they sub out Bruce Irvin for Red Bryant and shift into heavier sets.

That's when you spread the field. So long as you have the threat of the running game they can't put Irvin back in and their pass rush is poor, take away everything they like to do with their bump and run by forcing them into zones.

Go about regular zone busting: screen passes, certain route combos, etc.

Profit

[Jollay]

If we do nothing in free agency we'll be a very fringe Super Bowl contender this year at best IMO. Just too many holes. I would say hopefully the youngsters would make us more legit the year after.

I mean anything can happen, but the NFC is getting tougher and tougher overall as well. Even the worst teams in the conference clearly have talent. I mean, would anybody be THAT surprised if Chip Kelly's offense crushed us next year?

There's going to be lots of reasonable deals for a lot of players we can clearly use this year. Even if we swing and miss with a bust, I really hope TT brings in one starter somewhere. Lots of position options too.

It really wouldn't be a terrible idea rolling the dice on a guy like Darryl Smith like the Giants are probably going to do if they can. Keep Hawk a year, then release him if Smith works out, keep him if he doesn't. But the impact a type like that could have...there was a reason Jax was sixth in the league in D two years ago.

Just kicking the tires, but the who is out there excuse doesn't quite work anymore. There are dozens of options. I understand not bidding for the high ones, but there are many lower priced options to try...personally I'd look at Wheeler from Oakland as well.

[MickeyDavis]

The Packers made it more difficult for restricted free agent CB Sam Shields to find his pot of gold after slapping the second-round tender on him, according to multiple reports.

As a result of receiving the middle of three possible tenders, worth $2.023 million over one year, the compensation level set for any team wanting to sign Shields is a second-round pick. If Shields were to sign an offer sheet, the Packers would have the option of matching the offer or accepting the second-round pick.

Last month, several personnel evaluators predicted that Shields would receive the second-round tender. After a poor start to the 2013 season, Shields won back a starting position and went on to have a very good season, improving as both a cover man and as a tackler.

Shields does not have the reputation around the NFL as a sure thing, but his upside is big because he's arguably the fastest player on the team and is a relative novice at the position given he mostly played wide receiver and special teams at the University of Miami.

"(Shields is a) very good role player as a third corner, but he is small and more than likely it's safe to assume he will have some injuries because of the lack of size," one personnel director said. "This is a tough one that I'm glad we don't have to ponder this year.

"I am guessing they will do the two and will always have the (match) if someone does offer and they want to keep him."

The reports on Shields - from both ProFootballTalk and ESPN.com -- receiving the second-round tender are very likely accurate given Shields' agent, Drew Rosenhaus, because it's well known that he generally only talks to those two outlets. It is unclear whether Rosenhaus has spoken to the Packers about a long-term deal.

At the combine last month, Rosenhaus declined to talk about Shields' situation.

The Packers are not taking the same risk with Shields that they are taking with C Evan Dietrich-Smith, who received the low tender on Monday. Dietrich-Smith also wasn't drafted so there is no compensation tied to him and the best the Packers could do if he were to receive an offer sheet is to match it.

With Shields getting the second-round tender and Dietrich-Smith the low tender, the Packers have used $3.346 million of salary cap money on restricted free agents. They have three other RFAs in TE Tom Crabtree, LB Robert Francois and LB Frank Zombo.

Francois and Zombo are not likely to be tendered and will become free agents. The Packers may try to re-sign them after they are let go. It's unclear whether they intend to tender Crabtree.

[eagle13]

don't tender Crab either - he'll either be ours cheap or not worth it

[eagle13]

Ted is pinching every penny - makes me think he wants $ for 1 signficant FA after Rodgers & Matthews - Canty or Jackson? Both pls? I can dream...

[Reddeye]

Profootballtalk.com reports the Lions are the "likely winners" on free agent Reggie Bush.

ESPN 1500 Twin Cities reports the Bears' interest in free agent RT Phil Loadholt is "legitimate" and they are offering more money than the Vikings.

A source tells the Chicago Sun-Times that the Bears' interest in free agent LT Jake Long is "real."

[Kerb Hohl]

I realize that the Bears had a huge weakness on the offensive line but I feel like them backing up the cash truck here on a few offensive linemen may eventually make them a 4-12 team by 2015/2016.

[MickeyDavis]

Go ahead Bears, roll out the dough.

I would expect a Clay extension to be announced before the draft. Ted wants all available cap room right now just in case a bargain becomes available. Once FA is played out Clay will get a new deal.

[notoriousTJ11]

How much cap room do the Bears have? I thought splurging on Cutler/Peppers/Marshall as well as the raises in pay Urlacher/Briggs have gotten would limit them significantly on the free agent market

[MickeyDavis]

There are always ways to create cap room. The 'Skins did it year after year. But it's always short term gain for long term pain. Or in Washington's case there was no short term gain either.

[MickeyDavis]

From the Chicago Sun Times

On the eve of free agency, the Bears didn't restructure any contracts and have $7.01 million in salary cap space, according to league sources.

The Bears' cap number increased by nearly $3.2 million because of cap adjustments, likely from unearned incentives that had previously been counted.

As I noted Feb. 28, the Bears can create a lot of space -- and in a hurry. Here's the story on different ways they can do that.

That links to this story about how they can create more room

http://www.suntimes.com/sports/football ... -room.html

Part of that article:

But one way the Bears could create about $8 million in cap savings would be by converting most of defensive end Julius Peppers’ $12.9 million base salary for 2013 into a roster bonus, then adding two “dummy years” to his deal, which is set to expire in 2015. By doing so, the Bears could almost cut his $16.38 million cap number in half, depending on structure, then spread some of the hit into 2016 or 2017, when the salary cap could increase.

That’s a last resort but a viable one, two NFL executives said.

The Bears also could create significant cap space by signing a couple of players to extensions. The most obvious candidates are cornerbacks Charles Tillman ($8 million cap number) and Tim Jennings ($5.1 million) and kicker Robbie Gould ($2.92 million), two sources said.

Extensions for those three players could save another $8 million.

Another option many teams are employing is asking veterans to take pay cuts or threatening them with their release. Bears with relatively high salaries include tight end Kellen Davis ($2.5 million in cap savings), receiver Devin Hester ($2.4 million), receiver Earl Bennett ($2.35 million) and tight end Matt Spaeth ($1.6 million).

[notoriousTJ11]

Pack not tendering Crabtree (as I'm sure everyone expected) according to MJS

[notoriousTJ11]

Thanks MD ... I realize I could have googled that but we had no coffee at work today making me completely worthless...

[Kerb Hohl]

As I said, if they make those moves they will be in the running for the top QB draft classes in 2015-2016.

[notoriousTJ11]

As I said, if they make those moves they will be in the running for the top QB draft classes in 2015-2016.

Hopefully Bart Houston is at the head of that class

[MickeyDavis]

I think we sign a FA or two as backups and that's it. Extend Matthews, Rodgers and maybe Raji and push as much of their new deals into this years cap space.

I'd still love to sign Jackson though.

[MickeyDavis]

Crabby not tendered

[Kerb Hohl]

Let's see if we can get someone noting that Crabtree wasn't tendered on every page of this thread, 1 per page.

[MickeyDavis]

It's significant

[PkrsBcksGphsMqt]

Other than the Packers, seems like every off season there is a lot of incestuous FA signings in the NFC North. The Vikings and Bears are usually the main culprits. Longwell, Ferguson, Sharper, Chester Taylor, Bernard Berrian, Favre (kind of) etc.