Sometimes it pays to stay up late:

http://www.jsonline.com/sports/packers/48814277.html

Still iffy but at least positive.

If/when it happens I'll be curious to see the details.

I thought it would get done after TC opened, but I'll be pleased if my prediction is incorrect if they can get him locked up sooner.

That's good news.

Hope it doesn't pay him like he's a Top 5 WR (he's not--yet) and is heavy on incentives. Fair is fair.

I'd like to see this wrapped up before the start of TC. He'd be able to focus 100% on the upcoming year if it does.

From the article:

Among the recent signees, Arizona's Larry Fitzgerald leads the way at $10 million per year, followed by Tampa Bay's Antonio Bryant ($9.6 million/franchise tag), Seattle's T.J. Houshmandzadeh ($8 million), Dallas' Roy Williams ($7.8 million) and Houston's Andre Johnson ($7.5 million).



I'd put GJ behind Fitz and Andre Johnson for sure but that's it. So, the Packers are saying "but Andre Johnson's at $7.5M" (also extended while under contract) and "he's currently under contract" and "who knows what'll happen w/ the CBA" or whatever.

Jennings and agent (and the rest of us I presume) are saying "Antonio Bryant at $9.6M...wtf????"...

Should be interesting but can't argue w/ Thompson - good player and seems like a good guy. I hope keep him around but it's easy to see how determining 'fair value' can be tough.

From the JSOnline blog:

But through it all, Jennings has asked for a new deal while maintaining his typical 1-of-80, just one of the guys image. He seems to be as popular as ever. In an interview off to the side of the locker room Monday, there must have been half a dozen players who walked by him and tapped him on the shoulder or teased him in some way. During practice he doesn’t take a play off or showboat after a catch but he’s there to chat with Ryan Grant and Donald Driver as they stretch.

While Jennings doesn’t act entitled to a raise, he seems to understand this is his time to ask.

“Not that I don’t have faith in the Packers, but the thing about it is, when you look at it from a business standpoint, the Packers are looking out for the Packers’ best interest, and as a player, you have to look out for your best interests,” said Jennings. “And that’s in life in general. In corporate America, when you have your job and you’re trying to feed your family, you’re looking out for your family’s best interests. And that organization that you’re working for, you can’t trust them to provide for your family. You have to do that. You’ve got to get what you can get when you get it.


“I've seen things work out good for the player, I've seen things work out bad for the player. And I'm a player.


“I mean I want a new deal. If that were to not happen, I’m playing my year out. I’m not like, ‘they better get me a new deal.’ That’s not the way I want to go about it, I don’t want to be a distraction to the team. But at the same time, as a player, I feel like I have performed at somewhat of a high level. I’ve still got a lot of improving to do, I know that. I’m going to get better, I put that onus on myself, not anybody else.
================================

Hard not to like that honesty and completely reasonable attitude.

Well, in the NFL, it's all about what the guarenteed coin is. Hell, they could offer him 12+ mil a year by year X of the contract but if a team doesn't feel like paying it or he doesn't warrant it, they'll just cut him or tell him to re-work his deal.

So, it's about his sign-on/roster bonus. This will also be interesting to see how this affects Nick Collins. Because he will be someone that will point to this contract especially if it involves big $$. As TT has said before, what you do with one player truly has a ripple effect on the rest of the team.

As much as I like Jennings, I can't see Ted busting the bank for a WR yet to make the Pro Bowl.

This can't be accurate. I thought Jennings was going to bide his time here and then bolt for free agency.

Big bucks for someone who may not even make the final roster.

The Bryant deal is a killer. He falls off the face of the earth, comes back with a good year and suddenly he's almost a 10 mil man? That's going to be tough to overcome.

quote:

Originally posted by packerboi:


As much as I like Jennings, I can't see Ted busting the bank for a WR yet to make the Pro Bowl.

So what's 'busting the bank' in your opinion? There's no doubt it's all about what money is guaranteed and my guess is Jennings gets somewhere in the range of $15M. For a solid guy and a young ascending player I say why not?

quote:

Originally posted by packerboi:
will also be interesting to see how this affects Nick Collins. Because he will be someone that will point to this contract especially if it involves big $$. As TT has said before, what you do with one player truly has a ripple effect on the rest of the team.

Apples and oranges IMO. I don't think they're unwilling to let Collins play out his deal. He made huge plays last year and was a Pro Bowler - he made huge mistakes as well.
His one 'breakout year' is a year I think they'd like to get better play out of the S spot. S's don't make as much as we know. In the end I don't think you know what you have w/ Collins. Can't blame him for trying to strike while the iron's hot though.

I don't think Jennings is an elite receiver yet but he might become one. At worst he's a very good, valuable player. Re: Collins I'm not sure how valuable he is and my guess is GB wants to see how he handles the new system/if he can improve.

I would be willing to let him leave in FA and take the 3rd round comp draft pick. I'm sure the market would go crazy for Collins. He's certainly not irreplaceable for us.

They could always franchise Collins if he has another Pro Bowl season. The money wouldn't be exorbitant. There's absolutely no reason to give him big money right now.

All last offseason, there were continued reports from all over saying the Packers and Ryan Grant were "close" to finishing the deal, and he ended up being a training camp hold-out. While I am sure the Packers and Jennings's agent are talking, I am not going to get my hopes up until a deal is announced.

quote:

Originally posted by Smedley:
This can't be accurate. I thought Jennings was going to bide his time here and then bolt for free agency.

I still think he will. Unless Jennings really lowers his expectations.

TT is not going to put the team in a bad financial situation over a WR.

Since being in GB he has drafted Murphy, Jennings, Jones and Nelson, all in the 1st 3 rounds of the draft. Not to mention all the lower round guys who could turn into a surprise starter. If Jennings wants to push his luck TT will let him walk and draft another couple WRs. It is not like the Packers can't field a team without Greg Jennings.

Personally, I wouldn't pay Jennings - or pretty much any WR $8 million per season - but that number seems pretty fair. I guess it all comes down to whether or not TT wants to make Jennings the second-highest paid player on the team.

I like Jennings, I think he's in the same class as TJ Houshmandzadeh and Andre Johnson. Larry Fitzgerald deserves to be the top paid WR because let's face it, he is the top WR and Jennings (or any other WR) isn't in his class.

We have a ton of cap space now, hopefully Jennings will accept something where we can get a chunk of the bonus money gone now but have plenty of incentives that he could earn throughout the contract.

I would never put Johnson and Houshmandzadeh in the same sentence. IMO, Johnson is right there with Fitzgerald; TJ isn't in that class. Neither is Jennings, but he's closer to those guys than TJ.

quote:

Originally posted by LSU4GB:
So what's 'busting the bank' in your opinion? There's no doubt it's all about what money is guaranteed and my guess is Jennings gets somewhere in the range of $15M. For a solid guy and a young ascending player I say why not?

Neighborhood of 15 mil in locked dough I would agree is a fair offer to Jennings. Now, start pushing that to 20-25 mil? Then I think they'll have overpaid. But that's certainly not the M.O. of TT and I think they will give him a fair offer.

I am also encouraged by what Jennings is saying. I don't see him as a player who will step off the gas once his new contract is signed. He seems to have embraced DD's philosophy of working hard and continuing to want to improve. If he holds true to that, then GB will have found another rare WR (DD being the other) in a group of Prima Donna's that is the NFL WR.

Johnson isn't in Fitzgerald's class, no one is. As good as Johnson is, which is very good, he can't take over games like Fitz can. I will concede Jennings isn't in Johnson's class, but I think he's in the next tier down.

Houshmandzadeh is a good receiver but he's nothing special. He benefited from Chad Johnson drawing attention. He does everything good but nothing great in my opinion. Jennings is the same, maybe a little better because I think he's a little faster.

Jennings has the attitude, the work ethic, the size, the speed, the hands, etc. to be an elite receiver.

quote:

Neighborhood of 15 mil in locked dough I would agree is a fair offer to Jennings

I'd go up to $17 million in Guaranteed money. That's right about his market value right now & a great deal for both sides

According to the Press-Gazette practice report:

quote:

tompelissero: Jennings backed off comments about a new contract. "I said it could be close or it could be far." tough to know what that means.

Jennings may have underestimated the impact his prior statement would make.

Fox 6 in Milwaukee (via WSSP 1250) is reporting the deal is done.

Jennings deal...no details of course

Now there's no reference on Fox 6. Hmmmm.