Will’s submission in Monday’s II made me wonder: If the NFL set up an international game in Cheddar, UK, would the Packers be the home team?
Good morning. What is this strange new world we live in, with Day 1 Packers free agent news every year?
Never a dull moment anymore.
I cannot keep up with the moves across the league! Insanity hits immediately. I’m almost more shocked to see GB sign a guard for that much coin. Yowzer! I have to assume this means Elgton Jenkins is shifting to center and Josh Myers walks? Granted I am probably missing someone or something here.
The first day was a little nuts, eh? With the reported signing of former 49ers left guard Aaron Banks, I don’t see Myers coming back. I’m guessing the Packers move Elgton Jenkins to center and Banks takes over at left guard, where he’s played his whole career. I thought Sean Rhyan might be an option to move to center as well, and he still could be I suppose depending on how it all sorts out. But the best bet is Rhyan stays put at right guard, and Jordan Morgan competes with him and/or Rasheed Walker at left tackle.
If gambling were legal at Bushwood, how much would we all have lost on Aaron Banks?
I didn’t see it coming, and the first thing that hit me when I saw the news was how Green Bay’s O-line depth didn’t hold up in the playoffs when the unit lost Jenkins (shoulder stinger) and couldn’t turn to Morgan (shoulder surgery). The Packers don’t want to be in that position with the season on the line again. On another note, nobody had cornerback Nate Hobbs tied to Green Bay, either. Hobbs is a capable corner both outside and in the slot to give the Packers another versatile piece to deal with matchups and injuries. Hobbs, Nixon and Bullard can all play the slot as well as another position. Hafley is a DB coach by trade so he’s gotta be loving this.
Josh from Playa Majagual, Nicaragua
If we were going to drop $80M and reshuffle our O-line wouldn’t it have made more sense to sign a tackle and shift our RT to a position where he is believed to have HOF potential than shift our only Pro Bowl guard from his natural position? This move doesn’t seem to make a whole lot of sense for a team that already has three quality guards under contract.
A lot to unpack there. First, you’re calling Morgan a guard when he could also be a left tackle of the future with Walker in the final year of his rookie deal. Nothing’s set in stone there. Second, all the outside talk about moving Zach Tom from right tackle to center didn’t take into account that might only jeopardize being able to sign him to a contract extension. He’d surely make more money at right tackle than center, so moving him risks souring the relationship with a potential future mainstay, setting him up to walk away next year when the Packers could have their right tackle for years to come. Third, in that same context, moving Jenkins instead of Tom makes sense because he’s already been paid his big-money second contract, has two years left on that deal, and will be 31 when it expires. Bottom line – there’s a lot of business to consider, not just football.
Garrett from Burkburnett, TX
I know that Brian Gutekunst isn’t the GM to overspend on big-name players but sometimes I feel as if he needs to be more aggressive. When you start looking around at the rest of the NFC, they are not afraid to add some juice when it’s needed. Eagles gambled with Saquon last year and it paid off huge. Sean McVay just added Davante Adams to his already stacked arsenal. We can’t always just depend on the draft to get us over the hill. Gutey says he wants to start competing for championships, right?
He signed two guys at the top of the free agent market a year ago at this time, and it appears he’s signed two more this year as free agency opened. Your post came in before the bell rang on Monday after various wide receivers and edge rushers made news. That doesn’t mean Gutey was sitting on his hands, obviously. You just needed a to wait. He’s not afraid of anything. He’s just going to make sure the player is worth it, because spending big on someone who doesn’t work out has greater repercussions than one underperforming spot in the starting lineup.
David from North Potomac, MD
Do most fans not understand Gutey’s ability to walk away because they don’t practice tough negotiations in their own lives? Don’t like the car deal being offered, walk away. Just another example of football reflecting life.
I’m sure it’s never easy to walk away from a player you want. But value is part of the evaluation process. It’s built into it, literally and figuratively. The Packers stick to their value judgments more often than not.
I have to admit, every time the talk turns to NFL contracts, prorated salaries, bonuses and the cap, my brain starts to hurt. Whatever we pay Russ Ball, every penny is earned. Does he have a staff to help him through the weeds, or is it all in his head? If so, who is helping him make it safely to his car in the parking lot every day?
Russ is outstanding at what he does, and director of football administration/player finance Melanie Marohl has been at his side for a number of years now.
