The Latest Contract and Free-Agency News Around the NFC North

Green Bay needs to cut ties with both Driver and Clifton...can't believe i just wrote that because i really like both of them, but its a business also and both are getting too old and taking up valuable cap space, i would take my chances with Cobb...the defense needs to be addressed either through FA or the draft, Matthews needs help. Pack has no pass rush and they need to address it or it will be another bend and break defense again this year.

Hey Jeremy! Hows it going! Id hate to say it and DD is willing to take a nice paycut to play,but,Jennings,Nelson,Cobb, Gurley,Borel gives us a nice 5 and if Borel gives us a worry,thats when we can keep Driver at a nice discount,or find another WR in the draft.
I do like Clifton,problem is Sherrod is supposed to be the LT of the future and is coming off that injury and Marshall Newhouse did ok,but, he may need another year to be ready to take the job over,so maybe keeping Clifton round may be a good idea,although Clifton should be retiring after next year anyway.We do have cap space for this year,its the next few years im worried about with Raji,Mathews,Jennings all coming up in the next year or 2.

Hey Eric, been a long time!! Raji, Matthews, and Jennings is what im worried about also...those are three pro bowlers that NEED to be resigned. Green Bay had a great season, but they have issues on key parts of the team, starting with the Defense. Both lines have major gaps.

Thats when they cut Driver and Clifton should be retired by then and that will free up some cash.Also,i believe thats why TT will try to fill holes with draft picks so not to have to use as much cap space.( saving on cap space by drafts instead of FA signings)

word is cliffy will be released and driver will restructure his contract according to the nfl network..flynn will not be franchised. I wonder if their working on scott wells contract since cliffy will likely be released.

Wells wants 7.5M and the Packers are offering 4-5M so i dont know if it will happen any time soon.Maybe if he hits the market and no one comes close to offering him 7M,maybe he takes the 5M from GB but who knows.i wouldnt tag Flynn either,to easy to get burn and lose you tag at the same time.
I hope they dont release Cliffy.let him play his final year and retire.im not sure if Sherrod will be fully healthy,that leave Newhouse,had so great games and some real shitty ones but he was basically a rookie,so perhaps his 2nd year will be much better and thats certainly possible.If they release Clifton,it wont take long for someone to sign him for a year or 2.Mathews,Raji,Jennings and word is they are thinking of redoing AR deal at some point and jordy Nelson has 2 years left.Id trade James Jones,Im torn between Releasing DD though..Great Packer but we have a few young WR and we need some cap space and DD wants to play until hes 40 which is 2 or 3 more seasons so if push came to shove,id release him i think.Hey,we traded Brett Favre so,it cant be more distracting then that.

wells and rodgers combination needs to stay intact imo, and i think the packers organization understands that. I would fully expect GB to resign him, he would be a devastating loss.

They are looking around at other Centers so thats not a good sign or a good sign depending.Problem is Wells wants 7M+ and the money is there,but, alot of FA coming up.They mentioned they wanted to sign Grant,they should be signing Bush, and as we both mentioned Raji,Mathews,Jennings and AR ( from what they say) they want to sign him nad kind of upgrade his deal at some point ( who knows if thats true)If Clifton gets released ( now he had back surgery not to long ago) so if they do release him and save 7M or so,we then end up with Marshall Newhouse who allowed 10 sacks,Most of any GB LT since 1990, Derrick Sherrod coming back from a fractured leg and its going to be a long recovery ( althugh hes prob. the L.T.Left Tackle) IN defense of Newhouse,he was signed in 10 and sat on the practice squad and made the roster and started from week 6 ( or so) until nearly the end of the season when CC came back,SO, If he gets the starting job this year ( 2012_) its his 2nd year as a starter and hopefully we see a nice improvement.

well they definitely have some work ahead of themselves. Having issues with this much talent isnt such as bad thing, and now that gb has a superbowl contending team, free agents will be more willing to join the pack and get that elusive ring.

Yea.Its just a matter of who they decide to resign in some cases,who they want to resign and if they can sign them or who they will let go and try to replace.
I think this year,they will have to sign a upper tier FA not just a 35 yr old vet who will be a 2nd or 3rd stringer for depth.If they lose Ryan Grant,Scott Wells,Jarrett Bush,Erik Walden and Matt Flynn,
well
they have AR and their 3rd stringer is now a 2nd stringer and they signed a LH qb from the arena league for what thats worth
point is there is 4 other FA,Walden didnt do much so he can be easily replaced, Bush is great on S.Teams but they have a few youngsters who they really love but for Wells and Grant,thats 2 positions they need to fill for sure.Maybe both can be had in the Draft but id feel more comfortable if they landed a FA Center and only had to draft a RB and of course there are 8 draft picks to improve on positions, fill holes and provide depth.