Packers Free Agent Needs: Defensive Line
by Brandon on Feb 24, 2010 7:00 AM CST
in Green Bay Packers Free Agency
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PrintI was planning to discuss the Green Bay Packers defensive line anyway, and the timing worked out with the report from Jason La Canfora at NFL.com that NT Ryan Pickett expects to receive the franchise tag. I'm a big fan of his, but the idea of paying a part-time player who provides no pass rush $7 million next season seems out of line. But that's the way it's going this offseason. Also, I'm not discussing most defensive ends because they are likely undersized for the 3-4 defense or better suited as an outside linebacker.
From Walter Football is the list of the top free agent defensive tackles. From that list, Vince Wilfork has already gotten the franchise tag. And it's going to happen to Casey Hampton soon. It just happened to Aubrayo Franklin. Oakland will place the franchise tag on Richard Seymour. Those franchise tags will take the top 5 unrestricted free agent tackles off the market. And it wouldn't look good if those 4 teams made sure to keep their free agents while the Packers let Pickett test the market.
After the top 5 unrestricted free agent tackles are gone, the pickings are slim. DE/DT Dwan Edwards is the best one left, but there might be a good reason he's only started 23 games in his first 5 NFL seasons. After Edwards are only more question marks like Cory Redding, Jimmy Kennedy, and Tank Williams.
Knowing all that it makes sense to place the franchise tag on Pickett and keep their solid defensive line intact for 2010.
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pickett
good news anyway for the pack. pickett won’t like it, but i don’t think he’ll be a hold-out candidate. “fat guys win football games”
Pickett has said that he wants to stay in Green Bay. He’s from the Midwest, he’s got a family, he likes the small town feel, and he likes the team. I don’t think being franchised and making 7 million will anger him. I just hope that TT makes a deal and signs him.
I agree.
I think he’ll be fine with it. Its basically a $7 million guaranteed contract. Not bad for a years work. He’s not a top 5 DT in the league so he’s making well over his worth in terms of what he’s going to get. In fact, this number might go up if some of the others sign their papers first…
I am okay with this...
I think that would be a fine use of the franchise tag. It also allows us time to work out a new contract with him that will keep him around for another 3 years!
Of course it makes sense
Pickett on the open market would have generated a bidding war. You may grumble that he’s “only a part time player” and “generates no pass rush,” but if you understood football you would appreciate that his is NOT a glamor position that is supposed to run up big stats. He occupies space and blockers so that guys like Clay Matthews get to show up on Sports Center highlight reels.
Franchising Pickett is a no-brainer, given Johnny Jolly’s offseason issues (that have stretched into two offseasons now). If Pickett were gone, and if Jolly were unavailable for four games (or more), that would leave Raji, Jenkins and, um, Justin Harrell(?!). Even Thompson, stubborn as he is in his refusal to admit his mistakes, wouldn’t go into a season with that depth chart.
Right on…he’s not a glamour position and its more than just stats. The ONLY reason there would be a bidding war though would be because everyone else has franchised their DTs so Pickett went from being maybe the 6th best DT out there to #1 or 2. He’s an above average player but franchising makes complete sense to avoid a CRAZY long term deal…don’t even let him see what his value COULD have been.
I disapprove slapping the Franchise Tag on Pickett
There’s no question that we need him and I want him back in Green Bay. I still think we can resign him to a good deal without having to tag him and paying him $7 Million. Pickett is valuable to our defense, but with Raji ready to to, I don’t think Pickett is worth $7 Million for one season. We’d be better off signing someone like Richard Seymour to a big deal, yet not $7 Million a year. He’s 30 years old and it would be very unlikely to trade Pickett after slapping the tag when both Franklin and Wilfork are in the same situation, only better NT’s.
I’d prefer to resign Picket to a 2-3 year deal while having Raji change it up as a NT and DE while he’s young. That part I like, but $7 Million for 1 season is significantly overpaying Pickett. If he were younger, I’d have different feelings towards this.
"No player is greater than a team."
-Vince Lombardi
Seymour will be franchised. Pickett is going to be our best option of the FAs…all the others are going to be franchised. The reason franchising is good is that it prevents him from learning what his real value COULD be or having big bucks thrown at him. We franchise him and then we still work on a deal with him that would replace the tag.
have to keep him one way or another
our dline was excellent this year because we had a rotation of quality guys and injuries didn’t open gaping holes in our line. unless we replace pickett with another vet 3-4 lineman or draft pick we have to keep him, and I’d have no problem with a 3-4 year deal. those big DT’s can play at a high level well into their 30’s.
Let Him Go
Well, I like the Packers but sometimes they need to draft better players. I think the packers should draft brian price and just let pickett go. Pickett is good, but price brings more pressure than pickett. So just let pickett go and draft brian price with the 1st round pick, or trade a 3rd and 2nd to draft another 1st rounder.
Our needs at OT, CB, and OLB far outweigh our needs on the DL. In fact, our DL this year was really, really good and a large part of the reason we had a top run defense in the league this year.
by packallday555 on Feb 24, 2010 4:42 PM CST up reply actions
how do we know that he’ll be ANY good in the pros. We KNOW what Pickett is and he’s pretty solid. I am just fine with him sticking around for a few more years and then we can look at drafting another guy in later rounds and in other drafts. Why waste a high pick on a position we already have solidified?
That is the RUMOR... The reason they tagged him is to buy time for a NEW DEAL!!
SMILE EVERYONE >>> : ) This is a good thing!!! It gives us time to work out a 3 – 4 year deal… Once he signs the deal… Whatever it is… We don’t have to pay 7 mil for this year… Unless we can’t get a deal done! Pickett already said he wanted to stay in GB… Give him a 4 year 20 million dollar deal… or whatever makes both TT & RP happy… and we’re good for 3 or 4 years!!! We must keep him… so… let’s get the deal done!! Now… Let’s move on to Collins… and everyone else we need to re-sign!!! God I can’t wait for the combine and FA… and the Draft! I LOVE THIS STUFF!!! : ) LOL
GO PACK!!!!!
That's the usual pattern
Pickett wants a long term deal with more than $7 million in guaranteed money. A four-year deal would required a big signing bonus, probably in the range of $8 to $10 million, but that of course would be spread over the length of the contract for cap purposes. I hope he gets his long term deal and that Thompson doesn’t turn this into another “macho” contest.
Pickett gets the TAG
Well according to Fox Sports, its a done deal: http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/Green-Bay-Packers-use-franchise-tag-on-NT-Ryan-Pickett
Pickett is getting the tag and will be a Packer unless they have another sign and trade in the works like we did with Corey Williams a couple years ago. I doubt that is the case though, we don’t have any depth at that position to give up a player like him.
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