It's Frugal To Apply The Franchise Tag To Jermichael Finley
by Brandon on Feb 15, 2012 7:01 AM CST
in Green Bay Packers Free Agency
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PrintFranchise focus: Jermichael Finley - NFC North Blog - ESPN. One thing that's really important, and why I expect it's a no-brainer to apply the franchise tag on him, is that the only position with a cheaper tag price is a kicker. Here are the projected 2012 franchise tag amounts. $5.4 million for a tight end is a lot of money in the real world, but it's $4 million less than a wide receiver.
While TE Jermichael Finley's stats weren't the best for a Green Bay Packers receiver in 2012, his age (soon to turn 25) and the extra emphasis placed on tight ends last season (see: Rob Gronkowski and Jimmy Graham) would earn him a bigger contract as an unrestricted free agent than he might otherwise be worth.
I really want them to keep C Scott Wells, but there's no way they can place the franchise tag on him at $9.4 million. They'll have to try and negotiate a long-term deal that can make his salary cap figure for about half of that amount. But $5.4 million might be a lower amount than what it would cost to re-sign Finley for a long-term contract.
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He’s a good Center, but he’s not a difference make (Finley is) and is on the wrong side of 30. Offer him a 3yr 15M deal, if he doesn’t accept, let him walk. EDS is more an NFL Center than he is OG and can take over if Wells walks. In the NFL you only pay top $$$ to difference makers in their prime. I think Wells can play 3 or 4 more years, but he’s not a difference maker. If he won’t take a good contract to stay in GB, then save the money for the players who actually change the game.
Our Biggest Challenge is how we deal w/ Success!
but, but, but... he DROPPED PASSES
All kidding aside I don’t want to give up on Finley yet. With that talent… if he simply figures out the hands he’ll be a monster.
Plus, if we let him go, who takes his place? Quarless (who drops as many passes as Finley)? Then we have a blocker, a guy on the team for special teams, and a question mark.
Couldn’t we keep Finley with the Franchise tag and see where we are at next year? He said he wouldn’t mind being tagged earlier in the season. However, if he eliminates the drops and has a big year, he’ll be even pricier to sign next offseason. Maybe its best if TT rolls the dice and locks him up a bit cheaper now (or with an incentive laden contract).
Shit happens when you win championships
My guess
Is that they’re planning to tag Finley and work out a longer-term deal during the summer, and hopefully have it done before the season starts. In the meantime, they aggressively focus their attentions on getting a long-term deal in place for Scott Wells to limit his exposure on the open market.
That’s operating under the assumptions that they want to sign both players to long-term extensions.
Plus..
If he leaves and goes to Minnesota or Chicago, you’ve really hurt yourself by not signing him..even if he went to the Giants it would hurt you in playoffs..
I love wins. Wins are good for the soul.- Barry Alvarez Sep 25, 2005
We expect to win.- Ted Thompson July 28, 2011
I think Finley said he will accept the Tag
but doesn’t he want the WR Tag.I’d have to think that Tagging Wells for this year and then as many would want draft Konz and offer Finley a decent contract with incentives for his pocket and hopefully his hands.But,IMO,TT will not draft Konz in the 1st even if available and sticks with DL/OLB or trades back for extra 2nd and 3rd.I have to feel E-DS will step in if Wells is gone and Rodgers will do fine with him.
Rumor police.
It was speculated that Finley could try to argue he deserves the WR tag, but it was just speculation. In other words: a columnist needed something to write about that day.
Unless anyone else has a source quoting Finley or Finley’s agents suggesting the possibility, I wouldn’t give it any credence.
Finley is about the same as Suggs.
He’ll get tagged, argue that he’s a WR more than TE and he and the Packers will split the difference in some way. Probably a contract of 6+M w/ some incentive that can push it up to 7.5 or 8M. If he reaches the incentives he would have to put up similar numbers to the projected ‘10 season he was on pace for. 80+ rec for 1200 yds and 10 TD’s.
Our Biggest Challenge is how we deal w/ Success!
Here's an article that suggests Finley and his agent are going for the WR tag...
http://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/articles/tagging_finley_is_wise_but_it_wont_be_easy/9938776
Just saying…
"SOUTHERN HILLS KENNEL" ~ We Breed The Best Bitches In TEXAS!!!
GO PACK GO!!!
And here's one that indicates Finleys real worth...
http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/139522168.html
Over the last two season, the Packers are 18-3 in games in which he has played at least one quarter and 11-5 in all others. In the 21 games he played more than a handful of snaps, the Packers averaged 32.7 points and in the 16 he didn’t, they averaged 25.2.
And based on the salaries of the top TE’s Finley has to be in line for 7M or more, given the fact that the salary cap is going to go up dramatically in ’13.
Our Biggest Challenge is how we deal w/ Success!
Anyone else notice a grit in Rodger’s teeth everytime he had to discuss Finley? He mentioned a few times that Finley ran poor routes and talked too much(paraphrasing/interpreting), then the late season major hands issue on top of whatever rift existed. In both games that we lost this season, our troubles seemed to start with a couple Finley Drops, leading to failed 3rd down conversions, snowballing to major team issues from there. I get the feeling that Rodgers is in some way petitioning against Finley…anyone else agree? I say we make every effort to free up cap space and franchise Flynn in order to trade him…Finley has too much of a downside to wait for his upside to come around.
Different interpretation.
He knows that locker room as well or better than anyone else, and he knows what gets through to certain guys what doesn’t. My guess is that he knows Finley will pay attention to what’s said in the media and respond to it better than another guy might. I think it’s purely a motivational thing, because Rodgers, if he’s as smart as we think he is, would rather have a polished talent in Finley than not have a Finley at all.
by mpbMKE on Feb 15, 2012 11:16 AM CST up reply actions 1 recs
Also
I don’t think he’d use the media to talk to TT or MM about a guy. I’m pretty sure he has the freedom and confidence to speak his mind with them directly. If he’s willing to say something about a teammate publicly, I’d bet it’s not catching anyone by surprise.
5 million for Finley is great
His numbers may not look good next to a WR or the top two TE’s (Graham and Gronk), but he still had a very good season for a TE. Those numbers are good, even if they could have been better.
Wells is just as important as Finley, although for different reasons. We have no replacement for Wells, and without him our OL would be weaker.
by Shoes31 on Feb 15, 2012 3:07 PM CST reply actions 1 recs
There is s bigger gap between Finley & his back-up (even assuming Quarless is completely healthy)
than Wells & EDS.
13.
"Skip, once again, stop it; Be an analyst; don't be a douchebag."
Yes
But we can compensate for Finley to back up a lot more so than Wells to EDS.
Whoops
Added a word and forget to add an s to Finley. Should read that we can compensate for Finley’s backup more so than we can with Wells backup. As in that going from Wells to EDS is worse than going from Finley to Quarless/Williams/other TE’s or WR’s.
Our offense won a Superbowl without Finley. Even though Finley is a match-up problem and creates easier match-ups for our other receivers, our offense would still be good to very good without him. With him, its quite possibly the best. Same can’t be said with Wells. If EDS had to start at center for 12+ games, I really don’t like how our OL would perform at all. I think our offense would struggle maintaining its consistency.
by Shoes31 on Feb 15, 2012 10:03 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs
Completely disagree!
going from Wells to EDS is worse than going from Finley to Quarless/Williams/other TE’s or WR’s.
Wells is a good Center, but not a difference maker in ANY way. EDS is more of an NFL Center than he is an OG, and he’s been in the offense for 2 yrs. He might not be as good as Wells, but he would be competent, as he showed filling in at OG.
Finley is a difference maker that opens the field for every other reciever. Not too mention that he is a tremendous talent in his own right. Quarless is an in-line TE who lacks nearly the athleticism of Finley in the open field (remember him falling on his face when Flynn threw him an perfect pass on a fake punt). He has good speed but can’t change directions very well. Williams is a good reciever but can be easily covered by Safeties, if not LB. Crabtree is a blocker/St play and so is Taylor. None has anywhere near the ability of Finley… Without Finley, Jennings and Nelson both get doubled and don’t have nearly the space to make plays.
Our Biggest Challenge is how we deal w/ Success!
I think you are way undervaluing a C
I didn’t say the drop off in talent was greater, I said the overall impact on how the team performs would be greater.
If Finley were out for an extended time we would compensate by going to more 4 wide and 5 wide sets. I don’t think we would just sub in a new TE and keep running the same plays. Go ahead and double Jordy and Jennings, because Jones and Cobb will beat your 3rd and 4th corner.
If Wells went out, EDS is holding the center of the line. He has to make all of the protection calls and get everyone set. He also has to chip the DT’s and get to the second level on running plays. Having EDS in would make our running game worse, and Aaron would be feeling a lot more pressure from the middle of the pocket. I think you would be surprised at the difference a good center makes from a decent to bad one.
by Shoes31 on Feb 16, 2012 12:53 PM CST up reply actions 3 recs
I think that you overrate Finley. No doubt that he has talent. But he doesn’t block, which is part of a TE’s responsibility. It’s like the tackling issue with Shields: Finley doesn’t seem to really want to do it. Also Finley is not a physical TE as a receiver. He gets knocked off his routes too easily, when compared with the elite TEs like Gronkowski and Graham.
Maybe Finley will someday be a difference maker, but I’m not certain that he is much of one right now.
As far as Williams and Quarless go, we haven’t seen them play enough or develop enough as receiving TEs to know what they can do. I believe that you’ve over analyzed negative qualities into their games.
by MikeDB on Feb 16, 2012 2:41 PM CST up reply actions 3 recs
I thought he improved at blocking this season but then again, he just isn’t asked to do it as much as your average TE.
Also Finley is not a physical TE as a receiver. He gets knocked off his routes too easily, when compared with the elite TEs like Gronkowski and Graham.
I noticed that too this season. He’s gotta get stronger off the line. Both the Chiefs and Giants knocked him around good.
by packallday555 on Feb 16, 2012 8:47 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs
After the Giant loss in the playoffs, a few Giant players compared Finley and Gronkowski. And one of the things they really emphasized was that Finley just doesn’t block.
I also think of how he came into camp having lost 10 lbs or so from what McCarthy and McAdoo wanted him to be at. He wanted to be faster, and they wanted him to be more physical.
Finleys worth...
In black and white…
Over the last two season, the Packers are 18-3 in games in which he has played at least one quarter and 11-5 in all others. In the 21 games he played more than a handful of snaps, the Packers averaged 32.7 points and in the 16 he didn’t, they averaged 25.2.
http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/139522168.html
Gotta be in the 7-8M range right now… In the NFL today TE are far more recievers than blockers and while Finley will never be a great blocker, he is a decent one. The numbers just don’t show that I’m overrating Finley!
Our Biggest Challenge is how we deal w/ Success!
Who is more important
A leader for an inexperienced offensive line, granted it shows great potential, or a potentially great TE in an OUTSTANDING receiving core. I have done a little, granted not an all inclusive look into all of the good to excellent receiving teams (and IMO) most had better OLs than they had TEs.
If you give Mr Rogers the time he will get the yards. If he is on his a— or having another TD or 1down pass dropped we are losers Yes Finley will get a ton of money from some team (Washington Redskins), but never fear that still leaves then 21-1/2 players short of a team.
TT has filled our team with great backups, the receiver core will survive, and I say this as an original TT hater. He will continue to preform his magic ( it makes it hard to hate him, drat). The offensive and defensive lines are our salvation.
I don't care how much time you give this guy
He’s not going to get the yards.
13.
"Skip, once again, stop it; Be an analyst; don't be a douchebag."
by Wiedmann on Feb 15, 2012 5:23 PM CST up reply actions 2 recs
What about this guy?
I already told you! I deal with the god damn receivers so the linebackers don’t have to! I have coverage skills; I’m good at covering people! Can’t you understand that? What the hell is wrong with you people?!
by msc32887 on Feb 15, 2012 6:51 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs
If you give Mr Rogers the time he will get the yards.
13.
"Skip, once again, stop it; Be an analyst; don't be a douchebag."
that's Shaun Rogers in the photo...
football does not build character, it reveals character.
I didn't see the image when I replied
13.
"Skip, once again, stop it; Be an analyst; don't be a douchebag."
by Wiedmann on Feb 15, 2012 11:57 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs
And, of course,
he has all of eternity.
"Perfection is not attainable,
but if we chase perfection we can catch excellence!"
After further review,
The Munsters of the Midway still suck,
Skol is a four-letter word,
abd those upstarts in Detroit couldn't beat the Little Sisters of the Poor.
by NorthStarr on Feb 17, 2012 1:42 AM CST up reply actions 1 recs
Don't know how I missed this debate... lol
Finley Talented ~ Yes
Finley Matchup Nightmare ~ Yes
Worth 6 – 7 Million a year? Maybe ~ Or will he take his money and keep dropping balls?
Or will we tag him, not get a deal done and be right back here next year after hearing about it & having it be a distraction all season long? (Sure hope not!)
TT will handle it, just hoping he has the foresight to do what is truly best for the Packers, whatever that may be…
"SOUTHERN HILLS KENNEL" ~ We Breed The Best Bitches In TEXAS!!!
GO PACK GO!!!
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