ESPN.com's Rob Demovsky reported earlier today that a source close to the negotiation process between Jordy Nelson and the Green Bay Packers has confirmed that the potential free agent wide receiver is seeking a contract extension in the ballpark of $10 million a season.
Source: #Packers WR Jordy Nelson wants $10 million per season on next deal. http://t.co/1FFqW2kq2x
— Rob Demovsky (@RobDemovsky) July 24, 2014
This story breaks on the heels of news that Atlanta Falcons' wideout Roddy White has signed a four-year, $30 million extension with $18 million guaranteed.
Falcons WR Roddy White's new four-year deal with ATL is worth up to $30 million, including $18 million the next two seasons, per source.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) July 24, 2014
White and Nelson are undoubtedly in the same peer group (although ESPN Mobile went out of its way to point out that Nelson has "zero Pro Bowls"), and White's contract will likely be a baseline from which the two parties will build a similar contract to keep the star wideout in Green Bay for years to come. The big difference between Nelson and White is that Nelson is 29 years old, while White is 33. This should give Nelson some leverage to ask for a longer contract and more money, considering he may be just entering his prime.
According to Demovsky, the Packers have $13,669,119 in salary cap space, and would like to resign both Nelson and Randall Cobb before the duo of talented wideouts hit the open market next spring. Personally, I feel that Nelson is one of the most under-appreciated wideouts in the game, at least on a league-wide basis. The organization will likely do whatever it takes to bring both players back, but Nelson should be priority 1A.
Time will tell if the two parties can work out a long-term deal, but I expect Nelson to be the rare exception where Ted Thompson will be opening up the checkbook and paying a wide receiver to stick around (unlike Greg Jennings and James Jones). However, it also shouldn't go unnoticed that the organization did select three wide receivers in this year's draft. That may be the team's way of hedging their bets going into the negotiation process, but it also means the two future free agents can't exactly ask for a king's ransom and expect Ted to write them a blank check.