The rumor is already floating that the Green Bay Packers may lose LB Aaron Kampman to the Seahawks. Instead of debating the merits of retaining him, I've become resigned to losing him. He didn't receive the franchise or transition tag, he didn't like the change to a 3-4 defense, and he's probably gone. On the other hand, John over at Field Gulls isn't too excited about signing a rehabbing DE on the wrong side of 30, especially when they've already got two good young ones:
Seattle drafted Darryl Tapp in the second round of 2006. Through four seasons, he has 18 sacks. Kampman, 13.5. Vanden Bosch, four. He turns 26 in 2010. He is entering his prime. In 2009, he had 13 quarterback hurries, tied for seventh in all of football. He's improving. He's hugely valuable. He's not old man Kampman or old man Vanden Bosch, he's the next Kampman, the next Vanden Bosch.
If he gets the chance.
Lawrence Jackson is 24. He has 6.5 sacks through two seasons. Better than Kampman; better than Vanden Bosch.
I'm not sure which scout Pete Dougherty was talking to, but his source seems right on the money:
"I don’t think there’s a lot of people in the market for a Band-Aid," said a scout with an NFC team.
"There’s been a lot of left tackles drafted the last couple years," added the NFC scout. "I can come up with only two teams (that need a left tackle), or one team in the NFC, and that’s Washington."
Then Adam Schefter reports that the Redskins will meet with LT Chad Clifton on Friday. Right after he added fuel to the Kampman-Seahawks rumors fire. The estimate that Clifton might want $7.5 million per season are probably true if the Packers weren't able to resign him, and everyone knows the Redskins don't balk at big money demands.
Is it time to let both players go?