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Jermichael Finley And The Franchise Tag

My current answer to whether the Green Bay Packers should place the franchise tag on TE Jermichael Finley is maybe. This is not a decision that needs to be made anytime soon anyway. But one reason I've thought the Packers should not use the franchise tag on him is that it would make him unhappy, as it does with many players.

Players usually want a long-term deal, or the opportunity to talk to other teams and get a better deal. So his recent comments on whether he'd want to be tagged surprised me. From the Press-Gazette:

"If they do that, I’m down with that," he said. "I ain’t going to be pissed off. I just love the game, and I was just blessed to be making money. I’m just taking it all in."

Contrast that to what RB Matt Forte has been saying in the media lately. What's right for each player is their own business. The way injuries go in the NFL, their next long-term contract might be their last. Forte is saying what I'd expect most players to say, and Finley's comments surprised me. Maybe it's just another example of how good the Packers locker room is right now.