Packersnews.com | Green Bay Packers | Insiders Blog " Packers re-sign Finley, 2 years, $15 million. Kareem Copeland notes that the Green Bay Packers are set to pay TE Jermichael Finley $7.5 million per season, which is halfway between the franchise tag for a tight end and a wide receiver. Since it was possible that he would've argued that he was really a wide receiver, that's a reasonable point.
But this is really about paying him market value. The Seahawks signed TE Zack Miller for five-years and $34 million last summer, and in 2010, the 49ers extended TE Vernon Davis for six-years and $42 million. Both of those players are averaging $7 million per season. While Finley's average salary is slightly higher, those two players have received more guaranteed money then Finley will get paid in total.
The short term nature of the deal is probably a good deal for both sides. The Packers are only on the hook for two years without any long-term salary cap risk. If Finley can repeat his 2011 performance over the next two seasons, then he'll likely receive another mammoth free agent contract before he turns 27.
On the field, this was a move the Packers should have made. Finley is a legitimate threat. He doesn't put up big numbers every week, but he's a player that other teams game plan around. And those type of players are hard to find.