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Sometimes it’s better to get no offer rather than an insultingly low offer, and according to former Green Bay Packers receiver James Jones, it seems possible that Jordy Nelson received the latter from the Packers and general manager Brian Gutekunst. In a piece by the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel’s Tom Silverstein, he quotes Jones as stating the following:
I’m not going to say what they offered him, but they really, really low-balled him ... It wasn’t even anything you would consider. Even with all that, he was still considering taking it.
We’ll probably never know what the offer actually was, but given that the Oakland Raiders thought Nelson was still worth $15 million over two years (with $13 million guaranteed), it’s hard to blame him if he felt insulted. The Packers were in a tough spot with Nelson, and it’s understandable that they would be hesitant to keep Nelson on the books at over $10 million, but it is surprising that they didn’t try to find a middle ground. While Nelson has noticeably declined, his red zone chops are still top notch, and there is value to keeping your quarterback happy.
The Packers put the cap space made available by Nelson’s departure to good use immediately, as they’ve been uncharacteristically active in free agency under new general manager Brian Gutekunst. While the pursuit of free agents may be new, their merciless treatment of aging veterans is still constant.
The Raiders are paying Nelson more than the Packers (or this writer) think is justified, and kudos to Nelson for proving there is still demand for him out there, and getting paid. But ultimately the NFL is a business and both parties acted rationally and in their own best interests. Occasionally in business, feelings get hurt.