49ers Safety Antoine Bethea Discusses Packers' Interest

During an interview on SiriuxXM's NFL Radio on Wednesday, newly signed San Francisco 49ers safety Antoine Bethea discussed how the Green Bay Packers expressed interest in him as a free agent.

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Comments (27)

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Evan's picture

March 13, 2014 at 10:26 am

Hearing about all these players the Packers "expressed interest in" is a little frustrating.

I liked Bethea.

Clemons is still sitting out there - going into the draft with such a glaring hole at safety, or any position, seems like a bad strategy - strikes me as a recipe to reach.

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Jordan's picture

March 13, 2014 at 10:57 am

Calling an agent and asking what kind of money a player is asking for......isn't necessarily expressing interest. They were probably curious. Curious about what he was asking........and then seeing what he gets.

I'm not frustrated at all. I hope they take a safety in the draft. Don't want them to take an UFA.

Morgan Burnett was drafted and expected to immediately start. I expect the same thing to happen this year.

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PACKATTACK's picture

March 13, 2014 at 12:20 pm

And how has that Burnett thing worked out? He isnt nearly as good as we expected him to be. McMillan was also thought to be a good player that was cut half way through his second year. Now you want us to do the same thing with another player, plug and play? I think when you do that in the draft, you tend to reach for players that may not be as good as someone on the board, hence the reference Best Player available. Im not saying go out and throw someone 40 million dollars in free agency, but there is a happy medium. You cant handcuff yourself and go into the draft saying we need to come out with a safety and then take a safety because of need when their may be a player that you just cant turn down. Thats what frustrates me so much about TT, their are other options but he almost always limits himself to the draft. The draft is not a guaranteed thing, just as free agency is not guaranteed. I guess Id just like TT to be more flexible and not limit himself because this defense has been a disaster since the Superbowl and it continues to falter with no sign of accountability. At some point, you need to change your ways.

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Razor's picture

March 13, 2014 at 01:07 pm

Travis, well said and I agree. Seems like TT is always looking for that player who is under the radar and will surprise and amaze everyone. Hasn't worked out that well in the last three years. I would hope that Mark Murphy would tell him to cut the crap and get some talent in here. So far this year in free agency the Packers are losing ground to the strongest competitors.

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RCPackerFan's picture

March 13, 2014 at 11:10 am

Yeah, I agree it gets frustrating.

Bethea, Al Woods and who knows how many more players were signed elsewhere knowing the Packers had interest.

Clemons I still think would be a good fit.

I sort of agree with your statement 'going into the draft with such a glaring hole at safety, or any position, seems like a bad strategy - strikes me as a recipe to reach.'
But remember last year when RB was the glaring need and the Packers didn't go after any free agents (Steven Jackson) and drafted Lacy. That happened to turn out very well for the Packers.

Saying that though I do think the best thing for the Packers to do is to sign a veteran S, and draft one. I would love to see them sign Clemons, and draft Bucannon in the 2nd round if he were to make it there..

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Evan's picture

March 13, 2014 at 11:36 am

The running back situation is a good analogy. I'd say the safety need is probably greater than the RB need was at this time last year...but, still, you're right.

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Imma Fubared's picture

March 13, 2014 at 02:18 pm

A big part of all this obviously stems from the simple fact Ted now has a reputation of being tight. Those agents want to put food on the table. They are shying away big time whenever Ted calls. You can bet if it was me, I would be telling my players until Ted ponies up with a big time offer, lets use his so called interest to get the deal really want elsewhere. Does that sound like what's happening again this year? To me I say yes.

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Idiot Fan's picture

March 13, 2014 at 02:33 pm

I think that it's worth remembering the point that Robert Mays made in his recent (excellent) article on being patient in free agency. He quoted the AZ GM who said that free agency really shouldn't be any different from your approach to the draft. In the draft, the scouts analyze the players give them grades as to where they should go, and when it's their turn to pick, they only pick from guys who are rated to go by that time. In FA, you scout the players and assign them a dollar value that they are worth, if you can get them at that price, then you do. If the price goes above that, as it often does in the bidding market of free agency, then you leave them be. My guess is the Packers call a lot of people to see what the asking price is and see if it's in the realm of their rankings. Often it probably isn't.

Side note on the safety thing - Burnett was decidedly competent prior to last year. I wonder if they think (as many of us have wondered) if getting him some decent help at the other safety position would make him the decent veteran we were all hoping would be signed.

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djbonney138's picture

March 13, 2014 at 10:41 am

It seems to me that these free agents we express interest in have no interest in us.

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Allan Murphy's picture

March 13, 2014 at 01:27 pm

WHAT THE HELLS GOING ON OUT THEIR !!!!!!!!!

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Imma Fubared's picture

March 13, 2014 at 02:15 pm

'Expressing interest'. Now that's a unique term. I heard over the past three years, Ted 'expressed interest'. Seems Ted may be a little bit low on those offers or feelers he is quietly discussing.

I do recall there were several key players last season who all but said Ted wasn't in their ball park.

I still say we do zilch in free agency other than bring back the old guys and we could have done that months ago. Its aint like were getting these guys back on the cheap now.

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4thand1's picture

March 13, 2014 at 03:30 pm

What gets me is, doesn't the HC or DC have any say in what player should be targeted? I see some 3rd tier maybe a 2nd tier FA getting signed. Its all about the draft, and this is a good one for what the Packers need. TT doesn't make all the decisions soley on his own. Mark Murphy has some clout I assume.

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Jordan's picture

March 13, 2014 at 05:12 pm

Mark Murphy would have zero input.

Of course McCarthy and Capers provide input if TT asks them. Scouts have input. Ted Thompson makes all the decisions when it comes to buying groceries.

Nobody complained when Ted Thompson bought all the groceries for XLV Lombardi trophy.

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4thand1's picture

March 13, 2014 at 05:36 pm

Jordan, I'm not complaining. Everyone gets their panties in a bunch because (Ted) doesn't spend like a raving lunatic. This is what the Packers organization wants as a whole. Put a playoff team on the field. Health is the key. The 2 teams in the SB were pretty much the healthiest too.

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Clay Zombo's picture

March 14, 2014 at 05:35 pm

None of us want him to spend like a ravening lunatic that's bull-oney. All I want is for him to target 1 good player on defense and pay the man. A safety would be best but I would take a damn good ILB or a DL also.

I understand the risk involved but the risk is 100% if you do nothing in FA year after year. Its literally crazy to continue to do the same thing and expect a different result.

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gary's picture

March 13, 2014 at 07:13 pm

Signing back the same players brings the same result. We have two many holes to fill for this draft class. I complain because nothing will change unless the fans show some type of disapproval. I live a long way from green bay. But I never miss a game. Having to watch TT sit on his hands while Rodgers gets a year older really upsets me.

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Jordan's picture

March 13, 2014 at 07:20 pm

Like the same disapproval when he didn't sign Randy Moss? Lol. Moss couldn't get a Super Bowl ring with patriots, the mighty bill belicek and Tom Brady and never got his Super Bowl ring. Greg Jennings, Jordy Nelson, James Jones, and Donald driver all have Super Bowl rings.

Patience my friend.

http://youtu.be/jzos5QSb61Y

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Irish_Cheesehead's picture

March 13, 2014 at 08:54 pm

I'll be fine as long as TT signs a veteran safety sometime during free agency. Can't see how he can count on the draft alone now that the doctor has left.

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Evan's picture

March 13, 2014 at 09:10 pm

That's what I'm saying...but it's pretty slim out there. Clemons and maybe Decoud (if/when he gets released).

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ShawnO's picture

March 13, 2014 at 09:10 pm

What you all are missing is that a lot of the bigger money free agents this year are not over the hill, under producing players that are not worth it. This year for some reason a bunch of the players out there are just released due to salary cap relief. These are younger players that teams do not want to let go but are forced to because of their own stupidity in writing the contract. These players know that they will not get quite the same money that was owed to them or else they would have been traded but are still trying to make as much as they can.

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Jordan's picture

March 13, 2014 at 09:42 pm

Watch Bethea come up and try to tackle Alex Green. Pfft. Packers don't need any more of that on their roster. Especially not at 8 million guaranteed. Bethea looked like he was just out there collecting a paycheck.

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-game-highlights/0ap2000000077919/Packers-v...

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NickPerry's picture

March 14, 2014 at 07:27 am

Free agency is a tool if used correctly can put a team over that hump. By hump I mean one and done in the playoffs. Seattle signed two FA in 2013, Michael Bennett, Cliff Avril, and traded for Harvin. All 3 helped win the SB and 2 of them were huge during the season. Neither Bennett or Avril broke the bank. Woodson was a FA, one that no one else wanted but a FA nonetheless, and so was Pickett. The Packers don't sniff SB 45 without them. If you think different I have a great deal on a 71 Pinto for you.

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Evan's picture

March 14, 2014 at 10:03 am

File under "Things That Will Never Happen" but when talking safeties, I'd be really intrigued by bringing in Browner and converting him.

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Evan's picture

March 14, 2014 at 10:05 am

File under "Things That Will Never Happen" but when talking safeties, I'd be really intrigued by bringing in Browner and converting him.

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TommyG's picture

March 14, 2014 at 10:21 am

I said it somewhere else, but I'll say it again here. This is typical of FA for the last few years. They use Packers "interest" to leverage bigger contracts with other teams. The league has not forgotten how dangerous we can be should our defense come together again.

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Tundraboy's picture

March 14, 2014 at 07:22 pm

Who has a burning desire to join Capers D? Just a thought

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Tundraboy's picture

March 14, 2014 at 07:25 pm

You would think at least one

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