Packers Daily Links: Finley Unsure About His Future in Green Bay

In an interview with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Finley said it's about "50/50" whether he'll be back in Green Bay in 2013. That and more in today's Daily Links...

In an interview with Tyler Dunne of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Packers tight end Jermichael Finley assessed his chances of returning to Green Bay next season and sounded less than certain that he'll be back. "It's the nature of the business," Finley is quoted as saying. "If there's a guy that's overpaid or that they think is overpaid, they'll ask for a pay cut. There's no doubt that I want to be there for life. But it's a business and the business will tell you otherwise. I would say on the business front, it's 50/50. But if it was up to me or anybody in my circle, I would love to be back." Finley is under contract for 2013, but the question is whether the Packers want to pay him over $8 million as a guy that has a history of running his mouth off the field and has been up and down on it. There are positives and negatives to keeping Finley around, but also factoring into the decision will be the pending departures of Greg Jennings and Donald Driver as receiving targets as well as the future contract extensions due to players like Aaron Rodgers, Clay Matthews and Jermichael Finley.

Advocating for the Minnesota Vikings to pursue wide receiver Greg Jennings in free agency is NFC North blogger Andrew Garda of Bleacher Report. "Adding Jennings would do several things," writes Garda. "First, it would free up Percy Harvin. Teams couldn't focus solely on him and would have to spread out more, which would give Harvin more room to maneuver." Garda also lists how adding Jennings would prevent teams from putting so many teams in the box to stop Adrian Peterson. It seems as if more prominent Packers end up with the Vikings more than any other team in the NFL. From Brett Favre to Darren Sharper to Ryan Longwell, the list goes on. The Vikings even signed Aaron Kampman at one point in time before the Packers matched their offer. Could Jennings be next?

In a statement shared by WTMJ in Milwaukee, the Green Bay Packers showed support for former team cheerleader and former University of Wisconsin-Green Bay student Kaitlyn Collins who has been a victim of abusive remarks at a Chicago Bears fan Facebook page after her photo was posted. According to WTMJ, “The Green Bay Packers enjoy the support provided by the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay and St. Norbert College cheerleaders on gamedays at Lambeau Field. As an organization, we find the online commentary extremely offensive. We support Ms. Collins and her very classy response to the situation and encourage Packers fans and others to support her as well.” The picture of Collins has reportedly been taken down.

More on the former Packers cheerleader comes from the Green Bay Press-Gazette and Lombardi Ave.

Former Packers guard Jerry Kramer recently told JSOnline that he's comfortable with not being in the Pro Football Hall of Fame now that it's been learned that his former teammate Dave Robinson will be enshrined this summer. "Life has been good to me," Kramer said. "Fifty years after I've left the field, people still give me applause and make my life enjoyable. Eighty percent of the population thinks I'm in (the Hall of Fame), anyway. I get all the benefit. I'm comfortable with me and the applause I've been given and the recognition I've received. I'm very, very fortunate to have been a part of that team, under that coach, during that slice of time." It sounds as if Kramer is happy with his lot in life, and who can blame him? Amongst Packers fans, you're a Hall of Famer in our hearts, Jerry.

Thoughts on Greg Jennings from former NFL executive Bill Polian are shared at PackersNews.com.

The Packers' sixth-rated strength of schedule is discussed at Packer Report.

ESPN analyst and former NFL player Darren Woodson thinks Aaron Rodgers should be the highest-paid player in the NFL.

The weekly podcast from Bob McGinn and Tyler Dunne is up at JSOnline.

Postseason evaluations and report cards are up at AllGreenBayPackers.com on cornerbacks Davon House and Tramon Williams.

Fox Sports Wisconsin checks up on offensive lineman Evan Dietrich-Smith.

Acme Packing Company evaluates the inside linebackers and wonders if the Packers should sign Ahmad Bradshaw or Chris Canty.

Fox 11 airs an exclusive interview with now former Packer Donald Driver.

An article on Donald Driver appears at Packer Report.

Lombardi Ave. takes a look at kicker Mason Crosby being honored by his elementary school.

Video: Fox 11 in Green Bay talks to former Packers cheerleader Kaitlyn Collins...

Brian Carriveau is the author of "It's Just a Game: Big League Drama in Small Town America," and editor of Cheesehead TV's "Pro Football Draft Preview." To contact Brian, email [email protected].

0 points
 

Comments (14)

Fan-Friendly This filter will hide comments which have ratio of 5 to 1 down-vote to up-vote.
CSS's picture

February 08, 2013 at 09:50 am

"Garda also lists how adding Jennings would prevent teams from putting so many teams in the box to stop Adrian Peterson."

This sounds great in theory, but no coordinator is going to commit a safety over the top (thus reducing the safeties you can commit to the box against Peterson or inside against Harvin) until the quarterback (in this case Ponder) shows any ability or consistency to beat you with a vertical ball. I would give Ponder single coverage looks with no safety help at all until he shows any opposing offense some consistency threatening the deep seam.

I wonder if John Schneider would pull the trigger on Jennings in Seattle? They have the cap room and Jennings could put that team over the top in that division and possibly the NFC.

0 points
0
0
Evan's picture

February 08, 2013 at 10:10 am

Ugh. I hadn't even considered Seattle...I was fine with him toiling away in obscurity in the AFC (Miami, Indy) or with Ponder sailing balls over his head. But Seattle would be a bitter pill to swallow.

0 points
0
0
Chad Toporski's picture

February 08, 2013 at 10:35 am

Yeah, thanks for ruining my Friday with that idea, CSS...

0 points
0
0
FITZCORE 1252'S EVO's picture

February 08, 2013 at 11:41 pm

They've been all over #85 on sports radio out here all week. The local media honks expect them to make a play on one of the big time FA WR's... We'll see I guess.

0 points
0
0
djbonney138's picture

February 08, 2013 at 10:50 am

So Jermichael said "I am not taking a pay cut."

0 points
0
0
CSS's picture

February 08, 2013 at 10:59 am

He's not quoted as saying that anywhere in the interview that Dunne posted.

0 points
0
0
djbonney138's picture

February 08, 2013 at 03:20 pm

Yes, thanks for pointing that out. I guess I shouldn't have used quotation marks when what I wanted to say was he essentially said there is no way in hell he is taking a pay cut.

0 points
0
0
CSS's picture

February 08, 2013 at 03:27 pm

Curious why you felt Finley was saying that? I didn't read his quote like that at all. I read it more as (my interpretation), 'until they contact me to take a paycut they're content with my play/progress.'

0 points
0
0
djbonney138's picture

February 08, 2013 at 03:44 pm

The way the article written states that a pay cut is a possibility a couple of times. The quotes Dunne used sound like Finley is putting it all on the Packers whether he is back or not. Why say the comment about underperforming/pay cuts then immediately follow it up with I want to play here for life? Maybe I am jaded about the ego on pro athletes today and automatically assume the worst.

0 points
0
0
Evan's picture

February 08, 2013 at 03:57 pm

So you're saying that Finley should approach the Packers voluntarily about taking a pay cut if he really wanted to be a Packer for life?

0 points
0
0
Walty's picture

February 08, 2013 at 01:26 pm

Um, Brian... You forgot to mention the Vikings taking the ELECTRIFYING Robert Ferguson from us.

0 points
0
0
Brian Carriveau's picture

February 08, 2013 at 02:54 pm

He was part of "the list goes on" ;)

0 points
0
0
Point Packer's picture

February 09, 2013 at 04:13 pm

I've done my best to block Robert Ferguson from my memory, until now. Thanks.

0 points
0
0
MarkinMadison's picture

February 08, 2013 at 03:06 pm

http://espn.go.com/espn/story/_/page/George-Visger/george-visger-damage-...

A good read for folks interested in the concussion issue.

0 points
0
0