Collins knows his deal will be worth more.

I don't understand why the Packers won't extend Collins. I wonder if this means the end of Hawk after the year.

It seems a little strange for Collins. Won't he still be able to reach restricted free agency where teams can bid for his services with the Packers ultimately getting a chance to match any offer?

Why let him go and get into bidding wars? Hey, it happened with Jarrett Bush.

I'm with you Aaron on the hunch that this could be the first in a few contract extensions. Perhaps at least for the unrestricted players. Pickett...maybe Clifton and Tauscher...

Dayne...I think that's exactly the point. I don't think TT is expecting a new CBA to happen. If he is a only a restricted free agent you let him and another team set his value and you don't have to ''outbid'' yourself. I think that's how I would handle all the RFAs next year if there is no agreement. Give them the offer that gets you rights to match, let them ''sign'' with someone else, and match the offer if it makes sense to do so. No overbidding and no real risk of losing anyone.

how many tags can be used next year?
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are there restrictions on signing FAs for the teams that make the playoffs?

How old is Chillar exactly? How big is his ceiling? I understand he's a very good backup, and provides a good competition, but we had much more pressing needs, Jolly, Pickett, Bigby, Collins to name a few...

When healthy, Chiller was playing almost 50% or more of the snaps. That's not a 'back-up' to me. Just because he isn't announced in the television starting line-up doesn't make him a 'back-up'. Because of all the sub packages, including emphasis on nickle, you have to call Chiller a starter when healthy (plays better than 50% of snaps).

bombad....I believe each team will have two franchise tags and a transition tag and that you can use all three of them if you want.
There is a rule for the ''final eight'' teams. Basicly they can only sign free agents after they lose free agents and they will be ''capped'' to the amount that their free agents were signed to.
I'm sure the rules are much more complicated than that but those are the simple answers to your question as far as I have been able to figure out.

thanks wg. I guess TT haters will have no argument to make if Ted's Guys win the wildcard round.
Also ironic that the Vikes will lock themselves out of FA if they clinch a first round bye.
The dynamic of the offseason could be dramatically different, some players who really "want to play for a contender" will have to wait for those teams to have another player signed away. Maybe it wont be the usual flurry of big name signings on the first weekend.

He better lock Collins the F down! We saw what happened when our safeties went down. Pickett should be next though, no doubt.

It's funny, the first thing I thought when I heard about this deal was, "OMG, Collins is going to be pissed if he doesn't get a deal before the season ends".

I know this sounds crazy, but what if he starts slacking off because other players are getting extensions before him. I actually understand if TT doesn't want to give him an extension before the off-season, but if TT isn't even negotiating with Collins' aagent, then TT may be playing with fire...

bombad...don't be so sure that will quiet the most of the TT haters. There was a poster on another message board where the guy predicted a Superbowl win for us this year, an MVP award for Rodgers next year, that Finley would be the best tight end in football within two years AND called for TT to be fired all in the same post. Seriously some people will NEVER like him no matter what he does. For 90% of the people who hate TT it's because BF isn't here anymore and nothings gonna change that.

How's this for cranky: Nick Collins can get bent. He's pretty good, but he needs to settle down.

Great signing of an important player! On another note, if Collins reaches RFA, all three NFC North teams will tender an offer for him, thus driving his price way up. TT is in a tough spot as his pay as you go policy will be hard pressed to keep up with this year's raft of Packer free agents. Also, the team's higher profile will add to the interest in our players by other GMs. I'll be very interested to see how TT handles the situation in the offseason.

Collins isn't going anywhere. He will either be restricted or he will now get the franchise tag now that Kampman's trade value is diminished. Expect a grumpy off-season from Collins either way if they can't work out a deal here shortly. I would also expect to see some additional signings in the next few weeks. Pickett and at least one of the o-lineman need to be locked up. (You can't have Clifton, Spitz, Colledge, and Tauscher all hitting free agency!) TT may also have some negotiating power over the RFA's also who may want a long term deal rather then a possible one year tender. Those include Bigby, Jolly, Spitz, and Colledge. TT always pays based on what he perceives the players value is to the team and he doesn't leave cap money un-used.

I still cannot believe we got in a bidding war over Bush with Tennessee.
Know what really pisses me off??? Seeing a huge picture and article on Aaron Rouse in the NYPOST this morning.

jerseypackfan, it wasn't a bidding war. Reinfeldt is one of TT's disciples, and he offered $1 million to Bush, which the Packers matched. They didn't outbid anyone, they just matched the offer.
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As for Rouse...did you watch last night's game? Rouse was the culprit on at least 3 HUGE plays by the Eagles, and was nearly burnt on a 60 yard pass as well that was dropped. He's not good. The fact that the Giants are starting a CB at their other safety spot tells you just how desperate they were for safeties.

I did not watch the game last night. I could care less about the Giants and I really hate the Eagles, so I wrapped gifts. What I was just saying in regards to Rouse is... I really did not enjoy seeing a "positive" article on the kid after the Packers cut him.

Why is it that everyone refers to Brandon Chillar as a "Back-up"? Chillar was getting far more play time than AJ Hawk before he broke his hand. In fact, if you count in the snaps he was taking at safety (in big okie) as well as linebacker, he was probably getting more snaps than any other linebacker in the first half of the year, save Kampman.
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Brandon Chillar was a starting LB, and a good one, in his time with the Rams, and his play as a "back up" in the 4-3 last year probably warranted his "starting" over AJ Hawk AND Barnett (with nick having an off year).
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Brandon Chillar isn't, hasn't played like, and shouldn't be considered a back up. I think $21 mil over 4 years may be a bit steep, but I'm guessing after the reported $7 mil guaranteed, a bunch of that contract is incentive based.

BTW, as far as Nick Collins is concerned, and how much his contract will be worth- here's an interesting fact to ponder:
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Safeties are, on average across the league, the lowest-paid of all defensive positions in professional football. No guarantees he's going to be making more than 5 mil a year.

Good move by the Pack. Chillar is a decent player, and, especially with the new defensive scheme, the Pack will need a strong depth at LB.

Safeties are, on average across the league, the lowest-paid of all defensive positions in professional football. No guarantees he’s going to be making more than 5 mil a year.

Good point that a lot of people might not realize. Reed, Sanders, and Polamalu are widely regarded as the 3 best safeties and they are all getting around 13 million each over the next two years. Safeties just don't make that much compared to all the other positions. Even if he reaches unrestricted free agency (and he won't) he wont get much more than those guys.

Collins is going to get a big deal, it just won't be in green bay

Collins supposed off-season contract concerns were a myth created by the media & perpetuated by many Packer type blogs/forums........... Similar to the myth that BF playing until he's forty has nothing to do with money...... "He's play for the love of the game"..... Simple BS. ................ Caper's D is predicated on having a deep LB Corp.......... Extending Chillar is smart.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5w9KF-hs5GA

oh yeah!

I like Chillar, but over $5 million a year seems like ALOT for a guy that's been good but not great and isn't on the field for a large majority of the snaps. If I was Nick Collins and I saw Chillar getting $5 million a year, I would think that I was worth a lot more than that, with the probowl and all. Plus, if Hawk or Barnett were to go down we've got a guy in Bishop that could be a very good player if he got a chance.

There are less than ten guys on the team that made $5 million this year. Is Chillar a top 10 guy on our team? Is he even a top 20 guy? I'm not sure.

Hawk's base salary is 10 million next year. Are the Packers really going to pay that?

elhandro....hawks base salary is 4.1 million next year...it jumps to 10 million in 2011...his contract will likely be extended and/or restructured next year before he reaches that

......

This contract is actual VERY reasonable...With the contract being front loaded people really have to realize these aren't "2009" dollars they are "future" dollars . Take into consideration that 4 years ago the salary cap was 85 million and this year it about 130 million. Should the salary cap rise at that rate over the course of his contract the estimated 4 million he would count against a cap in 2014 will be a mere drop in the bucket. It would be about the equvilant of 2.6 million this year which is less than he is making now and again VERY reasonable.

Aaron
Your imagination is running wild again.......... Now you are listening to agents ....... They have no ulterior motives, do they? ......... Last March most were thrashing Nick Collins (after a Pro-Bowl year) because of a 'perceived' contract issue & possible hold-out created by the press ...... Now most are crying for GB to extend Collins (Again led by the media) ...... Blogs like the good little sheep they are, follow right in-line......

Last March - Nick Collins - bad.
Now - Nick Collins - good.
However, nothing has changed ........ Except what the media is writing .......
The media = fans who get paid for their opinions....... Nothing more.

Collins had a great year last year, but he will more than likely not match his numbers from last year. However, he's still a good player and he should be on the team next year. Who else are we going to use, Jarret Bush?