Ranking the Packers' 2014 Free Agents

The Green Bay Packers have 20 free agents to deal with in 2014. We ranked all 20, using past production and future projection to guide the process.

Ted Thompson and the rest of the Green Bay Packers front office will have to make 20 separate decisions on free agents this coming offseason.

The Packers leave 2013 with 17 unrestricted free agents (UFA), two restricted free agents (RFA) and one exclusive rights free agent (ERFA) to deal with. Below, we rank all 20 of Green Bay's free agents.

Note: Rankings reflect a combination of 2013 contributions, future projections and predicted chance of being retained. 

20. RB Kahlil Bell, UFA

An emergency depth signing at running back, Bell played zero offensive snaps but saw action in three games on special teams. He returned one kick for 22 yards. With Eddie Lacy the clear starter and both DuJuan Harris and Johnathan Franklin returning from injury, there's simply no space or need for Bell to return. He'll go back on Ted Thompson's in-case-of-injury board.

19. QB Seneca Wallace, UFA

He'll be 34 by next August, and he's coming off season-ending surgery to repair a torn groin. That's not a great combination for a free agent quarterback, especially one who struggled during his limited playing time and appeared misfit for the Packers offense. His arm looked especially weak over 24 attempts and his mobility is nearly gone. The Packers are better off developing Scott Tolzien than giving Wallace another year.

18. S Chris Banjo, ERFA

Banjo is an exclusive rights free agent, which gives the Packers total negotiating power over his future. Why wouldn't he return? His unlikely emergence during last summer's training camp earned Banjo a roster spot, and he eventually became a key special teams contributor, totaling nine tackles with zero misses or penalties. He may not be an answer at safety, but there's little harm in bringing back cheap labor, especially at a position the Packers are so thin at.

17. S M.D. Jennings, RFA

The Packers have an interesting decision to make with Jennings, a 17-game starter in 2013. He's clearly unfit to be a starting safety in the NFL, and any defense with Super Bowl aspirations can't have him playing a primary role. But do the Packers want to keep him around by giving him a minimum tender or will they simply let him go loose? Green Bay can and should do better. But this is a team that gave Jennings 27 total starts over the last two seasons, and it's certainly possible they aren't yet ready to give up on him.

16. T Marshall Newhouse, UFA

Displaced as a starter, Newhouse regressed severely in 2013. And that's saying something considering how fantastically average he was as a 31-game starter from 2011-12. Newhouse played 261 snaps this season but somehow gave up 21 total pressures, and his overall grade at Pro Football Focus finished dead last among Green Bay's offensive linemen. Over his two starts, Newhouse allowed 13 total pressures. And his brief stint at guard in Detroit will make your eyeballs burn. As long as the Packers feel good about the health of Bryan Bulaga and Derek Sherrod, Newhouse should be gone.

15. ILB Robert Francois, UFA

Francois has long been a core special teams player, but he's now 28 years old and coming off an Achilles' tear. The Packers have 2013 seventh-rounder Sam Barrington coming off injured reserve, and it's possible that Thompson will use a draft pick on an inside linebacker. Overall, Francois made just one special teams tackle before suffering the season-ending injury. It's probably time to move on.

14. DL C.J. Wilson, UFA

Once a starter at defensive end, Wilson played in just nine games and saw only 127 snaps in 2013. His best attribute is still holding up blocks against the run. The fact that the Packers have so many moving pieces on the defensive line, combined with the fact that Wilson won't demand much to retain, gives the former seventh-round pick a real chance to stick around. He still has use as a situational backup.

13. TE Andrew Quarless, UFA

Quarless would be higher up this list if the future of Jermichael Finley were more clear. He becomes much more important if Finley is not medically cleared to return to football. But instead of guessing on Finley, we'll break down what we know of Quarless. He's serviceable but underwhelming, and a starter only by necessity. Note that Quarless caught 32 passes for 312 yards and two scores over 16 games and 10 starts, while Finley had 25, 300 and three over just six games, two of which he was knocked out of early. In a perfect world, Quarless re-signs and then returns to being a very capable No. 2 tight end. We'll see.

12. ILB Jamari Lattimore, RFA

The Packers ought to tender Lattimore at the lowest level and then give him a fair shot—forget the money paid to Brad Jones—to start at inside linebacker in 2014. He might not be a significant upgrade over Jones, and he's certainly no NaVarro Bowman or Patrick Willis, but he at least showed some athletic ability and physicality when on the field in 2013. The Packers could use more of both on defense. Another year getting comfortable at inside linebacker could accelerate his development.

11. OLB Mike Neal, UFA

Four years into his NFL career, Neal finally played a full, 16-game season. The Packers transitioned him from defensive end to outside linebacker over the summer, and he went on to lead the team in overall quarterback hurries (37) and disruptions (46). He's still a work in progress as a 3-4 edge rusher, but there is some promise to be tapped into. In the long run, Neal might still be better suited as a 4-3 defensive end. He's expressed a desire to return, but it'd have to come at a price that benefits the Packers. The combination of a better situation and deal could certainly lure him away.

10. DL Johnny Jolly, UFA

Jolly was one of the great surprises of Green Bay's 2013 season. At 30 years old, Jolly returned from a three-year absence and once again became a valuable run defender for the Packers defense. He's coming off a neck injury and no longer has age on his side, but his likely price and obvious value to Green Bay make a reunion likely. Besides, Jolly should have a soft spot for this franchise, which took a risk it didn't have to take on his comeback to the NFL.

9. QB Matt Flynn, UFA

The unmitigated disaster that was the Packers backup quarterback situation in 2013 should provide incentive for Thompson to bring back Flynn, who failed in other starting gigs but once again looked at home in Green Bay. He doesn't have one above average attribute, but he knows the offense inside and out and again showed an ability to keep the Packers afloat when called upon. It simply wouldn't make sense for Flynn to entertain an offer anywhere else, unless the money is substantially more than what Green Bay puts on the table. That seems unlikely. Bring Flynn back at or near the veteran's minimum he deserves and forget about the worries at backup quarterback.

8. FB John Kuhn, UFA

The fullback may be endangered in the NFL, but the Packers have kept the position alive through Kuhn. While limited athletically, Kuhn has improved as a lead blocker and remains the offense's go-to pass protector. He's also a core special teams player, a leader in the locker room and a guy Aaron Rodgers trusts without question. If the price is right, bringing back Kuhn should be a no-brainer.

7. RB James Starks, UFA

I'll bang the drum for Starks' return, even if it looks unlikely. Once a hero of the Super Bowl run, Starks emerged in 2013 as one of the NFL's best backup running backs. And no, that's not an over-exaggeration. Starks ran for 5.5 yards per tote, averaged more yards after contact and a higher rate of missed tackles than Eddie Lacy and—maybe most importantly—stayed mostly injury free. The Packers kept him fresh and he looked oh-so-dangerous almost every time he touched the football. In fact, he averaged over 7.0 yards per carry over the final two games of 2013, contests in which the Packers probably should have used him more over a hobbled Lacy. Yes, DuJuan Harris and Johnathan Franklin will return and could back up Lacy without problem. But if Starks doesn't command big money somewhere, why not bring back Lacy, Starks, Harris and Franklin and then feature a position with as much talent and depth as any in football? Losing Starks would be a blow, in my humble opinion.

6. DL B.J. Raji, UFA

There simply aren't many human beings that weigh 330 pounds who can move as well as Raji does. That alone gives him immediate value, both to the Packers and to the rest of the NFL. But whether or not Raji returns will really come down to how much the Packers value him, and how badly Raji wants to continue playing in the 3-4 defense. In Dom Capers' system, Raji has been relegated to a two-down role in which he rarely gets opportunities to rush the quarterback. He might want to play in a defense that frees him to be a more disruptive inside rusher, much like he was early on in Green Bay. The Packers will then have to decide whether they want a former first-round pick, especially one that was hand-picked to be a cornerstone of their switch to the 3-4 defense, to walk without getting a second contract. He certainly didn't earn a big deal—the $8 million-a-year offer has already been tossed into the garbage and lit on fire—but he's a talent and a home-grown Packer. Raji will be the toughest decision of Thompson's offseason.

5. WR James Jones, UFA

Tough as nails, generally reliable and the polar opposite of a diva, Jones is an ideal match for what the Packers do on and off the field. He's also tested the market before and came up empty. Will that change once he turns 30 in March? His production has spiked since his last dealings in free agency, but teams don't typically break the bank for No. 2 or No. 3 receivers of his age. The Packers might also be ready to give more playing time to Jarrett Boykin, who emerged as a steady hand capable of being the No. 3 in 2014. But when you have Aaron Rodgers in his prime, you never want to take away trusted targets, especially if they come at a reasonable price. Something tells me Jones will be back on another manageable deal.

4. TE Jermichael Finley, UFA

Finley is probably the most difficult free agent to discuss. His health is a huge question mark, especially considering how cautious the Packers have historically been with neck injuries of Finley's type. Will team docs clear him? Will he be ready to play by the start of 2014? What kind of market would he have if cleared? These are all tough questions to answer right now. When healthy, Finley is a difference-making tight end who would have a sizable number of teams ready to make an offer. The position is also an important one in the Green Bay offense, and it showed when the middle of the field all but dried up in the passing game when Finley left in October. I find it difficult to envision the Packers clearing Finley medically and then satisfying him contractually as a free agent, but who knows. If he's cleared and projected to be ready by the start of 2014, he should become a priority for Green Bay.

3. DL Ryan Picket, UFA

Pickett will be 35 years old by next October, offers next to nothing as a pass rusher and there were signs of regression in 2013. But he's also the Packers best defensive lineman against the run, a leader in the locker room and he hasn't missed a game in two years. There shouldn't be too many teams lining up to offer him big money, so the Packers will have the option to retain him at a reasonable price. They should jump on that opportunity. If any combination of Raji, Jolly and Wilson leave, the Packers can't afford to see Pickett bolt. That's too much turnover up front. He probably has the best chance of any of the defensive linemen to return.

2. C Evan Dietrich-Smith, UFA

Many might scoff at the idea of EDS's placement on this list, but he was a rock-solid No. 2 from the get-go for me. He's made such significant strides that it would be a shame for the Packers to let him walk in free agency. According to PFF, Dietrich-Smith was the fifth-best center in the NFC and eighth-best overall in 2013. Plus, the Packers don't want Aaron Rodgers taking snaps from his fourth different center in as many years next season. Retaining EDS will maintain the always important cohesion along the offensive line, while also giving Green Bay a chance to feature its best five up front maybe in Rodgers' entire starting career. He should be a top priority.

1. CB Sam Shields, UFA

Shields is a no-brainer to round out the list. A potential shut down cornerback who is entering his prime in a passing league, Shields is more than ready to cash in. Will it be in Green Bay? The Packers gambled by not giving him a long term deal last season, instead extending the process out one year with a $2.023 million tender. Now, Green Bay is at the mercy of shark agent Drew Rosenhaus. The Packers have depth at cornerback, but losing out on Shields—a player plucked from the scrap heap who has gradually developed into a big-time player in Green Bay—would be a huge blow to Thompson's develop-and-retain style of roster building. Thompson must also know that letting a talent like Shields leave will do nothing to help fix a defense that is already lacking difference makers. Given the relative lack of good cornerbacks available in free agency, Shields will enter discussions with nearly all the leverage. For him to return, the Packers will likely need to swallow some pride and cave on a deal that almost certainly will favor the 26-year-old cornerback.

Zach Kruse is a 25-year-old sports writer who contributes to Cheesehead TV, Bleacher Report and the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. He also covered prep sports for the Dunn Co. News. You can reach him on Twitter @zachkruse2 or by email at [email protected].

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Comments (61)

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Fred's picture

January 17, 2014 at 08:22 am

I would actually put Starks at #1. Having Lacy & Starks in the backfield was amazing this year, we just have to get McCarthy to rotate them a little more. Plus, it didn't seem to matter who was playing D as long as Rodgers was healthy. So to me none of the D free agents are that big of a deal. I really don't even think losing Shields would make that big of a difference. Let'em all walk on D & start over. I guess I'd like Neal to stay if only just to see how he continues to develop.

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Evan's picture

January 17, 2014 at 08:57 am

" I really don’t even think losing Shields would make that big of a difference."

I'm sorry, but that's crazy.

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cLowNEY42's picture

January 17, 2014 at 09:57 am

Not any more crazy than...
"I would actually put Starks at #1."

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Evan's picture

January 17, 2014 at 09:57 am

ha...true. There's a whole lot of crazy in that paragraph.

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RC Packer Fan's picture

January 17, 2014 at 10:04 am

I'm guessing its karaoke Thursday hangover talk...

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Evan's picture

January 17, 2014 at 08:36 am

Not much to argue with here. I'd have Quarless much higher, especially because of the uncertainty over Finley.

But as far as top 5, I agree pretty much 100%.

I'd also put Jolly, Flynn and Kuhn ahead of Raji, but that's probably more based on who I think the Packers WILL bring back then who their priorities are.

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PackerAaron's picture

January 17, 2014 at 02:05 pm

Agreed on Quarless Evan. Even if Finley comes back, there's not much to work with at TE. Odd for a team that used to mix and match three or four TEs seemingly from play to play.

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Chad Lundberg's picture

January 18, 2014 at 01:38 am

Quarless at 13 is an injustice. He is rated as one of the top five blocking TE's in the league. So what if his receiving skills are underwhelming so far. Give him a legit chance to be big in the receiving game before we come to any conclusions there.

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Calabasa's picture

January 18, 2014 at 02:59 pm

IMHO Q is a crappy blocker, base on nothing more than watching him get blown up on occasion

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Barutan Seijin's picture

January 19, 2014 at 03:07 pm

Agree. Quarless was an awful blocker this year. Since he's only so-so as a receiving TE, i'd take my chances with a draftee or Bostick.

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MarkinMadison's picture

January 17, 2014 at 08:55 am

I don't agree with some of these. I'll throw out 2 ups and 2 downs.

Jones is way too high. WR is a stocked position and the Packers need to create some cap space for defense, and have Cobb and Nelson both coming due next year.

Johnny Jolly should be rated higher, assuming he is healthy.

Lattimore should be higher. He is young, has room for improvement, and is dynamic. Very underrated IMHO.

Flynn should be lower. Backup QB is still backup QB. And Tolzien is already under contract, has more up-side, and will get better with an off season.

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THEMichaelRose's picture

January 17, 2014 at 09:52 am

I don't agree that Jones is too high, because I think he's a better player than the guys below him. But I do not view him as a priority at all. Unless he gets paid less.

I don't think Aaron will push for him to come back either, like he did last time. Jones let him down late this year. (Granted, his injury could have had a bigger impact than I'm giving it credit for)

The guy who Rodgers will make sure comes back (though I'm sure Ted will do it on his own) is John Kuhn.

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THEMichaelRose's picture

January 17, 2014 at 09:57 am

I think Flynn is more important than you give him credit for. He's not great, but he can fill in for a brief period of time if needed.
And Tolzien will be out of this league within 2-3 years, in my opinion.

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4thand1's picture

January 17, 2014 at 03:57 pm

Yes, sign Flynn, Put Tolzien on the practice squad after training camp. Draft a QB 7th or UFA. WTH Brady went in the 6th round.

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Evan's picture

January 17, 2014 at 08:59 am

One last nit - I know you wanted to rank all the FAs, but to me Newhouse, Jennings, Bell and Wallace are all "unranked" guys. They're dead weight.

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4thand1's picture

January 17, 2014 at 03:58 pm

Agreed, no loss here.

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THEMichaelRose's picture

January 17, 2014 at 09:50 am

One thing I find fascinating is how low Raji ranks on this list and in most people's minds, yet the general football world (i.e. Mike Sando from ESPN) views him as such a priority re-sign.

But any time the rationale for bringing back a guy is more about "they don't have an alternative on their roster" or "their defense was bad, imagine how bad it'd be without him" than "he's a good and improving player," then you know it's not that great of an idea.

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cLowNEY42's picture

January 17, 2014 at 09:59 am

Yep - anyone who wants Raji back is actually just in fear of the unknown.

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Evan's picture

January 17, 2014 at 10:29 am

I don't "want" him back, per se, but I'd be fine if he came back for around $5 mil a year and was moved back to NT.

In other words, that's not gonna happen.

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RC Packer Fan's picture

January 17, 2014 at 10:02 am

Overall I agree with the list.
My opinion, I would probably switch Raji and Pickett around though.
The only thing though is Raji will command a bigger salary. The problem with Raji is they have been playing him out of position.

Pickett started out great, but towards the end of the year really started to play poorly. He did play very well in the Playoff game though.

If the Packers can't resign Raji, then I think Pickett should be resigned.

Pickett's age is the greatest concern for me. How much does he have left?

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Evan's picture

January 17, 2014 at 10:17 am

"Pickett’s age is the greatest concern for me. How much does he have left?"

Probably not much. But for a 1-2 year deal for low $$$$, I think he's worth it as a veteran, rotational guy.

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RC Packer Fan's picture

January 17, 2014 at 10:46 am

Yeah, I agree..

I just am really concerned with putting everything into Pickett.

IF they were to resign Pickett, I really think they have to draft a NT fairly early. Although there aren't a lot of NT types in the draft.
Nix is the best but might not be available at 21.
A sleeper that I kind of like is Beau Allen, from Wisconsin. 6'3, 330. He is big enough to play NT at the next level, and he played that position this year at Wisconsin. I think Allen and Pickett could be a good rotation.

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Tarynfor12's picture

January 17, 2014 at 11:05 am

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Evan's picture

January 17, 2014 at 11:10 am

6'2", 357. Whoa.

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RC Packer Fan's picture

January 17, 2014 at 11:27 am

Yeah, He is one I'm going to be watching.

It sounded like he hasn't been overly impressive at the Shrine practices. Good, but not great. I am looking forward to watching him at the Shrine game.

Probably a guy worth drafting in the middle rounds and having in a rotation.

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Tarynfor12's picture

January 17, 2014 at 11:43 am

I read he is very impressive at the Shrine practices...

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RC Packer Fan's picture

January 17, 2014 at 11:52 am

You could be right. I just heard that he wasn't.

That's why I'm looking forward to watching the game tomorrow, so I can see first hand how he looks, and how others look.

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ben's picture

January 17, 2014 at 02:46 pm

He reminds me of Bj Raji. More of a fat big. Has some explosion, and can get a good push but that's about it. Looks like he struggles to get off blocks and make the play. Not much lateral range. But does appear to put forth a good effort.

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EBTERP's picture

January 17, 2014 at 10:19 am

I may be in the minority here but I think all the history points to Raji leaving no matter what type of offe we put out there. Given his rejection of the initial offer and some comments regarding his position / 4-3 etc I think he is moving on no matter what...

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Arlo's picture

January 17, 2014 at 10:53 am

BJ will never see GB & Wisconsin again.(unless he's on the opposing team for a road game)

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RC Packer Fan's picture

January 17, 2014 at 10:56 am

If I were to guess. I think he is 75% gone. For the reasons you mentioned.

The only way I think he will come back is if he doesn't get the offer he was expecting.

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Idiot Fan's picture

January 17, 2014 at 11:03 am

I'm going to be pissed if he goes somewhere else and becomes this wrecking-ball of terror on their D-line.

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Idiot Fan's picture

January 17, 2014 at 11:02 am

Great article Zach, and I agree with large amounts of it. I am also on the Starks bandwagon and would like to see him back. And I'm kind of shocked that Neal lead the team in pressures and disruptions.

One question I'm curious about that falls just outside the scope of the article is what to do with Tramon. I thought he played really well down the stretch last year. I don't think paying him $8 million is a great idea, but I'd like to see him stay.

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Arlo's picture

January 17, 2014 at 11:11 am

An even better question:
Will Sammy take less than Tramon to re-up in GB?

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Evan's picture

January 17, 2014 at 11:14 am

"Will Sammy take less than Tramon to re-up in GB?"

I doubt it.

I think Tramon's 4/$33 deal is a perfect starting point, though. I'd knock it up to like 5/$42 or 6/$50. Something like that. I think that's fair.

$16+ million is a lot to pay your 2 CBs, but Tramon's will be off the books in a year, so I think it's doable.

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RC Packer Fan's picture

January 17, 2014 at 11:31 am

I have wondered since Tramon is entering his final year of his contract, if they would restructure his contract and extend it for a year or 2. Restructure it in a way so it frees up money yet doesn't really lose Williams any.

The 2nd half of the season Williams was as good as he has been since 2010. He finally looks healthy again.

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Idiot Fan's picture

January 17, 2014 at 02:04 pm

That's my hope. Help him save face and not make it look like a straight pay cut.

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Arlo's picture

January 17, 2014 at 11:09 am

Nice synopsis on how difficult the off-season will really be for the Pack.

Alot of these JAGs need to move on & I suppose that's exactly what will happen. TT will low-ball most & then cross his fingers that their market is even lower.

Don't be surprised if Sammy, EDS & JJ find a new place to be. TT had all of 2013 to extend any of them & should have. Now it may be too late.

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Barutan Seijin's picture

January 19, 2014 at 03:25 pm

EDS had a poor game vs. SF. He closed out the season by demonstrating that he's not good enough to get the job done when the going gets tough. Not what you want to do as a free agent.

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Adam's picture

January 17, 2014 at 11:27 am

I think it is a bad idea paying CB big money. They are small brittle and all it takes is them losing a "step" and they are done. Big money CB deals rarely plan out

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THEMichaelRose's picture

January 17, 2014 at 12:36 pm

Same with RBs.

While whole team is generally young, Andrew Brandt said Packers always specifically emphasized youth at RB, LB, CB, where short burst and acceleration are most crucial. Whole league basically does that now.

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taco's picture

January 17, 2014 at 02:03 pm

No love for Banjo? Given the ranking criteria he's gotta bump up a 5 spots. You can't preach special teams and let a guy like that walk. Plus he's young and we haven't seen his ceiling yet. Get him into camp next year and he'll blossom. He's going to be a younger version of J. Bush without the early growing pains: a decent back up S, special teams ace, hard hitting emotional leader. This team NEEDS guys like that.

Not saying he's Deion Sanders II, but I'd put him 12-14 range.

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Hank Scorpio's picture

January 17, 2014 at 02:24 pm

For a team with 20 guys looking for new contracts, there is surprisingly little to really be all that concerned about, IMO. #15-20 are pretty much all worthless (except maybe Banjo for ST and he's cheap). I'd welcome most of the others back but only at a team-friendly price.

Shields is the closest thing to a "must sign" but CB is perhaps the deepest position on the team.

I'd like to have one of the two TEs. And one, maybe 2, of the DL. If they can't do that, they'll need to look elsewhere to re-stock the position for 2014. But I don't think it will be hard to get that done.

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Evan's picture

January 17, 2014 at 02:30 pm

"...but CB is perhaps the deepest position on the team."

I think that's true and it isn't true. As a whole unit, it's a deep, solid group. But when you start to break it down it gets a little concerning.

I love Hyde and Hayward, but they can't play outside.

So, that leaves them with Sheilds (FA), Tramon (soon to be 31) and House (inconsistant) as their only outside CBs.

If they re-sign Shields, it'll all be good. If they lose him, though, then it gets thin really fast.

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Bert's picture

January 17, 2014 at 07:13 pm

I agree Evan. I'm not that impressed with our CB depth in that Shields and Tramon are about the only true outside cover guys we have that are worth much. House just doesn't impress me and I won't even discuss Bush. If we lose Shields it will create a big hole to fill. I say let Raji and some others walk and sign Shields and Starks. EDS also if we can get him at a good price.

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cLowNEY42's picture

January 18, 2014 at 03:18 pm

All because TT missed on House.

HUGE disappointment last year considering how he was being touted.

House has set the entire position group back. He was supposed to be Tramon's replacement.

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ben's picture

January 17, 2014 at 03:09 pm

2014 53 man depth chart (w/ 4-3 D)
QB: Rodgers, Tolzien, 5throunder
RB: Lacey, DuJuan, Starks(2year), Franklin
FB: Kuhn(2year), 6throunder
WR: Cobb, Jordy, Boykin, 5throunder, Harper
TE: 1strounder, Quarless(2year),Stoneburner, Bostick,
OL: Bakhtiari, Sitton, EDS(2year), Lang, Bulaga, Barclay, Tretter, Sharrod
DL: Neal(3year), Daniels, Perry, Datone, Boyd, Jolly(2year), Mulumba, Worthy
LB: Matthews(MLB), Lattimore, Hawk, 3rdrounder, 4throunder, 7throunder
CB: Shields(franchised), House, Heyward, Hyde, Nixon
S: Burnett, 2ndrounder, Richardson, Banjo
ST: Goode, Crosby, Masthay
Let go: Capers,Finley,Raji,Tramon,JJones,Bjones,Bush,Pickett,md,newhouse,&wilson.

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Icebowler's picture

January 17, 2014 at 10:29 pm

Unfortunately, we can't eat all of Brad Jones cap space by cutting him:(

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4thand1's picture

January 17, 2014 at 04:12 pm

I think they frachise tag either EDS or Shields.

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Icebowler's picture

January 17, 2014 at 10:23 pm

Hindsight is 20-20, but TT should have locked up Shields last year instead of Burnett and Brad Jones.

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Icebowler's picture

January 17, 2014 at 10:25 pm

M.D. should have been #20 on the list due to the Packer Fan "Pukes per Game" stat.

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billy's picture

January 20, 2014 at 09:59 am

I dont think Raji wants to come back, unless Capers says he will be moved to NT where he can best be utilized...why is it so hard to see that the Packers could get so much more out of this guy??? Alot of stubborn people on that staff....

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RC Packer Fan's picture

January 20, 2014 at 10:14 am

Yeah, I agree with that.

Capers to me is too set in his ways. (stubborn).

When he first came he came out with different packages, and different looks for the defense. The last couple of years, he hasn't.

Raji is purely a NT. Why they have him playing DE I have no idea...

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Stroh's picture

January 20, 2014 at 10:40 am

Said it for awile now. Raji is a NT, not a 34 DE. Only reason he is playing DE is that Pickett doesn't have the agility for it IMO, problem is Raji doesn't either. Both are purely NT. Raji can probably play DE just slightly better than Pickett. We don't have a prototypical 34 DE at LDE. Need a guy there that can also rush as a DT. That's why I wouldn't preclude going w/ Hageman or Tuitt in the 1st. Both are IDEAL 34 DE w/ pass rush ability. I would probably have taken Devon Still instead of Worthy a couple years ago, but Worthy has a lot more pass rush ability than Still, so I understand the reasoning and Worthy's injury now makes the hindsight easy.

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xuyee's picture

January 20, 2014 at 10:39 am

You're not paid what you're worth, you're paid what it would take to replace you. There are many good CBs on the FA market 2-3 of which are better than Shields. It's easy to overrate your own guys. If Sam refuses to sign for $8-9 million a year, there is someone good who will.

Maybe Shields will do something short term with the hope of hitting the market when it's thinner like Finley tried. Of course Finley illustrates the risk of this strategy.

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Evan's picture

January 20, 2014 at 11:11 am

That's a good point. Reading through some FA rankings, Shields is somewhere between the 4th and 6th best CB on the market.

That should help keep his contract from getting crazy.

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RC Packer Fan's picture

January 20, 2014 at 12:03 pm

He might be the 4th-6th best right now, but how many of the guys listed ahead of him will make it to free agency? How many will get the franchise tag or get resigned?

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Evan's picture

January 20, 2014 at 01:07 pm

Who knows. Maybe Shields never makes it to FA either.

I'm just saying though that he's far from the top guy available and so his market might not be as active as we're all expecting.

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RC Packer Fan's picture

January 20, 2014 at 01:22 pm

Yeah, I know what your saying, and I agree with you.

I personally feel he is the Packers #1 free agent priority and if they have to they should use the Franchise on him.

I guess what I was thinking/saying is his market value might be higher then we think too. Maybe teams will view him as a better CB then the others listed or maybe the top 3 won't be free agents so he could become the most coveted.

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G-man's picture

January 20, 2014 at 01:41 pm

Does anyone know how much cap space would free up if Finley & Raji aren't signed? Could be usable money for quality free agents.

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Evan's picture

January 20, 2014 at 01:44 pm

Raji: $6.5 mil
Finley: $8.75 mil

Don't forget Pickett's $6.7 million too.

So, nearly $22 mil from just those 3 guys. A nice little chunk of change. That should be able to get them Shields and a FA safety with a lot to spare.

(http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/green-bay-packers/)

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