Jermichael Finley Claims to Add 13 lbs. While Maintaining 10 Percent Body Fat
The Packers tight end and upcoming free agent claims to be up to 260 lbs.
The Jermichael Finley self-promotional tour continues, making another impressive claim Monday on Twitter:
260lbs w 10% Body Fat. #IWillRiseAgain
— Jermichael Finley (@JermichaelF88) February 17, 2014
Finley is listed on the Packers' roster as being 247 lbs.
This comes on the heels of last week's report that the free-agent-to-be will be fully healed in four to eight weeks, according to his agent.
And it follows the interview from about three weeks ago when Finley said there's a 99.9 percent his doctor will clear him for contact.
While the Finley camp is doing their best to inflate the tight's end's perceived value about three weeks before the start of free agency, it doesn't much matter what they think or say. In the end, it only matters what NFL team doctors and their respective front offices think about Finley and his chances to return from a serious neck injury and spinal-fusion surgery.
The Packers have been reluctant to clear players with injuries higher up their spine, such as safety Nick Collins, who had surgery on the C3/C4 vertebrae––thought to be the same as Finley.
Any team that clears Finley for contact must then decide how much financial risk they're willing to take on a player coming off injury.
Some teams may be more willing to sign Finley to a one-year prove-it contract, but then again, all it takes is one team to offer more years and more guaranteed money to provide a more attractive destination.
Comments (42)
February 17, 2014 at 04:00 pm
I hope JMike can continue a healthy life, but I'm 99.9 percent sure Pat McKenzie won't clear him for the Packers.
February 17, 2014 at 04:03 pm
I tend to agree.
February 17, 2014 at 05:08 pm
Tired of losing amazing talent to career ending injuries. First Collins then Bishop and possibly Finley. All pro bowlers Imo.
February 18, 2014 at 08:14 pm
Finley was amazing?
Amazing potential maybe.
I knew this would happen... his injury has made him greater in people's minds than he actually was.
He was what I refer to as "cheez-whiz".
Cheez-whiz looks like cheese...It smells like cheese...
But it's not cheese.
February 17, 2014 at 05:12 pm
Let's go for Dennis Pita and Ward or Byrd!
February 18, 2014 at 04:36 pm
No thanks re Pitta. He'll be asking for a big contract, I'm sure. And that's not $ well spent.
February 18, 2014 at 06:20 pm
This article in the Baltimore Sun suggests Pitta will indeed be seeking a monster payday.
http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/ravens/ravens-insider/bal-ravens-far-...
February 17, 2014 at 06:51 pm
Rodgers can make a cheaper FA a star...need the $ we would have to pay Finley to retool our pathetic defense. Pitta will probably get tagged by the Ravens
February 17, 2014 at 07:44 pm
But can Rodgers make a cheaper free agent a star against a team with a winning record? Like the kind of teams you see in the playoffs?
February 18, 2014 at 10:12 am
Actually, yes he can. Needs some D and protection
February 18, 2014 at 08:15 pm
When was the last time the Packer offense "went off" in a playoff game?
Atlanta 4 years ago?
It's been a while.
February 18, 2014 at 09:43 pm
Come on Cow!! That's not fair. You're using facts again. You're only confusing the homers.
February 19, 2014 at 03:32 pm
Is Aaron Rodgers overrated? He's been average at best during our last 4 playoff games. Really not what you would expect from a presumptive "elite" player.
February 19, 2014 at 10:27 pm
Offenses don't generally "go off" in the Ayoffs because the teams that make the Playoffs are usually well-coached, and good coaches make there players show up when they need them to; e.g. the Patriots the past decade.
February 17, 2014 at 07:16 pm
It will be a big bonus for the Packers if Finley can play and will come back at a salary equating his risk. At 100% he can still influence a defense. Hope he makes the best decision for his health and future.
February 17, 2014 at 08:26 pm
Where does his huge insurance policy fit into all of this?
February 17, 2014 at 08:57 pm
If he plays again the insurance at least for this event is off the table. IMO he will have to sign more than a one year deal or he would make less than the insurance policy. He would have to get more than 10M guaranteed in the first 2 years of the contract or it wouldn't seem to make sense for him to play again.
February 17, 2014 at 10:16 pm
Logically, that makes sense. But I'm sure he just wants to play again. If someone offers him a shot. I'll bet he takes it. The competitor in him will want to play, even if it isn't the more profitable decision.
February 19, 2014 at 10:30 pm
Not quite, if he's able to play again there's always the potential next contract after the hypothetical return one. It's a gamble, but one I'd be willing to bet many players would be willing to take.
February 18, 2014 at 08:24 am
That's a good question.
My question off of that is, how is his policy set up? Does he receive the 10 million if he can't play again because of the doctors not clearing him to play, or if the doctor clears him but no teams sign him?
February 18, 2014 at 09:48 am
I would assume its if the Dr's don't clear him to play. If he is cleared to play but chooses not to I would assume he doesn't get the insurance. Usually its against a career ending injury.
February 18, 2014 at 10:51 am
What if he is cleared to play by his doctors but no team will sign him because their doctors don't clear him?
February 18, 2014 at 11:23 am
not sure but would guess he still get the insurance, since the injury is in fact ending his career.
February 17, 2014 at 08:42 pm
I think it's too risky to bring him back. Move on and sign a TE FA or find a decent one in the draft. Is Pedersen from Wisconsin on the Packers radar? Or C.J. Fedorowicz from Iowa?
February 17, 2014 at 08:57 pm
Sounds like plausible.
February 17, 2014 at 08:58 pm
strike the like
February 17, 2014 at 09:10 pm
I think if the packers sign him they should get an insurance policy-incase he gets injured again or drops too many passes.
February 17, 2014 at 11:41 pm
Who else have the Packers not cleared with high spine injuries besides Nick Collins? I keep hearing that 'the packers don't clear spine injuries' with only one example as evidence. Collins and Finley's injuries are completely different. One a bruise one a break. It's like saying the Packers wouldn't bring Cobb back from a broken leg last season because Sherrod sat out two seasons with one. Each case is unique.
February 18, 2014 at 01:51 am
Terrence Murphy was a WR in 2005 with a similar injury to the upper spinal cord. They also let him go.
The problem is that Finley had the spinal fusion surgery in the same place as Collins. That fusion surgery strengthens that joint, but in turn, it puts more stress on the two surrounding joints since the flexibility is lost in that one joint.
They were different injuries, but the solution was the same. If I've heard correctly, the surgery basically will allow you to function fine in every day life, but it's the blows that you take in football that are what's scaring teams away.
February 18, 2014 at 12:38 pm
Thanks for the responses PackerBacker and RC Packer Fan. Did not realize they were same surgeries and didn't realize Thompson had neck injury and just forgot about Murphy.
In all three cases though no one gave any of those guys an opportunity to play so I'm not sure the Packers are necessarily conservative. Hopefully Finley is cleared, but I'm not sure I'd want to pay him what he'll likely ask for.
February 18, 2014 at 08:25 am
I don't remember for sure, but didn't Jeremy Thompson also suffer a similar injury?
February 18, 2014 at 09:48 am
He did.
February 19, 2014 at 10:32 pm
Sterling Sharpe? Or was he cleared? Anyone...Bueller?
February 19, 2014 at 11:01 pm
He was once and played after his first neck injury, then re-injured it and was forced to retire due to it after all.
February 18, 2014 at 01:12 am
If the doctors clear him to play does that mean his insurance policy is void? seems unlikely a insurance company would pay out 10 million if he still can play.
February 18, 2014 at 01:58 am
I don't think it matters if the contract is void or not if the doctors clear him. I think if he's cleared, he'll play. The competitor in him wants to play football again, whether it's the best idea or not. I doubt seriously that the $ is the major concern for him. It's getting back on the field and proving that he can still do it.
Having said that, I doubt he'll get cleared. Look at Collins. He had the same surgery and wasn't cleared by the Packers. He was cut and had the chance to sign with any other team that was willing to clear him. No one even called to inquire about him.
Teams don't want the liability that comes with a player breaking his neck. The bad publicity that comes with something like that happening on the field make teams very skittish.
Players laying on the field and not moving is not good for the "NFL Shield".
February 18, 2014 at 02:46 pm
You hit the nail on the head. Goodell wants a safe NFL and seeing someone crippled for life or worse scares the hell out of him. Remember, Finley wasn't even breathing at first. A break higher up could kill a person.
February 18, 2014 at 11:53 pm
A break higher up could erase a person. Finley my man! Stay strong bro. Live!
February 18, 2014 at 04:41 pm
I suspect the Packers will give serious consideration to a Quarless extension for a reasonable cost. Post-Finley, Quarless played his best football as a Packer. And some of that came with Flynn at the helm. Knowing how the Packers like to develop and reward their own, 81 could fit that formula, and I doubt he commands a ton as a FA. The body of work is small.
Evan
February 18, 2014 at 05:56 pm
" And some of that came with Flynn at the helm."
I'd say pretty much all of it did. Quarless and Boykin both seemed to excel with Flynn. When Rodgers came back, both seemed to fall back a bit - I chalk it up to Rodgers being more comfortable/familiar with Nelson and Jones.
February 18, 2014 at 11:23 pm
Or rodgers being able to see the whole field
February 19, 2014 at 10:34 pm
Agreed, to the both of you; Boykin did have a heckuva game vs. the Cleveland Stool Samples though.