Packers Won't Offer Tenders to RFAs Crabtree, Francois
By Zach Kruse
The Green Bay Packers are not offering tenders to restricted free agents Tom Crabtree and Robert Francois, according to Tom Silverstein of Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel and Rob Demovsky of the Green Bay Press-Gazette.
#Packers TE Tom Crabtree won't get tendered and is headed for free agency. Expect there to be interest from other teams fairly soon.
— tom silverstein (@TomSilverstein) March 12, 2013
The agent for LB Robert Francois said the #Packers aren't going to tender him. But they're still trying to work out a deal.
— Rob Demovsky (@RobDemovsky) March 12, 2013
Without tenders, both players will become unrestricted free agents, free to sign with which ever team they please without compensation to the Packers.
However, it's very plausible to think Green Bay is actively trying to sign Crabtree and Francois—both of whom have expressed interest in returning—to deals that fall under the $1.323 million price tag associated with the lowest, original-round tender.
Re-signing both to contracts closer to the league minimum would save the Packers a small chunk of cap space, but there's always the risk that either player will find a better deal on the open market.
Crabtree, 27, caught eight passes for 203 yards and three touchdowns in 2012. Francois, also 27, made 13 tackles, all on special teams.
Frank Zombo, another of the Packers' restricted free agents, is not expected to receive a tender.
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Zach Kruse is a 24-year-old sports writer who contributes to Cheesehead TV, Bleacher Report and the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. He also covers prep sports for the Dunn Co. News. You can reach him on Twitter @zachkruse2 or by email at [email protected].
Comments (6)
March 12, 2013 at 11:09 am
Francious is always injured and Crabtree hasn't done a lot so its possible the packers can get them back on the cheap.
March 12, 2013 at 11:13 am
Would like to see both of those guys back - moreso Crabtree - but not at their tender numbers.
March 12, 2013 at 11:28 am
Hope we can get both back, but not a real loss if they both leave. They've come to GB and done the best they could at what they were asked to do. Neither is talented or productive enought to get the tender offers. Both solid role players and ST players.
March 12, 2013 at 12:07 pm
i cant recall, was it two seasons ago, but francois came in and made plays for a stretch. he is a player that could potentially step up being in the system so long.
March 12, 2013 at 12:52 pm
Yeah. He and DJ Smith filled in for Hawk and Bishop, respectively, for a couple games in 2011. They both made some nice plays. Francois, I believe, snagged a couple of interceptions. I'd feel a lot better about our linebacking corps if those two were there to back up Bishop and Hawk (or Jones) next season.
March 12, 2013 at 01:33 pm
Tom Crabtree is a gamer and needs to be retained. He has done everything that has been asked. He was a great teammate of with my son at Miami University...I wish him well.