Green Bay Once the Green Bay Packers identify a player as part of their nucleus, they have the courage and the cash to make long-term commitments.
Unlike some of their less financially fortunate brethren, the Packers have been re-signing veterans almost as if the uncertainty concerning the fate of the 2011 season didn't exist.
"Our philosophy has always been to invest in our players," said Packers President Mark Murphy, taking a business-as-usual stance amid the labor unrest. "The challenge is identifying the right players and extending them. Ted (Thompson) has done a good job identifying the core players."
Since June 2009, the Packers have re-signed seven starters - Greg Jennings, Brandon Chillar, Chad Clifton, Nick Collins, Ryan Pickett, Mark Tauscher and Donald Driver - to contract extensions.
Excluding incentives, the seven deals total $132.728 million, $67.081 million of which is guaranteed.
When the Packers locked the players up for the long haul, Jennings was entering the final year of his contract, Chillar and Driver were in the final years of their contracts, Clifton and Tauscher were early in the unrestricted free-agent signing period, Collins had just signed his restricted free-agent tender to begin his final season, and Pickett had been designated a franchise free agent after his contract expired.
"The plan is to draft, to develop and hopefully sign our guys back," coach Mike McCarthy said. "That's what we're going to continue to try to do."
Despite the flurry of extensions, Thompson has many more decisions to make in the not too distant future.
As it stands now, 15 players on the 80-man roster, including five starters, would have at least four accrued seasons at the end of 2010 and be eligible for unrestricted free agency under the old collective bargaining agreement.
Management's decision in 2008 to opt out of the CBA after the 2010 season meant the minimum requirement for unrestricted free agency last spring increased from four to six seasons. Murphy, a member of the owners' bargaining committee, expects the framework of the old free-agency system to be brought back as part of the next labor contract.
"I feel confident we'll end up with a system that isn't dramatically different than we have now in terms of a salary cap," said Murphy. "I think the big change, hopefully, will be the rookie contracts."
If the accrued-season minimum of four for free agency is included in the next agreement, starters Cullen Jenkins, cornerback Tramon Williams, guard Daryn Colledge and fullback Korey Hall all would be among the unrestricted free agents.
If defensive end Johnny Jolly is reinstated next year, he would return under his one-year, $2.521 million contract that is being tolled.
In addition, the Packers probably would have to give linebacker A.J. Hawk a new contract because his base salary in the final year of his contract (2011) swells to $10 million.
"I've never looked at this as a contract year for me . . . but I want to be on the Packers for a long time," Hawk said. "No, we haven't talked about that, but I didn't expect them to come to me right now. They're not signing a lot of deals right now, especially with the CBA up in the air."
Other significant players who will have at least four accrued seasons in 2011 include wide receiver James Jones, kicker Mason Crosby, linebacker Desmond Bishop, safety Atari Bigby and running back Brandon Jackson.
"If you perform, you'll get paid," said Jones. "If you don't, you won't. I think Ted Thompson's approach is he wants to keep his guys in-house."
In Thompson's first two years as general manager, such players as Mike Wahle, Marco Rivera, Ryan Longwell and Darren Sharper left the Packers either on the waiver wire or as unrestricted free agents.
Over the last four off-seasons, Thompson has indicated that he would have liked to have retained Ahman Green, Corey Williams, Colin Cole and Aaron Kampman. Williams eventually was traded, whereas the other three left on the unrestricted market.
With Thompson into his sixth season and McCarthy into his fifth, the Packers' decision-makers are clear about the type of player they seek for extensions.
"We're a little different than other towns," said McCarthy. "They've got to want to be Green Bay Packers. I think we're headed in the right direction.
"I don't know if it's practical to sign all those guys, but definitely all those guys will potentially have an opportunity. There's no one there where I'm saying, 'I can't wait until he gets the hell out of here.' That's not the case at all."
The performance of some players has slipped once they receive big money, but that seldom has been the case in Green Bay. A run of injuries can ruin any team-building strategy, but the Packers will take their chances with their plan.
"You're never free from the injury factor no matter where you sign the player from," said McCarthy. "But you're going to have a lot of medical information on your own players, so your risk is a lot lower."
There was a time not too long ago when Thompson was having a hard time finding players worthy of extensions. Now it's more the case of finding enough money to go around, especially if the salary cap returns.
Tight end Jermichael Finley has two years left on a contract paying him the minimum base salary of $470,000 this year. He took note of the five-year, $36.175 million deal signed by San Diego's Antonio Gates last month.
"The (Gates) contract thing is great," Finley said. "But I'd rather be the best tight end ever to play the game than have the most money. The money will come with it."
Finley's agent, Blake Baratz, doesn't know what the timing will be but is confident a blockbuster offer from Green Bay will come.
"Just because you're talented doesn't mean you get paid in the National Football League," said Baratz. "Greg Jennings did it consistently. Antonio Gates has been to six straight Pro Bowls. Peyton Manning is an MVP.
"The guys who really get paid in this league, the majority of the time, are standup guys on and off the field, especially in an organization like the Packers.
"I'm not worried about what he does on the field. He's virtually unguardable. I'm worried about him making the right choices, the right decisions, surrounding himself with the right people. Then it will all work out."
Guard Josh Sitton and running back Ryan Grant also have contracts expiring after the 2011 season and would be strong candidates for early extensions.
The best player on the team, cornerback Charles Woodson, has three years left on a seven-year, $39 million deal. Woodson, 33, has total compensation of $7.5 million in 2010, $6.5 million in 2011 and $7.5 million in 2012, although escalators could increase the payout.