Zero2Cool
16 years ago

[img_r]http://cmsimg.greenbaypressgazette.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=U0&Date=20081015&Category=PKR01&ArtNo=81015183&Ref=AR&MaxW=318&Border=0[/img_r]Aaron Rodgers ranks among the top nine quarterbacks in the NFL in eight key passing categories and is playing through a debilitating injury to his throwing shoulder.

The Green Bay Packers are thrilled with the 24-year-olds sound play and toughness, and though six games as a starter hardly make a career, Rodgers performance is putting pressure on General Manager Ted Thompson to make a major, long-term investment in his quarterback.

Thompson has a big chunk of salary-cap room remaining this year, about $20 million, most of which he saved for in-season contract extensions for core players, and a key Nov. 2 deadline for salary-cap accounting is fast approaching.

Rodgers said Wednesday that to his knowledge, the Packers have not approached his agent, David Dunn, about a long-term deal.

But Dunn attended the Packers game at Seattle last weekend he also represents Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, who didnt play because of an injury and the Packers will have to begin working on some deals soon to get the most out of that $20 million in cap space. As the Packers next franchise quarterback, Rodgers ranks at the top of the list.

Id love to be here for a long time, Rodgers said.

Thompson could end up working on two especially expensive extensions this season, for Rodgers and receiver Greg Jennings, who have become the teams two most important players on offense.

Jennings, like Rodgers, is under contract through 2009, but the third-year pro is emerging as one of the top receivers in the NFL. The Packers will want to extend the contracts sooner rather than later, because the price only will go up if they play at their current levels.

Jennings is tied for eighth in the NFL in receptions (34), and more importantly, his 19.2-yard average per catch ranks third among the top 20 leaders in receptions and is an indication hes consistently providing big plays. This, on the heels of a 2007 season in which he averaged 17.4 yards on his 53 catches and scored 12 touchdowns.

Theyre definitely the core of the offense, defensive tackle Ryan Pickett said of Jennings and Rodgers. Signing them would be key.

Thompson, Dunn and Jennings agent, Eugene Parker, were unavailable for comment.

Rodgers is in the fourth season of his five-year rookie contract that included a $1.5 million signing bonus and paid him a total of $5,595,000 in his first three seasons. His base salary in his fourth season is $680,000, and hes missed out on lucrative salary escalators totaling up to $5 million last season and this year because he failed to reach play-time incentives as a backup to iron man Brett Favre.

As a first-year starter, Rodgers has been as sound as the Packers could have hoped through six games. His passer rating of 98.0 points ranks seventh in the NFL, and he rates highly in a number of other important categories, including average yards per pass attempt (seventh, 7.68 yards), completion percentage (eighth, 64.2 percent), touchdown percentage (fourth), interception percentage (ninth) and third-down passer rating (second, 120.9 points).

Hes also allayed some concerns about his durability and won the respect of teammates by playing through the sprained throwing shoulder he sustained in Week 4.

The organization will make a move when they feel its necessary, middle linebacker Nick Barnett said. I think (Rodgers) is a great player. I think hell be a great player for a long time to come.

The Packers are likely to extend at least one contract before Nov. 2. After that, any money paid to a player this year must be treated as a signing bonus, which then is prorated over the length of the contract for cap purposes.

With the $20 million in cap room, the Packers will want to count as much as possible on this years cap, and increasing a players base salary is the way to do that without spreading too much cost to future years.

Rodgers probably will be in line for a contract similar to those of Dallas Tony Romo and Jacksonvilles David Garrard, both of whom signed extensions in the last year Romo last October and Garrard in April.

Romo, whos emerging as a premier player and ranks third in the NFL in passer rating (103.5 points), signed an extension a year ago that gave him a seven-year contract averaging about $9.6 million a year. Most importantly, the deal includes $30 million in guaranteed pay (an $11.5 million signing bonus and $18.5 million in guaranteed salaries).

Garrard, who ranks No. 16 in the league in passer rating (84.5 points), became a full-time starter last year, and in the offseason signed a six-year deal that averages $10 million a year. Though that has a slightly higher average than Romo, its guarantees of $20 million is significantly less.

Though Jennings also doesnt become a free agent until 2010, he has become the Packers best playmaker and is in line for a lucrative deal when Thompson approaches him, likely either this year or perhaps in the offseason.

Earlier this week, Dallas signed receiver Roy Williams to a five-year extension after acquiring him from Detroit in a trade. Williams was going to be a free agent in the offseason but signed for an average of $8.1 million and $20 million guaranteed.

Last month, the New York Giants extended the contract of receiver Plaxico Burress, whose contract was supposed to run through 2010. His five-year deal averages $7 million and includes $11 million paid this year.




I think this was posted already, but just in case. 🙂
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agopackgo4
16 years ago
TT better spend that money!!!!!!!!!
Rockmolder
16 years ago
I can't imagine that he would let those guys go. He'll be chased out of GB by an angry mob if he does.

On the other side, it's still early in the season. Although I don't think Rodgers will be horrible after a while, there's always a possibility. I mean, look at Anderson last year. Or even Ryan Leaf's two first games 😛
agopackgo4
16 years ago
I could see that for A Rod. But not for Jennings. You know exactly what you got with him.
IronMan
16 years ago
Greg Jennings = Class.
dhazer
16 years ago
i say invest in Jennings and hold off on Rodgers. Jennings has proven himself.
Just Imagine this for the next 6-9 years. What a ride it will be 🙂 (PS, Zero should charge for this)
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Cheesey
16 years ago
If you hold off too long on Rodgers though, you are in danger of pushing his value up. If he keeps playing like he has been so far, his cost to the Packers will go up.
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millertime
16 years ago
These two guys deserve raises.

Jennings has been nothing less than amazing.

A-Rod has stepped up and turned a no-win situation (replacing Brett on a Super Bowl caliber team) into a great start to his career. We need to ink these guys. Jennings and Rodger should both get about 7-8 million per year IMO.
bozz_2006
16 years ago
i'd imagine ted will try to get them signed this season with signing bonuses taken from this year's cap, give them modest ($5 million per year) base contracts, with sizable performance incentives
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dfosterf (3h) : Luke Elzinga Punter Oklahoma stil unsigned. Green Bay has been mentioned as good fit
beast (10h) : The Packers re-signed three exclusive rights free agents WR Melton, P Whelan and RB Wilson.
Zero2Cool (29-Apr) : February 5, 2002 (age 23) ok no. packers.com is wrong
Zero2Cool (29-Apr) : Micah Robinson is only 19??
Zero2Cool (29-Apr) : 6 first rounders on Packers defense now
Zero2Cool (29-Apr) : LB Isaiah Simmons. Signed. Called it!!! Oh yeah!
Martha Careful (29-Apr) : ty bboystyle...fat fingers
bboystyle (29-Apr) : Tom*
Martha Careful (28-Apr) : RIP Packer Safety Tim Brown
beast (27-Apr) : Yeah, but also some of the wording suggestions Jax only pranked called the QB, not the others... and if he had an open spreadsheet & 3 calls
beast (27-Apr) : Thank goodness he's not leaving the Turtle in the Red Tide
Mucky Tundra (27-Apr) : Cowboys 1st round pick Tyler Booker will indeed be bringing his pet turtle to Dallas with him
Mucky Tundra (27-Apr) : that contained all prospects info and contact
Mucky Tundra (27-Apr) : beast, according the Falcons statement Jax came across it on an ipad. If I had to guess, probably an open spread sheet or something
Zero2Cool (27-Apr) : Simmons put up an emoji with cheese.
beast (27-Apr) : Not sure anyone is interested in Isaiah Simmons... Collin Oliver might of taken his potential slot
beast (27-Apr) : I'm going with Jax Ulbrich is not telling the whole truth... he accidentally came across it? Why would a defensive coordinator have a QB #?
Zero2Cool (27-Apr) : He's not that great, but final piece of the script.\
Zero2Cool (27-Apr) : If we add Isaiah Simmons, book your Super Bowl tickets
Mucky Tundra (27-Apr) : Colts 1st round TE Tyler Warren also got prank called, was that Jax Ulbrich as well?
Zero2Cool (27-Apr) : Jax Ulbrich, Jeff Ulbrich’s son, released an apology for his role in the Shedeur Sanders prank call.
Martha Careful (27-Apr) : apparently he did not participate in practice or play on the east west shrine game nor the NFL combine. The kid was a mediocre spoiled brat
Mucky Tundra (27-Apr) : Yeah that one that was a super wounded duck that Sanders supporters are highlighting to prove a point
Zero2Cool (27-Apr) : Shough is the guy who missed guys at combine isn't he?
beast (27-Apr) : It's not official until I'm dead! I have a chance still! (Not really)
Mucky Tundra (27-Apr) : I could feel my body decomposing in real time when I read that
Mucky Tundra (27-Apr) : @MIKEYSAINRISTIL Tyler Shough will officially be the last person drafted to the NFL born in the 1900’s
Mucky Tundra (26-Apr) : saw the tweet, he meant the city
Mucky Tundra (26-Apr) : Was that for the team or the city?
Zero2Cool (26-Apr) : Adam Schefter @AdamSchefter · 3m Draft grade is in: Green Bay gets an A. The people, the city, the venue were all superb. NFL Draft’s next
Zero2Cool (26-Apr) : Matt LaFleur says Jaire Alexander is participating in #Packers offseason program, which has been conducted virtually during this first week
Zero2Cool (26-Apr) : ✅ ...
buckeyepackfan (26-Apr) : Check
Zero2Cool (26-Apr) : Matthew Golden cahanged 81 to 22??
TheKanataThrilla (26-Apr) : Sam Howell to Vikings...guess no Aaron
Martha Careful (26-Apr) : 1 round 7 min, with one extra minute if there is a trade. 2nd round 4 minutes, 3rd -3, 2 thereafter IMO
Martha Careful (26-Apr) : Agree
dfosterf (26-Apr) : Great idea imo
dfosterf (26-Apr) : 1st round to 7 minutes with one extension
dfosterf (26-Apr) : NFL comissioner wants to shorten the 2st
Mucky Tundra (26-Apr) : @jalenreagors They’re discussing if Sheduer can go back to college on NFL Network LMFAOOOOO
beast (26-Apr) : Great point Martha
beast (26-Apr) : Buddy Ryan used to say if a candy bar goes missing, there are two to blame, Rex and Rob 🤪 jk 😁
Martha Careful (26-Apr) : Bum Phillips used to say there are two ways to get better. Get better players or get players to play better. We have a new DL coach
Zero2Cool (26-Apr) : Yes. Look at the losses last year. They can win.
beast (26-Apr) : Can Packers win with their current DL?
bboystyle (26-Apr) : waiting for a pass rusher.
dfosterf (25-Apr) : 5 minutes between picks in the 3rd
dfosterf (25-Apr) : 3rd. Hate this phone
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