With the lockout close to over, rumors about potential trades, cuts, and free agent signings are starting to spread across the traditional media and social media like wildfire. One such rumor about a particular Green Bay Packers player is hardly a juicy one, as it's something we've been speculating about since February, but it's still worth noting that the Packers are looking into trading Nick Barnett. Dan Pompei addresses this issue and many others in his NFP Sunday Blitz post, which is worth reading independent of the Barnett news.
Last season, Nick Barnett went out with an injury after playing just four games for the Packers. Without him in the lineup, Desmond Bishop thrived and, as you all know, the Packers won the Super Bowl. The Packers have also made great strides towards filling their roster with high-quality character guys who don't punch women outside of night clubs, which Barnett has a mild reputation for.
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On top of his questionable actions in his personal life - which are, admittedly, mild by NFL standards - the Packers owe Barnett a lot of money. The combination of the personnel, money, and character factors might cause Barnett to be shown the door shortly after the lockout ends. From the NFP post:
The Packers are all ears when it comes to talking about trading Nick Barnett. Moving him would save them more than $4 million on the salary cap, and they could use that space. Barnett is a versatile, valuable defender who can start in multiple schemes and at multiple positions, but he's now behind Desmond Bishop and A.J. Hawk on the Packers' depth chart. If the Packers can't get what they want for Barnett before camp or early in camp, they may hang onto him to see if teams increase their offers as camp and preseason go on. Releasing him also could be an option at some point.
Wow, releasing him is an option, even after the draft and with a compressed free agency period coming up? How the mighty have fallen.