Donald Driver retires.
Charles Woodson is apparently being released.
Greg Jennings seems likely to sign elsewhere.
Jermichael Finley could be released.

Three big name Packers that 'might' not play for the Green and Gold in 2013. Actually, some of my favorite players might be gone. Kind of a bitter pill to swallow.

Driver can be replaced.
Woodson I don't think the defense has any true leader out there other than maybe Desmond Bishop.
Jennings I think is a phenomenal route runner and sure handed WR which will be difficult to replace. Who of us sold on James Jones or Jordy Nelson?
Finley I don't know what these moves mean for his future. I think he signs a new contract that is more incentive based that reduces his salary against the 2013 cap.

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I learned a long time ago, James Lofton & Tony Dorsett  to be precise, that you cannot marry your emotional attachment to a player upon your team (yes I was a Cowboy fan as well during my youth).. enjoy them while they are upon your team.

You can't play forever and with salary restrictions and free agency, players typically are not long for any one franchise.


That said.. still is disappointing to see players leave..

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I learned this when I was young. Baseball has more turnover than FB. Even if careers are longer there are a whole lot more trades.

I had to decide am I a fan of this particular team or this particular player. Without exception I chose the team as it is more enduring. A player many be one of the few to have a 20 year career but the team was there before him and will still be there after him.

I suppose that is what frustrated me with the Favrites. They didn't learn something that I figured out as a kid many/most still didn't learn it.

DD- is past time to retire. I didn't mind giving him the chance to set the Packer record. Last year was just sad. His last reception attempt was a dropped ball on an easy out pattern with no one covering him.

Woody- we could some what guess this was going to happen when they steadfastly refused to activate him the last couple of weeks of the season even though he was chomping at the bit.

Gregorious- Love his play but don't mind it if he goes for big money. Being more or less well stocked at WR sure helps the sting. Unlike if 🇦🇷 or CM3 were to pack and leave.

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I don't see Finley being released. Traded maybe, but not released.

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As a longtime Packers fan I've seen many fan favorites leave for various reasons, but it is the nature of sports in this day and age.
In the 60's the turnover was rare but now it's more or less expected with agents and liars involved.
Don't worry, the next fan favorite is always on the horizon.
Like Scott Hunter!

DD -- It's time. Ok.
Woodson -- Very mixed feelings. Really big cap #. But I'm less convinced than most about "how much he's lost", especially given the hybrid position he plays now. And that leadership gap will need to be filled. Leadership is a lot harder to assess than speed or tackling ability.
Finley --depends on contract size. A year ago I would have said impossible. After his inconsistent play the last couple years, he may come more cheaply.
Jennings -- I think this will be a major loss. I think it was decided months ago, though; otherwise Jennings wouldn't have talked the way he did, put his house on market already, etc.

If the only way to keep Jennings is to grossly overpay him, I understand letting him go. But if you're going to overpay some -- which pretty much any premium free agent requires -- Jennings is worth it to me. I wouldn't overpay for FInley at all. Ditto for Raji (another name that often enters these discussions) But I would for Jennings. How much would depend on how much they think its going to take to sign Rodgers and Matthews.

Biggest impact contracts given/not given in the next couple years (in order):

1. Rodgers.
2. Matthews.
3. Jennings.
4. Pickett.
5. Woodson.
6. Free agent/rookie OL.
7. Free agent/rookie DL.
8. Free agent/rookie LB.
9. Finley.
10. Raji.

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Really sucks that my favorite player is leaving GB. As stated, it's business and team success is more important than anything else.

Driver leaving GB really doesn't change anything on the offense IMO, specially after this season with the emerging of Cobb and Jones playing lights out.

Woodson leaving GB won't really change that much either, we didn't have him for the most of the time this season anyways. His a 36 years old safety / cb going 37 not getting a step faster. Truth be told, very good move by management clearing some cap room. His covering skills have been declining as well. I am not saying that our safety spot will be better just saying, having Woodson in safety or not wouldn't really change a lot.

Jennings leaving will of course be a loss but I would of been more worried if Cobb wasn't playing as he did this season and if Jones kept dropping passes which he didn't, on top of that Jennings been injury prone lately.

Finley, IMO this is his "contract year" but even if he plays good doubt it that Ted Thompson will invest $$$ to keep him around.

Rodgers will need a new contract which is priority #1
Matthews will need a new contract which is priority #2
Raji will need a new contract which is priority #3

Important thing is that we are keeping the core together and just getting rid of players that are old (Driver - Woodson). Now we just need to draft good and pick up some key FA's that can contribute like Pickett & Woodson like we did years back.

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Let's just hope they release Hawk as well!

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wake up youre dreaming. [grin1]

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This.

With the release of Woodson, the Packers might as well just go with another youth movement. Rodgers is at a point in his career where the window is closing, so we might as well open a new one while he's still in his prime. He's good enough to get us to the playoffs with a depleted team, and he'll be good enough when his team carries him a couple years from now.

Might as well release A.J. Hawk, and if Ryan Pickett doesn't want to re-structure his deal, get him gone too.

If this were my team, I'd pursue Darnell Ellerbe, Ray Maualuga, Jake Long, and Reggie Bush, but I don't see that happening.

Best case scenario if Hawk is cut would be Manti T'eo falling to the pack. Talk all the crap you want about his off the field antics with his fake girlfriend, but the guy is a monster. He'll be better than Hawk at the very least, and Hawk was serviceable.

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