Most likely Orakpo is wanting to see what FA offers especially after what Kruger pulled in last year on the open market.

Originally Posted by: steveishere 

If it were down to signing 1 guy I think I'd almost take Byrd or Ward over Shields. We've got some at least NFL level players at CB behind Shields. You can't say the same for MD Jennings. Which would you rather have?

CB - Tramon Williams, Casey Hayward, Hyde/House
S - Morgan Burnett, Byrd/Ward

or

CB - Tramon Williams, Casey Hayward, Sam Shields
S - Morgan Burnett, Rookie/Jennings/Richardson

Not that both options couldn't necessarily happen I'm just saying letting Shields walk wouldn't totally cripple us. I think Shields was at least a top 3 player for us this year on D but CB is the 1 position on D we could make a sacrifice to boost a weaker position group.

Originally Posted by: steveishere 

I think we resign Shields if and only if we can get Williams to restructure his contract because he isn't worth the money he will be getting next year. I would love to keep shields,Williams and add Byrd. I think adding a veteran safety would change the whole defense.

Originally Posted by: dhazer 

I'd like to see some stats on what cap room we have. I saw something about $18 million I think after the overall increase, but I'm not sure if that reflected an amount for drafted players, anything allotted for our on FAs or not, etc.

I'll just say this: face value of a contract is a lot different from cap hit. We can easily afford A LOT more than it seems. $30 million for 5 years, just to pick a number out of the air, is NOT a straight $6 million hit. Figuring a medium to large bonus, a low first year salary, and a back-loaded deal. Example: $10 million bonus and salaries of $1, $3, $4, $5, and $7 million - a total of $30 million with a $3 million cap hit the first year - the salary plus proration of the bonus.

I would like to see Byrd and either Orakpo or Worilds signed in addition to keeping Shields and Starks (who I don't think will be very expensive). Obviously we let Raji and Pickett go, Finley too; I'd let James Jones go also - on the assumption somebody will overpay him, like Jennings last year. That much ought to be well within reach if Thompson gets off his ass and tries. Will he do it? That's a different matter. A good GM would.

Originally Posted by: texaspackerbacker 

I'd like to see some stats on what cap room we have. I saw something about $18 million I think after the overall increase, but I'm not sure if that reflected an amount for drafted players, anything allotted for our on FAs or not, etc.

I'll just say this: face value of a contract is a lot different from cap hit. We can easily afford A LOT more than it seems. $30 million for 5 years, just to pick a number out of the air, is NOT a straight $6 million hit. Figuring a medium to large bonus, a low first year salary, and a back-loaded deal. Example: $10 million bonus and salaries of $1, $3, $4, $5, and $7 million - a total of $30 million with a $3 million cap hit the first year - the salary plus proration of the bonus.

I would like to see Byrd and either Orakpo or Worilds signed in addition to keeping Shields and Starks (who I don't think will be very expensive). Obviously we let Raji and Pickett go, Finley too; I'd let James Jones go also - on the assumption somebody will overpay him, like Jennings last year. That much ought to be well within reach if Thompson gets off his ass and tries. Will he do it? That's a different matter. A good GM would.

Originally Posted by: texaspackerbacker 

Packers have contracts totaling just over 101Mil already in place for 2014.

Now there are a few of those contracts that will probably be reworked, but it is safe to say The Packers will have between 20 and 25 mil dollars maybe as much as 30mil to work with.

Tramon Williams is the one that sticks out the most(9.5mil), but any savings that is made by re-working his contract I see going to sign Sam Shields.

Ted has always addressed The Packers UFA's 1st, maybe this year will be different.

http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/green-bay-packers/yearly/ 

Originally Posted by: buckeyepackfan