1. I will be seriously pissed if they do not re-sign Shields. To me, this one is not "Is he worth overpaying?" only "How much will they end up overpaying?" Take him away and you immediately create a major hole in the roster. A team today needs three starter-quality cornerbacks, not just two.

2. When it comes to players from other teams, in my opinion they need to repeat the success of 2006. That is, they need to pick up two players of the quality of Pickett and Woodson, or better, and they need to do so before the draft. These two players need to be either DL, OL, ILB, or safety. They don't have to be tier 1A (first 72 hour megadeals), but they have to be tier 1B/2A (March to early/mid April).

3. They have to hit at least two home runs in the draft, also at some of those positions.

4. As far as the rest of their own players, they must also sign: James Jones, Johnny Jolly, Jamari Lattimore, Evan-Dietrich Smith, and probably Andrew Quarless.

How they are going to afford all of the above financially, I don't know. But I believe that if they don't find a way, they simply will not fill enough of the holes in the roster that need to be filled before the 2014 season starts. And rather being a Super Bowl contender at the end of the year, they'll at best be a 4-6 seed team and 1/2 a step below the legitimate SB contenders.

Originally Posted by: Wade 

JS Online Packer F.A. 
UNRESTRICTED (15)
Name Position Age Seasons Accrued '13 Base Salary
Ryan Pickett NT 34 12 $5,400,000
B.J. Raji DE 27 4 $4,490,000
Jermichael Finley TE 26 5 $4,450,000
James Jones WR 29 6 $2,950,000
Sam Shields CB 26 3 $2,023,000
John Kuhn FB 31 7 $1,800,000
Evan Dietrich-Smith C 27 3 $1,323,000
Marshall Newhouse T 25 3 $1,323,000
Andrew Quarless TE 25 3 $1,323,000
Seneca Wallace QB 33 9 $840,000
Johnny Jolly DE 30 4 $715,000
Rob Francois LB 28 3 $630,000
Mike Neal LB 26 3 $630,000
James Starks RB 27 3 $630,000
C.J. Wilson DE 26 3 $630,000
RESTRICTED (2)
M.D. Jennings S 25 2 $555,000
Jamari Lattimore LB 25 2 $555,000
EXCLUSIVE RIGHTS (1)
Chris Banjo S 23 0 $405,000


As has been posted elsewhere the Packers have a lot of their own to consider, and for some reason Flynn isn't on this list from JSO. The Packers have a lot they need to spend on their own AND draft picks. Texas and others have alluded to crafty ways to make this more manageable, but it's not going to be that easy to sign an Orakpo or Byrd, not to mention the fact that they have to want to come to G.B. I'm sure 10 other teams will want those same FAs.

Originally Posted by: musccy 

I don't care how they get Shields signed, just get it done, but assuming a player in his last year of a contract is just going to restructure a guaranteed $9.5 million is really taking that Packers people thing a little too far. Unless you guys have some inside information that you want to post, because I would love to read it, then you're just pulling the Tramon stuff from out of your ass.

Originally Posted by: DakotaT 

That 9.5 mill is guaranteed?

Originally Posted by: cheeseheads123 

No It is NOT guaranteed.

The Packers would have to take a Cap hit of around 2 to 3mil(don't know the exact number) if they just cut Williams.

Of course they could restructure his contract as has been discussed and have him around for probably about the same amount.

Originally Posted by: buckeyepackfan 

I thought so. Tramon could restructure and sign a three-year contract with a 9.5 million signing bonus. That money is guaranteed correct? Which the Packers could spread that out over the three years.

Originally Posted by: cheeseheads123 

They would probably make it an extension and could spread it out over 4 year(the current year +3 new years)

I guess they have to decide if Tramon is worth that money for the next 4 years.

Tramon himself should have no problem with restructuring, he receives ALL the guaranteed money upfront.

Originally Posted by: buckeyepackfan