Green Bay Packers defensive backs Nick Collins and Tramon Williams are both waiting for the club to make them financial offers they think are worthy of their signatures.
Collins is waiting at home in Florida and Williams is in town working out with the rest of his teammates.
Collins is absent as he and his wife await the birth of their third child, according to a source with knowledge of the situation. But he and his agent are frustrated with the lack of attention Collins has received heading into the last year of his contract, the source said.
The Packers have made it known that they have other players they have to address first before they get to Collins, and before that they want to make sure he's a good fit for their new 3-4 defense. Collins, who tied for the team lead with seven interceptions and led the league with 295 interception return yards last season, was named an NFC Pro Bowl starter.
An escalator in his contract boosted his base salary next season from $545,000 to $3.045 million, which might be one reason the Packers have put him farther down on the priority list. Others such as receiver Greg Jennings ($535,000) and Williams ($460,000) are scheduled to make far less this season.
What's more, the Packers would find it much cheaper to use the franchise tag on Collins, if necessary, than they would on Jennings or, say, Aaron Kampman, whose contract also expires after next season. The franchise number for safeties this year was $6.34 million, while it was $9.8 million for a receiver and $8.3 million for a linebacker.
The source said Collins intended to report for offseason workouts and that the Packers know he's home with his family.
Williams isn't under contract and to take part has more than likely signed an insurance agreement that would cover his $460,000 salary if he were to miss the season because of injury. A source said Williams was in attendance and working out.
The players are limited to working out with strength and conditioning coach Dave Redding and watching film with their coaches. When the on-field portion of the offseason program begins in May, Williams might choose not to take part because the possibility of injury is greater there than from lifting weights and doing conditioning exercises.
The fact Williams is in attendance might be a sign the Packers are willing to negotiate on a new contract. He is the lowest paid of the top five cornerbacks on the team despite holding a firm grip on the No. 3 position.