Greg Jennings remains convinced the Green Bay Packers will do what it takes to keep him for the rest of his career.
But if he first must play out the last year of his rookie contract to cement his status as an elite receiver in the eyes of the Packers and the rest of the NFL Jennings plans to be more than ready physically.
His No. 1 focus this offseason has been improving his body, and with help from a nutrition plan and his personal chef, he says hes getting significant results.
I feel a lot better, Jennings said in a Tuesday phone interview in advance of the Lee Remmel Sports Awards banquet, at which hell be honored on Thursday.
I did a body scan (Monday), and from last year this time to right now a lot more lean muscle, less body fat. So, Im in a lot better shape right now going into the offseason program and training camp. Im in a lot better shape than I was last year.
Those words should worry opposing defenses, considering last year Jennings posted career highs in receptions (80) and receiving yards (1,292) while emerging as the favorite target for new starting quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
Jennings also stayed healthy, playing in all 16 games for the first time in his three-year NFL career. But he wasnt comfortable with the way he looked Its like, Aah, I gotta tighten up on some things, he said so he decided to reassess his food intake. The nutrition plan lays out all of Jennings meals and snacks, with the chef preparing each dinner and the occasional lunch.
Im actually cutting down on quite a bit of things, said Jennings, who is listed at 5-foot-11 and 198 pounds. Theres never been too much fast food in my diet anyway, but a lot of the added sugars, added salts, added sodiums, things like that.
This is an important offseason for Jennings, as he enters the last season of the four-year contract he signed as a second-round draft pick (No. 52 overall) out of Western Michigan in 2006. His base salary for 2009 is $535,000 a fraction of what he would command if he has another productive season and then hits the open market as an unrestricted free agent next winter.
The Packers almost certainly will not allow the latter to happen. If they cant sign Jennings to a multiyear deal, the Packers could give him their franchise tag, which this season was worth $9.884 million for receivers.
There also is the possibility the NFL and the players association will fail to strike a new collective bargaining agreement by next March. Among other things, that would eliminate the salary cap for the 2010 season and increase the eligibility requirement for free agency from four years service to six, keeping players such as Jennings off the market.
The top free-agent deal for a receiver this offseason went to T.J. Houshmandzadeh, who received $15 million guaranteed on a five-year, $40 million deal with Seattle. Houshmandzadeh has been highly productive the past five seasons, but at age 31, is six years older than Jennings, 25. Another top deal went to Tampa Bays Michael Clayton, who received $10.5 million guaranteed on a five-year deal even though he hasnt exceeded 38 catches since 2004.
Contracts like those raise the question of just how big a number Jennings and his agent, Eugene Parker, could be seeking. The largest guarantee the Packers have given is $20 million to Rodgers last fall.
The Packers have plenty of 2009 salary-cap room about $28 million to strike a deal with Jennings. But hes only the headliner on the list of 17 Packers, including nine incumbent starters, who could become free agents in 2010.
Jennings says he hasnt spent much time thinking about the topic recently. Hes been preoccupied with his wife, Nicole, who is due to give birth any day to the couples second child.
In my heart of hearts, honestly, I feel like Im going to be a Green Bay Packer for my career, said Jennings, who will return to his native Michigan after the birth but plans to be back in time for organized team activities in May.
Thats me. And I dont want to say (the Packers) feel the same way and then they do something different, but Im pretty sure they feel the same way. So, I should be here.
Asked if hes getting positive signals from Parker, Jennings said they havent spoken since a month ago, around the time Parker started negotiations with the Packers at the NFLs scouting combine.
Honestly, its crazy, Jennings said. Im not one of those guys that are like, Man, whats going on? Whats going on? Whats going on? Because I feel like in due time, itll take place, or something will occur and something will happen. It would be all for the best, and both sides would be smiling about it and moving on.
Im also one that dont really care about everybody knowing about the business or discrepancies whatever the case may be because theres a lot of nitpicking and clawing when it comes to contractual negotiations. Im trying to avoid every bit of that and get it done discreetly and move forward.