Green Bay Packers General Manager Ted Thompson is going to need more than a simple calculator and a depth chart to make some extremely important determinations over the next year.
For the Packers, decision time is looming.
According to Kevin Seifert of ESPN.com, seven Green Bay starters contracts are up after this season.
That includes Pro Bowl safety Nick Collins, who has been lobbying for a contract extension, as well as safety Atari Bigby, nose guard Ryan Pickett, linebacker Aaron Kampman, defensive lineman Johnny Jolly and offensive linemen Darryl Colledge, Chad Clifton and Jason Spitz. Plus, eight more players deals are expiring.
There is always an evolution of a team, Thompson told ESPN.com. At different points in peoples careers, certain things happen. And were trying to take care of our business the best we can.
Each year your team matures, and we have a larger number of young guys that are getting ready for the next phase of their careers, and thats something thats our job to deal with.
Thompson has already launched the process of retaining key young players for the future by recently extending wide receiver Greg Jennings for three more years with a $27 million package in addition to securing quarterback Aaron Rodgers and running back Ryan Grants services last year.
Collins situation is potentially the most combustible as he hasnt guaranteed that he will report to training camp if he doesnt get what he wants.
Of course, one player getting a fancy new deal is never ignored in the locker room.
Its never a case of really putting priority on one player or another, Thompson said. We dont want players thinking that theyre competing against [each other] or anything like that. The organization does have to make decisions as we move along.
Indeed, there will be some very tough decisions for Thompson and the rest of the Packers front office to ponder.
At least the Packers recently reported a profit of $20.1 million last year to go toward some of these future deals.