Finley takes the double team off of all the other Packers receivers, which are better playmakers than the Saints receivers.
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This.

There’s 2-3 other competent targets for A-Rod to pick from (when J-Mike was putting up bigger numbers last year, they only had 1-2 because Jordy Nelson hadn’t broken out yet), and in their style of offense, the TE is usually gonna be the last read before the dump off to the RB. Either that, or he’ll be a designed mismatch setup, and you can’t do that the whole game. Add a case of the dropsies (happens when you miss a year, but it’s correctable– look at James Jones compared to last year) and that’s why he hasn’t been putting up numbers.

On the other hand, if opposing defenses don’t pay extra attention to him, he’ll hurt ‘em BAD. Look at what happened in Chicago… True, “Da Bears” are dead last when it comes to opposing TE’s this year, but no TE did anywhere near as much damage to them as #88 did. It’s that threat that opens up the other guys.

As far as his attitude goes, I’d say he’s a bit more Ocho Cinco than T.O., and that doesn’t exactly hurt the locker room. I’d try to lock the guy up for 4-5 years for 20-25 mil with 8-10ish guaranteed and the salary back-loaded, then down the line either cut him (and the inflated salary) loose if he doesn’t pan out or renegotiate him to bring the salary down.

As far as TE’s, I think he is in the top 5 category with:

Jimmy Graham (713 yards, 5tds, WOW)
Jason Whitten
Rob Gronkowski
& Greg Olsen

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Graham is a great player but he doesn’t do what Finley does. He may have a ton of yards but he only has one more TD than Finley. Finley takes the double team off of all the other Packers receivers, which are better playmakers than the Saints receivers.

Finley is the difference maker for the Packers, he’s the guy that changes coverages. Graham is not that guy for the Saints. Sproles is that guy for NO. Sproles is opening everything up for Graham. Teams have to choose to take Graham or Sproles out…and Sproles is so good that it doesn’t matter.

Where you draw the line is that the Packers are undefeated and the Saints just lost to one of the worst teams in the league starting their backup QB.

Looking into the near future TT must lock up guys like Greg Jennings, Aaron Rodgers, Clay Matthews and BJ Raji to big money deals.

Poor guy. I should have that problem. Seriously though, I do understand the rationale, but realistically how many of those players actually end up getting the full value of their contract? The team cuts them as soon as their salary gets to be too high for what they’re producing on the field.

When JF gets his head in the game I will put him back in the line up, this could slow things up a tad

PACKERS……STOP MESSING WITH MY FANTASY TEAM

If they have to franchise him, so be it — but I don’t think that’s what the team prefers to do. Remember, they have to figure out what to do with Matt Flynn. No doubt Ted Thompson will hope to pull off a Whitehurst/Kolb/Cassell-type trade with Flynn. It sounds insane, but Flynn could also be tagged in hopes of receiving compensation.

Thompson knows that the NFL is terrible at developing players…..he stocks his team with draft picks and free agent rookies and is able to churn through a large number of players. Many overlooked or many were poorly coached in college…..he has been able to turn out starters and starts from this pile of rookies and street FAs.

The NFL should take notice, learn to develop players.

I can see why they would be in certain cases, running backs especially. A running back is probably only getting one big contract unless he comes in at the top of the draft. He’s got 3-4 years to be the star. They’d like get a nice big contract with a signing bonus for multiple years to get some more financial security. The franchise tag takes a year off of those valuable years, and doesn’t give him a signing bonus. If he gets hurt during that year, that may be his last contract.

Yes, its a heck of a lot of money, but it could easily be only half or a third of what he could get. I’m sure you wouldn’t like it either if you had that happen at your job.

Because if you get a torn acl while having the franchise tag..you will most likely not get a nice long term contract. Basically comes down to security

It does seem pretty strange for someone to cry like a baby when they’re making the average top 5 salary at their position via the tag. BUT….

In the business of football, it still makes economic sense for an athlete to push for a long term deal and guaranteed dollars. Look at Vincent Jackson, he’s got the tag for a 1 year $10 mill. Lets say he blows out his achilles next week, bye bye to his $30 mill guaranteed that he should and would make come the years end. Lets say he never comes back from that injury, he then has to live off of $10 mill as opposed to the $60-$70 mill that they he would’ve made had he stayed injury free. It’s a small window and these players got to grab as much as they can while they can.

Granted $10 mill is still a boatload, but in this scenario in NFL terms, not so much.

Jimmy Graham (713 yards, 5tds, WOW)
Jason Whitten
Rob Gronkowski
& Greg Olsen

I think longterm, Graham is the only guy I would rather have, even though I love Carolina and Olsen….Graham killed us this year, over 100 yards receiving against the panthers.

Still, I hate to say it, but I doubt he gets a long term deal. Ultimately, he wants to be the highest payed TE, and TT is developing talent behind him (Andrew Quarless, DJ Williams). The Thompson way of GMing is to identify a core group of players, then develop depth around them. Considering they won a Super Bowl sans Finley, I think the writing is on the wall.