Since the Green Bay Packers have all that salary cap room, when will they start making moves?

Answer 1

They generally don't make many big moves, regardless of cap space.

GM Ted Thompson likes to build through the draft, which is a smart strategy if he is a good drafter.

Look them to go for mid-level free agents that can fill in as backups or possibly start, but don't hold your breath for any big splashes.

Answer 2

Looks like not for a while. Bye Bye Ahman Green!

Answer 3

Dude the Packers just plain suck man..... Im from New York

Answer 4

By Pete Dougherty
[e-mail]

Since becoming the Green Bay Packers' general manager in 2005, Ted Thompson has avoided jumping into the highest-stakes waters of early free agency, and there's not much reason to think he'll change that strategy this year even with a little more than $20 million in salary-cap room.


For instance, one the most coveted player in free agency this year is Baltimore linebacker-defensive end Adalius Thomas, who at 29 could help the Packers' defense at linebacker on early downs and rush end on passing downs, and whose agent, Bus Cook, has a long history with the Packers.


But when free agency began Thursday at 11:01 p.m., the Packers didn't appear likely to be a major player in the Adalius Thomas stakes. The reality of the NFL is Thomas' agent probably talked about parameters of a deal with a team or two last week at the NFL Scouting Combine, and the likely bidding that could be finished Thursday night or Friday will be outrageous from Thompson's point of view.


"I think it will be pretty similar to all free-agent years," Thompson said. "I think there'll be some deals done that raise eyebrows, and there will be some teams that make good decisions and there'll be some teams that make mistakes. It's not unlike the draft. Even though these are proven players, you still sometimes make mistakes in free agency, because what you're buying may not be exactly what you think you're getting."


Though Thompson has established he's more draft-oriented than most GMs, he became active last year after waiting through the first major waves of signings and succeeded on two of his three acquisitions: cornerback Charles Woodson and defensive tackle Ryan Pickett, to whom he doled out about $11 million and $6.5 million, respectively, in first-year pay.


Safety Marquand Manuel, the cheapest of Thompson's three free agents at $2.96 million in first-year pay, was the lone disappointment.


This year, Thompson has the salary-cap room to be as active as he likes. After extending the contract of defensive lineman Cullen Jenkins this week at a cost of $3.76 million, the Packers are about $21 million under the cap, and Thompson no doubt will look to upgrade some positions with some of that money before and after the NFL draft.


His priority positions probably will be safety, tight end and receiver, though you can't count out backup cornerback, defensive line and running back if he can't re-sign starter Ahman Green.


What makes this year's free-agency period especially interesting is how the $7 million jump in the salary cap, to $109 million, affects spending this first week.


Teams are flush with cap room — San Francisco leads with more than $37 million.


But with the failure of a team to win a championship mostly via free agency, it will be worth watching whether many clubs spend wildly for free agents or use a good portion of their extra cap room to extend the contracts of core players, as the Packers did with Jenkins and are looking to do with linebacker Nick Barnett.


Also, besides Barnett, the Packers this week have been trying to re-sign Green and backup tight end David Martin and were working hard to get something done with both as late as Thursday night. There was no indication whether they were close to a deal with either, and if they hadn't reached an agreement by 11:01, then they will become free agents.


Green is a priority as long as the 30-year-old's price is a modest but not major signing bonus, but perhaps allows him to make up the difference with roster and playing incentives.


"We're having conversations," Thompson said of team negotiator Andrew Brandt and Green's agent, "and again, you never know when that last conversation takes place that you have a deal. But we're trying, and we've made clear all along we'd like to have him back."


Because of most teams' ample cap room and growing sophistication working in the salary-cap system, this year's group of free agents is thin in quality because teams aren't allowing game-changing players and young core players to get to free agency.


This is an especially weak year at receiver. However, an interesting one became available Thursday when New Orleans cut Joe Horn, a four-time Pro Bowler who was to make $4.45 million this season. At 35, he still might have another season or two as a No. 2 or 3 receiver, and he has a good relationship with Packers coach Mike McCarthy, who was Horn's offensive coordinator in New Orleans from 2000 to 2004.


Also, Philadelphia's Donte Stallworth has some big-play ability at receiver, though he's had chronic injury problems. The 26-year-old Stallworth also played for McCarthy in New Orleans from 2002 to 2004.


Then there's the possibility of the Packers trading for Oakland receiver Randy Moss sometime this offseason. The Packers have discussed the possibility, but for now, the Raiders are asking for a high draft pick, which is anathema for the draft-oriented Thompson.


However, it's almost a given Moss won't be returning to the Raiders — his relationship with the organization has deteriorated, and he's scheduled to make $9.75 million this year. Teams know that, and his checkered past for both on- and off-the-field behavior plus his seemingly declining skills at 30 further limits what the Raiders can get for him. So, perhaps later in the spring, the Packers could become a good candidate if the price is, say, a midround draft pick, or a stopgap starter and a later-round pick. For that to work, though, Moss and the Packers would have to work out a new contract at a reduced price, which could be another obstacle.


New England's Daniel Graham generally is considered the best prospect of a weak tight-end group, but he's not the receiving-threat tight end the Packers need, so he probably isn't of much interest to Thompson. While working in Seattle, Thompson drafted free agent Jerramy Stevens, who has ample physical talent, but he's been prone to drops and has played poorly in big games.


At safety, Jacksonville's Deon Grant, who turns 28 this month, and Ken Hamlin, another former Thompson draft pick in Seattle, are two of the top prospects. Thompson drafted Hamlin in the second round in 2003, and Hamlin generally has played well. However, the Packers would have to check especially closely into him medically because he sustained a severe head wound in an off-the-field incident that ended his 2005 season after six games. He came back this year, but before making a big investment in him, teams will want to know whether he's an excessive concussion risk.