coaches and trainers do not count against the salary cap. Lets spend some money there and assign trainers to these guys during the off season. A dietician for Lacy would be nice.

Of the "Key Players" mentioned I'd be most concerned with Crosby, Neal, and either Raji OR Guion. With Mike Pennel getting better and better do they need both Raji and Guion? I think Hayward gets a offer something like House did last year and is gone. I think Thompson saw this coming and covered himself by drafting Randell and Rollins. Both are already better tacklers than Hayward.

Andrew Quarless might be back but it would have to be cheap, cheap, cheap, like a one year do something year though I think he's gone. Starks will be interesting, not a lot of wear and tear on him and he's turned into a pretty good receiver. If Crockett has progressed enough to let James Starks go then he's gone too.

I say sign Crosby, Neal, Guion, and Raji if possible and add a TE and/or ILB in Free Agency.

TE... Dwayne Allen, Coby Flenner, Zack Miller, or Ladarius Green are just a few FA that would be huge upgrades though Green might cost a small fortune.

ILB... Vincent Rey, Danny Trevathan, Rolando McClain, Jerrell Flemming are all ILB who would make the Packers ILB much better and again just a few of the available.

OLB... Bruce Irvin...I know, I know, the guy's a little crazy but man can he rush the QB.

On the bright side they could be the Ravens, Flaccos cap hit next season is over $28 million!!

'Cap Space Could Limit Packers Off-Season Moves'

Or Ted Thompson could limit the off-season Moves...

I am going to go into the off season expecting the same thing as what they have done in the past. Packers will resign the players they feel they have to. And maybe will look at the Guion type of players.
Which to be honest, its exactly what I want them to do. I wouldn't mind if they looked at the ILB or TE positions and try to find that Guion type of player.

Out of their own free agents the most important is Crosby. They have to resign him. After that, I would say they really need to resign at least 1 between BJ Raji and Letroy Guion. And at least 1 between Mike Neal and Nick Perry. If they can get Starks at a good price I would resign him also.
I personally think they can let Casey Hayward and Andrew Quarless go. Hayward will likely command a similar contract to House from last year. Which for me is to much especially when they have Rollins able to play the slot just as well.

I think TT's draft plan kind of backfired these last 2 seasons by not picking up a potential playmaker at the TE and/or LB spot and he'll attempt to fix those weak positions.

I'm expecting a FA pick up in one of those positions followed by 2 picks from each position (similar to the CB position of the previous draft).

Sitton is 30. Lang is 29. Bakh and Tretter are on the last year of their deals, and Bulaga has been injured for parts or all of the last 3 years.

I think it's likely Bakh gets resigned. I think it's possible Tretter does (though if I were him I'd want a starting job). I think it's very unlikely that Sitton and Lang are resigned. I tend to lean Sitton being gone after 2016 because of the chronic bad back. So is Rotheram the answer? Certainly not Barclay or Walker...

The defensive line is very young. Ditto the secondary. WR could use a speed threat, but otherwise looks solid.

That leaves ILB, TE and OL.

TT usually looks 2 years ahead when drafting - so IMO it's time to start looking at interior linemen and a project 6th man in your mocks guys and gals.

There are only about 20 guys on this team that I'd cry over if they left. Most are just replaceable just-a-guy type players. Players I wouldn't mind leaving (not all FA's) are Masthay, Adams, all the TE's, Raji, Guion, Palmer, Thomas, Peppers, Neal, Thomas, Barclay, Walker, Goodson, Banjo, Lacy.... Would I like to see them all go? No. Would I mind if any one of them went? No.

"All the TEs" Liked that one.

Guy, reality check here.

Are we REALLY, STILL, talking about Free Agency like it's a thing in Green Bay? Just stop. It's not going to happen. The big names you see will be re-signed by their teams or paid too much by another team.

TT has been here, what, 11 years now? It's time to stop ramming your head into that wall. IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.

The linebacker you want? TT thinks it's Jake Ryan. The tight end you want? Draft pick (if the value is there, otherwise some UFA with upside).

I see at least 2-3 offensive linemen in the draft. In whatever round they think the player has value. Possibly a safety as a future replacement for Burnett. Maybe a pass-catching style RB to replace Starks.

We are going to get 2 or 3 impact kind of guys this draft. Then we are going to get some depth. There's a lot of potential for 5+ to make the team too. This is going to be interesting and we are going to have a blast critiquing the next 6 months, shot, the next 12 months. If nothing else, TT provides plenty of drama for the bleacher section...

It's hard to argue with Ted's draft & develop as we have tied the Pat's with 7 consecutive playoff appearances (and doing it above board unlike them) but when you are this close to winning it all 2 years in a row I can fully understand the fans comments in reference to there being little chance for Ted to do anything in free agency. They should put together a film clip of Jim Mora Sr. changing his comments from PLAYOFFS - PLAYOFFS to FREE AGENCY - FREE AGENCY in this regard, at least they could laugh about it a little bit. By the way, I played on the All-Marine Quantico Football Team when I got back from Vietnam and the history on the team includes Mora Sr. not only as a player but a coach, he is a class guy. i am crossing my fingers that Ted does make some free agent acquisitions this off season even if they are limited.

1st: The article states that under current projections, we have $26 million in cap space. But we have to realize that TT always likes to have a considerable sum ($7 million?) to carry over, and you have to take about 3 million off for the rookie pool. Maybe there is about $16 million to spend.

2nd: This ia a conservative projection for the cap - it could be $150, $153, or as high as $160 million.

3rd: Crosby ($3 m), one of Raji or Guion ($3.5m), and one of Perry or Neal ($5m) seem likely, and total $11.5 million. Not sure about Crockett, so Starks at $1.5 = $13 million. Kuhn too maybe. I am okay with bringing back the RFAs, but I do not see how we can tender any of them except maybe Banjo. Kuhn + tender on Banjo = about $15 million spent. Means Taylor and Mulumba are gone, but I would be happy to sign them, just would not tender them. Barclay comes back only if the medical staff indicates that he knee was the problem and it is or should be better in 2016.

4th: The above means GB would only have about $1 million to spend on an outside FA, without dipping into the $7 million designated for carryover. TT might do that (Gotcha?!) or the cap might go to $160 and there is some room. TT could also finagle with the cap hits on some of those contracts, but I do not really envision giving any of those players 4 years - really thinking 2 or at most 3 year contracts for all of them.

Good news bad news. Some deadwood we can let go is the good news. The bad, Ted loves bringing guys back, there the cheapest you can get. Not included is Crosby, Starks, guys who contributed well.

Great article Jeff! I’ve always enjoyed discussion about the Packers’ salary cap. It’s amazing how much the salary cap has inflated since inception. The Packers have had two salary cap wizards during the cap era: Brandt & Russ Ball, Vice President of Football Administration/Player Finance.

The eleven include the four you mention (ARod, CM3, Shields, & Peppers) plus Mike Daniels, Morgan Burnett, Jordy & Cobb, both guards & Bulaga = 11.
Those eleven are good core players. Morgan Burnett is a very good box player & can cover TEs (so can Hyde).

At this time (1/22/2016), I do not believe Peppers will retire. I believe if the Packers extended him a couple of years in-order-to reduce his overall cap average it would be a win-win situation. Capers likes to have a 4-man rotation at OLB/Elephant. McCarthy said CM3 is moving back outside.

I still think they’ll execute schemes with their four best LBs regardless of pedigree (e.g., OLB or ILB) & CM3 is a hybrid-LB and a serious threat when moved around. I think McCarthy’s thought process involved believing CM3 needs to attack the LOS/QB more than he did in 2015 and I agree with that type of thought. CM3 is most definitely better attacking than in coverage; however, he’s also the best coverage LB the Packers have.

They need a LB to step-up in coverage (Barrington is a thumper, not a coverage guy…in fact, he’s a liability in coverage & so is Jake Ryan. Joe Thomas is probably the next best coverage LB. They either need to draft a LB with coverage potential or get exotic and use more 6 DB looks (DIME).

Mason Crosby will be resigned…that’s my wish anyway. Worst case they franchise him.

My next target would be Nick Perry or Mike Neal. They need one of these guys but likely cannot afford both. I think somebody’s going to pay Neal quite a few $ to sign…not sure the Pack will want to match. Perry should easily come cheaper but has been an injury risk since his rookie season.

Do they really need to resign BJ or/and Guion when they’ve got a young guy in Christian Ringo (PS) & Josh Boyd (IR) returning. Ted could easily draft DL too. It appears DL/Front 7 is well stocked with potential in the 2016 draft. I think Ted almost has to double-down in the 2016 draft for LB. I project Neal to sign elsewhere & they won’t tender Mulumba. Palmer is a JAG (and so is Thomas).

Casey Hayward could easily get much more $ elsewhere…I’ll be shocked if the Pack is able to resign him.

Starks & Quarless…can’t forget John Kuhn either (and some would also say James Jones)!

While I understand the desired pipe dream scenario…I don’t understand the dismay when it doesn’t unfold. Ted, when he plays for outside FAs, has done well. CW & Peppers…I’m not complaining… Signing core players is also so very important and something (IMO) that some fans don’t quite understand or acknowledge enough. I’d much rather resign a guy like Mike Daniels than an outside UFA and have to compete in a bidding-war.

Anyway, good article Jeff!

As much as I hate to cite Vic Ketchman here (I actually like his column), the primary tenet of "Draft and Develop" is to sign your key guys and be willing to let everyone else walk. I would not be surprised if that's what happens this off-season: several of those guys who are FAs this season are marginal starters or role players. They're not unreplaceable, and I suspect that TT will decide to let players under contract step into those roles and draft replacements rather than signing many of them.

After reading most of the posts, I see the packers getting even younger. Speed will be addressed in the draft. BAP,BAP,BAP. WR will go from worst to 1st this year. I see heavy OL this draft.