Friday, February 8, 2013
Finley staying in Green Bay?
By Tim Kavanagh
At some points during the course of an NFL season, Green Bay Packers TE Jermichael Finley looks to be as dominant as any of the others in the new breed of player at the position: too fast for a LB to cover, too big for a safety to handle either. But he disappears for stretches, too, and his occasional drops have become a source of frustration for followers of the team. The Packers have a decision to make on Finley this offseason, as he's due a $3 million bonus in March, and they could save $8.25 million off their salary cap if he's released or traded.
"I would love to stay there," Finley said recently, per the Journal Sentinel, "but if Green Bay says otherwise, I play football for a living, so I'd have to switch gears and get ready for another chapter in my life."
"It's the nature of the business," he added. "If there's a guy that's overpaid or that they think is overpaid, they'll ask for a pay cut. There's no doubt that I want to be there for life. But it's a business and the business will tell you otherwise. I would say on the business front, it's 50/50. But if it was up to me or anybody in my circle, I would love to be back."
There isn't a replacement on the roster, and given that the club will be losing one outside receiving target in Greg Jennings this offseason, this may make it more likely that Finley is retained. The Packers are projected to being under the cap, but not by much, so saving that $8.25 million would be a nice boost if they're looking to upgrade elsewhere. Stay tuned.
