Chris mentioned this morning he was hoping the Packers would take a serious look safety Ryan Clark before re-upped with the Steelers. However, all may not be lost at the position as Nick Collins signed his restricted free agent tender today, according Journal-Sentinel’s Tom Silverstein.
The deal is one-year for $3.3 million and takes Collins off the free agent market. The Packers previously placed the highest possible on Collins, a first and third-round draft pick compensation, so by signing the tender no team can come and offer Collins a deal anymore. While it seemed unlikely that a team would give up that kind of compensation to sign Collins, crazier things have happened and it wouldn’t be out of the realm of possibilities.
Signing the tender is news for three reasons. First, many times restricted free agents will not sign the tender and use it as leverage for a new deal. Secondly, Collins’ agent Alan Herman said today that signing the tender could be looked at as a good faith gesture and they are optimistic a long-term deal will be finalized soon. And lastly, by signing the tender Collins now cannot holdout from mandatory offseason workouts and mini-camps.
“Based on the tender Nick received and based on Nick’s desire to stay with the Packers and to take part in the offseason program, which is something he really wanted to do, he elected to sign the tender,” Herman told Silverstein. “Nick really likes it in Green Bay and wants to stay there. Hopefully, this will help us finalize a deal as we move forward.”
Herman also stated that he doesn’t think that it shouldn’t be long before a deal is done, possibly in the coming weeks. He probably is speaking the truth as it is hard to see Collins signing the tender if he didn’t think a long-term deal would be imminent.
There was no mention on what kind of terms each side are seeking in the new deal, but thanks to the Giants insanely giving Antrel Rolle $37 million over five years with $15 million guaranteed (I still believe Rolle has dirt on Coughlin), expect Collins’ deal to be around those numbers. Every year free agents are overpaid, but that is just the nature of the business.
Not surprisingly Thompson has been quiet so far this offseason, only making news by re-signing Clifton. However, just like last offseason when the biggest signing he could have made would be re-signing Greg Jennings, Thompson can make this year just as successful by signing Collins long-term. Looks like that might be sooner than later.
-Adam Somers
Recent Comments