Kyle Fuller to test Free Agency

[Favre>Rodgers259]

Maybe, maybe not. Sometimes the grass is greener on the other side.

It doesn't appear the Bears are ready to move heaven and earth to bring him back; Perhaps there are better alternatives?

Unfortunately there aren't any elite cornerbacks available in free agency this offseason resulting in Fuller definitely being one of the best available.

Trumaine Johnson and Malcom Butler are both expected to hit the open market. I expect Fuller signs first, we NEED to sign Fuller before they get signed because teams will overpay for both of those guys which will drive Fuller's price up.

 

[Half Empty]

If the other two would drive up Fuller's price, why would he want to be the first to sign?

 

[Favre>Rodgers259]

Somebody has to be signed to set the market, and Johnson and Butler will probably wait to see how that plays out, unless there are teams that they specifically want to play for and they just ink up.

But players similar in talent to Fuller such as Vontae Davis, Aaron Colvin, Morris Claiborne, and Patrick Robinson could sign for significantly less,which will lower Fuller's ceiling on potential earnings.

Whether it's us or another team somebody is going to have to "go out and get their guy" just like in the Draft. If Gute sits on his hands Fuller may be out of our price range by Week 2 of Free Agency.

The good news is that there are a plethora of CBs hitting the market this year. The goal should be to sign a talented veteran so that we don't have to Draft a CB at all this year and instead focus on other areas. I fully expect Gute to just lock up the position, and not spend a decade on it like TT did with the front seven with mixed results.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

Trumaine Johnson and Malcom Butler are both expected to hit the open market.

I don't consider Johnson or Butler to be elite cornerbacks though.

 

[Favre>Rodgers259]

I'm not saying they are either, but they are the best this FA "Class" has to offer, and for some teams they are going to be definite upgrades, including the Packers. And if you are a FO that recognizes that there were some games that you might have won with a better secondary, you're going to pay up to fix that problem and hope it earns you a SB berth.

Johnson if you ask me is one great season away from entering the elite category and Butler if you ask me will always be in the upper echelon of CBs.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

I'm not saying they are either, but they are the best this FA "Class" has to offer, and for some teams they are going to be definite upgrades, including the Packers. And if you are a FO that recognizes that there were some games that you might have won with a better secondary, you're going to pay up to fix that problem and hope it earns you a SB berth.

Johnson if you ask me is one great season away from entering the elite category and Butler if you ask me will always be in the upper echelon of CBs.

While I agree that Johnson and Butler both present the best option at cornerback in this year's free agent class it isn't a smart way to handle business to overpay for any of them because of it.

I don't know if it's true but someone around here mentioned that the Chiefs might be interested in trading Peters. I would definitely prefer the Packers trying to acquire him even if that means giving up an early rounder.

 

[Curly Calhoun]

While I agree that Johnson and Butler both present the best option at cornerback in this year's free agent class it isn't a smart way to handle business to overpay for any of them because of it.

I don't know if it's true but someone around here mentioned that the Chiefs might be interested in trading Peters. I would definitely prefer the Packers trying to acquire him even if that means giving up an early rounder.

Peters would be expensive, but he is one of the very best at his position and still relatively young. Definitely the best option of those mentioned here IMHO.......

I do have to wonder, however, why the Chiefs would be shopping him.

 

[Curly Calhoun]

Some food for thought regarding FA cornerbacks:

https://packerswire.usatoday.com/2018/02/21/packers-free-agency-preview-cornerbacks/

 

[yooperpackfan]

Some food for thought regarding FA cornerbacks:

https://packerswire.usatoday.com/2018/02/21/packers-free-agency-preview-cornerbacks/

There's a lot to chew on there!

 

[OldSchool101]

There's a lot to chew on there!

Yes and quite a bit of grizzle in that CB list.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

Peters would be expensive, but he is one of the very best at his position and still relatively young. Definitely the best option of those mentioned here IMHO.......

I do have to wonder, however, why the Chiefs would be shopping him.

Well, the Rams acquired Peters in a trade resulting in the Packers having to look somewhere else to upgrade the cornerback position.

 

[Curly Calhoun]

Well, the Rams acquired Peters in a trade resulting in the Packers having to look somewhere else to upgrade the cornerback position.

Trumaine Johnson?

 

[PackerDNA]

Micheal Rodney at packersnotes.com makes a pretty telling point about Peters. Dorsey, who drafted him, had no interest in bringing him to the Browns.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

You have to consider that the Packers could pick up the fifth-year option for Randall until early May as well.

I expect the Packers front office will exercise the 5th year option on Randall without a doubt. It would be a poor choice not to as the #30 pick in the 2014 drafts 5th year option was worth just over 8.5 million which is a lot less than the 2018 franchise tag number for cornerbacks, I'm guessing by about half. But still if you could sign him to a long term deal worth about 8 million per during the 2018 season I think that would be a good deal for the team. He's only making 2.5 million this year so that's 11 million he's essentially guranteed over the next 2 seasons as the 8.5 is fully guranteed and about half of his 2018 salary is as well. You add 2 years and not really that much more money total and guranteed and you get to a 4 year 32 million dollar deal that seems pretty beneficial to both sides

No way should the Packers start thinking about a new long term deal with Randall. He still needs to prove that he can be a team guy as well as play consistently. Remember, he was the guy everyone was trash talking about how much he sucked not that long ago. I think exercising his 5th year option is even a slight gamble, but I would rather do that, than discover he actually is a top 15 CB and wind up paying a lot more or losing him after 2018. I think Whitt and the Packers should have a pretty good read on the guy by now and will do what they see fitting for his future in Green Bay.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

Trumaine Johnson?

Johnson presents one of the best options in free agency at the cornerback position but I would have preferred to trade for Peters.

No way should the Packers start thinking about a new long term deal with Randall. He still needs to prove that he can be a team guy as well as play consistently. Remember, he was the guy everyone was trash talking about how much he sucked not that long ago. I think exercising his 5th year option is even a slight gamble, but I would rather do that, than discover he actually is a top 15 CB and wind up paying a lot more or losing him after 2018.

It's true signing Randall to a multi-year contract this offseason is risky but it could turn out to be a bargain if he continues to perform at the same level as during the second half of the 207 season.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

It's true signing Randall to a multi-year contract this offseason is risky but it could turn out to be a bargain if he continues to perform at the same level as during the second half of the 207 season.

Definitely could turn out to be a bargain or a bust.

Wouldn't you think Randall and his agent would expect/desired to be paid based on that second half of the season? If that were the case, then you are talking about a lot more money then what I think would be worth risking. If the Packers aren't willing to pay that much, Randall may just say "I will wait and hit the Free agent market".

Statistically speaking, Randall did have a much better second half of 2017, but only the coaches probably really know if that was a case of improved play on his part or just circumstance. They also should be better aware of his attitude and willingness to learn and all the other things that go into becoming a consistently good CB. Right now, I just don't think Randall has proven the consistency aspect, but we will see.

 

[Geronimo]

There are maybe 30 guys on this list who I feel can be instant upgrade starters for us, and most of them won't be too expensive.
http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/free-agents/cornerback/

I am hoping with some new blood at coaching, they have some guys in mind from teams that tend to play good pass defense, unlike the disastrous broken down "coverages" we've grown accustomed to seeing the past few years.

I like the Rams guys, but not just super expensive Trumaine Johnson. I like Nickell Robey-Coleman who reminds me of Casey Hayward.
Only 26 years old too.

 

[Geronimo]

The good news is that there are a plethora of CBs hitting the market this year. The goal should be to sign a talented veteran so that we don't have to Draft a CB at all this year and instead focus on other areas. I fully expect Gute to just lock up the position, and not spend a decade on it like TT did with the front seven with mixed results.

^ LET US HOPE ^

Having a new DC in Pettine, and a bunch of new positional coaches, hopefully that also helps boost the activity to add comp vet pieces.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

Wouldn't you think Randall and his agent would expect/desired to be paid based on that second half of the season? If that were the case, then you are talking about a lot more money then what I think would be worth risking.

I agree that the Packers should pass on signing Randall to a multi-year extension if he wants to get paid significant money based on his performance over the second half of last season.

I like the Rams guys, but not just super expensive Trumaine Johnson. I like Nickell Robey-Coleman who reminds me of Casey Hayward.
Only 26 years old too.

I would definitely like the Packers adding Robey-Coleman to their cornerback depth chart.

 

[Veretax]

I read that Peters is on the last deal of his contract, so unless you are going to trade, and spend money to extend. I would pass.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

I read that Peters is on the last deal of his contract, so unless you are going to trade, and spend money to extend. I would pass.

Sounds like the deal is already done, just can't become "official" until 3/14 and the start of the new league year.

As far as Peters current contract, he has the 4th year of his rookie deal and most likely the 5th year option for a 1st rounder will be exercised as well. So the Rams could have him on a "reasonable" deal for 2 years.

 

[RepStar15]

If we make this signing in FA, I will feel fully confident with Fuller, Randall and King moving forward. That will help us enter the draft targeting a pass rusher in the first two rounds and not having to roll the dice on one pass rusher and one CB

 

[OldSchool101]

As a contingency to Fuller, I also think former 1st rounder Patrick Robinson should be on our radar. He could be a stop gap for a year or two for some depth. His play has gotten better and he played for peanuts last year $775K.
While he’ll demand more after his 2017 surge he just might be a steal. He’d be about the level of a 2017 Randall but much more consistent IMO. You can’t have enough depth and I wouldn’t mind signing 2 decent affordable CBs this year instead of putting all our marbles in one bag. We learned the hard way how one injury or loss of a player can be devastating this last year. Also takes pressure off immediate production from the likely pick well grab in the draft or allows us to slide rounds if the ideal candidate is not there.
I don’t like forcing things by overpaying If it don’t fit let it go

 

[Deleted member 6794]

As a contingency to Fuller, I also think former 1st rounder Patrick Robinson should be on our radar. He could be a stop gap for a year or two for some depth. His play has gotten better and he played for peanuts last year $775K.
While he’ll demand more after his 2017 surge he just might be a steal. He’d be about the level of a 2017 Randall but much more consistent IMO.

Robinson definitely performed on a higher level than Randall last season. It's possible he will demand a lot of money this offseason though.

 

[PikeBadger]

Micheal Rodney at packersnotes.com makes a pretty telling point about Peters. Dorsey, who drafted him, had no interest in bringing him to the Browns.

Peters has issues. Dorsey left a cap mess for the Chiefs new GM to clean up this year. There is going to be some cuts coming in Philadelphia, Miami, Pittsburgh and KC. Should be interesting to see who all is out there that is available.