Packers Sign TE

Yesterday, the Packers signed another tight end not named Bubba Franks.

This one is named Tory Humphrey. The 6-foot-2, 257-pound rookie played his college ball for Central Michigan. Humphrey originally signed (non-drafted FA) with Indianapolis April 29. However, the Colts waived him June 14.

Humphrey is listed fifth on the depth chart, behind four other unheard of guys (not counting Big Bubba).

Unfortunately for the Packers, Bubba wants more than what the market says he's worth. Hopefully, we can strike a compromise with him, because we have not done a very good job of building any depth behind him.

Bubba Franks is a dependable, hard working, team-first, high-character, great blocking, and good pass-receiving tight end. However, if that were the bench-mark for guys to pull down 4.5 million per year, even the NFL would have a hard time paying them all.

Packer fans love Bubba Franks and for good reason; however, he's not worth 4.5 million per year. The market has stated that quite clearly this summer. If he was worth it, a team would have signed him for that already. Just for the record, I don't buy any of this bunk I keep hearing about the transition tag scaring teams away from signing players. That's just an excuse floated by agents.

If another team signed him and the Packers didn't want to match it, the Packers wouldn't have received SQUAT from the new team except a big whole at TE. Fortunately (or not), we have a few restricted free agency examples to provide us the proof that the transition tag stigma is pure myth. Consider: Where was this FEAR that the Packers would match the offer when the Lions, Eagles, and Vikings signed Na'il Diggs, Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila, and Aaron Kampman, respectively? Where is it written that other teams are AFRAID that their offer will get matched? SO WHAT if the original team matches your offer? Are you any worse off than you were before you signed the player? NO.

Sometimes I think that sports columnists, reporters, anchors, and--especially--agents actually think sports fans are all a bunch of mind-less drones from the Macintosh 1984 commercial.

The bottom line is that if Bubba were worth 4.5 mill as an UNRESTRICTED free agent--he'd get it.

The other bottom line is if we don't get him signed in time to contribute real soon, we'll be in a world of hurt with the cast that's occupying the TE position now. I hope Ted and Andrew loosen the purse strings a little to reward the man for his talent and hard work but not for considerably more than he's worth.