Javon Walker Cashes In With Raiders, Signing 6-year $55 Deal

In another unimpressive offseason move, the Oakland Raiders have signed unrestricted free agent wideout Javon Walker to a stunning 6-year $55 million contract that includes $16 million in guarantees, and will pay out approximately $27 million over the first 3 years of the deal. The move is the latest in a series of stunningly bad contracts doled out by Oakland over the past week.

Long on potential, but short on production, Walker has been limited to just 25 games the past 3 years, due to a torn ACL in 2005 and recurring knee problems that required a second and third surgery in 2007. Unhappy in Green Bay and wanting a new contract in early 2006, Walker was traded by the Packers to the Denver Broncos for a 2nd round pick in the 2006 NFL Draft. He then signed a 5-year $40 million contract, in which he collected over $16 million the past 2 years, before declaring his unhappiness with the Broncos, and asking to be traded. Unable to find a trade partner before a March 4th roster bonus of $5.4 million was due, the Broncos cut Walker, who now latches on with the perennially dysfunctional AFC West rival Oakland Raiders. $9.16 million per year is an absurd amount to pay for someone who's generally regarded as a clown, and who hasn't demonstrated he can stay healthy and provide a consistent explosive threat and Pro Bowl caliber talent for a team for longer than a year.

Favre Packs It In

Living legend Brett Favre has called it quits from the NFL and the Green Bay Packers, according to numerous reports from media outlets in both Mississippi and nationally. Having waffled over retirement the past few years, Favre has decided to hang up the cleats for good, and goes out on his own terms, holding most of the NFL's career passing records. Favre will leave the game holding the records for most career touchdowns (442), interceptions (288), pass attempts (8,758), completions (5,377), yards (61,655), and games with at least 3 touchdowns (63), wins by a starting quaterback (160). Favre will go down as the NFL's "Iron Man," as he also holds the record for most consecutive games started by a quarterback (253 games), which ranks second at all positions only to defensive end Jim Marshall (270 games).


When NFL historians look back at the career of Favre, they will see the NFL's only 3 time MVP winner, and a man who overcame substance addiction and personal loss on his way to eventually becoming the League's most prolific passer in history. Adored by Green Bay fans, and hated by Chicago Bears fans, who he continually tormented in his personal domination of the Bears, Favre lead the Packers to two Super Bowls, including a win in Super Bowl XXXI. He was a 9 time Pro Bowler, and was elected to the NFL's distinguished All-Pro team a whopping 7 times.

Favre's departure leaves former 2005 1st round draft pick Aaron Rodgers as the starting quaterback for the Pack, and journeyman Craig Nall as the backup. Rodgers has appeared in 7 games, mostly in mop-up or injury relief duty, and completed 35 of 59 passes for 1 touchdown and 1 interception, good for a 73.3 quarterback rating. A broken foot in 2006 and 2007 will raise questions about the durability of Rodgers, but now is his chance to shine. Favre was scheduled to count against the 2008 salary cap for $12.8 million ($12 million base salary, $800K prorated signing bonus), so the Packers will gain the $12 million minus the prorated signing bonus amount, and are now under the projected $116 million salary cap for 2008 by about $36 million.

Pack Trade Franchised DT Corey Williams to Browns for 2008 2nd Rounder, Who Then Sign Him to 6-Year $38 Million Contract

Recently franchised defensive tackle Corey Williams is on the move, but the Green Bay Packers won't be receiving two 1st round draft picks as compensation. The Packers and Cleveland Browns have agreed to a deal that will send Williams to the Browns in exchange for the Browns' 2008 2nd round draft pick (#56 overall). Per Mike Florio of PFT, Williams has inked a new 6-year $38 million contract with Cleveland, including roughly $16.3 million in guaranteed money.

Packers Franchise DT Corey Williams, Cut TE Bubba Franks

Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports that the Green Bay Packers have placed the non-exclusive franchise tag on defensive tackle Corey Williams, guaranteeing him a one year salary of $6.363 million for 2008. Williams made $850,000 last year in the final year of his rookie contract. A backup his first two years in the league, Williams has started 20 games and played in all 36 the last two years, averaging 34.5 tackles and 7.0 sacks a year, which is pretty good for an interior lineman rushing the passer.

In our look at potential targets for the franchise tag, we noted that the Packers didn't have anyone worth placing the tag on, and frankly we don't think it was worth it for Green Bay. They are rumored to be under the 2008 salary cap of $116 million by roughly $16-30 million, depending on who's estimates you go by, but that doesn't mean they should lock up $6+ million a year on Corey Williams. Is he one of the top 5 defensive tackles in football? Is he one of the top 10 defensive tackles in football? Is he even one of the top 5 defensive tackles in the NFC North? A number of teams have been flush with cap space last year and this year, but that doesn't mean that they should be fiscally irresponsible just because they can, as the cap always catches up with teams who spend unwisely.

Green Bay also cut former starting tight end Bubba Franks, who was due a roster bonus of $500,000 and a 2008 base salary of $3 million. Cutting Franks will result in a $1 million hit against the salary cap, due to the prorated amount of his original $5 million signing bonus from the contract he signed in 2005, so the Packers will have a net cap gain of $2.5 million ([$500K + $3 M] - $1 M). Franks lost his starting job to Donald Lee for good last year, and ironically was the last player the Packers used the franchise tag on, in 2005.