A day after signing wideout Davante Adams to an extension, the Packers have locked up another key impending free agent. The team announced this morning that they’ve signed center Corey Linsley to a contract extension. Mike Garafolo of NFL Network tweets that it’s a three-year, $25.5MM deal for the lineman.
Linsley has started each of the 53 games he’s played in since entering the league as a fifth-round pick in 2014. The Ohio State product has played a significant role in the Packers’ successful running game in 2017, which ranks fifth in the NFL in yards per carry (4.52). Despite Green Bay’s success, Pro Football Focus hasn’t been particularly fond of his performance, ranking him 23rd among 37 eligible center candidates. However, over the previous three years, Linsley has earned an above-average grade.
Despite PFF’s underwhelming grade, Linsley still earned a relatively lucrative contract extension. The $25.5MM contract value and $8.5MM average annual salary will both rank ninth among centers. With both Linsley and Adams locked up, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets that the Packers will shift their focus to extending quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
Nice!
Little bit of an overpay but dude plays hard and hasn’t missed a game. Earned it. Should only get better too.
Thompson is spending some of that salary cap so when the new GM comes in they can’t have it to improve the team to do better then him in the first year. Let’s face we all know his ego thinks like that.
Sad, but that came front of mind to me right away too. Though Ted has overpaid his players time and time again while avoiding FA’s like the plague.
he literally signed martellus bennett last offseason. Look how that ended up
Or he was smart and signed these two so they can spread out the guaranteed money over an extra season..by singing Adams/Linsley before 4PM today they are able to put some of that money towards the 2017 cap. This will leave them more to play with for 2018 and ensured we don’t expose both guys to free agency. Adams for sure would’ve demanded 15M per on the open market.
No way would he have gotten that much. That would have put him in the top 3.
Given his age and 19 TD in last two seasons a team would’ve given him 15M per.
If cutler can get paid 10 mil to not give Fs for entire season, then Adams def could have got 15 mil.