Gunzlingr
03-02-2005, 08:12 AM
It won't be long before Mike Wahle signs an enormous contract.
It just probably won't be with the Green Bay Packers.
On Tuesday, the Packers cut their starting left guard, releasing him to the free-agent market where in a very short while he'll be a man of many riches. After discussing several deals of varying lengths and value, Wahle and the Packers were unable to agree on a renegotiated contract that would reduce his salary cap number of $11.375 million.
"We spent the past couple of weeks in talks that intensified this weekend, and we'll continue to talk," said Neil Cornrich, Wahle's agent. "Regardless of his status, we'll still talk."
The fact of the matter, however, is that the Packers are probably out of it because there will be other teams willing to pay more for Wahle's services. Even with their salary-cap troubles, the Packers could re-sign Wahle if they wanted, but new general manager Ted Thompson is drawing the line on stretching the cap thin.
As a result, Thompson did not meet Cornrich's demands in the negotiations leading up to the start of the new salary-cap year and the Packers were forced to cut Wahle to get under the $85.5 million limit.
"I'm unemployed for the first time in my career," Wahle joked. "I really don't know what will happen. I'll find out more tomorrow. I think there's some interest out there. I'm hoping something works out with the Packers, but you have to look at this as a business and take the emotional side out of it."
Cornrich was able to start fielding calls from other teams as soon as the Packers cut Wahle, but he would not say who was interested. Among the teams believed to be eyeing Wahle are the Carolina Panthers, St. Louis Rams, New York Giants and San Diego Chargers.
The Panthers have a definite interest in Wahle either at right guard or right tackle, and the others might have interest because of various holes on their offensive lines. Wahle insisted that he did not know any of the interested parties because he has told Cornrich to handle the negotiations and call him when it's time to do a deal.
Because he has the ability to play tackle as well as guard, Wahle could command a salary higher than the six-year, $32.35 million deal teammate Chad Clifton signed last year. Clifton, a left tackle, received $12 million in bonus money, a figure Wahle could eclipse.
So Long
Here are the players the Packers cut Tuesday and the amount of salary-cap room cleared.
Mike Wahle…$11 million
Grey Ruegamer…$1.4 million
Possible cut after start of free agency:
Darren Sharper…$3.4 million
more (http://www.jsonline.com/packer/news/mar05/305887.asp)
It just probably won't be with the Green Bay Packers.
On Tuesday, the Packers cut their starting left guard, releasing him to the free-agent market where in a very short while he'll be a man of many riches. After discussing several deals of varying lengths and value, Wahle and the Packers were unable to agree on a renegotiated contract that would reduce his salary cap number of $11.375 million.
"We spent the past couple of weeks in talks that intensified this weekend, and we'll continue to talk," said Neil Cornrich, Wahle's agent. "Regardless of his status, we'll still talk."
The fact of the matter, however, is that the Packers are probably out of it because there will be other teams willing to pay more for Wahle's services. Even with their salary-cap troubles, the Packers could re-sign Wahle if they wanted, but new general manager Ted Thompson is drawing the line on stretching the cap thin.
As a result, Thompson did not meet Cornrich's demands in the negotiations leading up to the start of the new salary-cap year and the Packers were forced to cut Wahle to get under the $85.5 million limit.
"I'm unemployed for the first time in my career," Wahle joked. "I really don't know what will happen. I'll find out more tomorrow. I think there's some interest out there. I'm hoping something works out with the Packers, but you have to look at this as a business and take the emotional side out of it."
Cornrich was able to start fielding calls from other teams as soon as the Packers cut Wahle, but he would not say who was interested. Among the teams believed to be eyeing Wahle are the Carolina Panthers, St. Louis Rams, New York Giants and San Diego Chargers.
The Panthers have a definite interest in Wahle either at right guard or right tackle, and the others might have interest because of various holes on their offensive lines. Wahle insisted that he did not know any of the interested parties because he has told Cornrich to handle the negotiations and call him when it's time to do a deal.
Because he has the ability to play tackle as well as guard, Wahle could command a salary higher than the six-year, $32.35 million deal teammate Chad Clifton signed last year. Clifton, a left tackle, received $12 million in bonus money, a figure Wahle could eclipse.
So Long
Here are the players the Packers cut Tuesday and the amount of salary-cap room cleared.
Mike Wahle…$11 million
Grey Ruegamer…$1.4 million
Possible cut after start of free agency:
Darren Sharper…$3.4 million
more (http://www.jsonline.com/packer/news/mar05/305887.asp)