Packers have plenty of salary cap room

By Bob McGinn
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

The Green Bay Packers find themselves in salary-cap heaven with Brett Favre on the reserve-retired list and will remain in great shape even if the quarterback is restored to their 80-man roster.

As of Wednesday, the Packers were $30.558 million beneath their adjusted cap of $126.16 million, ranking them second behind the Kansas City Chiefs ($39.1 million) in the National Football League.

Favre counts just $1.4 million against the cap: $800,000 for prorated bonus money in 2008 and $600,000 for 2009 that accelerated into this year after his retirement in March.

If Commissioner Roger Goodell reinstates Favre, the Packers have to add his $12 million base salary but would be able to subtract the $600,000 accelerated proration.

Thus, the Packers would be about $19.158 million beneath the cap, then ranking behind the Chiefs, Tampa Bay ($26.4 million), Miami ($24.5 million), Buffalo ($22.7 million), New Orleans ($21.4 million) and Philadelphia ($21.1 million).

Numbers in: Linebacker Brady Poppinga’s four-year extension, which he signed Thursday, includes $13.473 million in new money for an average of $3,368,250.

The Packers eliminated Poppinga’s $927,000 base salary from 2008, the final year on his original four-year deal.

His new deal included $5 million in roster bonuses, including $3.3 million this year, $800,000 in 2009 and $300,000 each in 2010, ’11 and ’12.

His five base salaries were worth $8.8 million, including $600,000 this year (not considered part of the new deal), $1.9 million in 2009, $1.95 million in 2010, $2.05 million in ’11 and $2.3 million in ’12. His workout bonus in each of the next four seasons is $150,000.

Because of their glut of cap room, the Packers structured Poppinga’s contract so he would count more against the cap this year ($4.007 million) than in any other year.

Brandon Chillar, who is competing against Poppinga at strongside linebacker, signed a two-year, $5.4 million deal to leave St. Louis in March. The guaranteed portion of Chillar’s contract is $2.65 million. That compares with $3.9 million for Poppinga, whose contract also is twice as long.

Rookie deals: The Packers used up 99.78 percent of their rookie pool of $4,076 million after signing nine draft choices and 15 undrafted free agents. Their draft choices accounted for $4.055 million against the cap and their free agents accounted for $12,496.

Green Bay paid $37,500 in signing bonuses to their 15 free agents, including a high of $6,000 to tight end Mike Peterson. He was cut last weekend. The only player with no signing bonus was tight end Evan Moore.

Here’s a contractual summary of the draft choices:

WR Jordy Nelson (second round, 36th pick overall): Four years, $3.71 million. Signing bonus of $1.7 million. Base salaries of $295,000 in 2008, $385,000 in ’09, $475,000 in ’10 and $565,000 in ’11. Roster bonuses of $80,000 in ’08, $83,750 in ’09, $87,500 in ’10 and $39,000 in ’11.

Nelson also has a onetime incentive of $925,000 that he can earn by playing 35% of the downs in ’08 or 45% of the downs in ’09 or ’10. The $925,000 doesn’t count against the rookie pool but would count against the year it is earned. If Nelson never gets the $925,000, he has some protection in the form of $925,000 that is guaranteed from his 2010–’11 base salaries.

QB Brian Brohm (second round, 56th pick): Four years, $2.605 million. Signing bonus of $900,000. Base salaries of $295,000 in ’08, $385,000 in ’09, $470,000 in ’10 and $355,000 in ’11.

If Brohm plays 35 percent as a rookie, he can earn an incentive of $350,000. He also has a $560,000 incentive that’s payable if he plays extensively in his first or second seasons.

If Brohm sits the bench for two years and doesn’t hit either incentive, the Packers have the discretion not to pay him a $560,000 roster bonus. However, if he plays extensively in ’10 or ’11, he would earn a $1.68 million incentive. He is protected in the form of $560,000 that is guaranteed from his 2010-’11 base salaries.

CB Pat Lee (second round, 60th pick): Four years, $2.545 million. Signing bonus of $840,000. Base salaries of $295,000 in ’08, $385,000 in ’09, $470,000 in ’10 and $555,000 in ’11. He can earn a onetime incentive of $440,000 by playing 35% as a rookie or 45% in ’09. He is protected because $440,000 is guaranteed on his ’11 base salary.

TE Jermichael Finley (third round, 91st pick): Four years, $2.358 million. Signing bonus of $653,000. Base salaries of $295,000 in ’08, $385,000 in ’09, $470,000 in ’10 and $555,000 in ’11. His ’11 base salary contains an escalator that would boost the total should he still be with the team.

DE Jeremy Thompson (fourth round, 102nd pick): Four years, $2.206 million. Signing bonus of $501,200. Base salaries of $295,000 in ’08, $385,000 in ’09, $470,000 in ’10 and $555,000 in ’11. His ’11 base salary contains an escalator.

G Josh Sitton (fourth round, 135th pick): Four years, $2.089 million. Signing bonus of $384,000. Base salaries of $295,000 in ’08, $385,000 in ’09, $470,000 in ’10 and $555,000 in ’11. His ’11 base salary contains an escalator.

T Breno Giacomini (fifth round, 150th pick): Four years, $1.884 million. Signing bonus of $179,165. Base salaries of $295,000 in ’08, $385,000 in ’09, $470,000 in ’10 and $555,000 in ’11. His ’11 base salary contains an escalator.

QB Matt Flynn (seventh round, 209th pick): Four years, $1.769 million. Signing bonus of $64,175. Base salaries of $295,000 in ’08, $385,000 in ’09, $470,000 in ’10 and $555,000 in ’11. His ’11 base salary contains an escalator.

WR Brett Swain (seventh round, 217th pick): Four years, $1.762 million. Signing bonus of $57,610. Base salaries of $295,000 in ’08, $385,000 in ’09, $470,000 in ’10 and $555,000 in ’11. His ’11 base salary contains an escalator.