Packers off season

[Randall]

Jennings '99.9% sure' he won't hold out

By Greg A. Bedard of the Journal Sentinel

Dec. 29, 2008

 

Green Bay - That the Packers followed a drama-filled offseason with one of their most frustrating season, doesn't mean one results in the other. Or even that there's a correlation.

 

But between the Brett Favre saga and the stalemate over a new contract for running back Ryan Grant, Packers fans are probably hoping the new year will be one of no drama for the Packers off the field.

 

Receiver Greg Jennings, who is entering the final year of his second-round rookie contract in 2009, thinks fans shouldn't fret about his contract negotiations rocking the green-and-gold boat.

 

"They shouldn't worry about that," Jennings said this morning as Packers players cleaned out their lockers. "I'm here to play football, the business will take care of itself. If it comes down to it, I'm not a type that wants to hold out. Now, if that comes to happening, I'm not going to sit here and say I won't do it but I'm about 99.9% sure that I won't be doing any of that. That's just not me. But, again, you never know what happens but I don't see it happening at all."

 

Jennings is set to make $530,000 base salary next season, the final year of his contract. He is, obviously, a huge bargain. It would be very much in the Packers' best interest to sign Jennings to a contract extension before next season. If they don't, Jennings will undoubtedly test the waters as an unrestricted free agent.

 

Jennings said there is no question he wants to remain a Packer.

 

"I would love to get something done," Jennings said. "Ultimately that decision isn't up to me so I have to just sit and play it by ear and if something happens it does."

 

Jennings' agent, Eugene Parker, will likely Bernard Berrian's contract with the Minnesota Vikings as a baseline. He signed with the team as a free agent last year.

 

The Vikings gave Berrian, a pedestrian yet talented receiver with the Chicago Bears, a six-year, $42-million contract with $16 million in guaranteed money.

 

Jennings' stats were far better than that of Berrian this season in every category, including catches (80-48), yards (1,292-964), touchdowns (9-7), and receptions of 20 yards or more (21-14).

 

The Packers could counter by saying that Jennings played with a better quarterback in Aaron Rodgers while Berrian had to make do with Gus Frerotte and Tarvaris Jackson.

 

That would be a good way to get the negotiations off on the wrong foot, like Packers general manager Ted Thompson did when he lowballed Grant.

 

After what everyone went through in '08, nobody wants that.