Green Bay Packers wide receiver Greg Jennings said he would prefer to wait until after the season to address his contract. Jennings told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that he didn't want to create a distraction for himself or the team.
Jennings and quarterback Aaron Rodgers have been targeted by the Packers for contract extensions. In both cases, their contracts don't expire until after the 2009 season, but Monday is the deadline for NFL teams to apply any increase in a player's base salary to the 2008 salary cap, which allows them to use up any available cap space they have now.
Jennings is 2nd in the NFL in receiving yards and is earning a base salary of $445,000 this year. As a top young receiver in the league, Jennings could strike now and land a big contract. But it doesn't appear he's going to go that route. Jennings todl the Journal Sentinel that he would consider talking at the end of the season.
But according to a Wisconsin Radio Network (WRN) source, Jennings wants to become a free agent and test the waters. Jennings would have no problem remaining a member of the Green Bay Packers, but he wants to see what he could get on the free agent market.
Certainly such a move is risky. Jennings still has a year and a half left on his contract. He could get a new deal now and receive a huge signing bonus which would give him guaranteed money up front. That would protect him against injury. If Jennings passes on the opportunity to take the money now, he's risking making it through the next year and a half without a major injury.
Jennings could change his mind before now and free agency, but right now it looks like he's more about the money than the team. He's not the first and he won't be the last.
But Packers fans, keep this in mind. Jennings would have no problem coming back to Green Bay, but if he hits the open market, there's a good chance somebody will outbid the Packers and Jennings could be wearing a different uniform in the years to come.