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Green Bay Packers get James Jones at bargain, remain cap strong

By Keegan Matheson

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The Green Bay Packers not only made a quality football decision in their reunion with wide receiver James Jones, but also a frugal one. According to a report this morning from Rob Demovsky of ESPN, Jones and the Green Bay Packers agreed to a one year deal worth the veteran minimum of $870,000 with no signing bonus included. A small fortune for the common man, but minimum wage for a player like Jones.

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With that spot on the roster now finalized, the Packers rank seventh in the NFL with $15,684,919 of available cap space. Green Bay has also built up just over $3.5 million in dead money, most recently from the release of 2014 draft picks Carl Bradford and Khyri Thornton, but remain in fine shape financially as they enter the 2015 season.

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I’ve fielded questions throughout the offseason as to why Green Bay has chosen not to spend these remaining dollars on the defensive line or linebacking corps, spots of potential weakness, but spending to the cap does not create greater success in the NFL. Spending wisely does, and on the free agent market, value signings are extremely hard to come by.

Green Bay maximizes their spending by locating young talent to fill the roster’s cracks, which allows for heavy contracts with Aaron Rodgers and Clay Matthews, along with the extensions that were handed out to Randall Cobb and Bryan Bulaga this past offseason. The Packers also hope that they’ve allowed themselves room to re-sign defensive lineman Mike Daniels before he hits the open market in 2016.

Jones is the type of veteran free agent that Green Bay can get on board with: a known commodity whose price tag has taken a dip in the latter stages of his career. According to Spotrac, Jones has amassed a career cash earnings of over $17 million, the majority of which came from a team-friendly three-year deal worth $9.4 million that Jones signed with the Packers in 2011. His most recent multi-year deal with the Oakland Raiders, set to pay him $10 million over three seasons, lasted only through his inaugural campaign.

Rookie Ty Montgomery and wildcard Jeff Janis should team with Jones to make the third receiver spot a revolving door depending on down, distance and situation. For a minimum contract, however, the Packers have found a priceless commodity in the bargain bin: trust.

Next: Hits, misses and maybes from Green Bay's 2014 draft

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