Cap Runneth Over Keeping This Pack Intact Tough On A Maxed-Out Cap

After a 29-year Super Bowl championship drought, the Pack is back. Following their impressive 35-21 victory over the New England Patriots, the question now is whether the Green Bay Packers will be back in next year’s Super Bowl.

Coach Mike Holmgren and general manager Ron Wolf have a convincing sales pitch for their 23 unsigned players. They have defensive end Reggie White as a leader and a father figure for young players. They have quarterback Brett Favre to attract offensive players.

What they don’t have is salary cap room and loads of cash in reserve. When free agency started in 1989, teams envied the Packers. They were a community owned team without the $10 million to $15 million of debt service of some teams. They had more than $20 million in reserve for a “rainy” day.

Success will bring showers. The Packers know they can’t keep this team together completely. The storm of free agency is coming.

“We’re going to lose players,” Wolf said.

Wolf’s job is to make the right decisions as far as who stays and who goes. Two years ago, the Packers admitted they made a mistake by not giving more than $3 million a year to linebacker Bryce Paup, who became NFL defensive player of the year in 1995 for the Buffalo Bills. The year before, they couldn’t afford Tony Bennett, who became an impact defensive end for the Indianapolis Colts.

The Packers will suffer the biggest losses on defense, which is their deepest unit. Linebacker Wayne Simmons probably doesn’t fit into the salary structure.

The toughest decision will involve defensive tackle Gilbert Brown, a 345-pound run stopper whose value has jumped from this year’s $275,000 to more than $2 million to $2.5 million a year. Keeping Brown would probably cost them defensive end Sean Jones. Wolf likes what he sees of backup defensive end Gabe Wilkins, a restricted free agent.

“I think the NFL free agency, at times, makes it difficult for a team to keep guys together,” Holmgren said. “At the same time, it creates some great opportunities for your team and for players. I think certain players fit in certain situations better than others.”

Desmond Howard is a classic example. A former Heisman Trophy winner who was a top-five draft choice, Howard couldn’t avoid bump-and-run coverage enough to break into timing pass routes.

His Super Bowl MVP game with 244 return yards could propel him elsewhere. His salary is only $300,000 and the Packers still aren’t sold he can help them much as a receiver.

If Howard leaves, it wouldn’t impact the receiving corps but would put the Packers in the market for a new returner.

Holmgren may have to pick and choose in his backfield. During the past two months, Dorsey Levens has replaced Edgar Bennett as the team’s most dependable running back. Levens is a restricted free agent who is bigger and faster than Bennett.

Keeping both within the salary cap will be tough, and Bennett could be the loser.

So, there will be a transition for the Packers, but they believe they have the leadership to stay on top - Holmgren, Wolf, Favre and White, to name four.