Episode 21 - Martellus Bennett?!
Blue 58, powered by WTMJ Mobile, goes beyond the headlines to help you become a smarter fan of the Green Bay Packers. Hosted by former WTMJ newscaster Jon Meerdink and his friend Gary Zilavy, Blue 58 brings you a unique, upbeat perspective on your favorite NFL team, as long as that team is the Packers.
Hosts Jon Meerdink and Gary Zilavy hold an emergency podcast and react to the surprise free agent signing of tight end Martellus Bennett. What happened with Jared Cook? We discuss the departure of Micah Hyde, Julius Peppers and JC Tretter.
Here's what we covered in this emergency podcast:
TE Martellus Bennett joining Packers
The 30-year-old Bennett joins the Packers after one year in New England. Originally selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the second round, Bennett has played for the New York Giants and Chicago Bears.
His contract with the Packers is said to be three-years, $18 million. It's right in line with his market value, and makes him the 16th highest paid tight end in the league.
Bennett has 30 career touchdowns, but a staggering 23 have come in red zone. In his lone season with the Patriots, he had 55 catches. At 6-7, he's not as good of an athlete as Jared Cook but makes up for it with his elite size.
It's rumored that Cook, who spent 2016 with Green Bay, was asking for more money than Bennett received from the Packers.
OLB Nick Perry re-signs for five years
Perry's contract is a five-year, $60 million pact with $18.5 million guaranteed. He broke out in a big way last season with 11 sacks, but his best asset is his ability to stop the run. It was clear Perry was the team's top priority in free agency, as his contract was agreed to shortly before free agency officially began.
It was rumored Perry was going to either the Indianapolis Colts or the New York Jets. The Jets were, on Wednesday, rumored to be offering a "massive" contract for the outside linebacker.
LB Julius Peppers signs with the Carolina Panthers
After three seasons in Green Bay, Peppers is returning to his home state of North Carolina. He was drafted by the Panthers in the first round of the 2002 draft, and will now most likely end his career with the team it began with.
C JC Tretter signs three-year deal with Cleveland
The Browns picked up center JC Tretter with a three-year, $16.75 million contract with $10 million guaranteed. Tretter has been a solid performer in his time with the Packers, but struggled to see the field because of injuries.
S Micah Hyde signs big contract with the Buffalo Bills
It's a five-year, $30 million contract for Hyde, with $14 million guaranteed. Hyde is now the NFL's 14th highest paid safety. What made Hyde a valuable member of the Packers was his ability to play anywhere Green Bay needed help. After injuries and a big contract extension ended Randall Cobb's punt return duties, Hyde excelled in the role.
Subscribe
You can subscribe to Blue 58, a Packers podcast from The Power Sweep, on iTunes or Google Play.