Restricted Free Agency: How Much for Tonyan?

[TW]

Based on my own personal experience, a TE who blocks is important. But, even more important is their ability to make the reads that turns him into an open target when the primary receivers are covered. Tonyan is not a great blocker. Probably not even average. But what he does, to free himself, and make himself available to Rodgers on plays where he isn't the primary receiver is all that matters to me. We can adjust the blocking, but we can't take back plays that fail because someone couldn't find that seam to make a play effective.

A TE can actually be the most important weapon an offense has, if he's a threat to make those catches that move the chains, and requires a higher level of competence in a defender to cover. It means a lesser defender is covering someone else, who may be primary.

There's a reason that Tonyan's TD count is as high as it is, and because of it, Adams led the league.

I do believe that the minimum the Packers do is slap a 1st or 2nd round tender on him. Probably a 1st, when you look around the league and see how much money guys who aren't capable of playing half as well as him are getting.

Like I said. This is my opinion, and I hope the Packers see fit to get him in the fold for an extended contract. I don't care who the QB is, having a TE who can bail them out is a huge value for any team.

 

[FlaPack]

My issue / issues with Tonyan is that he is not the type who can split the seam when teams play Cover 2/3. He is fine in the red zone and an adequate blocker so he brings some things to the table. He not a H Back type either so there that. You just don’t overpay. Slap a R1 tender on him and force a team to pay up.

 

[realitybytes]

Slap a R1 tender on him and force a team to pay up.

i said that yesterday and got blowback. people told me a second round tender was the most they'd give up. but i'm happy to see someone else agrees.

 

[rpiotr01]

i said that yesterday and got blowback. people told me a second round tender was the most they'd give up. but i'm happy to see someone else agrees.

I just think a 2nd round tender is more likely to get a bite than a 1st, and you can still get a stud player in the 2nd.

 

[FlaPack]

I just think a 2nd round tender is more likely to get a bite than a 1st, and you can still get a stud player in the 2nd.

Possible but I also don’t see someone behind him at TE. Truth told I don’t think either gets much traction

 

[FlaPack]

i said that yesterday and got blowback. people told me a second round tender was the most they'd give up. but i'm happy to see someone else agrees.

The investment is not much more, risk / reward and depth at TE is not exciting

 

[realitybytes]

Possible but I also don’t see someone behind him at TE. Truth told I don’t think either gets much traction

so if the objective is to pay him the least amount of money to keep him on the roster for another year, maybe the 2nd round tender is the best.

and btw, i agree there's no other te on our roster that's worth a crap.

 

[FlaPack]

so if the objective is to pay him the least amount of money to keep him on the roster for another year, maybe the 2nd round tender is the best.

and btw, i agree there's no other te on our roster that's worth a crap.

I actually get both sides of the debate, round 1 vs 2. I just think form a financial / cap point along with position depth I lean towards the round 1 tender

 

[rpiotr01]

It's tough. We know he can contribute in ML's offense, but we don't know how much more he can develop, how much more of a consistent threat he can be, and I think whether or not he's in the team's long term plans hangs largely on that issue. Skill position red zone production fluctuates largely from year to year- look at some of the seasons James Jones has had, Richard Rodgers, or even Aaron Jones last year. That can't be the deciding factor on a guy.

I don't think anyone here wants him gone and certainly no one wants him gone for nothing, we just have different level of compensation in mind that would make the loss worth while.

 

[GBP4EVER]

I would take a 2nd round pick for Tonyan. How often do we see teams willing to sign a RFA and give up a 1st or 2nd round pick? Not to often because teams treat draft picks as gold because you are getting cheap talent for 4 years.