Everyone was surprised when it become know the Green Bay Packers would either trade or release Pro Bowl guard Josh Sitton. This isn’t going to make much more sense, but the move was reportedly contract-related.
This comes from Tom Silverstein.
I’ve been told by multiple sources that the Sitton release was contract related, that he was not happy with the Packers waiting on extending his contract while pursuing deals with other players. There must have been some kind of standoff. Sitton is in the final year of his deal and was set to be unrestricted next year.
Sitton — along with David Bakhtiari, T.J. Lang, J.C. Tretter and a number of players at other positions (Eddie Lacy) — will be free agents after the season.
We knew the Packers weren’t going to be able to afford to pay all four of those offensive linemen. It still makes no sense that the Packers would release Sitton for that reason — or that he wasn’t “happy” — now, however.
No one values compensatory picks more than Ted Thompson. Plus, whatever Sitton’s mindset, guys typically play great during their contract years. Obviously, if they want to maximize their next contract, that’s a requirement.
So letting a motivated Sitton play out his deal and sign elsewhere actually would benefit the Packers immensely. Both on the field and in the draft pick department.
We’re not saying Silverstein is wrong, but if he’s right, the Packers are a bunch of fucking idiots.