Jamaal Charles Green Bay Packers Rumors: Seattle Seahawks, Detroit Lions Lurking
Jamaal Charles-Green Bay Packers rumors really started to pick up after Eddie Lacy signed with the Seattle Seahawks on Tuesday (March 14). Charles had already been linked to the Packers, as the team is trying to decide if it wants to sign a free agent running back to pair with quarterback Aaron Rodgers. The team never seriously attempted to re-sign Lacy, instead letting the struggling running back enter NFL free agency. Without Lacy as a fallback option, Charles, Adrian Peterson, and Latavius Murray have surfaced as options for the 2017 NFL season.
The Oakland Raiders, Detroit Lions, Minnesota Vikings, Philadelphia Eagles, and Seattle Seahawks are other NFL teams that have been linked to Charles since free agency began. A report by CBS Sports relayed that the Kansas City Chiefs had released Charles after nine seasons with the team. Injury concerns were one of the main reasons that the Chiefs wanted out of the Jamaal Charles contract, allowing him to join Adrian Peterson as another former Pro Bowl running back on the open market. Spencer Ware and Charcandrick West will be the beneficiaries in Kansas City.
Back to the Green Bay Packers rumors about Charles, the team first has to wait for him to complete a scheduled meeting with the Seahawks. A report by NFL analyst Ian Rapoport confirmed that Charles will keep his meeting and arrive in Seattle Wednesday (March 15) to possibly negotiate a new contract. As previously reported by the Inquisitr, the Seahawks already signed Eddie Lacy to a one-year deal, but could the team also be working on a Charles contract to enter the season with more options at the running back position?
Jamaal Charles’ stats dipped quite a bit in the 2015 and 2016 NFL seasons. The 30-year-old running back suffered severe injuries in each season, causing the Kansas City Chiefs to scramble for alternative options at running back. To kick off the 2016 NFL season, the Chiefs leaned heavily on Spencer Ware, who proved that he could take over as the full-time running back. Ware will be the primary guy in the running game for the Chiefs in 2017, with no reason for the Chiefs to pay Charles a hefty salary to remain on the active roster.
From 2012 to 2014, Charles’ stats were extremely impressive for the Chiefs. He rushed for more than 1,000 yards in each season, setting a career high with 1,509 yards in 2012 and a career high in touchdowns with 16 in 2013. Last year, he only managed to appear in three games (no starts), posting just 40 rushing yards on 12 carries. Now he might have to prove that he is worth a long-term contract by putting up big numbers in the 2017 NFL season.
This is why the Jamaal Charles-Green Bay Packers rumors might make a lot of sense. The Packers may be able to sign a good running back at a significant discount. This would help keep the Packers’ salary cap numbers in a comfortable range, allowing the front office to focus on spending money to address other deficiencies on the roster. Just how much money Charles and his agent are looking for in free agency is a big question that the Packers, Seattle Seahawks, Detroit Lions, Philadelphia Eagles, and Minnesota Vikings are all curious about.
The Jamaal Charles contract with the Kansas City Chiefs called for him to be paid a base salary of $3,750,000, a roster bonus of $2,187,500, and a workout bonus of $250,000 for the 2017 NFL season. When the Chiefs cut him, the team escaped having to pay him any further money, meaning the team doesn’t take a cap hit either. That’s a big deal as the team looks to address other concerns on defense, possibly allowing the team to absorb some salary in a trade during the 2017 NFL Draft as well.
Time might be running out for teams trying to pure one of the big-name running backs, especially after the Eddie Lacy signing with the Seattle Seahawks. While the Green Bay Packers rumors have linked the team to players like Adrian Peterson, Latavius Murray, DeAngelo Williams, and LeGarrette Blount, the best option for the team might be the former starting running back of the Kansas City Chiefs. Would Jamaal Charles willingly take a pay cut to chase after a Super Bowl with Aaron Rodgers as his starting quarterback?
[Featured Image by Bob Levey/Getty Images]
