One of the practical problems with the lockout is that players who are destined to be dumped by their current teams remain in limbo until the lockout ends.
One of those players could be linebacker Nick Barnett. Last month, coach Mike McCarthy said that Barnett would be on the bench behind A.J. Hawk and Desmond Bishop. Today, Barnett opened up to ESPN Milwaukee regarding his status with the defending league champions.
“There’s a lot of uncertainty, to be honest,” Barnett said, via NFL.com. “I am under contract with the Packers two more years, but there’s been talk of trades -- not necessarily directly to me -- but we’ll see what happens. I know I’ll be playing football. I’m probably in the best shape I’ve been in in the last three years. And super hungry and excited to play. I would love to finish my career as a Packer and retire as a Packer and, obviously, break that [tackles] record.”
But with a $5.5 million salary and a $6.9 million cap number in 2011 (if there’s a salary cap), the Packers will be inclined to devote that money elsewhere, absent an injury to one of the current starters at inside linebacker. There’s a chance that Barnett would take less money. Because of the lockout, however, any talks along those lines indefinitely have been tabled.
“I’m willing to do a lot of things to be a part of that organization, but it’s hard to get the dialogue because of the lockout,” Barnett said. “We can’t get anything going, or any conversations, and see where each other stands. I’m willing to be a Packer and willing to do a lot of things to do it. But we can’t talk, so we don’t know where we stand.”
Barnett possibly used the radio interview as a way to make his case to the team for sticking around. “We had those same linebackers last year, and what happens if we don’t have that type of depth of good linebackers?” Barnett said. “What happens if they release a couple of us, and one gets hurt? Then they’re searching for an inside linebacker. It’s all about depth. We made it to the Super Bowl because of depth.”
And he seems to have no issue with ultimately landing on the bench, if he doesn’t measure up to the in-house competition. “I think the biggest thing they’re worried about is players complaining about playing,” Barnett said. “If it comes down to that, let the best players play. I don’t have any confidence issues. I feel like I can line up and compete with any of those guys and win. I think they’re all great players, but I know I know how to play this game. I’ve been playing a long time. I’m ready to do whatever.”
“Whatever” could include taking a steep pay cut. It could include taking a seat. And it could include taking a hike. Barnett simply won’t know what it includes until the lockout ends, at the earliest.
