The Jermichael Finley Deal.

The Packers made a wise move re-signing Jermichael Finley to a two year, 15 million dollar deal on Wednesday. Finley is the kind of player who is just too difficult to replace, even if he is inconsistent. Finley’s combination of size and speed makes him a matchup problem that is just too difficult to replace and even when he’s not the target of a play, teams must account for him, opening up opportunities for other receivers. He also has the faith of Aaron Rodgers, which is often more important than the faith of the media.

This deal works out well for Packers because they didn’t commit too much money to Finley. The questions about his health and consistency are legitimate, as are the effects of his presence on the field. This contract gives the Packers a period to let Finley prove that he’s worth the longer term deals that Marcedes Lewis and Vernon Davis got. It doesn’t allow for a lot wiggle room if they need to re-structure later, but at the same time it’s not a long deal, so there shouldn’t be any major cap problems along the way.

For Finley, this deal does pay him a salary on par with the top paid tight ends in the NFL for 2012. Given the matchup problem he often proves to be, that’s a prudent price to pay for him. He’ll have two years in an offense that favors his abilities and with a quarterback that he has good chemistry with. He has every opportunity to show that’s he’s worth a longer term deal.

All in all, this was a deal that works for both sides and should work to the benefit of both sides going forward.