Mike Daniels and the Green Bay Packers were hoping to get a new contract extension done prior to the start of the 2015 NFL season. He is expected to be a big part of the Packers' defense but unfortunately, the contract talks have broken down. It is unknown what the cause of the contract breakdown was, but it doesn't appear that the two sides will get anything done in time.
According to a report from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the Packers and Daniels remain "far away" in talks.
Green Bay is in need of all the help that they can get on the defensive side of the football, and Daniels was a big part of their defensive line last season. He recorded 41 tackles and 5.5 sacks throughout the year. Those numbers were extremely valuable for the Packers, and he is expected to take a big step forward this season.
That could very well be the main issue in contract talks between these two sides. Daniels may want a bigger payday based on projections for his 2015 season and beyond. On the other side, the Packers may not want to pay him for what could possibly happen in the future.
At 26 years old, there is no question that Daniels' value is through the roof. If the Packers are struggling with the idea of paying him for what he could bring to the team in the future, they might want to reconsider their decision to play hardball with him. He has a very strong work ethic, and is the type of player that the Packers usually build their team around when they have the chance.
Looking ahead at next offseason, there are going to be plenty of teams lining up with interest in bringing him on board if he does hit open free agency. Ted Thompson is a very shrewd negotiator, and he usually figures out ways to bring his players back on discounted contracts. Daniels may not be willing to give Thompson that discount, but the Packers can't afford to lose any defensive talent at this point.
All of that being said, it will be interesting to see what ends up happening over the next couple of weeks. Talks could still pick back up, and both the Packers and Daniels were very adamant about wanting to figure something out with each other. Green Bay certainly doesn't want to lose him, which could make them fold to Daniels' demands, whatever they may be.
Hopefully, both parties will bend a little and it won't take long at all for the Packers and Daniels to come to an agreement on a new deal.
