Greg Jennings made a bold decision when he signed with the Minnesota Vikings. He took the most money offered (five years, $47.5 million, $18 million guaranteed), but he said the Vikings made him feel wanted.
The Vikings, however, did not offer the most talented offense. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's Bob McGinn reported the Packersproposed a deal that averaged $8 million per year. McGinn added the New England Patriots were willing to put up $6 million per year.
So Jennings bypassed the opportunity to team up with two different quarterbacks who have regular season and Super Bowl MVP awards (Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady) for the unspectacular Christian Ponder - and possibly Matt Cassel.
This isn't knocking the decision. NFL players have precious few opportunities to reach free agency in a league without fully-guaranteed contracts. Football is a violent game, and careers can end at any moment. Jennings saw this up close with safety Nick Collins. This is the last major deal that Jennings, 29, will get. I'm all for players maximizing what they can earn on the open market. Players have to do what's best for their families - and that includes factors beyond the football field.
The contrast in quarterbacks, however, is an interesting note.
Follow Kareem Copeland on Twitter @kareemcopeland.
