Top 10 NFL Supplemental Draft picks who made their mark in the league: Mike Wahle

 

By Nick Igbokwe

Modified Jun 20, 2023 14:53 GMT

The NFL Supplemental Draft is set to return in July for the first time in four years, giving all 32 teams a chance to surrender future draft picks in exchange for prospects deemed ineligible for April's traditional draft.

The upcoming NFL Supplemental Draft will be a fantastic way for franchises to select fresh candidates, and it is another route for much-maligned prospects to live their NFL dream.

Before the 2023 NFL Supplemental Draft, let's look at ten of the most excellent picks in Supplemental Draft history. Without further ado, let's get to it.

Top 10 NFL Supplemental Draft Picks of all-time

Here are ten of the finest picks in Supplemental Draft history.

10. Terrelle Pryor, QB/WR, Oakland Raiders

The Raiders took a chance on the controversial but talented Pryor, who did a decent job repaying their faith.

Pryor threw nine touchdowns and tossed 11 picks with the Raiders, and given his massive size and explosive speed, a switch to wide receiver was logical. And while he never quite lived up to his high-school hype in the NFL, we have to hand it to Pryor for eclipsing the 1,000-yard mark in 2017 as a wideout in Cleveland, in only his second season playing that position. He reeled in 77 passes on 140 targets that year, but injuries ultimately sapped some of his juice, and Pryor's last season in 2018 featured just 22 catches and 252 yards receiving.

9. Bobby Humphrey, RB, Denver Broncos

Humphrey started his NFL career positively after being selected in the first round of the supplemental draft in 1989. As a member of the Broncos, he rushed for 1,151 yards and followed with a 1,202-yard campaign at 4.2 yards per attempt in 1990, the latter year earning him a spot in the Pro Bowl. He became the first Bronco to run for 1,000-plus yards in back-to-back years. His career later faded away after his ill-advised holdout during the 1991 season. He later closes out his NFL career as a member of the Miami Dolphins, putting up decent and efficient numbers.

8. Jared Gaither, OT, Baltimore Ravens

Following a three-year stint with the Ravens and spending the entire 2010 campaign on injured reserve, Gaither played with the Chiefs and had a three-year stay with the Chargers. He started 37 games in his NFL career and was typically one of the steadier albeit unspectacular left tackles in the league.

7. Josh Gordon, WR, Cleveland Browns

For all of Josh Gordon's controversies as an NFL player, even his most prominent critic must admit he was an excellent wide receiver. As a 22-year-old, he led the NFL with 1,646 yards receiving in just 14 games while catching passes from Jason Campbell, Brandon Weeden, and Brian Hoyer, an awe-inspiring feat. He earned first-team All-Pro nods in 2013 as a result.

However, Gordon's issues with substance abuse ended up being his kryptonite, as he never reached such high levels for the rest of his career. He even missed two full NFL seasons due to suspensions. He was last seen tearing it up in the XFL as he attempted to show NFL franchises that he still has enough gas left in the tank to play some rotational role.

6. Mike Wahle, OG, Carolina Panthers

After going in the second round of the 1998 supplemental draft, Wahle went on to have an 11-year NFL tenure, including 152 games played and an All-Pro nod in 2005 with the Panthers.

But it was with those good Packers teams in the late 1990s and early 2000s which Wahle cut his teeth. Before signing in Carolina, he was the club's full-time starter from 2001 to 2004.

5. Ahmad Brooks, LB, Cincinnati Bengals

Ahmad Brooks was selected in the third round of the 2006 supplemental draft. He was chosen by the Cincinnati Bengals, who saw a lot of potential in the Virginia alum. Brooks spent two seasons in Cincy before joining the San Francisco 49ers, where he made a name for himself as a dominant linebacker.

Brooks totaled 335 tackles, 88 QB hits, 71 tackles for loss, 51.5 sacks, 28 passes defended, three fumble recoveries, and three picks as a critical cog in the middle of the 49er's defense. He was a two-time second-team All-Pro performer and made one Pro Bowl.

4. Rob Moore, WR, New York Jets

The Jets took Moore in the first round of the 1990 supplemental draft, and he immediately paid dividends for the offense. He recorded 50 or more receptions and 700 or more receiving yards in four of his first five NFL seasons, including his breakout in 1994 when he topped 1,000 yards for the first time.

Moore left the Jets in the mid-90s and joined the Arizona Cardinals. He had two more 1,000-yard seasons while setting career highs in receptions (97), yards (1,584), and touchdowns (eight) in 1997. Moore is ranked 10th all-time in receiving yards and touchdowns, placing 12th in receptions in Cardinals' history.

3. Bernie Kosar, QB, Cleveland Browns

For a good reason, Bernie Kosar went number one in the 1985 supplemental draft. Had he not graduated in his junior year, he would have been a high Draft pick in the regular draft. Kosar entered the league with plenty of fanfare after an illustrious two-year career in Miami with the Hurricanes, in which the team won its first national title and the Fiesta Bowl the following season.

He threw for 23,301 yards, 124 TDs, and 87 interceptions over his 13-year NFL career, including stints with the Browns, Miami Dolphins, and Dallas Cowboys. He was a two-time Pro Bowler, winning a Super Bowl in Dallas while working as Troy Aikman's backup in 1994.

2. Jamal Williams, DT, Los Angeles Chargers

Jamal Williams turned a second-round NFL Supplemental Draft selection by the Los Angeles Chargers into a 13-year NFL career with three All-Pro and three Pro Bowl selections. That, by all means, is a testament to how important the NFL Supplemental Draft is to find diamonds in the rough.

Williams ended his career with 443 tackles (55 for loss), 13 sacks, four forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries and one defensive touchdown. The Los Angeles Chargers were always one of the NFL's best defensive teams with Williams in the squad.

1. Cris Carter, WR, Philadelphia Eagles

It was never in doubt, as Cris Carter is the name you immediately think of when Supplemental Draft comes to mind. Carter remains the only former supplemental draft pick in the Hall of Fame. The Ohio State University alum had three productive but rocky years with the Eagles. Still, after he left for the Minnesota Vikings, he became a different player. In Minnesota, Carter earned three All-Pro selections, became an eight-time Pro Bowler, and was an NFL 1990s All-Decade Team member.

He had his first 1,000-yard season in 1993 (1,071 yards), starting eight straight years with 1,000 or more receiving yards. He also had seven seasons with 80 or more receptions and six with double-digit touchdowns. Carter ranks fourth all-time in league history for touchdown receptions (130), sixth in receptions (1,101), and 13th in receiving yards (13,899). He is the greatest Supplemental Draft pick in NFL history, and it's not even close.

Bidwell, Wahle to be featured alumni this week

Wednesday, Sep 25, 2019 08:15 AM

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The Green Bay Packers are welcoming back featured alumni Josh Bidwell and Mike Wahle for the Packers-Eagles game on Thursday, Sept. 26.

Leading up to the game, the alumni will be signing autographs and visiting with fans at the Lambeau Field Atrium on Wednesday, Sept. 25, from 11 a.m. to noon.

Wahle will be visiting with fans and signing autographs at surprise locations around Lambeau Field on gameday from 5:50 to 6:50 p.m. Bidwell will be visiting with fans and signing autographs during that same time in the Legends Club on the Associated Bank Club Level, an area accessible to game attendees with suite or club seat tickets, as a guest of the ‘Alumni Meet and Greet.

Mike Wahle was selected by the Green Bay Packers in the second round the NFL’s 1998 supplementary draft out of Navy, and he spent seven seasons with the team. A highly durable left guard, Wahle was an important piece of an offensive line that provided protection for quarterback Brett Favre, and his consistency bolstered the offensive line as he played in every single game during six of his seven seasons in Green Bay.

Selected by the Green Bay Packers in the fourth round of the 1999 draft, Josh Bidwell spent four seasons with the team and holds the record for most consecutive punts without a block, with 308. An extraordinarily effective punter in helping out his coverage teams, his 35.5-yard career net average ranks third in team annals. Equally dangerous as a placement punter, his 85 career punts inside the 20 rank third in Packers history.

Top 11 all-time NFL players from service academies

Published: May 23, 2019 at 06:11 p.m.

Chase Goodbread

In honor of Memorial Day, NFL.com looks back at 11 of the best NFL players to come from the service academy (Army, Navy and Air Force) football programs.

5) Mike Wahle, OG, Navy

Pro teams: Green Bay Packers (1998-2004), Carolina Panthers (2005-07) and Seattle Seahawks (2008).

Wahle was a three-sport athlete in high school and arrived at the Naval Academy as a wide receiver. Several years later, he had grown into a standout offensive lineman, but he was asked to resign his commission before his senior season at Navy. The Green Bay Packers selected him in the supplemental draft with a second-round selection, and he went on to a 10-year NFL career. He started 138 games and earned a Pro Bowl nod with the Carolina Panthers in 2005.

10 Best Players Ever Taken in the NFL Supplemental Draft

By Jay Dee

July 17, 2010

In 1977 the NFL instituted the supplemental draft. They wanted to give players that were unable to enter the regular draft for whatever reason a chance to achieve their dream of playing professional football.

The league also wanted to give teams another opportunity to fill out their rosters in the offseason.

If you count this year's class of BYU running back Harvey Unga and Illinois nose tackle Josh Price-Brent, there have been 40 players taken in the supplemental draft over the years.

Most never had much of an impact, but some were world class steals for the team the took a chance on them.

Let's have a look at the 10 best supplemental draft players taken in the 33-year history of this "second-chance" draft.

5. Mike Wahle-OG-Navy

Mike Wahle played 11 season in the NFL. He's protected Brett Favre, Jake DelHomme, and Matt Hasslebeck in that time.

In 1998, the Green Bay Packers used a second round pick to get Wahle and he never disappointed.

Wahle reached the Pro Bowl in 2005 while playing for the Carolina Panthers.

I've said it before, if you come from the supplemental draft and stay 11 seasons and reach a Pro Bowl, you deserve some recognition.

Best and Worst of NFL’s Supplemental Draft

The NFL excels — between the combine, free agency, the draft, OTAs and minicamps — at keeping itself in the news year-round. The league all but shuts down, however, in the three to four weeks leading up to training camps, so besides the occasional police blotter item and Brett Favre speculation, what can we talk about?

The supplemental draft, that’s what.

So we take a stroll down supplemental Memory Lane, with both the good and the bad.

The Best Supplemental Draft Picks

1) Cris Carter (Philadelphia, 4th round, 1987)
The gifted Ohio State All-American was also at the center of the Norby Walters scandal, one of the most notorious pay-for-play NCAA episodes of the decade. The Eagles used only a mid-round pick to acquire a player who became one of the best young receivers in the league, before cocaine abuse cut his Philly career short. Once cleaned up, Carter jump-started his career again at Minnesota and retired in 2001 as one of only two receivers in history (at the time) with more than 1,000 catches.

2) Bernie Kosar (Cleveland, 1st round, 1985)
A confluence of unusual and fortunate circumstances — most notably, a bidding war with the USFL and the fact he was poised to graduate with two degrees after just two seasons playing at the University of Miami — allowed Kosar, an Ohio native, to enter the supplemental draft knowing he would play for his hometown Cleveland Browns. Kosar led the Browns to three AFC title games over his first five seasons, only to lose them all, including two infamous heartbreakers vs. Denver (“The Drive,” courtesy of John Elway, and “The Fumble,” courtesy of Earnest Byner).

3) Rob Moore (New York Jets, 1st round, 1990)
Coming out of Syracuse, he drew comparisons to another Orange great, Art Monk, and Moore did his part to deliver. In 10 seasons with the Jets and five with Arizona, Moore caught 628 passes and 48 touchdowns.

4) Mike Wahle (Green Bay, 2nd round, 1998)
Entered the supplemental draft after completing his military commitment for Navy. Though he started at the academy as a wide receiver, Wahle grew into an offensive lineman and eventually became part of the Packers wall that protected Favre during his prime. He later signed as a free agent with Carolina and helped the Panthers reach the Super Bowl. Wahle started 138 of the 152 games of his 11-year career that ended with Seattle in ’08.

5) Jamal Williams (San Diego, 2nd round, 1998)
The only active player on our list, Williams came out of Oklahoma State and grew to become the quintessential space-eater in the Chargers’ 3-4 defense, three times being voted to the Pro Bowl and twice being named first-team All-Pro. Williams was released this offseason, but the Chargers aren’t finished with him. Williams signed with rival Denver, so he gets San Diego twice this season.

Wahle dominates for Seahawks

By Danny O'Neil

May 9, 2008

Guard Brick Wahle brings grit to Hawks

KIRKLAND — Mike Wahle didn't play much for coach Mike Holmgren 10 years ago.

Not on Sundays, anyway.

Wahle was a rookie with Green Bay in 1998, playing only one game after he was drafted from a service academy known for producing officers, not offensive linemen.

He mostly just practiced that first season in Green Bay, but he made an impression. It is one Wahle has reinforced during a 10-year NFL career.

When he was released by Carolina in February, his old coach came calling to plug him in at left guard, the position that was Seattle's sore spot for two years running (or more accurately, in the two years Seattle has struggled to run).

"We needed a player like Mike," Holmgren said.

Someone who's strong and savvy and plays with a snarl.

Wahle's arrival in the NFL constitutes proof of his white-knuckle toughness. He lost 30 pounds in the eight weeks of boot camp before he got to the Naval Academy and then rebuilt himself into an NFL prospect in just three seasons. He has a shaved head and a personality as strong as his 6-foot-6, 304-pound frame, and prompted at least one comparison to a certain lineman who has been so conspicuous in his absence from the Seahawks these past two years.

"He's the closest thing to Hutch we've had in a long time," said longtime Seahawk Chris Gray, Seattle's backup guard and center.

Two years have passed since Steve Hutchinson left for Minnesota, and still the position remains defined by the man who used to play it in Seattle. The Pro Bowl player with the thick neck and short temper is inevitably going to be the yardstick Wahle will be measured by.

Short-yardage situations haven't been the only shortcomings for Seattle these past two seasons. The Seahawks have missed a personality up front, too, because three years ago the offensive line was this team's nerve center. Hutchinson provided a mile-wide streak of orneriness. Robbie Tobeck served as its sense of humor.

"You lose Tobeck, who would never shut up," Holmgren said, "and then you lose some of the other guys who were a little more vocal. You need somebody to come and kind of be like that."

Holmgren's hope is Wahle will be that somebody, a faith based on the toughness that put Wahle into the NFL in the first place.

Coming out of high school in California, Wahle had one school offering a Division I-A opportunity. That was Navy, which included boot camp as part of its package deal. It cost Wahle 30 pounds partly because a member of his training cadre was not particularly fond of football players. He decided Wahle didn't need to eat anything more than a peanut butter and jelly sandwich at every meal.

Combine that with a training regimen that began with an 8-mile run before breakfast, and Wahle ended up a stick figure.

"Going through boot camp is something that everybody should have to do once," Wahle said. "Honestly. It's one of those things. It's certainly not a choice I would personally like to make, but it's a great experience."

The exit wasn't as grueling, but it wasn't easy, either. Wahle left after his junior season, excused from his service commitment after reaching what he described as a financial settlement with the Navy. He wrote a pretty big check.

So Wahle left the academy and was granted entry into the NFL's supplemental draft. There's no television coverage, no build up. Teams don't call out picks in order. Rather, they're asked to submit a bid, indicating which round they would choose a certain player available in the draft. The lowest bid gets that player with the team that chooses him sacrificing a pick in that round in the subsequent year's draft.

When Wahle awoke the day of the supplemental draft in 1998, he didn't even know what time it began.

"I think I woke up at like 7:30," he said. "I was eating breakfast and they called me. It was a pretty good deal."

He was picked by the Packers with a second-round designation, chosen in Holmgren's final season as Packers coach. Wahle played one game that first season under Holmgren. He hardly saw the sideline, in fact. He and Matt Hasselbeck were two of four players who were usually waived the Friday before the game and re-signed afterward.

But Holmgren saw something in Wahle that season. A toughness that has carried him to a long career and a trait the Seahawks feel they've been missing on the front line these past two seasons.

"He brings an attitude," Holmgren said.

"If you look at our offensive line, those five guys are all a little different," Hasselbeck said, "and he definitely brings something to the team that we didn't have before."

Pro Bowl guard Mike Wahle a good fit for Seahawks

Pro Bowl guard may finally be one to fill Hutch void

May 7, 2008

By CLARE FARNSWORTH

KIRKLAND -- As Julius Jones was heading toward the left side of the line, Mike Wahle suddenly appeared from seemingly nowhere to take out the linebacker and spring Jones up the field for a nice gain.

When Wahle turned to head back to the huddle, he was greeted by line coach Mike Solari, who gave the veteran guard an atta-boy hand slap.

That, in one blur of a block, is the exact reason the Seahawks signed Wahle in February after the Carolina Panthers released him.

At 304 pounds, the 6-foot-6 Wahle is not a mauler who uses his bulk to bully defensive linemen. His game is one of movement and quick strikes.

While he is not Steve Hutchinson -- but then, who is? -- Wahle appears to be the player who can finally fill the voluminous void created when the Seahawks let the All-Pro left guard get away in the free agency after the 2005 season.

"Bringing in a guy like Wahle, that's the closest thing we've had to Hutch in a long time," guard/center Chris Gray said. "It's a great addition for our offense."

Wahle doesn't care to discuss why he's no longer with the Panthers, the team that signed him in free agency in 2005 after he had spent seven seasons with the Green Bay Packers. Despite playing in two Pro Bowls (2005-06), he was unceremoniously cut.

But sources say his release was strictly to create space under the salary cap, and that some in the Panthers' organization were against the move.

Wahle just offers a whatever shrug.

"I'm just happy to be here," he said. "It couldn't have worked out better. With everything that was going on in Carolina, I'm thrilled to be out of there and I'm thrilled to be here."

The feeling is mutual. Club president Tim Ruskell and vice president of player personnel Ruston Webster had given Solari a list of guards who might be available. But all concerned quickly settled on Wahle as the preferred choice.

"We knew he was the guy that fit," Solari said. "It was a no-brainer."

Wahle quickly resurfaced in Seattle for several reasons.

First, Mike Holmgren was the coach in Green Bay when the Packers drafted Wahle in the second round of the 1998 supplemental draft.

"We needed Mike, or a player like Mike," Holmgren said. "He's a veteran. He's been successful. You know he's a good football player. He brings an attitude. He's smart."

But Wahle brings more than past ties to a coach who is in his final season with the Seahawks. His style and athletic ability fit the way Solari likes his linemen to play.

"We want athletic linemen who can pull and move in space," Solari said. "That helps you with different blocking schemes and gives you more variation.

"Mike is athletic and can move in space."

Offered offensive coordinator Gil Haskell: "Wahle is excellent; a great acquisition. You'd like to have about five of those guys."

That's a lot of expectations to step into.

"There's always pressure to perform," Wahle said. "Especially when you come in and one of the things they're looking to do in the offseason is fix the running game.

"But it comes with the territory. I'm a good player. I have confidence in myself. I've been asked to do that every place I've been, and been successful at it. It's just another challenge."

Mike Wahle visits with 'wounded warriors'

December 21, 2007

By WCNC Staff

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- They were welcomed like heroes, but treated like old friends. Mike Wahle and his Panthers teammates immediately understood when they met The Wounded Warriors.

"The first thing that strikes you is their enthusiasm. What an unimportant job I have compared to what they do,” Wahle said.

"What they do" is put their lives on the line in Iraq and the Middle East, where duty is an honor and service comes at a price.

The Wounded Warrior Project uses sports-related outings to pump energy into painful and monotonous recoveries. For many, it’s their first return to a mobility they feared was lost forever. It's exhilarating and thrilling, but none of it overshadows the respect they found in Charlotte.

Marine Staff Sgt. Bobby Moon says, "I wouldn't even call it a sacrifice. When you go to Iraq you know things like this can happen."

For Sgt. Moon, from Dickson, Tenn., "things like this" are IED explosions that claimed all but a sliver of his sight. Others' losses are far more obvious. Mike Wahle and the Panthers never asked and never stared. Instead, they simply took note and listened.

"(We listened) not only the soldiers but their families, and when you saw their families come in and their kids and wives and whatnot, and how attached they were. And how every one of those people spoke of their loved ones,” said Wahle.

Sgt. Moon explained how much it meant to the soldiers.

"It means everything. I had a very nice time sitting down and talking with Mr. Wahle, just about everything. Me, him and Sgt. Bono had a nice time just sitting down,” Moon said.

After that conversation and lunch, the servicemen were welcomed into a Panthers locker-room tradition. "Bin ball" is a staple, but on this day it’s different. Marine Sgt. Edwin Bono took his turn at throwing a ball into a clothing bin in the middle of the locker room from many feet away. His love for motorcycles and dreams of a third tour in Iraq are beyond his grasp, but the energy and the camaraderie of this day deliver every bit as much as a trip down the slopes.

Once the roar died down from winning the "Bin ball" competition, Sgt. Bono learned that shot earned him a spot at the midfield coin toss.

He wasn't able to lead the team onto the field the way he would have liked, but he says, "Those conversations with Mike Wahle and his teammates mean more to one Marine than any ski trip or bike ride ever could. That's an honor. I mean it really was."

Wahle: Complete Package

Fan Q&A: Kris Jenkins
July 19, 2006

Panthers.com

Who has been the toughest offensive guard or tackle that you have faced in the NFL? Tony

There have been a couple of them, but I would probably say the most talented, aggressive guy I have faced, the complete package, is Mike Wahle.

Wahle is the Total Package

Fan Q&A: Evan Mathis
July 5, 2006

Panthers.com

In your opinion what makes Mike Wahle such a great guard and what can you learn from him? Pete, Winston-Salem, NC

Wahle is the total package as a player. Nobody works harder than he does. He is strict on his diet, a student of the game, a great leader, a great athlete, and a great person. I'm just trying to emulate what he does in hopes of having similar success.

Mike Wahle Becomes Highest Paid Offensive Lineman

March 9, 2005

By Roger Brown

It's been a great 10 days or so for Neil Cornrich, the Beachwood-based football agent. One Cornrich client, punter Kyle Richardson, signed a fat free-agent deal with the Browns. A second, guard Mike Wahle, got the richest contract ever for an interior lineman -- a five-year, $28.5 million deal [including bonuses] with Carolina. Yet another, New England guard Stephen Neal, received a massive raise in a one-year deal designed to keep other teams from signing him as a restricted free agent. And a fourth Cornrich client, former Ohio State star cornerback Dustin Fox, greatly improved his April draft prospects by recording a 43.5-inch vertical leap at the NFL Scouting Combine -- second-best overall.

Panthers go deep to sign key pair

Free agents Wahle, Lucas get bonuses of almost $25 million

PAT YASINSKAS
Staff Writer

March 4, 2005

The Carolina Panthers, a team known for staying in shallow free-agent waters in recent years, took a huge plunge Thursday.

With the lure of about $23 million in bonus money, the Panthers landed two elite free agents: Offensive lineman Mike Wahle from Green Bay and cornerback Ken Lucas from Seattle. After not getting a single starter in last year's free-agency period, the Panthers got two on the second day players were allowed to sign with other teams.

"We don't get at this end of the pool a lot," general manager Marty Hurney said.

"But we just felt like the opportunity was right for both these guys as far as being good fits and being our kind of people as well as very good players. We hope they're two guys that will be here for a long time at very important positions for us."

Consider the moves a sign the Panthers believe they're a lot closer to being the Super Bowl team they were in 2003, than the 7-9 squad last season. Although the arrival of Lucas and Wahle might seem a departure from the team's practice of acquiring core players in the college draft, both players are young and fill major areas of needs.

Wahle, who turns 28 this month, signed a five-year deal worth up to $28 million that includes $11.5 million in bonus money split between this year and next. His cap figure for this year will be $2.7 million.

Lucas, 26, signed a six-year deal worth about $6 million a season that includes about $13 million in bonus money.

"(The Panthers) are on the doorstep," Wahle said. "I've been in this league seven years and never been to a Super Bowl. That's real important to me. I think the leadership they have here from the front office and all the way down to the players, I think we're going to be in a good position."

That position, at least on paper, got a lot better. Wahle, who spent all seven seasons with Green Bay, should help an offensive line that struggled after a series of injuries last season. Although the most glaring need seemed to be at right tackle and Wahle's contract is more representative of a tackle than a guard, the immediate plan is to place him at left guard.

"He'll more than likely start at left guard and go from there," coach John Fox said.

If the early plan holds true, Wahle will line up between center Jeff Mitchell and left tackle Jordan Gross. That's a strong trio, but there would still be major questions on the right side. Although the roster could change in free agency or in the draft, the most likely scenario would be for Travelle Wharton to get the first shot at the right tackle job.

Wharton played well after taking over as the starting left guard in the middle of his rookie season, but the team believes he has the tools to play tackle in the NFL. Tutan Reyes was the starting right guard last season and could remain in that role.

"If they need me somewhere else, we'll play somewhere else," Wahle said. "I think just getting the best five guys on the field is the best scenario and what we're looking for."

Guards Wahle, Rivera find big money elsewhere

By TOM SILVERSTEIN
tsilverstein@journalsentinel.com

Posted: March 3, 2005

Green Bay - In refusing to meet the demands of an inflated free-agent market, new Green Bay Packers general manager Ted Thompson allowed the Carolina Panthers and Dallas Cowboys to strip him of two of his most dependable and effective players.

But as difficult as it was to see starting guards Mike Wahle and Marco Rivera walk without compensation Thursday, Thompson felt no regret over the decision and vowed that the Packers would rebuild the position before the start of the 2005 season.

"Those are losses," Thompson said after Wahle signed with the Panthers and Rivera with the Cowboys. "But this is what we do. We work at it and we try to assemble the best team we can, and maybe the next left guard and the next right guard isn't as good as the one we had before.

"But maybe we're a little better somewhere else. That's the way we'll attack it and do the best we can."

The Packers weren't surprised to see Wahle receive a deal that a source with access to NFL Players Association salary data said was worth $28 million over five years and included a two-tiered signing bonus of $11.5 million. But when Rivera received a five-year, $20 million deal that included a $9 million signing bonus from re-energized free spender Jerry Jones, they knew they were overmatched.

Wahle's deal eclipsed the six-year, $32.3 million deal ($11 million in bonuses) signed last year by Packers left tackle Chad Clifton and provided him the second-highest signing bonus for a guard in league history.