GREEN BAY, Wis. — The Green Bay Packers are in the market for a new starting center after Pro Bowl selection Scott Wells agreed Friday to a four-year deal with the St. Louis Rams.
Wells' agency broke the news on Twitter. The St. Louis Post Dispatch is reporting that Wells' contract will guarantee $13 million with incentives that could bring it up to $25.5 million.
Wells turned 31 in January, but Packers coach Mike McCarthy spoke very highly of him at his season-ending press conference.
"He's a heck of a football player," McCarthy said. "I told Scott I hope we're working together again next year. I think he's done an excellent job the last couple of years.
"I would say he's clearly the best lineman we've had this year, as far as performance."
One possible option to replace Wells could have been Houston Texans center Chris Myers, but he signed a new deal with Houston on Friday. Other free-agent possibilities are Indianapolis' Jeff Saturday, New England's Dan Koppen and Oakland's Samson Satele. Of that group, Satele is by far the youngest at 27. Saturday is a 13-year veteran who will turn 37 in June.
While general manager Ted Thompson could look to draft his next starting center, that would be a lot of responsibility for such a young player -- snapping the ball on every play to the NFL's Most Valuable Player.
Other options would be to convert T.J. Lang or Josh Sitton -- Green Bay's two starting guards -- to center or to see if backup Evan Dietrich-Smith could handle the role.
Sitton doesn't think it will be him, though.
"I would put my money on Lang being moved to center, if anything," Sitton posted on Twitter. "Not me!"
Wells was a seventh-round draft pick (251st overall) by Green Bay in 2004 prior to Thompson becoming the team's general manager.
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