Heading into 2016, the Packers should have about 20 players entering the final year of their contract. About a half dozen of them will be starters including Josh Sitton (center). Credit: Rick Wood

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Heading into their 2010 Super Bowl XLV-winning season, the Green Bay Packers were bursting at the seams with players in the final year of their contracts, all determined to make a good impression.

Some of them cashed in big, either with the Packers or with another team, as a result of playing the best football of their careers.

In November of that year, cornerback Tramon Williams signed a four-year, $33 million extension. In December linebacker Desmond Bishop signed a four-year, $19 million extension. In March of 2011, linebacker A.J. Hawk signed a five-year, $33.75 million free-agent deal (after the Packers voided his previous deal by not making a $10 million payment) and safety Charlie Peprah signed a two-year, $2.25 million extension.

After the lockout, kicker Mason Crosby re-signed for five years and $14.75 million, fullback John Kuhn signed for three years and $7.6 million and receiver James Jones signed for three years, $9.7 million.

It was all money the Packers were happy to pay since these were core players who had helped win the organization's fourth Super Bowl title. They could have spent much more had they chosen to re-sign Cullen Jenkins, Daryn Colledge, Brandon Jackson, Jason Spitz and Korey Hall, who signed with other teams for a combined $70 million.

Whether it was financial incentive or competitive drive that steered that team to a title is debatable. But until 2014, the Packers were never in that position of having so many potential free agents again.

They had 16 players in the final year of their contract in 2010, but just 10 in '11, 11 in '12 and 14 in '13. The last two years, they've allowed that number to grow and heading into the 2016 season, they could have 21 or more players on the roster playing for new contracts.

It's an interesting evolution, regardless if it's a shift in the way general manager Ted Thompson is doing business or simply a matter of circumstance.

Since 2010, an argument could be made that coach Mike McCarthy's last two teams were his best. The Packers were a possession or two away from playing in two straight NFC Championship Games regardless of their shortcomings.

In '14, they had 15 players who were in the final year of their contract on their projected 53-man roster, and in '15, they had 19.

Heading into '16, at least seven starters will be in the final year of their contract, including four of the top six offensive linemen, Josh Sitton, T.J. Lang, David Bakhtiari and JC Tretter. Running back Eddie Lacy and inside linebacker Sam Barrington also are headed for free agency.

Ditto for punter Tim Masthay, safety Micah Hyde and linebacker Julius Peppers.

The Packers' penchant for allowing players to reach the final year of their deals isn't new. They have only agreed to contract extensions when the deals have been friendly for them or the recipient was Aaron Rodgers or Clay Matthews.

Last week, they agreed to terms on a one-year deal worth $2.75 million with free agent tight end Jared Cook. According to a source with access to NFLPA salary data, Cook's deal includes an $825,000 signing bonus, a $75,000 roster bonus, a base salary of $1.425 million, a $25,000 workout bonus and a per-game roster bonus of $400,000 maximum.

In most cases, especially with someone who's only 28 years old, the Packers would have sought a longer deal in which they could have spread out some of the $2.75 million salary cap hit this year. But Cook wanted a one-year deal to prove he's still the guy who received a five-year, $35 million free-agent contract from St. Louis three years ago. The Packers seemed to have no problem with that.

"You always want longevity, but the chance to play in an offensive system like this one and a chance to build a rapport, it could turn into something bigger in the long run," Cook said on a conference call Tuesday. "We're just going to take this one year and grind it out and see what happens."

The Packers know there's a risk in settling for a one-year deal. Cook could flourish with Aaron Rodgers as his quarterback and the team would be forced to pay big money next year to retain him.

On the other hand, they have someone who is motivated to cash in next year. The only way he can do that is to have a big season.

The Packers have been more willing to do short-term deals in recent years. Twice, they agreed to one-year deals with nose tackle B.J. Raji. They signed linemate Letroy Guion to consecutive one-year deals before finally agreeing to a three-year, $11.25 million deal in February.

When free agent linebacker Nick Perry came to them and suggested a short-term deal that would allow him another chance at proving himself they agreed to it. Originally, Perry told friends, he was going to accept a two-year, $10 million deal, but in the end he and the Packers agreed on one-year, $5 million.

That's a significant cap hit for one year, but in the final year of his contract in 2015, Perry doubled his number of pressures and came into his own in the playoffs, notching 3½ sacks and playing solid run defense. The Packers are giving him another opportunity to prove he's worthy of a big contract.

In the final years of their deals last year, Mike Daniels, Mason Crosby, Perry, Guion, James Starks, Mike Neal and Casey Hayward all stayed healthy for the majority of the year and had arguably the best or one of the best seasons of their careers. Daniels was rewarded with a four-year, $41 million deal in December and Crosby signed a four-year, $16.1 million deal after the season.

Going back to 2014, you can also see what being in a "contract" year can do for a player's performance.

Receiver Randall Cobb led the team in yards after the catch and 20-plus receptions in '14, making it imperative the Packers re-sign him (four years, $40 million). Right tackle Bryan Bulaga missed only one game, was an outstanding run blocker and only gave up four sacks making it equally necessary to keep him (five years, $33.75 million).

Cornerback Davon House and safety Sean Richardson stayed healthy for the most part, and both signed deals that shocked many observers.

The Packers' best-case scenario for 2016 looks something like this: The younger free agents — Lacy, Perry, Masthay, Cook, Barrington, Hyde, Bakhtiari, Tretter and Datone Jones (if the Packers don't exercise his fifth-year option) — come back dead set on having the best years of their career and provide the lift that gets the Packers beyond the NFC Championship.

It wouldn't be surprising to see Neal, maybe working on a one-year deal, and fellow outside linebacker Jayrone Elliott and nose tackle Mike Pennel, who will both be restricted free agents next year, chipping in also.

There are plenty of examples where players in contract years have flopped. But the Packers, whether intentionally or not, have created a subset of players in the locker room motivated to cash in after the season.

Cook, for one, made it clear where he stands.

"This is an amazing opportunity that I have in front of me, and I intend to make the best out of it," Cook said. "I know what Coach McCarthy and Aaron Rodgers and Edgar Bennett and all those guys in this offense bring to the table for me and for the players to succeed in Green Bay as a whole. So it's an opportunity that I intend to take the most out of."

EXTRA INCENTIVE?

Packers who are entering the final year of their contracts:

OLB Julius Peppers

OLB Nick Perry

TE Jared Cook

G Josh Sitton

G T.J. Lang

P Tim Masthay

RB Eddie Lacy

OT David Bakhtiari

C JC Tretter

S Micah Hyde

DE Josh Boyd

ILB Nate Palmer

ILB Sam Barrington

OLB Jayrone Elliott (restricted)

NT Mike Pennel (restricted)

S Chris Banjo (restricted)

TE Justin Perillo (restricted)

G Josh Walker (exclusive)

Possible others:

OLB Datone Jones (if fifth year voided)

FB John Kuhn (free agent)

LS Brett Goode (free agent)

OLB Mike Neal (free agent)

Related: 2016 Green Bay Packers salaries