The Facts: Finley’s play in the second half of the season appears to have convinced the Green Bay Packers to bring him back for about $8.25 million in salary and bonuses in 2013.

Diehards Line:Finley, 25, has one year left on the two-year, $14 million contract he signed last February, when the Packers re-signed him based more on potential than performance in his first four seasons in the NFL. He started 2012 poorly, was plagued by an inordinate number of dropped passes, and by halfway through the season appeared in jeopardy getting released in the offseason because of a contract that is paying him like an elite tight end. But he drastically cut his drops later in the season and in the final seven regular-season caught 32 passes for 391 yards. HC Mike McCarthy in his season-ending press conference Tuesday endorsed Finley to a degree that almost certainly means the tight end will be back next season. “I really felt Jermichael Finley was a different man, a different player from the bye week on,” McCarthy said. ... According to Press-Gazette staffer Pete Doughery, one factor McCarthy and GM Ted Thompson probably are considering is the likely departure of receiver Greg Jennings in free agency.