Tyrone McKenzie and Sergio Kindle: a tale of two injuries

[ctpatsfan77]

This came to mind as a result of the recent game, but it's interesting, nevertheless.

As you probably recall, McKenzie, a third-round pick, injured himself during rookie minicamp, tearing his ACL, and ending up on IR. The Patriots ended up signing him to a four-year deal, with a signing bonus of over $600,000.

He ended up losing about $170,000 because of the injury (because, e.g., it meant he counted as a rookie this year), but his contract was designed to give him the chance to recoup that money.

On the other hand, Kindle, a second-round pick for the Ravens, injured himself in a fall at his home in Texas in July. Like McKenzie, he had yet to sign his rookie contract.

So what did the Ravens sign him to a couple of weeks ago?

A one-year rookie minimum contract, with no signing bonus.

I don't know if it can be entirely ascribed to the differences in how they were injured, but what does it say that a second-round pick can potentially lose his entire signing bonus over an injury like this? [Remember that the contract makes him an ERFA, so they don't ever have to give him a signing bonus.]

 

[WhiteWesWelker88]

A healthy Kindle on Baltimore's D would be death sentence for many teams.


he would compliment that already overly aggressive unit.

 

[Calciumee]

A healthy Kindle on Baltimore's D would be death sentence for many teams.


he would compliment that already overly aggressive unit.

Really? I read in loads of places, that he was overrated, and would struggle to play at a high level in the pros.

 

[USCPatriot]

Really? I read in loads of places, that he was overrated, and would struggle to play at a high level in the pros.

Overrated doesn't mean he still won't be effective. Adalius has always been a tad overrated, one of the reasons he had such great success in Baltimore was because of Ray Lewis among other team mates. People would game plan against Ray which cleared the way for AD to swoop in there and make plays. Not to say that Bart Scott nor Terrell Suggs is good but Ray Lewis groomed both of them ALONG with AD. If you keep inserting fresh legs into the same position for 10 years straight, that position is sure to be dominant.

 

[DarrylS]

Overrated doesn't mean he still won't be effective. Adalius has always been a tad overrated, one of the reasons he had such great success in Baltimore was because of Ray Lewis among other team mates. People would game plan against Ray which cleared the way for AD to swoop in there and make plays. Not to say that Bart Scott nor Terrell Suggs is good but Ray Lewis groomed both of them ALONG with AD. If you keep inserting fresh legs into the same position for 10 years straight, that position is sure to be dominant.

Ray Lewis is 35 years old, and has been dominant for years.. but have to wonder how long this will last given his age.

 

[stinkypete]

Ray Lewis is 35 years old, and has been dominant for years.. but have to wonder how long this will last given his age.

We've all been wondering that for years. I've been wondering how long Lewis will last since 2004. Ray Lewis is the Payton Manning of defensive players. I will no longer doubt him until he shows me he's done.

 

[convertedpatsfan]

It's simply a business move by the Ravens, maybe not a good one long-term, but business nonetheless.

McKenzie's situation was different as he received an injury protection agreement before showing up for mini-camp.

 

[patsfaninpa]

This came to mind as a result of the recent game, but it's interesting, nevertheless.

As you probably recall, McKenzie, a third-round pick, injured himself during rookie minicamp, tearing his ACL, and ending up on IR. The Patriots ended up signing him to a four-year deal, with a signing bonus of over $600,000.

He ended up losing about $170,000 because of the injury (because, e.g., it meant he counted as a rookie this year), but his contract was designed to give him the chance to recoup that money.

On the other hand, Kindle, a second-round pick for the Ravens, injured himself in a fall at his home in Texas in July. Like McKenzie, he had yet to sign his rookie contract.

So what did the Ravens sign him to a couple of weeks ago?

A one-year rookie minimum contract, with no signing bonus.

I don't know if it can be entirely ascribed to the differences in how they were injured, but what does it say that a second-round pick can potentially lose his entire signing bonus over an injury like this? [Remember that the contract makes him an ERFA, so they don't ever have to give him a signing bonus.]

Kindle was at home and probably hammered when his incident happened. McKenzie's injury occurred at a practice. Major, major, major difference.

 

[TheGodInAGreyHoodie]

Big difference.

One was hurt playing football for the team, the other was not.

Had NE done to McKenzie what the Ravens did to Kindle, agents would tell rookies to skip minicamp, OTAs, etc in NE until a contract is signed, and would have a long term negitive impact on the franchise. Not the case with the Raven's handling of Kindle.

 

[patsfan-1982]

McKenzie, was a low 3rd round pick and Kindle, was a high 2th round pick thats a Big difference in money IMO the pats would have done the same thing

 

[RussFrancis]

I thought Id heard one report that Kindle may actually never play football again? And that's a report Id hope to be wrong. But did anyone else hear the same? And not real sure what it would have been based on, I suppose the head trauma and its impact, but it could explain the one-year contract.

 

[patchick]

McKenzie, was a low 3rd round pick and Kindle, was a high 2th round pick thats a Big difference in money IMO the pats would have done the same thing

I really don't think the round where they were selected had anything to do with it. When an unsigned rookie shows up for minicamp, it's under the agreement that the team will sign him to a slot deal even in the case of injury. It's the teams obligation, whether the player is the #1 overall pick or Mr. Irrelevant.

The Ravens had no such obligation to Kindle. Even so, though, they likely would have ponied up if they still had high expectations of him. This deal is simply the minimum they had to do to keep his rights, just in case, but it looks like they don't hold out a lot of hope -- which makes sense, given Kindle's overall medical history.

As freakish as the accident was, it didn't happen in a vacuum. A lot of us on the draft board crossed Kindle off our lists as wayyyyyy too risky. Before the draft he was reported to require complicated knee surgery, had a history of concussions, an ADD diagnosis, plus of course the narcolepsy that led to the accident.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

I really don't think the round where they were selected had anything to do with it. When an unsigned rookie shows up for minicamp, it's under the agreement that the team will sign him to a slot deal even in the case of injury. It's the teams obligation, whether the player is the #1 overall pick or Mr. Irrelevant.

The CBA doesn't actually say anything about the whole "slotting" aspect.

But, in any case, why not sign him to, say, a two-year deal with PT incentives in year two to at least give him the chance to recoup some of that SB money?

 

[realtime]

A healthy Kindle on Baltimore's D would be death sentence for many teams.


he would compliment that already overly aggressive unit.

A healthy and in-his-prime Ronnie Lott on Baltimore's D would also be a death sentence for many teams. But that is about as likely as a healthy Kindle on Baltimore's D.

 

[TheGodInAGreyHoodie]

The CBA doesn't actually say anything about the whole "slotting" aspect.

True. But there has always been a tacit agreement between the agents/players and teams. If NEP had broken ranks on this every agent would be telling players to stay away until a formal contract was signed.

 

[Rob0729]

A healthy Kindle on Baltimore's D would be death sentence for many teams.


he would compliment that already overly aggressive unit.

There are no guarantees of that. Remember how Vernon Gholston was supposed to be a stud sack master and he was far more highly rated than Kindle was. The draft is a crapshoot and there are no guarantees of anything especially as you start to drop out of the first round.

He looked to be a good fit for the Ravens' D, but there is no guarantee he would have or ever will be a great player in the NFL.

 

[realtime]

As freakish as the accident was, it didn't happen in a vacuum. A lot of us on the draft board crossed Kindle off our lists as wayyyyyy too risky. Before the draft he was reported to require complicated knee surgery, had a history of concussions, an ADD diagnosis, plus of course the narcolepsy that led to the accident.

Exactly. I have no doubt the Ravens were planning to take Gronk with that pick and got caught with their pants down when the Pats traded ahead of them.

 

[Ron Sellers]

McKenzie, was a low 3rd round pick and Kindle, was a high 2th round pick thats a Big difference in money IMO the pats would have done the same thing

I can't figure out for sure what you are saying.

Are you saying that if an early 2nd round draft choice blew out his knee on the first day of training camp then the Pats would not give him the contract that a player drafted in that slot would reasonably expect to make? But a late 3rd (or later) round pick would be offered the full amount in that same circumstance?

 

[patchick]

But, in any case, why not sign him to, say, a two-year deal with PT incentives in year two to at least give him the chance to recoup some of that SB money?

We don't actually know which side wanted it this way. If Kindle's confident he can be in great shape by Spring, maybe he could negotiate a better 2nd-year deal this way.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

We don't actually know which side wanted it this way. If Kindle's confident he can be in great shape by Spring, maybe he could negotiate a better 2nd-year deal this way.

How? A one-year tender makes him an ERFA, which gives him no leverage at all; all they have to do to keep him is offer him a tender at the appropriate minimum.