Jeff Demps' contract details and analysis

[MoLewisrocks]

They guaranteed him $211K whether he makes the 53 or not. The thinking is that also might be enough to sneek him through waivers if this team after working with him for 2 weeks doesn't opt to. Again, any team claiming him would be on the hook and have to keep him on their 53 man roster for I believe 3 weeks minimum. I thought PUP might be something they'd contemplate but yesterday on the pre game radio segment Bill said they really don't know what he can do beyond what they've seen on tape and he's been away from football for a while so they intend to get him on the field to start assessing him on Wednesday.

Jeff Demps receives financial commitment from Pats - NFL.com

 

[ClevTrev]

Makes sense. This team is very conservative with roster spots. I expected Demps to have to earn his role.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

They guaranteed him $211K whether he makes the 53 or not. The thinking is that also might be enough to sneek him through waivers if this team after working with him for 2 weeks doesn't opt to. Again, any team claiming him would be on the hook and have to keep him on their 53 man roster for I believe 3 weeks minimum. I thought PUP might be something they'd contemplate but yesterday on the pre game radio segment Bill said they really don't know what he can do beyond what they've seen on tape and he's been away from football for a while so they intend to get him on the field to start assessing him on Wednesday.

IIRC, the three-week rule only applies if you sign a player off another team's practice squad. Teams can waive a player claimed off waivers at any point.

 

[12ClutchFactor]

IIRC, the three-week rule only applies if you sign a player off another team's practice squad. Teams can waive a player claimed off waivers at any point.

That sounds more correct.

 

[West Philly Patriot]

Demps is the 2nd highest paid UDFA in the league this year, coupled with our pedestrian return game, it seems like he would have to look terrible to not get a spot on this team. He will only be asked to return kicks and possibly be a gunner on ST's while he gets into a program to get his weight back.

 

[WhiZa]

IIRC, the three-week rule only applies if you sign a player off another team's practice squad. Teams can waive a player claimed off waivers at any point.

Correct. Demps is/was under the 3-day rule

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

I don't see any GM who thinks a waived Demps has talent that his team needs on the 53 balking at $211K which won't even count against the cap

 

[MoLewisrocks]

IIRC, the three-week rule only applies if you sign a player off another team's practice squad. Teams can waive a player claimed off waivers at any point.

That's right. But if you claim a player off waivers you have to put him on your 53 and unless he remains there he's back to waivers. There will be so many intriguing cuts and so many teams churning rosters based on existing need and early season positional need it's not unthinkable he couldn't make the PS here. Teams will evaluating him essentially blind. Practices going forward are on regular season terms, media only for stretching and not privy to who is doing what with whom. Unless he shows up big in week 3 (when he may not be on the field) or in week 4 (and Bill an be cagey).

They will probably keep him unless he gives them serious pause or injuries force their hand, but the competition will have to decipher what it means if they don't and assume a $200K guaranteed contract blind.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

I don't see any GM who thinks a waived Demps has talent that his team needs on the 53 balking at $211K which won't even count against the cap

All but $11K of it will... It's guaranteed salary, and it will count here if he is waived and no one picks him up, too, whether he lands on our PS or nowhere. And you're forgetting that those same GM's may have bigger needs as they scan the waiver wire than potential.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

All but $11K of it will... It's guaranteed salary, and it will count here if he is waived and no one picks him up, too, whether he lands on our PS or nowhere. And you're forgetting that those same GM's may have bigger needs as they scan the waiver wire than potential.

It only takes one GM who has a need at that position because of injury etc. Or someone whose team needs to sell PSLs.

 

[Rob0729]

If all 32 teams really showed interest in Demps and two or three were hot on him as reported, I don't see any way he passes through waivers. If he has the potential to be a special return guy, I can't see all 31 other teams not willing to use a roster spot on him if he hits waivers.

As far as I know, he hasn't been activated yet. If anything he will hit the regular season PUP and potentially IR if he isn't going to make the 53 man roster.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

If all 32 teams really showed interest in Demps and two or three were hot on him as reported, I don't see any way he passes through waivers. If he has the potential to be a special return guy, I can't see all 31 other teams not willing to use a roster spot on him if he hits waivers.

As far as I know, he hasn't been activated yet. If anything he will hit the regular season PUP and potentially IR if he isn't going to make the 53 man roster.

PUP was my first idea. Bill seemed to blow that out of the water last night saying they plan to assess him on the field starting Wednesday. Because they aren't sure what if anything he is other than a guy who showed some production on tape (albeit little as a returner) and a burner. Bill has chased burners before, it doesn't always translate. Once he practices PUP is out.

 

[ClevTrev]

If Demps is placed on waivers, he's likely gone, but he'd only be in that situation if the team decides he can't cut it. He's probably in for a very active trial as a returner over the next 9 days!

 

[Metaphors]

The other thing to consider is Belichick's reputation in signing free agents. Demps knows that he will have very little time to prove himself between now and the roster cutdown. He had to be looking for a reasonable assurance (pending a wood chipper accident or bout of vertigo) that he was going to be on the roster. Throw in some guaranteed money and you've got a deal.

If Demps is cut, it is almost certain that the Bucs (and likely several others) would put in a claim for him. Now he goes from a free agent that can pick his destination to a waiver wire pickup locked into a team in New Jersey or Minnesota. If I were Demps, I would justifiably be pissed. If I were low-mid level free agent, I would think twice about signing with NE if I had another solid offer.

I'm not saying Demps is guaranteed a roster spot. I just think a roster spot is his to lose and (give the compressed timeframe) he would have to implode to lose it. Sneaking him onto the practice squad seems unlikely and doesn't seem like an option Belichick would be considering when he decided to pursue Demps.

 

[jason423]

All but $11K of it will... It's guaranteed salary, and it will count here if he is waived and no one picks him up, too, whether he lands on our PS or nowhere. And you're forgetting that those same GM's may have bigger needs as they scan the waiver wire than potential.

My gut feeling is that the 200K is guaranteed but with offset provisions meaning at any point if he plays football, including PS, the Patriots receive a credit for the salary paid by another team. Considering most drafted free agents dont get this much in full guarantees I have a hard time believing that the Patriots paid 211K for a tryout. More likely its 11K and then either a raise on the PS or offsets by another team claiming him. At the very least a team putting in a claim after final waivers will have to pay him 1 weeks salary.

 

[patchick]

I suspect that we're reading too much into what the contract "means." I'm pretty sure you would end up with that contract just by following one dead-simple rule:

The hotly recruited UDFA gets the maximum contract possible.

Given rookie contract slotting, UDFA bonus pools, etc., guaranteeing the money is the only way to sweeten the deal. This is exactly the contract you'd expect to see.

As for salary cap repurcussions, given the rule of 51 Demps should have almost no impact on the cap for whatever team he ends up with.

 

[Joker]

8 weeks from now you will have forgotten all about this...instead, you'll all be in the "Demps is a bigger faster Sproles" thread.....

 

[IcyPatriot]

8 weeks from now you will have forgotten all about this...instead, you'll all be in the "Demps is a bigger faster Sproles" thread.....

No way I let him get away ... I think with a year of work he can turn out to be a nice 3rd down back ... maybe even a sometimes WR. I'd love to see him out there running a post pattern even if he's never thrown the damn ball. They'd have to cover him ... right.