2015 NFL Free Agent Signings Thread

[Deus Irae]

Buffalo is taking the plunge:

Free agent tight end Charles Clay has signed with the Bills. Now he’ll wait five days to see if he’ll play for the Bills.

Clay has been tagged as the Dolphins’ transition player, meaning the Dolphins have the right to match any offer sheet Clay signs. Now that Clay has signed, the Dolphins can choose to either match the contract and have Clay on their team this year, or decline to match the offer and let Clay leave for a division rival. The Dolphins will not receive compensation from the Bills if Clay ends up in Buffalo

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/03/17/bills-sign-charles-clay-to-offer-sheet/

 

[ausbacker]

I hope this doesn't make your head explode.. Facts are tricky.. You never know how people like you will re-act.. But here goes.. The Pats have 71 people signed or tendered. They need 8 spots for draftees.. That leaves 11 spots. Those can go to UDFA, UFA or Post-June 1st cuts. Kinda blows up the whole "does bill plan on putting 53 players on the field" over-reaction..

Furthermore, there are still over 200 UFAs currently.. Including such players as Anthony Spencer, Ahtyba Rubin, Red Bryant, Chris Canty, Stephen Wisniewski, Justin Blalock, Javier Arenas, Terence Newman, Charles Tillman, Pierre Thomas, Stevan Ridley, etc, etc..

I don't understand why people can't see that the Patriots settle on a number for their own and available Free Agents and if negotiations push north of those numbers, outside of a special talent, they move on.

Sure, I would like to see some big name guys come in but I trust the Patriots to better and further critique players and their system fit than anyone outside of the organization. As you have mentioned, there is a tonne of potentially reasonably priced veterans remaining as well as trades and the draft.

 

[Ross12]

Looks like Buffalo is wisely attacking Miami's horrific 2016 cap situation with the way they've structured the Clay contract. Breer saying Suh's cap charge next year is $28.6 million and Tannehill's option (assuming it's picked up) will be $16.2 million. Meanwhile, this Clay contract was structured to pay out $24.5 million over this & next year per Vic Carucci. Yikes.

 

[50-yard-line]

24.5 for 2 years for Charles Clay?
Are they insane?

On another note, didn't realize Anthony Spencer was out there. The guy is pretty good from what I've seen. I'm sure Dallas will make a big play to keep him...unless, maybe, if the overpay Hardy.

Still want Rubin and Wisnewski.

 

[The Gr8est]

The idea of Greg Hardy finding a place in this league, let alone anywhere outside of a jail cell disgusts me.

The man should be in jail for a long, long time. Body-slamming your girlfriend over a glass table?

He was convicted/found guilty, appealed said conviction, and eventually settled with the victim. He was not found innocent in a court of law, he simply circumnavigated jail time via his money. As far as anyone can tell, what he was claimed to have done did indeed occur. It's a crying shame that people viewed the settlement as an indication of innocence. Our justice system failed us in this particular case.

I'm incredibly happy that New England is nowhere near this guy. If they signed him, I'd struggle to support the team during his (hypothetical) tenure here.

Shame on Seattle, shame on Dallas.

But, but he's good at football.....

 

[Ross12]

24.5 for 2 years for Charles Clay?
Are they insane?

It could be a longer term deal where they front-loaded it heavily. For instance, say hypothetically it's a 5 year, $35 million deal ($7m avg) but they shoveled $24.5m in the first 2 years, then are only paying out $10.5 over the last 3. They would be front-loading it to make it very hard for Miami to match (which it is).

EDIT: Field Yates just reported "Max compensation over next 5 years for Clay: $38M", so my estimate was most likely very accurate, assuming that $38m includes incentives.

 

[50-yard-line]

It could be a longer term deal where they front-loaded it heavily. For instance, say hypothetically it's a 5 year, $35 million deal ($7m avg) but they shoveled $24.5m in the first 2 years, then are only paying out $10.5 over the last 3. They would be front-loading it to make it very hard for Miami to match (which it is).

It's 5/38 - Yes, they're officially insane.

Demariu Thomas and Dez Bryant are getting 13 million on the FT this year. Do you think this deal makes any sense at all? Clay had 605 receiving yards last year...he's not Gronk...he's not Edelman!

 

[supafly]

24.5 for 2 years for Charles Clay?
Are they insane?

On another note, didn't realize Anthony Spencer was out there. The guy is pretty good from what I've seen. I'm sure Dallas will make a big play to keep him...unless, maybe, if the overpay Hardy.

Still want Rubin and Wisnewski.

I'm not sure Anthony Spencer and the words "pretty good" go together anymore, but we'll have to see.

0.5 sack and 15 tackles since 2012....

The first poor year was due to injury, but he didn't have as much of that excuse last year, and played more than poorly. He was downright pathetic.

On top of that, it seems as though we've filled that role with the signing of Sheard.

 

[goheels22002]

@RapSheet: #Raiders sign RB Trent Richardson to a 2-year worth $3.9M total, source said. It can go up to $4M per year based on incentives.

Oakland Raiders, ladies and gentleman.

Richardson is the perfect running back in a Jack Del Rio offense. The sooner you give the ball back to the other team, the sooner you can try to get a takeaway.

 

[Ross12]

It's 5/38 - Yes, they're officially insane.

Demariu Thomas and Dez Bryant are getting 13 million on the FT this year. Do you think this deal makes any sense at all? Clay had 605 receiving yards last year...he's not Gronk...he's not Edelman!

I took a total shot in the dark at what a Clay contract might look like, so to be dead-on for the years and within $3m total max value is pretty cool

I think that in reality it's a fine contract. I think the TE franchise tag is around 7 or 8 million. Clay isn't necessarily a top 5 TE, but with how the cap is going to rise over the span of these 5 years, by years 4 and 5, $7m per year for a good TE will seem like a good deal.

 

[50-yard-line]

So Scott Chandler, who is much bigger and a better blocker, got 500 receiving yards and 3 TDs last year, was a meh TE2 pickup, but...

Charles Clay, who had 600 receiving yards and 3 tds last year is under a good contract paying out 12.25 million for each of the next two years?

 

[Ross12]

So Scott Chandler, who is much bigger and a better blocker, got 500 receiving yards and 3 TDs last year, was a meh TE2 pickup, but...

Charles Clay, who had 600 receiving yards and 3 tds last year is under a good contract paying out 12.25 million for each of the next two years?

I don't believe we yet know what Chandler's contract terms are. I can't imagine his per year value is much lower than Clay's ($7.6m, not knowing how much of the total $38m is tied to incentives).

FWIW, I would've loved to get either one. Clay would have been more in line with the role Hernandez used to play, Chandler is more of the Y TE. I'm happy to have him.

 

[50-yard-line]

I don't believe we yet know what Chandler's contract terms are. I can't imagine his per year value is much lower than Clay's ($7.6m, not knowing how much of the total $38m is tied to incentives).

FWIW, I would've loved to get either one. Clay would have been more in line with the role Hernandez used to play, Chandler is more of the Y TE. I'm happy to have him.

Clay's FIRST YEAR alone would put the Pats back at the salary cap. I am flabbergasted by the size of that contract.

 

[Ross12]

Clay's FIRST YEAR alone would put the Pats back at the salary cap. I am flabbergasted by the size of that contract.

The contract is only so large in the first 2 years to hurt Miami and make them unable to match. Clay is transition-tagged; Miami has the right to match any offer he is signed to. But with such high first years, they probably won't be able to.

Clay is being paid $12.25 average years one and two, sure, but then is only making $3.5m average years three through five. Buffalo can afford the early salaries and then they're on easy street later in the deal. NE would've had to do similar structuring to steal him from Miami, but it's very unlikely they considered it.

 

[50-yard-line]

The contract is only so large in the first 2 years to hurt Miami and make them unable to match. Clay is transition-tagged; Miami has the right to match any offer he is signed to. But with such high first years, they probably won't be able to.

Clay is being paid $12.25 average years one and two, sure, but then is only making $3.5m average years three through five. Buffalo can afford the early salaries and then they're on easy street later in the deal. NE would've had to do similar structuring to steal him from Miami, but it's very unlikely they considered it.

I understand completely how Buffalo structure it...it's an awful contract for a good player. I'm glad they did it. Had they kept Chandler they would have had a lot more money to go grab other quality players.

Rex is really all about the shiny, isn't he?

 

[supafly]

I don't believe we yet know what Chandler's contract terms are. I can't imagine his per year value is much lower than Clay's ($7.6m, not knowing how much of the total $38m is tied to incentives).

Wow. Definitely can't agree with you on this one, Ross.

I'd be shocked to find out that Scott Chandler's AAV/per year value is 50 percent of Charles Clay's 7.6m million. Even that would place Scott Chandler's AAV at a very high 3.8m dollars per year, which would be shocking. His last deal with BUF was a 2 year deal worth a total maximum value of 4.75million, so--not even 2.5m a year.

I'd have to think that Chandler's per year salary will be no more than about 30 percent of Clay's 7.6m dollars, but obviously I could be quite wrong.

 

[Ross12]

I understand completely how Buffalo structure it...it's an awful contract for a good player. I'm glad they did it. Had they kept Chandler they would have had a lot more money to go grab other quality players.

Rex is really all about the shiny, isn't he?

I do agree there, I don't know why you would release a guy in Chandler only making somewhere around $2m to sign a guy like Clay for way more. Clay could be considered more of a "weapon" I guess, but I don't know if he's a $5+ million per year step up from Chandler. Certainly not a $10 million step up this year.

 

[ashley]

wow, just saw the Clay signing, crazy money....I was wondering when Clay all of a sudden became Gronk

 

[Ross12]

Wow. Definitely can't agree with you on this one, Ross.

I'd be shocked to find out that Scott Chandler's AAV/per year value is 50 percent of Charles Clay's 7.6m million. Even that would place Scott Chandler's AAV at a very high 3.8m dollars per year, which would be shocking. His last deal with BUF was a 2 year deal worth a total maximum value of 4.75million, so--not even 2.5m a year.

I'd have to think that Chandler's per year salary will be no more than about 30 percent of Clay's 7.6m dollars, but obviously I could be quite wrong.

You are probably correct, after I looked up his previous contract I saw he was not making nearly as much as this. I would've still anticipated somewhere around $4-5m a year for him, but I can sometimes overestimate that type of thing - I thought I overestimated on Clay, but turns out I underestimated If indeed he's making less than $4m per year I would say that's a good value considering the state of the TE market.

 

[Gronkowski123]

the bills are fools.