Bears Extend CB Nathan Vasher

[MoLewisrocks]

He didn't put up Asante pick numbers in 2006, but he had more picks from the get go in his first three seasons including a 2005 Pro Bowl nod. Not a FA either, but a sub $6M per deal.

BEARS EXTEND VASHER

On the same day that the Bears chopped defensive tackle Tank Johnson from the roster, the team signed cornerback Nathan Vasher to a five-year, $28 million extension, with $14 million in guaranteed money, according to Adam Schefter of NFL Network.

Vasher, a fourth-round pick in 2004, has been campaigning for a new deal for more than a year. He was scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent in March 2008.

The new deal replaces the $850,000 in base salary he was scheduled to earn in 2007.

Schefter reports that the Bears plan to extend the contract of cornerback Charles Tillman, who also is slated to hit the open market in March. Tillman was a second-round pick in 2003, and is due to make a whopping $3.545 million in base salary this season.

The willingness of the Bears to pay a bunch of money to cornerbacks is unusual, given that the Tampa 2 defense places a greater emphasis on safety play. Corners in that system typically aren't required to run down the field and cover speedy wideouts. Instead, they are expected to stick their nose into the pile on running plays and handle short zones in the passing game. Indeed, the team that beat the Bears in Super Bowl XLI also uses the Tampa Two defense, and allowed both starting corners to leave via free agency.

If Tillman gets signed to a long-term deal, the franchise tag would be available next year for use a second time on linebacker Lance Briggs. If, however, Briggs reports by Week Ten, his one-year tender would cost at least $8.64 million in 2008.



http://www.profootballtalk.com/rumormill.htm

 

[Lloyd_Christmas]

He didn't put up Asante pick numbers in 2006, but he had more picks from the get go in his first three seasons including a 2005 Pro Bowl nod. Not a FA either, but a sub $6M per deal.

I don't think Asante is going to be swayed at this point by another player's extension. I'm starting to think the jerk might actually hold out until week 10.

Don't buckle BB! Don't trade him! We have screwed this up already before, that is why we are in this situation yet again. Hold firm. I'd like to see them keep his A-S-S benched all year. Good luck getting a big contract next year when you haven't played for an entire season you ***CLOWN!

 

[BelichickFan]

I agree it probably won't sway him - that's a pretty good comp other than Samuel has a touch more bargaining power due to his being a Franchised UFA. Vasher was only a year away, though, if Samuel wants to get a deal done this is a good starting point.

 

[PatsFanInVa]

I don't think Asante is going to be swayed at this point by another player's extension. I'm starting to think the jerk might actually hold out until week 10.

Don't buckle BB! Don't trade him! We have screwed this up already before, that is why we are in this situation yet again. Hold firm. I'd like to see them keep his A-S-S benched all year. Good luck getting a big contract next year when you haven't played for an entire season you ***CLOWN!

Here's the link from PFT (it's actually a Rotoworld link), where people speculate that this might "frame" a deal for Samuel.

http://www.rotoworld.com/content/playerpages/player_main.aspx?sport=NFL&id=2826

I have no idea what goes through the minds of guys like Asante. I am pretty sure he and his agent know BB "blinking" will consist of trading his buttocks into NFL obscurity.

Hey, if you're looking for a fallback position rather than insistence on Clements money, this might be it... "I'm as good as Vasher!" might be something his ego can live with, even if he would prefer "I'm as good as Clements!"

Looks like he's a $6M/year hit for 5 years if he were to accept such a deal. I don't think he would actually, but you see deals all the time where the starting position is 10 years and 100M or something, then by the time the deal gets done it's 3 years, 15M, 7M guaranteed. Since all the talk has been about promises about not franchising next year, it might be a totally different tactic to come back with an offer of length of contract instead of maximum dollars -- actually coming up with the new contract now pretty much obviates all the discussion of not franchising him next year.

That puts risk back on the Pats, but he could sweeten the deal by lowering the total risk -- i.e., by putting them on the hook for moderate totals over 5 years. For whatever reason, I think the NE brass says "You're worth X if we sign it now..." And "whatever reason" probably equates to predictably high production. At some point the risk and the reward seek their equilibrium, and Asante becomes a good deal for a multiyear contract.

But I don't think he comes down this much... or for that matter, I don't think he comes down far enough for the Pats to call the risk/reward equation acceptable.

But hell, the future is unwritten.

Do what ya gotta do, Asante... and if it doesn't work out, thanks for the memories. PS, if you make it work, and go on to produce? These fans will love you as long as you're a Patriot, and you'll always be in the running for a ring. Don't sell that too short.

PFnV

 

[zippo59]

That seems like reasonable money, but Asante is saying that reasonable is not going to cut it.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

I don't think Asante is going to be swayed at this point by another player's extension. I'm starting to think the jerk might actually hold out until week 10.

Don't buckle BB! Don't trade him! We have screwed this up already before, that is why we are in this situation yet again. Hold firm. I'd like to see them keep his A-S-S benched all year. Good luck getting a big contract next year when you haven't played for an entire season you ***CLOWN!

Great, then we could just pay him $3M for nothing and see what that gets us. Oh, and we could just let him walk in 2008 and get a late 2nd day comp pick if we're lucky or we could always re-tag him for $9.5M and watch him sign that sucker in 30 seconds...

Bill isn't in the business of ball busting, he's in the business of building teams that win championships. He'll do what is best for this team this year and this organization in the coming years - and I doubt any of that will involve benching or making examples of players over business issues. The only thing that would show the rest of them is the organization is vindictive. It's enough that the fan base is.

BTW from what we know they have already offered him a deal that "averaged" $6M per. I assume it's for 4-6 years. Could be the offer is a tad backloaded salary wise though or it was the short version (4). The devil is in the details, i.e. how much in signing bonus and how much guaranteed. He seemed to almost take offense that Thomas got $20M of his $35M guaranteed, so they were obviously offering Asante something well south of that. Nowadays these guys all seem to want the 50% guarantee, but you aren't going to get that here unless the average you allow them to work with is somewhat discounted. Thomas' was. As was Seymour's in terms of years (3). As was Brady's.

 

[PatsFanInVa]

Great, then we could just pay him $3M for nothing and see what that gets us. Oh, and we could just let him walk in 2008 and get a late 2nd day comp pick if we're lucky or we could always re-tag him for $9.5M and watch him sign that sucker in 30 seconds...

Bill isn't in the business of ball busting, he's in the business of building teams that win championships. He'll do what is best for this team this year and this organization in the coming years - and I doubt any of that will involve benching or making examples of players over business issues. The only thing that would show the rest of them is the organization is vindictive. It's enough that the fan base is.

BTW from what we know they have already offered him a deal that "averaged" $6M per. I assume it's for 4-6 years. Could be the offer is a tad backloaded salary wise though or it was the short version (4). The devil is in the details, i.e. how much in signing bonus and how much guaranteed. He seemed to almost take offense that Thomas got $20M of his $35M guaranteed, so they were obviously offering Asante something well south of that. Nowadays these guys all seem to want the 50% guarantee, but you aren't going to get that here unless the average you allow them to work with is somewhat discounted. Thomas' was. As was Seymour's in terms of years (3). As was Brady's.

Details indeed. It seems that there's raw value, then there's risk-loading, and the team develops an idea of risk discounting just as value can be quantified. For example, Seymour, Brady, and AD are all guys proven for multiple years at a high level -- even then, AD takes the hit on total dollars in order to load risk on the Pats, i.e., guarantee well north of that 50% point.

Probably in Asante's case, he sees himself as establishing a trend line peaking in his 06 performance, which will only get better. The Pats see him as performing at a standout level a grand total of once. He sees himself as a lock to not only perform to last year's heights, but to surpass them. The Pats see him as not proven to hold that level.

Then there is the relative value the two parties put on Samuel's 06 performance. Does he really believe the Pats need to think about that as worth the $10M/annum price range? If so he's just trying to get the hell out of dodge. He knows some teams will do that, but NE is not likely to.

You wonder what it would take in terms of the combination... from what I've seen Samuel and his agent have made one basic proposition on that front, pay me the highest in the game, essentially. Uh, no.

PFnV

 

[VJCPatriot]

I think if Samuel will accept a Vasher type deal that the Patriots will open the purse strings. That is a very fair offer, I think. If he won't come down, then he can play for the franchise tender. I don't think the Pats should back down and deal Asante. Basically tell him - play this year or don't play at all.