Breaking News Per Schefter: Long-term contract for Hernandez!

[shmessy]

Why?

The Gronk, AHern, Brady, Welker combination was going to work together.

Now that the two young studs are signed. There is now a level of certainty that can be planned going forward with Wes.

By age, Gronk and AHern were going to be first. Now the two older guys will work more in tandem.

Something called a salary cap + part of Welker's negotiating position was predicated on the uncertainty of Hernandez being here long-term. This takes that away.

Many (including Bedard) were already projecting Hernandez (based on TC) as being Brady's number #1 go to receiver this year.

 

[reflexblue]

Great, awesome, fantastic, news. Looks like the FO wants to lock up its young stars which means its older star(s) (welker) are now on the outside looking in. IMO Welker should have taken the deal. Not everyone is TFB, welker who has played great for this team is most likely to find out.

 

[Gronkandez]

I wonder if they got a look at some projected cap numbers for 2013 and beyond.

I think you are on to something there. I found it noteworthy that Bob Kraft came out and said the cap will most likely be flat for the next few years and teams who are giving out big contracts will be in big trouble.(paraphrasing) Posturing?

It seems very hard for me to believe the cap will stay flat when the TV revenues go through the roof. Doesn't add up.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

Breer also says the deal is cap friendly and...

Albert Breer‏@AlbertBreer

My understanding is this does NOT preclude Patriots from extending Welker after 2012. But important to remember they weren't close in July.

 

[BelichickFan]

Are you sure? The ESPN announcement said through 2016. In any event, a great development.

You're right, it is great either way - but it's almost certainly 2+5, that's what Shefter, SMY and others are tweeting.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

I think you are on to something there. I found it noteworthy that Bob Kraft came out and said the cap will most likely be flat for the next few years and teams who are giving out big contracts will be in big trouble.(paraphrasing) Posturing?

It seems very hard for me to believe the cap will stay flat when the TV revenues go through the roof. Doesn't add up.

They will stay flat because the TV deals are phased in over the term of the deal and the league has already allowed the NFLPA to borrow in advance from any initial increases in order to avoid a formula driven cap decrease they couldn't face their membership with in the first 4 years of the new CBA.

 

[Rob0729]

Are you sure? The ESPN announcement said through 2016. In any event, a great development.

The New England Patriots have locked up both their young tight ends to long-term extensions after reaching agreement with Aaron Hernandez on a deal through 2018, sources said Monday.

New England Patriots, tight end Aaron Hernandez agree to extension, sources say - ESPN Boston

 

[ausbacker]

 

[MoLewisrocks]

Something called a salary cap + part of Welker's negotiating position was predicated on the uncertainty of Hernandez being here long-term. This takes that away.

Many (including Bedard) were already projecting Hernandez (based on TC) as being Brady's number #1 go to receiver this year.

Given Hernandez was still here for 2-3 years (tag), he was not leverage for Welker. Geting him and Gronk signed to early cap friendly deals actually increases the chances they can get Welker extended because now it's just about the value debate vs. his desire to remain. And you need more than a #1 to succeed in this league. Welker in addition to the two TE's gives him 3 go to guys. We don't know yet how Lloyd will play out long term. Ditto Gaffney. Branch remains but for how long past this season...

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Precisely. This deal makes it more likely that W3 remains a Patriot. Whatever happens, I wish Wes the best. He's earned it.

 

[patsfaninpittsburgh]

Have to wait and see the structure on Ahern's deal but Gronk's wasn't an impediment to signing a WR long term - it's always been about the cost uncertainty with those two, which is no more, coupled with the remaining value of Welker which is now the only issue. The two TE's likely aren't seeing big cap hits until 2015-16. By which time Welker is likely to be done.

Ding, ding, ding....we have a winner.

 

[patsfaninpittsburgh]

Something called a salary cap + part of Welker's negotiating position was predicated on the uncertainty of Hernandez being here long-term. This takes that away.

Many (including Bedard) were already projecting Hernandez (based on TC) as being Brady's number #1 go to receiver this year.

Please review Mo's comments.

This can be revisted with a greater degree of clarity now both are signed.

Clarity does help with something called a salary cap.

 

[Kontradiction]

Yeah, I think Welker got sort of shafted by the Pats. He has done a ton for this team since 2007. I hope he stays, since the Pats will need him in the middle. The offense isn't the same without him in the middle.

No, it most certainly isn't. Without him, the TE's get keyed upon MUCH more than I think a lot of people will realize. So yes, I hope we get a deal done with him. But it depends on how much he will want to stay.

This is great news, though.

 

[BBass]

Precisely. This deal makes it more likely that W3 remains a Patriot. Whatever happens, I wish Wes the best. He's earned it.

I agree I think this deal actually makes it more likely Welker returns. I could see him getting a 2-3 yr contract after the season. The number of WR who got big contracts this year made it difficult for the Patriots to get a deal done this year. I am not really sure who is coming up in 2013.

Either way having Gronk and Hernandez here for the next 5 years is huge to close our Brady's career with reliable big targets.

 

[everlong]

I think the front office has learned some lessons and have realized you can sign the exceptional players to extensions early that benefit both the team and the player and save money and the headache of a holdout. Given how it went down with Branch, Samuel, Mankins and to a lesser extent Wilfork and Seymour it certainly took them a while but I'm ecstatic to see what they've done with Mayo, Gronk and Hernandez.

 

[Ivan]

This is great - five years of Hernandez/Gronk - the core is being established. Mayo is sign through 2016 as well. LLoyd, Mankins, Solder, Gostkowski, Wilfork, and Brady all through 2014 - real top-flight stability for the next few years.

I wonder if they got a look at some projected cap numbers for 2013 and beyond.

All the Welker talk is irrelevant. Welker passed on an offer and went the Franchise Tag route. That worked out great for him. He's the highest paid guy on the team this year. Welker signed his tender knowing that a deal would have to be done before training camp. It didn't happen. Over and out. It's all about performance now and what the market will bear when the season is over. Good luck to him.

What a load of crap. The Patriots lowballed Welker, their offer was dogsh,t. And what this really does is eliminate the garbage argument the Welker bashers have been making that they had to let him go to pay Hernandez.


If it was about Performance Welker would be sitting on a 75 million dollar deal right now because he is sure as hell a much better player than Santonio Holmes or Pierre Garcon, and that's a fact. This is about leverage, the Patriots had it and abused it like few teams before them ever have. The NFLPA should really fight the Welkert tag because the Patriots have violated the CBA by using the tag while not making a serious offer, and Mo Lewis has quoted the article of the CBA in the past that shows that they were required to make a good faith offer, which they didn't even come close to doing.

I'm really happy Hernandez is locked up, but using this news as a reason to take yet another crap on Welker is BS.

 

[patfanken]

Getting this done now is outstanding.

I will be interested to see if there is a similar structure as the Gronk deal, which amounted to two 4 year contracts. 4 years at a very reasonable price and 4 years at a market price, but at the team's option..

I think about this because of a when I read somewhere about the longevity of TE's (or the lack thereof). IIRC, it talked about how all the great TE's from Ditka to Gates all had their best years EARLY....like real early. In fact within their first 3 years. So it makes perfect sense to only have to play Gronk the big money 4 seasons from this one, and only then at the TEAM's option.

I'm wondering if Hernandez took a similarly structured deal.

 

[ivanvamp]

What a load of crap. The Patriots lowballed Welker, their offer was dogsh,t. And what this really does is eliminate the garbage argument the Welker bashers have been making that they had to let him go to pay Hernandez.


If it was about Performance Welker would be sitting on a 75 million dollar deal right now because he is sure as hell a much better player than Santonio Holmes or Pierre Garcon, and that's a fact. This is about leverage, the Patriots had it and abused it like few teams before them ever have. The NFLPA should really fight the Welkert tag because the Patriots have violated the CBA by using the tag while not making a serious offer, and Mo Lewis has quoted the article of the CBA in the past that shows that they were required to make a good faith offer, which they didn't even come close to doing.

I'm really happy Hernandez is locked up, but using this news as a reason to take yet another crap on Welker is BS.

I agree that we shouldn't put the blame on Welker here, but come on. Don't use this to crap on the Pats. The CBA gives the teams and the players the clear rules of engagement. The Patriots want to keep Welker, but they don't want to pay what Welker wants. So they utilize the tool that the CBA calls for - and which the players agreed to - and that's the franchise tag. So they tagged Welker, and Wes will be paid, what, more than $9 million this year. And they now have all year to try to work out an extension if they are able. And if not, they will each make decisions for next year. Welker didn't have to sign the tender, but for his own reasons, he did. The Patriots didn't have to offer the tender, but for their own reasons, they did.

Welker is here because the Patriots followed the processes outlined in the CBA. Nothing more, nothing less.

 

[patsfaninpittsburgh]

What a load of crap. The Patriots lowballed Welker, their offer was dogsh,t. And what this really does is eliminate the garbage argument the Welker bashers have been making that they had to let him go to pay Hernandez.


If it was about Performance Welker would be sitting on a 75 million dollar deal right now because he is sure as hell a much better player than Santonio Holmes or Pierre Garcon, and that's a fact. This is about leverage, the Patriots had it and abused it like few teams before them ever have. The NFLPA should really fight the Welkert tag because the Patriots have violated the CBA by using the tag while not making a serious offer, and Mo Lewis has quoted the article of the CBA in the past that shows that they were required to make a good faith offer, which they didn't even come close to doing.

I'm really happy Hernandez is locked up, but using this news as a reason to take yet another crap on Welker is BS.

A big part of the problem is you don't appear to have put any thought into the entire problem.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

I think the front office has learned some lessons and have realized you can sign the exceptional players to extensions early that benefit both the team and the player and save money and the headache of a holdout. Given how it went down with Branch, Samuel, Mankins and to a lesser extent Wilfork and Seymour it certainly took them a while but I'm ecstatic to see what they've done with Mayo, Gronk and Hernandez.

There were extenuating circumstances in some of those earlier cases. Branch was injury prone, same thing that is dogging Chung and Vollmer. And Samuel they were never entirely enamored of for a variety of reasons (skill, attitude, leadership). Mankins was a victim of the lockout monster, kind of like Welker was a victim of the turf monster. They love Vince but I think they were testing him to make sure he was all in and that was the test Seymour had flunked. Mayo sleeps on a couch in Bill's office. Gronk and Ahern while still a little frisky off the field or occasionally distracted on it, both seem to get it and that includes responding to Brady riding them like mules to toughen and coach them up.