Rodney adjusts his contract [merged]

[fgssand]

So, what exactly do they say to him? Rodney, step into my office for a second.

OK - we appreciate all your rehabbing, twice now. We really appreciate the help and advice you give to the young guys and the leadership role you play on this team. Now is a good time for BB to tell him how glad he is that he got him again....

And oh, by the way Rodney, please take a $700,000 pay cut and do it all again for us this year??

Sorry, I ain't buying it - there HAS to be more. Maybe they guaranteed the 2MM, something anything to show the guy the respect he deserves for all that has, is and will do for this club.

Has to be more.....must be more, isn't there??

 

[Bruschi 3:16]

Re: Rodney adjusts his contract

I doubt it. We only save 700K in cap space. We have about 7 mil, and that is with AS taking up 7 mil. If we needed to do that to get AS's contract under the cap.....he's coming in @ 11 or 12 mil in year 1.

I think it would be more symbolic than anything. Asante could see it as his mentor/buddy is cutting his salary for the better of the team. Who knows, maybe Rodney cut his salary because with incentives, he'll earn more anyway.

 

[PatsSteve1]

Re: Rodney adjusts his contract

Look at Len P's Tip Sheet. There are a good number of veteran safeties (Matt Bowen, Donovin Darius , Derrick Gibson Robert Griffith , Tebucky Jones Terrence Kiel , Sammy Knight , Mike Logan, Tony Parrish , Lance Schulters, Troy Vincent and Shaun Williams) available. If Rodney was released by the Patriots, I doubt that he would get as good as a deal (2 million salary and $200K in incentives) from another team when Donovin Darius is probably available at a cheaper price.

* When I saw that list of FA safties I thought if on ours goes to IR early at least there's some pretty good vets around to pick up. Folks need to remember when it comes to player contracts, it comes down to a business decision. No sentiment allowed. Some day even Brady is going to be a business decision.

 

[solman]

Re: Rodney adjusts his contract

Will you take a look at the roster before you make such comments. Is their anyone close to giving the team what Rodney gives them even at last years performance?

Just answer that question before commenting that you think Rodney was even close to being cut.

We're all clear on your opinion that Rodney is completely indispensable to the New England Patriots. Apparently neither Belioli nor Rodney's agent agree with you, but you are entitled to your opinion.

But if you are saying that no reasonable person can look at the Patriots roster and conclude that Rodney is not worth $2.7M in 2007, you are obviously wrong.

 

[solman]

Re: Rodney adjusts his contract

What did he learn...that players get upset becuase their friend is gone, then get over it and win back to back superbowls?

He learned that there is a period of unrest after you cut a locker room leader.

He may have concluded that locker room leaders who refuse to restructure should be cut well before the first game, so the team has time to regroup.

(Mind you, I wasn't actually arguing this, just acknowledging it as a counter argument to my belief that Rodney needed some sort of commitment from the Pats for him to restructure now instead of six weeks from now.)

 

[solman]

Re: Rodney adjusts his contract

Then why not get him to go to the vet min? The fact that they only asked for 700K is bewildering. BB and Pioli are business. If they wanted Rodney @ a lower salary, then go all the way.

Because Rodney would have told them to shove it? Just a hunch.

Rodney's new deal is a reasonable approximation of what he could get on the open market. The vet minimum is well below that and would be an insult.

 

[patfanken]

this restructure does bring up a lot of questions, especially during this VERY SLOW part of the off season. What I find interesting is the fact that DESPITE the obvious questions this creates, there has been NO comment from Rodney.

What I can infer from that is that this was a MUTUAL agreement with stuff said that WASN'T reported. I really believe that if there was some part of this deal that Rodney felt insulted by, he would have said so. Rodney isn't exactly a shrinking violet when it comes to making his feelings known.

SO, if he wasn't all aboard on this, we would have heard something loud and clear from his camp. Of course like all of this discussion, this is just an inference.

 

[solman]

Re: Rodney adjusts his contract

Are you guys being mean about Rodney in hopes that he reads this thread and gets pissed off, and has a stellar season to say " I'm not to old or wash-upped" etc, etc?

I would like to reach through this computer, and wring a few necks for some of the comments made about Rodney.. When he was playing last year, I thought he played awesome, and he is still the leader and heart of the secondary and still puts fear into receivers when they see him coming...

Rodney did NOT play as well as he did during 2003-2004.

Rodney did not play at all during the playoffs when we needed him most.

 

[Miguel]

Maybe they guaranteed the 2MM, something anything to show the guy the respect he deserves for all that has, is and will do for this club.

If there was guaranteed money in the deal, why did not Reiss and Len P report it??? It seems to me that they know the paramaters of the deal and reported them.

While I put very little stock in just looking at one year's salary, I think that it is worth telling that Harrison's $2.7 million salary would have given him the 3rd highest salary (behind Darren Sharper and Adrian Wilson) among safeties.

In 2005 Rodney took home the 10th most cash among strong safeties. In 2006 Rodney had the 5th highest salary among safeties. It seems safe to say that Rodney has been among the highest paid safeties over the past two years (easily among the Top 10).

the question I have rather than why Rodney was asked to take a $700,000 paycut is that why did Rodney deserve a $600,000 raise from his 2006 salary???

 

[fgssand]

the question I have rather than why Rodney was asked to take a $700,000 paycut is that why did Rodney deserve a $600,000 raise from his 2006 salary???

Add the 200/M incentives, it means then he can make $100,000 more than he did in 2006.

That makes sense to me now.

 

[Miguel]

Add the 200/M incentives, it means then he can make $100,000 more than he did in 2006.

That makes sense to me now.

Glad to help

 

[RayClay]

Re: Rodney adjusts his contract

Then why not get him to go to the vet min? The fact that they only asked for 700K is bewildering. BB and Pioli are business. If they wanted Rodney @ a lower salary, then go all the way.

That doesn't make sense.

Again, check injury plagued McGinest and TJ. Adjustments were made almost yearly.

They raise and lower according to cap needs and how well the player ages, (stays healthy, comparable market value).

We're still paying Rodney more than the market would likely bear. Because of age and injuries, his market value is less than might have been projected when contracts were drawn.

I know it's the slow time, but this is business as usual, not Machiavellian maneuvers.

 

[mtbykr]

Re: Rodney adjusts his contract

We're all clear on your opinion that Rodney is completely indispensable to the New England Patriots. Apparently neither Belioli nor Rodney's agent agree with you, but you are entitled to your opinion.

But if you are saying that no reasonable person can look at the Patriots roster and conclude that Rodney is not worth $2.7M in 2007, you are obviously wrong.

and how do you know this? we are all speculating here as to the reason...but it's not uncommon (see the TJ and Willie examples posted previously) for the pats to do the deals

He learned that there is a period of unrest after you cut a locker room leader.

He didn't learn this, I could have told you his teamates would be pissed. He knew what would happen, but needed to do what was in the best interest of the team. (again they went on to win the next 2 superbowls)

Rodney did NOT play as well as he did during 2003-2004.

Rodney did not play at all during the playoffs when we needed him most.

Are you serious? Rodney came back from an injury most thought would end his career..an injury that wasn't his fault, just the wrong place at the wrong time. Then last year he takes an obvious cheap shot from Tennessee at his knees and your going to fault him for this. If we had made the superbowl he said he would have been ready to play. You can't pin these injuries on his age as anybody would have sustained them if put in the same situation.

We can all agree he isn't as fast as he was, but he hasn't slowed down that much...and receivers still know when he's in the game!

 

[PATSNUTme]

The talk of min-camp was that Rodney was running around out there like a kid. Last night on NEST,Felger and Tanguay metioned that the Patriots have sent Rodney more money quietly over the years. Now Rodney is returning the favor.

There may be something happening soon where the Patriots felt they needed the $700,000 and Rodney accomodated them. This has nothing to do with his being told to take a cut or be cut as some have speculated.

Expect something to happen soon.

 

[PatsFanInVa]

"It gives you something to think about/something to drink about..."

So what we have here, is roughly a 25% downgrade to what we think is a non-guaranteed number (the 2.7M). Additionally, we know that Rodney's haul is pretty hefty among safeties. We also know that he stands to make more than he made in 2006, by earning the 200K incentives (which bring him back up to $2.2M.)

We also believe that this is pretty much a mutual working-out of terms between Rodney and the team.

This set of facts is consistent with both "Take a pay cut, look at your performance..." and "We have plans for that money... let's talk"

In the absence of real data to fill in the holes, you have to just scratch your head and move on. If it's answer (A), answer (B) -- addressing other needs -- becomes possible anyway. If it's answer (B), answer (A) -- injury history suggesting a pay cut -- becomes an excellent rationale.

Of course if we hear the money really exists, but got pushed forward, that argues for (B), but we haven't heard that. Similarly, once time passes, if the Pats have not spent to the cap this year, it argues for answer (A).

But I'm afraid we'll just have to settle for a quantum universe on this one, and accept some uncertainty, in the absence of conclusive data.

PS, if someone has these data, and I just missed it, cut me some slack, it's summer.

PFnV

 

[Miguel]

Last night on NEST,Felger and Tanguay metioned that the Patriots have sent Rodney more money quietly over the years.

I guess that Felger and Tanguay are defining quietly by not being reported by them because it has been in my capfootnotes page since August,2005 that Rodney's 2005 salary was increased by $200,000 over the original terms of the deal.

Now Rodney is returning the favor.

A 200,000 increase followed with a $500,000 (maybe $700,000) decrease is a favor?? Remind me not to ask the Patriots front office to do me any favors.

There may be something happening soon where the Patriots felt they needed the $700,000 and Rodney accomodated them. This has nothing to do with his being told to take a cut or be cut as some have speculated.

Expect something to happen soon.

What is this something???
It can not be a deal with Samuel since any deal with him will not likely require an additional 4 to 5 million in cap space.

The clock is ticking since the CBA requires teams to send contract information to the Management Council within 2 days of the execution. The Management Council is then required to forward that information within another 2 business days. According to your theory we should hear something by the end of this week at the latest.

Let's say that nothing happens this week.

Why did the Pats and Rodney adjust Rodney's contract??

The simplest explanation is that they both agreed that $2 million (with a chance to get $2.2 million) is more in line with Rodney's market value than was $2.7 million.

 

[PATSNUTme]

I guess that Felger and Tanguay are defining quietly by not being reported by them because it has been in my capfootnotes page since August,2005 that Rodney's 2005 salary was increased by $200,000 over the original terms of the deal.



A 200,000 increase followed with a $500,000 (maybe $700,000) decrease is a favor?? Remind me not to ask the Patriots front office to do me any favors.



What is this something??? I have no idea, but why do they need to add to cap space when they seem to have plenty?
It can not be a deal with Samuel since any deal with him will not likely require an additional 4 to 5 million in cap space.

The clock is ticking since the CBA requires teams to send contract information to the Management Council within 2 days of the execution. The Management Council is then required to forward that information within another 2 business days. According to your theory we should hear something by the end of this week at the latest.

Let's say that nothing happens this week.

Why did the Pats and Rodney adjust Rodney's contract??

The simplest explanation is that they both agreed that $2 million (with a chance to get $2.2 million) is more in line with Rodney's market value than was $2.7 million.

You are right about a mutual agreement reached. We don't know if it has anything to do with Rodney's market value.

Maybe I misread what you were saying, but you seemed to agree that the Patriots told Rodney either take the cut or be cut.That would make no sense. That is my disagreement with you.

Did I misread what you intended to say?

 

[Miguel]

You are right about a mutual agreement reached. We don't know if it has anything to do with Rodney's market value.

Maybe I misread what you were saying, but you seemed to agree that the Patriots told Rodney either take the cut or be cut.That would make no sense. That is my disagreement with you.

Did I misread what you intended to say?

No.

You understood me correctly.

It could be that Rodney was the one who initiated the talks and volunteered to give up $700,000 in salary. But I doubt it.

If the Patriots initiated the talks, there, IMO, was an implicit threat to Rodney from the Pats that if he did not agree to a pay cut that he would be cut even if the threat was not an explicit one.

 

[dhamz]

No.

You understood me correctly.

It could be that Rodney was the one who initiated the talks and volunteered to give up $700,000 in salary. But I doubt it.

If the Patriots initiated the talks, there, IMO, was an implicit threat to Rodney from the Pats that if he did not agree to a pay cut that he would be cut even if the threat was not an explicit one.

There is no need to make the explicit threat. Veteran players know how the business side of the NFL works and if the team comes to them and asks for a giveback, they know the likely consequence if they say no.

 

[PATSNUTme]

No.

You understood me correctly.

It could be that Rodney was the one who initiated the talks and volunteered to give up $700,000 in salary. But I doubt it.

If the Patriots initiated the talks, there, IMO, was an implicit threat to Rodney from the Pats that if he did not agree to a pay cut that he would be cut even if the threat was not an explicit one.

We will probably never know. However, I have my stong doubts if if was a "take a cut or be cut" situation, implied or otherwise. My business sense tells me that you don't play with fire in this way.