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

[ctpatsfan77]

Cap #'s look like

2012 $3.144
2013 $4.128
2014 $4.2
2015 $5.8
2016 $8.5
2017 $7.0
2018 $7.0

Those do not include his pro bowl incentives which will be NLTBE until he earns the first. I treated the per game bonuses as if earned.

Did they change the definition of NLTBE? IIRC, the rule for determining whether an incentive counts in year X is "Did the player/team do this the year before?" So, for example, if he made the Pro Bowl this year, but not in 2013, his 2014 incentive would still be considered NLTBE.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

Did they change the definition of NLTBE? IIRC, the rule for determining whether an incentive counts in year X is "Did the player/team do this the year before?" So, for example, if he made the Pro Bowl this year, but not in 2013, his 2014 incentive would still be considered NLTBE.

No, they did not change the rule. I left them off entirely because until he earns one they are all NLTBE. Thereafter it's a year by year situation.

And Jason was talking about this year. If Waters and Fiametta ultimately do not report he will remove their salaries from from the 2012 cap which he hasn't thus far and they will be replaced on the 53 by 4 lower salary players and the net will be around $2M or a remaining cap of $7M. I just think he's wrong about Waters, Bill isn't waiting this long for nothing. He's seeing the increase in 2012 cap hit on Hernandez as offset by the cap savings on Waters and Fiametta.

 

[patfanken]

Now that some of the details are coming out, I find this deal interesting on a couple of levels. Gronks deal was structured almost as 2 separate deals. In 4 years the Pats will get te option to release, renegotiate, or pay Gronk that $10MM roster bonus. Aaron doesn't have that kind of D-Day hanging over his head. And while Gronk's deal is for more money, Aaron is more likely to end up with a greater percentage of his.

It was a little richer than I thought it would end up being. I think that had to do with the nature of the hybrid TE/WR position that he plays. Pay a little more now to avoid the coming storm of receiving TE's who will want to be paid like WR's. Money well spent in the long term.

Now all is left is for the mediots to try and make this all about a referendum on Welker and completely ignore the difference between paying for future production from a 23 year old and an 31 year old......and that the "disrespected" Wes Welker is the Pats highest paid player this season.

 

[Sparetire]

It might sound wierd to some of you, but im more happy now that we locked hernandez than i was before when we locket gronk. love the guy.

 

[RelocatedPatFan]

It was a little richer than I thought it would end up being. I think that had to do with the nature of the hybrid TE/WR position that he plays. Pay a little more now to avoid the coming storm of receiving TE's who will want to be paid like WR's. Money well spent in the long term.

Could this be a strategy on BB (obviously not the main point of the contract) the GM? For instance as the 2 TE ofense seems to be something teams are striving for, all Hybrid-TEs will now have to compete with the deal that we have given Hernandez. They'll be able to point to it an say, I deserve a similar deal.

Would this, in effect, make it harder for some teams to keep their TE if they don't soundly manag their cap?

 

[jason423]

Now that some of the details are coming out, I find this deal interesting on a couple of levels. Gronks deal was structured almost as 2 separate deals. In 4 years the Pats will get te option to release, renegotiate, or pay Gronk that $10MM roster bonus. Aaron doesn't have that kind of D-Day hanging over his head. And while Gronk's deal is for more money, Aaron is more likely to end up with a greater percentage of his.

It was a little richer than I thought it would end up being. I think that had to do with the nature of the hybrid TE/WR position that he plays. Pay a little more now to avoid the coming storm of receiving TE's who will want to be paid like WR's. Money well spent in the long term.

Now all is left is for the mediots to try and make this all about a referendum on Welker and completely ignore the difference between paying for future production from a 23 year old and an 31 year old......and that the "disrespected" Wes Welker is the Pats highest paid player this season.

Here is my take on the two contracts:

Gronkowski vs Hernandez: Contract Comparisons

I thought the price was fair for Hernandez and pretty much right in line with the market as long as you assume that 900-1000 yards per year is about his normal season. In actually looking at the deal vs the rest of the TE market I cant really see the argument that was made about having to potentially treat him as a WR scaring the team. The deal is pure high level, high expectation tight end.

I think its a really good job that the team did in locking these two guys up. Tight Ends dont last super long on the average and if these guys do decline the Pats have almost no dead money associated with them, which is something that usually hurts other squads (and will probably murder the Jets if they decide to give Dustin Keller a new deal next year). I find the Pats cap pretty fascinating this year. They are basically cleaning house (they have like 17 million in dead money) of mistakes and extending guys now so they dont get into that mess in the future. They did alot of it via the Tom Brady restructure by identifying him as someone who can play much longer rather than giving into pressure on Welker and creating cap room by bringing his number down. What they have done with these two guys and Jerod Mayo could pay off big 2 or 3 years from now. Its really good planning and interesting to see play out, even as someone who isnt a Patriot fan.

 

[signbabybrady]

#1 rule of goverment spending why buy one when you can have 2 for twice the price.

 

[Ivan]

For some reason, you cannot get beyond whatever is keeping you from understanding what people are writing here..

No one is denying his abilities in 2012 and (if healthy 2013). Do I think he is worth somewhere north of $7 million in 2012 and (if healthy) 2013? You betcha.

The question is what is his worth in 2014 and beyond. The vast majority here, evidently, feel it is an arguable point.

You, evidently, feel the Patriots should pay top dollar for his potential 2014 and beyond.

What I feel is that the Patriots should sign him to a fair market deal for anywhere from 3-5 years, depending on what works best for both. If they have no intention of doing so then they should not have franchised him because that requires the team to negotiate in good faith, which they clearly have not done.

What I have been arguing against is those who claim he is "too old, too small, too slow, a system WR, and easily replaced by Edelman or that the offense wouldn't lose a beat without him, and I have made it clear that it is those who make those arguments I am speaking to. If others choose to jump in to provide cover for those who can't back up those arguments and then take offense to my position that's their problem, not mine.