Free Agent Signings around the League

[strngplyr]

Blows my mind that they picked up Aldon Smiths 5th year, the dude is heading down a road that you would think leads to him not being in the nfl much longer.

They would be stupid not to pick it up. It's not guaranteed until next off season and in the event he does clean up his off field issues then they are retaining one of the leagues most dominant pass rushers at a good price.

There is 0 risk involved in picking up the option.

 

[chasa]

They would be stupid not to pick it up. It's not guaranteed until next off season and in the event he does clean up his off field issues then they are retaining one of the leagues most dominant pass rushers at a good price.

There is 0 risk involved in picking up the option.

I think there is some Salary cap implications when you exercise a rookies option year.

 

[Big-T]

Joe Haden gets a new contract with Cleveland:
5 years, $68m with $45m guaranteed.

Source: https://twitter.com/joehaden23

 

[jmt57]

Joe Haden gets a new contract with Cleveland:
5 years, $68m with $45m guaranteed.

Source: https://twitter.com/joehaden23

Cleveland started the new league year $52 million under the cap, and were still almost $30 million under prior to this contract. If I recall correctly they were fairly well under last year as well, and they need to spend at some point. The new CBA requires teams to spend 89% of their cap over four years (2013-16); with the league cap expected to rise next year they would probably be wise to start spending much of what they have available now.

 

[Ring 6]

I think there is some Salary cap implications when you exercise a rookies option year.

I don't think so. I think you are just adding a year of non guaranteed salary to the end of the deal. No risk.

 

[strngplyr]

I don't think so. I think you are just adding a year of non guaranteed salary to the end of the deal. No risk.

This is correct from what I understand. The option is a 0 risk move until th offseason after it is exercised. After a certain date the following season it becomes fully guaranteed.

The only reason to not exercise the option is if the player has been a bust or is developing too slow, otherwise it seems to be too easy of a decision

 

[Sciz]

Another thing to keep in mind is the compensatory picks. If they pick up his option and then get fed up and cut him, they don't get a comp pick. If they never pick up the option, then his contract expires and they'd get a comp pick for him. Aldon Smith is the perfect example of that, where even if the 49ers would have declined his option, likely some team would have been willing to pay him big money, leading to a high comp pick.

 

[supafly]

Joe Haden gets a new contract with Cleveland:
5 years, $68m with $45m guaranteed.

Source: https://twitter.com/joehaden23

With the recent contracts of CBs such as Sherman and Haden, along with Peterson waiting in the wings, the market for top tier CBs is climbing. It will be interesting to see what effect that has on any negotiations with Revis for next season, since it's going to be quite costly to keep him.

 

[50-yard-line]

With the recent contracts of CBs such as Sherman and Haden, along with Peterson waiting in the wings, the market for top tier CBs is climbing. It will be interesting to see what effect that has on any negotiations with Revis for next season, since it's going to be quite costly to keep him.

It should be quite costly, and they SHOULD keep him. Period.

 

[JMC00]

Well he is making $12m, so offering $2-$3m a season more I don't think is that costly. Especially with the cap going up.

 

[supafly]

I'm not as worried about the 14-15m AAV or so that I expected, as much as I am about the total value of the deal, along with the guaranteed money--which is going completely through the roof. We've seen Revis play some serious hardball in the past, so it'll be something to keep an eye on.

As far as the thought that "we should keep him," how can that even come close to being answered right now? That will continue to be a difficult decision up to the very last minute--and that's IF Revis goes back to his old, dominant form as we expect. If he doesn't, then the thought of "we should keep him" for 50-60+ million becomes borderline silly. Belichick will likely use that money for other areas of the team. You don't pay a guy 40-45 million dollars guaranteed (when people were just balking at 25m or so for Talib) unless he's clearly one of the best 1-2-3 CBs in the league. Hopefully that will happen.

 

[ripatsfan91]

Revis also isn't 25 like the rest of those guys... give him 3 year deal worth 12.5 avg and call it fair.

 

[ausbacker]

Revis also isn't 25 like the rest of those guys... give him 3 year deal worth 12.5 avg and call it fair.

What's fair about taking an amount that is below your market value? If Revis produces at his normal elite level in 2014 why should he take less than the top of the market? Revis' management will be thinking the same way.

 

[ripatsfan91]

What's fair about taking an amount that is below your market value? If Revis produces at his normal elite level in 2014 why should he take less than the top of the market? Revis' management will be thinking the same way.

Market value is lower for a going to be 31 year old than it is for a 25-26 year old.

Plus, Revis came here by all accounts because he wanted to play for a contender. Oakland and Cleveland all offered more cash but he chose the deal that was "in his ballpark" in terms of compensation from us.

If he doesn't want to take that deal from us, I don't think BB will mind showing him the door and telling him to play for another bottom barrel team that will give him all the money he can imagine. Meanwhile, BB will put that 13+ mil to use on either a young stud or multiple players.

 

[supafly]

What's fair about taking an amount that is below your market value? If Revis produces at his normal elite level in 2014 why should he take less than the top of the market? Revis' management will be thinking the same way.

Absolutely.

These guys are continuously trying to set the bar higher just so they can say they did, and we've seen Revis and his "camp" play some very serious hardball in the past.

 

[supafly]

Market value is lower for a going to be 31 year old than it is for a 25-26 year old.

Plus, Revis came here by all accounts because he wanted to play for a contender. Oakland and Cleveland all offered more cash but he chose the deal that was "in his ballpark" in terms of compensation from us.

If he doesn't want to take that deal from us, I don't think BB will mind showing him the door and telling him to play for another bottom barrel team that will give him all the money he can imagine. Meanwhile, BB will put that 13+ mil to use on either a young stud or multiple players.

It's nothing to get too concerned about today, but it's definitely something that will be quite a storyline when the season is over.

I think most of us assumed a "13m dollar" AAV deal like you've proposed, but with these new CB deals setting the bar higher and higher, that could very well be more like 14 1/2 to 15m dollars. That kind of difference could drive the overall value up another 8+ million, along with the guaranteed amount as well. The worry is that at some point, it could very well get into the range where Belichick thinks long and hard (that's what she said) about whether or not it's worth it.

I don't think Belichick would think twice about paying him should he prove to be a shut down CB like the days of old, but where his play comes in on the scale of assessment, along with what his demands are will go a long way towards steering the odds towards or away from a return.

 

[ripatsfan91]

Agreed. Another thing to consider though is that it has been reported that there is "mutual interest" on both sides to eventually have a long term contract worked out. I wonder if they already have a framework worked out and are just waiting for the right time to iron out final details and signing it.

 

[ausbacker]

Market value is lower for a going to be 31 year old than it is for a 25-26 year old.

Plus, Revis came here by all accounts because he wanted to play for a contender. Oakland and Cleveland all offered more cash but he chose the deal that was "in his ballpark" in terms of compensation from us.

If he doesn't want to take that deal from us, I don't think BB will mind showing him the door and telling him to play for another bottom barrel team that will give him all the money he can imagine. Meanwhile, BB will put that 13+ mil to use on either a young stud or multiple players.

We'll see if you still think this way after seeing Revis play out a full season in Foxboro.

 

[supafly]

Agreed. Another thing to consider though is that it has been reported that there is "mutual interest" on both sides to eventually have a long term contract worked out. I wonder if they already have a framework worked out and are just waiting for the right time to iron out final details and signing it.

My thinking is that they'll want to see some proof of the old Revis again before committing to that kind of big money. I just hope these new deals don't screw the market up out of whack too much to deviate from what the expected/hopeful plan was.

 

[Rob0729]

Cleveland started the new league year $52 million under the cap, and were still almost $30 million under prior to this contract. If I recall correctly they were fairly well under last year as well, and they need to spend at some point. The new CBA requires teams to spend 89% of their cap over four years (2013-16); with the league cap expected to rise next year they would probably be wise to start spending much of what they have available now.

It is 89% in real dollars, not cap dollars if I understand it correctly. I bet the Browns have spent over that this year.