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Why tag Abraham?


d_wag

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http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/3386632

 

 

i know this has been brought up in another post, but i want to go off on a bit of a side issue here --

 

abraham proved he won't play in the playoffs if his long-term health is threatened because he doesn't want to miss out on his big pay day.......

 

so what happens if the jets get to the playoffs next year and abraham is listed as "probable" once again?? he won't have his long-term deal, so what makes them think he'll play then?? if he is signed to a one year deal he'll continue to hide in the shadows when the chips are down because he's too worried about his potential signing bonus to go all out........

 

i smell trade bait.........if they want abraham to give 100% on the field they can't let him play on a one year deal again........2004 should have taught them that........

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It also serves as a stalling tactic. If they haven't reached a deal with Abraham by March 2, he comes unrestricted and can sign anywhere he wants. As of now, he can only negociate with the Jets -- unless some other team is willing to cough up the required compensation.

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up until march 2nd, he was always jets property.......why do it now?

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The are simply market dynamics at work here and if the player doesn't realize it or react well initially because he does not realize it, his agent, more business like heads in his family and other hanger-ons will remind them of this and have had some success at altering behavior (see the Travis Henry and Peerless Price examples of players who initial reactions caught by the press were negative to their interests but some pointed this out and they effectively changed their actions to serve their "newfound" better interests).

 

By tagging Abraham, as folks point out the lock up their ownership of him and assuming they can identify a likely buyer in the market (again see Peerless as an example as AT owner Arthur Blank foolishly shot off his mouth and essentially guaranteed AT as a buyer by him promising AT fans a probably more importantly Michael Vick that he was going to get Peerless for AT and Vick) they will trade. Theoretically also NYJ can simply rescind the tag on Abraham at a later date and avoid the top 5 payment. However, NYJ would do this at their own risk since by rescinding the tag they likely will lower Abraham's value in the marketplace and the size of the contract he woud sign and if NYJ got a rep as screwing FA players they likely would find it harder to sign free agent players and current Jets would not be able to trust the team at all.

 

On the other hand, Abraham has probably already damaged his rep around the league and thus lowered the size of contracts he will be offered by being tagged as a me-first rather than a team guy. Potential buyers of an Abraham contract will likely to decide to go with another player with their offer if they perceive that Abraham is not willing to risk his health like a Terrell Owens to play and important game against the docs orders.

 

America is a forgiving land and as Travis Henry is showing with the interest being expressed in him despite some definite negatives about him (injury question, performance questions) Abraham will probably get another chance to answer the doctor's order versus play the game question.

 

If the Jets go through with the tag an Abraham malingers in general or makes decision come next year's playoff putting his personal health above team glory (not an unreasonable choice and one he is free to make) it will likely lower his market value and work directly against his interest in scoring big contract. My sense is that if push comes to shove in the playoffs next year and Abraham is on the verge of FA again, he will need to do everything he can to show he is willing to sacrifice his body in order to get a big contract.

 

Who knows what he will actually do, but it may not be a bad bet for NYJ to push Abraham to the market limit, if they make a judgment that he will do what is necessary to score a big contract.

 

The initial mistake many people make is that they tend to view the NFL in the mid-80s mode that this is a battle between the players and the owners to show who is more of a man. Actually as embodied in the CBA the players have moved beyond juvenalia and operate from the framework where if the co-operate within a set of rules they both can make more money than ever before from you and I the fans.

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d_wag,

The use of the tag at this particular point in time tells me that the Jets do not feel that they can work out a deal with Abraham and his agent prior to March 2. Since the team is in pretty good cap shape, they can afford to use the tag -- and the brandishing of the tag at this time may, in fact, be a message to Abraham and his agent that the Jets simply do not intend to let him walk for nothing.

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Actually as embodied in the CBA the players have moved beyond juvenalia and operate from the framework where if the co-operate within a set of rules they both can make more money than ever before from you and I the fans.

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I found "juvenalia" at pseudodictionary.com ;)

 

http://www.pseudodictionary.com/search.php...browsestart=360

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Abraham is due a big payday, he won't sign the franchise tag offer, so either the Jets sign him to a long-term deal or they trade him to someone else who'll give him the multi-year deal.

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everybody signs the f-tag, in time........he would have nothing to gain by sitting out the season........

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