Hopkins released by Arizona (7/16: signed by Titans)

[DCofNC]

2 hours ago, Shaw66 said:

I just jumped in and dont know if someone said this, but it's not 11% of the contract.  I assume 11% is the NYS highest tax rate.  He'd pay NYS tax only on the games he plays in NYS, so that's half his games.  So, coming to Buff over Tenn would cost him 5.5%, not 11%.  

Actually, neither scenario is correct, the bonus money is deemed NYS, so in the very likely scenario that he takes a big signing bonus with a bunch of voided years, he’s getting slapped with the 11% on that and the 1.1M vet contract would be at the rates across where he’s playing.   In opposition to signing w a team in a no income tax state, the bonus won’t be taxed and you will only pay where you play.  Ideal scenario is honestly outside of the AFCE because barring Florida, you are getting slammed w high tax rates for divisional games.   Taxes matter, like it or not.

[BADOLBILZ]

10 minutes ago, GoBills808 said:

That's all NFL athletes care about. Including everyone on our roster too

 

Yeah nobody on the Bills roster is leaving the relatively massive amounts of what they can earn on the table to play in Buffalo for incredibly less.    The OBJ deal proved that there can be a big variance in offers for veteran WR talent.    As he said he was being offered only $4M at some of his preferred destinations.........and the Ravens came in with $15M.

[GoBills808]

2 minutes ago, BADOLBILZ said:

 

Yeah nobody on the Bills roster is leaving the relatively massive amounts of what they can earn on the table to play in Buffalo for incredibly less.    The OBJ deal proved that there can be a big variance in offers for veteran WR talent.    As he said he was being offered only $4M at some of his preferred destinations.........and the Ravens came in with $15M.

It's not like our very own star wideout left an ascending Vikings squad to join a lesser team in hopes of a bigger payday

 

oh wait

 

[BADOLBILZ]

5 minutes ago, GoBills808 said:

It's not like our very own star wideout left an ascending Vikings squad to join a lesser team in hopes of a bigger payday

 

oh wait

 

 

 

Then he got the extension and his attitude and behavior got so much better!   Championship!

[TheWeatherMan]

12 minutes ago, GoBills808 said:

It's not like our very own star wideout left an ascending Vikings squad to join a lesser team in hopes of a bigger payday

 

oh wait

 

#1 He was traded, he didn’t leave. I’m pretty sure Diggs didn’t have a no trade clause in his contract.  

#2 There is not a single receiver in this league that would rather catch passes from Kirk Cousins than Josh Allen.  The Bills were an ascending team as well with a budding star at QB (unlike MN). I’d say Diggs made the correct decision even if it wasn’t his decision. 

 

 

Edited June 8, 2023 by TheWeatherMan

[GoBills808]

4 minutes ago, TheWeatherMan said:

#1 He was traded, he didn’t leave. I’m pretty sure Diggs didn’t have a no trade clause in his contract.  

#2 There is not a single receiver in this league that would rather catch passes from Kirk Cousins than Josh Allen.  The Bills were an ascending team as well with a budding star at QB (unlike MN). I’d say Diggs made the correct decision even if it wasn’t his decision. 

 

 

Yes and Hopkins was cut, he didn't leave either

 

[pennstate10]

34 minutes ago, DCofNC said:

Actually, neither scenario is correct, the bonus money is deemed NYS, so in the very likely scenario that he takes a big signing bonus with a bunch of voided years, he’s getting slapped with the 11% on that and the 1.1M vet contract would be at the rates across where he’s playing.   In opposition to signing w a team in a no income tax state, the bonus won’t be taxed and you will only pay where you play.  Ideal scenario is honestly outside of the AFCE because barring Florida, you are getting slammed w high tax rates for divisional games.   Taxes matter, like it or not.

This is a really interesting point. 
 

When the Bills convert $20M or Josh Allen salary to a bonus, is he really losing money?  Because 100% of his bonus is subject to the high 11%, but only 50% of his salary is subject to the 11%. The other 50% gets taxed at rates of the state where game is played, generally less than 11%.   CA at 13% the only exception. 
 

Have any plates refused a conversion of salary to bonus for this reason ?

[BADOLBILZ]

4 minutes ago, ScottLaw said:

Except the jury was still very much out on Josh prior to the Diggs trade. He was not even close to the star he is now. 

 

 

Yeah Josh Allen was the 24th rated passer in the NFL in 2019.     Kirk Cousins was 4th.   Diggs had excelled with Cousins and was their leading WR in target share and yards in 2019 and had almost 18 yards per reception.

 

It was the equivalent of Tee Higgins leaving Joe Burrow to play with Justin Fields by 2023 standards.    The idea that Buffalo was suddenly a destination for WR's is totally false.

[DCofNC]

8 minutes ago, pennstate10 said:

This is a really interesting point. 
 

When the Bills convert $20M or Josh Allen salary to a bonus, is he really losing money?  Because 100% of his bonus is subject to the high 11%, but only 50% of his salary is subject to the 11%. The other 50% gets taxed at rates of the state where game is played, generally less than 11%.   CA at 13% the only exception. 
 

Have any plates refused a conversion of salary to bonus for this reason ?

I believe most contracts have language written into them that allows the team to rework it as needed, so long as the money stays the same.   It would actually suck for the player a bit, but I do think this is why you saw Allen take a “small” signing bonus and larger first year base pay.  I sure as hell would.

[HappyDays]

17 hours ago, FLFan said:

The continuing fascination with Hopkins is becoming laughable for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is that he showing himself to be the opposite of the type of player who might put the Bills over the top.  

 

If it helps to understand our position - the fascination is not with Hopkins specifically, it is with upgrading Gabe Davis as the WR2. Hopkins just happens to be the one available player that would do that. If for example we had Tee Higgins or Devonta Smith on the team this would be a dead topic. Many of us simply aren't comfortable relying on Davis to once again be the #2 target share in this passing offense which is what he currently projects to be.

 

What about Hopkins' recent actions shows him to be the opposite of what we need? Von Miller required a $100 million contract to sign here. So I assume you think he is also not the kind of player we should have signed?

[NewEra]

4 hours ago, GoBills808 said:

That's all NFL athletes care about. Including everyone on our roster too

No it’s not. 

[GoBills808]

3 minutes ago, NewEra said:

No it’s not. 

Ok I could have phrased that better

 

Among the many things NFL players care about, earning the most money is always going to be at the top. Like always...and it should be that way. It how the pro football ecosystem operates. Next is probably their teammates and then coaches. Winning games isn't even in the top 5 if you ask me.

 

You can find exceptions and outliers but it's true. And I think it's sour grapes to say 'well this guy only wants money and he doesn't care about winning' to disparage FAs who may not sign here. 

 

 

[0017]

3 hours ago, pennstate10 said:

This is a really interesting point. 
 

When the Bills convert $20M or Josh Allen salary to a bonus, is he really losing money?  Because 100% of his bonus is subject to the high 11%, but only 50% of his salary is subject to the 11%. The other 50% gets taxed at rates of the state where game is played, generally less than 11%.   CA at 13% the only exception. 
 

Have any plates refused a conversion of salary to bonus for this reason ?

It becomes guaranteed at that point, I think it’s a bird in the hand situation, even though at QB it’s a bit different because it’s highly unlikely an injury would cause his release. It is an interesting point though. 

[Solomon Grundy]

3 hours ago, ScottLaw said:

Except the jury was still very much out on Josh prior to the Diggs trade. He was not even close to the star he is now. 

Shady McCoy didn't think so!! From day one, he was endorsing Josh as a bonafide star in the making

[NewEra]

34 minutes ago, GoBills808 said:

Ok I could have phrased that better

 

Among the many things NFL players care about, earning the most money is always going to be at the top. Like always...and it should be that way. It how the pro football ecosystem operates. Next is probably their teammates and then coaches. Winning games isn't even in the top 5 if you ask me.

 

You can find exceptions and outliers but it's true. And I think it's sour grapes to say 'well this guy only wants money and he doesn't care about winning' to disparage FAs who may not sign here. 

 

 

I think HoFers that will have made in excess of 100M over their careers have a different perspective.  Hopkins, imo, is a HoFer, will have made over 100M after this season and has 2 playoff wins.
 

 If I’m DHop, putting myself in position to win a SB >>>>>> an extra 5M-7M.  Many players have done that in their careers.  I’d venture to say hundreds of them have taken less to win or, as you said, play with coaches and team mates they want to play with.  

 

I don’t think he’s thinking that though. I’m confidant Beane would anti up 8-10M on a a 1 year contract with 3 void years to land him.  But that’s not gonna be enough $.  Even though he said he wants to play with Josh allen, with a stable franchise and FO and a great defense.  He has it all.  But he wants more money 

[Warriorspikes51]

https://www.si.com/nfl/bills/news/buffalo-bills-josh-allen-deandre-hopkins-free-agency-sign-contract-rumors
 

Josh Allen on Hopkins

 

Multiple Bills players have been vocal about their desire to see Hopkins come to Buffalo, and star quarterback Josh Allen is the latest to join the list. After fulfilling a childhood dream by becoming the Madden 24 cover athlete, Allen made a recruiting pitch for the star receiver.

 

"My pitch would be, it would increase our Madden offensive rating, probably quite a bit," Allen said in an interview with USA Today Sports. "I don't know what it is right now, what it's gonna be, but I think we'd jump up a couple points just by adding his name to our roster.

 

"He's a heck of a talent and a heck of a player. We'd love to have him."

[78thealltimegreat]

9 hours ago, ScottLaw said:

Except the jury was still very much out on Josh prior to the Diggs trade. He was not even close to the star he is now. 

Allen made the playoffs without Diggs people forget that. Diggs was good in Minny but he wasn’t at this level. Allen made Diggs as much as Diggs made Allen. 

[BADOLBILZ]

12 minutes ago, 78thealltimegreat said:

Allen made the playoffs without Diggs people forget that. Diggs was good in Minny but he wasn’t at this level. Allen made Diggs as much as Diggs made Allen. 

 

The Bills made the playoffs in 2019 but largely because of an incredibly easy schedule of tomato can QB's they got to face.    It was incredibly fortuitous how many backup QB's they got to face and they were only a win better than the McDermott 2017 team that was the worst point differential team to make the playoffs in the AFC since the 1980's.  Remember Duck Hodges?

 

Allen was a curiosity to NFL observers because of his athleticism, arm strength and balls-out style of play..........but the idea that he was on a path to being a top passer was seen as absurd.   The NFL had never seen a two year starter going from being a 50-something% passer to completing nearly 70% of his passes and becoming the runner up for MVP.   Critics were absolutely losing their minds about how Allen had gone from scattergun to GREAT over night in 2020.  

 

I pointed it out earlier, to the protestation of a few, but he WAS what Justin Fields is now and his 2020 would be the equivalent of Fields emerging as a top 3 QB and runner-up to the MVP in 2023.

[Warcodered]

45 minutes ago, Warriorspikes51 said:

https://www.si.com/nfl/bills/news/buffalo-bills-josh-allen-deandre-hopkins-free-agency-sign-contract-rumors
 

Josh Allen on Hopkins

 

Multiple Bills players have been vocal about their desire to see Hopkins come to Buffalo, and star quarterback Josh Allen is the latest to join the list. After fulfilling a childhood dream by becoming the Madden 24 cover athlete, Allen made a recruiting pitch for the star receiver.

 

"My pitch would be, it would increase our Madden offensive rating, probably quite a bit," Allen said in an interview with USA Today Sports. "I don't know what it is right now, what it's gonna be, but I think we'd jump up a couple points just by adding his name to our roster.

 

"He's a heck of a talent and a heck of a player. We'd love to have him."

That part of the interview came off as it'd be nice but he wasn't holding his breath what with the business side of things.

[BADOLBILZ]

2 minutes ago, Warcodered said:

That part of the interview came off as it'd be nice but he wasn't holding his breath what with the business side of things.

 

 

Yeah but his boy Gabriel Davis is in his walk year so I wouldn't expect Allen to be making a plea thru the media for Hopkins to join the team.  Gotta' keep it measured.

 

If Hopkins comes to the Bills......especially knowing their slot WR plans for Kincaid..........the potential for lost targets could be enormous.   If they are cut in half as option 3A or 3B it could knock 8 figures off of his next contract.   So Gabe might be miffed about his QB Allen going out of his way to push the Hopkins agenda.    And what would that say about JA17's confidence in Gabe if he is saying the Bills need/badly want Hopkins?  

 

I really don't see where Allen would be wise to say anymore than he did regardless of the interest or likelihood of Hopkins joining the Bills.