Ramius Posted February 6, 2009 Share Posted February 6, 2009 With Cassel being franchised for $14+ million, will the NFLPA make a big stink if he doesn't receive a contract that is roughly equivalent to the tag on a per year basis? I can see someone paying Cassel $7-8 million per year in a trade, but would the NFLPA let a player sign a contract for half of the value of the franchise tag? The players/agents want the value of the tag to go up, not to drop, so one would assume that when a player gets franchised he should get a long term deal of approximate value to the tag. I've looked back at some of the tag-and-trade deals that have gone down, and have yet to find a case where the traded "franchise" player does NOT get a deal approximately equivalent or higher (per year) than the one year value of the tag itself. Theres not really a precedent for this, because most tag values are much lower (in the 6-9 million dollar range), and the tag has traditionally been given to a player that is actually worth the contract being paid. This is the first instance i can think of where a player is decidely NOT worth the value of the franchise tag (on the open market), and the sole purpose of using the tag was to get something in return for the player. Of course, this whole point could be rendered moot if one of two things happen; the NFLPA decides they dont care because Cassel might get $20+ million in guaranteed (however, this does not bump up the value of the franchise tag), or belichick's* arrogance leads him to trade brady and get an absolute boatload of picks/players for him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stussy109 Posted February 6, 2009 Share Posted February 6, 2009 Matt Frickin Cassel about to become a mulit-millionaire...SICK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RayFinkle Posted February 6, 2009 Share Posted February 6, 2009 He'll make more than 14 million his first year in signing bonus money. No worries. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loyal2dagame Posted February 6, 2009 Share Posted February 6, 2009 best case scenerio for buffalo is that the pats* trade cassel, brady is healthy going into the year, someone takes a shot at brady's knee , and brady is retired. the pats* hopefully would not have any options at qb and would finally fall from grace opening the division up yet again for the bills,jests, and stinky fish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ramius Posted February 6, 2009 Author Share Posted February 6, 2009 He'll make more than 14 million his first year in signing bonus money. No worries. That doesn't necessarily raise the value of the franchise tag. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RayFinkle Posted February 6, 2009 Share Posted February 6, 2009 That doesn't necessarily raise the value of the franchise tag. It is the player's choice. They can sign a large 1 year deal, or they can get more money and security in a long term deal. I highly doubt the NFLPA would ever be dumb enough to fight that, but they might, who knows. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UConn James Posted February 6, 2009 Share Posted February 6, 2009 best case scenerio for buffalo is that the pats* trade cassel, brady is healthy going into the year, someone takes a shot at brady's knee , and brady is retired. the pats* hopefully would not have any options at qb... Vinny Testaverde. Ramius, gaming the Franchise Tag system is exactly what the Pats* are doing. You know it, I know it... my paperweight knows it. You make a good point, tho --- the rest of the times this has happened, an eventual deal is close to what the tag would've earned. But ultimately, I don't think they'll raise much of a stink. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ramius Posted February 6, 2009 Author Share Posted February 6, 2009 Vinny Testaverde. Ramius, gaming the Franchise Tag system is exactly what the Pats* are doing. You know it, I know it... my paperweight knows it. You make a good point, tho --- the rest of the times this has happened, an eventual deal is close to what the tag would've earned. But ultimately, I don't think they'll raise much of a stink. I have no problem with what the pats* are doing. Its perfectly within the rights of the tag and a smart move to not lose him for nothing when brady is still hurt. I also believe Cassel would be happy to stay in NE* for another year and make 14 million. I was simply wondering if the NFLPA would cause a beef *IF* they trade Cassel and someone attempts to sign him to a long term deal with a per year value much less than the franchise tag, when every other sign-and-trade deal involving the tag has netted the tagged player a contract of equal or higher value than the tag. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Posted February 6, 2009 Share Posted February 6, 2009 best case scenerio for buffalo is that the pats* trade cassel, brady is healthy going into the year, someone takes a shot at brady's knee , and brady is retired. the pats* hopefully would not have any options at qb and would finally fall from grace opening the division up yet again for the bills,jests, and stinky fish. Isn't that pretty much exactly what everyone said last season? How many people thought a QB that hadn't started since High School would lead them to 11 wins? So, much like I won't believe the Bills will have a winning season until they actually have 8 wins; I won't believe the Pats* are falling from grace until I actually see it. Until then, they're still the Pats* and we're still trying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billsfreak Posted February 6, 2009 Share Posted February 6, 2009 Not all contracts (probably nowhere close), is the annual salary equal to the tag level. Most of the contracts aren't going to be played all the way through anyway. The players and agents are more concerned with the guaranteed money-signing bonus. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ramius Posted February 6, 2009 Author Share Posted February 6, 2009 Not all contracts (probably nowhere close), is the annual salary equal to the tag level. Most of the contracts aren't going to be played all the way through anyway. The players and agents are more concerned with the guaranteed money-signing bonus. I'm not talking about 1 year tenders or contracts signed by free agents. I'm talking about contracts signed by a player who was tagged and traded to a new team. I have yet to find a case where the new contract of a tagged-and-traded player does NOT exceed the franchise tender, on a per year basis. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flbillsfan#1 Posted February 6, 2009 Share Posted February 6, 2009 Why would Cassel sign a contract for 7-8 Million/Yr when he just has to sign the franchise contract & be guaranteed $14 + Million for one year & then he is a free agent again next year? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ramius Posted February 6, 2009 Author Share Posted February 6, 2009 Why would Cassel sign a contract for 7-8 Million/Yr when he just has to sign the franchise contract & be guaranteed $14 + Million for one year & then he is a free agent again next year? 1) to be a starter 2) due to the uncapped year in 2010, free agency only comes after 6 years of service, NOT 4. If Cassel plays out the franchise tag on newengland*, next year he reverts back to a RFA, due to the uncapped year rules. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lets_go_bills Posted February 6, 2009 Share Posted February 6, 2009 He'll sign his one-year deal and stay with the Pats. Brady won't be ready but will be by mid-season, then he'll take over and the Pats will either look to deal Cassel or let him walk after the year if Brady looks as if he's recovered. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordio Posted February 6, 2009 Share Posted February 6, 2009 1) to be a starter 2) due to the uncapped year in 2010, free agency only comes after 6 years of service, NOT 4. If Cassel plays out the franchise tag on newengland*, next year he reverts back to a RFA, due to the uncapped year rules. If Cassel does sign a long term contract it is going to look something like this. 6yrs 70-75 mill with a 20 million signing bonus & $30-35 mill guaranteed so this whole post is kinda stupid. Just because everybody on this board thinks Cassel sucks & is overrated does not mean that some team is not going to throw a crazy contract at him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flbillsfan#1 Posted February 6, 2009 Share Posted February 6, 2009 1) to be a starter 2) due to the uncapped year in 2010, free agency only comes after 6 years of service, NOT 4. If Cassel plays out the franchise tag on newengland*, next year he reverts back to a RFA, due to the uncapped year rules. I know what you are saying about the 6 years of service, but I don't think it is retroactive, I believe it only affects players that will be in their 4th year in 2010. In any event he would still have $14 + Million in the bank by signing the franchise tender. I do not think he would sign a contract unless he received a LARGE bonus with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ramius Posted February 6, 2009 Author Share Posted February 6, 2009 I know what you are saying about the 6 years of service, but I don't think it is retroactive, I believe it only affects players that will be in their 4th year in 2010. In any event he would still have $14 + Million in the bank by signing the franchise tender. I do not think he would sign a contract unless he received a LARGE bonus with it. It is retroactive. At least according to mike lombardi on the radio, because that's where i got that info from. He said it was a rather unique situation that Cassel was going to be in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flbillsfan#1 Posted February 6, 2009 Share Posted February 6, 2009 It is retroactive. At least according to mike lombardi on the radio, because that's where i got that info from. He said it was a rather unique situation that Cassel was going to be in. That is interesting if he is right, I'm sure there must be a number of 4th year players this would also affect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VOR Posted February 6, 2009 Share Posted February 6, 2009 I don't see how the NFLPA can allow Cassel's agent to accept less than the franchise tender as the average of a new contract. No one has ever signed for less per year than his franchise tender, and I don't see an exception being made for Cassel/the Patriots. Doing so lowers the value of the franchise tag, which hurts the NFLPA's position, not to mention it's career suicide for his agent. The fallbacks are to have Cassel sign his 1-year $14.65M tender and play for that for the year and then whatever happens next year happens, or the Pats remove the tag and allow him to become an UFA. In either case, Cassel is still making-out like a bandit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Tomcat Posted February 6, 2009 Share Posted February 6, 2009 best case scenerio for buffalo is that the pats* trade cassel, brady is healthy going into the year, someone takes a shot at brady's knee , and brady is retired. the pats* hopefully would not have any options at qb and would finally fall from grace opening the division up yet again for the bills,jests, and stinky fish. What if Cassel is the Jets qb??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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