Holdouts: Review of Aug 6th issue & 6 game issue

[xwalker]

I wanted to review the reasons that the Aug 6th deadline didn't really matter with regards to Zeke.

It's because of the 5th year option.

This is the information that I've pieced together.
- I'm 99% confident that it's correct but I'm open to feedback.

It only requires 4 years to achieve UFA eligibility but he is under contract for 5 years.
- If the player is under contract it does not matter if he has UFA eligibility.
- He only needs to accrue 4 seasons out of the 5 that he is under contract.
- He could play 2020 under the 5th year option and accrue the 4th season.

Reporting before game 11 does affect his status.
- Contracts "toll" if the player is not under full pay status for 6 games that season.
- He would achieve full pay status for 6 games by reporting before game 11.

The 3 possible scenarios other than a new contract:
Scenario 1:
- Reports by Aug 6th of 2019.
- Plays the 2019 season.

Scenario 2:
- Does NOT report by Aug 6th of 2019.
- Does report before game 11.

Scenario 3:
- Does NOT report by Aug 6th of 2019.
- Does NOT report before game 11.

Results of each scenario:
2020:
- Scenario 1: Under contract (5th year option parameters)
- Scenario 2: Under contract (5th year option parameters)
- Scenario 3: Under contract (4th year contract parameters)

2021: If he played the 2020 season without a new contract.
- Scenario 1: Unrestricted Free Agent
- Scenario 2: Unrestricted Free Agent
- Scenario 3: Under contract (5th year option parameters)


Note: Zeke's scheduled salaries.
- 4th year: 3.9M salary
- 5th year: 9.1M salary

Note: Aaron Donald
- In 2017 Donald was at the same point in his career as Zeke is now.
- Donald was going into his 4th season and the Rams had exercised the 5th year option.
- Donald held out all of training camp in 2017.
- He reported 1 day before game 1 of 2017.
- In 2018 Donald held out all off-season.
- He signed a new contract 10 days before game 1 of 2018.

 

[jterrell]

Good stuff but Dallas could and likely would place him on a roster exemption.
They can do so for up to 3 weeks and usually do for guys returning to get into shape.

He has to play 8 games to be totally safe w regards to his tolling status.

So scenario 2 holds but I think the date is more week 7 than 11.
Doubt Zeke wants to trust arbitration given his lack of success with fighting suspension.

 

[xwalker]

Good stuff but Dallas could and likely would place him on a roster exemption.
They can do so for up to 3 weeks and usually do for guys returning to get into shape.

He has to play 8 games to be totally safe w regards to his tolling status.

So scenario 2 holds but I think the date is more week 7 than 11.
Doubt Zeke wants to trust arbitration given his lack of success with fighting suspension.

He would still be on full pay status, even with a roster exemption.

 

[jterrell]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Yes. The Joey Galloway grievance decision didn&#39;t give a clear standard on how many games are necessary to prevent a contract from tolling but missing an entire season will trigger tolling.</p>&mdash; Joel Corry (@corryjoel) <a href="">July 24, 2019</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[jterrell]

Joel Corry
@corryjoel
·
Jul 24
The problem with holding out the entire season is the Chargers would likely assert rights under paragraph 16 of the standard player contract so Melvin Gordon's contract would toll. He would be playing under the 5th year option in 2020. This is unrelated to his accrued seasons.

 

[jterrell]

8 games makes you safe according to past rulings. 6 does not.

 

[jterrell]

What that all told means is that there is no firm rule and it will go to an arbiter. Guessing that you can miss until week 11 would be a good way to have your contract extended by 1 year, lol.
So no, they wont do that. I am guessing week 7 is drop dead date but only Zeke's agent can decide what he feels comfortable gambling on.
Reality is the arbiter is likely to be very sympathetic to the team in this case because Zeke would have been circumventing the spirit of the signed contract.

The 6 weeks rule is for PUP alone and says if a player is on PUP in the 6th week he will not toll.


I hate defending PFT but they have this 100% correct largely because Florio is an attorney.
If he sticks to this stuff and ignores rumor-mongering I'd follow gladly.

 

[Jake]

I wanted to review the reasons that the Aug 6th deadline didn't really matter with regards to Zeke.

It's because of the 5th year option.

Which is what Mickey reported on Sunday and some resident geniuses mocked him because they couldn't wrap their heads around it.

 

[xwalker]

I hate defending PFT but they have this 100% correct largely because Florio is an attorney.

Did you post something from Florio?

 

[jazzcat22]

So what if Zeke wants to report by week 11 to get this credit. Can the team deny him that and say, sorry man, just sit out the season and get nothing?

Not that the team would do that. I am sure they would welcome him back with open arms. But say they are 1st in the division and the RB's are equalling Zeke's production. Could they play hardball and say no. Or do they have to make a decision. Add him to the roster or release him? Can they keep him on some sort of exempt list? Which they would not release him, but are those the only options? What does the CBA rules say?