Doug Free refuses pay cut **Unofficial**

[martyogelvie]

I don't blame FREE for refusing to take a pay cut. Most of us would take a similar stance if we were in that kind of scenario.
I blame Jerry for giving him too much of a contract. As fans, we often pizz and moan about players asking for a pay raise in the middle of their contract and this is exactly what Jerry is doing to FREE. Free is under contract, if he is not living up to it.. cut him.. don't reduce his pay.. that is just insulting and its too much for most egos to handle.

 

[Longboysfan]

christmas came early this year

Well after June 1st.

Too bad the cut day was not moved to May 5th. Double celebration.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

I don't blame FREE for refusing to take a pay cut. Most of us would take a similar stance if we were in that kind of scenario.
I blame Jerry for giving him too much of a contract. As fans, we often pizz and moan about players asking for a pay raise in the middle of their contract and this is exactly what Jerry is doing to FREE. Free is under contract, if he is not living up to it.. cut him.. don't reduce his pay.. that is just insulting and its too much for most egos to handle.

I am sympathetic to his situation as well. When the discussion on what we should pay him and if it was a good idea to pay him and draft Smith were taking place, I was not for it. In fact, I specifically felt as if it would create a cap issue down the road. I did not think you could pay a RT (Smith) what we would have to pay him to play RT. I did not think that Free could play RT and I was not convinced that Smith could play LT. Now, a few years down the road, we are where we are. It's not Free's fault that his contract is a problem but then again, if he were playing up to his contract, it wouldn't be an issue. Something has to give here.

 

[Teague31]

Hasta la vista

 

[tm1119]

So would this save us any $ this year? I understand only 4M next year because of Free's guaranteed money still left, but anything being saved this year?

 

[50cent]

I don't think you can make the assumption that the resources are available.

It was assuming Free agreed to take a paycut.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

It was assuming Free agreed to take a paycut.

Well, he has said that this won't happen but that could change. Even if he does agree to do so, we don't know what that cut might be and we don't know what we have to spend, not just this year but in follow on years.

 

[Galian Beast]

Well if I was Free, I wouldn't take the pay cut either.

Either way, I don't think we should celebrate this happening cause all it does is make it harder when we try to resign Dez and Lee if we try to sign a Clabo.

Doug Free not taking a pay cut doesn't help himself in the long run. He won't be able to get a starting job anywhere in the NFL. And no one is going to pay him much more than a million or so to be a backup swing tackle.

 

[dmq]

Well played Jerry.

 

[CF74]

They were talking about this on 105.3 and they said Free called our bluff (Old news,) but then went on to talk about how it could backfire if Clabo and Winston sign elsewhere...

 

[TheRomoSexual]

They were talking about this on 105.3 and they said Free called our bluff (Old news,) but then went on to talk about how it could backfire if Clabo and Winston sign elsewhere...

If this happens, Parnell will start and we'll sign a vet swing tackle. Fine with me.

 

[TNCowboy]

His contract was one of Jerry's most ridiculous. Like $18M guaranteed for a guy who played below average in 2010. He played decent at the end of 2009, so, as usualy, Jones went overboard financially for a player who was obviously not worth it.

Yet as poor as he played, he was the best option in '12.....if Frederick isn't able to be a viable option immediately, this OL will be scary bad.

No one can construct a team from the outside in like Jones. :laugh2:

 

[erod]

His contract was one of Jerry's most ridiculous. Like $18M guaranteed for a guy who played below average in 2010. He played decent at the end of 2009, so, as usualy, Jones went overboard financially for a player who was obviously not worth it.

Yet as poor as he played, he was the best option in '12.....if Frederick isn't able to be a viable option immediately, this OL will be scary bad.

No one can construct a team from the outside in like Jones. :laugh2:

Not even I will blame Jerry for this one.

We ALL wanted Free signed, and there were several teams willing to pay him big money at that time. He looked like a long-term solution at a key position.

This was not like the Roy Williams or Marion Barber signings.

 

[Beast_from_East]

They were talking about this on 105.3 and they said Free called our bluff (Old news,) but then went on to talk about how it could backfire if Clabo and Winston sign elsewhere...

That's why I think they have to act quickly on Free and it is rumored there is a Monday deadline. He either signs the pay cut or he gets released.

 

[Tabascocat]

We are basically facing two bad scenarios here....

1. Free stays and maybe Livings or Bernie is replaced
2. Free goes with Parnell starting and Bernie and Livings are the starting guards

I don't want either scenario, it is a pick your poison. Give me a new FA guard and a tackle and I am a happy camper. At the least, this team needs to go get Clabo.

 

[NJ22]

I disagree. He played well in 09 at right tackle, he played very good not below average at left tackle in 2010. 2011 he was garbage at left and 2012 he was hot garbage at right. But based on 09 and 2010 Jerry had evidence that he was the long term answer at left tackle. obviously the contract is awful now that Free has regressed dramatically for whatever reason, but this is not one of the many bad contracts that Jerry hands out based on hopes and wishes IMO.

His contract was one of Jerry's most ridiculous. Like $18M guaranteed for a guy who played below average in 2010. He played decent at the end of 2009, so, as usualy, Jones went overboard financially for a player who was obviously not worth it.

Yet as poor as he played, he was the best option in '12.....if Frederick isn't able to be a viable option immediately, this OL will be scary bad.

No one can construct a team from the outside in like Jones. :laugh2:

 

[CIWhitefish]

Not even I will blame Jerry for this one.

We ALL wanted Free signed, and there were several teams willing to pay him big money at that time. He looked like a long-term solution at a key position.

This was not like the Roy Williams or Marion Barber signings.

Exactly. So soon people forget. It's lousy that we are in the situation we are in now but at the time everyone was thinking he was our answer at one of the tackle spots for years to come. Let's not push our Jerry suck agenda on this one folks.

 

[KDM256]

Good to see his days are numbered as a Dallas Cowboy. Never was a fan of his even when people thought he was actually good back in 09...

 

[Avery]

Thanks for nothing, Doug.

 

[CrazyCowboy]

This.

I hate Free as much as the next guy, but I dont think we should be rejoicing that much right now. However flawed, I still do not think Jerry's plan is to sign a starting RT like Clabo or Winston. I think he wants to roll with Parnell as the starter and sign a $2 million swing tackle, who likely will be worse, not better, than Free (if that's possible).

Man, I am afraid you STATED this perfectly......good job.