Jane Slater re: Earl Thomas

[boysfaninMI]

Given the teams who agreed to terms with other safeties today, the Cowboys aren't the only ones not interested in ET at $14 million per season.

A 30 year old player, 9 year veteran, who has missed 19 games the last 3 seasons comes with risk. I'm not opposed to adding ET, but giving him the biggest contract of his life and expecting 16 games of All Pro production is more likely fantasy than reality.

Absolutely. He's going to sign elsewhere for more than our FO or anyone on this board can stomach. Free Agency is kind of a joke. Not saying we shouldn't sign guys but your post is so accurate. Just not worth that much.

 

[boysfaninMI]

The only thing that matters is the guarantees.
The team could pay him 14 mil a year, on average on a 4 year deal.
Have the deal backloaded with a decent guarantee, good sized signing bonus and incentives that he could never reach.
Cut him after two years and cap wise they would of paid him much less than 14mil per. Salary wise he would of gotten paid.

That being said, unless one team is desperate, I don't think the market is as strong for him. 30, and two B2B IR years hurts value.

Most GOOD organizations don't do biz that way: NE, PItt, GBay, Philly don't do that. Skins and a few other scrubs do though. Not good business IMO

 

[boysfaninMI]

What past success is driving this lowball philosophy Stephen has adopted?

Like which players has he convinced to come and play for less for the honor of playing for the Dallas Cowboys?

Want to win? Open up your wallet and pay for talent.

Instead we seem to be running an ideal business model. Maximize revenue (us being suckers), keep costs down.

This is what Nepotism gets you. He isn't qualified in any way, shape or form. That being said, ET isn't worth what Collins and other younger safeties are getting: period. Can't pay big money based on past performance or you'll end up like the Commanders year in and year out.

 

[John813]

Most GOOD organizations don't do biz that way: NE, PItt, GBay, Philly don't do that. Skins and a few other scrubs do though. Not good business IMO

You think teams give out contracts with the full guarantee of honoring the contract to the end?

Teams use and abuse players and once they drop in talent and/or their contract becomes cut-able they move on.

Pittsburgh is one of the few teams that gives out little guarantees past the first/second year. Why do you think their star RB held out?

 

[OldJarhead]

You think teams give out contracts with the full guarantee of honoring the contract to the end?

Teams use and abuse players and once they drop in talent and/or their contract becomes cut-able they move on.

Pittsburgh is one of the few teams that gives out little guarantees past the first/second year. Why do you think their star RB held out?

He held out because he's greedy and a little voice in his head told him he was the center of the universe and deserved everything he wanted. His lawyers told him he could still get paid for sitting on his *** at home, not getting hit and then he could become a free agent, sign for a ton of cash and do it all again in 2 years.

 

[CalPolyTechnique]

I saw different reports Earl wants a 2year deal for 30 mil

That’s why I said on a “per year annually” basis, which is ~$15M.

 

[BigCatMonaco]

Texans are now targeting tashaun Gipson for their safety. Not sure what happened on the earl front.

 

[CalPolyTechnique]

The market is what it is, not what they want it to be.

 

[John813]

He held out because he's greedy and a little voice in his head told him he was the center of the universe and deserved everything he wanted. His lawyers told him he could still get paid for sitting on his *** at home, not getting hit and then he could become a free agent, sign for a ton of cash and do it all again in 2 years.

Every player is greedy. That 5yr 70 mil contract sounds great to a lot of people but he knew he wasn't going to see a majority of it. I didn't expect him to actually not sign the FT and lose out on the 14 mil.
The guarantees in it weren't high. Right or wrong, for his attitude, they used him as a #1 RB and as the #2 option in the passing game. He wanted to get guaranteed money cause until the contracts become fully guaranteed, that's the only part that is guaranteed to hit his bank account. People get thrown off by total salary, but it's a mirage and very few players actually play out their extensions.

Even the Antonio Brown extension the Steelers gave out was low in actual guarantees. The only reason why the Steelers ate 21 in dead cap was that they restructured his deal last offseason. They didn't expect him to become the #1 diva and want out cause Ben said some mean things to him.

 

[Proof]

He held out because he's greedy and a little voice in his head told him he was the center of the universe and deserved everything he wanted. His lawyers told him he could still get paid for sitting on his *** at home, not getting hit and then he could become a free agent, sign for a ton of cash and do it all again in 2 years.

Lol @ greedy. He’s looking to be paid what he feels his worth, and based on his usage and unique skill set. He also didn’t get paid to sit at home, he willingly forfeited making millions of dollars because he’d rather have long term security.

 

[boysfaninMI]

Texans are now targeting tashaun Gipson for their safety. Not sure what happened on the earl front.

Simple...he wanted too much money.

 

[boysfaninMI]

Lol @ greedy. He’s looking to be paid what he feels his worth, and based on his usage and unique skill set. He also didn’t get paid to sit at home, he willingly forfeited making millions of dollars because he’d rather have long term security.

Correct...and that gamble will probably pay off. He's a unique talent. Hell, the Deadskins just overpaid Collins so who knows what someone will pay Bell.

 

[BigCatMonaco]

Every player is greedy. That 5yr 70 mil contract sounds great to a lot of people but he knew he wasn't going to see a majority of it. I didn't expect him to actually not sign the FT and lose out on the 14 mil.
The guarantees in it weren't high. Right or wrong, for his attitude, they used him as a #1 RB and as the #2 option in the passing game. He wanted to get guaranteed money cause until the contracts become fully guaranteed, that's the only part that is guaranteed to hit his bank account. People get thrown off by total salary, but it's a mirage and very few players actually play out their extensions.

Even the Antonio Brown extension the Steelers gave out was low in actual guarantees. The only reason why the Steelers ate 21 in dead cap was that they restructured his deal last offseason. They didn't expect him to become the #1 diva and want out cause Ben said some mean things to him.

He was going to get 10 mil at signing. The instant pen hit paper. By the first snap he took he’d be looking at a cool 21-22 mil guaranteed. Come the start of his second season after the deal was signed its up to 33 mil. By the third, 45 total.

Freeman was the highest paid RB at the time of that offer, making 8 mil a year. They offered bell 14-15.
Now I get that he wants guaranteed money, but the only way he wasn’t getting it was if the Steelers cut him before the start of the league year during the offseason. They’d do that for one of a couple reasons, attitude or production(a lack there of) at which point he’d be free to negotiate a deal for new guarantees as he’s doing now.

So he wants the big money at signing. Is that because he himself doesn’t think he’d maintain production? The rolling guarantees structure like that is almost always protected va injury, so he wasn’t risking losing it for an injury.


It’s not that different from Todd Gurleys deal.
Except he got 21 at signing.
He still will only collect the full 45 in guarantees after the third day of the 2020 league year. So the third season after signing his contract. EXACTLY THE SAME AS BELLS.

 

[conner01]

Given the teams who agreed to terms with other safeties today, the Cowboys aren't the only ones not interested in ET at $14 million per season.

A 30 year old player, 9 year veteran, who has missed 19 games the last 3 seasons comes with risk. I'm not opposed to adding ET, but giving him the biggest contract of his life and expecting 16 games of All Pro production is more likely fantasy than reality.

One day in it’s hard to say no one is interested
I think honey badger deal is crazy money, but someone paid it
What a players worth and what he can get paid have little to do with each other
Dlaw is gonna get Mack money and you have to decide to pay it or let most of your draft picks walk on second contracts. Zeke, Jones, j smith and all are gonna get deals that are huge. If you aren’t willing to pay your own you aren’t gonna pay others

 

[AzorAhai]

What past success is driving this lowball philosophy Stephen has adopted?

Like which players has he convinced to come and play for less for the honor of playing for the Dallas Cowboys?

Want to win? Open up your wallet and pay for talent.

Instead we seem to be running an ideal business model. Maximize revenue (us being suckers), keep costs down.

This is what it’s starting to seem like more and more to me. Stephen seems to be taking a much more bottom line approach to the franchise and that’s a problem. When you take a look at what they are actually spending, they are the 31st ranked team in actual cash spent in 2017 and 2018, well below the cash spent floor. 293 million spent by the Cowboys while the average spent was 350 million. The bottom line is they aren’t maximizing their roster, but are sure as hell making sure they line their pockets.

 

[Carson]

Texans are now targeting tashaun Gipson for their safety. Not sure what happened on the earl front.

Smart move. I wouldn’t mind Gipson at all

 

[slick325]

Adrian Amos going to the Packers according to Ian Rap Sheet. Seems like it will be between San Francisco and Dallas for ET. Unless Houston gets involved.

 

[conner01]

Let's let the next few days play out. Things could get very interesting for Cowboys fans pretty quick.

It is early
But I do think the market for safety has changed significantly and if you want a quality safety it’s gonna cost you

 

[BigCatMonaco]

Amos to the packers.

With the news of Texans targeting Gipson, it appears it’s down to 49ers and Cowboys for earls sevices.

 

[MrPhil]

Lol @ greedy. He’s looking to be paid what he feels his worth, and based on his usage and unique skill set. He also didn’t get paid to sit at home, he willingly forfeited making millions of dollars because he’d rather have long term security.

I understand all of what you said and agree with most of it however, the last three words is where I usually get stuck and the player's argument rings hallow for me. According to overthcap, Bell has earned $15,978,253 thus far in his career and was set to make another $14.5M last year had he played. Is that Todd Gurley money in terms of total contract value? No, it is not. But if you cannot provide "long term security" for you, your family, your children and more than likely your grandchildren with $30M then, in my opinion, you are doing something very wrong.