Seattle playing tough with Minnesota...Burleson signs

[Juke99]

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/2006-03-31-notes_x.htm

Notes: Vikings don't match Burleson offer

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A unique fight over restricted free agents between Seattle and Minnesota ended Friday when the Vikings chose not to match the Seahawks' contract offer to receiver Nate Burleson.

Vikings vice president for football operations Rob Brzezinski confirmed the decision, which allowed Burleson to join his hometown team.

"This is a dream come true for Nate," his agent, Ken Sarnoff, said. "That seven years after being named the Seattle High School Athlete of the Year, he now plays for the Seahawks."

Burleson signed an offer sheet last week for a seven-year contract worth up to $49 million, including $5.25 million guaranteed. In response to a similar tactic Minnesota used to sign All-Pro guard Steve Hutchinson to an offer sheet earlier this month, Seattle put a pair of provisions in the deal that would make it impractical for the Vikings to match.

If Burleson plays at least five games in the state of Minnesota or if his annual salary average is more than the average of his team's highest-paid running back, then the entire $49 million would be guaranteed.

The Vikings signed Hutchinson to an offer sheet that the Seahawks didn't match, after an arbitrator ruled that their contract didn't violate the collective bargaining agreement. Hutchinson's seven-year, $49 million deal becomes guaranteed if he's not his team's highest-paid offensive lineman. He had previously been named Seattle's transition player.

These poison pills caused some consternation at the league meetings this week, and outgoing commissioner Paul Tagliabue said such loopholes were "not in the spirit" of the NFL's agreement with the players' union.

But Burleson, who caught 30 passes for 328 yards and one touchdown last season while bothered by multiple injuries, is moving on.

Minnesota is left with Koren Robinson, Troy Williamson, Marcus Robinson and Travis Taylor at receiver, after nobody emerged as a top target in 2005 following the trade of Randy Moss to Oakland. Burleson was expected to be that, after accumulating 1,006 yards receiving and nine touchdowns in 2004.

The Seahawks owe the Vikings a third-round pick, based on Burleson's draft position in 2003. Minnesota now has two third-rounders and two second-rounders.

 

[Hostile]

The Seahawks owe the Vikings a third-round pick, based on Burleson's draft position in 2003. Minnesota now has two third-rounders and two second-rounders.

Why would the Seahawks owe the Vikings a 3rd rounder for a Free Agent?

 

[Juke99]

Why would the Seahawks owe the Vikings a 3rd rounder for a Free Agent?

I guess because he was a RFA...

I do like how the Seahawks structured the deal...there's nothing like a little mudslinging between bazillion dollar businesses.

 

[Hostile]

I guess because he was a RFA...

I do like how the Seahawks structured the deal...there's nothing like a little mudslinging between bazillion dollar businesses.

Restricted Free Agent only means that the Vikings have the option of matching the offer and keeping the player.

Steve Hutchinson was a Transition Player.

Something is amiss in this.

 

[Juke99]

Restricted Free Agent only means that the Vikings have the option of matching the offer and keeping the player.

Steve Hutchinson was a Transition Player.

Something is amiss in this.

Oh Adam, where are you?

 

[TheSkaven]

I like Minnesota's receivers, and Burleson is vastly overrated. He only had one good year. Troy Williamson is an up and coming player, Travis Taylor and Marcus Robinson are both big possession style receivers, and Koren Robinson could turn into a true #1, he seems to really have turned things around last year.

 

[pungofish]

Restricted free agents are players who have completed three accrued seasons of service and whose contracts have expired. They have received qualifying offers from their old clubs and are free to negotiate with any club until April 21, at which time their rights revert to their original club. If a player accepts an offer from a new club, the old club will have the right to match the offer and retain the player. If the old club elects not to match the offer, it may receive draft-choice compensation depending on the level of the qualifying offer made to the player.

 

[Juke99]

Restricted free agents are players who have completed three accrued seasons of service and whose contracts have expired. They have received qualifying offers from their old clubs and are free to negotiate with any club until April 21, at which time their rights revert to their original club. If a player accepts an offer from a new club, the old club will have the right to match the offer and retain the player. If the old club elects not to match the offer, it may receive draft-choice compensation depending on the level of the qualifying offer made to the player.

Thank you....I guess that settles that.

 

[vicjagger]

Depending upon the amount of the offer tendered to a RFA by his current team, the team that signs him or her (j/k), may be required to forfeit:

1) Nothing,
2) A draft pick in the same round the player was drafted (if drafted),
3) a first round pick, or
4) A first and third round pick.

It is all explained here:

http://www.nflpa.org/Media/main.asp?subPage=CBA+Complete

 

[CactusCowboy]

I like Minnesota's receivers, and Burleson is vastly overrated. He only had one good year. Troy Williamson is an up and coming player, Travis Taylor and Marcus Robinson are both big possession style receivers, and Koren Robinson could turn into a true #1, he seems to really have turned things around last year.

Gotta disagree. I think Burleson was there best receiver. Marcus is old, Taylor very average and the verdict is still out on Williamson.....

 

[big dog cowboy]

This whole "poison pill" thing needs to go away. Hopefully it can be fixed before next years off season. Both Seattle and Minny were in a position where they really didn't have a choice but to not sign the player.

 

[Hostile]

I realize all this stuff about the compensation guys. I was talking about the inequity of Hutchinson versus Burleson. It seems to me that the team losing a player the quality of Hutchinson is due something while the Vikings should almost thank the Seahawks for taking Burleson.

 

[Bluefin]

It seems to me that the team losing a player the quality of Hutchinson is due something while the Vikings hsould almost thank the Seahawks for taking BUrleson.

If Seattle wanted Hutchinson to stay, they should've worked out a long term contract extension before the season ended, IMO.

I also believe they had the option of using the franchise tag since Walter Jones has signed a long term deal.

The Seahawks chose to place the transition tag on Hutchinson and they knew he was as good as gone when they did it.

Paying that kind of money to a guard is insane.

 

[Hostile]

If Seattle wanted Hutchinson to stay, they should've worked out a long term contract extension before the season ended, IMO.

I also believe they had the option of using the franchise tag since Walter Jones has signed a long term deal.

The Seahawks chose to place the transition tag on Hutchinson and they knew he was as good as gone when they did it.

Paying that kind of money to a guard is insane.

No offense, but that doesn't have thing 1 to do with what I was talking about.

 

[Rush 2112]

I realize all this stuff about the compensation guys. I was talking about the inequity of Hutchinson versus Burleson. It seems to me that the team losing a player the quality of Hutchinson is due something while the Vikings should almost thank the Seahawks for taking Burleson.

If Seattle wanted to protect themselves in the Hutch situation they should have franchised him. They were probably afraid of the way players "perceive" being franchised. Usually not a good thing.

They left themselves unprotected.

Any inequity is due to their own incompetence.

 

[Hostile]

If Seattle wanted to protect themselves in the Hutch situation they should have franchised him. They were probably afraid of the way players "perceive" being franchised. Usually not a good thing.

They left themselves unprotected.

Any inequity is due to their own incompetence.

Duh.

Meanwhile Minnesota is going to get rewarded with a draft pick for doing what? The same thing Seattle failed to do.

It just doesn't seem equitable. That's all I am saying.

 

[Rush 2112]

Things that are completely different quite often aren't the same.

Imagine that.

 

[Echo9]

Duh.

Meanwhile Minnesota is going to get rewarded with a draft pick for doing what? The same thing Seattle failed to do.

It just doesn't seem equitable. That's all I am saying.

Well, the difference is that Hutch was a total FA (albeit with a transition tag) while Burleson was a tendered RFA.

It's not about talent, but about years the player was in the league and the level of ownership (for lack of a better word) of the player that the team had.

Minnesota gets a draft pick because they owned the rights (to a degree) to a 3 year player.

It's not about what a team did or failed to do, but rather who they did or didn't do it to.

Because of this, it's not really the 'same' thing. The contract statuses were different so the results were different.

 

[montgod]

I like Minnesota's receivers, and Burleson is vastly overrated. He only had one good year. Troy Williamson is an up and coming player, Travis Taylor and Marcus Robinson are both big possession style receivers, and Koren Robinson could turn into a true #1, he seems to really have turned things around last year.

I agree about Burleson. I think Seattle was stupid to sign Burleson to such a large contract when he is still very unproven and injury prone. Makes it evident that one reason was to try and get back at Minnesota. There is no doubt that at the end of the day, no matter what Seattle does, Minnesota still got the upperhand on this deal of Burleson and a third for Hutchenson. THey better hope that Burleson is able to come back to perform like he did that one year where he was successful or they will be looking even worse for only putting a transition tag on Hutchenson.

 

[Big Country]

Well, the difference is that Hutch was a total FA (albeit with a transition tag) while Burleson was a tendered RFA.

It's not about talent, but about years the player was in the league and the level of ownership (for lack of a better word) of the player that the team had.

Minnesota gets a draft pick because they owned the rights (to a degree) to a 3 year player.

It's not about what a team did or failed to do, but rather who they did or didn't do it to.

Because of this, it's not really the 'same' thing. The contract statuses were different so the results were different.

superior observation...