This is insanity... LB Will Witherspoon 13m SB?

[Typhus]

13 million in bonus money? Are you friggin kidding me? What has happened to the NFL when a LB can command this kind of money.

The Charlotte Observer reports free-agent LB Will Witherspoon flew to St. Louis on Saturday afternoon and the Rams are expected to make a strong offer that could include as much as $13.million in bonus money. Miami is making a push for Witherspoon, who also is drawing interest from Minnesota and New Orleans. Sources in St. Louis said the Rams hoped to sign Witherspoon before he could visit elsewhere.

 

[NYCowboy22]

Look at some of the salaries in baseball and it will make you feel a little better... ie: Alex Rodriguez

 

[dbair1967]

yeah its ridiculous...those type numbers should be for dominant, franchise calibar game changing players

not "good" or above average players, which is what he is (and alot of the other guys who signed yesterday)

bottom line is the teams that are making these stupid type of investments are going to be very disappointed for the most part

David

 

[Chuck 54]

I disagree...it's easy to argue whether a particular player is worth 15 million or not, but with the salary cap over 100 million and continually going upwards, paying your starters at any position 3-4 million a year is no big deal anymore. That's the landscape.

And if you look at the contracts signed by the franchise QBs in the past couple of years and the unbelievable contracts of top draft picks who haven't played a down in the NFL yet, these salaries are in line with the market.

You either pay the guy you want to come to your team and start for you or someone else will.

As for the bonus money, that's the smart move in today's NFL...give the guy most of his money in bonus so the total contract is smaller and the bonus is spread out over the length of the contract...the alternative is a small bonus with a huge salary in years 1 and 2 which will destroy a team's CAP situation...players are no longer interested in back-loaded contracts since they know the team will just cut them and they'll never see the money anyway.

 

[InmanRoshi]

This is why I'm typically against signing Tier A free agents. They are usually only a small margin better than the Tier B (the great ones and difference makers never see the market), but they cost 3 times as much. Witherspoon is a nice player, but he's not 3 times better than Cato June or Scott Fujita.

Fill holes through free agency, draft for greatness.

 

[Clove]

IMO, you sign 1 or 2 top tier players, and then spend little for any other FA you get.

Dallas will make 2 big signings, I think.

 

[NorTex]

Look at some of the salaries in baseball and it will make you feel a little better... ie: Alex Rodriguez

Come on, Alex Rodriguez is an exceptional player, you shouldn't compare him with an above average linebacker.

Alex is the Peyton Manning of Baseball...a record breaking Hall Of Famer.

 

[Charles]

13 million in bonus money? Are you friggin kidding me? What has happened to the NFL when a LB can command this kind of money.

The Charlotte Observer reports free-agent LB Will Witherspoon flew to St. Louis on Saturday afternoon and the Rams are expected to make a strong offer that could include as much as $13.million in bonus money. Miami is making a push for Witherspoon, who also is drawing interest from Minnesota and New Orleans. Sources in St. Louis said the Rams hoped to sign Witherspoon before he could visit elsewhere.

Hello its the year 2006.........The NFL is a half trillion dollar industry.......It's all relative........2 decades ago the NFL was a billion dollar industry and the players pay was consistent with the revenues generated.

What do you guys think, that the NFL and Owners will keep making money and the players won't get raise...............

It is simple business. 10 years from now 4th and 3rd string players will be making millions per season.

Its all relative!!!

 

[AbeBeta]

think about that when you complain about not getting off to a fast start.

 

[WoodysGirl]

from John Clayton blog:

Big Easy money: Panthers linebacker Will Witherspoon has an offer worth at least $11.5 million on the table from the St. Louis Rams, but he is expected to leave St. Louis and make a quick visit to New Orleans. With $16.9 million of room and more coming with the eventual release of quarterback Aaron Brooks, the Saints are considered big players in the early market, which is why Witherspoon and Drew Brees are on the first wave of Saints visits. The Panthers want to re-sign Witherspoon, but it's possible that he could command as much as $5.5 million a year and more than $11.5 million to sign.

 

[STSINAZ]

so does that tell you what akin A. was asking? probably why he isnt signed.

 

[daab23]

If these good, but not great, LBs are asking for this type of money I rather just use this years draft to solve ALL our LB needs.

I just cannot believe that ANY team would give up that much money for any of these LBs considering who will be waiting for them April 28-29.

Just bad......... no make that Horrible management.

 

[notherbob]

I disagree...it's easy to argue whether a particular player is worth 15 million or not, but with the salary cap over 100 million and continually going upwards, paying your starters at any position 3-4 million a year is no big deal anymore. That's the landscape.

And if you look at the contracts signed by the franchise QBs in the past couple of years and the unbelievable contracts of top draft picks who haven't played a down in the NFL yet, these salaries are in line with the market.

You either pay the guy you want to come to your team and start for you or someone else will.

As for the bonus money, that's the smart move in today's NFL...give the guy most of his money in bonus so the total contract is smaller and the bonus is spread out over the length of the contract...the alternative is a small bonus with a huge salary in years 1 and 2 which will destroy a team's CAP situation...players are no longer interested in back-loaded contracts since they know the team will just cut them and they'll never see the money anyway.

Truer words have seldom been spake - Here's something I posted on another thread that I think bears repeating here:

I think there's a lot of bobbing and weaving going on, not to mention feinting and Juking while everyone tries to find out what the increase in cap dollars does to the FA process. Agents will be asking for mo' money while teams will be wanting to tight-fist some of it for other players, mid-season injury replacements, etc. Things will open up soon as people find their way around.
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