Yikes! Harrington's contract gives some insight to Ramsey's holdout

[Atlanta Skins Fan]

Get a load of Joey Harrington's contract:

http://www.detroitfreepress.com/sports/lions/lions24_20020724.htm

Harrington, the No. 3 overall pick in the NFL draft, signed a six-year contract worth $36.5 million, including a $6-million signing bonus and $7-million option bonus*. The option payment is due before Harrington's second season.

*Option bonus. Payable before Harrington's second season. If the Lions decide not to pay the bonus, Harrington becomes a free agent.

*Salary-cap number: $2.3 million this season.

So if Harrington goes down in a plane crash after game 1 of 2003, the Lions are out over $13 million in signing/option bonuses alone.

From ESPN signing status page:

http://espn.go.com/nfl/nfc/draftsignings2002.html

Base salaries: $1,300,000 (2002); $1,625,000 (2003); $1,930,000 (2004); $2,275,000 (2005) etc.

From ESPN's John Clayton:

Once the escalators kick in, base salary jump to $4.95 million in 2005 , $4.45 million in 2006, and $4.45 million in 2007

Folks, that's a lot of dough.

And that's why Ramsey isn't in camp.

You can rattle on about slotting, but Ramsey was still the next highest QB after Harrington. He's looking at Harrington's numbers and figures he's going to be just as good a pro.

As I've written before, QB is the *only* position for which I'd advocate departing from slotting. The team needs to bite the bullet and offer some escalators that would kick in if Ramsey becomes a reliable starter. The signing bonus and base salary should be close to (or under) the slot figure, but the incentives should reward Ramsey for being a productive starter.

Or we can stand on dubious slotting principle and toast the possibility of Ramsey contributing at all this year.

Departing from slotting when it comes to year 3/4 incentives doesn't cost us a dime this year. If Ramsey's a productive starter, we'll be glad to pay him a low starter's salary during those years. That's all he's asking.

[indyskinsfan]

Yes that is something, but Harrington's pick point allows that contract. Ramsey's doesn't, even though he's the third taken and far lower, he's destined to walk away with a much smaller deal and will still need to prove himself on the field to get a rework or extension in say, year 3. I can see his bonus being nice with a near rookie minimum and the bonus escalates with the salary per year

3 mil bonus - 450,000 yr 1 + 1/3 bonus, 600,000 yr 2 +2/3 bonus,

2.5 yr + incentives, 3mil yr 4, optional yr 5 as same 4 for salary+ incentives or void. IF he's the man, then simply redo the year 5.

[Burgold]

maybe you don't go by slotting, but 28 teams passed on Ramsey before the 'skins bit. That's got to count for a lot contractually. He's a pretty high gamble quarterbackwise and he probably or at least his agent knows it. He's bright, tough, and has a very good arm. But whether it's because of complimentary talent or himself he hasn't been spectacular on the field (in college). So, the question, contractwise is how much do you pay for the production/history/potential ratio of this guy. We expect (based on Spurrier quotes) his production to be nearly nil this year. He's not going to play. His history isn't awesome in college, though not bad all things considered. Finally, his potential is what his contract is all about, but he has weakness in two of the three judgement categories.

Harington had high history, is expected to be the starter, and has pretty good physical potential. Besides that, he was a top five pick instead of being the last 1st rounder or a second rounder in previous years.

[Atlanta Skins Fan]

Originally posted by indyskinsfan

3 mil bonus - 450,000 yr 1 + 1/3 bonus, 600,000 yr 2 +2/3 bonus,

2.5 yr + incentives, 3mil yr 4, optional yr 5 as same 4 for salary+ incentives or void. IF he's the man, then simply redo the year 5.

How about this:

$2.5M signing bonus

$300K base salary year 1

$450K base salary years 2 - 4

$100K bonus per game started, years 2 - 4

$100K bonus per game started and won, years 2 - 4

$500K bonus per Pro Bowl, years 2 - 4

$500K bonus per season with QB rating 85+, years 2 -4

Can someone tell me how the Redskins lose with this contract?

[Qcard]

Skin fans,

You guys better hope 1 of your QBs in camp shows at worst some solid Quaterbacking, because if Mathews, Weurfel and Sage stink up the joint, Ramsey will have more leverage in getting the contract he wants.

There will be presure from fans and media to get the rookie in camp if these other guys don't show any promise during the preseason games and training camp. Ramsey is only a rookie, but he has the best physical tools.

Would you rather have retrends in Mathews, Sage(not really) and Weurfel stinking up the joint or your (possible) QB of the future learning the ropes and stinking up the joint.