Snyder is a Genius!

[MikeP.]

By Jerry DiPaola

TRIBUNE-REVIEW

Wednesday, December 25, 2002

The Steelers were one of five NFL teams to submit a waiver claim for retired cornerback Deion Sanders on Tuesday, but don't expect Sanders to be patrolling the secondary at Heinz Field or anywhere else this season.

The Steelers' only interest in claiming Sanders, who was reportedly interested in joining the Oakland Raiders in an attempt to bolster a depleted secondary, was to block the Raiders from signing Sanders for the final regular-season game and the playoffs.

The other four teams that made claims included the San Diego Chargers, Indianapolis Colts, Tennessee Titans and Kansas City Chiefs. They are all potential playoff opponents for the Raiders. The Chiefs close out the regular season Saturday in Oakland.

Because waiver claims are awarded in inverse order of a team's standing, the Chargers (8-7) get Sanders' rights over the Chiefs (8-7), due to a weaker schedule. The Colts, Titans and Steelers have better records.

But Sanders, who was placed on waivers by the Washington Redskins from the reserve-retired list Monday, only can make a comeback if he had cleared waivers and made a separate deal with another team. NFL rules stipulate that any player claimed off waivers within 30 days of the end of the regular season is ineligible for the postseason.

The Chargers must pay Sanders 1/17th of his annual Redskins salary, believed to be in the neighborhood of $3.5 million. That didn't seem to bother Chargers coach Marty Schottenheimer.

"We will always do what's in the best interest of the San Diego Chargers for now and for the future," he said in a statement. "We have not been eliminated from playoff contention. We're not going to concede anything to what could be a potential playoff opponent. We're going to put ourselves in the best possible position to be successful. Should Deion decide he wants to play in the future, we would welcome the opportunity to discuss that with him at the appropriate time."

Earlier in the day, Steelers coach Bill Cowher smiled when asked if the team was interested in signing Sanders.

“No” he said. “(Director of football operations) Kevin (Colbert) asked me (Tuesday) morning, and we’re going to pass.”

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Could this be the thinking of Snyder not to ask for compensation?

And does this money come of our salary cap #s?

[Yomar]

I don't think its salary cap money, and I don't think Snyder saved himself any money, since I don't think he was paying Deion any of his base salary, I think...and I could very well be wrong, that Deion actually just made 1/17th of 3.5 million dollars that he wouldn't have gotten otherwise. But the article isn't very clear, so who knows

[jimster]

And it makes Snyder look like a good guy-not such a ridiculous thing to do afterall.

[MikeP.]

Very good points Yomar. Now that you said it like that, I realize that they aren't talking about the bonus but the actual 56 million or what ever he signed for over the entire contract.

Damnit! I jumped the gun thinking that we may have an extra 3.5 million dollars in cap money.

[Storm]

Snyder definetely messed up. In an attempt to kiss up to Al Davis in Oakland, he basically threw away any rights we had to Deion and for compensation in the future.

He should have realized the other teams would step forward and claim Dieon before Oakland could sign him. In his haste to please Davis he let Dieon walk away. Now if he signs someplace next year San Diego gets compensation and not us.

[JimboDaMan]

Deion's not signing with anybody next year, he has no interest in playing a full season. I believe, by this point, he would royally suck if he tried.

Snyder managed to look like the nice guy while shutting that grinning turd's trap and denying him the chance to falsely embellish his career. That it cost a small handful of somebody else's money is cool also. That it was Marty's salary cap money doesn't excite me since I bear him no ill will, but it is a little ironic.