Did anyone notice that Zach Wiegert got $3.4 million a year?

[DeathByLinebacker]

Houston gave Weigert a 5 year 17 million dollar deal.

Zach Piller got 7 years 21 million or 3 milllion per year.

We're getting ripped for paying Thomas 4 million a year. "Paying way too much for a guard" they say. Considering that Thomas was clearly ranked above those 2 in this year's class, I think we may have paid about what his market value may be this year. Market value isn't an abstract concept, it's determined by what teams are willing to pay. Apparently, teams are now willing to pay for guards.

We'll know better when Mo Collins signs, but I bet he falls in between 3.4 mil and 4 mil per year.

[Zen-like Todd]

It was actually something like 21.3. Not a big difference, but if you are being anal.

Only the redskins get crapped on for overpaying.

The Lions just signed Dre Bly to a 5-year, 24.5 million dollar contract. Now THAT is overpaying.

The Chiefs just signed Shawn Barber to a 7-year, $30 million dollar deal. Hmph. I for one think Barber will have a great year, but thats a hell of a lot of money, more than we just handed out to Thomas.

The Seahawks just resigned Anthony Simmons, another linebacker, to a 5-year, 23 million dollar deal, with a signing bonus of at least 7.5 million. That's right, a bigger bonus on a contract that is two years shorter.

etc....etc....etc...

Thomas is clearly the best guard contract who has signed a deal in this offseason. So, let's say we did overpay. By how much? 1.5 million? Would a 7-year 26.5 million dollar deal look better? That's only a difference of 200k a season. Big effin deal. 3 million 7-years and 25 million? 400k a season. Whooptie freakin do.

[bulldog]

Zach Piller and Mo Collins are WAY down the list from Randy Thomas

The Texans have been willing so far to hand out dollars for OL, but the moves have largely blown up in their faces.

Boselli still hasn't played a down for them. Young was less than advertised. And McKinney is a solid performer but not a premier one.

[Art]

It is interesting listening to the dearth of criticism these other teams aren't getting . I love Jerry Rice, but I assure you if we signed him to the same, exact, 6-year, $30-million deal, we'd be shredded. And, the Raiders did it with two golden oldies signing Brown to the same type of deal. I never thought Thomas was overpaid to be honest. Is it a lot to pay for a guard? Sure. It's still less than a lot of guards are making and you are seeing lesser players getting fat deals as well, which makes you wonder about just how dumb people are for thinking we're dumb.

[Steve Y]

Did they ever release the breakdown details of the Brown and Rice deals. they HAVE to be backloaded, with Oakland's FO planning on cutting them or them retiring before the big money comes around.

[All In]

...hmm media didn't make to much fuss when the Cowboys signed Flozell Adams to a 7year 20+ million dollar contract. Sure he can be dominant, but he has his share of mental breakdowns.

Do any of you remmeber last years Dallas Skins final game? I think he had two back to back blown assignments, Bruce Smith got through on one caused a Fumble, Flozell was turned around arguing with the HB who probably should of picked him up, and Lavar came in and recovered the ball in the endzone for a TD.

Oh yeah and about "overpaying", even if we did over pay by 1.5million, that was worth it to keep him from going to visit other teams, plus he respects the fact that we were not bringing him in here to BS him, show everyone that we are serious. You have to respect that.

[turn1200]

How come no one ever mentions the signing bonus? This has a huge effect on things. For example, say Oakland signs Jerry Rice to a 5 year deal for 30 million with a 5 million dollar signing bonus. My understanding of the cap is that they could cut him after the first year and then only have 1 million per year on the cap. Now if they gave him a 1 million dollar signing bonus then they would only have to count 200k against the cap.

[Zen-like Todd]

Not quite turn. The signing bonus is only prorated as long as you are on the team.

If I was signed to a 5-year deal with a $5 million bonus, and cut after the first year, the team that signed me would take a $4 million hit, or the prorated remainder of the signing bonus. That's why cutting a player can be so costly.

[DeathByLinebacker]

Originally posted by bulldog

Zach Piller and Mo Collins are WAY down the list from Randy Thomas

Maybe. I can't speak for anyone else, but when I talk about offensive linemen I am largely relying on the opinions of experts since I've never graded gamefilm on a lineman.

That being said, my understanding is that the four we are talking about would be ranked:

Thomas

Collins

Weigert

Piller

[Art]

DBL,

You are probably right that the ranking of these players as free agents was as you stated. However, as Bulldog stated, the ranking of these players as players is different. Just use numbers. You have four free numbers in numbers 1-10. Those numbers are 1, 5, 7, 10.

They may be the top four, but, they are really 5, 7 and 10 .