Trotter vs The BIG FOUR

[BCS:BraveCaringSoul]

Meanwhile, Washington appears the front-runner for Phil-adelphia Eagles free agent middle linebacker Jeremiah Trotter after offering a multi-year deal averaging $4 million, according to NFL sources.

Here's the big question I have:

Will allocating $4mil/yr for Trotter prevent us from resigning our BIG-FOUR (Jansen, Samuels, Bailey and Arrington) when their contracts either end or become so inflated that it forces us to renegotiate or cut them?

As much as I'd love to have a dreamteam type linebacking corps our BIG-FOUR is more important.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/sports/20020417-82862128.htm

[Art]

BCS,

It's hard to say what this does without seeing how the contract is laid out. Honestly, $4 million a year seems like a contract a little lower than I had anticipated, so, that's good. But, is it a contract that remains backloaded, or is it one that is balanced and that you expect the player to fulfill? How many years is it? How big is the signing bonus?

On the surface, $4 million a year on average seems like a contract that allows us more room for other renegotiations. But, again, that may not be correct, depending on a number of factors.

[mardi gras skin]

Here's the big question I have:

How long will I have to look at BCS's new icon?

As for having the cash to keep our guys in the fold, I have to think that Mendes knows how to get it done.

But instead of thinking of our big 4, why not think of Trotter as the first of our big 5 to get his second contract?

[laurent]

I only have rudimentary knowledge about our cap situation but I don't think signing Trotter will have much impact on our ability to retain those guys. If memory serves me correctly Samuels and Arrington both signed contracts in excess of 5 years. That would make them eligible for free agency no earlier than 2005 and until then a lot can change.

Now Bailey and Jansen are a different story. Depending on what kind of years they have, they will demand some serious cash in the offseason. Fortunately for us we should have plenty of cash available next year with the dead money for Deion Sanders, Jeff George and Mark Carrier coming off the books.

Right now I'm not too worried about losing any markee free agents. I think the front office is doing a great job and with Mendes we have one of the top guys when it comes to maximizing cap dollars.

Cheers.

[Larry]

Before you start celebrating the end of dead money, (and I'm looking forward to not having Deion's name any closer to my team than possible), recall that next year we might well be looking at dead money for Bruce, and I can't say how many others.

[laurent]

The dead money for Bruce Smith and Marco Coleman isn't that big of a deal since their cap hit can be spread over two years. I'm aware that the dead cap space problem isn't going to go away, but it certainly isn't going to be anywhere near as bad as last year or this year.

Cheers.

[BCS:BraveCaringSoul]

Laurent,

You may be wrong about Arrington's contract. Remember he held out longer than Samuels and his agreement is less friendly to the Skins.

I recall reading an article at the time which said that the Skins would have to restructure LaVar's contract after his third year because the fourth year was outrageous. The article was a typical piece of Snyder bashing but I kept it in my brainpan just the same.

Anybody have the details on fourth year incentives for LaVar?

[Art]

For the record, here's Lavar's base contract values.....

2000 193000.00

2001 300000.00

2002 860000.00

2003 385000.00

2004 413000.00

2005 440000.00

2006 440000.00

At no point will we have to touch Lavar because of having too great a contract weight.

[PCinOz]

I can't understand why people are hung up on extending the contracts of Arrington and Samuels when they still have 4 years to go!!!! (not 5 years because the last year is viodable in both contracts). The cap will have ballooned some by then.

Also Bailey isn't a free agent until after the 2003 season, so why not talk extension next off-season.

Jansen should be the target to get resigned.

From the Washington Post :

"According to NFL sources, Trotter likely will sign a five- to seven-year contract with a signing bonus of $5 million to $7 million."

Now for example, if Trotter signs a 5 year deal that averages $4m per year thats $20m and includes a $5m signing bonus. The deal could be structured something like :

2002 - $1.450m (450k in base, $1m sb alloc)

2003 - $2.000m ($1.0m in base, $1m sb alloc)

2004 - $2.550m ($1.550m in base, $1m sb alloc)

2005 - $5.000m ($4.0m in base, $1m sb alloc)

2006 - $9.000m ($8.0m in base, $1m sb alloc)

so its essentially a three year deal that will need to be restructured (or Trotter released) after 2004.

This is how we can afford to pay someone an average of $4m a year.

[fish]

I'm with Madi Gras,

Who is getting punished here? The last thing I need to wake up to is a crotch shot from some S&M clown-freak.

Point's been made, enpugh's enough! Move on.

[laurent]

1a. LB LaVar Arrington (Penn State) -- Signing bonus: $10,750,000. Base salaries: $193,000 (2000); $275,000

(2001); $358,000 (2002); $385,000 (2003); $413,000 (2004); $440,000 (2005); $440,000 (2006). Notes: Seventh year of contract voids if Arrington achieves minimal playing time levels. There are "escalators" based on reasonable performance benchmarks that will raise the six-year value to $33.6 million and other incentives that could raise the total to about $50 million. Total: seven years, $13,254,000 or six years, $33,600,000.

1b. OT Chris Samuels (Alabama) -- Signing bonus: $10,000,000. Base salaries: $193,000 (2000); $275,000 (2001); $358,000 (2002); $385,000 (2003); $413,000 (2004); $440,000 (2005); $440,000 (2006). Notes: Seventh year of contract voids if Samuels achieves minimal playing time levels. There are "escalators" based on reasonable

performance benchmarks that will raise the six-year value to $30.6 million and other incentives that could raise the total to about $47 million. Total: seven years, $12,504,000 or six years, $30,600,000.

[BCS:BraveCaringSoul]

Art,

What about incentives, escalators, voidable years? Have you verified that they won't have an adverse effect on LaVar's cap hit?

[BCS:BraveCaringSoul]

good info Laurent,

The key is this little nugget:

There are "escalators" based on reasonable performance benchmarks that will raise the six-year value to $33.6 million and other incentives that could raise the total to about $50 million.

Just what are those $50 mil incentive factors. There is a HUGE difference between 33 mil and $50 mil. Somehow I think LaVar's performance will put him closer to 50.

[PCinOz]

I can't understand why people are hung up on extending the contracts of Arrington and Samuels when they still have 4 years to go!!!! (not 5 years because the last year is viodable in both contracts). The cap will have ballooned some by then.

Also Bailey isn't a free agent until after the 2003 season, so why not talk extension next off-season.

Jansen should be the target to get resigned.

From the Washington Post :

"According to NFL sources, Trotter likely will sign a five- to seven-year contract with a signing bonus of $5 million to $7 million."

Now for example, if Trotter signs a 5 year deal that averages $4m per year thats $20m and includes a $5m signing bonus. The deal could be structured something like :

2002 - $1.450m (450k in base, $1m sb alloc)

2003 - $2.000m ($1.0m in base, $1m sb alloc)

2004 - $2.550m ($1.550m in base, $1m sb alloc)

2005 - $5.000m ($4.0m in base, $1m sb alloc)

2006 - $9.000m ($8.0m in base, $1m sb alloc)

so its essentially a three year deal that will need to be restructured (or Trotter released) after 2004.

This is how we can afford to pay someone an average of $4m a year.

[BCS:BraveCaringSoul]

PC, the concern is based on what effect signing Trotter will have on resigning Arrington and Samuels in the FUTURE not neccesarily THIS off season.

Surely a proven cap guru like yourself realizes that a big money contract for Trotter will have some effect on our cap beyond this year.

Of course until we know the specifics of the offer to Trotter we are just dancing with the wind.

And yes I do agree that Jansen should be our immediate priority.

[PCinOz]

Yes I understand the future is a higher cap figure thats why contract values escalate. We don't have alot of long term contracts so I still don't see where the "perceived" problem is when the cap in 2006 could be $90m+.

[NavyDave]

Well that may be tue bu right now the word from NFL 2nite is that the Cap is expected to go up only by 2.5 million for 2k3.

So it can become interesting

[mardi gras skin]

OK. Now I am interested in Arrington and Samuel's true salaries. Given that they will both by Pro Bowlers, what can we expect to see, year by year, for their contracts?

I was floored when our money went from something like 12 million to 3 this last off season. We can expect more of the same in the future, and it would be great if the incentives didn't sneak up again.

[inmate running the asylum]

Gee I didnt know BCS was into S&M?

I'll have to tell some of the guys in the joint......... so they can write him. :laugh:

There is a guy in the next cellblock they call "Sweet Meat" >>> :fro: ... that would love to hear from you BCS. :rotflmao:

[BCS:BraveCaringSoul]

Let 'em know Inmate, but I aint no cheap trick.

I charge $250/hr plus $100/participant for slave training. It costs 'em an extra 3 bills if they want me in my clown gear. :cold: