Did you think the Cowboys or Redskins would spend wildly? Think again. Andrew Brandt
More than all the activity so far, I believe, is the fact that could be most the noteworthy about the first hours of life in the NFL without a salary cap: On Friday, the Bears committed almost $40 million in 2010 cash to three players, an amount slightly above the entire payroll of the Kansas City Chiefs and Arizona Cardinals. Welcome to the uncapped year.
When the prospect of an uncapped year started looking more and more realistic, thoughts turned to the usual suspects for spending without limits: Redskins, Cowboys, Raiders, etc. Now that we’ve moved through the first – and biggest spending day of the uncapped year – an unlikely team has claimed the mantle of most aggressive team in an uncapped year. It’s the Chicago Bears. Who knew?
First, a tight end signing -- Brandon Manumaleuna, with $6M in guaranteed money, a strong amount for a tight end not considered among the league’s elite. This move may set off a chain reaction of the team being open to offers for one or both of their tight ends, either Desmond Clark, who could be had for cheap, or Greg Olsen, who would require a higher pick that the Bears desperately need to conduct some sort of draft in April. Olsen received approximately $4.5M in guarantees as part of his 2007 first-round deal.
Then running back Chester Taylor was brought under contract. Taylor, as we predicted, would be the hottest running back on the market, with multiple suitors chasing him if the Bears let him out of their grasp. The Vikings put on the hard push, using sentimentality with players and coaches constantly calling, but Taylor decided to leave for many reasons ($7M of them). The contract is about where we predicted, with $7M guaranteed on a four-year, $12.5M deal for a 30-year-old running back. What Brian Westbrook or LaDainian Tomlinson wouldn’t give to make that deal.
Then the Bears landed the kingfish of the 2010 class when they picked a Julius Peppers. The deal averages $13.3M, with $40M in the first three years. The size of the deal was expected; in fact, I actually thought he would earn more (ignore reports of a total value of $91M; that’s an inflated number spun out for the media).
With Albert Haynesworth, at less of an impact position, earning $41M guaranteed last year (again, pay no attention to the reported overall value of $100M), the question was whether the 2010 top prize would jump that of the 2009 winner. The caveat, of course, is that the Haynesworth deal was done in an environment where ownership was not complaining about profits and came at the hand of the notoriously over-spending Redskins.
The deal is most like the contract given late in the season to Cowboys defensive end DeMarcus Ware, who received an astounding $40M guaranteed and would not have been an unrestricted free agent like Peppers, but benefited from an earlier deal for Terrell Suggs. Now Peppers will benefit from the Ware deal.
Not that the Bears got a bargain. As I expressed before, my concern about Peppers would be his motivation. If people were wondering about his motivation when he was playing on one-year deals – the ultimate motivator in sports – handing him long-term financial security in the form of almost $40M in guaranteed money is not going to alleviate that concern; rather, it will only exacerbate it.
Again, the issue of the uncapped year was whether a team or teams would engage in unfettered spending without the consequence of the cap. Some expected the Redskins, some the Cowboys, some expected no one. The Bears. Who knew?
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Mr. Murder,
I wouldn't exactly call those three signings "great" since they either duplicated talent already on the roster (RB and blocking TE) or did not remotely address their biggest weaknesses (O-line, WR, and secondary). I like Chester Taylor, but how the hell does Chicago expect to get much out of him since their O-line is still atrocious? Add in the fact that they also have not addressed their well below average WR corps, and I am not sure how the offense is one bit better than it was a season ago. I guess one could possibly make the case that Peppers might make the secondary slightly better by applying pressure, but how motivated is he going to be having gotten paid AND playing on what is still a 3rd place team? And it's not like they have first and second rounders to help fill the rest of the holes in the starting lineup. At least this will help Angelo and Smith get fired, which should have happened a while ago...
This ones for Jerry Angelo:
Don't know where I'm goin'
I don't like where I've been
There may be no exit
But hell I'm going in
Yo quiero a bailar en Mexico
We do the desperation samba con nos amigos
Yo quiero a bailar en Mexico
We do the desperation samba con nos amigos
........................Jimmy Buffett
This ones for Jerry Angelo:
Don't know where I'm goin'
I don't like where I've been
There may be no exit
But hell I'm going in
Yo quiero a bailar en Mexico
We do the desperation samba con nos amigos
Yo quiero a bailar en Mexico
We do the desperation samba con nos amigos
........................Jimmy Buffett
oh... And I love Peppers but....
The Bears didn't improve the O-Line or get another receiver. I guess they will trade Olsen for a lineman? Ogunleye appears to be leaving as well so the Tackle spot is diluted and which Tommie Harris shows up? Sportswriters in Chicago are writing that Peppers could win five games by himself with big plays. Put down the koolaid Jim Jones. Peppers adds but if the rest of the line doesn't come to play then will it make that much difference?
As for Taylor, yes it will hurt the Vikings but with him or without him they are still the team to beat in the North. If Favre doesn't come back it will be the Packers
Oh my. While the owners cry "Poor sus, we're going broke", these deals happen. IIs there an issue the union can use here?
Couple of really interesting points in this article...
The Cards and Chiefs are under $40 million for their total payroll?? Wow. With a roster of 50+ players... I mean, at some point you gotta' wonder why they don't go the whole way and just not field a team. If it's cheap you're after...
The other thing that was eye-opening was the comparison to what Chester Taylor is getting compared to what Tomlinson and Westbrook will likely get. It struck me how a person would've reacted three or even two years ago if you'd've told them that Taylor was going to be the hotter commodity than either of those guys.
Personally, though, I think Taylor is fools gold. Anybody who runs behind Steve Hutchinson, you've gotta' knock a yard off his per carry average to get a true picture of his talent. Just ask Shaun Alexander.
Andrew, can you guys wipe these spammers off the site?
Gotta love the rubes who think the Bears will do anything this year.
Andrew
Do you think the Bears spending was a result of a 2 year plan of giving up draft picks last year, knowing that in an uncapped year they could replace those draft talents by paying for free agents, or more a result of having no picks, a below average team and grasping at straws to refill the roster?
Mr. Brandt,
Help me understand why the Bears would sign Peppers when they got guys like alex brown and tommie harris on the d line. Also, why would they go get chester taylor when they could get a T.O. or Brandon Marshall?
By the way you skipped all around the facts bout white people being handled the same as blacks in the aboved mentioned statement by MICHAEL WILLIAMS. You answered two of them i guess, but please feel free to explain the rest, i'm listening.
The bears definitely picked up a lot of talent in the off season. They are definitely loaded for the year. It will be fun watching them this year.
When the prospect of an uncapped year started looking more and more realistic, thoughts turned to the usual suspects for spending without limits
This phase of signing is not over, either. They've diluted NFC foes in these signings as well, including a major division rival. The Vikes must counter with a signing, they have to lose in order to gain. Chilly sees someone who knows his system, maybe an incentive deal is heading Westbrook's way?
The other thing that was eye-opening was the comparison to what Chester Taylor is getting compared to what Tomlinson and Westbrook will likely get. It struck me how a person would've reacted three or even two years ago if you'd've told them that Taylor was going to be the hotter commodity than either of those guys.
When the prospect of an uncapped year started looking more and more realistic, thoughts turned to the usual suspects for spending without limits: Redskins, Cowboys, Raiders, etc.
Personally, though, I think Taylor is fools gold. Anybody who runs behind Steve Hutchinson, you've gotta' knock a yard off his per carry average to get a true picture of his talent. Just ask Shaun Alexander.
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Mar 06, 2010
01:57 PM
Maybe there is a "with cause" clause in there somewhere to cover the motivation item?
Three great signings, but does this mean they will abandon their other defensive end? Bringing him back with this could gear them into elite pass rush status, depending on Harris' return.
The running back is the hub of a Martz system(Faulk, Gore) and the blocking tight end forces a defense to match its run front so protections and pass options become predictable. The Bears already had good players at the position, bringing in new blood provides additional motivation and frees some of those players to use skills in other ways.
This phase of signing is not over, either. They've diluted NFC foes in these signings as well, including a major division rival. The Vikes must counter with a signing, they have to lose in order to gain. Chilly sees someone who knows his system, maybe an incentive deal is heading Westbrook's way?
Done well, the signing phase spirals additional moves and measures by teams directly affected.