Watt's Up with T.J.?

[Eddie Spaghetti]

that is the ceiling from what have read. I dont believe the floor has been set yet

[Northern_Blitz]

that is the ceiling from what have read. I dont believe the floor has been set yet

Thanks Eddie...google agrees with you.

[SteelBucks]

Eddie, do you know if that's the cap number or just that floor (i.e. it won't be less than that)?

I thought I heard that it was a floor, but maybe there was a later report I missed.

I thought it was the floor also. Floor, ceiling…I don’t care. I’m just happy we have plenty of cap space for a change.

[NorthCoast]

Is this considered a “rolling” guarantee?

Good question. I don't know what it is.

[Northern_Blitz]

Good question. I don't know what it is.

Tommy Boy knows what kind of Guarantee it was

[hackjam]

There is no "floor" in the same sense as there's a salary floor in the NHL. In the NFL, teams have to spend to at least 90% of the total cap over a 4 year period but there's no floor year-by-year.

It may be a floor meaning that the cap will be no lower than $208MM.

[hackjam]

Is this considered a “rolling” guarantee?

Yes, rolling guarantees typically refer to guaranteed salaries and roster bonuses. Contracts with those terms are usually structured such that players get their guaranteed salary (to be paid over the now 18 week season) or roster bonus (to be paid in a lump sum) confirmed on the start of the new league year.

Some contracts will guarantee the first couple years of salary. The recent Myles Garrett contract is a good example here.

[Northern_Blitz]

There is no "floor" in the same sense as there's a salary floor in the NHL. In the NFL, teams have to spend to at least 90% of the total cap over a 4 year period but there's no floor year-by-year.

It may be a floor meaning that the cap will be no lower than $208MM.

I think "floor" here was being used in the sense that the league didn't set a number, but was saying it won't be less that X.

[flippy]

he's a top 3 defensive player in the league

That has barely played in the post season. And in his 2 post season games has been ineffective.

The way I look at this is we pay players to get us to the playoffs and help us win SuperBowls. How does paying TJ $30m helping that cause.

He’s a terrific player. One of my favorites. But so far he hasn’t been the reason we’ve gotten to or been successful in the playoffs recently.

[NorthCoast]

another message to ownership by a team vet:


Haden of course knows that Watt makes his job a whole lot easier. But I don't agree with players getting into other players contract business.

[Northern_Blitz]

That has barely played in the post season. And in his 2 post season games has been ineffective.

The way I look at this is we pay players to get us to the playoffs and help us win SuperBowls. How does paying TJ $30m helping that cause.

He’s a terrific player. One of my favorites. But so far he hasn’t been the reason we’ve gotten to or been successful in the playoffs recently.

I don't think getting rid of elite players makes the team better.

And the issue with the contract doesn't seem to be AAV. It's the guarantees.

This is also why comments by Ben (and now Haden) make a little less sense that they seem on the surface. I think it's unlikely that the issue is about how much money to pay him. It sounds like it's almost certainly about the structure.

And now that TJ has shown that he's willing to practice in full, I think it's really unlikely that he'll play this year out at $10M vs. taking the $50+M this year (or whatever we're offering) and $125+M in the first 3 years (or whatever frontloaded option we're offering to try to compensate for the less than normal guarantees).

Although maybe that's just confirmation bias since I've always been pretty sure a deal would get done (and I thought that with Bell too).

[Eddie Spaghetti]

That has barely played in the post season. And in his 2 post season games has been ineffective.

The way I look at this is we pay players to get us to the playoffs and help us win SuperBowls. How does paying TJ $30m helping that cause.

He’s a terrific player. One of my favorites. But so far he hasn’t been the reason we’ve gotten to or been successful in the playoffs recently.

this some of the most flawed logic I've ever heard

without watt being the player he is, we may not get to the playoffs at all

again, we will have plenty of cap space next season. who do you wanna be GMs want to pay? it will also set a terrible precedent to not pay a guy who by all accounts has been a solid teammate and a hard worker as well as being a professional off the field

[flippy]

this some of the most flawed logic I've ever heard

without watt being the player he is, we may not get to the playoffs at all

again, we will have plenty of cap space next season. who do you wanna be GMs want to pay? it will also set a terrible precedent to not pay a guy who by all accounts has been a solid teammate and a hard worker as well as being a professional off the field

No one knows with any contract.

Seems a fair question - would a team be better off spending 30M on 1 guy or 30M across 2,3,4, etc guys?

Lets put it another way, how many teams have won SuperBowls committing $30M to one guy on D.

I don’t think it’s ever been done before.

History supports questioning this big a contract for 1 guy imho.

My question has nothing to do with the individual player. Take TJ out of the equation and would you give any D player this kind of money in general?

[feltdizz]

this some of the most flawed logic I've ever heard

without watt being the player he is, we may not get to the playoffs at all

again, we will have plenty of cap space next season. who do you wanna be GMs want to pay? it will also set a terrible precedent to not pay a guy who by all accounts has been a solid teammate and a hard worker as well as being a professional off the field

well this is why its taking so long to iron out a contract. The rumors suggest the guaranteed money is the issue. This was also brought up with Bell and most said its just the way we do business.

Do you want us to change the way we structure contracts to keep Watt happy?

[flippy]

I don't think getting rid of elite players makes the team better.

And the issue with the contract doesn't seem to be AAV. It's the guarantees.

This is also why comments by Ben (and now Haden) make a little less sense that they seem on the surface. I think it's unlikely that the issue is about how much money to pay him. It sounds like it's almost certainly about the structure.

And now that TJ has shown that he's willing to practice in full, I think it's really unlikely that he'll play this year out at $10M vs. taking the $50+M this year (or whatever we're offering) and $125+M in the first 3 years (or whatever frontloaded option we're offering to try to compensate for the less than normal guarantees).

Although maybe that's just confirmation bias since I've always been pretty sure a deal would get done (and I thought that with Bell too).

Agree we need TJ.

My ultimate question is at what price does he help the team and at what price does he hurt the team?