what is the deal? plenty of teams have already signed all of their draft picks, but we haven't signed one. I don't get it, as the salaries are basically preset based on draft slots and we have the cap room. I've read that Ireland has a lot on his plate in terms of signing other players and/ore extended some of our vets, but isn't this true of all teams? Don't we have an assistent GM who can "help" Ireland multitask? While it may not be a huge deal, it is pretty perplexing. And anyway, since we are reviving Don Meredith threads from 2 year ago and fighting about RT on a thread called "Happy Mother's Day," it seems we don't have too much to talk about currently!

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The beatings will continue until morale improves.

berkeley223 Wrote:
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> what is the deal? plenty of teams have already
> signed all of their draft picks, but we haven't
> signed one. I don't get it, as the salaries are
> basically preset based on draft slots and we have
> the cap room. I've read that Ireland has a lot on
> his plate in terms of signing other players
> and/ore extended some of our vets, but isn't this
> true of all teams? Don't we have an assistent GM
> who can "help" Ireland multitask? While it may not
> be a huge deal, it is pretty perplexing. And
> anyway, since we are reviving Don Meredith threads
> from 2 year ago and fighting about RT on a thread
> called "Happy Mother's Day," it seems we don't
> have too much to talk about currently!

I expected someone to start a thread like this. Just didn't think it would be you Berk.

Lets just say, that while "plenty" of teams have signed a few picks, many, if not most, haven't signed ANY.

This is a non-issue. It will get done, because as you pointed out, their salaries are basically slotted by the new CBA.

We have a limited amount of cap space, that means it not only has to be done in a specific order, but that has to be done around vacations, agents other clients, current player extensions, undrafted FA, etc, etc.

maybe it's because everytime someone signs a pick, it ends up on my twitter feed, but it seems to me like the vast majority of teams have signed at least one pick. again, we are not the only team dealing with limited cap space, other players to sign, vacations, agents with other clients, etc. I totally agree, it's not a big deal and will get done, I am just troubled to a small degree by our seeming inability to multitask.

I mean look at me--right now I am "working" and also posting nonsense on an internet chatboard. You gotta be able to multitask.

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The beatings will continue until morale improves.

berkeley223 Wrote:
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> maybe it's because everytime someone signs a pick,
> it ends up on my twitter feed, but it seems to me
> like the vast majority of teams have signed at
> least one pick. again, we are not the only team
> dealing with limited cap space, other players to
> sign, vacations, agents with other clients, etc. I
> totally agree, it's not a big deal and will get
> done, I am just troubled to a small degree by our
> seeming inability to multitask.
>
> I mean look at me--right now I am "working" and
> also posting nonsense on an internet chatboard.
> You gotta be able to multitask.


haha...you assume he can't "multi-task" because it isn't done yet.

That doesn't mean it isn't being worked on or that deals haven't been agreed upon/completed. Only that stuff hasn't been announced.

I find it amazing that people assume the worst when they don't see what they want/expect when they want/expect it.

Frankly, I hope he's devoting all his time to extending Long and Hartline.

He's got two months to execute paper work with draftees that can't practice again until their classes graduate.



and btw...just looked it up...you are right...most teams have signed someone. Not that it matters in the long run. I couldn't care less if we don't sign our first until everyone else in the draft is signed, just so long as they are in camp on time. And of course, with the new CBA...they will be.

I don't see extending hartline as a priority. he is totally average.

and now that we've locked up wake, we can wait and see on long's health before extending him, and we could always franchise him if not. There are no big ticket items we need cap room for the rest of the year, so I am fine in taking a wait and see approach with long.

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The beatings will continue until morale improves.

Berkley imo hartline isnt average. IMHO he can definetely get to the next level if he plays along sides a great QB.

He knows how to get open, he has been wide open many times and our superstar qb henne and moore couldnt get the ball to him.

Welker got to the next level when he went to NE.

I really think hartline has a lot of talent.

Hartline could turn the corner like Gordy Nelson did last year in the WCO...(and outperformed Nelson through the first three years).

The main difference being Neslon played in the WCO for 3 years before he exploded.

One can hope.

I don't think the contracts are as big a priority b/c the players have no leverage to hold out as they had in the past. I'm sure they will all be done before camp starts.

.....................................................................................
“I'm here" You're welcome!" - Kenny Powers

berkeley223 Wrote:
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> I don't see extending hartline as a priority. he
> is totally average.
>
> and now that we've locked up wake, we can wait and
> see on long's health before extending him, and we
> could always franchise him if not. There are no
> big ticket items we need cap room for the rest of
> the year, so I am fine in taking a wait and see
> approach with long.


Signing Hartline now is a good idea. He'll be less expensive than after the season.

As for Long...franchising him is a BAD idea. He's already the top paid LT in the league and as such would get a 15% RAISE on his current salary if tagged. Granted, its a worst case scenario and he could get tagged, but it's going to be near impossible to get him signed to a long term deal at a discount after giving him a 15% raise. We went that route with Soliai and it prevented us from getting a long term deal done with him that season. We had to expose him to free agency before he cut a deal with us.

If we put Long on the market, I doubt we get him back at 50 cents on the dollar as we did with Soliai.

If Long doesn't sign an extension he'll likely be gone...via trade if possible, or free agency.

the money we'd need to pay to extend Long right now is insane, so whether we franchise him, or extend him during the season, or allow him to hit FA and try to sign him back, we are talking huge bucks. Waiting a few months at least affords us the chance to see if he can stay healthy for once (he's had major performance affecting injuries the last 2 years). If he gets hurt again, his price goes down, if anything, and we may not want him back.

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The beatings will continue until morale improves.

Should have signed him to a 6 year deal like Matt Ryan signed.

.....................................................................................
“I'm here" You're welcome!" - Kenny Powers

berkeley223 Wrote:
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> the money we'd need to pay to extend Long right
> now is insane, so whether we franchise him, or
> extend him during the season, or allow him to hit
> FA and try to sign him back, we are talking huge
> bucks. Waiting a few months at least affords us
> the chance to see if he can stay healthy for once
> (he's had major performance affecting injuries the
> last 2 years). If he gets hurt again, his price
> goes down, if anything, and we may not want him
> back.


I think the price to extend Long is whatever we negotiate.

We clearly don't want to give him a raise...we seem to want to pay him Joe Thomas money.

Using the franchise tag on him gives him a huge raise. that is just a bad idea. Its tough enough to negotiate an extension at a reasonable rate based on his salary now. Its going to be even harder if we tag him.

This is why Ireland should be focused on this now. Figure out what our top offer is going to be....negotiate now trying to come in under that mark. If you can't get that done, you give him a take it or leave it...were trading you if you don't take it...offer.

Don't put that process off. Do it NOW so you keep your options open as long as possible.

This is WAY more important than signing one or two rookies right now....at least the way I see it.

THE Truth Wrote:

> This is WAY more important than signing one or two
> rookies right now....at least the way I see it.


ok but I have yet to see on explanation that makes a lick of sense as to why this is an either/or thing, or one that must be done sequentially. that's really my point about not having signed a single draft pick

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The beatings will continue until morale improves.

berkeley223 Wrote:
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> THE Truth Wrote:
>
> > This is WAY more important than signing one or
> two
> > rookies right now....at least the way I see it.
>
>
> ok but I have yet to see on explanation that makes
> a lick of sense as to why this is an either/or
> thing, or one that must be done sequentially.
> that's really my point about not having signed a
> single draft pick

Being up against the cap is one explanation. Don't know if its the correct one or not but we are tight to the cap. Signing Long to an extension relieves that problem and makes it easier to sign draft picks and free agents.

Another explanation is that we are negotiating and for whatever reason on whichever side of the negotiations, they haven't been completed yet.

Yet another explanation is that they are basically done and haven't been announced yet.

And another explanation is that Ireland is incompetent, can't walk and chew gum at the same time let alone negotiate with more than one agent at the same time...or even worse...he's just completely forgotten about it all-together.

Pick whichever one you want. None of them are likely 100% correct and all of them are utterly meaningless...

ok I submit that I am probably just complaining for the sake of having nothing else phins-related to talk about in the slooooooooow time of year....

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The beatings will continue until morale improves.

woot!

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The beatings will continue until morale improves.