My contract details to pry Spikes away from the Bengals!

[Guest]

We all know that the Bengals placed the "transition" tag on Spikes. That tag amounts to $4.846 million on the Bengals cap. It's highly unlikely that Spikes will sign the 1 yr tender and willingly play another season with the Bengals. He will only end up playing for them in the future if the Bengals match the provisions of an offer sheet. Thus, it's imperative that the offer sheet be constructed in such a way that makes it difficult for the Bengals to match. I've seen reference that the Bengals are not willing to exceed a contract average approx. $1 million more than the tender. That would put a 6 yr deal at just over $35 million. Upfront money and 2003 & 2004 cap years will determine whether Spikes remains a Bengal or end up elsewhere. NOTE: It's always possible that the Bengals tagged him in order to seek a trade.

What will it take? I offer the hypothetical deal. Is Tom Donahoe (and Ralph Wilson) willing to do this? clumpTD

Remember: It will take more than you expect to pry him away from them and the LB market will be expensive with the recent extension signed last year by Ravens' Ray Lewis(7rs-$50 w/ $19 million signing bonus) and the fact that Falcons' Keith Brooking is UFA and may be franchised.

It will obviously take a long term deal. However, I wouldn't consider any longer than 5. Why? Don't want to amortize the signing bonus over too many years, it lowers the cap number. I would also front load the contract, thus increasing the cap number early on in order to make it more difficult for the Bengals to match. They have a number of high draft picks that have contracts with bonus clauses that usually end up adding more to the cap than expected, especially DE Justin Smith.

NOTE: Per the Will Wolford rule, escalator clauses are not allowed.

My proposal:

Two-tiered signing bonus of $12.5 million plus $4 million roster bonus in 2004. signing bonus paid $10 milliion in 2003 & $2.5 million in 2004 in the form of an option payment. I will highlight the cap hits shortly. I would also include a high salary in both 2003 & 2004. Add another $2 milllion roster bonus in 2006.

Year: salary + roster bonus+ amortized bonus + amortized option payment=cap hit

2003: $5 million + $0 + $2 million + $0 = $7 million
2004: $4 million + $4 million + $2 million + $625,000 = $10.625 million
2005: $3.5 million + $0 + $2 million + $625,000 = $6.125 million
2006: $3.5 million + $2 million + $2 million + $625,000 + $8.125 million
2007: $3 million + $0 + $2 million + $625,000 = $5.625 million

Total: 5yrs-$37.5 million ($7.5 million/season)

The roster bonus in 2004 could be restructured into a signing bonus and that would save $3 million in cap space in 2004 but add $1 million to each 2005-2007. Would he be "willing" if Cincy matched the offer sheet? He likely would with new team!

NOTE: It will not be cheap

[lordofgun]

clump!!!

I don't want to spend that much on him, though. I'd rather go with a cheaper alternative than pay him 7.5 mil/season.

[clumping platelets]

You are probably right. Much of this "hypothetical" deal is a premium to prevent Cincy from matching the deal. On the open market, he's likely to get $7 million/season on a 6 or 7 yr deal, but maybe not as much guaranteed money.

Problem is that contracts for Ray Lewis, Keith Brooking, and even Takeo Spikes raises the "salary level" for LBs, so a LB like Mike Peterson could expect $4-5 million/season

[justasportsfan]

Can the Saints beat your offer easily Clump? Hasslet wants Spike badly too.

[clumping platelets]

Can Bills afford this? Absolutely, that have the cap space. However, is it justified? Not necessarily, thus I believe it's more justified to use that cap space on 3 or 4 FAs as opposed to one player

[clumping platelets]

Originally posted by justasportsfan
Can the Saints beat your offer easily Clump? Hasslet wants Spike badly too.

Yes, Saints have the cap space. It's all a matter of weighing the pros/cons....see previous post

[clumping platelets]

For the same money (5yrs-$37.5 million), we could sign:

1) WOLB Mike Peterson (5 yrs-$25 million w/ $7 million signing bonus): 2003 cap hit approx. $1.75 million

2) TE Reggie Kelly (4 yrs-$6 million w/ $2 million signing bonus) : 2003 cap hit approx. $1.05 million

3) FB Jon Ritchie (4 yrs-$5.5 million w/ $2 million signing bonus) : 2003 cap hit approx. $1.05 million

4) Use rest to re-sign our own FAs or extend Winfield or P. Williams

assumes both Riemersma and Centers are released

[Patrick76777]

We've now gone too far.

[clumping platelets]

Originally posted by Patrick76777
We've now gone too far.

But we haven't gotten there yet!

[Patrick76777]

After reading this. I'm going home to have myself a big ole Soda

[clumping platelets]

I'm already enjoying some :)

[TigerJ]

I agree. Spikes is a great player, but he's not going to turn the defence around singlehandedly. Peterson, and some of the other free agent LBs are excellent and the money to sign them would leave room for other guys too.

[TigerJ]

I would be tempted to offer Spikes a contract that Cincinnati would likely match, just to goad Mike Brown into paying him what he's worth since Brown is attempting to force Spikes to stay put against his will. I want to make Brown pay as much as possible.

[Akhippo]

After reading what it will take to pry him away my head hurts. Id just stay with a basic contract that would pay him what a top flight LB is worth. Which is going to be more than the bengals are offering now. And if they want to match it, fine. Let them be on the hook for that money. My question is, if more than one team puts in an offer 1.Do the Bengals get to match any one of them, or the highest one. 2. If they dont match any of them, can Spikes then choose between them. I bring this up for the fact that if the Saints and Bills both give contracts the Bengals dont want to match, does Spikes get to choose.

[clumping platelets]

Only one offer sheet can be signed and offered to the Bengals to match