Cato June contract

[Saratoga Slim]

don't know if this was posted elsewhere, but Peter King claims TB got June for 2 years, 6 M. Now King ain't exactly my favorite trusted information source, but if that's true, well done Tampa Bay. That's a steal.

I'm sure we had a reason for not bringing him in here, but I'm curious to know what it was that steered us away.

[The Spaz]

Only a few teams contacted him apparently.

[Canadian'eh!]

I believe it was 6 mill PER year..... 2 years/12mill total.

[patmoran2006]

3 YEARS, 12 MILLION

[Saratoga Slim]

I believe it was 6 mill PER year..... 2 years/12mill total.

I'll feel better if that was the case. here's the link to Peter King's MMQB column (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/writers/peter_king/03/18/overtime/3.html), in which he says:

"I think the Bucs had no intention entering free agency of going after Cato June, the best linebacker on the Colts. But with the market almost three weeks old, and the Colts showing no aggressiveness with June, they stole him for two years and $6 million on Saturday. The deal could grow to a third year with $3 million more. For a three-down player in a system that features the linebacker so prominently, I love this signing."

[patmoran2006]

It was a GREAT signing.. He's only effective in a cover two defense... He's possibly the best LB in the NFL in pass coverage .

He's also a tackling machine. You dont get 162 tackles in a season by accident.

[justasportsfan]

It's easy to have 162 tackles when there's no one infront of you to stop the run. Ask Fletcher.

[Don't Panic]

Pretty cheap deal... I'm sure Marv and co. had their reasons. I'll tell you what, though... if you had asked me at the start of FA if I wanted Cato June for less money than Langston Walker (if this is indeed the case), I would have said June without hesitation... as would most around here.

[justasportsfan]

If he's all that and a bag of chips, makes you wonder why the colts didn't even try to resign him especially since he came very cheap.

[patmoran2006]

If he's all that and a bag of chips, makes you wonder why the colts didn't even try to resign him especially since he came very cheap.
maybe because they just spent ungodly money on Freeney, not to mention the salaries they pay to Manning, Harrison, Wayne etc and I cant imagine what it will cost them to pay Sanders soon.

With Indy it was all about Economics; they're a victim of their own talent in a sense they cant possibly afford under a cap to retain all of the stars they produce.

June is a cover two LB so if you dont play a cover two he's not going to help your team. Not many teams play it. Chicago obviously isnt going to pay him when they already have Urlacher and Briggs; and a team like Buffalo whether you like it or not isn't going to pay for anymore free agents; they're done "spending" (not counting a couple of stiffs that are sure to be signed)... If anyboy wants to think we already have the next Cato June in Ellison, then you believe that.

SO TB was a perfect fit for him.

[justasportsfan]

maybe because they just spent ungodly money on Freeney, not to mention the salaries they pay to Manning, Harrison, Wayne etc and I cant imagine what it will cost them to pay Sanders soon.

With Indy it was all about Economics; they're a victim of their own talent in a sense they cant possibly afford under a cap to retain all of the stars they produce.

June is a cover two LB so if you dont play a cover two he's not going to help your team. Not many teams play it. Chicago obviously isnt going to pay him when they already have Urlacher and Briggs; and a team like Buffalo whether you like it or not isn't going to pay for anymore free agents; they're done "spending" (not counting a couple of stiffs that are sure to be signed)... If anyboy wants to think we already have the next Cato June in Ellison, then you believe that.

SO TB was a perfect fit for him.but I thought that was a CHEAP contract. You telling me that the colts even couldn't bother to make a cheap offer?

[camelcowboy]

It would have done no harm for the bills to look at him. Makes me wonder if they are just going to roll Spikes. Crowell, Ellison as their line backers. All this linebacker talk, and trading spikes just might be complete speculation.

[patmoran2006]

$4 million per year isn't cheap..

It's not Briggs or Thomas money, but it aint cheap

Peyton Manning restructured so they could fit Freeney in and have a little money left.

They also lost Rhodes to FA. They got too many stars to pay them all. Fortunately they have the best GM in football.

[patmoran2006]

It would have done no harm for the bills to look at him. Makes me wonder if they are just going to roll Spikes. Crowell, Ellison as their line backers. All this linebacker talk, and trading spikes just might be complete speculation.
they are going to do what Marv said they were going to do, and that's spend cash to the cap, and that's IT.. They're not paying $4 million per year for anybody at this point; not to mention whatever his SB was.

[camelcowboy]

It's pretty close to one of those prove it deals the bucs gave to Ian gold a few years ago.

[madness]

As much as June excels in pass coverage, that's how inferior his run support is.

Many teams feel this year's draft is full of potential starters at LB. Why sign an aging LB when you get one in the draft that can step right in and start and may potentially have a higher ceiling? Combine that with the fact that June is only fit for the Cover 2, that left only a few teams interested.

[Earthquake Enyart]

So let me get this straight..... Tampa over paid, but we should have jumped up and signed him. :huh:

[patmoran2006]

who said Tampa overpaid?

[Saratoga Slim]

not me, whether it's 3M or 4M a year, that's not too bad.

[Tatonka]

i honestly believe that his substance abuse issues had something to do with it.

he is not good against the run, but he is fast and can cover.. he already has a strike, and maybe he got another and is going to be facing a suspension, but it just has not leaked out yet?

who knows.. i am really surprised though.. i think it is a cheap deal. i would have paid him that just to be a role player at LB, for 3rd and long type situations.

[patmoran2006]

I think that the biggest thing is he's only fit for about a half dozen defenses in this league.

I am absolutely baffled on why we didnt at least bring him in.. It makes me think in some way that Buffalo already is planning on going LB in rounds one or two, which may or may make sense; depending on what they think of Spikes and Ellison.

[venis2k1]

im just glad we havent signed chris brown!!!