Coach Sal
07-15-2008, 06:54 PM
They'll most likely all be free agents next year and will not be tagged.
Asomugha, Haynesworth, Suggs at impasse
Albert Breer
Sporting News
Tuesday's 4 p.m. deadline for signing franchise players to multiyear deals came and went without Oakland Raiders cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha, Tennessee Titans defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth or Baltimore Ravens linebacker/defensive end Terrell Suggs coming to agreement with their teams.
The only buzzer-beater was Dallas Cowboys safety Ken Hamlin, who agreed to terms on a six-year, $39 million pact midday.
Negotiations between the Raiders and Asomugha broke down well before the deadline. Tendered a one-year, $9.765 million offer, the exclusive-rights figure for cornerbacks, at the beginning of free agency, Asomugha balked while searching for a long-term deal.
With the failure of that, according to a source close to the negotiations, Asomugha is seeking assurance the Raiders will not use the franchise tag on him again in 2009 before he signs the tender, a concession Oakland has refused to make. However, the situation between Asomugha and the Raiders is far from contentious -- it's simply a business matter -- and sources say he will not miss any part of the regular season.
The tender guarantees Asomugha more money in 2008 than newly signed teammate DeAngelo Hall, who will receive $8 million this season as part of a seven-year, $66 million contract. And if the Raiders use the franchise tag on Asomugha in 2009, he will receive an $11.718 million tender, representing a 20 percent raise on his 2008 salary.
Like Asomugha, both Haynesworth and Suggs are seeking promises to not be tagged in 2009, which also would bring the mandated 20 percent raises on their current tender figures.
Haynesworth was tendered the non-exclusive defensive tackle figure of $7.25 million.
"We will remain in contact with his representatives throughout the season," Titans GM Mike Reinfeldt said in a statement. "And at year's end, see if both sides can agree on a fair number on a long-term agreement for a player with his qualities."
Suggs' situation is a bit more complicated. An outside linebacker stationed on the line in Baltimore's base 3-4 scheme and a rush end in the club's substitution packages, Suggs and agent Gary Wichard argued earlier in the offseason that he should receive the defensive end tender of $8.879 million, rather than the $8.065 million figure for linebackers. The NFLPA and the league's Management Council found a compromise for the sides at around $8.5 million.
So now, several options are on the table for Asomugha, Haynesworth and Suggs and their clubs:
1. Sign the tender as is. Normally, when players go this far without signing the one-year tender, it is not their intention to agree to its term without some tweaks.
2. Negotiate new conditions. In the two cases that reached this point last year -- involving Patriots cornerback Asante Samuel and Bears linebacker Lance Briggs -- conditional no-tag promises were inserted into one-year deals. At this point, that is what Asomugha, Haynesworth and Suggs are seeking.
3. Trade. Any trade would necessitate the player signing a one-year deal with his original club first, and that would mean the trading partner would be unable to negotiate a long-term deal with the player until February, which makes this scenario unlikely.
4. Rescind the franchise tag. The club can rescind the franchise tag at any point, making the player an unrestricted free agent. Of course, each team valued the player enough to slap him with the designation to begin with, so this is pretty unlikely in any case.
The Ravens report to camp on July 23, the Raiders on July 24 and the Titans on July 25. Suggs, Asomugha and Haynesworth cannot practice with their teams until they have contracts in place.
http://www.sportingnews.com/experts/albert-breer/blog/1047187-p.html
Asomugha, Haynesworth, Suggs at impasse
Albert Breer
Sporting News
Tuesday's 4 p.m. deadline for signing franchise players to multiyear deals came and went without Oakland Raiders cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha, Tennessee Titans defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth or Baltimore Ravens linebacker/defensive end Terrell Suggs coming to agreement with their teams.
The only buzzer-beater was Dallas Cowboys safety Ken Hamlin, who agreed to terms on a six-year, $39 million pact midday.
Negotiations between the Raiders and Asomugha broke down well before the deadline. Tendered a one-year, $9.765 million offer, the exclusive-rights figure for cornerbacks, at the beginning of free agency, Asomugha balked while searching for a long-term deal.
With the failure of that, according to a source close to the negotiations, Asomugha is seeking assurance the Raiders will not use the franchise tag on him again in 2009 before he signs the tender, a concession Oakland has refused to make. However, the situation between Asomugha and the Raiders is far from contentious -- it's simply a business matter -- and sources say he will not miss any part of the regular season.
The tender guarantees Asomugha more money in 2008 than newly signed teammate DeAngelo Hall, who will receive $8 million this season as part of a seven-year, $66 million contract. And if the Raiders use the franchise tag on Asomugha in 2009, he will receive an $11.718 million tender, representing a 20 percent raise on his 2008 salary.
Like Asomugha, both Haynesworth and Suggs are seeking promises to not be tagged in 2009, which also would bring the mandated 20 percent raises on their current tender figures.
Haynesworth was tendered the non-exclusive defensive tackle figure of $7.25 million.
"We will remain in contact with his representatives throughout the season," Titans GM Mike Reinfeldt said in a statement. "And at year's end, see if both sides can agree on a fair number on a long-term agreement for a player with his qualities."
Suggs' situation is a bit more complicated. An outside linebacker stationed on the line in Baltimore's base 3-4 scheme and a rush end in the club's substitution packages, Suggs and agent Gary Wichard argued earlier in the offseason that he should receive the defensive end tender of $8.879 million, rather than the $8.065 million figure for linebackers. The NFLPA and the league's Management Council found a compromise for the sides at around $8.5 million.
So now, several options are on the table for Asomugha, Haynesworth and Suggs and their clubs:
1. Sign the tender as is. Normally, when players go this far without signing the one-year tender, it is not their intention to agree to its term without some tweaks.
2. Negotiate new conditions. In the two cases that reached this point last year -- involving Patriots cornerback Asante Samuel and Bears linebacker Lance Briggs -- conditional no-tag promises were inserted into one-year deals. At this point, that is what Asomugha, Haynesworth and Suggs are seeking.
3. Trade. Any trade would necessitate the player signing a one-year deal with his original club first, and that would mean the trading partner would be unable to negotiate a long-term deal with the player until February, which makes this scenario unlikely.
4. Rescind the franchise tag. The club can rescind the franchise tag at any point, making the player an unrestricted free agent. Of course, each team valued the player enough to slap him with the designation to begin with, so this is pretty unlikely in any case.
The Ravens report to camp on July 23, the Raiders on July 24 and the Titans on July 25. Suggs, Asomugha and Haynesworth cannot practice with their teams until they have contracts in place.
http://www.sportingnews.com/experts/albert-breer/blog/1047187-p.html