Johnson reps and Bills to meet on Friday

[BLeonard]

http://www.wkbw.com/sports/Source-Johnson-reps-and-Bills-to-meet-on-Friday--140070373.html



A source now tells Eyewitness Sports Director Jeff Russo that Friday is the day for that meeting in Indianapolis.

The two sides are expected to discuss the possibility of a new contract for the wide receiver.


IMO, if it's gonna get done, it'll be done during this meeting, or soon afterwards.

-Bill

[Ed]

Yeah I think some form of good news has to come from this meeting or Stevie's gone. Even if it's just that they made a little progress.

[tampabay25690]

If he isnt signed before FA starts he is as good as gone...

[Raptor]

I think its a good sign that there meeting.

[Cali512]

At least there acknowledging eachothers existance

[Night Train]

Littman - " Are you crazy ? There is still 2 years left of the lease of this '06 Taurus and we just bought new tires ! "

[YardRat]

On the radio this AM they were throwing around 'reported' numbers w/Stevie asking for 8.5mil and the Bills offering 6.5mil. Nothing from any horse's mouth, of course.

[jamze132]

On the radio this AM they were throwing around 'reported' numbers w/Stevie asking for 8.5mil and the Bills offering 6.5mil. Nothing from any horse's mouth, of course.
if that's the case, logic would say if both want the same thing, they meet in the middle at $7.5. But I suspect Stevie will test the market to see if he can get $8.5 from somewhere else. I'm not sure he will but I think if he reaches FA, he's going to NE.

[ThunderGun]

if that's the case, logic would say if both want the same thing, they meet in the middle at $7.5. But I suspect Stevie will test the market to see if he can get $8.5 from somewhere else. I'm not sure he will but I think if he reaches FA, he's going to NE.

I'd be fine with giving him $8.5. He'll definitely get that on the open market.

[OpIv37]

Here's my guess: Bills offer him $7 mill- he doesn't accept but the Bills leave the offer on the table. He goes to FA and finds someone to give him $7.5 or 8.

[don137]

Not sure if he is worth 8.5MM if Bowe will go for 9MM. 7.5MM seems like a good compromise.

[ThunderGun]

Not sure if he is worth 8.5MM if Bowe will go for 9MM. 7.5MM seems like a good compromise.

Who says Bowe will go for $9?

[better days]

Well, I am NOT buying "reports" the Bills won't franchise Stevie. NOBODY on the Bills has said that & the Bills NEVER report about contracts until they are done.

I expect a contract to be done before Mar 5, but if not they better tag him. There is NO reason not to do so.

[OpIv37]

Who says Bowe will go for $9?

franchise tag for a WR is a little over 9- Bowe will most likely go at or near the tag.

[OpIv37]

Well, I am NOT buying "reports" the Bills won't franchise Stevie. NOBODY on the Bills has said that & the Bills NEVER report about contracts until they are done.

I expect a contract to be done before Mar 5, but if not they better tag him. There is NO reason not to do so.

Yes there is. If they have to franchise him, they'll end up paying him a little over 9 and they only want to pay him $6.5.

I think there are some serious flaws in that logic, but that's honestly how I believe the FO views it.

[CleveSteve]

As posted in the other thread, Finley got 7.5 as a compromise between TE and WR franchise numbers. 7.5 would kinda be getting off cheap, IMO. It would be silly to create a hole at starting wideout for a difference of 500k - $1 mil I think.

[better days]

Yes there is. If they have to franchise him, they'll end up paying him a little over 9 and they only want to pay him $6.5.

I think there are some serious flaws in that logic, but that's honestly how I believe the FO views it.

Well in the first place, it would buy them more time to NEGOTIATE the contract with him. In the 2nd place if they can't get a new contact done, they could try to trade him. In the 3rd place, a tag can always be removed if they can't sign him, trade him & they don't want to pay him the tag money.

There is NO reason to not tag him if the contract is not finished before the 5th of March.

[OpIv37]

Well in the first place, it would buy them more time to NEGOTIATE the contract with him. In the 2nd place if they can't get a new contact done, they could try to trade him. In the 3rd place, a tag can always be removed if they can't sign him, trade him & they don't want to pay him the tag money.

There is NO reason to not tag him if the contract is not finished before the 5th of March.

are you sure about that? The team can just remove the tag at any time?

I'd be surprised if the CBA allows that. Teams could completely **** players by applying the tag at the start of FA and keeping it on until late in the summer when teams have spent most of their cap, then taking it off and refusing to sign the guy.

[CleveSteve]

Tag can be removed if the player doesn't sign the franchise tender. Pretty sure if it's removed, it cannot be allocated to a different player.

[Ickybaluky]

Tag can be removed if the player doesn't sign the franchise tender. Pretty sure if it's removed, it cannot be allocated to a different player.

Correct.

Franchise tag has to be assigned by March 5. Can't assign it after that.

You can withdraw a franchise tender at any time as long as the player hasn't signed it. Once the player signs it, it becomes a guaranteed 1-year contract and the team has to pay it no matter what happens.

Johnson, who has never had a big contract, would sign it before the ink dries on the contract. $9.5M is 4 times what he has made in his career to date.

[CleveSteve]

https://images.nflplayers.com/mediaResources/files/2011CBA.pdf

Page 45.

[better days]

Correct.

Franchise tag has to be assigned by March 5. Can't assign it after that.

You can withdraw a franchise tender at any time as long as the player hasn't signed it. Once the player signs it, it becomes a guaranteed 1-year contract and the team has to pay it no matter what happens.

Johnson, who has never had a big contract, would sign it before the ink dries on the contract. $9.5M is 4 times what he has made in his career to date.

Are you saying they can't negotiate a contract after it is signed?

[Ickybaluky]

Are you saying they can't negotiate a contract after it is signed?

Once he signs the tender, it becomes a guaranteed one-year contract. He can be signed to a new contract like any aplyer, but it would be an extension. He would have an existing contract.

They can't withdraw the tender, because it would no longer be a tender once it is signed. If it is not signed, it can be withdrawn at any time.

[SquishDaFish]

Also if he is sigbed longterm after he signs his tender we lose the franchise tag for length of that deal unless that changed in new cba

[better days]

Well, I just read they can use a non exclusive tender on him which would give the Bills the right to match any offer & if he leaves for a new team, the Bills would get TWO first rnd draft picks as compensation. That looks like the tag to use to me.

[Ickybaluky]

Also if he is sigbed longterm after he signs his tender we lose the franchise tag for length of that deal unless that changed in new cba

Only if signed to an extension after mid-July. I am not sure of the exact date.

[trapezeus]

i'm sure the $8.5MM is fine with the bills. it's the signing bonus cash upfront that is the issue.

[Ickybaluky]

Well, I just read they can use a non exclusive tender on him which would give the Bills the right to match any offer & if he leaves for a new team, the Bills would get TWO first rnd draft picks as compensation. That looks like the tag to use to me.

That is the franchise tender. There are two versions of the franchise tender, non-exclusive and exclusive.

The non-exclusive tender means the player can negotiate with other teams, but anyone who signs him to an offer sheet has to surrender 2 firsts if the Bills don't match.

The exclusive tender means the player can't negotiate with other teams, the team tendering him retains exclusive negotiating rights.

From the teams' perspective, the non-exclusive tender is based off top-5 salaries prior to free agency in the current year. The exclusive tender is re-calculated after the free agency period from the current year, so the tender can go up.

If Johnson signs the tender it becomes exclusive anyway. Once he signs a contract, he can't negotiate with anyone else. It becomes a guaranteed 1-year contract.

[better days]

That is the franchise tender. There are two versions of the franchise tender, non-exclusive and exclusive.

The non-exclusive tender means the player can negotiate with other teams, but anyone who signs him to an offer sheet has to surrender 2 firsts if the Bills don't match.

The exclusive tender means the player can't negotiate with other teams, the team tendering him retains exclusive negotiating rights.

From the teams' perspective, the non-exclusive tender is based off top-5 salaries prior to free agency in the current year. The exclusive tender is re-calculated after the free agency period from the current year, so the tender can go up.

If Johnson signs the tender it becomes exclusive anyway. Once he signs a contract, he can't negotiate with anyone else. It becomes a guaranteed 1-year contract.

Well if they can't get a deal done by the 5th, I would like to see the non exclusive tag used on Stevie.