'TD' Posted February 21, 2009 Report Share Posted February 21, 2009 http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/blog/around_th...?urn=nfl,142741 Thu Feb 19, 2009 8:19 pm EST Execs taken aback by Asomugha, Lechler deals By Jason Cole INDIANAPOLIS – Reaction was swift and ugly Thursday to the deals the Oakland Raiders gave CB Nnamdi Asomugha and punter Shane Lechler over the past two days. "How many different ways can you say, 'What were they thinking?' " a team executive who declined to be identified said after being told the terms of Asomugha's three-year, $45 million contract. "Insanity, stupidity, whatever you want to attach to it. Yeah, the kid is the best cornerback in the league. They paid for quality. I'll give them that. But that deal wrecks the league. Absolutely wrecks it. … I'm sure Al doesn't care, but it's deals like that that change the league for the worse." Asomugha (pictured) is guaranteed $28.5 million over the first two years of the deal and the Raiders will have to decide by the fifth day of the league year in 2011 whether to pick up the third season of the deal. If they do, the final year is guaranteed. If not, Asomugha can't be franchised (nor can the Raiders franchise him even if he plays out all three years on the contract), making him an unrestricted free agent at either age 29 or 30. Combined with the $9.7 million Asomugha made last season as a franchise player for Oakland, he stands to make approximately $55 million in a four-year stretch. "And still hit free agency at the right time for one more big contract, assuming he's healthy," a second team executive said, shaking his head. The fear among the executives is that the Asomugha deal will have a ripple effect on the rest of the league. Specifically, Tennessee DT Albert Haynesworth is likely to get a contract that exceeds previous deals for defensive linemen such as Jared Allen and Dwight Freeney. "You can argue that Haynesworth is a defensive tackle or that he's a bad guy," said a third team executive. "But if a cornerback gets what the Raiders just paid, a defensive tackle like Haynesworth is going to get a serious pay day as well." Similarly, Lechler's deal more than doubled the previous high average for a punter. His four-year, $16 million deal includes $9 million guaranteed, according to sources close to the negotiations. The $4 million average per season exceeds the previous high of $1.8 million. Photo courtesy of US Presswire Related: Jared Allen, Albert Haynesworth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bradjock Posted February 21, 2009 Report Share Posted February 21, 2009 That's exactly the kind of deal I expected Gross to sign. One that made you say WOW. Is the best cornerback in the league worth 5 million more a year then the best LT in the league? For some reason agents seem to believe there won't be much money available on the open market, so they're encouraging their clients to sign. Hell, at this point the opening day of free agency seems rather anticlimatic. Other then Housh, and some really old quarterbacks, what significant player will be changing teams??? Does anyone else suspect the Bears will be very happy to sit on the majority of the 32 million (assuming Tait retires) we have to spend? That's bullshit IMO. While the economy may be bad, Soldier Field will continue to sell out, and the TV money will still be there. http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/blog/around_th...?urn=nfl,142741 Thu Feb 19, 2009 8:19 pm EST Execs taken aback by Asomugha, Lechler deals By Jason Cole INDIANAPOLIS – Reaction was swift and ugly Thursday to the deals the Oakland Raiders gave CB Nnamdi Asomugha and punter Shane Lechler over the past two days. "How many different ways can you say, 'What were they thinking?' " a team executive who declined to be identified said after being told the terms of Asomugha's three-year, $45 million contract. "Insanity, stupidity, whatever you want to attach to it. Yeah, the kid is the best cornerback in the league. They paid for quality. I'll give them that. But that deal wrecks the league. Absolutely wrecks it. … I'm sure Al doesn't care, but it's deals like that that change the league for the worse." Asomugha (pictured) is guaranteed $28.5 million over the first two years of the deal and the Raiders will have to decide by the fifth day of the league year in 2011 whether to pick up the third season of the deal. If they do, the final year is guaranteed. If not, Asomugha can't be franchised (nor can the Raiders franchise him even if he plays out all three years on the contract), making him an unrestricted free agent at either age 29 or 30. Combined with the $9.7 million Asomugha made last season as a franchise player for Oakland, he stands to make approximately $55 million in a four-year stretch. "And still hit free agency at the right time for one more big contract, assuming he's healthy," a second team executive said, shaking his head. The fear among the executives is that the Asomugha deal will have a ripple effect on the rest of the league. Specifically, Tennessee DT Albert Haynesworth is likely to get a contract that exceeds previous deals for defensive linemen such as Jared Allen and Dwight Freeney. "You can argue that Haynesworth is a defensive tackle or that he's a bad guy," said a third team executive. "But if a cornerback gets what the Raiders just paid, a defensive tackle like Haynesworth is going to get a serious pay day as well." Similarly, Lechler's deal more than doubled the previous high average for a punter. His four-year, $16 million deal includes $9 million guaranteed, according to sources close to the negotiations. The $4 million average per season exceeds the previous high of $1.8 million. Photo courtesy of US Presswire Related: Jared Allen, Albert Haynesworth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wesson44 Posted February 21, 2009 Report Share Posted February 21, 2009 This is why the Raiders are 4-12 every year they pay too much for guys at the wrong positions. Milloin dollar CB, QB, RB, DT no Oline men or WR,LB and then you draft the wrong type of guys. Best player out there instead of what you need to win. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
'TD' Posted February 21, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 21, 2009 This is why the Raiders are 4-12 every year they pay too much for guys at the wrong positions. Milloin dollar CB, QB, RB, DT no Oline men or WR,LB and then you draft the wrong type of guys. Best player out there instead of what you need to win. Well they have overspent on WR on Moss before, but as you said they neglected the line, and actually QB at that point. Looking at the state of the Raiders, I can't give them too much hell tho. Who would really want to play there right now? He's their best player and they retained them. I am a little worried about how this will screw up the market tho. O honestly find paying lechler the money they paid him more disturbing. He go t paid pretty damn good money for a punter, crazy asss money. I expected old dude to get about 10 mill a yaar atleast on the open market. Considering who they ar enow, it's not too bad to me for them to pay him that much to bring him back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mancunian Posted February 21, 2009 Report Share Posted February 21, 2009 and they releasde Gibril Wilson after a year. Odd bunch the Raiders, very odd. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mongo3451 Posted February 21, 2009 Report Share Posted February 21, 2009 That's exactly the kind of deal I expected Gross to sign. One that made you say WOW. Is the best cornerback in the league worth 5 million more a year then the best LT in the league? For some reason agents seem to believe there won't be much money available on the open market, so they're encouraging their clients to sign. Hell, at this point the opening day of free agency seems rather anticlimatic. Other then Housh, and some really old quarterbacks, what significant player will be changing teams??? Does anyone else suspect the Bears will be very happy to sit on the majority of the 32 million (assuming Tait retires) we have to spend? That's bullshit IMO. While the economy may be bad, Soldier Field will continue to sell out, and the TV money will still be there. I hate Al Davis. It seems like the market is drying up before it even opens. We have to spend the money on free agents, as we don't have much of our own to re-sign or extend. I just don't who would have a great impact for us right now. Maybe I'll put a list together later. As far as Tait is concerned, maybe he'll stay for one more year as a backup? Or will St.Clair be as reliable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madlithuanian Posted February 21, 2009 Report Share Posted February 21, 2009 Hmmmm...might be worth looking into, thoughts? and they releasde Gibril Wilson after a year. Odd bunch the Raiders, very odd. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wesson44 Posted February 21, 2009 Report Share Posted February 21, 2009 Hmmmm...might be worth looking into, thoughts? IMHO Wilson beats what we have now at saftey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mancunian Posted February 21, 2009 Report Share Posted February 21, 2009 IMHO Wilson beats what we have now at saftey Is he not more of a strong saftey? of which we have an abundance of.....but he is a better player than what we have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrunkBomber Posted February 21, 2009 Report Share Posted February 21, 2009 They overspent on Javon Walker. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bowlingtwig Posted February 22, 2009 Report Share Posted February 22, 2009 They overspent on Javon Walker. My best friend is a Raiders and he has gone on record saying that the game past up Al Davis a long time ago and they won't be any good until either Al sells the team or he dies. One can only hope. This is absolute crap and I wonder if Al even thinks about what he is doing before he does things like this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Hochuli 3:16 Posted February 22, 2009 Report Share Posted February 22, 2009 I wanted Walker here last year for $4 per, and Oakland gave him almost $10 per. That's a f***ing joke. Until Undead Al kicks the bucket, they'll continue to win 5 games at the most. I'm still not sold on Russell, nor their OL, WR corps, or secondary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bowlingtwig Posted February 22, 2009 Report Share Posted February 22, 2009 I wanted Walker here last year for $4 per, and Oakland gave him almost $10 per. That's a f***ing joke. Until Undead Al kicks the bucket, they'll continue to win 5 games at the most. I'm still not sold on Russell, nor their OL, WR corps, or secondary. What is a joke is that Oline. They will never win 5 games or more until they at least upgrade the line. If they upgrade the line they have the potential to win more. We proved last year that with a piss pour WR corps you can still have a .500 record. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
defiantgiant Posted February 22, 2009 Report Share Posted February 22, 2009 Is he not more of a strong saftey? of which we have an abundance of.....but he is a better player than what we have. He's better on the strong side, but he can play free safety, too. The Giants move their safeties around a lot, and Wilson would be a starter at FS on the Bears right now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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