Yes the hope is to not actually tag Winfield or Mayfield. You hope the player will cut a better deal to avoid the tag.
You can use one tag or the other not both.
use a media source to float the idea that they won’t be pushed around
+1
seems unlikely
I would be surprised though if we don't sign mayfield and Evans
Let him test the market and match. He's not leaving.
If you accept the premise that Mayfield and Evans are basically a package deal (as Mayfield seems to describe it), isn't that one reason the Bucs are unlikely to follow the "let him test the market" approach? Dont the Bucs want to get Evans deal done BEFORE the 19th? I saw a report that the 19th is a significant date for Evans because its when a bunch of contract money comes forward?
If they are a package deal, so to speak, aren't they more likely to close the Mayfield contract around the same times as Evans?
Yes, saw a similar report. If the Bucs can sign Baker & Evans, they can save $8 mil in cap space.Let him test the market and match. He's not leaving.
If you accept the premise that Mayfield and Evans are basically a package deal (as Mayfield seems to describe it), isn't that one reason the Bucs are unlikely to follow the "let him test the market" approach? Dont the Bucs want to get Evans deal done BEFORE the 19th? I saw a report that the 19th is a significant date for Evans because its when a bunch of contract money comes forward?
If they are a package deal, so to speak, aren't they more likely to close the Mayfield contract around the same times as Evans?
Using the tag would be suboptimal - but Licht’s leverage in these various negotiations, is the available cap space.
The franchise tag on Baker would cost approximately $36m - and it would absolutely be detrimental for the signing of anyone else, as many of you know, this would count against the 2024 cap. Also suboptimal.
If the tag is $36m, and the slotting fees for QB’s (as determined by Carr/$37m & Cousins/$35m previous deals) have already determined the average base salary - then the floor has already been determined.
The only thing left to negotiate is the length of the contract & voidable years (which gives the team flexibility). There’s also Baker’s willingness to ‘sacrifice’ to allow the Buc’s to sign Evans.
You don’t have to like it, but them’s the facts.
Some who say, ‘let him test the market’, don’t seem to understand that the Buc’s DON’T want that. That only happens if A) They offer too little and the player decides not to sign the deal, and that means we don’t sign until March, and he is able to be legally tampered with by other team - some with similar schemes (New Englands OC, AVP, springs to mind). Or B) the Buc’s think there’s a better option in FA, or at #26 in the draft - ie, they don’t.
The Bucs want Baker to test the market about as badly as Evan’s or Winfield want to be tagged.
it isn’t going to happen. Both sides know that they already had a ‘prove it’ year (something New Orleans WISHES they could have gotten with Carr). Value (for the Buc’s) has already determined, and none of their plans include losing Baker, that would be a worst case scenario.
Baker holds the cards, because he proves it, and several team would pay for him.
Also: inflation has to be included in the financial consideration - is in favor of Mayfield’s agent asking for $40m, legitimately.
The fact that Florida doesn’t have an income tax - is a consideration in Licht’s favor.
It would surprise me if this contract is done for less than the low to mid $30m range…spreading the total deal over a couple/few years - with voidable years - means you could structure that deal to allow Baker to ‘sacrifice’ year one in order to sign Evans, and possibly Winfield… restructuring other contracts (paying folks under contract their 2024 salaries in the form of bonuses, voidable years, etc), signing current players before February 19th saves another $8m - could probably get every critical player signed/extended - Licht’s team will definitely earn their money again this year!
inflation has to be included in the financial consideration - is in favor of Mayfield’s agent asking for $40m, legitimately
Admitting that the contract part of the NFL is not my thing (its boring and mostly works out), this was a point I agree with and made myself.
agree with this too . .
Some who say, ‘let him test the market’, don’t seem to understand that the Buc’s DON’T want that
Do teams (arguably) in a SB run and with aging vets usually let their STARTING QB test the market?
Seems they would wrap him up, even at a slight premium, so long as they can still accomplish all their other goals. This is one reason why the timing of the Evans contract seemed linked to this testing the market concept.
If you accept the premise that Mayfield and Evans are basically a package deal (as Mayfield seems to describe it)
I haven't read that anywhere but if he has intimated that then they both can't expect to be paid in the $30mil range, which is what I've read on more than a few sites...
it has been written about, based on media row interviews Baker did with Rich Eisen & Dan Patrick.If you accept the premise that Mayfield and Evans are basically a package deal (as Mayfield seems to describe it)
I haven't read that anywhere but if he has intimated that then they both can't expect to be paid in the $30mil range, which is what I've read on more than a few sites...
In fact, (shameless plug, incoming), I used it in a thread, here:
https://www.pewterreport.com/community/the-red-board/ballerz-mayfield-interview-on-rich-eisen/
If you accept the premise that Mayfield and Evans are basically a package deal (as Mayfield seems to describe it)
I haven't read that anywhere but if he has intimated that then they both can't expect to be paid in the $30mil range, which is what I've read on more than a few sites...
I think there are a couple articles with Mayfield using the word "sacrifice" to suggest thats how they could both get it done.
"Oh, I think there will be some sacrifices along the way. There are mutual benefits for us to come back together," Baker said."
@bucsbits Then Baker can't expect to be paid in the $30mil range because I think Mike wants to get paid this year since he wasn't able to get an extension with the Bucs the last 2 years...
If you accept the premise that Mayfield and Evans are basically a package deal (as Mayfield seems to describe it)
I haven't read that anywhere but if he has intimated that then they both can't expect to be paid in the $30mil range, which is what I've read on more than a few sites...
well I dont think Evans is expecting $30M or if he is, that will be coming down to reality.
He should get a 3 year, $75M deal with would get him an average of $25M per year. The only WRs ahead of him would be Tyreek Hill ($30M), Davante Adams ($28M), Cooper Kupp ($27M) and tied with AJ Brown at (25M)
Evans is entering his age 31 season. This would be a good deal for both he and the Bucs. The Bucs actually giving him a bit of a thank you for all he is done and to reward him with the $25M value per year. I think most in free agency will be concerned with his age but still willing to give him north of $20M per year to join the team. I'm looking at a team like Baltimore or Kansas City looking to reload.
The Bucs will have to reward Evans with a "non hometown" discount to get Mike back and they should do it as soon as they can. Mike may want to be testing the market to get his best price however so we will be at the mercy of that if he is nice enough to want to come back to us and avoid the temptation of playing with Mahomes.
in terms of Baker, there are 16 QBs with an average annual value of $33.5M or more. He is right in that threshold. We all wanted the $25M value but i think he will settle in anywhere from $28M to $33M per year. Just the nature of the position being higher cost.
@bucsbits Then Baker can't expect to be paid in the $30mil range because I think Mike wants to get paid this year since he wasn't able to get an extension with the Bucs the last 2 years...
I guess we will see.
I dont really pay much attention to the individual contract thing because it always seems to work out.
So here the goal is to get Mayfield and Evans. If that is $35 to Mayfield and 26M to Evans and they are able to do the other things they want with players, then great. All NFL contracts are sort of a shell game anyway and no GM is thinking they keep their job by plus/minus a couple million, certainly as compared to losing a key player.
I know that is not a popular/common view here but we just spent two years saddling ourselves with big contracts for many players who barely contribute or who are injured or who or are retired and still managed to field a competitive team
Just the nature of the position being higher cost.
This is the thing about player contracts. The "safe harbor," so to speak, for BOTH the agent and the GM, is the not that elusive concept of a market price. Agents and GMs work together on many player contracts so they have to sort of co-exist going forward. I would guess this is one reason that many contracts fall within the general area of plausible deniability lol and one reason why I kind of view it as mostly (not always) much ado about nuttin.
What does it mean to the Bucs chances next season if Mayfield "is worth $25" and he gets $27? This year they got him for $4 (or $8) so if they get him for the next 2 at more than $25, dont they have to average that with the $4? In other words, "we paid Baker $30 and $30 and were in the playoffs for 2 of those three years with a QB spend of $21 per" or whatever the math is.
Stated differently, if $35 this year is too much, $4 last year was a steal . . so . .
BC - nice rundown, it’s in-line with how I see it washing out.
it is reasonable that the Bucs would use a media source to float the idea that they won’t be pushed around (great work Ira).
and to think an agent might do the same
""Coaches around the league admire Mayfield’s competitiveness and skill level, so he’ll surely have interest on the market -- perhaps even from NFC South-rival Atlanta, where former Rams assistants Raheem Morris and Zac Robinson are now in charge," Rapoport, Pelissero and Garafolo write."