2014 off season releases/re-signings updates

[Gulf of Brazil]

I like the argument that our front office sucks because they drafted players worth keeping around when the CBA was the most crippling.

The Front Office sucks only from the standpoint of idiotic extensions and re-structures that IS killing this team's finances until the end of 2016 at a minimum... and once Suh gets his 5 yr 70 million extension you can add another year to this financial debacle..

worth keeping around is highly questionable, JMO

 

[Gulf of Brazil]

Everybody wants Suh around, just not at a 50% premium over the next highest paid player at his position. If your boy pays Suh a deal like that then your damn right, the front office sucks.

They still suck for all the back-loaded fucked up contracts/extensions... no matter how anyone tries to spin it. not that you were doing that...

 

[jalopy]

The Lions are in a perpetual suicide-by-salary-cap spiral. I get that they got the short end of the stick by drafting so high before the rookie salary plan was implemented but they worsened things by back-loading rookie contracts for Stafford, CJ and Suh. This gave the players huge leverage when re-negotiating contracts for these players when the time came. They continue to kick the can down the road. At some point they just need to bite the bullet and release some high price (and high performing) player(s).

 

[lionscanWIN]

i get that we are kinda succeeding ourselves to death here but but trading/cuttin calvin and suh is not the answer. otherwise we spend the next few years getting out of cap purgatory (not hell same boat last year still made moves). then try and draft the exact same impact players we had been searching for over the same 8 years; while we willingly plunge ourselves back into becoming the biggest most embarrassing laughing stock the league had ever seen.

either way please tell me who we buy/keep after we get calvin and suh's cap hit off our book. who out there for the what 30 million a year replaces the best WR in the game, and a 4 time All star at a discount to make this team a super bowl champion since you all know the market so well.

 

[Lions=TeHsUcKs]

Awesome.. Maybe they can actually get a safety with more range.. Or replace him nicely in the draft.. I know this move was mostly for the Suh resigning though..

 

[Lions=TeHsUcKs]

Good riddance..

 

[Microwahevo]

and it will be eaten up by re-signing Raiola, Pettidrops and as Dr. Evil stated, Joique Bell. Now where is the money for the rookies, practice squad and the other 2-4 roster spots ?

We don't even know if Pettigrew is going to be re-signed at this point. Fauria has stated he wants a larger role and if the staff feels he can improve in the necessary areas, we may just roll with he and Williams and look to draft one as well. I know Lombardihas stated he likes versatile TEs, but if the price isn't right, I don't think they'll re-sign him.

As for the "creating some cap space" comment, just b/c that money saved by releasing Delmas and Burley gets eaten up by re-signing other players doesn't mean it isn't being put to good use. Those moves did in fact open up some cap space, which was the intention B/C we had players that required signing that were bigger contributors than Delams/Burley.

The money will be there to fill out our roster, I guarantee it. It always is. Obviously, nobody likes the financial position the Lions are in, but we will have the money to sign our draftees and possible FAs. We simply won't see a huge FA signing like we saw last year. And that's ok, as I don't think we have as many holes as we did going into last year.

 

[TrustMeIamRight]

i think i can guarantee everyone here would LOVE to keep Suh. the Lions biggest issue is -- they are paying out the majority of their cap space to 3 players. to put it in perspective -- Detroit will pay Stafford, CJ and Suh over 50 million dollars in 2014. Seattle, who just won the Super Bowl, will pay their top 3 contracts around 30 million. Denver, who just played Seattle will pay 37 million for their top 3 contracts. San Francisco, who most see as the 2nd best team in the NFL will pay their top 3 contracts about 23 million.

If Suh doesn't re-sign to an extension -- Detroit will pay almost 50 million in 2015 for those 3 players, though Suh will most likely void the last year of the deal. In 2016 and 2017 -- Detroit will be paying 46.5 and 43 million for Stafford and Calvin Johnson alone.

The cap issues with this team is the monster contracts they are paying out, that eats up the majority of the cap space for a few players. While I would do back flips if Suh re-signed for what he signed his rookie deal for -- I just believe he is going to try and break the bank and that will end up hurting the team more than helping the team in the future.

 

[Old Lion]

Id be OK with 5 years 58 million for Suh. 5 year 80 mil for Megatron. The last thing we want to do is not pay and/or lose the guys who are actually performing.


Stafford is the guy I think needs to have his contract severely reduced. 1 good all around year. Sorry, but if he does not show he can be closer to the elite QBs this year then maybe its time to look elsewhere for a better deal.

 

[lionstop1]

Well, if most of the fans think he's the best defensive player in the league, just think about what he thinks of himself. Signing a similar contract doesn't make a whole lot of sense considering that he has lived up to that contract. This is going to get rediculous IMO.

 

[Mebert]

Does that mean you think Suh should be the highest paid defensive player in the league?

Because that is what's being debated here. The trade talk came about as an option if the Lions couldn't come to a reasonable contract with him. Not one person ever said that he shouldn't be the highest paid DT in the league.

The Atkins contract average is $10.665m/yr and we have guys suggesting he should be not just be the highest paid DT in the game, but the highest defensive player period. That would mean an average deal in excess of $16m/yr.

Everybody wants Suh around, just not at a 50% premium over the next highest paid player at his position. If your boy pays Suh a deal like that then your damn right, the front office sucks.

I don't think Suh should be the highest paid Defensive player in the league, but that is only one of the arguments being made here. The other argument was that Lions management was so much worse because the Raiders and Browns have more cap room. While I agree that pushing back the cap hit is not sustainable forever, I also don't think the raiders did a better job by taking Russell instead of Johnson. Had they taken CJ we would be in a much better cap situation, about 20 million better.

 

[MI Nightmare]

Id be OK with 5 years 58 million for Suh. 5 year 80 mil for Megatron. The last thing we want to do is not pay and/or lose the guys who are actually performing.


Stafford is the guy I think needs to have his contract severely reduced. 1 good all around year. Sorry, but if he does not show he can be closer to the elite QBs this year then maybe its time to look elsewhere for a better deal.

Right. If it comes down to it, it should be Staff dealt with rather than Suh or CJ. Suh and CJ are the cornerstones of the defense and offense, respectively. Competent coaching along with solid drafts and a couple additions in FA should get this team rolling.

IF, IF, Suh or CJ are ever traded then it had better be for a "Herschel Walker type" trade....and with similar results.

 

[jalopy]

I also don't think the raiders did a better job by taking Russell instead of Johnson. Had they taken CJ we would be in a much better cap situation, about 20 million better.

I agree completely but the Lions need to do a better job when restructuring these deals. It is enticing to pay the athlete a huge bonus and very little salary the first year with escalating salaries in the ensuing years. This frees up the max amount of cap space for the upcoming season but put the team in a bind in the latter part of the contract. The mistake wasn't in drafting CJ, it was structuring (and the re-structuring) his contract in a manner that gave him a huge salary in the latter part of his contract. This was a Millen strategy that has been continued by the current staff.
I'm not saying the need to release Suh but there is a middle ground. sign him to an extension but spread the hit out evenly over the life of the contract. It will hurt in '14 but pay dividends down the line.
Someone asked the answer to the way out of this. There is only one. Good (great) scouting. Finding gems in the bottom of the draft or cheap free agents that over-perform is the only way to get it under control.

 

[gvsulaker82]

If you Pay Stafford, CJ and Suh all the money you end up with 50 other guys making miniumum wage in the NFL and that has a recipe for disaster as far as a team goes. Team being the key word here.

Well thats not going to happen fortunately. I would agree with you if you feel staffords contract is the problem and not the potential one suh is goin to sign. If not you are just talking out of your ass.

 

[Dr. Evil-er]

Read the Mlive article on him drawing interest from other teams and completely lost all respect for this bozo.

"I stopped playing for the money a long time ago. I say that because I've been blessed enough to make good money, so I'm not out here chasing a dollar sign. I'm out here chasing wins and trying to create memories for fans and people that can last a lifetime," Burleson said.

Seriously??? Why dont you talk a bit more out of both sides of your mouth. The team said they would bring you back at the league minimum and you arent going to take it. So dont flap your gums and say you stopped playing for the money a long time ago you lying sack of shit. It's all about the money or you would have taken the offer made by the Lions.

This asshat says his agent is out there doing what he does best and lining up as much interest as possible. That's entirely about $. I didnt want him back to begin with but now he's just pathetic.

 

[RobBase]

Read the Mlive article on him drawing interest from other teams and completely lost all respect for this bozo.

What took you so long? Nobody talked more and made less plays than diva Nate.

 

[RobBase]

We don't even know if Pettigrew is going to be re-signed at this point. Fauria has stated he wants a larger role and if the staff feels he can improve in the necessary areas, we may just roll with he and Williams and look to draft one as well. I know Lombardihas stated he likes versatile TEs, but if the price isn't right, I don't think they'll re-sign him.

Agree totally.

Read a blurb where it said Pettigrew may even walk on his own. I can see that, this is his only chance at a big contract and he if he doesn't get what he wants from the Lions, he'll Avril it and try somewhere else. Can't blame him and you can't blame the team for not over paying him.

Let's roll with Fauria as our pass catcher. I like him. You can't teach that kinda of size and intensity.

 

[broncosmitty]

Id like Joe Fauria to learn how to block before he wants anything but a bigger boot up his ass. The dancing gayness can be traded for keeping his feet in front of a guy.

 

[RobBase]

Id like Joe Fauria to learn how to block before he wants anything but a bigger boot up his ass. The dancing gayness can be traded for keeping his feet in front of a guy.

Thought you loved the gays.

 

[anotheridiot]

He isnt even a good pizza delivery guy lol. With megatron and megastafford contracts, they are gonna have to go by committee. With Suh and Farrely worthy of being the highest paid tackles in football, there just isnt money to spend. Waiting for the bears to cut peppers, be stuck with 8 million dead money and have no defensive ends on the roster.