Jonathan Taylor requests trade

[fightinfunbags]

Look, I love JT and while I think more of this is on his douchebag agent than him since he has shown no signs of being this me first, greedy type guy, he needs to honor the deal he signed. That's what a contract is. He agreed to a certain salary for a certain number of years, he signed it of his own free will. He is financially as well off as anyone could be on this planet right now, it's not like he is hurting for the dough. Irsay has a history of taking care of his guys, he will pay the man, but he is not getting 18 mill like he is asking for.

I don’t think a guy wanting to play for fair market value in a league where tomorrow is never promised, wanting to get the money he has EARNED makes him a bad teammate or a me first guy. Sometimes I wish we fans would be better at being fair in assessing player/ownership dynamics. Almost universally these RBs are getting screwed. If you don’t take a stand on your own value, nobody else is gonna do it. Part of the problem is the public relations game in people selling this nonsense that a guy holding out or fighting for his value and trying to exercise leverage makes them bad people or bad teammates.

The one I absolutely despise is when people come in and say “You signed a contract! Honor your contract!” The owners don’t. They regularly cut guys with 2-3 years left on this sacred contract we’re citing. We demand players honor contracts but we don’t make the same demand of owners and front offices.

 

[shopson67]

The bold is false, Running backs are just as valuable now as always, teams has just discovered they can run them into the ground before they can make real money and then never pay them. They use RB's that carried offenses for years falling apart after an extension as proof, but that does not prove their value is lower, it proves they break down faster.

The ball control running back is rare these days. Teams are utilizing RB committees and throwing the ball more than ever.

Take a look at it from the other side; who was the last running back that got that big contract that proved worth every penny? Not a lot of titles, yet a bunch of injuries in the top tier of RB contracts.

 

[eaglesnut]

...and still under contract with the Colts

You're gonna pay him for nothing while the team sucks?

 

[shopson67]

You're gonna pay him for nothing while the team sucks?

Doesn't the last year of his contract push forward if he doesn't report?

 

[eaglesnut]

Doesn't the last year of his contract push forward if he doesn't report?

He can do the minimum required.

 

[Shane_O_Mac812]

He can do the minimum required.

then we just franchise tag his ass for the next two seasons after that. Indianapolis owns him for the next 3 years and there is nothing he can do about it.

 

[shopson67]

then we just franchise tag his ass for the next two seasons after that. Indianapolis owns him for the next 3 years and there is nothing he can do about it.

The franchise tag wouldn't be a thing if the NFLPA had any huevos. Too punitive and restrictive.

 

[fightinfunbags]

Doesn't the last year of his contract push forward if he doesn't report?

Correct. The only way he can game the rules is to be a good soldier and show up but then when he gets dinged as all RBs do and play through it, he just becomes a malingerer who can’t get on the field, won’t take the shot, won’t play hurt, milks soft tissue discomfort etc… that’s the only way he can mess with them and still get his year of service and honor the contract stipulation.

 

[shopson67]

Correct. The only way he can game the rules is to be a good soldier and show up but then when he gets dinged as all RBs do and play through it, he just becomes a malingerer who can’t get on the field, won’t take the shot, won’t play hurt, milks soft tissue discomfort etc… that’s the only way he can mess with them and still get his year of service and honor the contract stipulation.

That'll pump up his offers this winter for sure, lol.

 

[fightinfunbags]

That'll pump up his offers this winter for sure, lol.

Haha yep. When these RBs claim the chips are stacked against them and that the system is shitting on them they have a legitimate claim. The other side of this is he does this in 23 and he plays like 6 games. He gets the tag. So next year he does the same thing and gets 7 games. Will Indy step up in the second attempt at a tag for more money that’s at top of the scale? Ok. They do. He does it again and only plays 6 games. Now they’ve exhausted the tag. Taylor gets paid too if scale for two seasons. He’s 27 years old and he finally walks into FA. Only having 19-20 games of tread on the tires over 3 years makes him ironically more valuable as a FA because he didn’t amass 350 touches in 3 straight campaigns. His touches are around 350-400 total in 3 years instead of 1,050 touches. Then he has his agent say he’ll work out for ya. He’s good to go now. He just wasn’t willing to play hurt for a crew that wouldn’t commit to him long term. But if you guys step up to the table you have a 27 year old back in his prime for the best 4 years of his career.

Holy shit! Mapping that out is one hella intricate plot that few can actually pull off. It’s absurd that a dude has to go to this extent and essentially put himself on a limited shelf for 3 seasons just to get the value he’s earned! These RBs are absolutely getting fucked.

 

[Mebert]

The ball control running back is rare these days. Teams are utilizing RB committees and throwing the ball more than ever.

Take a look at it from the other side; who was the last running back that got that big contract that proved worth every penny? Not a lot of titles, yet a bunch of injuries in the top tier of RB contracts.

Second contract is almost always bad, but that is my point. Teams are happy to run a guy into the ground and then toss him. The second contracts don't work out, but running backs are undeniably underpaid to start. Teams are pulling in massive benefit when players have no ability to negotiate.

The entire narrative that RB value is low is bullshit.

 

[shopson67]

Second contract is almost always bad, but that is my point. Teams are happy to run a guy into the ground and then toss him. The second contracts don't work out, but running backs are undeniably underpaid to start. Teams are pulling in massive benefit when players have no ability to negotiate.

The entire narrative that RB value is low is bullshit.

The value isn't gone, but it has clearly dropped. Rushing continues to become less and less a part of the NFL offense.

 

[eaglesnut]

then we just franchise tag his ass for the next two seasons after that. Indianapolis owns him for the next 3 years and there is nothing he can do about it.

Right, that's why he has to do what he's doing now instead of "playing out the contract he signed" like some lame mother fucker suggested.

He can continue to get paid for doing the minimum, as fightin outlined.

 

[Cincyfan78]

The bold is false, Running backs are just as valuable now as always, teams has just discovered they can run them into the ground before they can make real money and then never pay them. They use RB's that carried offenses for years falling apart after an extension as proof, but that does not prove their value is lower, it proves they break down faster.

Not false at all...in the grand scheme of things, you are better off paying a top tier QB, and 2 WR's than you are a top RB....you are likely to see way more return on investment in those 3 signings over a top RB...

The drop-off from a top tier RB to the next tier is much smaller than other positions.

The fact that teams are finding suitable replacements in the draft rather than going large on a second contract at a position that has a high breakdown rate, and lower return on investment rate correlates to just that...a position that has lost value.

 

[Mebert]

The value isn't gone, but it has clearly dropped. Rushing continues to become less and less a part of the NFL offense.

Average rush yards per game was the highest it has been since 1987 and the average rushes per game was the highest in a decade. The Rushing attempts per game has remained between 26 and 28 since 1990. NFL actually broke the record for yards per carry.

Receiving yards per game is the lowest it has been in 13 years.

 

[Cincyfan78]

They are colluding to keep the price of runningbacks down because the guaranteed money is too big for such an injury prone position. They point to Gurley, but Gurley had bad knees before coming into the league. Bad faith.

It's not a free market either. Bad claim by you. The Colts drafted his rights. Get rid of the draft if you want to make some claims about free markets. Taylor would have made much more already in his short career. You aren't arguing for a free market valuation of these players, you are arguing for the Owners to take advantage of players with shorter lifespans by waiting them out and keeping their rights until they're too old to cash in somewhere else.

Maybe the Saudis want to start a Rugby team using all NFL runningbacks...

I always love when some cry collusion...I mean, yes...that is likely happening to a degree but it's not like teams need to talk to one another to determine that investing into a large 2nd contract at the RB position is likely to return less on your investment than loading up at QB and 2 top WR's. That's just how the league is in today's world.

Free market meaning - free agency. I could have worded that better, for sure, but the point remains the same...if RB's were as valuable as some keep suggesting - they wouldn't be losing ground in contracts. Instead, that money is being allocated elsewhere because that is how the NFL is being set up to be played. It's a wide open game that is predicated on having a really good QB, and really good WR's. RB's, fairly or not, are much easier to replace, bring less return value in 2nd contracts, and in the end, that money is oftentimes better spent elsewhere.

 

[Schmoopy1000]

Ruin his career? He'll be the best available running back in the league and he'll be fresh if he sits a year.

Didnt work out so well for Bell or Gordon.

 

[Schmoopy1000]

I wouldnt mind seeing a year lopped off of RB rookie contracts.
I think top RBs are their own worst enemy. They are lookig for all the money now (cant really blame them though) so they sign 4 & 5 year deals so they can get a high Signing bonus. (guaranteed money)
You would think it be best for both sides to do series of 3 yr. deals.
You know the RB (barring injury) is gonna play the 1st two years, they are pretty much guaranteed anyways. Then if they are meh. They pl;ay out the 3rd year.
If they are kicking ass it is good for either side.
The tema can start early if they want on extending them. (to another 3 yr deal)
Or
The player can go into the 3rd year asking for a raise & the team didnt already give them the huge signing bonus for a 5 yr deal so it can happen.

 

[DJ]

Ruin his career? He'll be the best available running back in the league and he'll be fresh if he sits a year.

He isn't going to sit out....don't fool yourself.

 

[Schmoopy1000]

He isn't going to sit out....don't fool yourself.

he'd be dumb if he did.

Not a single one of these Rbs that sat out the year, made that money back.