Official: Lions don't tag Suh.

[jdwills126]

My whole problem with the Suh situation is how poorly Mayhew planned/managed/preapared for it!

1. When Suh didn't try to negotiate last off season Mayhew should have known something was up. Switching agents seemed like such a load of bullshit. Even with the switch a deal could have gotten done and Mayhew should have gotten a red flag.

2. Mayhew drafts Ebron and passes on Donald. That would have given him some leverage.

3. The best drafted DT is Cariun Reid?

4. He declines the Fairley option. Which by itself was not bad but he should have seen what was coming....the whole farce of I am confident we will get a deal speaks volumes.

The only saving grace is if Suh signs an affordable long term deal.

 

[Naughtymax]

I think we all want Suh to sign a long-term deal, but if that was going to happen he'd already be under contract, I think. Agree that management has blown this situation and should have drafted that way last year. When they left the DT cupboard bare Suh had extra leverage.

 

[Old Lion]

It does not even matter what management did. Some team is going to pay Suh way more than they should or any sane business person would. We will not win a bidding war against the bottom feeders. Playoff teams do not overspend. If a player is looking to maximize every last contract dollar he will end up on a losing team most likely.

The best strategy at this point is to draft well. The rookie cap allows a team to be built without breaking the bank on any 1 player for 5 years. Best thing to happen to the NFL in a long time.

 

[BUD]

Absolutely REVOLTING to read the comments flowing in all over the internet from fans of 31 other fan bars BEG for Suh after years of talking nothing but shit about him and the Lions.

Lions are about to become a bottom 5 team in the NFL, start looking at top 5 prospects in the 2016 draft.

Worst day since Barry retired.

Of course other teams will want him
Wait til the clouds clear. The Lions will not be 6-10 if Suh leaves. Comparing losing Sanders to losing Suh

 

[tpaulus_2]

Kyle Mienke of Mlive thinks we're still the favorites to sign Suh...

 

[Rollingthndr]

10 takeaways from this week's NFL offseason action

5. Money will be Flying Around at a Record Pace This Month

As of right now, the Jacksonville Jaguars, Oakland Raiders, Cleveland Browns, New York Jets and Indianapolis Colts have a combined $250-plus million in salary cap room. Considering four of these teams are in desperate need of help up and down the roster, we can expect money to be thrown around to free agents at a record clip. Outside of those four teams, another 13 squads have more than $20 million in cap room. The amazing thing here is that most of the salary cap casualties around the league have yet to be announced.

For the teams mentioned above, it’s all going to be about making the right fiscal decisions and not overpaying for mediocre talent. We have seen bottom-feeders reach out to less-than-stellar free agents with some massive contracts in the past. That’s a trap that the Jaguars and Raiders of the world must avoid here.

There is an old saying in investments.... When others are greedy, be fearful and when others are fearful, be greedy.

I say if Suh doesn't re-sign. Don't spend any to very little money and focus on the draft.... If we hit on a couple good players from there and next year. Suh, Houston and Bush's dead money come off the books.... Along with any extra the cap goes up.

Then we are in the Raiders spot next off-season, except we actually have a good team. Get very good free agents to fill the holes that you missed on this years draft.

 

[TwoCents22]

I'd love to be the Raiders GM right now. Promising QB. Defense has a few star potential players. Number 4 pick in the draft. And all that money to spend. Its going to be interesting to see what they do.

 

[Old Lion]

Just saw Suh wants the most money for defense in both Avg Salary and guaranteed money. I am fine with guaranteed money, but not average. Seeing he is going into his age 29 season, I would not go more than 5 years 75 mil with 57 mil guaranteed.

To be completely honest, I think I would rather let him walk at this point. If he were to be 26 instead of 29 then maybe something longer with more money, but I just do not see the numbers working out.

 

[Dr. Evil-er]

Just saw Suh wants the most money for defense in both Avg Salary and guaranteed money. I am fine with guaranteed money, but not average. Seeing he is going into his age 29 season, I would not go more than 5 years 75 mil with 57 mil guaranteed.

To be completely honest, I think I would rather let him walk at this point. If he were to be 26 instead of 29 then maybe something longer with more money, but I just do not see the numbers working out.

Everyone knows I hate Lewand, it's no mystery. But if it's just a matter of highest average and most guaranteed I honestly can't believe we don't have a deal in place. That is not outrageous for him at all and like I have said many times before it's all about how you structure the contract.

Look at Watt's and McCoy's for example.....the last three years are just salary. McCoy has a roster bonus in each which is essentially the same as salary, it just requires the team to cut the player sooner so they have more time to work on landing someplace else.

You could go as low as a $16.7m avg deal with $52m guaranteed. If that report is accurate IMO it's inexcusable not to get a deal done with him.

 

[Gulf of Brazil]

YES, inexcusable to a degree, Dr. Evil-er.... unless it's all about Suh seeing how much money other teams are willing to pony up. In my eyes, at this moment, it's Suh who is the only party delaying the deal. I may very well be wrong so it's merely my opinion.

 

[Dr. Evil-er]

Here is your scenario......the contract is 6yr, $102m with $55m guaranteed. Highest average with most guaranteed, exactly what he wants.

Signing bonus of $12m (amortized over only 3 yrs). Option bonus of $16m in year 2 (amortized over 4 years). Option bonus of $9 in year 3 (amortized over 3 years)

Salary: 2, 9, 7, 12, 13, 22

You get cap hits of $15.75, 17, 18, 19, 20, 22

The guaranteed amount is fully paid at the end of only three years.

After the fourth year only $7m remains as dead $. None after the fifth year.

You can easily enough play with the salaries and bonus amounts (I don't have the spreadsheets to see all the data for which years you would move up and down to fit with other player contracts). But it works and is doable. I just don't see it as a complicated deal to make happen.

On top of that we just saw Fitzgerald rework his deal to finish his career with the Card's and really in as few as maybe one (two max) CJ is going to be asked to do the same. We absolutely can handle a contract like this for Suh. He should not be getting away if that's all he is asking for.

 

[Dr. Evil-er]

YES, inexcusable to a degree, Dr. Evil-er.... unless it's all about Suh seeing how much money other teams are willing to pony up. In my eyes, at this moment, it's Suh who is the only party delaying the deal. I may very well be wrong so it's merely my opinion.

I agree completely. My post was only meant to address the generalities of him wanting the largest average and guaranteed $ deal. If that isn't already on the table though then I don't see how ANYONE could ever argue with me again that LewanDUI isnt hands down the most incompetent front office exec in the entire league.

It was an absolute given that Suh was going to get both of the things he was asking for and if after years of reckless restructuring and simply bad cap mgmt LewAAnd is now trying to pinch pennies and risk losing Suh that is beyond inexcusable.

 

[Gulf of Brazil]

That is an exceptional work-up DR. I think it's more than "just fair pay when considering Suh is a DT".

Once again, hate beating the dead horse, Suh will undeniably want to see what other team are willing to cough up. It's strictly a business decision on his part to sit back, wait and see all offers, relish in the moment that he is "the most sought after FA (he has an ego regarding this situation), then make a final decision as to where he'll play. It's also the last "HUGE CONTRACT" he'll ever see when compared to what kind of money comes his way after this contract. All JMO.

***I understood what you were relaying in post #69***

no ONE single person can blame Suh for sitting back and waiting for all scenario's to unfold at this point. He probably planned this last year as well, IMHO, and may have told Mayhew/Lewand in spring of 2014, "I'm just going to void my last year, 2015, and see what is the very most I can get in guarantees, period".

 

[Gulf of Brazil]

here's an article on Suh's agent, Jimmy Sexton, and the company CAA run in conjunction with Tom Condon. BTW, Sexton is also the agent for Bama's HC Saban. I view Sexton as the same type of agent to NFL player's as Scott Boras is to MLB. They get exactly what their clients are looking for in terms of $$$ and years (obviously MLB contracts are fully guaranteed)

Hot off the press, right here
Ndamukong Suh's agent, Jimmy Sexton, known as one of the best
snippets from the article above;
They won't (leave any money on the table), but if he wants to stay there, they're going to try to find a way to make it happen. That'll ultimately become the kind of the bottom line in this situation."

Yes, ultimately Sexton represents Suh, and the All-Pro defensive tackle has final say over where he plays in 2015 and beyond. But Sexton's history as a negotiator could provide some clues as to what lies ahead for the Lions.

Among NFL players, Sexton's most high-profile clients are New Orleans Saints tight end Jimmy Graham, Atlanta Falcons receiver Julio Jones, Dallas Cowboys tight end Jason Witten, and quarterbacks Philip Rivers of the San Diego Chargers and Sam Bradford of the St. Louis Rams.

 

[jdwills126]

The Lions need to use what little leverage they have left.

Make an offer to Suh, good fair offer. Then tell him it expires Monday 8 am. If he doesn't sign start negotiating and come to terms with a few DTs....Dockett, Fairly, Knghton, Williams or fill in the blank.

I would not let Suh/Sexton use the Lions to bid up the Raiders, Jets, or Jags. I get it is a huge reach but with so little left it would be sign or don't use us to get more cash.

I can't fault Suh for how this played out he played by the rules and the Lions were stupid to backload his deal twice. I may not be able to fault him but I sure as hell don't have to like how he played this out. It is almost like he took advantage of a couple handicapped kids named Mayhew and Lewan.

 

[Old Lion]

I like that idea JD. This way we do not miss out on all the other FAs while waiting for Suh to make a decision. I would pass on Dockett though. He would be a stop gap only at his age.

 

[Rollingthndr]

That is an exceptional work-up DR. I think it's more than "just fair pay when considering Suh is a DT".

Once again, hate beating the dead horse, Suh will undeniably want to see what other team are willing to cough up. It's strictly a business decision on his part to sit back, wait and see all offers, relish in the moment that he is "the most sought after FA (he has an ego regarding this situation), then make a final decision as to where he'll play. It's also the last "HUGE CONTRACT" he'll ever see when compared to what kind of money comes his way after this contract. All JMO.

***I understood what you were relaying in post #69***

no ONE single person can blame Suh for sitting back and waiting for all scenario's to unfold at this point. He probably planned this last year as well, IMHO, and may have told Mayhew/Lewand in spring of 2014, "I'm just going to void my last year, 2015, and see what is the very most I can get in guarantees, period".

If Suh told Mayhew and Lewand that last spring. They should be fired immediately for not drafting Aaron Donald then. I'm pretty sure he didn't though.

 

[Rollingthndr]

The Lions need to use what little leverage they have left.

Make an offer to Suh, good fair offer. Then tell him it expires Monday 8 am. If he doesn't sign start negotiating and come to terms with a few DTs....Dockett, Fairly, Knghton, Williams or fill in the blank.

I would not let Suh/Sexton use the Lions to bid up the Raiders, Jets, or Jags. I get it is a huge reach but with so little left it would be sign or don't use us to get more cash.

I can't fault Suh for how this played out he played by the rules and the Lions were stupid to backload his deal twice. I may not be able to fault him but I sure as hell don't have to like how he played this out. It is almost like he took advantage of a couple handicapped kids named Mayhew and Lewan.

It's not like Suh came to those two dumb asses and said... Hey, restructure my deal. Those two came to him.

 

[TBBishop]

The Lions need to use what little leverage they have left.

Make an offer to Suh, good fair offer. Then tell him it expires Monday 8 am. If he doesn't sign start negotiating and come to terms with a few DTs....Dockett, Fairly, Knghton, Williams or fill in the blank.

I would not let Suh/Sexton use the Lions to bid up the Raiders, Jets, or Jags. I get it is a huge reach but with so little left it would be sign or don't use us to get more cash.

I can't fault Suh for how this played out he played by the rules and the Lions were stupid to backload his deal twice. I may not be able to fault him but I sure as hell don't have to like how he played this out. It is almost like he took advantage of a couple handicapped kids named Mayhew and Lewan.

Oh, jd, your plan is to threaten Suh? Sign up or fuck off? I'd love to be in the room when Sexton tells him "they said sign up or fuck off!"

 

[LPinSLC]

Oh, jd, your plan is to threaten Suh? Sign up or fuck off? I'd love to be in the room when Sexton tells him "they said sign up or fuck off!"

bet you the response sounds a lot like fuck off.