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July 18, 2012
We’ll see just what Trent knows soon enough.
Thank goodness for Robert Griffin III. The guy who says all the right things seems pretty intent on going to the next level and actually doing the right things as well. Griffin and his representation apparently decided enough time had passed and they were going to get a deal done out of order and ahead of first pick Andrew Luck of the Colts. As was posted earlier, Griffin got a 4-year deal, all guaranteed for $21.1 million including almost $14 million in signing bonus.
Is he just trying to make Browns fans further lament the fact that Mike Holmgren and Tom Heckert didn’t get the deal done when they seemingly had more bullets in their gun-battle with the Redskins?
The Browns’ own selection, Trent Richardson has said all the right things too, to be fair. It was pretty reasonable for him to try and see what the other top picks were going to get done at the bargaining table as long as it isn’t keeping him out of camp. To date, the fact that Richardson doesn’t have a deal done hasn’t kept him away from anything, so we’re still all good in that department. Now that Griffin has signed, the pressure should be on.
In May, I went ahead and showed everyone pretty much what Trent Richardson’s deal ought to look like. Given the new rules, it’s pretty easy to look at previous years’ contracts and project nominal increases. Pretty much every pick as high as Griffin and Richardson gets their rookie contract for four years and fully guaranteed. So, how did Griffin do compared to last year’s number two overall pick Von Miller?
Here’s what I think Von Miller’s deal looked like.
| Von Miller | |||
| Salaries | Signing Bonus | Cap Number | |
| 2011 | $390,000 | $3,425,000 | $3,815,000 |
| 2012 | $1,329,563 | $3,425,000 | $4,754,563 |
| 2013 | $2,284,125 | $3,425,000 | $5,709,125 |
| 2014 | $3,238,688 | $3,425,000 | $6,663,688 |
| Total | $7,242,376 | $13,700,000 | $20,942,376 |
Robert Griffin III’s new deal looks something like this.
| Robert Griffin III | |||
| Salaries | Signing Bonus | Cap Number | |
| 2012 | $390,000 | $3,449,836 | $3,839,836 |
| 2013 | $1,340,000 | $3,449,836 | $4,789,836 |
| 2014 | $2,300,000 | $3,449,836 | $5,749,836 |
| 2015 | $3,260,000 | $3,449,836 | $6,709,836 |
| Total | $7,290,000 | $13,799,344 | $21,089,344 |
So the difference, in my estimation is less than 1% or 0.7% increase based on my estimation. Again, this brings us back to Trent Richardson. As I said in May, this is what last year’s third overall pick Marcell Dareus signed for.
| Marcell Dareus | 3rd Pick | ||
| Salaries | Signing Bonus | Cap Number | |
| 2011 | $376,371 | $3,335,000 | $3,711,371 |
| 2012 | $1,302,605 | $3,335,000 | $4,637,605 |
| 2013 | $2,230,210 | $3,335,000 | $5,565,210 |
| 2014 | $3,157,814 | $3,335,000 | $6,492,814 |
| Total | $7,067,000 | $13,340,000 | $20,407,000 |
Assuming that Trent Richardson is going to get a slight increase, his deal will be some measure higher. Simultaneously, unless something really outlandish happens, Richardson will not be able to exceed what RG3 got. If Richardson got exactly what RG3 got that would represent a 3.3% increase (about $680,000) over Marcell Dareus. If Richardson gets a 1% increase over Dareus, we’re talking about just over $200,000.
For all practical purposes, you have to think that any haggling between the Browns and Richardson now would be over $200,000… Over a four year deal…
Let’s just say that if Trent Richardson misses a minute of camp over $50,000 a year on an NFL contract, I will be absolutely confused and probably livid.
Now Brandon Weeden on the other hand… Well, we’ll get into that one another day.
10 Comments
I am interested to see what you mean about Weeden. I think it is imperative he be signed and into camp on time. If you draft a 28 year old, you cant pussyfoot around over contract details. The clock is already ticking. Camp hasn’t started yet, so no panic, but he has to be there and ready to go, from day one.
All I meant to say is that the negotiation is probably not going to be as simple. The Browns might look to exert their will a bit more. On the one hand they need Weeden in camp. On the other hand, he is 28 and they might want a couple concessions.
Ultimately, I think the Browns should just sign Weeden because the new rookie scale protects the team enough already. We’ll see if that assessment is shared by Heckert and Holmgren in Berea.
Does this team do anything easy?
How about 5 year 12.5
T Rich will get a 4 yr 20.8M
right on, sounded like there was another post in the offing for us to look forward to (or at least thats how I read it). I have heard (probably here) that there is an issue with the 4th year being guaranteed, and the 21/22 area is where that 4th year stops being guaranteed, and Weeden wants it guaranteed, but the Browns may not agree to do so, and the other teams do not want them to do so because of the precedent it sets.
I just believe that they drafted a 28 year old rookie in the first round, and that changes things. They should just give him the 4th year, give the rest of the league the finger, and set themselves up for as much success as possible, removing as many excuses as they can along the way. If December rolls around and we have only won 4 games so far and I’m hearing stories about how the FO is looking forward to Weeden’s growth since he will have the benefit of a full off season, I’m going to take everything my 2 Labs have left in my backyard, put it in a paper bag, set it aflame and leave it on their doorstep.
They drafted a 28 year old rookie. That was their choice. They should have known drafting at 22 there was this 3 year/ 4 year guarantee issue (especially after facing it with Taylor last year). They have to make sure it does not affect the team. It’s 100% up to them. No excuses.
At least, that’s where I’m at with it, and I was just curious if you felt the same (or at least if there was another post coming stating what you do think of Weeden’s cnotract situation)
Why did you guess at Von Miller’s contract? A quick Google search gives it to you and you are incorrect in the first number. I get this is a free site but the second item in a search had the right answer.
Did I get something wrong? The only reason that I don’t say it definitively is because I use excel and I don’t have every detail of contract language in front of me.
Why are you talking so much about the money? Isn’t that set and the negotiations now are about offset language and the timing of the bonus payments (one lump sum or divided over two to four years)?
He is prob waiting for Tannehill to sign