hawknation2016":r223082g said:
Popeyejones":r223082g said:
Good on him for answering (what IMO is an obnoxious question) honestly.
If you value your employer more than your employer values you then you either don't have a lot of options or are a sucker, IMO.
For example, Joe Staley left probably $20 million on the table (6 yr(s) / $44.6 million vs. the 6 yr(s) / $65 million he was worth) -- which would make him one of the biggest suckers around, per your definition.
That's another thing you can think Harbaugh for, since I doubt Staley would have accepted such a 'stingy' extension had the 49ers not been coming off three-consecutive seasons of Super Bowl contention.
Happiness is sometimes more important than money. Too bad things can change fast in the NFL.
I think you're mixing some stuff up.
FIRST EXTENSION:
Staley signed a six year extension when Mike Singletary was the head coach.
He had been in the league for two years at that point (this was before the new CBA when you could still sign an extension that early).
His extension was for less than he ended up being worth for two reasons:
1) He still had three years left on his rookie deal when he signed it.
2) Joe Staley was at that point, still a guy with a lot of promise rather than the Joe Staley we know today. When he signed that extension he was still undersized and pretty inconsistent (gave up 8 sacks as a RT his rookie year, and another 8 sacks as an LT in his second year right before he signed the extension.
SECOND EXTENSION:
In 2014, when Harbaugh was the coach, he again signed another two year exension when he still had three years left on his deal. This was basically an acknowledgement that he had totally outplayed his 2009 extension, and for the three years he was still under contract it around doubled his salary for each of the first two years and tripled it for the last year he was still under contract, in exchange for just under doubling it for an additional two years (his age 34 and 35 seasons) added to the deal.
OVERALL:
I guess someone could argue that Staley undervalued himself when he signed his 2009 extension, but I think it takes a hefty dose of hindsight to make that argument. Staley, twice now, has basically gotten both MUCH MORE immediate money and guaranteed immediate money than if he had waited for his deals to play out.
With Staley I don't see a guy giving hometown discounts, I see a guy whose taking an IMO pretty smart and conservative strategy in getting the most guaranteed money he can as quickly as he can.