Rumor: RW to possibly play out rookie contract?

[Rocket]

The dude seems patient like Buddha. He'll get his time to be the best Quarterback and a greater share of the "load" once the Beast retires, be it in '16, '18 or '14. There ain't no more Marshawns in the world, he's a mold breaker so Russ will get to throw (more), but not right now.
He's patient, his time will come.

 

[LTH]

I think if the Hawks mae wilson play out his rookie contract its a great in justice...The guy has taken them to 2 SB's... Pay the man....

 

[AgentDib]

It's super annoying that vague possibilities are somehow newsworthy these days. Extensions are very beneficial for both teams and players in situations like this and if one doesn't happen then the most likely reason is that they were not close enough to a deal in the first place.

 

[Greenhell]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/DangeRussWilson/status/568533068023275520[/tweet]

I'm sure we can spin this a few different ways right?

*Affect.

I'm chalking this up to his auto correct on his phone.

 

[SoulfishHawk]

Well, it is Russell Wilson, people will search for ANYTHING to get on the guy about.

 

[byau]

Imagining Russell Wilson as a free agent, in the open market. :180670: He'd be the most sought after player. In other words, goodbye.

He would never sniff the market.

You know I bet the Heat thought they were keeping Lebron too

Apples to Oranges maybe, but just call me a worry wart. *A LOT* can happen in a year's time regardless of the intentions now.

 

[purpleneer]

Right, so he'd get the money faster, thus more beneficial $$$ wise in the short term........but also riskier cause he could have a terrible year or get hurt.

The franchise tag plan can't exactly be guaranteed beyond the first year. That's kind of a big reason players generally hate being tagged.

 

[Hyak]

JS alluded to a domino effect with regard to RW's extension and I am sure it's FA and resolving Lynch. Perception wise, it's likely very important that they take care of Lynch before Wilson in the eyes of Lynch and perhaps some other players. Cap wise, knowing what the space available is also provides parameters for any extension structure. That all said, I'd be surprised if his new deal effected his base salary for 2015 anyway.

All of that aside, I also don't necessarily know if RW and his reps will be trying to get the highest paid QB deal either in an effort to make sure the team around him can perennially contend for SB wins. Given his personality and background, he is an advertisers dream and is probably the next big athlete pitchman - provided he plays great and the team wins big. And there is no salary cap on endorsement contracts. It is about creating a brand for long term financial success. Think Derek Jeter, MJ, and Peyton.

 

[brimsalabim]

Either way he is getting paid and either way it will get spun against him.

I don't know how much money he needs from football but he seems to be raking it in from other sources at almost in heard of levels. Last week AOL hired him to adress their "team members" based on the success of his motivational speaking at micro soft.

 

[cacksman]

It's super annoying that vague possibilities are somehow newsworthy these days. Extensions are very beneficial for both teams and players in situations like this and if one doesn't happen then the most likely reason is that they were not close enough to a deal in the first place.

Exactly. How JLC somehow spun this ridiculous, completely made-up scenario into 15+ paragraphs is both fascinating, and sickening at the same time.

 

[Reaneypark]

Just rip off the bandaid and do the deal now.

Certainty is always best in these situations.

 

[Mick063]

He has won over the fans with "Go Hawks" as he lives in rarified air for a three year pro. There are 15-20 teams that would feel fortunate to pay him top five money.

I believe Wilson has the leverage here.

 

[Pandion Haliaetus]

Here's how I could see it working out.

He plays on his last year of his contract at $953,519 but I think that number would be closer to $2m because I think the rookie scale has built in performance bonuses. Maybe Im wrong. Doesnt matter.

Lets say Russ then signs a 6 yr, 122m deal in 2016 with a 35m Signing Bonus and like up to another 50m guaranteed.

Apy = 20.33m

Lets say his cap figure is 2016 is set at 12m.

5m guaranteed base + 7m signing bonus.

However, Wilson nets 40m in 2015 alone but counts only 12 against the cap.

The rest of his deal from 2017-2021 is essentially Aaron Rodgers contract. 5 yrs, 110m. 22 apy.

Lets say for easiest terms you spread that evenly for 5 yrs. Which would essentially look like this:

'17: 15m + 7sb = 22m
'18: 15m + 7sb = 22m
'19: 15m + 7sb = 22m
'20: 15m + 7sb = 22m
'21: 22m + 0sb = 22m

Guaranteed Money:

Lets say from years '17-'20 he gets 10m of those 15m cap hits are gauranteed salary. Then that other 5m is based on mostly achievable performance incentives.

Then in year '21 Wilson gets a 10m Roster Bonus with a 12m base.

You could also do this from a 25m sb perspective:

'16: 7m gtd base + 5m sb
'17: 17m base + 5m sb
'18: 17m base + 5m sb
'19: 17m base + 5m sb
'20: 17m base + 5m sb
'21: 22m base + 0m sb

Instead 10 m guaranteed salaries from '17-'20 you boost that up to 12m per.

So, he'll make 55m guranteed base salaries over 5 yrs + 25m signing bonus = 80m guaranteed in first 5 yrs with a 100m total payout.

Then you can still add that $5-10 mil roster bonus in yr 6 but at that point you probably can throw out that year and redo the contract.

But by waiting out this year and taking a relatively lower cap number in 2016 he would essentially allow the team to again go all in to build the best championship roster possible with Lynch and the Defense still at top-form.

And the bigger cap hits he would take would be in his 6th season as a pro where he's probably in his prime as a passer while coinciding with expiring contracts and more cap space available to be able to swallow those big hits.

Ovetthecap.com speculates the cap will be:

$160 in 2016 (+17 from 2015)
$170 in 2017 (+27 from 2015)

So I could see how it would be win-win for both sides. Wilson helps max out this current championship window of opportunity and he'll still get paid awesomely.

 

[Anthony!]

You know all this speculation is great and how they need to take care of Lynch first so he and some others on the team can feel good. But what message does that send Wilson? Hey yeah your great and we need you, but we want Lynch first and we may make you play out your last year rather than do what teams with franchise QBs do and take care of you now. I mean they are both under contract for next season, but Lynch is a higher priority than your franchise QB? Really. I had speculated this could happen and well it could. If and it is a big if they play this out that way, Wilson could be gone, and it will not be him going back on his word but the FO making a choice and their actions devaluing him in the locker room. I mean Lynch does stupid stuff that causes some issues and we want to take care of him before our franchise QB who does everything right. This could blow up in their faces if and again big if they play this wrong.

They will need to get Lynch signed, get weapons for Wilson, start throwing a little more, and sign Wilson and play it like they did this, the way the did to put weapons around Wilson, other wise it will not play well.

 

[Hawkscanner]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/DangeRussWilson/status/568533068023275520[/tweet]

I'm sure we can spin this a few different ways right?

In all seriousness, Wilson's tweet makes 100% sense if you understand where he's coming from. Not trying to get religious on folks here, but this is a total function of Wilson's Christian faith. I've talked to some people who run in the same circles he does ... and he honestly has a value system far different than most of the world. What you see and hear from him is absolutely authentic. Coming from that worldview, he honestly believes that wealth and all the worldly possessions that money can buy ... will never make one happy and the pursuit of it shouldn't be one's life goal. In the end, he sees money as merely a tool ... and one to be used for a higher cause in helping to touch lives and make a lasting difference in the world. He honestly isn't going to milk Paul Allen for every last dollar that he can get because in the end, money's just not the end all be all of his life. In the end, he really and truly believes that the only thing you can take with you are the people whose lives of those you impact. If you read Wilson's tweets on a regular basis, it's fairly evident who and what he's living his life for. It wouldn't surprise me whatsoever that after he ultimately signs his deal that he does exactly what Barry Sanders did back in 1989. Right after Sanders signed his rookie deal, he gave 10% of his rookie signing bonus (some $250,000) straight to his church.

All of that to say that we as Seahawks fans are incredibly lucky to have #3 at the helm of the ship. In the end, Wilson's going to exactly what Tom Brady has done for years in structuring his deal in such a way that is very cap friendly and that allows his team to be in contention for the Super Bowl year after year. There is no "I" in team for Russell Wilson and that includes his own pocketbook as well. You can take that to the bank.

 

[Pandion Haliaetus]

Anthony,

Your point is moot if Wilson mutually agreed to it for the better of the team.

I highly doubt Seahawks would hold Russ hostage from his deserved payday unless he met them halfway.

 

[Hawkfan77]

You know all this speculation is great and how they need to take care of Lynch first so he and some others on the team can feel good. But what message does that send Wilson? Hey yeah your great and we need you, but we want Lynch first and we may make you play out your last year rather than do what teams with franchise QBs do and take care of you now. I mean they are both under contract for next season, but Lynch is a higher priority than your franchise QB? Really. I had speculated this could happen and well it could. If and it is a big if they play this out that way, Wilson could be gone, and it will not be him going back on his word but the FO making a choice and their actions devaluing him in the locker room. I mean Lynch does stupid stuff that causes some issues and we want to take care of him before our franchise QB who does everything right. This could blow up in their faces if and again big if they play this wrong.

They will need to get Lynch signed, get weapons for Wilson, start throwing a little more, and sign Wilson and play it like they did this, the way the did to put weapons around Wilson, other wise it will not play well.

You're assuming theres no dialogue between the team and Wilson

 

[cacksman]

Here's how I could see it working out.

He plays on his last year of his contract at $953,519 but I think that number would be closer to $2m because I think the rookie scale has built in performance bonuses. Maybe Im wrong. Doesnt matter.

Lets say Russ then signs a 6 yr, 122m deal in 2016 with a 35m Signing Bonus and like up to another 50m guaranteed.

Apy = 20.33m

Lets say his cap figure is 2016 is set at 12m.

5m guaranteed base + 7m signing bonus.

However, Wilson nets 40m in 2015 alone but counts only 12 against the cap.

The rest of his deal from 2017-2021 is essentially Aaron Rodgers contract. 5 yrs, 110m. 22 apy.

Lets say for easiest terms you spread that evenly for 5 yrs. Which would essentially look like this:

'17: 15m + 7sb = 22m
'18: 15m + 7sb = 22m
'19: 15m + 7sb = 22m
'20: 15m + 7sb = 22m
'21: 22m + 0sb = 22m

Guaranteed Money:

Lets say from years '17-'20 he gets 10m of those 15m cap hits are gauranteed salary. Then that other 5m is based on mostly achievable performance incentives.

Then in year '21 Wilson gets a 10m Roster Bonus with a 12m base.

You could also do this from a 25m sb perspective:

'16: 7m gtd base + 5m sb
'17: 17m base + 5m sb
'18: 17m base + 5m sb
'19: 17m base + 5m sb
'20: 17m base + 5m sb
'21: 22m base + 0m sb

Instead 10 m guaranteed salaries from '17-'20 you boost that up to 12m per.

So, he'll make 55m guranteed base salaries over 5 yrs + 25m signing bonus = 80m guaranteed in first 5 yrs with a 100m total payout.

Then you can still add that $5-10 mil roster bonus in yr 6 but at that point you probably can throw out that year and redo the contract.

But by waiting out this year and taking a relatively lower cap number in 2016 he would essentially allow the team to again go all in to build the best championship roster possible with Lynch and the Defense still at top-form.

And the bigger cap hits he would take would be in his 6th season as a pro where he's probably in his prime as a passer while coinciding with expiring contracts and more cap space available to be able to swallow those big hits.

Ovetthecap.com speculates the cap will be:

$160 in 2016 (+17 from 2015)
$170 in 2017 (+27 from 2015)

So I could see how it would be win-win for both sides. Wilson helps max out this current championship window of opportunity and he'll still get paid awesomely.

Unbelievable that you actually spent this much time (great cap work btw) mapping out a scenario which actually doesn't make sense for either side, and has a next-to-nothing chance of happening.

 

[Pandion Haliaetus]

Can you explain yourself, cacksmen.

The model above is obviously very simplistic cookie cutter mold so it was easier to comprehend.

But still explain why it doesnt work for both sides when in actuality it would be both sides meeting close to the middle for the benefit of the team.

For instance Wilson would still get paid like he deserves, maybe not highest paid QB in the NFL.

Aaron Rodger's contract was a 5 yr, 110m deal. 22 apy. He got a 33.25 signing bonus with 54m guaranteed overall.

The contract I quickly put together in like 10-15 was a 6 yr 122m deal worth 20.33 apy.

Which seems about right around Wilson's worth. He's still a tier below Aaron Rodgers level in thier career.

But the contract also would reward Wilson's patience... Hence the 25-35m signing bonus and making close to 70-75% of his contract guaranteed.

Wilson gets paid what he deserves whether its now or later. But if he wants the best chance to win more Championships. Then you hold off on that payday for one more year, allow the team to be more aggressive in free agency, and put players around you that will help you obtain your goals.

Im not saying this will happen... Its murky water... But definately "out of the box" thinking that could work if the ultimate goal here is winning championships now takes precedent over all the money a player can fit into his vault.

Who knows what will happen, Im just trying to wrap my mind around the most conceivable cap model if it did in quite possible the most simplisic terms that would be understandable.

Hate it if you want but I dont see you adding any other perspective.

 

[Anthony!]

Anthony,

Your point is moot if Wilson mutually agreed to it for the better of the team.

I highly doubt Seahawks would hold Russ hostage from his deserved payday unless he met them halfway.

that is true but that is also a huge assumption at this point. For the Hawks to expect Wilson to play his last year with no contract would be a huge error, that would cost them more money or Wilson.

All we know is there is an offer to Lynch and non to Wilson at this point. Something that is very odd.

The thing I find interesting is Lynch is holding the team hostage and not honoring his deal but everyone wants Wilson to give the home discount and wait.

Something is just not right, so either deals are already in place but they are waiting on Lynch ( this is dumb), or something is going on.