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So I heard the one interview on radio but when you drive 60 mph with big trailer behind you, I need some time to have it sink in. So when I heard Schneider on radio I thought "does he mean that Russel knows he needs more good players around him and he may need to play for lower contract to do so" I don't think it will go as in this article where they move the cap number down the road as it will limit you as an organisation in what you can do 2-3 years from now as according to Schneider "He (Wilson) wants to win for a long time"

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap300000 ... lsons-deal

Personally I think he should get 30 mil a year but it's impossible to pay him that, and I hate the "is 15 mil not enough?" argument. The ports on the West coast are pretty much shut down at the moment over $1000.00 a year so to expect a player to take 6-7 mil a year less just because he like a city is just a crazy assumption. But what if that is exactly it? Or being able to win year after year. In my opinion same could have been said of Sherman (I know he's second best paid corner in NFL) who I think could have gotten maybe an extra 2 mil a year somewhere else, that's 8 mil over 4 years. And Wilson is like, ok I'll take 17 mill but you will have to get me a LT or what ever.

They keep mentioning that worn out buzz word phrase "thinking outside the box"...geezus, am I tired of that worn out cliché. It's as overused a phrase that exists today. Some people at my place of employment get the sensation that are so hip when they repeat it.

I don't know what they mean by "The Box". Normally you would think about stuff like stock in one of Paul Allen's companies or some type of marketing agreement, but "The Box" in this case is the CBA, and that type of compensation is clearly outlawed. I don't see how they can go outside of it.

From what I read, they mean lower cap hit each year, but fully or mostly guaranteed. Something like 7 years 86 million guaranteed ( which drops the yearly cap hit, but becomes the most guaranteed money for any QB in the league) IMHO unless they see a serious fade in what he does, it would be a smart move. Ultimately, we have to just wait and see, but if they did something like that, I would definitely understand the move.

Oops, I meant 7 yrs/ 100million/ 86million guaranteed. Sorry.

That's what I heard, too.
Guaranteeing the entire amount for a longer period can help both sides in these negotiations.
I don't know why it hasn't been used more often in special cases.
It might be difficult for Russ to turn down a 12 million/year guaranteed deal.
That's like a guaranteed lottery win for 7 consecutive years.

I certainly could see a benefit for a player on something structured to make "all" of his money. It isn't the salary players are pining for, it's the guarantee's.... Something like 7 years, starting at 10-12 and working up to 18-20 over the length of it, certainly would allow the team to keep building the team, while protecting the player as well ( something like 10/12/14/17/17/18/22 = 110 million guaranteed. The team loses if the players career ends, or he goes in the tank, other than that, it allows the team the flexability to continue to assure good players around him for 7 years, while allowing him the ability to make a ton of money).

HumanCockroach wrote:I certainly could see a benefit for a player on something structured to make "all" of his money. It isn't the salary players are pining for, it's the guarantee's.... Something like 7 years, starting at 10-12 and working up to 18-20 over the length of it, certainly would allow the team to keep building the team, while protecting the player as well ( something like 10/12/14/17/17/18/22 = 110 million guaranteed. The team loses if the players career ends, or he goes in the tank, other than that, it allows the team the flexability to continue to assure good players around him for 7 years, while allowing him the ability to make a ton of money).

I never thought of doing it that way. It looks good like this, just becomes a nightmare if it becomes a career ending injury in first 5 years as everything remains guaranteed. How ever who knows where the cap will be 5 years from now

I don't think the CBA allows the hawks to say, "take less money and we will make sure you make tons of money in endorsements" BUT if the hawks do aggressively help Russell become one of (if not THE) most endorsed player in the league first then I don't think they would violate any rules by trying to get him to sign a below-market deal.

THAT is how I have interpreted the "outside the box" comments, although guaranteeing a huge % would also work.

It shouldn't matter to Russell where his money is coming from, so if all he has to do is make a few more commercials to make up for a below - market contract and it allows him to throw to an actual #1 WR I think he would be open to it.

briwas101 wrote:I don't think the CBA allows the hawks to say, "take less money and we will make sure you make tons of money in endorsements" BUT if the hawks do aggressively help Russell become one of (if not THE) most endorsed player in the league first then I don't think they would violate any rules by trying to get him to sign a below-market deal.

THAT is how I have interpreted the "outside the box" comments, although guaranteeing a huge % would also work.

It shouldn't matter to Russell where his money is coming from, so if all he has to do is make a few more commercials to make up for a below - market contract and it allows him to throw to an actual #1 WR I think he would be open to it.

Yes, that would quite specifically be violating the CBA. If they were able to show any correlation at all between the Seahawks arranging or promoting him for promotional agreements after having signed to him to an under-market deal they'd be in court in a heartbeat.

I don't think Wilson or the Seahawks need to worry about increased endorsment opportunities anyway, if Wilson continues to win the way he has, the endorsement deal will be there. They could however do something even more unique, and offer him some ownership of the team ( which does not go against CBA rules) as Tenessee was willing to do to land Manning. It's something that could be explored ( though I would bet against it, and am strongly of the opinion it will be a lower salary, but more guaranteed, but you never know). Jordan did it as well when he came out of retirement. Not sure Allen would be open to it, but it is something that could "sweeten" the pot for sure.

Does Paul Allen (or rather his company) own 100% of the Seahawks or just a majority percentage? I assumed it was 100%, but I don't know for sure.
It's something I never thought of until now, so if he only owns 51%, giving some to a player could put him in a minority ownership position.

100% according to the NFL ( co-owners are listed with multiple names)

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_ ... ise_owners

"Think outside the box". Sounds like they'd love to off him a Kaepernick type deal. Let's see if he accepts it or far less pay than what his stats dictate he could garner and if so, what people on rhis board then have to say about his "value" or how much "the organization trusts him" afterwards.

Honestly, if he IS Rodgers, Brees etc, there is no reason that he should not be paid like then. None. There should be no thinking outside the box if he is an MVP calber QB who can carry the entire team and the FO can build around. Market wise, his value is well above $20 mil with a good portion guaranteed.

This is going to test everything that people have said about him and other QBs here over the past 3 yrs.

He (Wilson) wants to win for a long time"
Personally I think he should get 30 mil a year but it's impossible to pay him that, and I hate the "is 15 mil not enough?" argument.

I dont think even Wilson thinks hes worth 30 mil.But this will be interesting, a glimpse inside the true Wilson more than we have ever seen. How bad does Russell want to win? How necessary does he feel it is to retain guys like Beast Wags etc. to be able to win? If an agreement isn't reached by next training camp would he hold out?
What Ive hear is that Seattle may offer a contract in the 18-20 million dollar per year range but FULLY guarantee it. I dont understand the cap ramifications per se but apparently it would be much more advantageous. I like the concept, the trust that the guy is never going to change other than to just get better. If he should be injured he would work his tail off to get back, and hes been smart and durable so far. Something tells me he wont drive the hardest bargain in the world but he isn't going to get rolled either. VERY interesting off season shaping up.

Old but Slow wrote:Yes, it is interesting, and there is a bit of test of sensibility here. Some players seem to value the status of having the biggest number in front of their name, and others who just want the value. It is fine to have the big number contract, but what are the guarantees? How many $40 Million contracts have paid the guy $8 million? A smaller gross number with more guaranteed is the better contract for the player.

Russell is astute. And he is not apparently ego driven. So I would not be surprised if he signs for something in the $18 million per year range, with a large portion guaranteed. There is a lot more security with the big number guaranteed, then there is with the big number up front.

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Any player would be smart to get as much as he can early in his career when his value is higheat. Vets like Tom Brady can accept $10 mil because he'd already won and been paid. I am sure RW's camp is going to drive home the reality that the NFL is a business. Just like a publicly traded corporation, each franchise's loyalty is to the dollar bills that the franchise is bringing in - not the player. When these guys can no longer produce for any reason, the org dumps them.

Old but Slow wrote:Yes, it is interesting, and there is a bit of test of sensibility here. Some players seem to value the status of having the biggest number in front of their name, and others who just want the value. It is fine to have the big number contract, but what are the guarantees? How many $40 Million contracts have paid the guy $8 million? A smaller gross number with more guaranteed is the better contract for the player.

Russell is astute. And he is not apparently ego driven. So I would not be surprised if he signs for something in the $18 million per year range, with a large portion guaranteed. There is a lot more security with the big number guaranteed, then there is with the big number up front.

True, and most of those players don't see a ton of ultimate success. We'll see what they do, but personally I am not one of those folks that feel one player wins your franchise SB's and never have. Rodgers may very well be the "best QB in the NFL" but I simply haven't seen his contract turn into Championships, nor Manning, Brees, hell even Brady until the last game, and Brady unlike many on that "highest paid QB" list has repeatedly reworked his contract to provide his team the ability to reload each and every season.

If a QB takes so much money as to not allow the team the ability to keep it's own talent, supplement it with key FA's, they may "compete" for titles, but seldom will they win them. Hopefully Wilson, and the Seahawks grasp that.

No one player wins a SB, but great QBs comprise a much bigger slice of the winning pie than any other position. Using Tom Brady as a model, in 2011 he came within one bad throw of winning a SB with mediocore RBs and the 31st ranked D. Looking at Rodgers' $120 mil contract, he came one botched onside kick from going back to a SB again - despite the sizable contract that supposedly hinders a team. Even after Flaaco's monster contract the Ravens are SB contenders again just 2 years later. QBs like this make all the difference between an average team and an elite team, and if RW is on that level - as has been consistently stated here - then he deserves to be paid like that type of QB, period.