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Another day, another player who doesn’t like his current financial status wants to be traded. Maybe.
The latest is Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive end Greg White.
But White hasn’t “outperformed his contract”; he doesn’t have a contract. Because the 28-year-old Arena Football League product has only one year of service in the NFL, he’s an “exclusive rights” free agent.
Under the CBA, the team holds the exclusive rights to such players, and may continue to offer them one-year deals for the minimum salary based on their years of service, until they have completed three years in the league. At that point, the players become eligible for restricted free agency.
White’s agent says that, absent a long-term deal or a short-term contract with incentives, he’ll ask for a trade.
“It’s definitely something I would aggressively pursue,” Jack Bechta said.
But Bechta has no leverage, other than to have White refuse to sign the exclusive-rights tender. White will play for the Bucs or no one in 2008, and the Bucs have no reason to try to move him.
The problem is that no one knew that White was going to be any good, and so he could only get a one-year deal in 2007. Under the system created via collective bargaining, the team who gives a player with no NFL experience a one-year deal holds two one-year options at the minimum salaries.
April 24th, 2008 at 1:23 pm
Until the players start giving back money for underperforming (Shaun Alexander), the teams shouldnt be rewarding them for overperforming.
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Rating: 4 / 5 with 6 rating(s)
April 24th, 2008 at 1:28 pm
oh wow - this would be like Kolby Smith or Brandon McDonald saying they wanted more money.
Who’s next? Matt Moore? Selvin Young? Mason Crosby?
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Rating: 2 / 5 with 3 rating(s)
April 24th, 2008 at 1:42 pm
What’s this guy going to do? Go back to the AFL???
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Rating: 4 / 5 with 1 rating(s)
April 24th, 2008 at 1:42 pm
geez, Greg White had a decent season last year, nothing remarkable. In no way did he over perform his contract!
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Rating: 4 / 5 with 1 rating(s)
April 24th, 2008 at 1:47 pm
^^^^
Do you realize he lead the Bucs in sacks last season and I believe he lead the NFL in forced fumbles as well. He was one of the top players on one of the top defenses in the league last year. Just because you have never heard of him means he is bad.
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Rating: 3 / 5 with 2 rating(s)
April 24th, 2008 at 1:51 pm
If the Bucs only gave him a one year contract he should be a free agent. Sounds like the old baseball clause that keep players with teams forever. All the Bucs have to do is give him a three contract, it isn’t like they are guaranteed. They could cut him and only be out a signing bonus.
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Rating: 4 / 5 with 1 rating(s)
April 24th, 2008 at 1:55 pm
I think it’s Chadgate. Give me more money or trade me conplex. I say let him prove that he is worth the money then offer him a contract.
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Rating: 2.5 / 5 with 2 rating(s)
April 24th, 2008 at 1:58 pm
I gotta disagree with the first two comments. The exclusive rights tag sucks. If I was in White’s shoes, I’d be trying to get myself out of that deal too.
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Rating: 3.25 / 5 with 4 rating(s)
April 24th, 2008 at 2:12 pm
One season of fantastic service, a career does not make! What if this guy is a total flop in 2008? I say he signs the tender, proves for a second season that he’s that good, and then we’ll talk long term big money deal.
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Rating: 4 / 5 with 5 rating(s)
April 24th, 2008 at 2:17 pm
The Detroit Lions would like to talk to this guy….let’s get him in here for a workout!
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Rating: 1.5 / 5 with 2 rating(s)
April 24th, 2008 at 2:21 pm
This kid is caught in a crack in the CBA.
They should have some room in the agreement to take care of these freak contract messes.
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Rating: 3.5 / 5 with 2 rating(s)
April 24th, 2008 at 2:28 pm
Umm, Shaun Alexander just got cut. He’s currently scheduled to make a whopping zero dollars next season. Players get punished when they underperform by getting cut. When they overperform, they can only hope that the team “does the right thing” and renegotiates the deal, and if the player whines, he gets villified in the media. Hardly fair.
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Rating: 1 / 5 with 2 rating(s)
April 24th, 2008 at 2:41 pm
I couldn’t disagree more. A contract is a contract is a contract. In the “real world” if a contract is signed than it is binding. If after one good year you can’t say hold on let’s renegotiate or I want to be traded. What’s the point of even having a contract if that’s the case?
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April 24th, 2008 at 2:48 pm
I think you guys are missing the point, or at least the team perspective.
If he’s that good, he’ll do it again in 2008. Then get a big money deal, if he’s not taht good, he simply won’t. It’s not rocket surgery!
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April 24th, 2008 at 2:58 pm
there is definitely an issue here.
On the other hand if I were him, I wouldn’t bite the hand that feeds me and continue to go out there and perform. The best way to get back at a team is to play your a@$ off and have them compete with other teams for your services at the end of your contract.
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April 24th, 2008 at 3:07 pm
the bucs are cheap, they are 25 million under the salary cap, give greg white a short-term 2-3 year contract, a decent signing bonus, and everything will be fine, i cant believe people are defending the bucs, this is the same team that kept turds like mike pittman, and david boston, yet they wont pony up cash to reward a hardworker like greg white, it aint this guy is asking for freeney type money, also the exclusive rights tag needs to go, the packers are trying to use the same b.s. on ryan grant.
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Rating: 4 / 5 with 2 rating(s)
April 24th, 2008 at 3:22 pm
As a Packer fan I’m a bit concerned about Ryan Grant refusuing to sign his one-year exclusive rights tender. I love the guy but I think its too early to break the bank for him. I hope we give him a (small?) $300K or so bonus for the year and then lock him up for four years mid-season IF he can continue last year’s success WITHOUT a legend lining up in the backfield w/ him.
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April 24th, 2008 at 3:54 pm
Tough tittie. Tell the union, not the team.
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Rating: 4 / 5 with 1 rating(s)
April 24th, 2008 at 4:05 pm
I’m so sick of “fans” bad mouthing players demanding better pay for performance…. Nothing but a bunch of corporate ballwashers, you are.
Fans buy tickets to see the PLAYERS and without PLAYERS performing, you have no real PRODUCT. Fans don’t buy tickets because they like the owner, this is obvious with a lot of teams with iffy ownerships. But yet, here’s these little “yes man” fans always bad mouthing the only reason your team is relevant…. players actually EARNING what they’re worth but not being compensated.
Yeah, Chad Johnson this, Jeremy Shockey that… I bet in your own life, you feel like you deserve a raise. I would even venture to guess you would leave a job over it if you felt slighted and taken advantage of (if you wouldn’t, you’re a spineless wuss)
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Rating: 3 / 5 with 2 rating(s)
April 24th, 2008 at 5:06 pm
Could another team sign him to an offer sheet or does he need to be to a restricted FA?
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April 24th, 2008 at 6:58 pm
I agree with 26 Hawk & Mr. Touchdown, but unfortunately there’s nothing he can do here. The flip side is that many teams depend on finding quality players at the bottom of the draft or as undrafted free agents and having them make an impact while not paying them what their production’s actually worth.
The idea is that when the guy’s next contract is due & he gets paid big $$$, that large expense is offset by the years the team underpaid him. Either that or they trade him while his value is high, or even let the guy walk if he wants too much & let someone else pickup the tab since they’ve already gotten some of his best seasons for next to nothing.
It’s the business part of football, but people would do well to remember what happens when a player underperforms their contract. They’re gone. Period. As long as there isn’t a high pick or alot of money involved, the guy’ll be lucky to see an NFL field in person without a ticket.
So why don’t the teams honor their part of the contract? Where’s all the bile and vinegar towards teams when they cut a guy that can’t hack it? I mean, hey, they promised to pay this guy so much money over such & such number of years. Why doesn’t anybody ride the front office’s *ss?! Think about that next time before you whine about a guy wanting a better deal.
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April 24th, 2008 at 8:54 pm
Yeah, corporate ballwashers are nothing like player ballwashers.
If he isnt a flash in the pan he will do good again and squeeze out the crack in the CBA… or the whole mess will collapse and most all will be free agents. playing for peanuts.
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