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Just when it appeared that the Chargers and first-round cornerback Antoine Cason were digging in for the long haul, the two sides have worked out a deal.
As Adam Schefter of NFL Network reports, it’s a five-year, $12.1 million deal for the 27th overall pick in the draft.
Recently, Chargers G.M. A.J. Smith said that the pending offer to Cason was final. It’s unknown whether that’s the offer that Cason accepted, or whether the Chargers sweetened the pot.
Meanwhile, PFTV looks at the issue of first-round holdouts in 2008. And when Brocato asked yours truly to predict which guy could stay away the longest, yours truly swung and missed. Big time.
July 24th, 2008 at 6:50 pm
The offer must have been the same. I absolutely refuse to believe an NFL GM would make a statement just to posture and spout rhetoric. They are all way too honest for that, and you can always believe everything they say.
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July 24th, 2008 at 7:13 pm
This GM said the same thing to Antonio Gates in 2006. He told him if he didnt accept the offer by a certain date he would be suspended by the team one game.
He signed a day late and was not allowed to play. The team lost that game to Dallas.
This GM does not mess around. Hes as hard as they get.
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July 25th, 2008 at 12:38 am
Actually, the GM did it differently with Gates.
Gates, an exclusive rights free agent in 2005, was sent a letter as per the CBA rules regarding the treatment of exclusive rights free agents (those with two years or less of NFL service - in other words, only undrafted free agents). Smith waited until the last possible day to send the letter that would insure that Gates would be eligible for the season opener.
To paraphrase, the CBA rule state(d) that once the letter is sent, the player has (5) days to report. If the player misses the reporting date, he is ineligible for the next three games.
Gates’ agent was an NBA agent (Andre Colona was his name, I believe). He informed Gates that he didn’t have to report by the fifth day (Saturday) because the NFL commissioner’s office could waive the rule and still allow Gates to play in the season opener. Following the agent’s advice, Gates showed up on Sunday.
After finally meeting face-to-face for the first time in months, the 12 month negotiating impasse was broken on Monday. Following the signing, Colona announces to the world that the Commissioner’s Office can waive the 3-week ineligibility rule.
In his press conference that followed, AJ Smith looked astonished when a reporter relayed Colona’s analysis of the situation. AJ stated “Gosh, I really hope that’s true, but that’s not my understanding. Once the letter was sent, ny hands are tied.”
Turns out the NBA agent - who ended up being paid almost $1 million over the course of the contract - didn’t know how the NFL CBA operated. He gave his agent faulty advice based on his assumption that the Commissioner’s office could waive the three week ineligibility. However, as written as clear as day in the CBA, the three week ineligibility was irrevocable and after showing up a day late, there was nothing on heaven or earth that AJ Smith, Marty Schottenheimer or Antonio Gates could do to get him on the field for the Week 1 game against the Cowboys.
As I understand it, Mr.Colona no longer represented NFL players after that fiasco.
Advice to NFL players: if you’re going to pay an agent 9 figures of your money to negotiate contracts, it might be a good idea to make sure they know the CBA.
FYI Ed McGuire, who helped develop the salary cap rules at NFL headquarters when the cap was first started, negotiates all Chargers contracts. AJ Smith is a scout and mouthpiece for the organization when it comes time to make announcements about negotiations.
In this case, Cason ended up signing a deal right in line with other selections. The negotiations were never reported to be acrimonious and the numbers were reported to be close a week ago, with the guaranteed money CBA issue that was decided by the special master a couple of days back likely being the only unresolved matter in the contract.
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July 25th, 2008 at 2:47 am
thats why the chargers are so good.
aj smith is a beast
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July 25th, 2008 at 10:12 am
Now the Chargers can go back to working on extending veteran player contracts. They have a lot coming due over the next few years, and it will be interesting to see exactly how they will handle the situation. I am hoping they can fit one or two more players under the current cap. Rewarding your own drafted talent is the best way to keep a happy locker room.
Go Bolts.
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