Vikes Sign Hutchinson to Offer Sheet (1 Viewer)

[cstu]

But Burbank decided that the changes the Seahawks were attempting to make would have changed a principal term of the offer sheet.

This is complete BS. All Seattle was doing was making the contract fair for both teams. if the Vikings still get Hutch after this. Seattle did want they had to do to be able to sign Hutch and are getting screwed.

 

[GroveDiesel]

Well, I have two thoughts on this:

1) This shows yet again how many holes the CBA still has. What a joke that a clause like that is valid.

2) The Seahawks screwed up royally by not using the franchise tag. This never would have happened if they had used the franchise tag rather than the transition tag. I can't think of one single way that this has ended up benefitting them. They screwed up badly and it is costing them dearly.

With this ruling and the new rule escalating the price of a 3rd year franchise tag, players have a lot more leverage than they had before.

 

[Sea Bass]

IS THIS POSSIBLE?

Hutch didn't fully understand the ramifications of the "poison pill" in his Minnesota contract. When he and Seattle realized that the clause was a roadblock to take his payraise AND return to the Seahawks he was stuck. Walter Jones' restructure today was a way for him to return to the Hawks, so all parties involved agreed to the process.

If not, I am not sure why Jones would take a paycut that circumvents what Hutchinson was attempting to do.

 

[DoctorDetroit]

But Burbank decided that the changes the Seahawks were attempting to make would have changed a principal term of the offer sheet.

This is complete BS. All Seattle was doing was making the contract fair for both teams. if the Vikings still get Hutch after this. Seattle did want they had to do to be able to sign Hutch and are getting screwed.

Mort says that the ruling didn't mean anything. I'm still waiting for more. THIS CRAP IS STILL NOT OVER!

 

[Rush]

But Burbank decided that the changes the Seahawks were attempting to make would have changed a principal term of the offer sheet.

This is complete BS. All Seattle was doing was making the contract fair for both teams. if the Vikings still get Hutch after this. Seattle did want they had to do to be able to sign Hutch and are getting screwed.

Mort says that the ruling didn't mean anything. I'm still waiting for more. THIS CRAP IS STILL NOT OVER!

I am not seeing anything in that article that means anything. I gotta think Mort is correct at this point.

 

[DoctorDetroit]

Forget it. NFL.com is stating that the Seahawks WILL have to pay the whole 49 million so to me this is over.

One side note: ESPN is really sucking with info lately. If Chris Mortensen is wrong and just went on air guessing or using his interpretation which was faulty, I'm really going to start taking anything they say with a grain of salt. That is bad journalism.

NFL.com link

 

[FunkyPlutos]

Mort just stated that the arbitrator ruled on the side of Hutch, so the Seahawks would have to follow the contract. Mort said it didn't matter because of Jones' restructure.

 

[V1LL]

IS THIS POSSIBLE?

Hutch didn't fully understand the ramifications of the "poison pill" in his Minnesota contract. When he and Seattle realized that the clause was a roadblock to take his payraise AND return to the Seahawks he was stuck. Walter Jones' restructure today was a way for him to return to the Hawks, so all parties involved agreed to the process.

If not, I am not sure why Jones would take a paycut that circumvents what Hutchinson was attempting to do.

He went to Michigan, not Ohio State, he understood.

 

[BlueOnion]

IS THIS POSSIBLE?

Hutch didn't fully understand the ramifications of the "poison pill" in his Minnesota contract. When he and Seattle realized that the clause was a roadblock to take his payraise AND return to the Seahawks he was stuck. Walter Jones' restructure today was a way for him to return to the Hawks, so all parties involved agreed to the process.

If not, I am not sure why Jones would take a paycut that circumvents what Hutchinson was attempting to do.

This would just be playing dumb on Hutch's part. Here is how I perceive these negotiations (sp??) to go done.Transition Players - Basically it is set up for a player to negotiate a deal with a third-party team but then remain with his old team. This is why transition players don't usually get big paydays because most teams don't want to hassle with working out a contract for a player to stay with his current team.

Minnesota Vikings - "Steve, how you doing? Good to hear. Listen, we are very interested in you, we think you are very special. Do you think you want to be a Viking."

Steve Hutchinson - "Well sure I would be interested in being a Viking."

MV - "Okay, well we would like to make you the highest paid guard in the league, but we don't want pound out a contract for you during free agency unless you are committed to becoming a Viking and creating a contract in which Seattle cannot match."

SH - "Okay, if that is what it is going to take to get a deal done."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

If Hutchinson's position was, "Lets just work on a contract and then see if the Seahawks will match. If they don't then I would gladly be a Viking" the Vikings would have had no interest in signing him. Hutch had to first sell the Vikings that he would rather be a Viking than a Seahawk so the Vikings would take the time to visit with him and work out a contract. At which point, it would have been implied that both parties would actively insert some poison pill into the contract. For Hutch not to know this would be a real reach.

 

[DoctorDetroit]

Mort just stated that the arbitrator ruled on the side of Hutch, so the Seahawks would have to follow the contract. Mort said it didn't matter because of Jones' restructure.

Right. That means they don't have to pay the 49 mill. According to him, which seems to be incorrect at this point.

 

[JMon348]

Next question is what number will HUTCH be on the VIKES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



please disregard my post if the seahawks match, therefore guranteeing 49million

 

[FunkyPlutos]

Perhaps the Seahawks were just hoping that the arbitrator would rule on their side, making the Vikings' offer null and void. Maybe they aren't going to match anyway??

Who knows, let's get it done so the Vikes can either add the All Pro or use that money to get Neal, Runyan and Julian Peterson!!!

 

[norseman9375]

Mort just stated that the arbitrator ruled on the side of Hutch, so the Seahawks would have to follow the contract. Mort said it didn't matter because of Jones' restructure.

But Berthelsen said the decision validated the NFLPA's stance that the conditions at the time Hutchinson signed the offer sheet with the Vikings are the conditions Seattle must match -- meaning Hutchinson wasn't the highest-paid Seahawks linemen then, so Seattle must guarantee all $49 million of the Vikings' deal to match it.

"They wanted to put in additional language to make it from any point from now until the end of the 2006 league year," Berthelsen said. "That is contrary to the intent of the wording that was in the contract.

"And the special master agreed."

This is from espn.com. Mort is wrong according to this, this says that Hutchinson had to be the highest paid lineman from the day he signed his offer sheet and that day can't be moved. I'm sure Seatle and their fans won't be happy about this, and I wouldn't be if I was in their shoes. However, being a Vikings fan all I have to say is, WELCOME ABOARD STEVE!

 

[BlueOnion]

Mort just stated that the arbitrator ruled on the side of Hutch, so the Seahawks would have to follow the contract. Mort said it didn't matter because of Jones' restructure.

But Berthelsen said the decision validated the NFLPA's stance that the conditions at the time Hutchinson signed the offer sheet with the Vikings are the conditions Seattle must match -- meaning Hutchinson wasn't the highest-paid Seahawks linemen then, so Seattle must guarantee all $49 million of the Vikings' deal to match it.

"They wanted to put in additional language to make it from any point from now until the end of the 2006 league year," Berthelsen said. "That is contrary to the intent of the wording that was in the contract.

"And the special master agreed."

This is from espn.com. Mort is wrong according to this, this says that Hutchinson had to be the highest paid lineman from the day he signed his offer sheet and that day can't be moved. I'm sure Seatle and their fans won't be happy about this, and I wouldn't be if I was in their shoes. However, being a Vikings fan all I have to say is, WELCOME ABOARD STEVE!

 

[DoctorDetroit]

Steve

Hello Julian Peterson and Ty Law/Charles Woodson.

 

[BigJim®]

While people waste time reading/listening to guys who recklessly rush to press/airwaves without foundation, such as King (No pill existed in the first place), Clayton (no pill existed in the first place) and Mortenson (arbitrator ruling meant nothing), here is the sort of analysis offered by PFT. I'm bolding what I think is very interesting analysis that you simply do not get from so called experts:

SEATTLE, JONES TRY TO SCREW HUTCH

Kevin Seifert of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports that Seahawks left tackle Walter Jones has agreed to restructure his contract in a manner that arguably enables Seattle to match the offer sheet signed by guard Steve Hutchinson with the Minnesota Vikings.

Under the offer sheet, Hutchinson's entire contract -- all $49 million of it -- would become guaranteed if he is not the highest-paid member of the offensive line in 2006.

In Minnesota, it's not an issue. In Seattle, it is.

The move came to light because the Seahawks apparently have abandoned their argument that the poison pill provision violates the CBA. During Monday's hearing before Special Master Stephen Burbank, the 'Hawks disclosed the restructuring and argued that the guarantee should not be implicated because the move caused Jones' average pay to dip below $7 million, which is the average annual value of Hutchinson's deal.

But NFLPA general counsel Richard Berthelsen contends that the relevant clause in the offer sheet triggers the guarantee if Hutchinson is not the highest paid offensive lineman at any time during the 2006 league year. Under this argument, the restructuring is irrelevant because Jones already has had during the 2006 league year a wage in excess of $7 million.

The fact that the Seahawks finagled a Special Master proceeding under apparently false pretenses is bad form, in our view. On Saturday, the NFL and the team selected the forum for the resolution of the dispute by claiming that the guarantee violates the CBA. But now the Seahawks are advancing a matter that entails interpretation of the offer sheet, which in our view seems to fall within the jurisdiction not of the Special Master, but of the arbitrator.

Indeed, there's no apparent violation of the CBA at this point, if the Seahawks and the NFL have essentially conceded that the guarantee is a proper term.

The bigger problem, if the Seahawks eventually match the deal, is the potentially hostile environment that will arise between Jones and Hutchinson, who line up next to each other on every offensive snap. Jones has sold out Hutchinson to help management, and that's a no-no in the locker room. It'll be very interesting to see, then, how the other players react to Jones, even if Hutchinson moves on.

After all, Jones played his status as the franchise player like Yo Yo Ma on a cello, reeling in multiple years of big money before signing a blockbuster long-term deal. The fact that Jones has tried to get in the way of Hutchinson's chance to work that same system should prompt plenty of resentment in the locker room.

Regardless of what happens between now and 11:00 EST, I agree with the poster who is sick of ESPN and JV reporting. It's ridiculous. If Mort is right, I'm convinced it was a lucky guess with zero actual knowledge of what's going on.

 

[Rush]

So, the transition tag is totally worthless because any team can write it up in a way that can't be matched at the time of signing.

What a joke!

Great for Viking fans.

Let's hope the Hawks can make the most of the saved money!

 

[drdgreenlove]

The bigger point not to be lost here is

a) ESPN has no credibility

Why get insider? Even their regular stories are fiction (not the new one but the story at 4PM saying that Hutch was staying in Seattle due to the restructure)

the best site for nfl news= PFT!!!

 

[Bojang0301]

The bigger point not to be lost here is

a) ESPN has no credibility

Why get insider? Even their regular stories are fiction (not the new one but the story at 4PM saying that Hutch was staying in Seattle due to the restructure)

the best site for nfl news= PFT!!!

Surely, you jest.

 

[BlueOnion]

So, the transition tag is totally worthless because any team can write it up in a way that can't be matched at the time of signing.

What a joke!

Great for Viking fans.

Let's hope the Hawks can make the most of the saved money!

As a Viking fan I will admit it seems kind of bogus until I put myself in the player's shoes. If a team puts a transition tag on me, what insenitive do other team's have to negotiate with me if my original team has the right to match the offer? And if it was ruled today that the 49 guaranteed bonus money was bogus and the Seahawks could redo Walter Jones contract to accomodate the contract so the Seahawks would not have to guarantee all the money, what precident does that set in the future? It would set a precident that contracts originally signed by transition players can be massaged to accomodate the player's original team.Again, it seems pretty bogus on the outside but if the Seahawks got screwed it was because they screwed themselves and let Hutch go into the market and negogiate with other teams.

 

[norseman9375]

Next question is what number will HUTCH be on the VIKES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



please disregard my post if the seahawks match, therefore guranteeing 49million

He can have Liwienski's number as far as I'm concerned.

 

[tarheel23]

They might as well take the Transition Tag out of the CBA. I don't see how any team will ever use it again. Either you value the player enough to franchise him or you let him become a free agent.

Hutch....never to see the superbowl again.

 

[BlueOnion]

They might as well take the Transition Tag out of the CBA. I don't see how any team will ever use it again. Either you value the player enough to franchise him or you let him become a free agent.

Hutch....never to see the superbowl again.

The transition tag was designed to ensure players get their fair market value, not for teams to get players as cheaply as possible.I am usually pro-owner on CBA issues, but I am not in this case; especially since the players work under a salary cap.

 

[tarheel23]

They might as well take the Transition Tag out of the CBA. I don't see how any team will ever use it again. Either you value the player enough to franchise him or you let him become a free agent.

Hutch....never to see the superbowl again.

The transition tag was designed to ensure players get their fair market value, not for teams to get players as cheaply as possible.I am usually pro-owner on CBA issues, but I am not in this case; especially since the players work under a salary cap.

Hutch went out and the Vikings determined his fair market value....along with a clause that prevented his former team from matching the fair market value. The Hawks got no benefit from using the transition tag. And I don't see how any team will use the tag, if other teams can include clauses like the one the Vikings included.Looks like the fair market value was 13 million the first year if you play for the Vikings....much more if the Hawks match and you play for the Hawks.

 

[Rush]

They might as well take the Transition Tag out of the CBA. I don't see how any team will ever use it again. Either you value the player enough to franchise him or you let him become a free agent.

Hutch....never to see the superbowl again.

The transition tag was designed to ensure players get their fair market value, not for teams to get players as cheaply as possible.I am usually pro-owner on CBA issues, but I am not in this case; especially since the players work under a salary cap.

We understand what you are saying, but to allow writing which eliminates the ability to match under equal terms, makes it useless from this point forward.Seattle was willing to match the $ Hutch will get (fair market value), but don't have that option (due to creative writing that could be put into any offer - much like the ficticious example of Franks/Favre mentioned earlier in this thread).

Transition tag = bogus!

 

[BlueOnion]

They might as well take the Transition Tag out of the CBA. I don't see how any team will ever use it again. Either you value the player enough to franchise him or you let him become a free agent.

Hutch....never to see the superbowl again.

The transition tag was designed to ensure players get their fair market value, not for teams to get players as cheaply as possible.I am usually pro-owner on CBA issues, but I am not in this case; especially since the players work under a salary cap.

Hutch went out and the Vikings determined his fair market value....along with a clause that prevented his former team from matching the fair market value. The Hawks got no benefit from using the transition tag. And I don't see how any team will use the tag, if other teams can include clauses like the one the Vikings included.

What makes you think they should get a benefit from using the transition tag?

 

[ratpfink]

Hutch would never have received such an offer without said clause.

No other team is going to do the work to write a contract for Seattle. That is Seattle's job.

 

[BlueOnion]

They might as well take the Transition Tag out of the CBA. I don't see how any team will ever use it again. Either you value the player enough to franchise him or you let him become a free agent.

Hutch....never to see the superbowl again.

The transition tag was designed to ensure players get their fair market value, not for teams to get players as cheaply as possible.I am usually pro-owner on CBA issues, but I am not in this case; especially since the players work under a salary cap.

We understand what you are saying, but to allow writing which eliminates the ability to match under equal terms, makes it useless from this point forward.Seattle was willing to match the $ Hutch will get (fair market value), but don't have that option (due to creative writing that could be put into any offer - much like the ficticious example of Franks/Favre mentioned earlier in this thread).

Transition tag = bogus!

So if Seattle was willing to match the money for Hutch and no creative writing is allowed to be in the contract to prevent the Seahawks from matching the offer, what insentive to other teams have to take time (during free agency - a day or two early in free agency) and money (cap money - frozen for the first week of free agency) to offer Hutchinson a deal?Really, what you are proposing is to give Hutchinson the shaft.

 

[BlueOnion]

What makes you think they should get a benefit from using the transition tag?

What do you think the point of the transition tag is?

It is to make sure the player gets the most money he can.

 

[BlueOnion]

They might as well take the Transition Tag out of the CBA. I don't see how any team will ever use it again. Either you value the player enough to franchise him or you let him become a free agent.

Hutch....never to see the superbowl again.

The transition tag was designed to ensure players get their fair market value, not for teams to get players as cheaply as possible.I am usually pro-owner on CBA issues, but I am not in this case; especially since the players work under a salary cap.

Hutch went out and the Vikings determined his fair market value....along with a clause that prevented his former team from matching the fair market value. The Hawks got no benefit from using the transition tag. And I don't see how any team will use the tag, if other teams can include clauses like the one the Vikings included.Looks like the fair market value was 13 million the first year if you play for the Vikings....much more if the Hawks match and you play for the Hawks.

This is my problem with it. It has nothing to do with his market value.

Those who write the contracts get to write the rules in the contract. It's not like Seattle had first crack at him or anything.

 

[fridayfrenzy]

I highly doubt Seattle will match because there is also a clause which states that if he gets hurt before next year, that all 47 million would be a cap hit for 2007.

With Seattle not matching, it is not the end of the world as they now have a ton of salary cap to get FAs like Law, Peterson, Abraham, Ashworth, Burleson, etc. They also do not have to pay 7 million a year to Hutch.

Seattle also has Womack on their line, who will be able to do well.

Its not the end of the world Seahawks.

I also do not think Seattle made an error in placing the transition tag on Hutch. They did that to not drag on a process like Jones and actually agreed in good faith with Hutch to try and strike a deal.

Seattle is bringing in Peterson again right away and I think you'll see a deal done very soon.

 

[BlueOnion]

What makes you think they should get a benefit from using the transition tag?

What do you think the point of the transition tag is?

It is to make sure the player gets the most money he can.

No, that's what we call "free agency."

There is a difference, sorry you don't see it.

 

[Gordo]

:(



I don't know what to think yet.

 

[tarheel23]

What makes you think they should get a benefit from using the transition tag?

What do you think the point of the transition tag is?

It is to make sure the player gets the most money he can.

Like I said, teams will no longer use the transition tag and let players go to free agency and they will negotiate the best dollars they can get.

 

[fridayfrenzy]

What makes you think they should get a benefit from using the transition tag?

What do you think the point of the transition tag is?

It is to make sure the player gets the most money he can.

No, that's what we call "free agency."

There is a difference, sorry you don't see it.

This ruling makes the transition tag and RFA useless.

 

[Kleck]

What makes you think they should get a benefit from using the transition tag?

What do you think the point of the transition tag is?

It is to make sure the player gets the most money he can.

OMG. Do you really believe that? I've got way too much respect for you to believe that you're being honest here.The purpose of the transition tag is so teams have the ability to keep their players. If the idea was for a player to maximize their earning power there would simply be unrestricted free agency.

I think you need to seriously go back and re-evaluate.

 

[Kiddnets]

If seattle does not match tonight there could be a huge wrinkle in the John Abe sweepstakes - Seattle will have a ton of money to throw around.

 

[fridayfrenzy]

If seattle does not match tonight there could be a huge wrinkle in the John Abe sweepstakes - Seattle will have a ton of money to throw around.

They hve the money to get Abraham, Peterson and Law if they wish...The Hawks will have around 23 million in cap room.

I do not see losing Hutch as a major problem. I see the good in it as well.

 

[BlueOnion]

What makes you think they should get a benefit from using the transition tag?

What do you think the point of the transition tag is?

It is to make sure the player gets the most money he can.

OMG. Do you really believe that? I've got way too much respect for you to believe that you're being honest here.The purpose of the transition tag is so teams have the ability to keep their players. If the idea was for a player to maximize their earning power there would simply be unrestricted free agency.

I think you need to seriously go back and re-evaluate.

Please don't ban me shick!But I disagree and I will acknowledge it is a little slippery. Seattle had exclusive rights to sign Hutch (for a good period of time prior to free agency) and they didn't get it done, so there has to be a risk of losing a player by putting a transition tag on him.

Maybe maximizing earning power was a bit to liberal for me to say. But if what you say was true ("The purpose of the transition tag is so teams have the ability to keep their players."), then what leverage does Hutchinson have in getting himself a deal? The transition tag would simply be a, "Well you can try to drum up some interest in a contract, but in the end it is our decision to retain you for that contract." This sounds good for the Seahawks and good for Hutch. But what incentive do other teams have to give Hutchinson a fair-market deal.

It sounds to me that people want the transition tag = franchise tag and I disagree with this.

 

[bumpman]

Is it time to upgrade Chester Taylor yet?

 

[fridayfrenzy]

What makes you think they should get a benefit from using the transition tag?

What do you think the point of the transition tag is?

It is to make sure the player gets the most money he can.

OMG. Do you really believe that? I've got way too much respect for you to believe that you're being honest here.The purpose of the transition tag is so teams have the ability to keep their players. If the idea was for a player to maximize their earning power there would simply be unrestricted free agency.

I think you need to seriously go back and re-evaluate.

Please don't ban me shick!But I disagree and I will acknowledge it is a little slippery. Seattle had exclusive rights to sign Hutch (for a good period of time prior to free agency) and they didn't get it done, so there has to be a risk of losing a player by putting a transition tag on him.

Maybe maximizing earning power was a bit to liberal for me to say. But if what you say was true ("The purpose of the transition tag is so teams have the ability to keep their players."), then what leverage does Hutchinson have in getting himself a deal? The transition tag would simply be a, "Well you can try to drum up some interest in a contract, but in the end it is our decision to retain you for that contract." This sounds good for the Seahawks and good for Hutch. But what incentive do other teams have to give Hutchinson a fair-market deal.

It sounds to me that people want the transition tag = franchise tag and I disagree with this.

The transition tag is a lesser degree Franchise tag. It allows the player to negotiate with other teams and get his market value and allow the original team to match. The problem with the franshie tag is that the player and agent never get to negotiate with other team to find out how much they are really worth.The Hawks and Hutch were at a stalemate and so the Hawks allowed Hutch to find out what he is worth. This clause didn't even allow the Hawks to match.

This ruling makes it useless as now the offer will just be targetteed at every team so that the offer can not be matched.

 

[BlueOnion]

What makes you think they should get a benefit from using the transition tag?

What do you think the point of the transition tag is?

It is to make sure the player gets the most money he can.

OMG. Do you really believe that? I've got way too much respect for you to believe that you're being honest here.The purpose of the transition tag is so teams have the ability to keep their players. If the idea was for a player to maximize their earning power there would simply be unrestricted free agency.

I think you need to seriously go back and re-evaluate.

Please don't ban me shick!But I disagree and I will acknowledge it is a little slippery. Seattle had exclusive rights to sign Hutch (for a good period of time prior to free agency) and they didn't get it done, so there has to be a risk of losing a player by putting a transition tag on him.

Maybe maximizing earning power was a bit to liberal for me to say. But if what you say was true ("The purpose of the transition tag is so teams have the ability to keep their players."), then what leverage does Hutchinson have in getting himself a deal? The transition tag would simply be a, "Well you can try to drum up some interest in a contract, but in the end it is our decision to retain you for that contract." This sounds good for the Seahawks and good for Hutch. But what incentive do other teams have to give Hutchinson a fair-market deal.

It sounds to me that people want the transition tag = franchise tag and I disagree with this.

The transition tag is a lesser degree Franchise tag. It allows the player to negotiate with other teams and get his market value and allow the original team to match. The problem with the franshie tag is that the player and agent never get to negotiate with other team to find out how much they are really worth.This ruling makes it useless as now the offer will just be targetteed at every team so that the offer can not be matched.

But for the bolded part to happen, teams first have to believe they can work out a contract in such a way the original team cannot match it. Without this insentive, why would teams want to take the time to negiotiate with the player and lock up a good portion of there free agency money for the first week of free agency on a player they may or may not get?

 

[Rush]

What makes you think they should get a benefit from using the transition tag?

What do you think the point of the transition tag is?

It is to make sure the player gets the most money he can.

OMG. Do you really believe that? I've got way too much respect for you to believe that you're being honest here.The purpose of the transition tag is so teams have the ability to keep their players. If the idea was for a player to maximize their earning power there would simply be unrestricted free agency.

I think you need to seriously go back and re-evaluate.

Thank you Shick!I was debating whether it was worth trying to make the point you made or just chalk it up to another "impossible to reason with" poster.

 

[EdgeCator]

What makes you think they should get a benefit from using the transition tag?

What do you think the point of the transition tag is?

It is to make sure the player gets the most money he can.

OMG. Do you really believe that? I've got way too much respect for you to believe that you're being honest here.The purpose of the transition tag is so teams have the ability to keep their players. If the idea was for a player to maximize their earning power there would simply be unrestricted free agency.

I think you need to seriously go back and re-evaluate.

Please don't ban me shick!But I disagree and I will acknowledge it is a little slippery. Seattle had exclusive rights to sign Hutch (for a good period of time prior to free agency) and they didn't get it done, so there has to be a risk of losing a player by putting a transition tag on him.

Maybe maximizing earning power was a bit to liberal for me to say. But if what you say was true ("The purpose of the transition tag is so teams have the ability to keep their players."), then what leverage does Hutchinson have in getting himself a deal? The transition tag would simply be a, "Well you can try to drum up some interest in a contract, but in the end it is our decision to retain you for that contract." This sounds good for the Seahawks and good for Hutch. But what incentive do other teams have to give Hutchinson a fair-market deal.

It sounds to me that people want the transition tag = franchise tag and I disagree with this.

It sounds to me like you don't know what you're talking about.

 

[fridayfrenzy]

What makes you think they should get a benefit from using the transition tag?

What do you think the point of the transition tag is?

It is to make sure the player gets the most money he can.

OMG. Do you really believe that? I've got way too much respect for you to believe that you're being honest here.The purpose of the transition tag is so teams have the ability to keep their players. If the idea was for a player to maximize their earning power there would simply be unrestricted free agency.

I think you need to seriously go back and re-evaluate.

Please don't ban me shick!But I disagree and I will acknowledge it is a little slippery. Seattle had exclusive rights to sign Hutch (for a good period of time prior to free agency) and they didn't get it done, so there has to be a risk of losing a player by putting a transition tag on him.

Maybe maximizing earning power was a bit to liberal for me to say. But if what you say was true ("The purpose of the transition tag is so teams have the ability to keep their players."), then what leverage does Hutchinson have in getting himself a deal? The transition tag would simply be a, "Well you can try to drum up some interest in a contract, but in the end it is our decision to retain you for that contract." This sounds good for the Seahawks and good for Hutch. But what incentive do other teams have to give Hutchinson a fair-market deal.

It sounds to me that people want the transition tag = franchise tag and I disagree with this.

The transition tag is a lesser degree Franchise tag. It allows the player to negotiate with other teams and get his market value and allow the original team to match. The problem with the franshie tag is that the player and agent never get to negotiate with other team to find out how much they are really worth.This ruling makes it useless as now the offer will just be targetteed at every team so that the offer can not be matched.

But for the bolded part to happen, teams first have to believe they can work out a contract in such a way the original team cannot match it. Without this insentive, why would teams want to take the time to negiotiate with the player and lock up a good portion of there free agency money for the first week of free agency on a player they may or may not get?

Because the offering team can still offer more than market value for the player and have the original team not think its worth it. If Seattle thinks Hutch is worth 7 million a year and the Vikings offer 8 million a year, then the Hawks will not match, but making an offer that does not even allow the original team to match makes the tag useless.

 

[JMon348]

bottom line

huge addition for the vikings, makes the vikings oline a top 3-5 line the league

if the seahawks can get peterson and abraham from this its also a win for them

 

[JMon348]

What makes you think they should get a benefit from using the transition tag?

What do you think the point of the transition tag is?

It is to make sure the player gets the most money he can.

OMG. Do you really believe that? I've got way too much respect for you to believe that you're being honest here.The purpose of the transition tag is so teams have the ability to keep their players. If the idea was for a player to maximize their earning power there would simply be unrestricted free agency.

I think you need to seriously go back and re-evaluate.

Please don't ban me shick!But I disagree and I will acknowledge it is a little slippery. Seattle had exclusive rights to sign Hutch (for a good period of time prior to free agency) and they didn't get it done, so there has to be a risk of losing a player by putting a transition tag on him.

Maybe maximizing earning power was a bit to liberal for me to say. But if what you say was true ("The purpose of the transition tag is so teams have the ability to keep their players."), then what leverage does Hutchinson have in getting himself a deal? The transition tag would simply be a, "Well you can try to drum up some interest in a contract, but in the end it is our decision to retain you for that contract." This sounds good for the Seahawks and good for Hutch. But what incentive do other teams have to give Hutchinson a fair-market deal.

It sounds to me that people want the transition tag = franchise tag and I disagree with this.

The transition tag is a lesser degree Franchise tag. It allows the player to negotiate with other teams and get his market value and allow the original team to match. The problem with the franshie tag is that the player and agent never get to negotiate with other team to find out how much they are really worth.This ruling makes it useless as now the offer will just be targetteed at every team so that the offer can not be matched.

But for the bolded part to happen, teams first have to believe they can work out a contract in such a way the original team cannot match it. Without this insentive, why would teams want to take the time to negiotiate with the player and lock up a good portion of there free agency money for the first week of free agency on a player they may or may not get?

Because the offering team can still offer more than market value for the player and have the original team not think its worth it. If Seattle thinks Hutch is worth 7 million a year and the Vikings offer 8 million a year, then the Hawks will not match, but making an offer that does not even allow the original team to match makes the tag useless.

why? the seahawks can still match

 

[David Yudkin]

The problem I have with this is if a team has two top players at the same position and the lower paid one becomes a free agent, he can now sign an offer sheet for $1 less than the other guy and force his original team to guarantee his contract or let him go.

This will invariably lead to other almost impossible to meet clauses (if not the highest paid player at his position, he automatically gets a $25 million bonus, etc.). Not a good idea in my book, as it gives the original team almost no chance of retaining the player.

 

[Sea Bass]

That's how we keep parity in the NFL.

 

[bumpman]

The problem I have with this is if a team has two top players at the same position and the lower paid one becomes a free agent, he can now sign an offer sheet for $1 less than the other guy and force his original team to guarantee his contract or let him go.

This will invariably lead to other almost impossible to meet clauses (if not the highest paid player at his position, he automatically gets a $25 million bonus, etc.). Not a good idea in my book, as it gives the original team almost no chance of retaining the player.

That is only true if the signing team doesn't have someone already signed with a higher salary. I agree that this ruling will lead to abuse. It really strikes me as another mechanism to ensure parity in the NFL. Teams that do not have the high priced talent will be in a much better position to get transition tag players. That makes using the transition tag a very risky proposition for any team.