OT - Interesting day for NFL running backs
A lot of news regarding NFL running backs today.
- Former Oklahoma Sooner Joe Mixon agreed to a four-year/$48M extension with the Bengals.
- Per ESPN's Josina Anderson (@JosinaAnderson), the Saints are open to trading Alvin Kamara, an ex-Tennessee Volunteer, who is also seeking a contract extension.
- According to multiple reports, LSU Tiger Leonard Fournette cleared waivers this afternoon. Waived by the Jaguars on Monday, he was due $4.167M in 2020 and is now a free agent.
September 1st, 2020 at 5:48 PM ^
Seems like just another NFL day. Whatever. Wake me just before the season kicks off.
September 1st, 2020 at 5:51 PM ^
I can't possibly imagine Doug Marrone surviving this season. The team that almost made the Super Bowl has been completely stripped of all the talent it had that got it there. Guys like Jalen Ramsey made it very public that they had no desire to be there, and then if I heard correctly, Yannick Ngakoue just took a pay cut to get out of Jacksonville. And then you fricking cut Fournette without getting anything for him?? There's no way you can tell me that some team wasn't willing to at least offer a conditional seventh round pick. Do people just flat out not want to play for Marrone? Jacksonville is going to be an unmitigated flipping disaster this year. They'll be lucky to win four games, but they are probably going to win the Trevor Lawrence sweepstakes so they've got that to look forward to.
For Kamara, he'll definitely command big money wherever he wants to go, but I'm not sure why I'd want to leave New Orleans right now. At least right now anyway, while Brees is still there. Outside of KC, you're in the best possible place to win yourself a Super Bowl. Yes, I get that he probably wants more money than what New Orleans is willing to offer him. But hey, Le'Veon Bell is getting paid $52 million to play for a really shitty team that is years away from even sniffing the playoffs, much less winning a Super Bowl. He's made enough money for 10 lifetimes, but he's not getting a ring anytime soon. Maybe ever. I guess Kamara has to ask himself if he's willing to sacrifice championship probability for cash.
I don't know....to me, the money's always going to be there. Your window to win a title won't be.
September 1st, 2020 at 5:59 PM ^
Running backs need to be selfish. When you can get your money, get it.
Saquon is the best RB in the league and he’s what... maybe .25 wins over replacement?
September 1st, 2020 at 6:04 PM ^
They shopped Fournette and no one offered anything. This is further evidenced by the fact he cleared waivers without getting picked up. Fournette had some attitude and durability issues and I think that's damaged his brand. 4th overall pick money isn't really worth it for him right now.
Ngakoue wanted a long term deal and the Jags wanted to give him the franchise tag. He got mad and burned his bridge with the front office. He then fired his agent. He didn't sign the franchise tender so that's that.
That said, I don't think the culture there is conducive to keeping talent. I mean, they had the Pats on the ropes in New England in the AFC title game a few years ago with Blake Bortles. Their drafts have been garbage with essentially no first rounders paying off. I can't see Marrone or Caldwell being there past this year.
EDIT: Fournette is also filing a grievance against the Jags claiming he's owed his $4.1M that Jax voided after he got suspended for running across the field and punching Shaq Lawson.
September 1st, 2020 at 6:04 PM ^
Fournette cleared waivers. Any team could have had him for nothing and they all passed.
September 1st, 2020 at 8:41 PM ^
No, if a team had claimed him off waivers they would have beeen on the hook for 2020 salary:
"The team that gets Fournette, if at least one team claims him on waivers, inherits a $4.167 million salary guaranteed for skill, injury, and cap with no offset language. And if he signs as a free agent elsewhere within the compensatory draft pick window, his departure will count toward the possibility of picking up a selection in 2022."
https://sports.yahoo.com/anyone-claim-leonard-fournette-waivers-143607384.html
September 2nd, 2020 at 12:22 AM ^
I think the point is that any team that trade for Fournette also would have been similarly on the hook for his $4.167 million salary, and that he cleared waivers is evidence that he had no trade value.
September 1st, 2020 at 6:05 PM ^
With regards to Fournette, any pick also comes with his horrible contract which will not be a concern when he is cut.
September 1st, 2020 at 7:01 PM ^
I don't get this comment (or other similar comments about his contract). Fournette is maybe at the end of top 10 paid RBs in the league and he just produced the 6th best season for a RB last year (over 1000 yards in 2 of 3 seasons) - BTW, Mixon who had a similar (slightly worse) season than Fournette just signed a $48M extension - so how is Fournette's contract so bad again?
September 1st, 2020 at 7:18 PM ^
It's possible I'm wrong and I definitely don't care enough about this topic to go do the research to back up my assertion but I will cite the NFL's complete and total lack of interest.
September 1st, 2020 at 9:10 PM ^
Two words: Trevor Lawrence...
September 1st, 2020 at 9:47 PM ^
I agree about Jacksonville, and I'd be surprised if Marrone survived. He had an amazing defense for a year and won a number of close games but he's clearly not someone who can make a team consistently better.
I don't blame Kamara for wanting to get paid now; he's one knee injury away from out of the league. And if the Saints really want to play for another title before Brees is gone they need Kamara just as much as he needs them; he's a great fit for that offense and is the right blend of receiver and runner for what they want to do offensively.
Running backs have such short shelf lives that I understand not wanting to commit long-term money to them (I totally believe nobody wanted to give up much of anything for Fournette), but at the same time these hybrid backs seem to have longer careers and can be valuable enough to justify the cost.
September 2nd, 2020 at 7:25 AM ^
Maybe I’m just being naive but for me at some point I sit there and say what’s the difference between a $40 million contract and a $50 million contract? Yes, $10 million, I know. That’s no small chunk of change, but are you really going to notice? I just don’t see how that additional $10 million changes your quality of life that much because you’re already at the pinnacle of money-making. I’ve never had that kind of money, granted, but that’s just the way I see it.
The reason I bring it up all goes back to trade offs. Are you willing to take more cash in exchange for smaller odds at a title? Because if he leaves New Orleans (at least right now), that is what’s happening. Bell went somewhere and boy did he get paid, but he can forget about getting a Super Bowl Ring anytime soon. And that’ll be part of his legacy. All personal preference and whatever these guys decide, that’s their decision to make. I just know if it was me, at a certain point with these super contracts I don’t know that I see any real additional value by an extra $10-$15 million. What else is that really going to buy me in this world? All things being equal, then yeah, take me where the money is. But the truth is not all NFL teams are equal. Not even remotely.
At some point I have to balance that money with The question of where can I go that gives me the best chance to win it all. And New Orleans is probably the second best place to be in the league right now, behind KC.
September 2nd, 2020 at 9:36 AM ^
I'm not sure if it's about the money (incremental $10M) but more about ego at that point. I work in the investment management industry and have met many extremely rich people (I certainly am not one of them). They could quit and have enough money for 100 lifetimes, but they keep trying to make more. At some point it's an ego thing and a dick-measuring contest, which is probably no different for athletes. Their "worth" is in some way tied to how much a team is willing to pay for them.
September 2nd, 2020 at 10:22 AM ^
A good friend of mine is in private wealth management and his clients are generally in the $30 million - $500 million net worth range. They're just at a completely different level of thinking that is hard to understand. Ironically, there are some who are MORE stingy about their money than the average person because it's a sign of your worth and competence. And the expectations that come with it are also something else. Imagine feeling poor because you got a divorce and are now "only" worth $50 million instead of $250 million due to the prenup. Apparently that impacts your lifestyle (being stuck chartering planes and yachts instead of owning them, or having to downsize from 8 properties to 3).
September 2nd, 2020 at 10:42 AM ^
They could just spend some money on a penile enlargement and be done with it.
September 2nd, 2020 at 10:02 AM ^
I agree that at some point the money becomes less important, but $10M over the rest of his lifetime is significant. After taxes, fees, etc. we're still talking about millions of dollars, and thanks to compound interest and reasonable investment returns that's millions of dollars of additional money over this guy's life once he retires. So it's not nothing.
I agree about wanting to play for a winner but he's also only made a little under $3M thus far and, like I said, he's one knee injury away from not getting paid anymore. So I don't know what the financial contours of the offers he's gotten, but virtually all NFL contracts for non-QB only really matter from the signing bonus standpoint. That's the money guaranteed to you and that the teams can't recoup if they cut you (barring some particularly egregious violations). So if the Saints aren't offering as much and someone reasonably competitive is, I can see the decision to look elsewhere. Like, Bell wound up at the Jets and that was bad for him, but there's a lot of parity in the league and I absolutely could see a team we don't think about suddenly being very competitive. Heck, the Pats are sniffing around and they are still a good playoff bet. And there's no promise the Saints are going to remain competitive for years; they weathered a Brees injury last year but there's no promise they could do the same again.
Again, it's all about perspective. I won't blame a guy for wanting to maximize his earnings in this short window.
September 2nd, 2020 at 10:21 AM ^
Fair points. I definitely don't blame Kamara for wanting to maximize his earnings. Running backs have easily the shortest shelf life of any position in the league. I just know that if it were me, I'd definitely be considering more than just "how much money are they throwing at me"? I'd want to go somewhere that I feel has a realistic chance of making the playoffs and competing for Super Bowls. All the money in the world can't win you a Super Bowl ring. If that sort of thing is important to you.
In the end, too, I think it'll depend on who is offering him these contracts. Is it a team like the Seahawks, the Eagles, the Bucs, the Pats (teams that already have a good core with good to elite coaching who may just be a player or two away), or is it someone like the Jaguars? Perennial bottom feeders who might be able to offer you the world financially, but can't give you any realistic promise that they're going to make the playoffs or win it all anytime soon?
September 2nd, 2020 at 2:54 PM ^
You nailed it in the last sentence of your first paragraph. They are tanking for Trevor. Not sure if Marrone will be the guy coaching him. Fournette is not good. They tried to get anything for him and couldn’t. I heard his teammates don’t like him. But when you’re a bad player on a bad team those things are usually said. But not being able to get anything for him suggests him being an asshole may be true. Once you get the QB like Lawrence it doesn’t take long to rebuild. I would bet they will be back in the Super Bowl before teams like Detroit and Cleveland If they do land Lawerence so it looks really bad now but it could change in a hurry for them with a franchise QB in place as Jacksonville is not a bad area to live and the owner has one of the sweetest mustaches in all of the league.
September 1st, 2020 at 6:09 PM ^
My Bears should get Fournette on the cheap since Montgomery got hurt. But they wont.
Picking up a former standout for next to nothing? Why not bid against yourself, overpay for a retread, and set yourself up for failure! #DaBears
Lookout Lions, you're not sure if you'll face Trubisky or Foles!
September 1st, 2020 at 7:42 PM ^
I'm a Bears fan, too!
The cross-section of Michigan and Bears fans is pretty small, good to meet another one!
September 1st, 2020 at 8:04 PM ^
Really? Michigan seemed to be a very popular school among the Chicago kids back in the day
September 1st, 2020 at 8:08 PM ^
Yeah, I know Chicago has a lot of Michigan alums there.
Not sure how many of them are Bears fans since they likely aren't from there, but it would be cool if they are!
September 1st, 2020 at 8:18 PM ^
Fellow Bears fan checking in.
They should absolutely try to get Fournette on the cheap, especially since his pass catching has improved over the past couple of years.
They won't, but they should.
September 1st, 2020 at 9:29 PM ^
The lions should pick him up too with deandre swift’s injury, but they won’t.
September 2nd, 2020 at 10:24 AM ^
So you're saying that the Lions and Bears should share Fournette?
September 1st, 2020 at 10:52 PM ^
SW Michigan born and raised Bears fan here too.
September 2nd, 2020 at 1:39 PM ^
Born in Chicago, grew up in the burbs, undergrad at Michigan. I think U of M was top 10 in terms of most-popular college destinations for my high school graduating class
September 1st, 2020 at 6:27 PM ^
Joe Mixon is really an inspirational story. He's living proof that you can shatter a small woman's face with a punch and still make $12 million a year running with an oblong ball...
September 1st, 2020 at 6:39 PM ^
Thanks for the perspective, needed that ?
September 1st, 2020 at 7:03 PM ^
‘Murica
September 1st, 2020 at 7:08 PM ^
Fuck Mixon and FUCK the NFL and it's opportunistic social justice stances. From Ray Rice to Greg Hardy to Colin Kaepernick - I cannot think of a single instance where the league actually took a principled stance on anything -- always worried about the wave and what's most convenient in the moment.
September 2nd, 2020 at 12:04 PM ^
The NFL has shown time and again that if you're good enough at football, all is forgivable and someone will sign you. See: Tyreek Hill
September 2nd, 2020 at 2:02 PM ^
Unless your name is Colin Kaepernick
September 1st, 2020 at 7:34 PM ^
Don’t blame him for the cameras video footage.
September 2nd, 2020 at 11:30 AM ^
less video footage.. less domestic assault. Put away the cameras people! Make America great again.
September 1st, 2020 at 8:49 PM ^
well she did drop an n-bomb on him, so I don't feel that sorry for her. But yes, his retaliation was a bit excessive.
September 1st, 2020 at 9:52 PM ^
Well, that's Mixon's story about her calling him the n-word, and color me skeptical about the validity of a claim by the guy who shattered a woman's face with his fist at a bar.
September 1st, 2020 at 11:27 PM ^
Wasn't it at a taco bell or something like that?
September 2nd, 2020 at 6:23 PM ^
Myles Garrett made the same claim against Rudolph. It’s an easy card to pull.
September 1st, 2020 at 9:50 PM ^
Ray Rice is the cautionary tale, though, that your ability to live this storybook existence is highly correlated with your ypc.
September 1st, 2020 at 9:32 PM ^
The Lions should pick up Fournetter. They're missing that strong power back. But I know they won't.
September 1st, 2020 at 9:33 PM ^
I shoulda been a running back.
September 2nd, 2020 at 8:58 AM ^
Leonard, can you smell what THE ROCK is cookin'?
September 2nd, 2020 at 10:06 AM ^
A deal will probably get worked out so it's all moot, but a big hearty LOL to the Saints front office.
They had no problem giving 2-year $21 million contract (16 million guaranteed) for Taysom Hill, but are now hesitating on paying one of the best offensive players in the game
September 2nd, 2020 at 11:52 AM ^
are the lions still paying Billy Sims?