The Atlanta Falcons have completed the reverse “catch-and-release” move regarding veteran running back Verron Haynes.
The Falcons cut Haynes on Saturday. And they have announced that he has been re-signed Monday.
The move was undoubtedly done for one reason — to avoid Haynes’ base salary from becoming essentially guaranteed in 2009.
Here’s how it works. Any player with four or more years of service who is on a Week One roster and thereafter is cut may elect to take the balance of his salary as termination pay.
It’s a benefit that’s available to every player once and only once in his career.
But the benefit often ends up being a detriment, causing guys like Haynes to lose a game check so that the team won’t have to give him all 17 of them if they decided in early October or thereabouts to cut him loose.
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THIS is news???
I would have seen Thomas Brown come back, but perhaps the practice squad would be better for his career.
Seems like that would be illegal.
What quality of players does this effect?
What % of the players fit this category?
I presume this issue is only for players on the bubble of making a roster or “we could take or leave ya”. If a team is more concerned about guaranteeing payment for a season of work, rather than risk them being signed by another team….probably effects less than 5% of players.
Being thrifty is nifty.
Ah, the NFL equivalent of dumping your girlfriend right before Christmas, so you don’t have to buy her a present.