Comments on: Jerry Jones wades into "poison pill" minefield

By: USG

USG — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 10:06:47 +0000

LOL at Vox. I love fans like him. Fans that get all in a tissy whenever their team is talked about and goes on to defend every single post made by others.

By: FMWarner

FMWarner — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 17:09:26 +0000

First of all, the union needs to stop spouting ridiculous ideas if they hope to have ANY sort of public support in the CBA battle. It’s perfectly obvious to anyone with a shred of intelligence that 32 owners can independently come to the conclusion that a bunch of JAGs aren’t worth ridiculous salaries or the potential fallout from using a poison pill.
Second, even though it’s extremely unlikely that any team will attempt to acquire Miles Austin as an RFA, I really think it would be in Jerry’s interest to lock the guy up. He only broke out this year. If he has another great season next year, he’ll be that much more of a proven commodity, and he’ll cost a lot more. By standing pat, it’s almost like Jerry’s betting against Austin continuing to play well.

By: edgy1957

edgy1957 — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 16:36:30 +0000

LT2_3 says: March 10, 2010 3:30 PM
@edgy1957
***********************
Don’t file those agent papers any time soon. An agent will accept a little less because of a high draft choice tender but NOT for a poison pill. Why would I, as an agent (or even a player), consider taking a deal that costs ME money if there wasn’t something in it for me? Ok, maybe I want to leave town but you know what, the number one reason for going out on the market has always been and will always be MORE MONEY. If my client wants more money and he doesn’t care who gives it to him, why would I hamstring his chances by closing off his options? You do that enough, most, if not all of your clients will find a new agent. A poison pill is meant to get my client to sign with THAT team so why would I accept LESS to accommodate THEM? Unless I call for the team to put the clause in the contract, why would I be stupid enough to lower my client’s expectations of a salary and by that same token, MY commission?

By: LT2_3

LT2_3 — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 15:30:22 +0000

@edgy1957
If you subtract the possibility of the poison pill from the equation, the team making the offer would have to come up with a financial reason for the other team not to match. The agent and the player can only deal with the offer that is made. Sure they can refuse to sign the offer, but with a poison pill as a possibility, the team doesn’t have to offer as much money to guarantee they would get the player from the other team.
Look at it like this in the case of a starting safety. With the poison pill, they may only have to offer 4 million per year, where without, they might have to offer 6 million per year for the original team to think it’s too much.
So, with an offer of 4 mil per year on the table, does the player decline to sign the deal because he doesn’t think it’s enough – or does he sign it anyway because he wants the signing bonus and security for his family?

By: texasPHINSfan

texasPHINSfan — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 15:11:42 +0000

How can the NFLPA “make” the teams use the poison pill? It’s a contract language and should be up to whomever is involved in the negotiations, not some stupid union.

By: edgy1957

edgy1957 — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 10:28:10 +0000

LT2_3 says:
2. I suggest that the use of this sort of poison pill
actually HURTS the player because the teams using
***************
Why? The agent and the player have to agree to it and they’re NOT going to agree to taking less money when the agent is in the business of getting his client as much money as possible.

By: .VoxVeritas

.VoxVeritas — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 10:28:00 +0000

“RFAs have already been signed to other teams.”
Who? Nobody. There have been three restricted free agent defections in the last three off-seasons so far. None last off-season and none so far this off-season.

By: .VoxVeritas

.VoxVeritas — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 10:19:50 +0000

“Aren’t there already several lesser players who have been RFA and signed by another team as of this date?”
Brian Clark was not offered a tender by the Bucs. He was unrestricted.

By: .VoxVeritas

.VoxVeritas — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 10:15:02 +0000

“Miles Austin must really like staying indoors in January, if he’s that worried about picking a team to contend for a Championship. I mean, he’s a Dallas Cowboy.”
There are worse teams to play for in that regard. 34-14.

By: .VoxVeritas

.VoxVeritas — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 10:13:37 +0000

“roy e williams
patrick crayton
terry glenn
keyshawn johnson
they had amazing years in dallas, right?”
Only one of those guys was drafted and developed by the Cowboys but now that you mention it, they all have had some pretty good years with the Cowboys. All but Williams had multiple seasons of 5 TDs or better for the Cowboys and he’s only been there for a little over a season and a half. I was just looking at early draft picks but if you want to expand it, who am I to argue? Reggie Brown never did it for the 0-3gles, Freddie Mitchell never did, Pinkston never did, Avant never did, McMullen never did, Jackson has yet to do it and if you’re going to include guys that were brought in via methods other than the draft Donte Stallworth never did, Hank Baskett never did, Greg Lewis never did, in fact the only WRs to have two 5+ TD seasons for the 0-3gles since Reid took the job are TO and James Thrash.

By: .VoxVeritas

.VoxVeritas — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 09:51:38 +0000

“Impossible, according to the sources of some mongo in his mother’s basement in Texas, the owners agreed to stop using poison pills!”
And they did. There hasn’t been a “poison pill” used since the Seahawks/Vikings dustup.

By: .VoxVeritas

.VoxVeritas — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 09:50:16 +0000

“Ilove how people call the Vikings classless by finding a legit loophole in the process the NFL had in place.”
It’s not a loophole. It’s just a shitty thing to do to your business partner.

By: Franchise

Franchise — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 09:14:08 +0000

Ilove how people call the Vikings classless by finding a legit loophole in the process the NFL had in place.
Even if it wasn’t the Vikings I would declare it a superb move by any team and front office.

By: stevemcguigan

stevemcguigan — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 09:08:42 +0000

Impossible, according to the sources of some mongo in his mother’s basement in Texas, the owners agreed to stop using poison pills!

By: BHindEnemyLines

BHindEnemyLines — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 09:07:43 +0000

Hobby, get a dictionairy and look up the word “develop”.
Three of the 4 receivers you mentioned were drafted by other teams.
Good job proving your point.
5 SB’s to Zero. Who “develops” teams better?
Um…not philly.

By: BHindEnemyLines

BHindEnemyLines — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 08:57:31 +0000

Hey Hooby,
For old times sake, whats your championship record in the divisional round in, say, the last 50 years???
Oh, that’s right, you don’t have any.
17,971 days since your team won a championship. Wow, you’re team hasn’t won a SB the whole time you’ve been alive. And that’s what its all about right, SB’s?
I guess you can make yourself feel better by picking a time period when you can find a favorable stat that keeps you from putting the gun in your mouth.
And one more question; when’s the last time Philly won a playoff game???

By: CLosISgood

CLosISgood — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 08:29:42 +0000

I knew other fans hated the Cowboys…but I never knew to what extent.
Makes it amazing.
You guys kinda root for your teams, while using a fair amount of your low mental capacities and energy to hate on America’s team.
As for us Cowboys fan, we could care less about rooting against any other team.
I don’t have time to waste bashing teams that have no super bowl rings (Philly, Minn.)
The redskins have been awful for however long, and then you other losers with loser teams just need to get a life.
Stop hating on another team and root for your own.

By: darvon

darvon — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 07:52:01 +0000

RFAs have already been signed to other teams.

By: LT2_3

LT2_3 — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 07:49:54 +0000

2 points:
1. It’s not collusion because no player is having his rights infringed upon by teams not using it. As the NFLPA said themselves “the union supported the device as a tool for promoting the ability of players to move from team to team”. Players don’t have an unfettered right to move from team to team.
2. I suggest that the use of this sort of poison pill actually HURTS the player because the teams using it on offer sheets don’t have to make an offer of more money than the original team is willing to spend.
So which is better for the player – an offer that gets them on a new team, or one that gets them more money?
The only reason the NFLPA has the stance they do is because it’s a negotiating point. They can give up something they don’t care about for something of value in the new CBA negotiations.
I also wonder if their dumba$$ stance on the issue contributed to the owners pulling the plug early on the current CBA. Sure, it’s probably like saying you can’t afford a TV you are $1000 short on buying because someone owes you $50, but I’m wondering if they were a bit more conciliatory that perhaps we wouldn’t have the level of looming battle in front of us.

By: My Coke Can

My Coke Can — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 07:48:57 +0000

Obeah says:
March 9, 2010 10:40 PM
Jerry Jones is a self made man. The born rich hate him because he earned his money, and the working class envy his success.
A self made man? Obviously you mean with the help of a plastic surgeon.

By: darvon

darvon — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 07:35:40 +0000

“Then again, the hidden genius of Jones’ remarks could be that he possibly has foreclosed teams from choosing to sign any restricted free agents to offer sheets, since his comments arguably now compel use of the poison pill. Though the union can still cry collusion if no RFAs are pursued, it will be very easy for teams to argue that they prefer not to sacrifice draft picks in what many regard as the deepest pool of incoming talent in years.”
Aren’t there already several lesser players who have been RFA and signed by another team as of this date?
Like Brian Clark.

By: Hooby

Hooby — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 07:23:00 +0000

roy e williams
patrick crayton
terry glenn
keyshawn johnson
they had amazing years in dallas, right?

By: thunderdog

thunderdog — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 06:52:59 +0000

Oh, great. Just when tampering season ends, collusion season starts up.
I know you don’t care that we don’t care but we don’t care.

By: Mark

Mark — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 06:31:52 +0000

Actually the “Poison Pill” can be traced back to the early 90′s when the Colts included one in the FA contract of Will Wolford an OL with the Bills at the time.

By: FireJerryJones

FireJerryJones — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 05:57:59 +0000

Jerry loves the camera. When it’s time to STFU – he can’t help himself.

By: Tompadre

Tompadre — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 03:49:30 +0000

Compensation is the main difference between the Hutchinson case and the restricted free agents since. Hutchinson came with no compensation attached, while most of the good restricted free agents have been tendered (especially this year) and will come at price beyond what the team pays out in the contract.
By and large teams don’t loosen their grip on their draft choices easily; so going after a tendered free agent is a bigger investment and adds an element of risk many teams aren’t willing to take. If the free agent (with no compensation attached) bombs, you’re out the money. If you paid with a draft pick for a restricted free agent, then you’re out the money & the player(s) you could have drafted. In a deep draft like this that could really come back to haunt you.
I think it’s less about teams using a “poison pill” and more about teams not willing to give up the draft picks required to acquire these tendered restricted free agents.

By: Whiterhinocerous

Whiterhinocerous — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 02:57:53 +0000

Miles Austin must really like staying indoors in January, if he’s that worried about picking a team to contend for a Championship. I mean, he’s a Dallas Cowboy.
Horse-mouth is in it for the money, same as everyone else.

By: 46&2

46&2 — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 02:46:14 +0000

chalk this up to pft falling in love with the word count on an article without writing anything of any substance whatsoever

By: mr_snrub

mr_snrub — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 02:39:15 +0000

Poison pills are great, and funny. We need more of them. I don’t understand how any team would not poison pill the hell out of a contract given to a RFA.
When we lost Hutchinson to the Vikings I didn’t feel anger towards Minnesota for doing what it could to procure his service, but rather ridiculed the greenhorn GM Ruskell for being moronic (using a transition tag on an all pro player – no team does that).
To make matters worse the GM doubled down on his stupidity by not matching the offer and effectively guaranteeing the contract – a bargain at this point in time.
Anyways, if a team is going to settle for RFA, franchise, and transition tenders then it should bear the risk of a poison pill filled contract.

By: .VoxVeritas

.VoxVeritas — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 01:20:59 +0000

“Umm…if somebody would learn NFL history before showing their idiotic hatred for a team, they might know that the Jets are basically credited with creating the idea of the poison pill in contracts. That’s how they stole Curtis Martin away from the Pats.”
No it’s not. The contract had some unique clauses but none of that “if you play so many games in Mass.” type crap. One clause said that Martin could become an unrestricted free agent after the 1998 season simply by giving back most, if not all of the $8.15 million signing bonus. That’s not a “poison pill” because it’s equally effective to both teams. Another clause said that Martin couldn’t be designated as a franchise or transition player by any AFCE team. Again, equally effective to both sides so it’s not a “poison pill”. It’s leverage that the Jets were willing to give up to the player and the Pats weren’t willing to give him.