We often apply the words “last word” to the title of what we intend to be the “last word” on a given topic.
And usually we stick to that. Sometimes, we don’t.
As to new Bears defensive end Julius Peppers, we have to.
Our pal Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune, responding to reports that the Bears can pull the plug on the Peppers deal after one year, claims with certainty that they won’t.
Biggs believes it won’t happen, even if there’s a house cleaning at Halas Hall, explaining that the six-year deal represents a three-year “marriage” between player and team.
We’re inclined to defer to Biggs since the Bears are his beat. And we don’t doubt that the Bears are selling this thing as a more-than-one-year arrangement; otherwise, why would folks plunk down good money for their official Peppers jerseys?
But common sense tells us that anything can happen. Remember Charley Casserly’s high degree of mid-November confidence that “the Bears” will definitely bring back coach Lovie Smith? With plenty of time to turn the season aroudn, “the Bears” had no reason to undermine their head coach; as the end of the season approached, Casserly had changed his tune because “the Bears” were now considering their options for dealing with a team that had failed so miserably.
Right now, “the Bears” have no reason to undermine the 2010 version of the savior of the franchise.
Biggs surely has plenty of sources within the Bears organization. And we don’t doubt that they all are saying that Peppers will be back. But until someone named “McCaskey” goes on the record to confirm that the Bears will not exercise their right to part ways with Peppers after one year and save $22 million in otherwise “guaranteed” money, we won’t believe that Peppers is a 100-percent lock to return. He might be at 99.9, but it’s not — and can’t be — 100.
But what of the notion that the team “has made it clear” to Peppers and his agent, Carl Carey, that the full amount of the guaranteed money will be paid? At a minimum, it’s an unenforceable verbal promise. At worst, it’s a CBA violation — an end run around the requirement that fully guaranteed payments be fully funded when the contract is signed.
So while the Bears and Carey seem to be intent on getting out the word that Peppers will get the full amount of his guaranteed money (even though it’s not fully “guaranteed”), they might want to consider the possibility that talking too much about the topic could have unintended consequences. (See Brett Favre, arm injury, New York Jets, five-game collapse, six-figure fine.)
Then there’s the argument that the Bears won’t pay Peppers $20 million for one year and then not pay him $22 million more for the next two. If the Bears are willing to spend an extra $22 million simply to justify a one-year, $20 million mistake, then maybe the organization needs to be sold to someone who understands the basic business concept of not throwing good money after bad.
Either way, the Bears have retained the ability to cut Peppers after a year and to avoid more than $20 million in money that is being touted as fully guaranteed. We’re not saying they will do it, but we think it’s dangerous to say that they absolutely, positively won’t.
Especially in light of Peppers’ history of disappearing for long stretches of games.
I can’t remember the last time I read this much story and it was about absolutely nothing. You go back and forth like ping pong match and at the end, I’m scratching my head on what I exactly read.
Just another piece of evidence that this move may end up being a failure for the Bears.
You don’t look for the ability to pull the plug unless you think you might need to.
If it was 100% guaranteed then there wouldn’t be a contractual clause that allows the Bears to terminate the contract after one year and save $22M. Anyone can say anything they want about this being a 3 year marriage, but 50% of marriages end in divorce and for all intents and purposes, the Bears had Peppers sing a pre-nup agreement.
Besides, who’s to say that if the Bears tank another year any of the current administration will be around to make sure they don’t let Peppers go. A year from now, when the Bears are deciding on whether or not to keep Peppers for 2 more years at a cost of $22M, it could be a whole new mindset running this team.
IMHO this is an agent trying to save face, after all it is the size of these contracts and the amount of guaranteed money that other players pay attention to. What will others players think about an agent who secured a 1 year contract for an aging DE who has a reputation for taking plays/games/stretches of games off, but has all the talent in the world. The NFL is pretty much a non-guaranteed league, and if players don’t get their money up front and get a few years guaranteed, then they might as well sign a 1 year contract every year . . . which by the way Mr. Pepper’s agent just did.
Smart move by the Bears. If Peppers gets hurt or pulls a Tank Johnson they can cut their losses and move on.
The man got paid. Get over it.
Peppers is not going to be taking plays off or be unmotivated on a defense of veterans that he personally respects. I can’t wait for all the naysayers to eat their words.
“Peppers is not going to be taking plays off or be unmotivated”
Nine years of watching the guy play tells me otherwise. We’ll see.
I’d like to think that a local beat reporter is much more networked into the Bears than some helmet headed talking head named Charley Casserly with no ties to the Bears organization.
The bottom line is high priced Olin Kreutz, moderately priced Nathan Vasher won’t be back after the lockout. …and more than likely the high priced Brian Urlacher and Tommie Harris won’t either. …even though DE-escalators have kicked in for Tommie Harris, so he’s facing a significant decrease in pay from what he once thought he’d make in the latter years of his ginormous contract he signed a few years ago (before jumping to the side of a milk carton).
Anarcho Purplism says:
“Just another piece of evidence that this move may end up being a failure for the Bears.
You don’t look for the ability to pull the plug unless you think you might need to.”
Yes, in contrast to all those players that come with the 100% guarantee to succeed like J Russell, Leaf, Couch, etc…
Nice call dipshit.
One of you longer articles and based on “Biggs believes it won’t happen…”
It’s the Bears doing their jobs correctly. Purplism- why wouldn’t an organization keep their options open if Pepp fails to deliver? Your Vikes will do the same when LT sucks as a 3rd down back.
WOW – that story was waiste of my time. Makes me wish Florio would start writing about the olympics again.