Now that the Chargers have completed their top priority extension, they can turn their attention to unhappy non-campers Marcus McNeill and Vincent Jackson.
ESPN’s Chris Mortensen reports that the team has extended six-time Pro Bowl tight end Antonio Gates for five years. The deal averages $7.235 million annually and includes $20.4 million guaranteed.
According to Mortensen, the deal makes Gates the highest-paid tight end in football. Gates was set to play out the 2010 season in the final year of his contract. He was due a $3.625 million base salary, so Gates’ total net worth is now $39.8 million over six seasons. He’ll be 35 years old at the end of the deal.
A Pro Bowler in six straight seasons, Gates is putting together a Hall of Fame-caliber resume. He’s been a first-team All Pro three times. A converted basketball player, Gates hasn’t missed a game in four years and has averaged nine and a half touchdown catches per season since taking over as a full-time starter in 2004.
Extending Gates was first on Chargers G.M. A.J. Smith’s to-do list with regard to contract decisions. McNeill is up next. Jackson is third in line.
He helps them win a TON of playoff games.
Oh, wait.
Not bad for an undrafted free agent that never played college football.
He actually deserved a raise unlike most of these whiney bitches…
This serves as the perfect example of how San Diego tries to run the business side of their organization. Gates has been an absolute BEAST and is being paid accordingly. He had a few years where injuries slowed him down, then last year he had regained form and put up an amazing year. AJ Smith saw this, and rewarded Gates with a contract making him the highest paid tight end in the league.
All Jackson and McNeil had to do was accept their one-year tenders, play their asses off, and they would receive a fair deal after the 2010 season. Instead they decided to be girls and hold out.
Dear VJ and McNeil: Are you paying attention?
This serves as the perfect example of how San Diego tries to run the business side of their organization. Gates has been an absolute BEAST and is being paid accordingly. He had a few years where injuries slowed him down, then last year he had regained form and put up an amazing year. AJ Smith saw this, and rewarded Gates with a contract making him the highest paid tight end in the league.
All Jackson and McNeil had to do was accept their one-year tenders, play their asses off, and they would receive a fair deal after the 2010 season. Instead they decided to be girls and hold out.
More evidence that J.A. Smith doesn’t have a clue.
eh, peaked 2 years ago.. kind of a softy and not a game changer
McNeill’s and VJ’s contracts are really confusing because Mac has regressed since his rookie year. His contract HAS to be performance based. VJ’s growing into one of the leagues best wideouts but has way too many off the field problems. VJ needs to be held accountable for himself and his contract will suffer, and I’m sure VJ will argue otherwise.
VJ’s contract talks will carry over into the season.
Teams are nuts to give high profile vets contracts this long. All that’s going to happen is in 2 or 3 years if he continues to perform at a high level he’ll be unhappy and holding out because some other player at the same position got a bigger contract in the time being.
I’m sorry, my comment was really sour grapes.
Seriously: isn’t this a good move for the Bolts? Gates is virtually impossible to cover.
I wonder how this deal with affect the current negotiations with Vernon Davis and the 49ers
He actually deserved a raise unlike most of these whiney bitches…
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I agree!! At least we got one reciever signed!!
Regardless, they’re one and done in the playoffs.
Talent isn’t the problem with the Bolts, Heart is.
And the Bolts have none.
No one deserved a bigger contract than Gates. He’s been a huge contributor to the Chargers and have always made clutch plays when called upon. Ryan Mathews will be next in line to sign and MM will follow. VJ, you should of signed ur tender. Now, you’ll be sitting out kicking urself. Good for you Gates. Well deserved. One of the best TE’s in the leauge.
Hey Chiefs 2010
When we play you, we all play soft–that’s all that’s needed to beat you. There’s going to be a new first name for Berry after we play you—”Toast”.
Somewhere Kellen Winslow is throwing up.
ok chiefs2010 your right he peaked 2 years ago except for the small fact that no one on the chiefs excuse me no 2 players on the chiefs can equal gates production last year and he blocks half the time guess dawyne bowe is to busy shipping women of the nigfht to his room to produce
Chiefs2010 says:
July 28, 2010 8:38 PM
eh, peaked 2 years ago.. kind of a softy and not a game changer
You really have no idea what you’re talking about.
Hey Chiefs 2010–
Gates will be there in week 1 to give Eric Berry a RUDE awakening to playing safety in the NFL. I guess you don’t remember those 7 catches for 120 yds and 2 TDs that Gates dropped on KC’s head in week 12 last year. He sure “changed” that game in a hurry.
Seeing this and the LB that got an extension recently has to be on Revis’ mind. I bet he holds out, and I cant blame him. Jets argument is sinking fast..
Kellen Winslow, unlike his dad, is a moron. He threw away his body and skill and is now a has-been for the most part.
AJ to VJ: Sorry, we can’t give you an extension due to the uncertainty regarding the CBA.
AJ to AG: It’s nice to have you in the fold for another 5 years.
dpa6–
Amazing what happens when you don’t get 2 DUI’s, get your car impounded on the morning of the biggest game of the year and need your QB to pick you up on side of the road, and don’t get a 15 yd unsportsmanlike penalty for KICKING the ref’s freaking penalty flag during that same game…..Gates is a great player and does A LOT in the SD community off the field. VJ, not so much, the only community envolvement he has is leaving large bar tabs at the local watering holes.
Great re-signing by the Bolts. There is nothing more damaging to a Defense than a great TE. They have so many dimensions that they throw out there, you never know if they will block or run a route and can really throw a young LB or Safety through a loop
Another good thing about true receiving TE’s is that they don’t get nearly as beat up as other players so they last a long time at a high level and as they slow down, it doesn’t really matter because their speed is not the key attribute. The most hits they take are from much smaller DB’s that would rather sidestep and swat their feet than hit them in the mouth, hence the long careers.
Anyways… Great signing. The guy earned it without crying about it!
Leave it to San Diego!
The unemployment is through the roof, the average person cannot even afford to go to these games and NOW to pay a football player $7.235 million annually and includes $20.4 million guaranteed. GIVE ME A BREAK!
Due your due diligence and help your community!
That Super Bowl ring won’t mean a darn thing to the people of the the city…all you are after is revenue. This is a really bad joke from a team that is always saying how the HELP the city out.
HarrisonHits said:
“Teams are nuts to give high profile vets contracts this long. All that’s going to happen is in 2 or 3 years if he continues to perform at a high level he’ll be unhappy and holding out because some other player at the same position got a bigger contract in the time being.”
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I don’t think that will happen in the Chargers’ case with Gates, but if it does, the Chargers could still try and trade him because he would still be under contract for a few years.
I would rather have the Chargers be in that position, then the position of tagging Sproles year to year, like they have the last two years, and over paying him because for whatever reason he and the Chargers can’t agree on a long term deal. Have you seen how much Sproles is making on this year’s contract? He wasn’t worth last years contract.
The Chargers are in a real bind when it comes to Vincent Jackson. IMO, his off the field issues is the primary reason that he hasn’t gotten a long term deal.
As for Marcus McNeil, IMO, he hasn’t been the player he was after the rookie season. He seems to be regressing, and I am not sure that the Chargers should be paying a max contract to a dude that is not improving.
Bigbolt,
I doubt VJ’s minor problems matter much to AJ; he’s still an above-average WR and certainly the best wideout on the Chargers’ squad. Plus, Marcus O’Neil isn’t a problem child and he’s not getting an extension.
In any case, my point was that AJ’s excuse for not extending VJ and MO was revealed as BS by the Gates extension.
I just noticed the police blotter, 5 days without an arrest. I am sure Vince Lombardi is rolling in his grave. What ever happened to the footballers like Bart Starr, Mean Joe Green, Terry Bradshaw ect…that took pride in the game? The new blood is nothing but a bunch of pansy millionaires that have NO RESPECT for the game and the fans that help make them great.
Gates = the second most important player on one of the great air attacks of all time. Totally worth the money. If he plays this contract like he did the last one, he’ll be in the HOF without question.
so where is the contract nuts and bolts breakdown. Is this a 1 yr deal like Ferguson got with the Jets? Or is it a real solid deal that is good for the player?
Acee from the UT is reporting that Jackson “is not in the team’s long-term plans,” i.e. will not be offered a long-term deal and will likely be traded; he’s also suggested that, unlike McNeill, Jackson wants more money that Smith thinks he’s worth. Someone out there’s going to get a kickass WR….