McCoy Says He’ll Wait Patiently For His Jackpot
July 18th, 2010
Gerald McCoy may have lightning get-off at the line of scrimmage, but he doesn’t plan to bring that kind of frenetic urgency to his contract negotiatons, so he told The Oklahoman for an interview published today.
Bucs training camp starts in 13 days, and McCoy said he plans to wait to sign until No. 1 overall pick Sam Bradford sets the money bar for this year’s draft class.
The only problem – for Bucs fans – is that several outlets are reporting that the Rams, Bradford’s new team, may be throwing a lowball offer at him in an effort to squeeze him into signing a deal. Essentially, the Rams may have leverage because a new NFL new labor agreement likely will include a low wage scale for rookies
How are contract discussions coming?
(shrugs shoulders) I definitely want to be on time, but we just have to see how it goes.
What do you think of former teammate Sam Bradford‘s contract situation?
King Sam! Sam will get his deal done. I think Sam will be there, and as soon as Sam gets his deal done, mine will be done.
Are you waiting on Sam to sign?
It’s kind of one of those deals where you would rather let the first pick sign first. You don’t want to do your deal first and his contract is way higher than yours. But if you waited yours would have been higher.
Yesterday, at an event in Oklahoma, McCoy told the Associated Press: “Given the fact that we’re about to enter a lockout, you’ve got to get as much money as you can.”
Joe can’t fault McCoy for pushing for maximum dollars for himself and his family. And there’s no reason to believe that McCoy is going to be unreasonable.
But as Joe wrote yesterday, Joe has no confidence that this will be a smooth process, despite Joel Glazer telling everyone that “money will never be an issue” when building the Bucs.
One possible upside for McCoy getting to training camp on-time is the Rams start camp two days before Tampa Bay. If Bradford’s negotiations go down to the start of camp, that at least gives the Bucs and McCoy a couple of business days to ink a deal before he misses any precious time putting his face on people with his undewear off and big boy pads on.
July 18th, 2010 at 7:57 am
From what I’ve heard th AGENTS are gonna screw with the 1st round picks this year. Bradford’s got a LOT to lose:
Didn’t really play in 2009 coming off a terrible injury that ended his 2008 season.
If he signs for $50 million with $30 million guarentee. then gets re-injured this year? Then there isn’t a seasn in 2011 do the Rams really want to pay for that?
My personal belief is that with the new CBA there should be a rookie limit of $1 million MAX. Cap what the teams can spend and with the savings have the owners reduce seat prices to 2000 levels.
Is that realistic? Heck no -but it would build so much goodwill with people, fill the stadiums back up and be good for the NFL – otherwise the AFL will grow and the Tampa Bay Storm are in the playoffs – AGAIN
July 18th, 2010 at 8:01 am
Joe here,
Mr. Lucky – Only 13 more days for you to suffer with this off-the-field talk.
NBA has the right system with their rookie salary cap. It’s worked for at least a dozen years. You come in and prove yourself for three years and then you get paid. …But I do think it has to be more than $1 million for the top overall pick. Start at $3 milion a year and work your way down from there.
July 18th, 2010 at 8:05 am
Oh, BTW. In order to make it fair to the players make the owners MATCH these rookies’s salaries with a fund for physical injuries to the players so they wouldn’t be so concerned about the guarentee’d salaries
If a players is maxed out at 1 million in salary then 1 million goes into an injury fund.
It’s time that the owners stopped putting the screws to the fans. It’s also time the players get realistic about this as well.
July 18th, 2010 at 8:06 am
Hey Joe – lucky 13 right?
Oops, I gotta go now so Eric and Thomas can tag team Jim Buc and Captain Dee…
Get ready to rumble……
July 18th, 2010 at 8:09 am
Joe here,
If the Bucs only brought that kind of energy and determination to the field. …
July 18th, 2010 at 9:11 am
Mr. Lucky. Did . . Did your ass, in the same sentence, team me up with JimBuc AND call Me Capt.DEE??? What the F*** is a Dee?? And If I needed a tag team partner for “the mancrush twins” ,I’d pick my own!! Any more of that crap, and yer lucks gonna run low there, Mr.! Lol
July 18th, 2010 at 9:13 am
And yes, a rookie salary cap really has to happen. One thing the owners AND the players support
July 18th, 2010 at 9:19 am
Must be pleasant waiting for 30 mil or so.
I like the straight talk from him, rather than some sort of “money isnt an issue” nonsense.
And he is right, could be the last year of breaking the bank for the rooks.
July 18th, 2010 at 9:31 am
Still, it would be something if McCoy broke the mold and just went public saying he’ll play for $20 million guaranteed over four years if they hand him a contract tomorrow. ….Andre Dawson must be cringing.
July 18th, 2010 at 9:31 am
Yeah Oar, your right. McCoy certainly is straightforward and honest about things! Surprised the NFL hasn’t coached that out of him already . It’s refreshing! Hope it last
July 18th, 2010 at 10:38 am
While the rookie cap works for the NBA it will not be a fair system for the NFL. Too many different things prevent that system to work correctly in the NFL.
1. NBA most top picks will start right away and usually play at their peak for many years. In the NFL a QB(a lot of other positions) comes in gets 3 million, then sits on the bench behind the starter some times for as long as 3 years, but you were supposed to show you can play to get the big pay check. Now you going to have to sign another “probe it” contract that could amount to a lot of peak years wasted without getting pay.
2. Too many short expectancy positions. Most of them won’t pay you big money after the age of 29. That means that if you came in at age 24 did the “probe it” contract for 3 years put you at 27 before you sign a big money contract and more likely your only big money contract. Unlike the NBA where players can come in at a much younger age and play at their peak for much longer than the NFL.
3. This also could create a problem for NCAA, why would you come back for a 4th + year when you are going to get paid the same regardless? And why would you play football if you could go to another sport and make much more over the course of your career?
4. The Owners don’t want to spend money on a retirement fund and the only way a rookie cap will work is if you have a pretty good retirement and post playing day’s medical fund and that isn’t happening.
While on a perfect world this would be a good way to control the rookie contracts problem that will only help the owners pockets get fatter without paying players.
July 18th, 2010 at 10:54 am
@Capt Tim,
hey when I was trying to come up with teams I couldn’t think of anyone to team up with JimBuc. Didn’t mean to intentionally insult you or anyone else!
July 18th, 2010 at 10:56 am
How many more Jamarcus Russell’s is the NFL and it’s owners going to endure? These outrageous contracts for college kids is ridiculous – especially when you have proven players, I don’t know like maybe Donald Penn, who have proven themselves and get paid less than unproven rookies who may/may not pan out!
July 18th, 2010 at 11:11 am
@ k_bassuka
AMEN BROTHER!!!
@ Mr. Lucky
For every JaMarcus Russell, Ryan Leaf, etc. you’ve got a guy who exceeds expectations and is grossly underpaid e.g. Chris Johnson. Should they be slotted? Sure, I’ll go for that…if the signing bonuses are still in the double digit millions and/or the rookie contracts are shortened from 4-5 years to 2-3 years.
July 18th, 2010 at 11:19 am
That end quote gets me every time. Makes me wonder what the Bucs week 1 injury report will look like:
Entire team – Pink eye – Questionable
July 18th, 2010 at 11:33 am
“that at least gives the Bucs and McCoy a couple of business days to ink a deal before he misses any precious time putting his face on people with his undewear off and big boy pads on.”
Now that’s a disturbing image!!
July 18th, 2010 at 11:39 am
Yup, and a rookie salary cap will make for better players. Some players have signed the giant contract, figured out they’re set for life, and slacked off. This way, they have to have more than “Potential” to get rich.they have to become players!
July 18th, 2010 at 12:08 pm
I still don’t get why these rookies have to sign 5 year deals. Why not have them sign 1-2 year deals at a fixed pay scale. That way if they turn out to be a Chris Johnson type he gets his payday and if he turns out to be Ryan Leaf the team isn’t stuck with them.
July 18th, 2010 at 12:10 pm
As for the original post – play all the projected starters first and hard. they’re young and they can take it right?
Let’s be honest this isn’t Freeman’s sophomore year – it’s really his first full rookie year. he needs reps…reps…reps…
July 18th, 2010 at 12:11 pm
As for McCoy – hey GM you wanna REALLY impress me?
Show up for training camp on day 1 – REGARDLESS of your contract situation, let your agent deal with Dominik.
That will get me (fans) on your side and it worth lots of goodwill
July 18th, 2010 at 12:15 pm
I would also mention the NHL rookie contract system as well. It puts far more of a fire under the asses of the incoming rookies to play well and work hard after they get drafted so they can really get paid.
You sort of have to wonder what would have happened had that sort of system been implemented a few years back when JaMarcus Russell came out. Would his work ethic actually be visible so he would have gotten paid, or would that really make a difference to a guy like that?
@k_bassuka. I have to respectfully disagree with your first point. For quarterbacks in particular, one would imagine, even if they ride the pine for their first 3 years and their contract is up, they’d get a decent paycheck somewhere. Everyone is always looking for a QB (just about), so I would think that X QB would get some team to pay a good amount for his services. I think your point definitely works with other positions, but they are usually thrust into playing time right away and are either shown as quality players or wash-outs over that initial 3 year period.
But you did really put it well with number 4. One would really hope with the extra money in-tow that the league would put a retirement fund into motion. Really have to feel for those guys who didn’t get paid the big bucks and sacrificed their bodies.
As for the NCAA part, I agree. You do get those multi-sport athletes every now and again. And those are the breaks to getting the rookie salaries down. Gotta take the good with the bad I suppose.
There’s always good and bad to take away from this, but one would think this would get those veterans who are generally left out in the cold in favor of the rookies and younger, mostly unproven guys paid significantly better. At least that’s the prevailing thought…
July 18th, 2010 at 1:11 pm
It is very hard for a “kid” right out of college who has never had an opportunity to win the lottery to be happy with only getting a measly 1, 2, 3 million dollar contract, when for years he has watched the other first round rookies get all them Benjamin’s.
When the new CBA is agreed with, and the pay scale is adjusted. We shall see a difference in the way teams are built. The way i see it it will not make multi multi multi millionaires of unproven players, they will not like this. They will get creative in how the salary is paid out, maybe you start out with $x contract for two years and after your third season you get a jump in pay to $XX. If and i say if you show that you are on the road to being a good player.
The agents are worried sick i would think, it was not the college “kids” who demanded the 4, 7, 10, 20, 40 million dollar contracts or guaranteed bonuses, ultimately it is the agents representing these rookies. These agents are worried and i can see why they are worried. They get how much of a players yearly salary? How much of a percentage of that guaranteed signing bonus??
Like say $30,000,000.00 = roughly $9,000,000.00 at 1/3 of what the signing bonus is not to mention 1/3 of the the yearly salary. I wonder if the agents are not working hard to keep some “sensibility” when it comes to the “new” CBA.
If i’m in their shoes i know i would be. What if the max of a guaranteed bonus is only $10,000,000.00 those agent would go ballistic.
July 18th, 2010 at 1:20 pm
Joe here,
Look, they made the transition just fine in the NBA. Guys were making guaranteed gazillions and then they pulled the rug out. The beautiful thing is the soon-to-be rookies have no leg to stand on, because they’re not in the league and their contract is still a Lotto ticket. …
And to bassuka who wrote: “2. Too many short expectancy positions. Most of them won’t pay you big money after the age of 29. That means that if you came in at age 24 did the “probe it” contract for 3 years put you at 27 before you sign a big money contract and more likely your only big money contract. Unlike the NBA where players can come in at a much younger age and play at their peak for much longer than the NFL.”
A very small percentage of guys enter the league at 24. Most are 22 or 23. If they come in with guaranteed money for three years, that should be just fine. …They can become restricted free agents and 25/26 and many will probably re-up early to whatever the NFL determines is the next extension (probably 2 years) before they become unrestricted. …It’ll work just fine.
July 18th, 2010 at 1:51 pm
The other thing that the 2010 rookies have to realize is this, there may be no 2011 season.
So listen to your agents and hold out in 2010, then when 2011 gets cancelled you’ll not only have a rookie cap in 2012 but you’ll be competing with college kids from 2010 & 2011.
Just say no to your greedy agents and play football darn it.
July 18th, 2010 at 2:53 pm
@ Joe
” If they come in with guaranteed money for three years, that should be just fine.”
Do you mean guaranteed contracts for JUST the rookies or for the entire league? If it’s just the rookies, I can see that as an interesting compromise between the PA and the League. If we’re talking about guaranteed contracts for the entire player population, I think there’s no way in H-E-Double hockey sticks the owners are EVER going to go for that.
July 18th, 2010 at 4:54 pm
I’m just glad it isn’t my money or that I have to be in Dominick’s place. It is a difficult time to be in an already tough job. I hope the Rams squeeze Bradford and set a new precedent that all the other teams follow. There seems to be way to much disparity from the highest and lowest paid players. It just appears that no one involved really knows how to fix it and there doesn’t appear to be any sense of urgency either. This could alienate many fans, and if a lockout occurs and all the fans are gone, it may be more difficult to bring them all back league wide. I think both the Players and the Owners are letting greed set them up for a terrible fall. I love football, but I love hunting, fishing, jetskiing, boating, and flying just as much. If they take away my NFL, I’ll find something else to do. At least we’ll still have College Football on T,F, Saturdays. And the Lightning are sure to be on the right track.
July 18th, 2010 at 8:01 pm
Football prices are going the way of the real estate market in the early 2000’s.
There was a real estate bubble – everyone KNEW it but heck if you can make some money who cares right?
Same with ticket prices and players salaries.
What popped the real estate market?
What’s gonna pop the football market? The television contracts. next time around all the networks hold the line and pfffffffffffff
July 18th, 2010 at 8:15 pm
Yea, with all the uncertainty, a bird in the hand… = Donald Penn should sign his tender and take what he can get while it’s there.
July 18th, 2010 at 9:24 pm
I actually feel sorry for Donald the Elephant Man Penn.
He’s being used by the players association and his agent. It’s a “principle” issue and unfortunately Donald could be standing in the cold this year.
I guess we’ll know in 12.25 days !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Then instead of arguing about this silly stuff we can all argue about REAL stuff like FOOTBALL.
And NO I’m NOT talking FIFA 🙁
July 18th, 2010 at 10:24 pm
Penn will play, but Mr. Lucky is right that Penn is in a crap situation.
July 19th, 2010 at 7:34 am
I know that the system that we run right now is not perfect and has many flaws, but the reality is that those bad contracts like the latest to JaMarcus Russell it was more about poor scouting than a player getting played and shutting it down because of it. Russell wasn’t the best player on his team throughout the season, had one good game in which he showed a great arm now all of the sudden he can play. A good scout would ask to themselves what happened in the other 10-11 games, why a talented player like that didn’t tear up college ball? If they would’ve done their job and not follow the experts over @ BSPN they would’ve stay away from him.
I really think that the big problem is the restricted FA and franchise tags. I can see where the franchise tag helps a team and a player I could live with it. The league could offer less money to rookies (not too little due to the amount of season and career ending/changing injuries they are susceptible to) and if they want to keep a player like let’s say Penn, they would have to offer at least the same as what the top rookie OT made on the previous year draft (should be a 3 year deal) I think that will keep it fair.
Some of these guys want to play hard, and when you work better than most of the guys @ your job and they get paid way more than you with better job security than you is just not fair.
July 19th, 2010 at 12:43 pm
First, debating on what McCoy gets will be within a tight bandwidth… and the dominoes start to fall once Bradford signs… after that, the Bucs will have 2 choices… pay him or ruin the off-season by playing games trying to save a small percentage of what he will get paid.
One thing that bothers me… is this McCoy is starting to remind me of LBJ with his personality… on the surface it may seem fun… but I don’t know… he may end up being a self-centered, self-absorbed me-shawn before it’s all said and done with. Anyone else notice this?
July 19th, 2010 at 12:55 pm
k-bassuka…I am not sure if you are talking about the rught guy. JaMarcus Russell had a prety good college QB. I think LSU only lost 3 games in 2 seasons with him as the starter. He also impressed mant people at the combine. In 2006 I believe he was ranked 2nd in the SEC, which is pretty good. The scouts did their job, JaMarcus Russell let them down.
July 19th, 2010 at 12:56 pm
Sorry about the typos.
July 19th, 2010 at 8:43 pm
He lit up the combine, no questions about it that doesnt mean he is a good football player. The guy had 2 of the top WR(Bowe and LaFell) in college, a cannon for an arm and still the team relied on FB/HB Hester, RB Scott and RB Williams
Opp Att-Cm Yds TD INT Long
Against UL-Lafayette 17-13 253 3 58
Arizona 20-13 196 2 1 31
Auburn 35-20 269 0 37 against an ok defense
Tulane 23-17 198 2 21
Miss. ST 20-18 330 3 55
Florida 41-24 228 1 3 27 Ummmm #1 pick????
KY 18-15 226 2 48
Fresno ST 19-15 210 2 58
Tenn 36-24 247 3 3 36
‘Bama 21-18 207 3 30
Ole Miss 36-20 223 3 42
Arkansas 22-14 210 2 47
ND 34-21 332 2 1 58
The guy with the strongest arm ever didn’t connect a pass over 40 yards against the btter defenses he faced. Can u point out a game there and say wow he did that to that team? Not even against weak teams.
Anyway lets not make this about him, he clearly was playing out of position he should’ve been an OL. LOL!