Reggie Bush and the CBA (1 Viewer)

[GameBreaker]

I know! I know another Reggie Bush thread.

So, I'm listening to the radio on my way to work this AM and they are talking about the NFL lockout being over (actually it's not official yet, but media always jumping the gun, especially a non-sports radio station, but anyway) and the female host immediately says, "so when do we trade Reggie Bush?" and it sort of made me angry but got me to thinking about the new CBA and how it would affect the decision to trade or not to trade Reggie.

As a disclaimer, I'm in that group that wants to see a fair deal worked out between both Reggie and Mickey so that we get to see a MI/RB backfield. Two great athletes and Heisman trophy winners (Yes, Reggie is still a Heisman winner in my eyes) featured at the same position in the Saints offense would be awesome!

But with the new CBA teams will be sandwiched between a salary cap ceiling and floor. The lower cap number gives the Saints less to work with and the floor forces teams with lots of money to spend to get to (or close to depending on exemption and phasing in clauses of the new CBA) the that minimum. A team like the Bucs or Seahawks may be more willing to take on his salary via trade. Or, teams will wait for him to be cut because they know the Saints won't pay him 12-13 million this season.

Regardless it will be very interesting when Free Agency finally starts and this will be one of the featured stories of the offseason and their will be plenty of rumors and speculation. I just can't wait until we actually start seeing football and hopefully it's with Reggie wearing black and gold (hopefully making much less green).

 

[guidomerkinsrules]

michael lombardi - on nfln last night - said there was absolutely no way bush would re-negotiate (based on stuff he's 'heard")
fwiw

 

[60minutes]

I heard what Michael Lombardi said and it was hogwash. So, Reggie's not going to take a paycut with the Saints but he's going to be willing, as Lombardi and La Canfora suggested, to take $4-5 million in salary? That doesn't make much sense, unless we also conclude that Reggie hates being in New Orleans such that he would force the team's hand in order to be release. That's not the case as Reggie loves New Orleans and being on the team.

The Saints cannot trade Bush because the team that trades for him would have to take on not only his new salary but the cap hit associated with it.

If the Saints cut him outright, they are still on the hook for $3.5 million in cap charges due to Bush's prorated bonus. If Bush is to settle around $4-5 million, then a renegotiated deal that pays Bush, say, $4.5 million would only truly be $1 more than what the Saints would have to pay anyway. If Bush is only going to cost you an additional million, then it is better to keep him than to release him. There's not a FA/UDFA available that can 1.) give you what Bush gives you and 2.) has a familiarity/understanding with the intricacies of Sean Payton's offense such that he could replace Bush in such short order.

I have always found the debate on the Saints keeping Bush a bit ridiculous. This is not to foreclose the possibility of Bush leaving. But I think too many in the media are treating the Saints retaining Bush as an impossible situation. But when you take into account that Bush will count $3.5 million against our cap no matter what we do, and that his expected value is expected to fall somewhere between $4-5 (I would say the ceiling might actually be $5.5), then it not an arduous task to retain his services. In the end, I think he will be here and I believe he might already be back in town.

 

[Purple Haze]

Waiver wire doesn't open til Thursday, so no cut until then at least.

adbrandt
When can teams start releasing players? NFL waiver wire will begin 4pm et on July 28th... less than 20 seconds ago via Mobile Web

 

[tomdda]

Who knows what's really in the mind of these players. But if they are like most players from the past, having already won a championship, they are going to want to cash in and make as much as they can while they're in NFL. Can't say that I blame them.

 

[Saint Droopy]

So Reggie has PERSONALLY said over and over that he knows he needs to renegotiate, and Lombardi says there's no way he'll renegotiate.

Hmmm...

I think Lombardi is FoS.

 

[Sarcastic]

Make it stop loomis

Sent from my SCH-I500 using Tapatalk

 

[60minutes]

So Reggie has PERSONALLY said over and over that he knows he needs to renegotiate, and Lombardi says there's no way he'll renegotiate.

Hmmm...

I think Lombardi is FoS.

I honestly believe that some of these guys want to see Reggie emerge with another team. Lombardi kept talking about Reggie's ready to blossom. Wouldn't they love to see that happen with a NFC East team like the Eagles? Like I said, it makes little sense to say that Bush will not take a paycut with the Saints but will accept the type of money that the Saints are likely to pay him.

 

[stevend]

I heard what Michael Lombardi said and it was hogwash. So, Reggie's not going to take a paycut with the Saints but he's going to be willing, as Lombardi and La Canfora suggested, to take $4-5 million in salary? That doesn't make much sense, unless we also conclude that Reggie hates being in New Orleans such that he would force the team's hand in order to be release. That's not the case as Reggie loves New Orleans and being on the team.

The Saints cannot trade Bush because the team that trades for him would have to take on not only his new salary but the cap hit associated with it.

If the Saints cut him outright, they are still on the hook for $3.5 million in cap charges due to Bush's prorated bonus. If Bush is to settle around $4-5 million, then a renegotiated deal that pays Bush, say, $4.5 million would only truly be $1 more than what the Saints would have to pay anyway. If Bush is only going to cost you an additional million, then it is better to keep him than to release him. There's not a FA/UDFA available that can 1.) give you what Bush gives you and 2.) has a familiarity/understanding with the intricacies of Sean Payton's offense such that he could replace Bush in such short order.

I have always found the debate on the Saints keeping Bush a bit ridiculous. This is not to foreclose the possibility of Bush leaving. But I think too many in the media are treating the Saints retaining Bush as an impossible situation. But when you take into account that Bush will count $3.5 million against our cap no matter what we do, and that his expected value is expected to fall somewhere between $4-5 (I would say the ceiling might actually be $5.5), then it not an arduous task to retain his services. In the end, I think he will be here and I believe he might already be back in town.

A team will offer Reggie a multi-year contract with a load of guaranteed money. It's not about a 1 year 5.5 million contract. If he renegotiates with the saints it will be at least a 3-4 year deal.

If money is equal I think there is no doubt Reggie will be a Saint. But I think there is little chance that money will be equal.

 

[60minutes]

A team will offer Reggie a multi-year contract with a load of guaranteed money. It's not about a 1 year 5.5 million contract. If he renegotiates with the saints it will be at least a 3-4 year deal.

If money is equal I think there is no doubt Reggie will be a Saint. But I think there is little chance that money will be equal.

I know that it will not be a 1-year deal but the way in which the media is approaching the subject is in the context of 1-year. What do I mean? Well, they continue to point to our cap situation this year. Well, if you apply the formula I did above, you can see how Reggie's new deal can easily be afforded by the Saints this year. In subsequent years, the cap will increase, which will further allow his deal to be accommodated.

My thinking is that Bush will get about a 4-year deal, $22 million with $12 million guaranteed. That allows him to make up the $11.8 million he would have made this year while giving the team tremendous cap relief. You could see the Saints possible tack an additional two years on the deal, though the true deal would still be a 4-year deal. I do not know how the CBA might impact them doing his, however, since the new CBA is suppose to be make it harder to cut veterans for cap purposes. Notwithstanding, my expectation is Bush will be a Saint. Maybe then the conversation from the media will be that the Saints paid him more than they wanted to pay him. Or maybe they will express how surprised they are that he chose to re-sign with the Saints given "all that we have heard" about him wanting out.

 

[Mule]

Reggie's about to blossom & I'm gonna be the next pope. By Reggie. Go milk some other team for their money while fumbling & running to the sideline. With Pierre, Ingram & Ivory, we need Reggie for what?