http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/story/19667946/dolphins-top-pick-tannehill-absent-from-camp-amid-contract-impasse I guess I don't understand how this rookie wage scale thing works. Isn't the price of every draft pick already determined? If that's the case how can there be contract disputes like this? Could someone please explain this to me.
It's all about this off set language where if he gets released within the 4 years the Fins can get some money back when he signs with a new team. It's ridiculous.
This has really moved me to the anti-Ireland side. This is an inexcusable lack of judgement and fairness on his side, and counter productive beyond belief. No blame to Tannehill in any of this IMO.
Reports are indicating that Dawn Aponte is the one who is demanding the off-set language and negotiating the contract. I know it's easy to simply assume Ireland is always the bad guy but c'mon now.
To me it's very stupid that this is a battle. As I said in other threads, this is war over a pack of gum. If you really think through all the scenarios then the inevitable conclusion is that the scenario in which Miami would realistically gain by including offset language in the contract is highly unlikely, and the gain would be minimal. But the same is almost just as true for Ryan Tannehill as it is for the Dolphins. The scenario is not likely, and the gain is minimal. So to me that says, pay attention to what's happening around you, ascertain the leverage, and get the damn thing done. Right now I think Miami has the least leverage because picks #1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9 and 14 all have verified contracts with no offset language. Because of that, Jeff Ireland is just going to catch more hell from the fans and media (who already are in the habit of giving him hell) for botching this up, because everyone is going to recognize that Tannehill is not asking for anything unfair based on what's going on in the market. So if it's NOT important, and you're negotiating from a position of weak leverage...just effing relent. Get it done. Jeff Darlington just tweeted that from talking to Jeff Ireland, he doesn't expect this to be done any time soon.
Ireland could tell Aponte to not insist on this offset language and she would not insist on the offset language.
I wish they'd get that plane out again with the banner to fire Ireland over this. No one exhibiting such a complete lack of judgement and fairness should be the GM of any team, let alone our team.
Bingo. At this point this has turned into a fun game. Let's take bad things for which Jeff Ireland clearly has responsibility and find creative ways to make it not his fault! Weeeeeee!
I would almost never propose for the owner to get involved in football operations, but this is so outrageous that he really should step in and tell Ireland to get it done. Maybe Ireland wants to play the tough guy for Hard Knocks.
I think it speaks to the fact that Ross needs someone under him and over both Ireland and Aponte that knows what they are doing. The front office dysfunction is back apparently? Both Ireland and Aponte want to do their best, obviously. They want to remain employed and cover their asses. Aponte being the cap guru doesn't want it to be her fault in 3 and a half years if RT is released that Ross has to eat X amount of money and the team's cap is taking a hit.
If I had to guess I would say Ross wants the language as much or more than Ireland. This is very minor in the micro-sense, but on a macro level its somewhat significant.
I am so sick of its this persons fault no it isnt, yes it is. No its 2 sides drawing a line. who breaks first. Blame whomever you want, doesnt matter. He aint in camp thats all I care about. if the contract is signed with or without the language what the hell is to you? I just want him signed. I am sying I dont care whose side your on, its not relevant, cause you cant influence the decision. Both get hurt, both have points, agree or not, doesnt matter, nor what I think doesnt matter. If Tanny signs today as some on qam think he could be.. then it doesnt matter, if tanne misses a few days and Irish gives in then I agree he looks stupid, but in teh end it is what it is. Just get it done already
Tannehill not being in camp is no big deal to me. I have never thought that he is anywhere close to being a starter in the NFL and this just gives Garrard and Moore more time to work with the first team in practice. One of them is going to be the starter this season and the other one who loses out as the starter is still much better than Tannehill. Tannehill will do nothing but hold the clip board this coming season and therefore I would rather see Garrard and Moore getting the reps in practice. As far as I am concerned, the Dolphins know they took a huge risk drafting Tannehill so high. Now they are just trying to save some money in the future when Tannehill turns out to be the next Chad Henne.
Tannehill wasnt starting week 1... ever. Him missing a day or 2 of camp, when he probably wont even play at all this season is irrelevant...
They could fight this battle another day, but with reportedly all the top 10 signed picks contracts without offset language, I don't see any justification in taking a hard line position on this in this situation. The negatives far outway the positives.
So Stephen Ross can brag to other owners. The fact that none of the other picks got the language even makes it more attractive to Ross. He could walk into a room with 10 other owners and say "how are those offsets working for you?". The fact that they have leverage on Tannehill is what makes this feasible.
Because he doesn't fully trust Jeff Ireland. Which is a sign that you should hire a GM that you actually trust.
Who cares if it's Aponte or Ireland? Or whether or not Tannehill would start Week 1. Not having this deal done by the start of training camp is just more ineptitude shown by this Miami Dolphins front office.
Well if that's the case that is sad indeed that Ross cares more about bragging to other owners than the welfare of the team. No one knows what's going to happen over the course of the preseason and season to where we will be sorry if Tannehill doesn't get into camp in time and able to take advantage of all the important aspects of training camp. He's just starting his first training camp and being there and contributing is very important to his development as a player.
To be fair, establishing this as standard practice would somewhat help the welfare of the team over the long-run. I think if they had significant hopes of having him play this year, they would have had him in IMO.
That's fair. They did a good job generally getting everyone to camp on time prior to the new CBA. It's ironic that the new CBA has made these negotiations easier than ever, and now with the most important pick Jeff Ireland has made in his five years as GM, he can't get him in on time under this new CBA.
Sure. I'm not saying this front office has been terrible at signing picks. But arguably there has been ineptitude shown in other areas. This is another example in my humble opinion. I'm not saying Ireland or anyone else should be run out of town, but in my opinion it's not really defensible to not have a QB who needs every rep and every bit of NFL experience he can get signed by the start of training camp over such a trivial issue. It's creating a distraction for the team over almost nothing.
Even if he doesn't play this year, and I never thought that likely, I still think it hurts his development to miss a significant amount of training camp. Also, unexpected things happen all the time in the NFL and I don't think it prudent to arrest his development in any way.
I really hope this doesnt set him back too much with his clipboard holding skills. God knows that 3rd QB spot will be critical to our success this year...
In your opinion how far back can it set your qb? I just don't really see it as ineptitude or all that big of a deal atm. Now if it continues, then I think we can view it as ineptitude/someone being greedy/ whatever.
I agree that if this only goes on for 2-3 days, then yeah, maybe we overreacted a bit. However it's too easy to envision a protracted stalemate. Because it should never have gotten even this far.