Mathieu should refuse deal to sign with cards

[Hawknballs]

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/20 ... eed-money/

basically it sounds like the cardinals don't want to offer Mathieu any gauranteed money in his contract. His agent says that is ridiculous.

I think it's an idiot move as well. If you didn't feel like he was worth compensating as a third round pick, don't pick him. If you have that little faith in him, don't pick him. If you feel like you need to "punish" him for the past right out of the gate, let someone else pick him.

To me it's a low-class move.

 

[Seahawk Sailor]

"Low-class move" - pretty standard fare for the Cardinals organization.

To be fair, I would hesitate on giving him any guaranteed money myself, based on the several remarks from owners who essentially said "hell no, not touching that problem with a ten foot pole."

 

[Basis4day]

It will get worked out as all contracts do. The Cardinals need him on the field, and He needs to pay the bills and can't sit out another year.

 

[joeseahawks]

Why would you draft a guy, you don't intend to pay?
It is not the first guy with a baggage in the NFL, is he?

"Low-class move" - pretty standard fare for the Cardinals organization.

To be fair, I would hesitate on giving him any guaranteed money myself, based on the several remarks from owners who essentially said "hell no, not touching that problem with a ten foot pole."

 

[pehawk]

Hopefully, the NFLPA steps in to help him out with this.

IIRC, the Rams wrote consultants into Jenkin's contract last year. That seems a bit more reasonable.

 

[kidhawk]

Why would you draft a guy, you don't intend to pay?
It is not the first guy with a baggage in the NFL, is he?

How do they not intend to pay him? There's a difference between no guaranteed money and not paying. Guaranteed money means that even if he decides to act the fool and never play a down in the NFL he still gets paid. Non-guaranteed means if you don't act the fool and you actually do the work and play, you get your check every week.

Many players on our roster signed without guarantees. it's not uncommon at all, especially with troubled players.

It's likely that they will work out some sort of signing bonus that comes with a hefty morals clause. Those are quite common with troubled players.

 

[ClumsyLurk]

That's unacceptable, even by college standards (Seldom Ever Caught conference obviously)

 

[Hawknballs]

If you draft a guy you're taking away the opportunity for another team to draft him; IMO to turn around and offer him an unreasonable contract is garbage. And it is unreasonable. Guaranteed money is everything in the NFL. I realize some guys sign for little or no guaranteed money, that's because they have no real choice in the matter; they can play or go get a job at KFC. In Matheiu's case he is a playmaker in the secondary whom other teams would be happy to have, if not for a 3rd round pick but likely enough to give guaranteed money too. He shouldn't be pre-penalized by the team that drafts him for things he *might* do wrong in the NFL, and it's not that teams place to punish him for past crimes.

 

[taz291819]

I don't disagree with the Cards at all. I wouldn't guarantee him any money either. Yes, he'll get a signing bonus, but he has to earn the rest. It's basically, don't smoke weed, and you'll get paid.

The guy made his bed, now he has to deal with the consequences.

 

[Shock2k]

Your Lottery lucky just to get that call to play in the NFL. You have a pretty bad history. Deal with it. I do agee with taking the guy in the third round if your going to put this kind of block on him. The NFLPA will know this sets a bad precedent, they should fight it.

 

[mikeak]

If you really really pushed me I would give home ONE dollar guaranteed. This is a guy that failed more drug tests than he can remember, signed up for rehab but got arrested after that and then took the out of going to the draft.

Not sure if the middle ground is there for rookies - guaranteed money for injury only

 

[Chapman]

After he claims he can't remember how many UA's he's failed he's lucky just to get a shot in the NFL.
As stated before if he puts in the work he'll get paid. Why should anyone playing a game for a living get gauranteed money?
You don't and you have to work all year. Besides there's no gaurante he makes the team.

 

[Blitzer88]

Of course the Cards are trying to be tight with their money.

 

[Seahawk Sailor]

I don't disagree with the Cards at all. I wouldn't guarantee him any money either. Yes, he'll get a signing bonus, but he has to earn the rest. It's basically, don't smoke weed, and you'll get paid.

The guy made his bed, now he has to deal with the consequences.

If it's basically "don't smoke weed and you'll get paid," how friggin' hard is that? I'd offer him the same clause in a heartbeat. In fact, considering his past, I'd probably mandate it too. It's a guarantee against him screwing up and costing them games. There's cheapskate, which admittedly the Cardinals are, and there's a smart bet, which this is.

"Hey kid, we're offering you a crapton of money. All you have to do is not smoke weed."

He'd have to be dumber than a sack full of hammers not to sign a contract like that. Or Ricky Williams.

 

[ClumsyLurk]

Is a don't smoke weed clause really necessary? I'm not familiar, but didn't Ricky Williams just get cut and lose whatever money was guaranteed to him?

I'm with the others that question their choice to offer him this crap after selecting him in the third. If there's any doubt about his ability to not smoke ganj, don't pick him in the third.

 

[Seahawk Sailor]

I'm with the others that question their choice to offer him this crap after selecting him in the third. If there's any doubt about his ability to not smoke ganj, don't pick him in the third.

Yea, count me among those that thought that was a really, really dumb pick for them. Of course, it's viewed as an A draft by the pundits, so what do I know?

 

[ClumsyLurk]

Obviously he has the talent to help any team if he's serious. I simply think it's a dick move to pick him in the third and then offer him a charity contract.
More retarded than Ricky was Ditka for trading every pick in their draft for him.
Though I don't even know what 3rd rounders typically get. So there's that

 

[RedAlice]

Hopefully, the NFLPA steps in to help him out with this.

IIRC, the Rams wrote consultants into Jenkin's contract last year. That seems a bit more reasonable.

Yes, there were personal conditions on Jenkins last year that took some time to work out before everything was signed. I think it was a money manager approved by the Rams' management (as he has 4 kids with 3 women and so needs to pay them) and also some kind of personal life manager. Not completely sure. They worked it out, and seem to be doing great now. Fisher is seeming to have a knack for the troubled player though - maybe it's the attitude he has and the belief in them.

And also remember that he pulled Jenkins and Givens out of the first Niner game with no hesitation.

I'm not familiar with the Cards' restrictions - but is the question of guaranteed money based on football performance, or personal issues such as passing drug tests? I see no reason not to put personal conditions on him given his history and as he says he is ready to step up. Don't know if they are handling it correctly though.

 

[volsunghawk]

Not sure I get the issue here.

Yeah, the Cards picked him in the 3rd round, and he's slotted into a pretty limited salary window. The only difference is that the Cards are trying to protect themselves by not giving a bunch of cash up front to a guy who has yet to prove he can handle it. He won't be getting paid any less than the pick who followed him as long as he stays dedicated to his job.

 

[Sarlacc83]

What would be fair? To write in a contact clause that he loses his guaranteed money if he goes off the rails? How is that any different? He's a risky pick, and any NFL team is going to take some measures to reduce that risk where possible.

Personally, he should be delighted to even fight for a contract, because you know what? The second contract is the one you play to earn, and if he proves himself (which, editorially, I don't think he will), he's going to get a pretty nice bounty of guaranteed money at that time. This is more stupidity, and it should make the Cardinals even more leery of the advice being handed to the kid.