LeRon McClain Signs Tender

[Brendan Ayres]

[quote name='Zhamtao' date='09 June 2010 - 08:39 PM' timestamp='1276126773' post='420237']
I'm not getting into the financial issues, simply because I think every pro athlete is overpaid. What I am saying is that the fullback position isn't a throw away position.
[/quote]

It's not a throw away position, but it's also not worth paying 5 million per year for either. Everyone was freaking out when we let Mughelli go. No one thought we would be able to replace him. And what did we do? We drafted a replacement (McClain) who's even better. All I'm saying is that this is not a position to over pay for. If he wants to stay here long term, we can make it happen. If someone throws huge money at him, we'll probably let him walk. There's a reason that even the greatest FBs don't spen their entire careers on one team.

[lowrider]

I imagine he wants more carries than just for the reason he wants the ball more. If he gets more carries, he becomes less of a fullback and more of a tailback. Which means more money for him. I wouldn't mind if we made McClain the highest paid fullback in the league. He is a great blocker, great work ethic, and adds some power to our goalline, and short yardage game. I think it is well deserved. He adds a different flavor to our offense.

Could we survive without him? Yes, And I wouldn't pay him more than 4 or 5 million dollars a year. But I think he is a key part to our running game and offense. And the phrase smash and dash would work better for Rice and McClain than it did for Fat LeDale and Chris Johnson. McClain has more smash.

[BuckWilds]

[quote name='Brendan Ayres' date='10 June 2010 - 11:20 AM' timestamp='1276183207' post='420516']
It's not a throw away position, but it's also not worth paying 5 million per year for either. Everyone was freaking out when we let Mughelli go. No one thought we would be able to replace him. And what did we do? We drafted a replacement (McClain) who's even better. All I'm saying is that this is not a position to over pay for. If he wants to stay here long term, we can make it happen. If someone throws huge money at him, we'll probably let him walk. There's a reason that even the greatest FBs don't spen their entire careers on one team.
[/quote]

You said, "[i]Basically fullbacks are replaceable...[/i]"

That's what I was taking issue with. I disagree. You're focusing on fullbacks and I'm saying that paying too much money applies to [b]all positions[/b]. I'm saying losing a good player hurts in [b]all positions[/b]. There isn't a position to overpay for and good players, regardless of position hurt when you lose them.

Everything you're saying can be applied to all but a small number of players.

[Brendan Ayres]

[quote name='Zhamtao' date='10 June 2010 - 04:07 PM' timestamp='1276196852' post='420612']
You said, "[i]Basically fullbacks are replaceable...[/i]"

That's what I was taking issue with. I disagree. You're focusing on fullbacks and I'm saying that paying too much money applies to [b]all positions[/b]. I'm saying losing a good player hurts in [b]all positions[/b]. There isn't a position to overpay for and good players, regardless of position hurt when you lose them.

Everything you're saying can be applied to all but a small number of players.
[/quote]

I don't think it's a throw-away position (by throw-away, I take that to mean a position that isn't all that important). Of course it is an integral position for an offense that loves to run as much as we do.

But is it one of the most replaceable positions on the field? Absolutely. Everyone was upset when we let Mughelli go. He was so irreplaceable, then we drafted a better replacement in McClain. I'd love to keep him long term, but would you really pay him 5+ million per year if you were the GM? I know Ozzie won't.

[BuckWilds]

[quote name='Brendan Ayres' date='10 June 2010 - 03:15 PM' timestamp='1276197305' post='420620']
I don't think it's a throw-away position (by throw-away, I take that to mean a position that isn't all that important). Of course it is an integral position for an offense that loves to run as much as we do.

But is it one of the most replaceable positions on the field? Absolutely. Everyone was upset when we let Mughelli go. He was so irreplaceable, then we drafted a better replacement in McClain. I'd love to keep him long term, but would you really pay him 5+ million per year if you were the GM? I know Ozzie won't.
[/quote]

I agree with a lot of what you're saying, but I don't buy into any position being 'one of the most replaceable'. If it is, the O-coordinator isn't using it properly.

Again, the $$$ is moot since it applies to every position just at different levels. I'm going to give Emmitt Smith a call and see if he thinks Daryl Johnston was 'one of the most replaceable' players he worked with...

We agree on the financial points, but I add the caveat that it applies to any position. Otherwise a good fullback is an excellent weapon even if its not a currently vogue position.

[berad]

[quote name='Zhamtao' date='10 June 2010 - 03:27 PM' timestamp='1276198065' post='420625']
I agree with a lot of what you're saying, but I don't buy into any position being 'one of the most replaceable'. If it is, the O-coordinator isn't using it properly.

Again, the $$$ is moot since it applies to every position just at different levels. [b]I'm going to give Emmitt Smith a call and see if he thinks Daryl Johnston was 'one of the most replaceable' players he worked with...
[/b]
We agree on the financial points, but I add the caveat that it applies to any position. Otherwise a good fullback is an excellent weapon even if its not a currently vogue position.
[/quote]

Ask LaDainian Tomlinson - Lorenzo Neal left him after 2007... The [url="http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/T/TomlLa00.htm"]numbers[/url] speak for themselves.

2007 Statistics
1474 rushing yards, 4.7 ypc, 15 TDs

2008 Statistics
1110 rushing yards, 3.8 ypc, 11 TDs

That's a big drop-off if you ask me.

[Brendan Ayres]

[quote name='Zhamtao' date='10 June 2010 - 04:27 PM' timestamp='1276198065' post='420625']
I agree with a lot of what you're saying, but I don't buy into any position being 'one of the most replaceable'. If it is, the O-coordinator isn't using it properly.

Again, the $$$ is moot since it applies to every position just at different levels. I'm going to give Emmitt Smith a call and see if he thinks Daryl Johnston was 'one of the most replaceable' players he worked with...

We agree on the financial points, but I add the caveat that it applies to any position. Otherwise a good fullback is an excellent weapon even if its not a currently vogue position.
[/quote]

Well said. The caveat does apply to every position, but you are obviously going to pay more for certain positions than you would for others.

I'll ask again, if another team is willing to pay him 5 million plus per year, would you be willing to match that offer? Me, I'd draft a sick FB next year and bring in a FA for a year or two (like we did with Lorenzo Neal). If Leron would take 3-4 million per year, I would definitely take him back.

[BuckWilds]

[quote name='Brendan Ayres' date='10 June 2010 - 03:36 PM' timestamp='1276198579' post='420632']
Well said. The caveat does apply to every position, but you are obviously going to pay more for certain positions than you would for others.

I'll ask again, if another team is willing to pay him 5 million plus per year, would you be willing to match that offer? Me, I'd draft a sick FB next year and bring in a FA for a year or two (like we did with Lorenzo Neal). If Leron would take 3-4 million per year, I would definitely take him back.
[/quote]

I'd really have to take a hard look at available options, the length of the desired contract, our cap room, offensive symmetry, our proximity to deep post-season play... and how all this would affect my chances at a Lombardi Trophy. I'm assuming my fantasy franchise has no cash flow problems, so within reason in this theoretical, I'm willing to spend a little cash within the cap.

I'm not going to have trouble paying $5 million instead of $4 million if a player is elite, if we're living in the the fantasy land in which I have a pro sports team - my only problem is who I take that $1 million from... And in my fantasy world, I find out who complained about the OTA's and spread the $1 million across all the complainers contracts!

[Brendan Ayres]

[quote name='Zhamtao' date='10 June 2010 - 04:50 PM' timestamp='1276199426' post='420641']
I'd really have to take a hard look at available options, the length of the desired contract, our cap room, offensive symmetry, our proximity to deep post-season play... and how all this would affect my chances at a Lombardi Trophy. I'm assuming my fantasy franchise has no cash flow problems, so within reason in this theoretical, I'm willing to spend a little cash within the cap.

I'm not going to have trouble paying $5 million instead of $4 million if a player is elite, if we're living in the the fantasy land in which I have a pro sports team - my only problem is who I take that $1 million from... And in my fantasy world, I find out who complained about the OTA's and spread the $1 million across all the complainers contracts!


[/quote]You are right in that it would depend heavily on what was available on the free agent market. However, if we let McGahee go after this season and McClain starts to get 10+ carries a game again, then it may make some sense. For me, though, I just feel that we're going to have to dole out some serious money over the next few years. Flacco, Rice, and Ngata are all going to get big pay days from the Front Office. There simply may not be enough money left to spend 5+ million per on a FB, even if he is the best in the league.

[Brendan Ayres]

I feel like I've almost gotten off-topic, though. Bringing McClain back for this year obviously makes us a much better team. He gives us a better chance of winning the Super Bowl right now, so count me as being psyched!