Alexander gets new deal

[Philly Fin Fan]

He's rich bitch!

Alexander, Seahawks agree on $62 million, eight-year contract   
  March 5, 2006
CBS SportsLine.com wire reports     
 
SEATTLE -- NFL Most Valuable Player Shaun Alexander has agreed to a $62 million, eight-year contract to remain with the Seattle Seahawks, his agent said Sunday night.

Jim Steiner said the deal is the richest ever for an NFL running back and will net the league's leading rusher over $15.1 million in guaranteed cash.

 

[YoFuggedaboutit]

From the way he's played in the past, he is worthy of this kind of money.   The biggest concern for Seattle is whether or not he can stay healthy. 


According to Murphy's Law, he will have a major knee injury this season and will never be the same. 

[Sunstroke]

From the way he's played in the past, he is worthy of this kind of money. The biggest concern for Seattle is whether or not he can stay healthy.

2000: Drafted and plays in all 16 games
2001: Starts all 16 games
2002: Starts all 16 games
2003: Starts all 16 games
2004: Starts all 16 games
2005: Starts all 16 games

It might just be me, but I do see a little bit of a trend in those numbers, don't you?  ...Now could ya tell me why Seattle's biggest concern is whether or not Shaun can stay healthy? 

[fyo]

He's never had as many carries as last year and he's never been as old ;-)

Statistically, 370+ carries is the "magic threshold" from whence runningbacks never return.

So, it all likelyhood, he'll never have another year like 2005, but even if he "only" performed up to his 2004 level for the next couple of years, he'd still be among the best in the league.

Contracts shouldn't be made on past performance, but on expectance of future performance. $62 mil is a huge amount, but only $15 is guarranteed, which is actually lower than the guarranteed amount Hasselbeck got last year. This would seem to a direct result of the current CBA problems.

I'm hearing rumors Alexander will wait to sign the deal (which hasn't even been approved by the NFL yet) to see if a new CBA is reached.

[YoFuggedaboutit]

2000: Drafted and plays in all 16 games
2001: Starts all 16 games
2002: Starts all 16 games
2003: Starts all 16 games
2004: Starts all 16 games
2005: Starts all 16 games

It might just be me, but I do see a little bit of a trend in those numbers, don't you?  ...Now could ya tell me why Seattle's biggest concern is whether or not Shaun can stay healthy? 

Because he's one of the greatest backs to ever play the game.  He's lucky he hasn't had a major injury up until this point.  I'm not saying he can't stay healthy, but once a player signs that huge long-term deal, that's when the major injuries usually come. 

[Brian Fein]

Because he's one of the greatest backs to ever play the game.  He's lucky he hasn't had a major injury up until this point.  I'm not saying he can't stay healthy, but once a player signs that huge long-term deal, that's when the major injuries usually come. 

You can't apply that logic to every player.  You can't go saying that cause players x, y and z got hurt after signing a deal means that Shaun will as well.  He's had the history of never missing a game, and let me tell you, that's an admirable quality in a guy you build your team around.

[YoFuggedaboutit]

You can't apply that logic to every player.  You can't go saying that cause players x, y and z got hurt after signing a deal means that Shaun will as well.  He's had the history of never missing a game, and let me tell you, that's an admirable quality in a guy you build your team around.

You're right.  I'm not saying he's gonna sustain a major injury, but if he does, I wouldn't be surprised. 

[Denver_Bronco]

So take the 15 mil signing bonus and add the amount of money he makes the first two years of his contract and the total amount is what he will have actually made from this contract when he is cut after 2 years....

[Sunstroke]

So take the 15 mil signing bonus and add the amount of money he makes the first two years of his contract and the total amount is what he will have actually made from this contract when he is cut after 2 years....

^^^ Almost as ridiculous a statement as all the "trade peyton manning for compensatory picks" garbage in the "You're the GM" threads...

A more likely scenario is... Shaun takes his new contract, wins another couple of rushing titles and/or MVP awards over the next three seasons and then renegotiates an even bigger deal around 2009.

[Phishfan]

Contracts shouldn't be made on past performance, but on expectance of future performance.

I agree, but they have been jerking off Alexander for a couple years. The guy deserved to get big money a couple years ago.

[Philly Fin Fan]

^^^ Almost as ridiculous a statement as all the "trade peyton manning for compensatory picks" garbage in the "You're the GM" threads...

A more likely scenario is... Shaun takes his new contract, wins another couple of rushing titles and/or MVP awards over the next three seasons and then renegotiates an even bigger deal around 2009.

COme On Jeff. Enough of the reach around on Shaun. He's 29 now. So you mean to say the Seahawks will give an even BIGGER contract to a 32 year old RB? I think he may end up getting cut, just to restructure the deal in a few years.

[Denver_Bronco]

It's a good thing he stayed in the cupcake division. I would've loved to see him go to another division and watch those numbers flush down the toilet.

[Phishfan]

It's a good thing he stayed in the cupcake division. I would've loved to see him go to another division and watch those numbers flush down the toilet.

You keep pointing this out and I keep trying to tell you that is bunk. The guy gained 1060 yards at a 4.8 average outside the division. That's pretty good.

[Sunstroke]

COme On Jeff. Enough of the reach around on Shaun. He's 29 now. So you mean to say the Seahawks will give an even BIGGER contract to a 32 year old RB? I think he may end up getting cut, just to restructure the deal in a few years.

No reacharound required, Philly...the statement I made was conditionally based. Do you think that, if Shaun wins two more rushing titles and/or MVP awards over the next three years, that the Seahawks won't rework his deal? I think that is exactly what they'll do...if Shaun continues to pop out rushing titles and/or MVP awards. One could argue that Shaun is at the top of his game "right now," so expecting him to "maintain his current level of production" for a few more seasons isn't really a huge stretch, is it? He is a health-freak in perfect physical condition, playing in a well-balanced offense behind the single best O-line in the NFL.

Guys in that kind of position really don't need reacharounds...

[NYFin]

The main thing Seattle needs to worry about is Shaun not playing quite as hard or being willing to take certain hits now that he's been paid.  He's always been a little fretful.  But that's improved in the last couple of years.  Did that happen due to maturity? Or did it happen out of a desire to get cash.  We'll find out.

Oh, there's a myth about Shaun Alexander: he's always been consistent.  He has not always been consistent from game to game.  He's consistently had outstanding yearly totals.  But early in his career he was very much a hot and cold player.  Some weeks he blew it up.  Other weeks he disappeared.  His disappearing was usually assumed to being a bit of a scared runner at times.  Again, he's improved.  We'll see though if he maintains that improvement or if he regresses.