Misc. updates on our boys

Gantt has some updates on Superman, JD, and others in his column:

No rush on Delhomme's contract extension


By Darin Gantt The Herald
(Published February 22‚ 2004)


CHARLOTTE -- Since the Carolina Panthers have plenty of business to do, it appears they're going to wait to do their biggest business in a few months.
The agent for quarterback Jake Delhomme said last week that he expects to work out a multi-year contract extension with the Panthers, but not until later this offseason.

"We've talked," agent Rick Smith said. "We're going to sit down this summer and get something done."

That works out for the Panthers, since they still have plenty of work to do preparing for the start of free agency March 3, with 15 unrestricted and six restricted free agents of their own still on deck.

Delhomme has a year left on the two-year, $4 million deal he signed prior to last season. That takes away some of the urgency to do a deal immediately, but his agent said he was confident they'd probably have an extension in place before the season is too old, perhaps before training camp.

"This deal is going to get done, it's a no-brainer," Smith said. "What you've got here is the ultimate win-win situation for both sides. We'll sit down, we'll talk, and we'll get something done."

Delhomme's agent was extremely matter-of-fact, anticipating a smooth process. Panthers general manager Marty Hurney, never one to get prematurely optimistic, acknowledged the fact they've discussed some generalities.

As he's said repeatedly about other deals when agents make happy noises, Hurney said it's too soon to get too excited.

"Rick and I have a good relationship," Hurney said of Delhomme's agent. "But as always, these things come down to economics."

That part should work itself out, because everything else points to Delhomme staying long-term.

The Panthers want to keep him. He wants to stay. He's successful in this system and has developed a strong relationship with offensive coordinator Dan Henning and wide receiver Steve Smith, who will also remain, as soon as they finish an extension for him.

Delhomme is also grateful to the Panthers for the opportunity to start, after sitting on the bench for six years with New Orleans. He will likely end up with a deal smaller in numbers but similar in structure to the one New England quarterback Tom Brady signed after he came out of nowhere to lead the Patriots to a Super Bowl three years ago.

After Brady replaced Drew Bledsoe and led the Pats to their first title, they rewarded him with a four-year extension worth nearly $30 million in new money. Brady received a $3.5 million signing bonus at the time of the deal, with another $6 million option bonus the following spring. He had low base salaries in 2002 and 2003, but they rose to $5.5 million in 2004 and 2005, and $6 million in 2006, the final year of the deal.

Delhomme's deal probably won't reach those levels. After all, Brady was 25 when he signed the extension prior to the 2002 season, and the Panthers quarterback turned 29 during the playoffs, meaning he doesn't have the same long-term potential Brady did at the time.

Still, he'll get paid, and the Panthers will have the kind of stability at the position they haven't had since the early days, when it appeared Kerry Collins would keep the job forever.

• SMITH UPDATE: Steve Smith's agent, Derrick Fox, said last week negotiations were ongoing with the Panthers, with no hitches so far.

The two sides are working on a five- or six-year extension, hoping to get something done before Smith becomes a restricted free agent March 3. If they don't get a deal done in time, the Panthers will likely put the high restricted free agent tender of $1.8 million on Smith, which would garner them first- and third-round picks if another teams signs him to an offer sheet they choose not to match.

Fox said the extension talks were productive, and he was optimistic something would get done soon. The challenge is to write a contract that's viable for its length, rather than the kind of deals that are so prevalent, with unrealistic salaries in latter years that are either terminated or restructured.

"We're going in with the mindset that if we do a six-year deal, then Steve wants to be there six years," Fox said. "Because of that, it's taking a little extra work to do this thing just right."

• EXTRA POINTS: Teams have until Tuesday to place the franchise tag on free agents, and that could impact the Panthers search for a new starting cornerback. Oakland's Charles Woodson, Baltimore's Chris McAlister and Washington's Champ Bailey (who's still expected to be traded) will probably be franchised, preventing other teams from signing them away without giving up two first-round picks.

That'll leave the Panthers searching through a second tier of corners, including Seattle's Shawn Springs, Buffalo's Antoine Winfield and San Francisco's Ahmed Plummer. Philadelphia veteran Troy Vincent (who'll turn 33 in June) has openly lobbied to come here, though the Panthers' track record would indicate they'll look for a younger player. If that's the case, Springs could quickly become the front-runner.

Contact Darin Gantt at [email protected]

 

nothing unexpected, but nonetheless interesting. Wish there had been more contact mentioned with Grant or James. I'll be pissed if we end up having worked hard to keep Smith only to RFA him; however that's expected anyway. What would really chap me is to sign Wallace to market contract and not attempt to keep Grant or James. Hell, I'll even allow that James can be replaced by similar FAs. I can't see us getting another Grant on the market.

Big ups to meat for quoting Brady's contract in relation to JD's, but in reaction I did quote a similar structure with less money, more akin to what he'll sign.

 

"Fox said the extension talks were productive, and he was optimistic something would get done soon. The challenge is to write a contract that's viable for its length, rather than the kind of deals that are so prevalent, with unrealistic salaries in latter years that are either terminated or restructured."

I like Fox's approach. Very realistic.

 

keep in mind that's Derrick Fox, Smith's agent. Just a note for any of you who might have skipped the introductory.
But yes, really like that approach.

 

James' agent says it doesn't look good that a deal will get done by the March 3rd deadline.

 

"Springs could quickly become the front-runner"?!?!

Why is HE the front runner? Plummer and Winfield are both younger. Springs is apparently toting some baggage (though I don’t know what it is specifically), and he has missed 13 games in the last three seasons. In his last 35 games he has only 5 picks and 22 PDs. Plummer has missed 3 games in the last three seasons and he has 12 picks and 39 PDs in those 45 games. Why would Springs be considered the front-runner? I know he went to THE Ohio State, and he was probably a higher pick but depending on his off field issue (whatever that was) I would want Vincent over Springs.

 

I hope there is a plan B with James. Losing two linemen out of such a cohesive unit would suck

 

Springs is only 1 year older then Plummer and two years older than Winfield...

Winfield is small @ 5-8 and 180, and we have enough of them. Springs and Plummer are about the same height, however I thinks Springs is much more accomplished as a run stopper in addition to being considered by some as a shut down caliber corner.

The issue you are talking about is probably a 4 week NFL suspension for steroids in 2001. No great details where ever given to what, but Holmgren said at the time the league's list of banned substances runs from anabolic steroids at the most exteme end, to supplements at the other end of of the spectrum and that Springs was closer to the supplements end. He also said that Springs took them unknowingly while working out at an offsite training facility in the offseason. He has been clean since.

The other Springs thing is that he banged up his shoulder pretty bad in 2002 and that probably led to him missing some of the earlier games this season.

I like him, despite the fact he is a buckeye. I think the baggage is enough to keep the price down, yet really will not impact his effectiveness in our system. Run stopping shutdown corner on the high side of 6 feet works for me....

 

I thought it was more than one injury. Was it just one?

I'm a little prejudiced in that I didn't like his father (Ron Springs, RB Cowboys, in the 80s), but I guess that's a little irrational.