Why Not Steve Smith as a starter.

Well he obviously has played himself into a good contract which I think is what the team wanted him to do. Giving him big bucks for being almost good probably would have been a mistake.

 

As a restricted free agent we can match any offer that Smith may get, if we don't match it what do we get as compensation? He was a 3rd rd selection rt, is that all we get in return. Sign him before he gets on the open market. He spoke glowingly of Fox in the post game interview. Strike fast Hurney

 

We would have probably saved a million or two by signing him during the regular season. He is a starter.

 

We can put a first round tender, and I think that's an automatic $1.2 million. Then, a team can offer a contract which we can either match, or give up Smith and receive a first round pick.

That's how the skins got Coles from the Jets - we should have enough cap room to match an offer.

 

We tender him an offer high enough that would compensate us a 1st round draft pick. We can match any offer, or let him sign and take the pick. Teams will go after a player like that after the UFA's.

He's ours to lose, and he's a keeper, no question.

 

We lost Chad Cota in a similar situation. Saints inserted a "poison pill" into the contract that we couldn't match. Something like "if the Saints are ranked in the top 10 in defense Cota would be released to sign where ever."
Panthers defense was great and was expected to be in the top ten, the Saints were pretty bad that year. As a matter of fact, the Saints improved enough that Cota met the incentive and left for the Colts. All of this is from memory but I think the basic concept is correct. I would hate to hold off thinking that we could match any offer for Smith and have someone out "Fox" us.

 

It was a different set of rules then and we were operating with a gm who was pissed that he was not going to be named team president.

 

Two words are all that's necessary if he doesn't accept the Panther's offer........Franchise Tag

 

I am loving the Steve of the moment but my concern is a familiar one – Once he “gets paid” will he slack off, or worse yet go off the deep end and thug it up? He has already shown plenty of glimpses that he’s not the most stable individual. I hope positive team influences like Mills Minter Fields etc will be able to help keep him straight and motivated once Stevaphone is a multimillionaire and potential endorsement magnet. Waiting for him to shine like this again during those rare contract years in-between the silly shit that he is capable of would be the football fan hell that everyone here is all too familiar with and we’ve had WAY too much of that shit already.
I want Steve here as our superstar, but the minute he should regress into Stevaphone superasshole I will be bitching for his head.

 

>> Franchise Tag

now who woulda ever thought that at the beginning of the year ... even six weeks ago.

sorry for digging up this thread mag. just thought foster looked damn good last nite and we can for the time being take away the "bust" label. i respect that you got the balls to take an unpopular opinion but WP was right on.