McGahee Knee To Be Scoped

[purplepoe]

Time will tell..but he needs a better year than last year IMO, to keep this guy around for the long term. With Rice and backs coming out of college every year it makes a guy like Willis less valuable unless he steps up.

Trust me...I want to see this guiy have a monster year, but his injuries and lack of work ethic have be doubting him at the moment.

FM

I agree with you 100%.

The problem, again, is that his contract is such that he's gonna be around for a fairly long time no matter what.

PP

[Fanman]

Contracts are year to year in the NFL....not guaranteed...he can be released any season if they feel it's best for the org. I know there are salary cap implications if that happens, but he is not guaranteed to be here the length of his contract.

FM

[UKRavenStockers]

Agreed, but for the amount of dead cap space he'd take up there'd have to be a pretty sizeable upgrade on his role in the running back position (whether that be as starter, or 2nd back if Rice shows the ability to take the lead role) at a much lesser cost for the difference to be made up on his impact on the roster and his salary compared to his dead cap number.

[purplepoe]

Contracts are year to year in the NFL....not guaranteed...he can be released any season if they feel it's best for the org. I know there are salary cap implications if that happens, but he is not guaranteed to be here the length of his contract.

FM

I realize anyone can be released at any time.

However, his contract is big and would have a crippling effect on our cap if he were to be released anytime in the next few years.

Most guys don't see the end of their big contracts. No doubt about that. They either get renegotiated or guys get cut before the final few years of deals.

PP

[jonboy79]

It's not even the size of the contract, it's the structure... If I'm not mistaken, he still havs a roster bonus guaranteed for NEXT offseason. I remember talking abotu the dela very much when he signed it, and he is basically here for 4 years for better or worse. His deal is simply such, that unless he can't play at all, he is here for 4 years.

[purplepoe]

It's not even the size of the contract, it's the structure... If I'm not mistaken, he still havs a roster bonus guaranteed for NEXT offseason. I remember talking abotu the dela very much when he signed it, and he is basically here for 4 years for better or worse. His deal is simply such, that unless he can't play at all, he is here for 4 years.

True.

I remember the cap "gurus" on the board pointing that out when the deal was signed.

They broke the bonus' down into segments that are guaranteed. Or something like that.

I'm sure BmoreRavor could let us know.

PP

[ravensnhokies]

The McGahee contract signing, when we DID NOT have to do it, was the final straw that made me convinced that our Front Office is poor in how they assemble a team with respect to the salary cap and what those players bring performance wise to the Ravens. Heap was signed to be the top paid TE, when he really didnt deserve to be, and now he is oft injured. We spend an ungodly amount of money on LBs, which is arguably the most easily replaceable position with lower salaried players. Rolle was overpayed. And then, the insane McGahee new contract when he had a lazy rep who just in case they forgot had one of the worst knee injuries ever, and plays the position that gets the most amount of contact. Sorry, we cannot have all our featured players to be one of the highest paid players at their positions and expect to have any quality depth, and to possess great talent at the other positions (OT, QB). I am usually a glass half full with respect to Ravens, but with the recent management of the team, I have no optimism that the FO can develop a true SB contender every year.

[psuasskicker]

http://www.rotoworld.com/Content/pla...rt=NFL&id=2265

$7.5MM signing bonus
He got a $6.5MM roster bonus this year.
Gets a $1.5MM roster bonus next year (I think that's guaranteed, though "roster bonus" usually means only gets it if he's on the roster).

The 7.5MM is allocated over 7 years, so $1.1MM/year.
The 6.5MM is allocated over 6 year, so $1.1MM/year.

Say we want to cut him after this season, and the $1.5MM bonus he's due this off-season is NOT counted against our cap in full next year. He costs us 5 years of the 7.5 and 5 of the 6.5.
5 * $1.1MM + 5 * $1.1MM = $11MM cap hit next year.
His salary next year = $0.62MM
So that'd be $10.38MM dead cap space by cutting him next year.

Not quite "crippling" when the cap is over $110MM these days, but fair to say he's not going anywhere if he's capable of standing up straight.

In '10 if we wanted to cut him, it's a $10MM hit vs. $3.6MM salary, so $6.4MM dead space. Probably not going anywhere that year either.

In '11, it's $7.5MM vs a $6MM salary so only $1.5MM of dead cap space, so he becomes easily cut-able if he's really playing for sh*t.

I was not at all a fan of this deal when they signed him to it. Loved the acquisition until they signed the deal. I don't hate deals like this for certain players. But basically locking down a guy for four years when he's known to be a) a flake, and b) an injury risk is not a smart move pretty much ever.

- C -

[awalt]

Tony's article says it well. Certainly sounds like the coaches are not entirely pleased with the Willis package...

We learned yesterday that Willis McGahee has to undergo arthroscopic surgery on his left knee – the same knee that was injured in a devastating way on national television when McGahee was a Miami Hurricane. By his own admission, McGahee did not report to camp in the best of shape and some team officials have privately questioned McGahee's commitment. One has to wonder if McGahee had trained more rigorously prior to arriving at camp would the need for the scope have surfaced sooner and wouldn't that have made him more available to the team during camp and the preseason.

One might also wonder just how much McGahee loves the game of football. Cam Cameron's offense is built for a versatile back. A player who has passion for the game, particularly on the heels of signing a fat contract just one year ago, should whole-heartedly embrace the new offense system.

Last season against his former mates in Buffalo, McGahee had to leave the field for an IV. Now an overworked player on a hot day might require intravenous fluids at halftime. But McGahee left the game after three quarters and 17 carries on a day that featured perfect conditions, sunny skies, 66 degrees and 16 mph winds with his team trailing 19-7. Some have speculated that the Buffalo night life that McGahee once trashed got the best of him the night before the game.

McGahee's surgery announcement could force the Ravens to look for a veteran back to not only take practice reps in practice but possibly be ready to go against the Cincinnati Bengals on opening day. The available free agent backs according to NFL.com include: Shawn Alexander, Travis Henry, Samkon Gado, Najeh Davenport, Mike Bell and Ron Dayne.

No one asked me but Travis Henry might be the best choice from a thin list of possibilities. He certainly should be hungry particularly considering his burgeoning stable of little Henrys.

[HoustonRaven]

I am sure someone in the FO has Shawn Alexander's cell on speed dial.

[purplepoe]

I am sure someone in the FO has Shawn Alexander's cell on speed dial.

Well, Ozzie doesn't seem to have anyone on speed dial to try and help the mess at the tackle spot.

And the RB spot, even with McGahee's surgery, seems a bit more stable than the tackle spot.

PP

[UKRavenStockers]

I am sure someone in the FO has Shawn Alexander's cell on speed dial.

I would hope not, Alexander's done absolutely nothing left in there. Watching him last year you wouldn't have believed he was two years removed from an MVP award. No power, no burst, no cuts, very very little left in the tank from Alexander. Even though he's an Alabam alumnus (and we know Ozzie has crimson tinted specs at times) I can't see Ozzie picking up the phone to Alexander's representatives.

On another note, the Steelers agreed to deals with Byron Leftwich and Culpepper over the weekend. I believe Leftwich has signed his deal, but apparently Culpepper turned the deal down as he wants to be guaranteed a starting position wherever he goes. Frankly he and Alexander are putting themselves into a position where they're never going to play again if they aren't willing to fight for jobs or accept backup roles, they simply aren't good enough and haven't shown in enough in the last year to warrant a guaranteed starting spot. Always said that the NFL is all about "what have you done for me lately?" and these two haven't done an awful lot.