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The Maurice Jones- Drew situation
I understand that this topic may very well find it's way to the 'Non-Ravens' portion of the board, but I feel that this topic makes for a very intriguing debate.
It seems that we have an older RB, who has defied the numbers and is still leading the league in rushing, but who also sees the new trend of the league. Even with that in mind, given the recent deals to well known RBs, what Jones-Drew is being paid to lead the league in rushing on a team destined to go nowhere, is a significant discount.
Jones Drew wants his last major payday and that is understandable. He isn't the first and he won't be the last. However, not only has Jacksonville taken a hard stance, but a disrespectful one. Particularly, with comments made by their new owner Mr. Khan.
There was even a report that Jones-Drew was nearing arrival to camp, when he heard those comments from Khan and changed his mind.
On one hand, Jones-Drew is the leader of that team. However, Michael Irvin made a good point in that this could send a bad message to the younger players on the team. In essence, if this is the way that you talk about him and treat him, what are you going to do to me when my time comes up?
Now, I know that we have some guys who simply take exception to players arguing over millions of dollars. However, what I think we need to accept is that they are arguing over their worth and, based on the money they bring in for the league, they are pretty close to it. We also speak as if the owners would simply take that excess money and do something more constructive with it when, deep down, we all know that not to be true. They happen to be in good spots for a lucrative business. We aren't. That doesn't mean they should automatically take what we'd take, because of our own desperation.
We all know what that team is going to ask Jones Drew to do. They are going to ask him to carry the ball thirty times a game and run him into the ground. We know it, the team knows it and Jones Drew knows it. What he is essentially saying, I think, is that you can't tell me that my position is devalued one day, but ask me to be such a high percentage of the offense at the same time. You can't have it both ways.
Personally, I think the element of being on a losing team has come into play here as well.
What do you guys think about the overall situation?"Please take with you this final sword, The Excellector. I am praying that your journey will be guided by the light", Leon Shore
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Re: The Maurice Jones- Drew situation
The reality is and the way this ties into Ravens is, the way Rices deal is structured, we could be in the exact same situation 2-3 years from now. Obviously i dont think Steve B would ever say and treat a star player the way that the Jags owner has. Hes new to the league and doesnt really understand how things work yet. Winning does make problems go away, but youre right that theyre just fighting for worth. They feel undervalued just like we do at our jobs. Ive asked for raises before, i cant see why players cant.
-JAB
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08-23-2012, 09:01 AM #3
Re: The Maurice Jones- Drew situation
Jones-Drew is well within his right to hold out. The team is well within their rights to not budge, though Kahn was foolish to stoke the fire with his comments.
In the end I think it's loose-loose for Jones-Drew. He may think he has leverage because he's so valuable to this team, but even with him on the field it's still a losing team. If he was the difference between a playoff team and an average team there would be leverage. Being the difference between a bad team and a somewhat worse team isn't enough leverage to get a new contract. If the Jags are smart they will get the owner to stop flapping his gums, while they continue to stand firm with the current contract.
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Re: The Maurice Jones- Drew situation
It is interesting to think about the reality that they are probably still a losing team with Jones Drew. The only solace they could take, would be that they wouldn't be far off from Indianapolis and Tennessee, and could even on par with them. That only leaves Houston.
It opens up the idea of whether or not Khan's comments were true? I think that we all agree that they should not have been said, but would Jones-Drew's absence have an even greater effect on ticket sales?"Please take with you this final sword, The Excellector. I am praying that your journey will be guided by the light", Leon Shore
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Re: The Maurice Jones- Drew situation
It seems to me that the value of running backs continues to decline as the supply of good backs grows and grows. I wonder what the Jags could even get for the guy? Would you really trade a first round pick for MJD knowing you'd then need to give him a big contract? When the Ravens traded for McGahee they gave up a third and seventh round pick. Then they gave him as seven year contract that was really five years. He got a $7 mil signing bonus and one big payday year -- $6 million in 2010. It was backloaded so he never really saw a lot of the potential money. The point is that even that was a lot to give up.
I think the Jags need to sit tight. They're already a mediocre team. Making MJD ultra-happy, and hoping the locker room perks up accordingly isn't going to really make much of a difference anyway.
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Re: The Maurice Jones- Drew situation
Del Rio is gone, Jones Drew isn't happy and the team is relatively young now. I think that this would effect their potential to grow, because ownership has shown a lack of understanding, of how to handle player negotiations. Why should any of their 'up-starts' expect different treatment?
"Please take with you this final sword, The Excellector. I am praying that your journey will be guided by the light", Leon Shore
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08-23-2012, 11:09 AM #8
Re: The Maurice Jones- Drew situation
Holy crap, I forgot that MJD is only 27 lol( I thought he was 29 or so). Forgive me, it's only Thursday and I'm getting weekend brain.
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Re: The Maurice Jones- Drew situation
If I were Jax, I'd trade him.
I get the whole idea of how it's not fair that teams can cut guys for underperforming contracts and players are stuck when they outperform it.
But on the whole...my belief is that I agree with the young guys who are are stars, yet are still in their rookie deals...not so much vet stars who are pissed 2-3 years into record contracts.
If a player wants to constantly be at the top pay for his position, he needs to sacrifice some in terms of the length of these deals they sign. If you are elite, and stay elite after signing a 5 year deal, your contract is guaranteed to be passed by quite a bit 3-4 years into it.
Back to the question though, I would not give him a new deal if he is expecting to break the bank again. The team is still going to be bad, with or without him...he doesn't make Jax into a contender or anything.
I'd get what I could for him in a trade...draft picks.
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Re: The Maurice Jones- Drew situation
:word
There are plenty of teams out there that would be interested in giving up a 2nd or 3rd rounder for MJD. I doubt he'd garner a 1st round pick given his age. Not one team was chomping at the bit to sent Pittsburgh a 1st rounder for Mike Wallace and he's younger and at a much more premium position than MJD is.
Miami, Pittsburgh (if they could afford it), Jets, Pats, Lions, Cardinals, Redskins, Bills, Chargers and possibly even the Colts or Raiders might be interested in trading for MJD.Disclaimer: The content posted is of my own opinion.
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