Steelers won't change contract policy for Antonio Brown

Quote :

Like it or not, Antonio Brown is stuck with his current contract for the next two years – that's just the way the Steelers do business.

General manager Kevin Colbert told Trib Total Media on Thursday that there has been no change in a long-standing organizational policy to re-work a non-quarterback contract with more than a year left.

“It was something that was here before I got here and I am sure it will continue after I am gone,” Colbert said. “It is just the consistency within the organization. It is something that we believe in and it works for us, so I don't see it changing.”

And that goes for one of the best young receivers in the league as well.

More: http://triblive.com/sports/steelers/8950240-74/story#ixzz3jNobHRqu

Drew Rosenhaus set himself up to be s fool by leaking that he was meeting with the Steelers to seek a contract rework - no way the Steelers were going to rework the deal at this time - now Rosenhaus has been publicized as losing a battle he did not need to even try to fight

Will be interesting to see if Kam Chancellor's more aggressive effort (he is staying out of camp) to get an early rework of his Seahawks contract has the same rest

Once one contract gets an early rework your other stars (starting with Leveon Bell ) will expect similar treatment

That is the danger of a long term non-guaranteed contract, but the players are stuck with the CBA their union negotiated

good, gives the Steelers young WRs another year to get better.

A contract's a contract. Nothing personal to AB but I always shake my head when these players have a problem with honoring a contract they signed willingly.

I served in the military and would have been thrown in jail if i tried to walk out on my contract, and i didn't make 1/10000th of what they make. Sorry but no sympathy from me.

Fire Arians wrote:

A contract's a contract. Nothing personal to AB but I always shake my head when these players have a problem with honoring a contract they signed willingly.

I served in the military and would have been thrown in jail if i tried to walk out on my contract, and i didn't make 1/10000th of what they make. Sorry but no sympathy from me.

     

If you sign a contract follow the

If anything AB should be pissed at himself and Rosenhaus.

Kudos to the Steelers for sticking to their long standing priciples.  

without Ben AB is nothing more then a good WR.

FrancoLambert wrote:

Fire Arians wrote:

A contract's a contract. Nothing personal to AB but I always shake my head when these players have a problem with honoring a contract they signed willingly.

I served in the military and would have been thrown in jail if i tried to walk out on my contract, and i didn't make 1/10000th of what they make. Sorry but no sympathy from me.

     

If you sign a contract follow the

If anything AB should be pissed at himself and Rosenhaus.

Kudos to the Steelers for sticking to their long standing priciples.  

It is an interesting concept of a bilateral contract where the player is required to perform for the full length of the contract with no increase in compensation but the only part of the contract that the owner is required to honor is the signing bonus while reserving the right to cut the player and terminate the contract at any time before the contract term expires - unlike NBA and MLB contracts where the player is guaranteed the full amount to be paid under the contracts

The apparent argument in favor of that arrangement is that, unlike NFL and NBA players, NFL players are more likely to be unable to perform at a high level for the full length of the contract due to increased injury risk and a consequent decline in performance levels (although MLB pitchers certainly have arm problems on a recurring basis and still get guaranteed multi-year contracts). Which from the NFL player's point of view is why you would want to try to get more $$$ ASAP since you are one catastrophic injury away from only being able to wear a uniform jersey on the field on old timer's day

What it comes down to is the NFL owners are for a variety of reasons (such as a union that could not even bargain having player discipline handled in some manner other than exclusively at the whim of Goodell) able to drive a harder bargain than owners in other sports. As in many contract negotiations in any business, this is simply about who has the power - dressing it up as the need to protect the sacred obligations of honoring a contract is just another way of justifying that exercise of power

effyou515 wrote:

without Ben AB is nothing more then a good WR.

I wouldn't go that far, AB is a top 3 WR with or without ben

Don't have a problem with it but the team should honor contracts as well. Both parties should have to but the NFLPA is a weak union, so the players get the shaft on this one. Teams can cut players without penalty but players can be terminated before the contract ends, that sucks big donkey dicks.

Vis wrote:

Quote :

Like it or not, Antonio Brown is stuck with his current contract for the next two years – that's just the way the Steelers do business.

General manager Kevin Colbert told Trib Total Media on Thursday that there has been no change in a long-standing organizational policy to re-work a non-quarterback contract with more than a year left.

“It was something that was here before I got here and I am sure it will continue after I am gone,” Colbert said. “It is just the consistency within the organization. It is something that we believe in and it works for us, so I don't see it changing.”

And that goes for one of the best young receivers in the league as well.

More:  http://triblive.com/sports/steelers/8950240-74/story#ixzz3jNobHRqu

I guess you can claim you have not changed your long standing policy if you just take $$$ from a future year on the contract and pay it now

In reworking contract, Steelers WR Brown gets hefty pay raise

The Steelers have had a longstanding policy to not rework non-quarterbacks' contracts with multiple years remaining, but nothing was said about giving a player an advance on his pay.

An industry source Tuesday confirmed the Steelers took $2 million of Antonio Brown's 2016 contract and converted it to a signing bonus this season. That bumps Brown's salary this season to $8 million, which is more in line with some of the top receivers in the NFL.

Brown signed a five-year extension in 2012 for $42 million but has outperformed his contract with consecutive 100-plus catch seasons.

Brown confirmed the restructuring and raise after practice Tuesday.

“They could've told me to stick to my original deal,” Brown said. “I am deeply grateful and have tremendous gratitude. They didn't have to do it. It just shows what they think about me.”

Brown's agent, Drew Rosenhaus, used a similar negotiation ploy with the New England Patriots* and tight end Rob Gronkowski earlier in training camp.

Although there is no new money involved, reworking Brown's deal was a way to keep the player and team happy. Brown wanted the Steelers to reconsider their contract policy. The Steelers wanted to stand pat with their policy. This way, both sides win.

http://triblive.com/sports/steelers/9016799-74/brown-steelers-deal#ixzz3kXrIKhxm
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Congrats to Antonio Brown and his agent Drew Rosenhaus

They also reworked solutions and Heath Miller contract signing the need to free up money to sign players replacing those injured.

So the big question is does Browns 2 million dollar bonus still apply to next year's cap it, or does it fill an extra cap space we had left over this year?

I'm glad the Steelers are sticking to their guns and not giving him a new contract. Surely Brown is worth top receiver money, but I think once you've signed a contract then you need to honor that until it's time to write up a new one. The Steelers know Brown is worth more money, his play has proven that much, but I agree with the general consensus of most people that they need to honor their contracts for the time that they signed. Nobody made them sign them at gun point, the issue here is that there are teams that give in to these players. If more teams would collectively make their star players honor their contracts, then I don't think this would even be a discussion.

Fire Arians wrote:

effyou515 wrote:

without Ben AB is nothing more then a good WR.

I wouldn't go that far, AB is a top 3 WR with or without ben

So you're saying if Landry Jones had to step in that AB would still put up the same numbers?

This restructure may just help keep AB in Pittsburgh on a long term basis. They pulled money from 2016 and paid it to him now. They'll most likely do the same thing next year to make sure he's getting money in 2016. That will make the 2017 contract value pretty low for AB, which, hopefully, leads to an extension prior to the 2017 season. The Steelers will have some leverage because without an extension prior to the 2017 season, AB would play his last year for peanuts. In essence, AB is getting his pay raise and yet the Steelers aren't  guaranteeing anything ... win-win for both sides.

tony hipchest wrote:

They also reworked solutions and Heath Miller contract signing the need to free up money to sign players replacing those injured.

So the big question is does Browns 2 million dollar bonus still apply to next year's cap it, or does it fill an extra cap space we had left over this year?

Apparently the Brown restructuring frees up $$ this year

#Steelers created $5.9 M in cap room when dust settled from 3 contract restructurings: Heath Miller, Shaun Suisham, Antonio Brown

— Ed Bouchette (@EdBouchette) September 1, 2015

But the type of deal done with AB is unusual for the Steelers

“@redbuppy: @EdBouchette Is converting a future year's salary to this year's bonus as rare as I think it is?” ... Not often done

— Ed Bouchette (@EdBouchette) September 1, 2015

6 mil is a big chunk to kick into next year, but i guess they feel pretty comfortable with 14 mil of dead money coming off the books plus a potential 8-10 increase in salary cap.

we are "all-in" for this year. can be affording to drop 2-3 games by a FG because we have a shitty scrap heap kicker.

Atlanta Dan wrote:

tony hipchest wrote:

They also reworked solutions and Heath Miller contract signing the need to free up money to sign players replacing those injured.

So the big question is does Browns 2 million dollar bonus still apply to next year's cap it, or does it fill an extra cap space we had left over this year?

Apparently the Brown restructuring frees up $$ this year

#Steelers created $5.9 M in cap room when dust settled from 3 contract restructurings: Heath Miller, Shaun Suisham, Antonio Brown

— Ed Bouchette (@EdBouchette) September 1, 2015

But the type of deal done with AB is unusual for the Steelers

“@redbuppy: @EdBouchette Is converting a future year's salary to this year's bonus as rare as I think it is?” ... Not often done

— Ed Bouchette (@EdBouchette) September 1, 2015

Not often a situation like AB comes to the Burgh.

SteelersNorth wrote:

Fire Arians wrote:

effyou515 wrote:

without Ben AB is nothing more then a good WR.

I wouldn't go that far, AB is a top 3 WR with or without ben

So you're saying if Landry Jones had to step in that AB would still put up the same numbers?

Well, he'd be a top WR even under a mid-level/decent qb like tony romo, carson palmer, andy dalton, etc. (basically any qb that's even starter material)

Landry Jones is taking it to an extreme, not even larry fitzgerald in his prime or megatron would do much under him. If LJ is your starting QB your entire team is fucked, not just at WR.

SteelersNorth wrote:

Fire Arians wrote:

effyou515 wrote:

without Ben AB is nothing more then a good WR.

I wouldn't go that far, AB is a top 3 WR with or without ben

So you're saying if Landry Jones had to step in that AB would still put up the same numbers?

AB would make Landry Jones look better than he actually is.