[snackdaddy]

After Sept 1 is the time to pay any attention to this stuff. Fun hot stove talk, but rather early to believe anything or throw Demoff, Snead, or Donald under the bus.

Trade him?! No way. Now if someone wants Johnson and has RG or RT to send back, heck yeah. Then add whatever the cost surplus is to AD's signing bonus offer.

Priority right now, though, is seeing if we can throw the pigskin around a little (more than 10 yards) and if Gurley can gain more than 3 yards on a carry in PS Game 2.

Well, if someone was willing to take Tru and his salary along with Donald for an all pro guard, a decent CB and high picks, I'd be tempted. But yeah, this team is going to be about offense. At least thats the plan. Might be tough going at first, but they know offense is the ticket in the NFL.

[RamsFanSince82]

[Zen_Ronin]

Skip to about the 22 min mark for the AD talk....



The talk about the 3 year time frame for a contract opt out/renegotiation is around the 6th or 7th time I've heard this take, each from a different source. Seems to me like it might actually be the reason for the hold out. If so, I'm pretty much entirely on the Rams side on this one. Think about it, you have AD signed for another 2 years, plus 2 more through franchise tags. Would you sign him to a new big money contract that would allow him to renegotiate for even more money before your original time frame would have even run out? That's madness to me. I have to agree with Vinny on this one, if I'm the Rams I show you the money, but you play for me for 6 years minimum. Anybody have another take?

I know this is all still rumor, that no official word has come down from the suits, and maybe I keep hearing it because the media likes to parrot itself, but I find myself thinking it's the most plausible explanation right now.

Anyway, just thought this was interesting. Also going to throw out a bold prediction, with absolutely nothing to back it up: AD signs tomorrow before the game.

[majik]

I guess I will again take the unpopular position based on my previous posts regarding this issue, I have no problem whatsoever with Donald asking for a three-year opt out. If he signs a six-year deal the team has a three-year opt out because he gets hurt the Rams can cut him and years 4-6 are irrelevant.

[dieterbrock]

I guess I will again take the unpopular position based on my previous posts regarding this issue, I have no problem whatsoever with Donald asking for a three-year opt out. If he signs a six-year deal the team has a three-year opt out because he gets hurt the Rams can cut him and years 4-6 are irrelevant.

I am with you on this. Only concern is ramifications of dead cap if he opts out.

[Neil039]

Verbage, verbage, verbage..... it's all contracts are about. Whose verbage dictates the leverage within the contract. I side with the team, most players get an insane amount of guaranteed money. Just my opinion

[PARAM]

Verbage, verbage, verbage..... it's all contracts are about. Whose verbage dictates the leverage within the contract. I side with the team, most players get an insane amount of guaranteed money. Just my opinion

I can see it both ways. AD deserves a raise. But if he's being fair, he's got to give them years for the money. I can see the team not wanting an opt out after year 3. That sounds like having the cake and eating it too. Might as well just let him walk tomorrow and save a boatload of money, if you think that's a good deal. Two things are reality. He deserves more money. They deserve his services for a good chunk of time if they give him the money.

[Elmgrovegnome]

Tell him there is a trade in place to the Jets, or Bills and that they are willing to pay his price. He won't hurt the Rams much on those teams. He can continue to play for a losing franchise.

[majik]

I can see it both ways. AD deserves a raise. But if he's being fair, he's got to give them years for the money. I can see the team not wanting an opt out after year 3. That sounds like having the cake and eating it too. Might as well just let him walk tomorrow and save a boatload of money, if you think that's a good deal. Two things are reality. He deserves more money. They deserve his services for a good chunk of time if they give him the money.

And that is exactly my point. In the NFL, teams currently have their cake and can eat it too and the players get the shaft.

If Donald signs a 6-year deal, he suffers a devastating injury in Year 3, the team can cut him and void years 4-6 of the deal. All Donald is asking for with the opt-out is the same thing that teams enjoy.

A player like Donald holding out for this ability to opt-out is huge for the players, since teams already can opt-out of any contract with a player. Donald may be the NFL's Curt Flood with his situation, fighting for the ability of players to not be locked into a one-way contract with their team. This one-way contract situation is similar to the old reserve clause that baseball had prior to the 70's in the sense that the team can opt-out of a deal while the player cannot. This is one of the major reasons why I think unless things change we will see a players strike in 2021.

[PARAM]

And that is exactly my point. In the NFL, teams currently have their cake and can eat it too and the players get the shaft.

If Donald signs a 6-year deal, he suffers a devastating injury in Year 3, the team can cut him and void years 4-6 of the deal. All Donald is asking for with the opt-out is the same thing that teams enjoy.

A player like Donald holding out for this ability to opt-out is huge for the players, since teams already can opt-out of any contract with a player. Donald may be the NFL's Curt Flood with his situation, fighting for the ability of players to not be locked into a one-way contract with their team. This one-way contract situation is similar to the old reserve clause that baseball had prior to the 70's in the sense that the team can opt-out of a deal while the player cannot. This is one of the major reasons why I think unless things change we will see a players strike in 2021.

If Donald has an opt-out in his contract after year 3 and suffers a devastating injury in year 3, where is he?

Guaranteed money is where the rubber meets the road. You want an opt-out after year 3? Okay. Your guaranteed money might be 25-30 million and some of that might have to be returned. You want 60 million guaranteed? Okay. No opt out, no returned money. I don't see where the player is getting hosed with no opt-out.

Or the NFL could guarantee all contracts like MLB. Injuries (which are a common occurance of the sport) will create some really crappy teams (with the salary cap). Some teams might be starting a lot of "2's" and "3's".

Or the NFL could eliminate the salary cap and then we'd see the Rams, Giants, Jets, Patriots, Bears, Redskins and Chargers (and other 'large market teams) in the playoffs every year.

I sympathize with the lower paid players. It's a sport that can inflict lifetime wounds on a body. I have no sympathy for the guys who make 30-40-50-60 million guaranteed.

Tell him there is a trade in place to the Jets, or Bills and that they are willing to pay his price. He won't hurt the Rams much on those teams. He can continue to play for a losing franchise.