DarthMonk wrote:
I ask because I love the guy but I don't want to pay him the sky if he wants to stay but would only get a small mountain elsewhere. I think Ray Lewis' last deal was 3 years $22M.
I remember when that was reported, it was reported as a 3 yr/$22M deal but was more like a 7 yr/$45M deal
Lewis got a $6.25M signing bonus, a $2.75M roster bonus and a $1M base salary in 2009 (year 1), he was paid a $1.25M option bonus with a $4.25M base salary in 2010 (year 2), another $2M option bonus with a base salary of $5M in 2011 (year 3).
If it had been a three year deal Lewis would be a URFA this off-season, considering his three year deal was signed in 2009. But he's not because his contract show the following base salaries and years remaining: $4.95 million in 2012, $5.4 million in 2013, $5.85 million in 2014 and $6.3 million in 2015.
DarthMonk wrote:
Who do you think would pay Fletch $15M for the next 2 years with $10M up front?
Top linebackers in the league are making upwards of $7M per year, Ray Lewis earned $9.3M when all was said and done back in 2010. It will cost any team $8.8M to franchise tag a linebacker this off-season.
I think a lot of teams would jump on a deal like that.
DarthMonk wrote:
I'd like to re-sign him for something like a $7M bonus with salaries of $1M and $2M for a total of $10. Would he just laugh and leave? Would he consider it a slap if we said "See what's out there and then we will treat you right?"
I think he'll be looking for more than a three year deal, money won't be a issue when he talks to Bruce Allen. Four years $25M wouldn't surprise me either. They just need to get it don before he starts hear outside offers.