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Redskins, Arrington Continue Discussions
Sides Hope to Resolve Financial Dispute
By Jason La Canfora
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, July 31, 2005; Page E11
While linebacker LaVar Arrington worked out many of his differences with the Washington Redskins during a meeting with team officials on Wednesday, league sources said the sides are continuing discussions through this weekend in hopes of resolving a lingering financial dispute.
Arrington has long said that a $6.5 million bonus was left out of the eight-year, $68-million deal he signed in December 2003, and negotiations were ongoing through yesterday to reach a financial settlement before players take the field for training camp tomorrow.
BATMAN wrote:Warmother wrote:Since neither Arrington or the Redskin's management is making comments on this I hope it did end in a "win, win". I have a feeling though that it didn't.
WIN-WIN situations always end with a press conference. There was no press conference....and there was no comment. Therefore, this is no win win situation. Lavar has lost his rediculous claim because he was finally able to be told by somebody OTHER than his agent that a signed contract is a LEGAL document.
Apparently Lavar was under the impression that since he is a star and use to getting his way, just saying he didn't like his "signed" contract would immediately make everybody jump. Guess what, nobody was jumping and Lavar got mad. Tough.
Let him sue his idiot agents for change.
Redskins, Arrington Reach Deal on Contract Dispute
By Nunyo Demasio
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, August 25, 2005; 10:48 AM
LaVar Arrington and the Washington Redskins have reached a settlement, ending a contract dispute that lasted 17 months, according to several sources involved in the negotiations.
The resolution follows several oft-postponed hearings for binding arbitration after Arrington filed a grievance in March 2004 contending that the Redskins omitted $6.5 million in virtual guarantees that he said were agreed upon in an eight-year, $68 million extension.
Under the settlement, Arrington's contract extension, signed in December 2003, won't be reworked. However, an amendment, called a contingency, has been inserted that gives Arrington an opportunity to void his deal -- making him a free agent -- as soon as 2007, or receive performance incentives worth $3.25 million, and possibly $1.6 million more.
The resolution is expected to become official by early tonight when pertinent documents are signed by all parties involved -- including Arrington -- at Redskins Park.
Arrington was unavailable for comment. Redskins spokesman Karl Swanson didn't immediately return voice mail or e-mail messages. Other key participants in the agreement declined comment until the formality of the signings.
To trigger the amendment, Arrington must make the Pro Bowl at least twice within the next four seasons, said sources with detailed knowledge of the agreement. If Arrington opts for free agency, the Redskins can force him to remain under contract by paying $3.25 million.
The $1.6 million figure will be almost impossible to achieve, since Arrington must participate in 98 percent of special-teams play, said two sources who have seen the agreement. (The performance clause was inserted to satisfy a salary-cap rule.)
Thus, both sides essentially split the difference over the disputed sum, assuming the contingency.
Entering the 2004 season, Arrington had made the Pro Bowl three consecutive times. Arrington wasn't named last season after suffering a bone bruise that forced him to miss 12 games. The linebacker, who underwent two knee surgeries for his injury, is expected to play in tonight's game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, taking the field for the first time since last season.
A resolution seemed far-fetched until July 27, when Arrington held a two-hour meeting with Coach Joe Gibbs, owner Daniel Snyder and NFL Players Association executive director Gene Upshaw at Redskins Park. Upshaw helped organize the meeting and formulated the framework of the resolution, according to officials involved in the talks. The settlement talks were spurred after Arrington telephoned Gibbs about concerns about his Redskins future, sources said. Gibbs played a pivotal role by insisting on a resolution, and he later held a separate meeting with Arrington's representatives in his office at Redskins Park. (Team counsel Norm Chirite negotiated for the Redskins with Arrington's Memphis-based lawyer, Steve Brown.)
The disputed contract was negotiated by Arrington's agent, Carl Poston, and Eric Schaffer, Washington's salary-cap specialist. Arrington contended that $6.5 million in guarantees were missing from the 2006 season. Arrington accused the club of purposely removing the difference from the final draft he signed at Redskins Park under deadline pressure.
Arrington originally filed the grievance as an individual through Don Petersen, a Detroit-based attorney, and received assistance from Richard Berthelsen, the NFLPA's general counsel. The Redskins were aided by the NFL's management council.
Thus, both sides essentially split the difference over the disputed sum, assuming the contingency.
Nearly a year and a half of acrimony between the Washington Redskins and star linebacker LaVar Arrington has ended with a settlement of the contract dispute in which the three-time Pro Bowl defender insisted that the team shorted him by $6.5 million in the eight-year extension he signed in December 2003.
The settlement, which culminated weeks of intense bargaining that was ratcheted up over the past few days, is expected to become official Thursday. The deal was essentially completed on Wednesday when Arrington's attorney, Steve Brown, was able to have some key sticking points removed from the settlement language.
Under terms of the settlement, Arrington is likely to see half the disputed $6.5 million. The deal allows Arrington to void the contract, which is scheduled to run through the 2011 season, as early as 2007 if he is named twice to the Pro Bowl. Making the Pro Bowl twice over the next four years would permit Arrington to then void the remainder of the deal.
If such a void is triggered, and Arrington opts to become a free agent, the Redskins can "buy back" the voided years with a $3.25 million bonus.
There is an additional $1.6 million in bonuses that Arrington can earn, but which will be difficult for him to reach, given playing time stipulations involved. As recently as a few days ago, it appeared a settlement might include a contract extension, but extra years were not included in the final document.
The dispute began shortly after Arrington signed an eight-year, $68 million extension late in the 2003 season. Arrington and agent Carl Poston subsequently charged that a bonus of $6.5 million for 2006, which they said had been agreed upon, was omitted from the final draft of the contract that the star linebacker signed. Poston acknowledged that he had not read the final contract.
Arrington, the second overall choice in the 2000 draft, filed a formal grievance through the NFL Players Association last year. After several arbitration hearings were postponed, Arrington withdrew the grievance last month, in part at the urging of NFLPA executive director Gene Upshaw, and the two sides pursued a settlement.
It appeared a settlement was close last week, but Redskins owner Daniel Snyder backed away from some of the stipulations, and the agreement nearly fell apart.
Sources close to the talks told ESPN.com that, while Upshaw played a major role in the discussions, the deal was completed because of the relationship between Arrington and coach Joe Gibbs, and their mutual eagerness to reach an agreement before the start of the season. Arrington, who has not played in the preseason and has missed considerable practice time in camp, is to make his debut in Friday night's contest against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
SkinFan 0-16 or 16-0 wrote:Arrington probably won't opt out because he will be at least 29 years old. (that's if he makes the pro bowl the next 2 years, which I expect him to do.)
Why would he get out of a secure contract with a lot of money, when there is probably not that much out there for a 29 year old.
His best pay day would be here. And even if he does opt out, all we would have to do is give him a 3.25 million dollar bonus (half as much as before) and we get those years back.
It's a win win all around.
1niksder wrote:If he makes the next two Pro Bowls he'll be a 29 years old free agent LB that has been to the Pro Bowl 5 out of 6 years. He'll be able to get a lot more than $3.5M in bonus money alone in 2007
SkinFan 0-16 or 16-0 wrote:But will he be able to get 9.133 million in base salary that year. 11.783 the next and 11.400 the year after that. And 2 more years with numbers around that. For someoune who is almost 30 that's a little risky for another team to do.
SkinFan 0-16 or 16-0 wrote:1niksder wrote:If he makes the next two Pro Bowls he'll be a 29 years old free agent LB that has been to the Pro Bowl 5 out of 6 years. He'll be able to get a lot more than $3.5M in bonus money alone in 2007
But will he be able to get 9.133 million in base salary that year. 11.783 the next and 11.400 the year after that. And 2 more years with numbers around that. For someoune who is almost 30 that's a little risky for another team to do.
oneman56 wrote:Under the settlement, the Redskins have the option of giving Arrington a bonus if he makes the Pro Bowl twice in the next four years. If they decline to give him the bonus, Arrington can void the contract and become a free agent.
oneman56 wrote:oneman56 wrote:
Under the settlement, the Redskins have the option of giving Arrington a bonus if he makes the Pro Bowl twice in the next four years. If they decline to give him the bonus, Arrington can void the contract and become a free agent.
You got it backwards... Lavar can void the contract if he make 2 Pro Bowls, but the Skins can still keep him by paying him the $3.6
Well, that is straight from nfl.com and I have read that on two different sites now. So, maybe it is wrong but that is what is being reported....do you have a link
The Washington Post wrote:Under the settlement, Arrington's contract extension, signed in December 2003, won't be reworked. However, an amendment, called a contingency, has been inserted that gives Arrington an opportunity to void his deal -- making him a free agent -- as soon as 2007, or receive performance incentives worth $3.25 million, and possibly $1.6 million more.
To trigger the amendment, Arrington must make the Pro Bowl at least twice within the next four seasons, said sources with detailed knowledge of the agreement. If Arrington opts for free agency, the Redskins can force him to remain under contract by paying $3.25 million.