Dan III Posted August 17, 2005 Share Posted August 17, 2005 "Well IF Nate Clements is going to re-sign with the Bills prior to the season the groundwork is likely going to be determined in the next few days. His agent Todd France was at practice today after finishing up the contract for Dolphins top pick Ronnie Brown over the weekend. The Bills have been waiting to talk to him about Nate for two weeks. The Bills have had success with France in the past since he represents Takeo Spikes, but he also represents Jonas Jennings. So we'll have to see how things pan out. I'll try to keep you all posted if I get wind of anything." http://buffalobills.com/blog/?topic_id=11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
d_wag Posted August 17, 2005 Share Posted August 17, 2005 "Well IF Nate Clements is going to re-sign with the Bills prior to the season the groundwork is likely going to be determined in the next few days. His agent Todd France was at practice today after finishing up the contract for Dolphins top pick Ronnie Brown over the weekend. The Bills have been waiting to talk to him about Nate for two weeks. The Bills have had success with France in the past since he represents Takeo Spikes, but he also represents Jonas Jennings. So we'll have to see how things pan out. I'll try to keep you all posted if I get wind of anything."http://buffalobills.com/blog/?topic_id=11 409518[/snapback] i hope both sides work hard to get this deal done......clements deserves to be paid and the bills are in salary cap position to reward him....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LabattBlue Posted August 17, 2005 Share Posted August 17, 2005 NC Agent: Nate wants to be the highest paid CB in the NFL! TD: ...(TD's face is getting red) NC Agent: Tom are you going to respond? TD: ...(Face is getting redder. Head looks like it is ready to explode.) NC Agent: Tom...work with me! TD: ...Meeting over! Get the F*** out of here! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plenzmd1 Posted August 17, 2005 Share Posted August 17, 2005 i hope both sides work hard to get this deal done......clements deserves to be paid and the bills are in salary cap position to reward him....... 409645[/snapback] D, i know yoor position on this, but after looking at the Bills cap, how do you see them being able to get this done, and I mean that seriously. I tried to go to clumpys web page on Billszone, but couldn't pull up the page. Where are we on the cap, and will anyone need to be cut? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PIZ Posted August 17, 2005 Share Posted August 17, 2005 NC Agent: Nate wants to be the highest paid CB in the NFL! TD: ...(TD's face is getting red) NC Agent: Tom are you going to respond? TD: ...(Face is getting redder. Head looks like it is ready to explode.) NC Agent: Tom...work with me! TD: ...Meeting over! Get the F*** out of here! 409653[/snapback] NC Agent: Tom, Nate is the top CB in the league. TD: Do you recall the Jacksonville game? NC Agent: We just want a fair deal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelly the Dog Posted August 17, 2005 Share Posted August 17, 2005 D, i know yoor position on this, but after looking at the Bills cap, how do you see them being able to get this done, and I mean that seriously. I tried to go to clumpys web page on Billszone, but couldn't pull up the page. Where are we on the cap, and will anyone need to be cut? 409654[/snapback] We could do it, and I think quite easily. It would all depend on whether Ralph wanted to lay out a huge signing bonus, and I don't see any indication that he wouldn't be willing to do that. The cap hit for this year would be easily workable, and the imminent collective bargaining agreement along with the new TV deals will make a lot more money available to the players after this season. It is just a matter of how much Clements and his agent are actually asking for, and more importantly, what is the figure that TD and his evil devilworshippers have decided that Clements deserves for all he offers in the present, near future and to a lesser extent, the extended future (meaning 3+ years). My guess is that we're going to be surprised and TD is going to pay the man. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuffaloRebound Posted August 17, 2005 Share Posted August 17, 2005 In terms of cash outlay not salary cap accounting numbers, Ralph has not really had to pay anyone so far this season outside of regular salaries and 'other bonuses' which if Culmping Platelets info is right amounts to about $60m this year. With no 1st rounder this year and the last guy to get big money being Spikes more than 2 years ago, it would appear the Bills have plenty of money to give Clements. The only other guy you have to worry about in the next 2 years is Mcgahee and maybe Kelsay and McGee but they won't be double digit bonus guys. Losman, Evans, Mike Williams, Spikes, and Schobel are locked up long term. Add McGahee, Clements, Kelsay and McGee and that's a nice nucleus to build off of. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
d_wag Posted August 17, 2005 Share Posted August 17, 2005 D, i know yoor position on this, but after looking at the Bills cap, how do you see them being able to get this done, and I mean that seriously. I tried to go to clumpys web page on Billszone, but couldn't pull up the page. Where are we on the cap, and will anyone need to be cut? 409654[/snapback] nate's current cap number is 3.5M with 2.5M of that in the form of salary.......with an extension the bills could either increase that number (maintain the current salary and add signing bonus amoritization on top of the current cap number) or keep that number the same (reduce the salary to the minimum, pay difference in signing bonus, and amoritize over new life of deal)........with approx. 3M in cap room, either idea would work and an extension would not require anyone to be cut.......just a matter of whether they want to backload the deal or keep the cap hits more evenly spread out...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buffaloboyinATL Posted August 17, 2005 Share Posted August 17, 2005 Todd France was on the radio here in Atlanta the other day, I think he might live here. Anyways, he sounded like a pretty level headed guy and basically said he would never deal with a team like Drew Rosenhaus has been doing with TO. He seemed like a decent guy as opposed to the typical "shark" style agent. Hopefully they get something done... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John from Riverside Posted August 17, 2005 Share Posted August 17, 2005 Fingers are crossed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fake-Fat Sunny Posted August 17, 2005 Share Posted August 17, 2005 nate's current cap number is 3.5M with 2.5M of that in the form of salary.......with an extension the bills could either increase that number (maintain the current salary and add signing bonus amoritization on top of the current cap number) or keep that number the same (reduce the salary to the minimum, pay difference in signing bonus, and amoritize over new life of deal)........with approx. 3M in cap room, either idea would work and an extension would not require anyone to be cut.......just a matter of whether they want to backload the deal or keep the cap hits more evenly spread out...... 409780[/snapback] Thanks for pointing out the substantial NC cap hit this year as it does provide some wiggle room in putting a deal together right now which essentially pays him the $3.5 he expects this year but turns $2.5 + whatever extra he negotiates into part of the amortized bonus. However, I think the press reports from today descrubing France's visit as the Bills really finding out whether it is even possible to do a deal under the current CBA is correct. If NC has two simple requirements: 1. He wants to retire as a Bills and, 2. He wants to be paid like the #1 CB in theNFL that he almost is and could well become, I don't think it is even possible to do this deal until the new cap kicks in next year. If the market cost for NC is the same (or anywhere near) the bonus of $18 million which Chump Bailey received, you need a 6 year deal (beyond the end of the current CBA to amortize this bonus down to $3 million a year. The Bills will know a lot more today whether a deal is even possible before this season ends. Maybe it is, but if I am NC and mt two goals are too retiire a Bill AND make what the market says I am worth, there is probably no way I chose to and probably no way I can sign before the season begins. There are a lot of details and I hope I am wrong, but it all depends on how much NC wants. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
d_wag Posted August 17, 2005 Share Posted August 17, 2005 If the market cost for NC is the same (or anywhere near) the bonus of $18 million which Chump Bailey received, you need a 6 year deal (beyond the end of the current CBA to amortize this bonus down to $3 million a year. 410208[/snapback] not if it's tiered, as most contracts are these days......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fake-Fat Sunny Posted August 17, 2005 Share Posted August 17, 2005 not if it's tiered, as most contracts are these days......... 410253[/snapback] This is one of the ways to do this certainly but the devil is in the details. However, even before one gets the difficult part of negotiating out the details, there still is that question of whether Clements expects to be paid what the market reasonably sets as his value and also where NC thinks he falls in the market of CBs. 1. If NC and the Bills disagree about where he sits in the marketplace (it strikes me that there are both reasonable assessments of Clements that he is the most valuable CB in the market and also that he is "merely" around #5 among all CBs in the league. If NC says he is #1 and the Bills have him at #5 the price and bonus payment differential probably makes it difficult to do a deal and even if they both have him as #1 both sides probably have to wait until the new cap # to pay him what the market will give the #1 CB. 2. If NC and the Bills disagree about what the salary of the #1 CB will be even if they agree he is the #1 CB then a deal is difficult or impossible to do until the NFL/CBA aggrees what the new cap # will be. A deal might get done, but a lot of things have to break correctly in terms of agreement between the two sides for this to happen and even if they both agree on the salary figures and what the new cap is going to be they both still may have to wait. I hope it works but I doubt it will before the season begins. If anything, i think there will simply be uncertainty and if I am NC there is probably no way I decide to sign now because I doubt TD can offer me the deal the market will say I deserve at the end of the season even if he wanted to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eball Posted August 17, 2005 Share Posted August 17, 2005 nate is a PLAYMAKER. TD, get 'er done! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuffaloRebound Posted August 17, 2005 Share Posted August 17, 2005 Donahoe likes Clements. Clements like Buffalo. Donahoe will offer Clements top 5 money. Clements could get more next year from someone else. But is it worth risking getting hurt this year and having to fit into a new team and new system for an $18m signing bonus instead of a $15m one? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuffaloRebound Posted August 17, 2005 Share Posted August 17, 2005 Also, that 2001 draft class looks better and better. Clements, Schobel, Henry, Jennings, and Edwards next year all will get or have nice 2nd contracts, which is probably the best measure of a draft. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FOB Posted August 17, 2005 Share Posted August 17, 2005 Nate wants to be the top paid. Fox Link Also, that 2001 draft class looks better and better. Clements, Schobel, Henry, Jennings, and Edwards next year all will get or have nice 2nd contracts, which is probably the best measure of a draft. 410314[/snapback] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Posted August 18, 2005 Share Posted August 18, 2005 G'bye, Nate....... We hardly knew yee..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LabattBlue Posted August 18, 2005 Share Posted August 18, 2005 Nate wants to be the top paid. Fox Link 410432[/snapback] From that article... "I'm the best and I don't settle for nothing less," said Clements, a four-year veteran who's entering the final year of his contract. "It's just like if you're the best at your job, you want to be compensated for being the best at your position." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuffaloRebound Posted August 18, 2005 Share Posted August 18, 2005 Where does he say he has to be the highest paid CB? There's a difference between thinking you're the best and expecting Champ Bailey money. I still think top 5 money gets him. Garbage journalism looking for a juicy story. He wanted Clements to say that he wanted more than Champ Bailey but he wouldn't do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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