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Still no long term deal for Shaun Alexander
Seahawks front-office officials decided by the middle of the season that Shaun Alexander was worth a huge long-term investment, and they embarked on a serious effort to sign the running back to a big contract extension.
Still no deal.
NFL execs around the league wonder why Alexander hasn't already agreed to a contract, especially with such uncertainty looming regarding the league's labor situation.
Alexander gambled that he'd gain increased leverage by playing out his deal and becoming an unrestricted free agent after the season. In some respects, the gamble paid off, because he turned in an MVP performance during the regular season and has helped the Seahawks reach the Super Bowl.
But with the increased likelihood that the NFL and the NFL Players Association will be unable to strike a deal on a collective-bargaining agreement extension, Alexander may have unwittingly priced himself out of the deal he might have received.
Here's the problem: If the league and the players' union don't agree on a CBA extension, and if Alexander doesn't sign with Seattle before the March 3 free-agency period begins, he will enter a very uncertain labor market.
Without a CBA extension, any signing bonus Alexander agrees to can be prorated over only four years, which puts a heavy strain on the salary cap of any team that signs him, including the Seahawks. Had he signed during the season, Seattle could have spread the bonus money over five seasons.
Not only that, but Alexander would face scrutiny before any team signs him. He turns 29 in August, and teams might be reluctant to invest heavily in a running back at that age, even one as good as Alexander. Let's face it: This is a league that covets younger players, and doling out big money to someone a year before his 30th birthday is considered risky.
"You have a guy who's close to 30 looking for money like that, and he's not going to get as much action as he thinks," one NFC personnel executive said of Alexander's situation. "I'm surprised he let it get this far. He should have signed already."
No argument there. Alexander should have realized the big money in free agency comes when you sign with your own team. Just ask Tiki Barber, who re-upped before the 2005 season. Unless Alexander has a change of heart before free agency starts, he might be about to make a multimillion-dollar mistake.
Source: newsday.com
Still no deal.
NFL execs around the league wonder why Alexander hasn't already agreed to a contract, especially with such uncertainty looming regarding the league's labor situation.
Alexander gambled that he'd gain increased leverage by playing out his deal and becoming an unrestricted free agent after the season. In some respects, the gamble paid off, because he turned in an MVP performance during the regular season and has helped the Seahawks reach the Super Bowl.
But with the increased likelihood that the NFL and the NFL Players Association will be unable to strike a deal on a collective-bargaining agreement extension, Alexander may have unwittingly priced himself out of the deal he might have received.
Here's the problem: If the league and the players' union don't agree on a CBA extension, and if Alexander doesn't sign with Seattle before the March 3 free-agency period begins, he will enter a very uncertain labor market.
Without a CBA extension, any signing bonus Alexander agrees to can be prorated over only four years, which puts a heavy strain on the salary cap of any team that signs him, including the Seahawks. Had he signed during the season, Seattle could have spread the bonus money over five seasons.
Not only that, but Alexander would face scrutiny before any team signs him. He turns 29 in August, and teams might be reluctant to invest heavily in a running back at that age, even one as good as Alexander. Let's face it: This is a league that covets younger players, and doling out big money to someone a year before his 30th birthday is considered risky.
"You have a guy who's close to 30 looking for money like that, and he's not going to get as much action as he thinks," one NFC personnel executive said of Alexander's situation. "I'm surprised he let it get this far. He should have signed already."
No argument there. Alexander should have realized the big money in free agency comes when you sign with your own team. Just ask Tiki Barber, who re-upped before the 2005 season. Unless Alexander has a change of heart before free agency starts, he might be about to make a multimillion-dollar mistake.
Source: newsday.com