Smash Articles
14
Playoff Teams
Rule Changes
17 Game
Season
Low Lights
-
-
-
-
-
-
| |  
Poisoned Well
Jerry Jones put the entire NFL into a head lock last year by succumbing to Zeke
Elliott's contract demands signed in 2019. In 2019 Elliot was facing his
4th year of his rookie deal having to play the 2019 season with no future
guaranteed money. It set a precedent, that quite directly, has now
poisoned the well where every agent in the league now sees every running back as
being an "exclusive group" that is apart of the NFL. The result
for every running back will now be either a renegotiated contract after the 3rd
year or a holdout in the form of Melvin Gordon.
It all stems from the concept that if one top 2 quarterback is paid 30 million
dollars a year ... then every starting quarterback in the league is entitled to
that same or very similar contract. Now just consider for a moment that a
bottle of 2008 Dom Perignon (aged for 12 years before being sold) would run you
$220 purchased on the internet. Would it be fair to demand $220 for a
bottle of sparkling wine 2008 Ponder. Well, if you're a seasoned Viking
fan, you'd probably say keep your sparkling wine because that type of reasoning
just doesn't Scowl. However that now is exactly what you can expect from
any future "now-segmented" running back flotilla.
I know, after waiting two painful injury plagued years, we got to see Dalvin
Cook finally take his place as this franchises productive engine only to see
this new "poisoned well" before us. So we now must ask ourselves
the question, "Why did Jerry Jones do it"? Well, the answer
comes within his own history under his prior set of triplets. Back in the
day of Aikman, Smith & Irvin they were all true Cowboy in-bred studs.
What Jerry Jones learned is that he didn't win without Emmitt Smith.
Today's version of Prescott, Elliot & Copper, of the three, only Elliot is
clearly the in-bread stud whereas Prescott & Copper remain in question
regardless of what their new contracts might state, so Elliott's contract came
first. To me, it was clear, that Jerry Jones had to bend his knee to
Elliot's demands because without him he simply can't win. The important
point to learn here is that this concept doesn't apply universally throughout
the league.
Now enter the agent where the bulk of his job is to present a clear & concise
picture based completely upon conjecture. Since we were all born ignorant
we all tend to aqueous to the exotic nature of smoke & mirrors. Where
it all falls apart is when we think with our heart & feelings which of
course means chucking-out the math & statistics. Said another way,
there is no way anyone should follow how Jerry Jones feels regardless of how
much you'd like to be like him. Sure, if you were to say that you wanted
to be a mensch by tossing some clams around to someone you really wanted to help
out ... I'd say ok, but we all know that your decisions are about the smoke
& mirrors because you're working with the same agents over an over
again. It's like sitting around a fire telling the same yarns over &
over again ... because it makes us feel good about ourselves. Wait ... Is
that what wins championships versus a ravenous league of jackals?
The moment when any players agent begins a demand for a new contract that player
officially changes his status to being a free agent, regardless of whether they
are under contract or not. The red flag is now clearly waving & every
future moment will be under full scrutiny. The only questions that remain
is will that player now to be an overpriced free agent & will it be worth
putting your franchise through having to deal with this. Quite directly
... How do you now see the future status of Dalvin Cook? The sunlight
directed on this discussion isn't directly about Dalvin Cook but is now directly
focused upon the "Poisoned Well"
It's funny that in past years, franchises were forced at looking at past
performances (think Tom Brady) to access the contract, projecting future
performance. Unfortunately, for the Vikings, it's history is to realize
& then feel the nasty impact of an overpriced free agent sliding fat &
happy upon their newly formed bloated contract status. The only question
that now faces Tampa Bay is exactly when will that slide-mode begin. For
Dalvin, a good part of his past is glowing but much of a Dalvin's future
contract will be directed upon a good leap of faith. Does something like
that secure your future at winning a Super
Bowl?
For some time now, there has been allot of focus upon franchised Anthony Harris
where maybe that focus should be upon Dalvin Cook. To be direct, I don't
expect him to play at anywhere near his 2019 level in 2020 due in part only to
the "Poisoned Well". Will the Viking's select a safety in this
years 2020 draft, of course as at the very least they will need depth with the
loss of both Zendejo & Kearse however they'd be foolish not to be also
looking at running back also.
The point here again isn't about Dalvin Cook. It is rather about the new
dynamic of this new NFL running back segment or collective, which now believes
that a 4 year rookie contracts no longer applies to them. It's just the
nature of the beast & that means focusing draft picks upon running
backs. That's the new NFL.
Will Dalvin Cook get his money? Of course, but does that mean the gun now
being held to this franchises head needs to aqueous to this new dynamic ... well
... only if it makes sense. To be direct, Carolina Panther money in
Minnesota is nothing more than allot of smoke & mirrors in a herd of
elephants. Can you at least smell that?
The Viking Ghost Writer
http://MyVikingBlood.org
Date: April 24, 2020
|
