Lions lowball George Johnson Bucs sign him to 3 year offer sheet

[manchild98]

The Detroit Lions confirmed Monday that the team is disputing the offer sheet that defensive end George Johnson, a restricted free agent, signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The original deadline for the Lions to make a decision on whether to match the three-year, $9-million offer in order to keep Johnson was supposed to be Monday at 4 p.m.

However, that has been pushed back under the circumstances.

An independent arbitrator is expected to rule on the case for the NFL within 10 days. The Lions would then apparently have two more days to make their decision on whether to match.

The exact nature of the dispute was not immediately revealed.

Johnson, 27, was one of the league's biggest surprises last season when he emerged to make six sacks and play a valuable role on the Lions' defensive line.

 

[zoombabyzoom]

Apparently the NFL also see's the contract as invalid, it's also the last offer sheet TB can give to Johnson.

 

[dtroitlionsfan951]

Idk maybe they tried a mini poison pill?

 

[inkfreq]

Idk maybe they tried a mini poison pill?

Since the Lions are asking an arbitrator for clarification on what is a principal term in the contract, yes, this is some sort of poison pill situation.

One of the ways the NFL squashed poison pills was by including the term "principal term" in the CBA.

Examples:

Payment of $1.5MM per year? That would be a principal term in an offer sheet, and a matching team must match it.

Payment of $500K roster bonus? Also a principal term. It must be matched.

Use of the company jet to fly home once a week? Amazingly, a principal term, since it must be accounted for in the salary cap.

$3MM bonus if you have to play more than 8 games above the Mason Dixon line? Not a principal term, and the original team is not required to match and can sign the offer without that.

Anything the arbitrator rules is an attempt to subvert rules is not a principal term.

Sounds to me like TB offered him much less than the reported $9MM over three years, but it may have accounted for that much with poison pills.

 

[zoombabyzoom]

Regardless TB tried to do something fishy with the contract and that alone could make the arbitrator go against them

 

[inkfreq]

The only thing we can be sure of is the Lions want to match, if whatever term they don't like gets dropped by the arbitrator.

If they didn't, they wouldn't bother to dispute it.

 

[mhughes0021]

The only thing we can be sure of is the Lions want to match, if whatever term they don't like gets dropped by the arbitrator.

If they didn't, they wouldn't bother to dispute it.

Or upper management finally got sick of other teams taking it to them in every facet. Cj rule, schwartz challenge, suh tampering, now this. Its clear most everyone views this franchise as some sort of sick joke.

 

[thehippo73]

Or upper management finally got sick of other teams taking it to them in every facet. Cj rule, schwartz challenge, suh tampering, now this. Its clear most everyone views this franchise as some sort of sick joke.

If true, why draw the line in the sand at George Johnson?

 

[cheeno]

If true, why draw the line in the sand at George Johnson?

Someone tampered with Mayhew's Snapple bottle cap and the little bubble on the top was already popped. Mayhew didn't realize it until he got to the car. Arrrrrrrg! This MFing tampering has got to stop Mayhew exclaimed to himself. Just then he gets an ESPN alert on his phone....George Johnson to Bu....scrolls across the screen. A new hero is born, the hero all Lions fans deserve.

 

[LKP]

We didn't think he was worth 2.5 million after one year of production for the Round 2 tender. We have Webster and Taylor in the wings. We're fine either way.

Mayhew is great at finding the great bargains like Mathis, Dig, G Johnson etc.

Mayhew doesn't need Johnson, he's just doing this out of the principle of the matter.

 

[inkfreq]

We didn't think he was worth 2.5 million after one year of production for the Round 2 tender. We have Webster and Taylor in the wings. We're fine either way.

Mayhew is great at finding the great bargains like Mathis, Dig, G Johnson etc.

Mayhew doesn't need Johnson, he's just doing this out of the principle of the matter.

Doubtful. The math doesn't add up. Teams in the NFL don't go after each other on principal, because at the end of the day, they have to keep some semblance of business relationship and protocol in play.

The likelihood here is there is a clause in the contract the Lions do not feel constitutes a principal term, that elevates the value of the deal significantly. If that clause is removed by an arbitrator, the Lions are willing to match the offer sheet, and if not, they move on.

It's been reported this is a 3 year $9MM offer, but it could be that a big chuck of the deal is in an non-principal term.

Let's say, for sake of argument, that there is a clause in the deal that gives him a commercial deal with Penzoil for $4MM. That would still have to be part of the salary cap, but is unmatchable by another team, since Bucs owner Malcom Glazer owns Penzoil.

An arbitrator could rule that is a non principal clause, and the Lions would not have to match, lowering the value of what they have to match to 3 years, $5MM, which is within their "do-able" range.

 

[LKP]

Doubtful. The math doesn't add up. Teams in the NFL don't go after each other on principal, because at the end of the day, they have to keep some semblance of business relationship and protocol in play.

The likelihood here is there is a clause in the contract the Lions do not feel constitutes a principal term, that elevates the value of the deal significantly. If that clause is removed by an arbitrator, the Lions are willing to match the offer sheet, and if not, they move on.

It's been reported this is a 3 year $9MM offer, but it could be that a big chuck of the deal is in an non-principal term.

Let's say, for sake of argument, that there is a clause in the deal that gives him a commercial deal with Penzoil for $4MM. That would still have to be part of the salary cap, but is unmatchable by another team, since Bucs owner Malcom Glazer owns Penzoil.

An arbitrator could rule that is a non principal clause, and the Lions would not have to match, lowering the value of what they have to match to 3 years, $5MM, which is within their "do-able" range.

The Bucs used something they shouldn't have in the terms. It's the principle of the matter like I said. The match number should be lower what and then the Lions will decide if they want to match based on the proper lower terms.

 

[cheeno]

Just tender him in the first place morons. Out maneuvered again. Mayhew is the newest Dick Tracey character, Eggface.

 

[cheeno]

We just sent him to the Bucs for an exchange of spots in the seventh!

http://www.rotoworld.com/headlines/nfl/309689/lions-send-de-johnson-to-bucs-for-late-rounder

Great job Mayhew you master of negotiation.

 

[tomdalton22]

We just sent him to the Bucs for an exchange of spots in the seventh!

http://www.rotoworld.com/headlines/nfl/309689/lions-send-de-johnson-to-bucs-for-late-rounder

Great job Mayhew you master of negotiation.

WOW! That could be the difference he needs to have a successful draft!

 

[brewer229]

Well Tampa only has #218 in the 7th, so we know we are getting that pick. My guess would be we would give them back #231 we picked up in the Ngata trade. But at this point really doesn't matter if it is 231 or 240. Also difference between 218 and either one of those is pretty much pointless as well.

 

[zyxt9]

Fucking pathetic as usual. By all accounts, Mayhew should be gone already. Maybe next year someone above him will finally recognize how he is completely inept.

 

[zyxt9]

Well Tampa only has #218 in the 7th, so we know we are getting that pick. My guess would be we would give them back #231 we picked up in the Ngata trade. But at this point really doesn't matter if it is 231 or 240. Also difference between 218 and either one of those is pretty much pointless as well.

No man, you got it all wrong...with #218 the Lions will have a viable starter...on the Practice Squad. ;P

 

[LKP]

Typically you just lose guys that sign another offer sheet. Great job to get some value.

 

[brewer229]

Typically you just lose guys that sign another offer sheet. Great job to get some value.

Until we know the details there is no way to know it was a great job.

Although moving up in a 7th round and great should never be used in the same sentence as more likely than not it is completely irrelevant.