A Case of the Dumb

[john h]

From reading this if the Cards had tendered Reggie Wells 1.55 mil rather than the low ball $750,000 we would be entitled to a 1st round pick if he goes to Buffalo rather than the 7th round pick as it stands now. Surely we placed a higher value than $750,000 on this guy who has graded out well. This sure sounds like a case of the dumb anyway you care to look at it.


Cards' Wells signs offer sheet with Bills

By Darren Urban, Tribune

March 18, 2006

The Cardinals have to decide whether they want to keep the offensive lineman they graded as their best last season, after guard Reggie Wells agreed to an offer sheet with the Buffalo Bills Friday.




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The Cards have seven days to match the offer, or lose the restricted free agent and get a sixth-round draft pick in return — the spot Wells was drafted in 2003.

The contract is for five years and $17.6 million, ESPN.com reported, including a $3 million signing bonus and a $2 million guaranteed roster bonus. It would be a hefty raise over the “low” $712,000 tender offer the Cards gave Wells, when a tender of $1.55 million would have cost the Bills a first-round pick to go after Wells.

After Wells, who also visited Green Bay, met with the Bills this week, he acknowledged “there’s a possibility” he could end up leaving but “I don’t know what to think.” Vice president of football operations Rod Graves said the team planned to retain Wells, but the Cards would evaluate the situation if and when Wells received an offer.

 

[Krangodnzr]

No the team did this so that Wells could price himself on the market.

That way, if you are lucky, you only have to pay him 700,000. If you are not lucky, you match. And if we match, we have under contract for five years instead of 1 year at 1.55 million and risking the chance of losing him next offseason.

 

[CardShark]

It doesn't make much sense now. If they were willing to go as high as they'll have to so they can keep him, then why not put the higher tender on him. Most teams, IMO, would back away from losing a first round pick, especially picking as high as Buffalo. Then you only end up paying the 1.5 million if no one matches. That would make him an UFA next year unless you sign him to a new contract before the deadline.

Maybe the Cards told him to see what he could get on the market. Maybe they thought they would be able to sign an upgrade until they spent money on Edge. Now he's their best value. I think the value of gaurds has gone up this year.

 

[Totally_Red]

From reading this if the Cards had tendered Reggie Wells 1.55 mil rather than the low ball $750,000 we would be entitled to a 1st round pick if he goes to Buffalo rather than the 7th round pick as it stands now. Surely we placed a higher value than $750,000 on this guy who has graded out well. This sure sounds like a case of the dumb anyway you care to look at it.


Cards' Wells signs offer sheet with Bills

By Darren Urban, Tribune

March 18, 2006

The Cardinals have to decide whether they want to keep the offensive lineman they graded as their best last season, after guard Reggie Wells agreed to an offer sheet with the Buffalo Bills Friday.




Related Links

Sports
Arizona Cardinals / NFL
The Cards have seven days to match the offer, or lose the restricted free agent and get a sixth-round draft pick in return — the spot Wells was drafted in 2003.

The contract is for five years and $17.6 million, ESPN.com reported, including a $3 million signing bonus and a $2 million guaranteed roster bonus. It would be a hefty raise over the “low” $712,000 tender offer the Cards gave Wells, when a tender of $1.55 million would have cost the Bills a first-round pick to go after Wells.

After Wells, who also visited Green Bay, met with the Bills this week, he acknowledged “there’s a possibility” he could end up leaving but “I don’t know what to think.” Vice president of football operations Rod Graves said the team planned to retain Wells, but the Cards would evaluate the situation if and when Wells received an offer.

The most likely scenario is that Wells and his agent wanted to opportunity to test the market and the way the Cardinals tendered him allowed him to do that. Basically he gets his money a year earlier than if they had tendered him at first round money.

 

[joeshmo]

From reading this if the Cards had tendered Reggie Wells 1.55 mil rather than the low ball $750,000 we would be entitled to a 1st round pick if he goes to Buffalo rather than the 7th round pick as it stands now. Surely we placed a higher value than $750,000 on this guy who has graded out well. This sure sounds like a case of the dumb anyway you care to look at it.

DUMB? Not even close John.

Hindsight is 20 20 isnt it. No one was thinking the low tender for Wells was Dumb before Buffalo got a hold if him, no one.

It was a calculated risk for a average player on the rise who becuase of ankle injury still wont be ready to go until training camp.

That and what Krang Said, and just to add to his thought, Loney beleives Wells has something, believes he was our best OL last year, if he thinks he is right can can turn into a solid to good OL this season his contract that he negotiated to be his market value this year will look like chump change next year.

 

[duckfallas]

The fact that Wells was the best OL last year says a great deal about how much this line blew. He is getting better, but he's no pro bowler.

It is encouraging to see the offer from the Bills since I'm sure they checked out the ankle well. That was one thing that concerned me about him but his rehab must be on track.

 

[red desert]

I'd let Wells walk.

The fact that Buffalo is offering that kind of coin to an unproven like Reggie Wells might have something to do with the fact that their offensive line is in even worse shape than ours, and not that Wells is truly that good.

 

[Rats]

I'd let Wells walk.

The fact that Buffalo is offering that kind of coin to an unproven like Reggie Wells might have something to do with the fact that their offensive line is in even worse shape than ours, and not that Wells is truly that good.

You are right about there OLINE but Wells is LT material and if Davis was not a Top 2 draft pick he would be playing LT for the Cardinals instead of Guard. He when healthy is better than anyone we can draft in the 2nd round. He is a bargain with todays cap number and next years. Match the offer.

 

[ChandlerCard]

This was not really dumb, IMHO. We get Wells now, knowing that another team validated our belief in his potential. Sure, we could have gotten him cheaper this year, but if he kicked butt we'd be paying a lot more to resign him next year. And really, if we don't think he kicks butt and just want him as backup material, then he's probably not going to be around.

 

[MastersofCombat]

Positives -
1. Signed Edgerrin James

Negative
1. Reggie Wells - Cards best offensive lineman goes to Buffalo: The contract is for five years and $17.6 million, ESPN.com reported, including a $3 million signing bonus and a $2 million guaranteed roster bonus. It would be a hefty raise over the “low” $712,000 tender offer the Cards gave Wells, when a tender of $1.55 million would have cost the Bills a first-round pick to go after Wells

wow

 

[Russ Smith]

One thing on Buffalo's offer. Let's not forget this is the team that screwed around all offseason last year and wound up with no LT. Then this year they wound up cutting Mike Williams their RT that they were talking up last year at this time.

Maybe Wells is an up and comer, certainly could be, but the fact that Buffalo likes him isn't enough to convince me, based on recent history they're not all that good at evaluating OL talent.

I thought Wells at times was awful last year, but he was hurt quite a bit and I think the problems at C probably impacted his play, it's hard to do your job when you're worried the guy next to you won't even touch his man. But I do know in general the ONLY success we had running the ball last year was outside and usually left, when we tried to run inside we typically got our RB creamed and I saw several times where it was Wells' man blowing up the RB. So it does surprise me that Loney apparently thinks he was our best OL last year.

 

[joeshmo]

One thing on Buffalo's offer. Let's not forget this is the team that screwed around all offseason last year and wound up with no LT. Then this year they wound up cutting Mike Williams their RT that they were talking up last year at this time.

Maybe Wells is an up and comer, certainly could be, but the fact that Buffalo likes him isn't enough to convince me, based on recent history they're not all that good at evaluating OL talent.

Different group of people running things last year compared to this year.

 

[spanky1]

Different group of people running things last year compared to this year.

Very true.

 

[Russ Smith]

Very true.

how so, the OL coach is still McNally who was the OL coach the previous 2 years. I think he was the only coach Jauron retained. The new OC was the OC for the Rams which means we have no idea what he did since Martz called most of the plays.

They may be right about Wells but McNally is their highly touted OL coach and he's still there and he's the guy who didn't want Shelton, who didn't think they needed to upgrade in FA last year, who didn't draft an OL high.

Their OL was ok last year, not horrible, but this time last year McNally was telling everyone Williams was going to have a breakout year, and now they're touting what a great job he did with Peters the guy who replaced Williams at RT halfway through the year last year(think Mike got hurt again).

 

[spanky1]

how so, the OL coach is still McNally who was the OL coach the previous 2 years. I think he was the only coach Jauron retained. The new OC was the OC for the Rams which means we have no idea what he did since Martz called most of the plays.

They may be right about Wells but McNally is their highly touted OL coach and he's still there and he's the guy who didn't want Shelton, who didn't think they needed to upgrade in FA last year, who didn't draft an OL high.

Their OL was ok last year, not horrible, but this time last year McNally was telling everyone Williams was going to have a breakout year, and now they're touting what a great job he did with Peters the guy who replaced Williams at RT halfway through the year last year(think Mike got hurt again).

You might have answered your own question here Russ....."McNally is the only coach Jauron retained".

On the Offensive side of the team, they replaced Tom Clements (OC) with Steve Fairchild; Sam Wyche as QB Coach with Turk Schonert; Frank Verducci (O-Line coach along with McNally) with Larry Zierlein; Mularkey is gone as you noted; Donahoe is gone, replaced by Marv Levy.

That to me suggests a whole totally new set of eyes to player evaluation table.

 

[Russ Smith]

You might have answered your own question here Russ....."McNally is the only coach Jauron retained".

On the Offensive side of the team, they replaced Tom Clements (OC) with Steve Fairchild; Sam Wyche as QB Coach with Turk Schonert; Frank Verducci (O-Line coach along with McNally) with Larry Zierlein; Mularkey is gone as you noted; Donahoe is gone, replaced by Marv Levy.

That to me suggests a whole totally new set of eyes to player evaluation table.

Right, but who evaluated the OL.... McNally. And the Bills think McNally is the best OL coach in the NFL, if you recall last year when Bills fans were here debating the Shelton/Henry rumors they kept saying the Bills are not worried, they have the best OL coach in the NFL, if he thinks Shelton is not that good, he's not, they will find another guy to play the position and be fine.

I don't have a hotline to the Bills but their fans made it quite clear last year that McNally has a lot more input than most OL coaches, and the fact that the new coach retained him suggests he probably still does. So my guess is he's the guy who wants Reggie Wells at over 3 million per year.

 

[john h]

DUMB? Not even close John.

Hindsight is 20 20 isnt it. No one was thinking the low tender for Wells was Dumb before Buffalo got a hold if him, no one.

It was a calculated risk for a average player on the rise who becuase of ankle injury still wont be ready to go until training camp.

That and what Krang Said, and just to add to his thought, Loney beleives Wells has something, believes he was our best OL last year, if he thinks he is right can can turn into a solid to good OL this season his contract that he negotiated to be his market value this year will look like chump change next year.

I think there were a number of posters who wanted to keep Wells and thought a low tender was not good enough. I for one.

 

[john h]

This was not really dumb, IMHO. We get Wells now, knowing that another team validated our belief in his potential. Sure, we could have gotten him cheaper this year, but if he kicked butt we'd be paying a lot more to resign him next year. And really, if we don't think he kicks butt and just want him as backup material, then he's probably not going to be around.

Why would we need validation? He was on our team and we should know if he was good enough to keep. If we match the offer we clearly wanted him. I hope we are smart enough to know who to keep rather than let someone else decide for us. My point is I still think we should have made the 1.55 mil offer and forced a team to not make a larger offer as they would be forced to give up a number one. We might have been resigning him for a lot less.

 

[joeshmo]

I think there were a number of posters who wanted to keep Wells and thought a low tender was not good enough. I for one.

Sorry John but I got to call that as complete bogus.

Went over every thread about the news of Wells and the others getting the low tender and there wasnt one single post complaining that Wells only got the low tender, not one, and I went through a lot of threads even before the offers were announced. If there was I will apologize later, but as of now you or anyone else for that matter complained about it.

azjam was the first and only one to question it the day we got news that he visited Buffalo, before they offered a contract and that was it.