More on Al Johnson

[RonF]

According to Kent Somers, the Cardinals wanted Johnson to take a cut in his base pay of $3.5 million, Johnson said. The club wanted some protection in the event Johnson didn't return soon, or didn't return at all. Johnson said he was willing to work with the team, but the two sides couldn't agree on the size of the paycut.

With no resolution in sight, the team put Johnson on IR, meaning he can't return to play for them this season. In a few weeks, when the team determines that Johnson is healthy, it will release him. If Johnson doesn't think he's healthy, he'll file a grievance.



http://www.azcentral.com/members/Blog/KentSomers/

 

[Pariah]

ugh. If true, this sounds suspiciously like the "same ol' Cards."

No one wants to play for an organization that doesn't have good relationships with its players.

 

[Ed Burmila]

"The club wanted some protection in the event Johnson didn't return soon, or didn't return at all."

There is no protection for clubs when guys get hurt. Welcome to this thing called "the NFL", Rod Graves.

Johnson wasn't going to contribute this season one way or another, but I agree with Pariah. This sounds bush-league unless Johnson is sandbagging it or something.

 

[Syracusecards]

Boldin must be smiling about this. What a PR disaster for the Cards. ugh.

 

[Ed Burmila]

I'm under the impression that, as a vested veteran, Al gets his full salary this season even in the event of a release (teams must make an "injury settlement" to waive a player from IR). So I don't think he's getting screwed out of anything. The bad part is the impression that gets created by haggling with a hurt player over taking a paycut and then dumping him on IR because he won't agree to it.

And remember all the talk about how Boldin should respect the contract he signed? If you all think it's unfair for Boldin to demand a pay hike after he signed a deal, why should the team get to demand a pay cut off a deal they signed? It goes both ways.

 

[vinnymac]

This morning on nfl network ticker, Al Johnson put on IR & Ross activated for the season opener.

 

[Redheart]

I think that the club was trying to protect themselves from Johnson; players want all the money they can get, even if they know they are damaged goods.

Can't say that I blame him, can't say he deserves to get paid.

The ony way this relates to Boldin is that he wants big money in advance, like Johnson got...before his injury problems.

Only, Johnson had "injury" problems in Dallass, too...

 

[English on tour]

you hope this isnt true but i'll be supprised if its not!

 

[joeshmo]

This is not Bush league what so ever. It is how any team will deal with a guy that is damaged goods. He had a bad knee before he got here, it bothered him all last season, he got two procedures on it this offseason, and he is not sure if he can even come back within the next couple of weeks. Damaged goods and players who are no longer starters is what he is and the Cards are treating him as such just like any other team would treat damaged goods and none starters making as much as he is. We asked Berry to take a pay cut, Oliver Ross, and a few others, was that bush league to?

They asked him to take a pay cut but what that blog doesnt say and what his actual article in the paper does say is that if he returned within the next couple of weeks he could have earned back his money in incentives. Johnson did not except, telling me that Johnson himself thinks his knee is worse off then what is being lead to believe.

Also if he is deemed to be healthy when they release him off of IR there is no need for an injury settlement. You only have to give an injury settlement if they are still injured and doesnt have the ability to even workout for another team. Plus since he was put on IR before the start of the season even as a vested veteran his contract is not gauranteed. The only thing that we will have to pay for in cap purposes is his weekly checks before he is cut.

Its just a case of the CArds trying not to pay a damaged goods none starter 3.5 Mill. Nothing wrong with that. Al Johnson trying to hang on for dear life to that last big paycheck he will get and he knows he is damaged goods. Nothing wrong with that either. But I dont feel sorry for the guy either as he has already banked 7 Mill dollars in one season last year. The highest paid Center (Cap Wise) in NFL history in any given year.

 

[Redheart]

...But I dont feel sorry for the guy either as he has already banked 7 Mill dollars in one season last year. The highest paid Center (Cap Wise) in NFL history in any given year.

Poor Johnson...BAD Cardinals...Good Boldin...BAD Cardinals...*sigh*

 

[RugbyMuffin]

Whatever!!!!!

Go Cardinals. What the heck do the Cardinals have to worry about ?

Players care about one thing $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Show them the money and they forget this and that.

Try to cover the loss of money from Johnson, who recieved a HUGE contract, is a good thing, IMO. The guy doesn't have to do jack and he is making multi-millions this year.

You can't talk out one side of your arse about how the Cardinals should "find a way" to pay thier big names players, and then talk out of other side of your arse when the Cardinals try to recoup money.

:safe:

 

[Crazy Canuck]

Allows enjoy your "slam dunks", joeshmo...

 

[Pariah]

Show them the money and they forget this and that.

In these contract disputes someone always says something like this, but can't you see that situations like this is the opposite of "showing them the money?"

 

[Ed Burmila]

This is not Bush league what so ever. It is how any team will deal with a guy that is damaged goods. He had a bad knee before he got here,

Well then wouldn't that make the front office the ********* for signing him?

So one of two things is true - either the Cardinals signed a guy who, as you state, was damaged goods before he got here, in which case I don't feel sorry for them. Or he wasn't damaged goods, both sides signed the contract in good faith, and the guy got hurt. Which is beyond anyone's control.

Which is it?

 

[earthsci]

Well then wouldn't that make the front office the ********* for signing him?

So one of two things is true - either the Cardinals signed a guy who, as you state, was damaged goods before he got here...

joeshmo has been saying this, though a little bit more eloquently, since the Cardinals signed him. Should the Cardinals keep him around since they made the mistake in signing him ?

Though I do think that players do need a little more protection it isn't like they get bent over. These free agent signings get signing bonuses. Al Johnson didn't even earn that.

 

[abomb]

That is horrible if true.

 

[football karma]

I think this is as much about a low priced guy in Sendlein who won the coaches confidence as much as Al being injured --

and this is what a majority of the teams in the NFL do --

Dallas wanted Terry Glenn to do the same thing -- and when he wouldnt, they cut him.

Denver wanted to do the same thing with John Lynch -- and when he didnt, they cut him.


Sendlein made it possible for the Cards to do this -- no Sendlein or equivalent, and Al Johnson, bum knee and all, is still on the roster.

 

[earthsci]

That is horrible if true.

If he is healthy, why?

 

[RON_IN_OC]

ugh. If true, this sounds suspiciously like the "same ol' Cards."

No one wants to play for an organization that doesn't have good relationships with its players.

Lame...Most, if not all NFL teams operate in this manner. The Cowboys wanted Glenn to take a paycut, too, because they wanted "insurance" in case he couldn't play the season...when he balked he was released. This is not a Same Ol Cards issue. It's an NFL owners issue.

 

[RonF]

This is all good stuff but as Kent Somers said, "the comments board will be filled with opinions, some siding with the team and others with Johnson. I know all the details of this are not in yet, so it would be early to form conclusions."

We just need to be cool ( generation-x term) and wait and see how things work out.

 

[40yearfan]

Well then wouldn't that make the front office the ********* for signing him?

So one of two things is true - either the Cardinals signed a guy who, as you state, was damaged goods before he got here, in which case I don't feel sorry for them. Or he wasn't damaged goods, both sides signed the contract in good faith, and the guy got hurt. Which is beyond anyone's control.

Which is it?

Right Ed. It's automatically the team's fault.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

This is not Bush league what so ever. It is how any team will deal with a guy that is damaged goods. He had a bad knee before he got here, it bothered him all last season, he got two procedures on it this offseason, and he is not sure if he can even come back within the next couple of weeks. Damaged goods and players who are no longer starters is what he is and the Cards are treating him as such just like any other team would treat damaged goods and none starters making as much as he is. We asked Berry to take a pay cut, Oliver Ross, and a few others, was that bush league to?

They asked him to take a pay cut but what that blog doesnt say and what his actual article in the paper does say is that if he returned within the next couple of weeks he could have earned back his money in incentives. Johnson did not except, telling me that Johnson himself thinks his knee is worse off then what is being lead to believe.

Also if he is deemed to be healthy when they release him off of IR there is no need for an injury settlement. You only have to give an injury settlement if they are still injured and doesnt have the ability to even workout for another team. Plus since he was put on IR before the start of the season even as a vested veteran his contract is not gauranteed. The only thing that we will have to pay for in cap purposes is his weekly checks before he is cut.

Its just a case of the CArds trying not to pay a damaged goods none starter 3.5 Mill. Nothing wrong with that. Al Johnson trying to hang on for dear life to that last big paycheck he will get and he knows he is damaged goods. Nothing wrong with that either. But I dont feel sorry for the guy either as he has already banked 7 Mill dollars in one season last year. The highest paid Center (Cap Wise) in NFL history in any given year.

all that being said . . . shame on graves for signing such damaged goods for such a contract and compounding that problem with not getting enough depth to withstanding the inevitable. can sendlein do the job? maybe. for a team that considers itself a playoff team? less likely. and who backs him up? nothing of consequence. kudos to graves and co. more terrific decisionmaking.

 

[joeshmo]

Well then wouldn't that make the front office the ********* for signing him?

So one of two things is true - either the Cardinals signed a guy who, as you state, was damaged goods before he got here, in which case I don't feel sorry for them. Or he wasn't damaged goods, both sides signed the contract in good faith, and the guy got hurt. Which is beyond anyone's control.

Which is it?

Does it matter which one is it. Neither case is a matter of the Cards acting bush league like you stated. No one is saying they feel sorry for the Cards or they didnt make a mistake in signing him in the first place. Not sure what point you are trying to make with this statement.

Every team in the league asks highly paid damaged good players and none starters to take a pay cut. It isnt Bush league it is everyday NFL business.

 

[Crazy Canuck]

This is all good stuff but as Kent Somers said, "the comments board will be filled with opinions, some siding with the team and others with Johnson. I know all the details of this are not in yet, so it would be early to form conclusions."

We just need to be cool ( generation-x term) and wait and see how things work out.

Right! but only if generation "x" and the "beat" generation of the 1950's is one and the same...

 

[Crazy Canuck]

all that being said . . . shame on graves for signing such damaged goods for such a contract and compounding that problem with not getting enough depth to withstanding the inevitable. can sendlein do the job? maybe. for a team that considers itself a playoff team? less likely. and who backs him up? nothing of consequence. kudos to graves and co. more terrific decisionmaking.

Yeah, I'm sure that Graves signed this deal without a prior medical check.