Wells likely to be matched ----Cards will wait on other free agents.

[ajcardfan]

Wells likely to stay
By Darren Urban, Tribune
March 19, 2006
The Cardinals lost starting defensive tackle Russell Davis Saturday. But they’ll probably keep starting offensive lineman Reggie Wells.


While Davis departed as a free agent after agreeing to a three-year contract with Seattle, Cardinals vice president of football operations Rod Graves said it is likely the team will match the five-year, $17.6 million offer sheet Wells — a restricted free agent — received from Buffalo Friday.

“I expect a decision to come sooner rather than draw it out,” Graves said. “But unless there is something bizarre in the contract (language), we’ll expect to have him back.”

Graves said he planned to evaluate the Wells offer sheet Monday. The deal would pay Wells a $3 million signing bonus and a $2 million roster bonus this season plus his salary, a giant raise over the $712,000 tender offer the Cards gave him.

Wells has been a starter at left guard the past two seasons, although he played in just nine games in 2005 before fracturing and dislocating his left ankle against Detroit. The team, already trying to upgrade the offensive line, can’t afford to have Wells bolt.

“He’s made steady improvement, and he may well have been our most consistent lineman last season,” Graves said.

The situation was different for Davis, a starter for Arizona since arriving in 2000.

Graves acknowledged after the Cards signed free agent defensive tackle Kendrick Clancy that it was unlikely Davis was going to return. Davis, who missed all but three games last season with a biceps injury, should be part of a defensive line rotation for the Seahawks.

The team was aiming to re-sign Davis as defensive line depth and their contract offer reflected as much.

“After we signed (running back) Edgerrin (James), the landscape changed for us,” Graves said.

Davis did not return a phone message.

Graves said the Cardinals are not necessarily finished with free agency but plan to wait on the second wave of free agents.

Contact Darren Urban by email, or phone (480) 898-

 

[football karma]

second wave? Guys who have been asking for way too much and will soon be desperate for jobs?

 

[Shane]

Well by my calculations that makes Wells cap # this year 3.7 million. Thus soaking up near all of teh 4-6 million we had left under the cap.

So either we are going to be searching for some serious bargains. In which case they are going to be camp fodder IMO. Or we had better start the cutting soon.

 

[ItsInTheCards]

second wave? Guys who have been asking for way too much and will soon be desperate for jobs?

I believe second wave may be the guys cut for June 1st

 

[joeshmo]

Well by my calculations that makes Wells cap # this year 3.7 million.

Maybe, Maybe not.

His bonuses will equal 2.6 Mill this year. minus the 712k we are already on the books for from his tender, it goes to 1.88 Mill. and the rest depending on the base salary. I am guessing it is a low base salary the first few years as that is how Buffalo usually does their contracts. I believe that their so called poison pill for the Cards was the 2 Mill. roster bonus that gets counted all this year. So I am guessing that Wells contract will take only 3 Mill max of the 4-6 Mill left to spend on FA's. They will sign at least one more mid tier FA before the draft, without a doubt.

This article and the one Somersdid tells me They wanted Wells long term and that the Cards strategy the whole time was to let Wells find out his market value and let another team do the negotiations for them. They wanted Wells long term and now they do.

 

[DieHardFromMO]

I believe second wave may be the guys cut for June 1st

I don't know if June 1st cuts mean that much anymore. I think after the new CBA you can cut 2 players at anytime and treat them as June 1st cuts for cap purposes. At least that is how I understood the guy on ESPN the other day.

Anybody know for sure if this is correct?

 

[joeshmo]

I believe second wave may be the guys cut for June 1st

2nd wave is 2-3 weeks after FA starts when the rush to sign the big boys is over, and most of the FA monies are dried up. When there are less options for the FA's who still dont have a job.

 

[joeshmo]

I don't know if June 1st cuts mean that much anymore. I think after the new CBA you can cut 2 players at anytime and treat them as June 1st cuts for cap purposes. At least that is how I understood the guy on ESPN the other day.

Anybody know for sure if this is correct?

Yep you can cut 2 guys right now an designate them June 1st cuts. they will still count against your cap until June 1st but it inables those players to at least be able to partake in more of the FA market.

 

[ItsInTheCards]

2nd wave is 2-3 weeks after FA starts when the rush to sign the big boys is over, and most of the FA monies are dried up. When there are less options for the FA's who still dont have a job.

fair enough

 

[BACH]

I don't know if June 1st cuts mean that much anymore. I think after the new CBA you can cut 2 players at anytime and treat them as June 1st cuts for cap purposes. At least that is how I understood the guy on ESPN the other day.

Anybody know for sure if this is correct?

Correct, but it really doesn't matter for us. All the players in danger of being a cap casualty only have one year left on their deals. At least the players IMO (Shipp, Hodgins and Wakefield).

 

[JeffGollin]

second wave?
I hope "second wave" doesn't = "guys we wanted to sign who waved bye-by."

 

[WildBB]

second wave? Guys who have been asking for way too much and will soon be desperate for jobs?

Yup!

 

[sundevil04]

Go

thats a rediculous contract for an average G like wells, that money would be spent much more wisely on a player like mitchell (c) or neal (g), let the bills overspend on him
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AMATUER XXX

 

[seesred]

IMO Wells after three years is just coming into his own. To lose this talent at after the investment years would not be a good idea. I say match it this kid has a lot of upside and we know him and he knows us. To wait another three years with another newbe is ridiculas.

GBR
40

 

[earthsci]

thats a rediculous contract for an average G like wells, that money would be spent much more wisely on a player like mitchell (c) or neal (g), let the bills overspend on him

A bird in the hand my man. It is alot of money but we would have to get someone comperable or better to agree to sign here. We aren't the only team looking for OLinemen. Wells could be developing into a pretty good lineman.

 

[sundevil04]

Go

IMO Wells after three years is just coming into his own. To lose this talent at after the investment years would not be a good idea. I say match it this kid has a lot of upside and we know him and he knows us. To wait another three years with another newbe is ridiculas.

GBR
40

why would we have to wait three years with a fa lineman? pick up a vet he'll be ready to go with proven talent.

A bird in the hand my man. It is alot of money but we would have to get someone comperable or better to agree to sign here. We aren't the only team looking for OLinemen. Wells could be developing into a pretty good lineman.

using this logic we should never go after fa's just keep re-signing all of our own guys and wait with our fingers crossed that they develop. JJ could develop into a pretty good rb and there were other teams going after rb;s in fa so should we have forgot about edge and waited for jj to devolop? im not one of those that says go sign every fa available, usually im just the opposite and like to develop our guys but not when the only thing standing between us and a strong playoff run is a glaring need at ol.

also there are PLENTY of o-linemen with much better talent than wells that could be had for the same price or slightly more, why is everyone all of a sudden jumping on his bandwagon he hasnt proved ANYTHING in three years. I understand we arent the only team looking for lineman but we have more cash than any other team looking for ol (cle and min have theirs) not to mention we have become one of the more attractive fa destinations (weather, stadium, talent, coaching, CASH!).

Wells COULD develop into a good o-lineman i agree and would like to keep him around to find out but not for 3-4 mil/year that could buy us a solid starter instead of a project that has been seen as a weak spot on the line

ask yourself this...would you trade wells for (insert fa here)

this is a legitimate question because we could have a quality fa for a comparable contract.
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VAPORIZER REVIEWS

 

[Redsz]

This is actually encouraging that Buffalo made a serious play for Wells. Their OL coach (McNally) is a guy who knows how to develop guys. Like Loney, McNally must of seen some stuff on film that he liked.

 

[Zeno]

also there are PLENTY of o-linemen with much better talent than wells that could be had for the same price or slightly more, why is everyone all of a sudden jumping on his bandwagon he hasnt proved ANYTHING in three years. I understand we arent the only team looking for lineman but we have more cash than any other team looking for ol (cle and min have theirs) not to mention we have become one of the more attractive fa destinations (weather, stadium, talent, coaching, CASH!).

Wells COULD develop into a good o-lineman i agree and would like to keep him around to find out but not for 3-4 mil/year that could buy us a solid starter instead of a project that has been seen as a weak spot on the line

ask yourself this...would you trade wells for (insert fa here)

this is a legitimate question because we could have a quality fa for a comparable contract.

Our new OLine coach gave Wells the highest grade of all the OL from last year and then we hear...“He’s made steady improvement, and he may well have been our most consistent lineman last season,” Graves said.

That to me says he has proven himself to the coaching staff and management...they certainly do not consider him the "weak spot on the line"

Who in free agency is better than him, would come cheaper or at the same price and isn't over 30 yrs old? Do you think if there was someone like that on the market Buffalo would have offered him that contract or that the Cardinals would even consider matching?

 

[earthsci]

using this logic we should never go after fa's just keep re-signing all of our own guys and wait with our fingers crossed that they develop.

No. Using my logic you keep the better players on your team while looking to improve. Using your logic you let players go, then try to sign someone to replace them.

 

[joeshmo]

Wells contract is not to much. It is just right becuase he was allowed to go into the market of which his market value was set. So we are paying his market value. His cap value will only be big this year since the 2 Mill roster bonus counts all towards this year.

GB was going to give him an offer as well but they new Buffalo was going to at the same time and also had a good feeling that a none cap strapped team that needs OL such as our selves were going to match anything.

 

[sundevil04]

Go

No. Using my logic you keep the better players on your team while looking to improve. Using your logic you let players go, then try to sign someone to replace them.

so i take it you dont like the clancy signing, you would have rather kept davis?
________
LovelyWendie

 

[sundevil04]

Go

Who in free agency is better than him, would come cheaper or at the same price and isn't over 30 yrs old? Do you think if there was someone like that on the market Buffalo would have offered him that contract or that the Cardinals would even consider matching?

why does he have to be under 30, this is a team set to win NOW, not in 2 or 3 years, sign a 31 y/o vet to start for another 2 or 3 years while we develop youngsters like elton and this/next years rookies.
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LovelyWendie99

 

[sundevil04]

Go

Wells contract is not to much. It is just right becuase he was allowed to go into the market of which his market value was set. So we are paying his market value. His cap value will only be big this year since the 2 Mill roster bonus counts all towards this year.

GB was going to give him an offer as well but they new Buffalo was going to at the same time and also had a good feeling that a none cap strapped team that needs OL such as our selves were going to match anything.

i understand your point about market value but that does not mean that market value is fair value in everyones mind, in my mind wells is not worth 3.5 mil/year...flanagan and mitchell are. where did you hear that about gb isnt it more likely that they werent willing to pay what buf was, they dont lose anything by extending an offer why would they care if the cards matched?
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PORNSTARS CHEROKEE

 

[spanky1]

why does he have to be under 30, this is a team set to win NOW, not in 2 or 3 years, sign a 31 y/o vet to start for another 2 or 3 years while we develop youngsters like elton and this/next years rookies.

I'll take Wells over any available 31 year old OG out there right now.

 

[sundevil04]

Go

how about a 29 yo stephen neal
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LovelyWendie99