Freeman Negotiations (Merged)

[Somewhere ovr the Waynebow]

I bet he is a  Bear before the end of the day.  They have plenty of cap space.  

[2006Coltsbestever]

14 minutes ago, OffensivelyPC said:

I wouldn't necessarily phrase it as "money is everything to some people."  While that may be true in some cases, I think that really, what most people are trying to accomplish by making as much as they can is to provide a living for their family while also setting them up financially for things like college, retirement, etc.  There's no shame in that either.  The difficult thing for everyone is figuring out that balance where you know you are making enough to do the things to set up your family's future, but still have time to enjoy today and be involved in all the small things today.  

 

Not that we've derailed this thread already lol.

I seem to do that at times, derailing a Thread LOL. Yeah you bring up a great point. If I needed the extra 10,000 to provide for my family then I might think differently and just tough it out in working crummy hours, accepting the stress, to make more. I don't have any kids so I am content with what I make + my benefits are Good. If I had kids I am sure my thinking would be different.

[OffensivelyPC]

11 minutes ago, 2006Coltsbestever said:

I seem to do that at times, derailing a Thread LOL. Yeah you bring up a great point. If I needed the extra 10,000 to provide for my family then I might think differently and just tough it out in working crummy hours, accepting the stress, to make more. I don't have any kids so I am content with what I make + my benefits are Good. If I had kids I am sure my thinking would be different.

With kids, everything you thought you knew changes and everything you once were changes.  It's not quite overnight, but it doesn't take long to notice it.  I was generally an impatient guy with my wife before my daughter.  She's only 18 months old, and now I think I'm the patient one in the house.  I jokingly always say "it's the happiest living he** I've ever known."  

[theanarchist]

Freeman is a nice ILB but I'm ok with letting Irving and Moore compete for his spot. I'm sure we'll draft a young guy to compete there as well. ILB is really one of the positions I am not that concerned about because we have some depth there. It's behind my list of concerns after: S, CB, OLB, RT, G and RB

[wig]

Anyone who thinks they have the right to decide which contract someone else should sign has no merit.  Anyone who thinks that a couple million dollars "doesn't matter", has never been in a situation close to his.

[lollygagger8]

[JPFolks]

5 hours ago, Gramz said:

    Same here.   I could make quite a bit more than I do, but I like my schedule,  I like my hours and my  time off, I enjoy my time with my husband and family, and as you say.......  Sometimes money costs too much.   

This hits home with me. I wish folks here would be patient enough to let me share my story, but Gramz, you couldn't be more right that money costs way too much for the majority of us.  Your freedom and happiness benefit in no way by money and often you struggle miserably to get it.  Great post. 

[Gramz]

10 minutes ago, JPFolks said:

This hits home with me. I wish folks here would be patient enough to let me share my story, but Gramz, you couldn't be more right that money costs way too much for the majority of us.  Your freedom and happiness benefit in no way by money and often you struggle miserably to get it.  Great post. 

Feel free to share If you so choose. You can PM me.

[BrentMc11]

I would not pay Freeman a King's ransom.  There will still be some veteran cuts. and the draft.  Just going to relax.  The money on day 1 was....ludicrous.

[SaturdayAllDay]

8 hours ago, OffensivelyPC said:

What that other guy does is irrelevant. I negotiate my own salary. If I feel I should make more, then I will bring it up at my annual review. If I don't get paid more, I can always go somewhere else should the occasion arise. But, if I'm going to leave my current job, like I said the pay can be more, but if the working hours are crap I'm staying put.  Again, money isn't everything.

I agree with your attitude in your own job. I made the decision to step down from Ops manager of a multimillion dollar company for a low level sales job. I get wanting to spend more time with the family. Been there. But wherever Freeman goes his work conditions are essentially the same. I realize there are other factors but it's not like he's from here, he owes the Colts nothing. He worked his butt off and they slapped him in the face with an insulting offer last year. That in itself gives him reason to move on. I get where he's coming from. He has been paid less In the last four years combined then the supposed pay cut he should be taking to stay on a new four year contract. To me that seems insulting. Yes we are talking about huge sums of money, but the guy hasn't made huge sums of money (comparatively to his peers obviously)  so why should he take less when he's taken less already and got nothing in return from them? 

Keeping a comparable job at a lower salary only makes sense if they treat you well. We haven't treated him well. If anything I wouldn't be surprised to see him take less to leave indy. 

[OffensivelyPC]

54 minutes ago, SaturdayAllDay said:

I agree with your attitude in your own job. I made the decision to step down from Ops manager of a multimillion dollar company for a low level sales job. I get wanting to spend more time with the family. Been there. But wherever Freeman goes his work conditions are essentially the same. I realize there are other factors but it's not like he's from here, he owes the Colts nothing. He worked his butt off and they slapped him in the face with an insulting offer last year. That in itself gives him reason to move on. I get where he's coming from. He has been paid less In the last four years combined then the supposed pay cut he should be taking to stay on a new four year contract. To me that seems insulting. Yes we are talking about huge sums of money, but the guy hasn't made huge sums of money (comparatively to his peers obviously)  so why should he take less when he's taken less already and got nothing in return from them? 

Keeping a comparable job at a lower salary only makes sense if they treat you well. We haven't treated him well. If anything I wouldn't be surprised to see him take less to leave indy. 

I never said I didn't understand where he was coming from. I completely understand if your goal is to make as much as you can when you can before the demand for your value goes away. There's nothing wrong with what Freeman is doing. I can't say whether he does or does not feel insulted, but if I did, I would possibly take less somewhere else too, all things being equal.

 

I wish Freeman would stay, but like you, I understand why he wouldnt, whether it is grounded in money or pride. Nothing wrong with that.

[jskinnz]

 

Yours is not the only Dear God worthy post in the thread but all the same, Dear God...  What an absolute load of garbage.

 

Is it greedy to want what you think you are worth?  NFL players like Freeman have one chance to at a big contract in their career and this is it for him.

 

You ask what is the difference between 6 or 7 million per year.  Well how about this - $1 freaking million dollars.  And then multiply that by the length of the contract and you know what you have?  Millions of dollars.  It forever amuses me when someone decides how much money someone else should make.

 

Lastly, to your line about taking less.  That is pure bovine excrement.  We would all be trying to maximize our revenue.

 

 

 

 

So he would take a little less. What's the big freaking deal? Can't blame a guy for wanting to make as much as he can, but let's not act like the counterpoint is trash. Guys take less all the time for various reasons. I happen to agree with Colts 449, I would take less under some circumstances.

 

In fact I currently do because of things like work environment, hours, etc. If I were to work in a law firm, I would make close to twice what I currently make, at least 75 percent more. But that would mean I work 60-70 hour weeks spilling work into the weekend and seldom see my wife and kid. No amount of money is worth that time IMO.

 

Same with the NFL, some guys like their current situation or fear a change in teams could have a negative impact on their career. You don't think guys like NNami Asomugha would do it differently if he could? 

 

Bottom line is, money isn't everything to some people. Whether we're talking the difference between 6 and 7 mill a year or 60 and 70 thousand a year, that ain't a big difference depending on other factors. I wouldn't say those people are geeedy, but you don't want to get 5 years down the road and wonder if you made the right choice no matter what your bank statement reads.

I agree with you. People do take less from time to time for various reasons. But most times that is with players who have been around for some time and want a ring. Players in Freeman's position however are trying to maximize their earning potential.

What i really think is absolute garbage was colt449 suggesting freeman was greedy in this negotiation. That characterization is complete ignorance.

[AlanNC]

Don't overpay for Freeman.  He is good but not great.  Nate Irving is a good player and if he can stay healthy we will be fine. 

[Dark Superman]

Won't be surprised if Freeman walks and the Colts draft a ILB within the first two rounds of the draft.

[corgi]

Freeman signed a 3 year deal with the Bears.

[James]

Let's see the figures.

[snkdy]

 

I'm actually surprised we didn't give him that.

[CheezyColt]

That really doesn't look like a large contract. But either way, I think we'll be fine for now at ILB with Moore and Irving to take his spot. 

[Dustin]

What the hell was Grigson trying to pay him?

 

That small contract also means in all likelihood no comp. pick. What a botch by Grigson. 

[Mr. Irrelevant]

LOL, did Grigson offer him 2 mill only or what?! 4 mill is a good price for Freeman. Weird. 

[James]

Strange not to keep him if those numbers are correct. Instead we have the slow Jackson at ILB. 

 

What is the plan? I just can't see it.

[jskinnz]

2 minutes ago, James said:

Strange not to keep him if those numbers are correct. Instead we have the slow Jackson at ILB. 

 

What is the plan? I just can't see it.

 

The plan is to have a # in mind to pay him and if he gets an offer that exceeds that, let him walk.  There is a reason they gave Irving that contract last year.  

[Dustin]

4 minutes ago, jskinnz said:

 

The plan is to have a # in mind to pay him and if he gets an offer that exceeds that, let him walk.  There is a reason they gave Irving that contract last year.  

 

I'm guessing the plan was that they were expecting him to get a larger contract and get a nice comp. pick from it, instead he gets this and we'll be lucky to get a 7th. 

[ColtRider]

10 minutes ago, James said:

Strange not to keep him if those numbers are correct. Instead we have the slow Jackson at ILB. 

 

What is the plan? I just can't see it.

 

The plan is to acquire great potential talent through the draft. Irsay has already mapped this out by his statements. To build a formidable team, and finally accomplish a defense that contains game wreckers will not come through FA. 

 

Starting over begins with coaching. The Colts have done that. Next step is to bring in players that match the coaching aspects & expectations. Freeman was not in the cards for Indianapolis. Jackson may or may not be next. Building a great defense starts with OLB & ILB positions that challenge greatness. 

 

The "plan" may not be popular, but it's necessary. Start from the ground up and acquire talent that keys into team schematics. Many of the upper echelon teams build through draft. It's that simple. The Colts have established one of the finest coaching team talents I've seen in quite a while. Especially, defense. A clean sweep. Results will come, whether that's right away or not. We need to let this new regime ride out it's aspirations to fruition. They've got a very good start so far.

[snkdy]

 

Maybe he just wanted out then.

[Clem-Dog]

Maybe we can find his replacement in the CFL.

 

Freeman is a soft drag-down tackler who showed well in his contract year.  I hope we replace him with a violent player.  

 

[adubb84]

21 minutes ago, Dustin said:

 

I'm guessing the plan was that they were expecting him to get a larger contract and get a nice comp. pick from it, instead he gets this and we'll be lucky to get a 7th. 

Do you think the talks were that far off besides the obvious?

[will426]

Bitter scrub who got offered the same here but wanted more but realized he couldn't get more so he went and signed with someone else for the same thing we offered him lol how petty 

[adubb84]

10 minutes ago, snkdy said:

 

Maybe he just wanted out then.

If that's true then that's frustrating. We brought him over from the CFL and put him on the map. Crazy that he thought he was worth way more than what we offered him. 

[Gavin]

Meh not a huge loss but yeah it seems Grigson low-balled him a bit

[tvturner]

Scooby Wright?

[Gavin]

Meh not a huge loss but yeah it seems Grigson low-balled him a bit

[OHColtfan]

really thought when we traded a 6th for Sio moore, signed irving and drafted Herrera that the plan all along was to let Freeman walk and eventually Jackson as well.

[Superman]

43 minutes ago, Dustin said:

 

I'm guessing the plan was that they were expecting him to get a larger contract and get a nice comp. pick from it, instead he gets this and we'll be lucky to get a 7th. 

 

They reportedly made this same offer.

 

Last year's free agency would probably value this deal as a 6th rounder. With the money that's been thrown around so far, it's probably a 7th like you said.

 

Fleener probably brings a 4th.

[MTC]

A good read:

 

http://www.indystar.com/story/sports/nfl/colts/2016/03/12/colts-jerrell-freeman-walks-joins-bears/81693214/

[Mr. Irrelevant]

8 minutes ago, MTC said:

A good read:

 

http://www.indystar.com/story/sports/nfl/colts/2016/03/12/colts-jerrell-freeman-walks-joins-bears/81693214/

Indeed it is, thanks. 

[AlanNC]

I am sure we offered at least what the Bears offered.  Looks like Freeman was thinking he was worth more than he was.  Not a big loss really.  We will be fine.

[BOTT]

On March 11, 2016 at 8:57 PM, SDakColts said:

Would you decline a pay raise at work? I don't think most people would, and the NFL works the same way. Occasionally you will get a player that wants to play for a contender or cares more about winning than a paycheck. However, for the most part most are out to make a living and looking for financial gain for financial stability after their NFL career is over. I wouldn't call it all about greed. 

Apples to oranges.  Nobody is asking him to refuse a raise from the Colts. People turn down higher pay all the time for various reasons....they don't want to transfer, they actually like their workplace, kids, etc..

 

Having said that, Freeman isn't in the wrong.

[richard pallo]

He really was not happy here.  He did not get the money he wanted and found out his market value. Instead of coming back to us for approximately the same offer he decided to move on.   Wish him well.  Grigson had the money right. Time to move on. 

[TheRustonRifle#7]

Maybe he is a Bears fan? If he turned down the same deal from Indy then he didn't want to play for them, which is his right? I am unsure how Indy's front office gets blamed for Freeman choosing Chicago over Indianapolis on what is being reported as the same deal?