Mathis Agrees to Long Term Deal With Colts [Merge]

[Go Blue Horseshoe]

I have not made a post on here in a while, mostly because I'm tired of having the same "Is Peyton staying or going?" conversation a million times over, but I just heard the good news about Mathis agreeing to a deal that will keep him in Indy. I wanted to log on and make a post saying "Congratulations!" and express how happy I am that this extremely talented player will remain a Colt. Good news today. Very good news.

[BProland85]

The best choice of the vets to keep, rarely hurt, high motor, never gives up, hybrid type player that will adapt to the new system. A one of a kind player, I am absolutely amazed that he has been so successful playing as a standard 4-3 DE at his size, maybe he will be even better in a 3-4 I would not be surprised.

Yeah thats what has me excited about bring Mathis back. I think he could end up being better at 3-4 OLB than DE. He has very good athletism and speed to get to the QB from the LB spot.

[Superman]

Pretty good.

My guess is just under that...4 year $34MM with $12MM upfront guaranteed bonus and salaries of 4,5,6.5, and 6.5

I think you're both low, but I sincerely hope you're right. I would guess closer to $12 million/year, based on the market and the value of the franchise tag for the next two years.

[betheafan41]

according to ESPN its true....and said something like possible move to LB. makes sense since he is 6'4 245lbs. LB build

[CashMoney]

Mike Chappell ‏ @mchappell51

• Reply
  
• Retweet
  
• Favorite
  
• · Open
  

Colts ponied up for Robert Mathis. 4 years, $36 million, $15 SB. $17 mill in 1st year, $24 mill in 2nd year. Next dinner's on #98.

[coltsfanej]

Great news, and if 4 years 36 mill is accurate, it wasnt at a bad price either. Now just resign Reggie!!

[Fx Stryker]

So, where are those saying there isn't room for aging players on a "rebuilding" team?

[FireJimCaldwell]

Mike Chappell ‏ @mchappell51

• Reply
  
• Retweet
  
• Favorite
  
• · Open
  

Colts ponied up for Robert Mathis. 4 years, $36 million, $15 SB. $17 mill in 1st year, $24 mill in 2nd year. Next dinner's on #98.

I'm looking at it as two year trial.. If he coverts to the 3-4/OLB position smoothly, they will re-do the contract and bump it up. If not, then they move him and eat 7.5 in cap space.

[chad72]

Mike Chappell ‏ @mchappell51

• Reply
  
• Retweet
  
• Favorite
  
• · Open
  

Colts ponied up for Robert Mathis. 4 years, $36 million, $15 SB. $17 mill in 1st year, $24 mill in 2nd year. Next dinner's on #98.

Hey Superman, we are both happy now . I did say 4 years $36-40 mil. range, didn't I?

[BleedingBlue]

Robert Mathis on twitter: Still Bleedin BLUE!!! #YaDigg

Awesome news.

This is not a team that is rebuilding 100%, folks.

this is a team that is RELOADING and getting ready to fire in peoples faces.

[Ramblinwreck7]

So, where are those saying there isn't room for aging players on a "rebuilding" team?

Who says were rebuilding? I like the term reloading! Keep Peyton Manning, Reggie Wayne, Pierre Garcon, Jeff Saturday, everyone else, and trade the #1 pick and lets get back to action!

[Jules]

Who says were rebuilding? I like the term reloading! Keep Peyton Manning, Reggie Wayne, Pierre Garcon, Jeff Saturday, everyone else, and trade the #1 pick and lets get back to action!

The Colts are taking Luck with the first pick.

Your dream ends.

Many people here will be in denial until they see Luck throwing in preseason this year.

[Fx Stryker]

Who says were rebuilding? I like the term reloading! Keep Peyton Manning, Reggie Wayne, Pierre Garcon, Jeff Saturday, everyone else, and trade the #1 pick and lets get back to action!

Luck fans.

[UndecidedFrog]

I think you're both low, but I sincerely hope you're right. I would guess closer to $12 million/year, based on the market and the value of the franchise tag for the next two years.

Yes, I may be low.

According to your mock cap, you had him extended to a 4 year, $55MM deal with $15MM upfront, and salaries of $3.75, 12.08, 12.08, 12.08.

We'll see soon enough.

[indycolts2k6]

$36 million over 4 years.

http://www.rotoworld.com/player/nfl/1568/player?r=1

[FireJimCaldwell]

Mike Chappell ‏ @mchappell51

• Reply
  
• Retweet
  
• Favorite
  
• · Open
  

Colts ponied up for Robert Mathis. 4 years, $36 million, $15 SB. $17 mill in 1st year, $24 mill in 2nd year. Next dinner's on #98.

Based on that information he should have cap hits of 5.750 in 2012 and 10.750 in 2013, and cap hits totalling 19.5 for 2014 & 2015. That is if Chap's information is accurate.

[chad72]

Based on that information he should have cap hits of 5.750 in 2012 and 10.750 in 2013, and cap hits totalling 19.5 for 2014 & 2015. That is if Chap's information is accurate.

Another front loaded contract for Mathis. His previous contract of 5 yrs was front loaded and he started making noise around year 4 when he was underpaid. Heck ya, you collected all the money in the first 3 yrs, Robert, didn't you know that?

[UndecidedFrog]

$36 million over 4 years.

http://www.rotoworld...1568/player?r=1

I really wish there was more detail.

I am guessing $36MM deal, 4 years, upfront of $15MM, with salaries of 4,5,6,6. That's assuming the cited reference is accurate.

The deal includes a $15M signing bonus and $24M over the first two seasons. Because the initial bonus payment can prorate over the contract's life if Mathis is released early on, the Colts are rolling the dice that Mathis has at least three big years left in him.

Based on the above, I deduce $9MM has to be the first 2 years combined salaries, hence my guess of 4 and 5.

I couldn't make heads or tails out of what Chap said in his tweet. The totals add up to more than 36.

[FireJimCaldwell]

I really wish there was more detail.

I am guessing $36MM deal, 4 years, upfront of $15MM, with salaries of 4,5,6,6. That's assuming the cited reference is accurate.

Those #'s wouldn't add up to the information Chappell is leaking. They would have to be 2,7,6,6, or some combo of the last two years totaling 12.

[UndecidedFrog]

Those #'s wouldn't add up to the information Chappell is leaking. They would have to be 2,7,6,6, or some combo of the last two years totaling 12.

Yup, I see. Odd way of describing a contract. I see now he was talking cumulative.

[FireJimCaldwell]

Yup, I see. Odd way of describing a contract. I see now he was talking cumulative.

I think it comes from the team that way... They announced Manning's deal in similar terms.. of x in the first year, etc.

[Andy]

If the team tags Garcon with the franchise tag, it means Garcon will have no incentive to agree to a contract that pays him less than the franchise tag amount (at least in terms of guaranteed bonus money). He will sign the franchise tag tender, and refuse to agree to any contract that is less than that, wait one year, and then deal.

Garcon is a free agent, and does not hit the 2012 cap at all. However, if he was tagged, it will cost the cap $9.4MM. Or if he was signed to a contract that provided an AAC of $7.5MM, it will hit the cap at around that figure, depending on the structure of the contract.

How do you know that? What players in the NFL want is reassurance and knowing that they will be around for a while. They don't want to go from team to team. If given the opportunity, he would take a longterm for a bit less money, just because that's what 95% of all players would do. He's been with Indy all his career and it's made his career.

[UndecidedFrog]

How do you know that? What players in the NFL want is reassurance and knowing that they will be around for a while. They don't want to go from team to team. If given the opportunity, he would take a longterm for a bit less money, just because that's what 95% of all players would do. He's been with Indy all his career and it's made his career.

Show me one instance of where a player receiving a franchise tag tender, having signed it, and then relinquish it to accept a contract that did not at least provide guaranteed payments of the tag value.

[Gavin]

would love to see freeney stay but not at 19 million hit as far as Garcon he needs to realize yes hes got speed and has made some good plays but he drops more often then should, hes not a #1, I still say Manning is gone though and I dont see that at such a bad idea after all isnt he the same guy that wont restructure a deal after missing an entire season and getting paif out the butt for it, look at Ravens they have a decent quarterback not even a top 5 in my opinion and they are a factor every year cause of coaching and defense and an average offense with exception of ray rice above average, use that money somewhere else, thats good business, alot of us fans may not like it at first but it will pay off in long run, who knows maybe in the short term if cards are played right

[CanuckColtsFan]

It great to see he's "still bleedin BLUE". I still cant believe he was a 5th rounder. Polian sure did find talent in the later rounds.

[Superman]

Hey Superman, we are both happy now . I did say 4 years $36-40 mil. range, didn't I?

Yes, I may be low.

According to your mock cap, you had him extended to a 4 year, $55MM deal with $15MM upfront, and salaries of $3.75, 12.08, 12.08, 12.08.

We'll see soon enough.

Based on that information he should have cap hits of 5.750 in 2012 and 10.750 in 2013, and cap hits totalling 19.5 for 2014 & 2015. That is if Chap's information is accurate.

I really wish there was more detail.

I am guessing $36MM deal, 4 years, upfront of $15MM, with salaries of 4,5,6,6. That's assuming the cited reference is accurate.

The deal includes a $15M signing bonus and $24M over the first two seasons. Because the initial bonus payment can prorate over the contract's life if Mathis is released early on, the Colts are rolling the dice that Mathis has at least three big years left in him.

Based on the above, I deduce $9MM has to be the first 2 years combined salaries, hence my guess of 4 and 5.

I couldn't make heads or tails out of what Chap said in his tweet. The totals add up to more than 36.

Holy smokes. That's one heckuva deal for one of the best pass rushers in the NFL. Much, much better than I thought we'd be able to do, especially in terms of projected cap hits (assuming these numbers are accurate).

[UndecidedFrog]

Holy smokes. That's one heckuva deal for one of the best pass rushers in the NFL. Much, much better than I thought we'd be able to do, especially in terms of projected cap hits (assuming these numbers are accurate).

If the deal terms are accurate, you just saved yourself about $20MM over 4 years! congrats!

[atapcl]

according to ESPN its true....and said something like possible move to LB. makes sense since he is 6'4 245lbs. LB build

Actually 6-2 245 and had 4.5 speed on his pro day.

[number28]

thank you!!! finally!!!

[chrisfarley]

and if anyone disagrees with what he got, they haven't been paying attention, sorry.

[MIColtsFan]

http://www.indystar.com/article/20120305/SPORTS03/120305036/Colts-veteran-DE-Robert-Mathis-reach-long-term-deal?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|IndyStar.com

Mathis is tagged and being called "temporary" in this Indy Star article

[BmoreColt]

I really want to know the official cap hits..

[Mameluc]

5.5 million cap hit this year 10 next year...but i think they made it like thise becaue they know we will have more cap space next year.

my guess is bracket is gone, as he alone frees up 9 million in cap space I think?(next year not this one)

[betheafan41]

Actually 6-2 245 and had 4.5 speed on his pro day.

his pro day was like 9 years ago, bringing up his speed time now is irrelevant. that would drop off from his pro day time as time goes on and he gets older.

[chrisfarley]

sounds like a pretty hefty contract for a 30+, ugh.

[Andy]

Mathis' cap hit in the first year of his contract is 10.5M. That's bad for the Colts. That's about 6M more than last year. So essentially, there goes 6M off the salary cap space.

[Larry Horseman]

Mathis' cap hit in the first year of his contract is 10.5M. That's bad for the Colts. That's about 6M more than last year. So essentially, there goes 6M off the salary cap space.

No it isn't, it will be $5.75 in 2012; $10.25 in 2013; just below $8 in 2014; and just over $11 in 2015. It is a good deal for both parties, imo.

[UndecidedFrog]

Mathis' cap hit in the first year of his contract is 10.5M. That's bad for the Colts. That's about 6M more than last year. So essentially, there goes 6M off the salary cap space.

No it isn't, it will be $5.75 in 2012; $10.25 in 2013; just below $8 in 2014; and just over $11 in 2015. It is a good deal for both parties, imo.

Actually, from the little information that was provided, the only thing for sure as cap hits are for 2012, and 2013.

Without the salary breakout for the 2014 and 2015 seasons, I can only provide a conglomerated cap hit for those 2 years.

2012: cap hit $5.75MM

2013: cap hit $10.75MM

2014+2015: cap hit totals $19.5MM

Total: $36MM

How did I get this, you may ask.

Source: Chap's tweet: Colts ponied up for Robert Mathis. 4 years, $36 million, $15 SB. $17 mill in 1st year, $24 mill in 2nd year. Next dinner's on #98.

1) $15MM SB over 4 years = $3.75MM each of the 4 years ($15/4) for cap accounting purposes.

2) $17MM first year = $15MM real cash (bonus) + 2012 salary. Therefore 2012 salary = $2MM

3) $24MM over 2 years = $17MM in 2012 + salary of 2013. Therefore 2013 salary = 7MM

4) $36MM total contract = $17MM in 2012 + $7MM in 2013 + salaries for 2014 +2015

[Jaric]

So at first glance this appears to be a pretty good contract for an athletic and talented (but aging) pass rusher who may end up switching positions. I never really got an idea for what I thought the Colts should do with Mathis, but at least on paper he should be able to fit into this new defense we're running.

Gonna be REALLY interesting to see how this all fits together.

[atapcl]

his pro day was like 9 years ago, bringing up his speed time now is irrelevant. that would drop off from his pro day time as time goes on and he gets older.

Maybe his 40 is still relevant. Several years ago the Redskins had a DB who ran 4.4 at 40 years old. Mathis came from a small school that did not have pro level weight training. We do not know what his fastest 40 may have been with the Colts with proper training. At his age now the Monday Night Football crew timed him and Freeney at under 2.5 seconds getting to the QB which is an extremely fast first step.