Darius Leonard

[w87r 5,357]

Stephen Holder wrote an article on Leonard extension on the Athletic.

 

I don't have access, but a few key notes from article.

 

1. Colts surely are looking at locking him up this offseason.

2. Probably looking at $17-18m a season

3. If we don't lock him up this offseason, it increases the chances he leaves after rookie deal. Although we would have a Franchise Tag option if long term couldn't be agreed upon.

 

https://theathletic.com/2422770/2021/03/03/colts-darius-leonard-decision-a-massive-payday-now-or-wait-until-later/?source=emp_shared_article

 

 

As far Leonard, I know its been discussed, what does his extension look like? Will he leave when he can, if not signed?

 

 

Going to change my projection a little from offseason mock:

 

Darius Leonard:(5 years(raise in 2021) $71.3m $49.3m guaranteed $25m SB (2021/22/23 base,))

2021:$3.42m base, $838k SB, $5m SB = $9.3m ~ guaranteed

2022:$10m base, $5m SB = $15m ~ guaranteed

2023: $12m base, $5m SB = $17m ~ guaranteed

2024: $12m base, $5m SB = $17m

2025: $10m base $5m SB = $15m

 

 

I think something like this could get close.

 

The $5m extra in 2021, then $15.5m/season after and $25m upfront. $67m in new money.

 

Is that something Colts fans fell ok about?

 

I know I feel pretty good about it. 

[danlhart87 8,696]

Lock that down sooner than later 

[csmopar 7,514]

17 minutes ago, w87r said:

Stephen Holder wrote an article on Leonard extension on the Athletic.

 

I don't have access, but a few key notes from article.

 

1. Colts surely are looking at locking him up this offseason.

2. Probably looking at $17-18m a season

3. If we don't lock him up this offseason, it increases the chances he leaves after rookie deal. Although we would have a Franchise Tag option if long term couldn't be agreed upon.

 

https://theathletic.com/2422770/2021/03/03/colts-darius-leonard-decision-a-massive-payday-now-or-wait-until-later/?source=emp_shared_article

 

 

As far Leonard, I know its been discussed, what does his extension look like? Will he leave when he can, if not signed?

 

 

Going to change my projection a little from offseason mock:

 

Darius Leonard:(5 years(raise in 2021) $71.3m $49.3m guaranteed $25m SB (2021/22/23 base,))

2021:$3.42m base, $838k SB, $5m SB = $9.3m ~ guaranteed

2022:$10m base, $5m SB = $15m ~ guaranteed

2023: $12m base, $5m SB = $17m ~ guaranteed

2024: $12m base, $5m SB = $17m

2025: $10m base $5m SB = $15m

 

 

I think something like this could get close.

 

The $5m extra in 2021, then $15.5m/season after and $25m upfront. $67m in new money.

 

Is that something Colts fans fell ok about?

 

I know I feel pretty good about it. 

I’d take it

[NewColtsFan 9,280]

23 minutes ago, w87r said:

Stephen Holder wrote an article on Leonard extension on the Athletic.

 

I don't have access, but a few key notes from article.

 

1. Colts surely are looking at locking him up this offseason.

2. Probably looking at $17-18m a season

3. If we don't lock him up this offseason, it increases the chances he leaves after rookie deal. Although we would have a Franchise Tag option if long term couldn't be agreed upon.

 

https://theathletic.com/2422770/2021/03/03/colts-darius-leonard-decision-a-massive-payday-now-or-wait-until-later/?source=emp_shared_article

 

 

As far Leonard, I know its been discussed, what does his extension look like? Will he leave when he can, if not signed?

 

 

Going to change my projection a little from offseason mock:

 

Darius Leonard:(5 years(raise in 2021) $71.3m $49.3m guaranteed $25m SB (2021/22/23 base,))

2021:$3.42m base, $838k SB, $5m SB = $9.3m ~ guaranteed

2022:$10m base, $5m SB = $15m ~ guaranteed

2023: $12m base, $5m SB = $17m ~ guaranteed

2024: $12m base, $5m SB = $17m

2025: $10m base $5m SB = $15m

 

 

I think something like this could get close.

 

The $5m extra in 2021, then $15.5m/season after and $25m upfront. $67m in new money.

 

Is that something Colts fans fell ok about?

 

I know I feel pretty good about it. 

Thanks so much for doing this. 
 

As you might expect, I have questions...
 

Your #2 take away is Leonard will get $17-18m per.   But your breakdown of your proposed contract looks to me like $14.25m per year.   5 years, $71.3m.

 

Can you explain the discrepancy?

 

I don’t know if Leonard will reach $17-18m, but I feel DL will likely reach $15-16m per. 

[CR91 6,940]

If I had to guess, his contract will be 5 year 90 mil 40G

[tweezy32 373]

Wish we had players that would take a lot less so we can sign better players to win more.. like Tom did.. totally understand why they want to get as much as possible tho. Like it would be dope if Leonard and nelson took a cut just to help the colts out! Man can only dream!

[2006Coltsbestever 22,342]

Bottom line is when you have players, especially young players that are top 5 at their positions they need to be re-signed even if it cost a lot. Otherwise you will never have a good team just getting rid of all your good-great players. Leonard is top 5 at his position and I believe Nelson is the best Guard in Football. Both need to be re-signed to long term deals like Kelly was.

[AustinnKaine 347]

Leonard and Nelson are not going anywhere. 

[AustinnKaine 347]

1 hour ago, tweezy32 said:

Wish we had players that would take a lot less so we can sign better players to win more.. like Tom did.. totally understand why they want to get as much as possible tho. Like it would be dope if Leonard and nelson took a cut just to help the colts out! Man can only dream!

i dont agree

[2006Coltsbestever 22,342]

1 hour ago, tweezy32 said:

Wish we had players that would take a lot less so we can sign better players to win more.. like Tom did.. totally understand why they want to get as much as possible tho. Like it would be dope if Leonard and nelson took a cut just to help the colts out! Man can only dream!

Most of it is their agents. Their agent gets the player the best deal money wise and their agent gets a % of that deal. Agents can be greedy but that is how they make their money. In other words lets say to someone like Aaron Rodgers 30 Mill a year compared to 25 Mill just to help his team win may not seem like much but to the agent it is. The agent would be losing a couple of Mill by Aaron agreeing to take less money. In Tom's case he could care less, he has earned over 200,000,000 mill in his career and his wife even makes more than he does.

[crazycolt1 7,556]

Players are paid what the market will sustain. 

[OhioColt 113]

As of right now the top OLB makes $18 million a year.  Leonard is good but is he great enough to command close to $18 million or more?  I can see maybe around $16.5 million a season deal being made.

[w87r 5,357]

8 hours ago, NewColtsFan said:

Thanks so much for doing this. 
 

As you might expect, I have questions...
 

Your #2 take away is Leonard will get $17-18m per.   But your breakdown of your proposed contract looks to me like $14.25m per year.   5 years, $71.3m.

 

Can you explain the discrepancy?

 

I don’t know if Leonard will reach $17-18m, but I feel DL will likely reach $15-16m per. 

Because his new money is 4yrs $67m(including $5m 2021 raise)

 

 

Which is a $16.75m a year. (4yrs $62m + $5m in 2021)

 

 

The 2021 number doesn't reflect that figure, but he is getting a raise there of $5m for agreeing to deal, with additional $20m more in signing bonus as well.

 

 

And just because the article said $17-$18m doesn't mean that is what he will get, but like I said my offer puts it at $16.75m per if you add the extra $5m he will yet in 2021 to the 4 new years numbers.

[Hoose 1,193]

Regardless of the final number, the Colts will not let Leonard get on the open market. He's uber talented, the spiritual leader of the D, and, along with Q, the most important player on the team. Whatever he finally costs, he'll be worth it. Trust me, Ballard has already factored all of this into the cap equation. 

[AustinnKaine 347]

4 minutes ago, Hoose said:

Regardless of the final number, the Colts will not let Leonard get on the open market. He's uber talented, the spiritual leader of the D, and, along with Q, the most important player on the team. Whatever he finally costs, he'll be worth it. Trust me, Ballard has already factored all of this into the cap equation. 

good post hoose. 

[joecolts 214]

13 hours ago, w87r said:

As far Leonard, I know its been discussed, what does his extension look like? Will he leave when he can, if not signed?

 

 

Going to change my projection a little from offseason mock:

 

Darius Leonard:(5 years(raise in 2021) $71.3m $49.3m guaranteed $25m SB (2021/22/23 base,))

2021:$3.42m base, $838k SB, $5m SB = $9.3m ~ guaranteed

2022:$10m base, $5m SB = $15m ~ guaranteed

2023: $12m base, $5m SB = $17m ~ guaranteed

2024: $12m base, $5m SB = $17m

2025: $10m base $5m SB = $15m

 

 

I think something like this could get close.

 

The $5m extra in 2021, then $15.5m/season after and $25m upfront. $67m in new money.

 

Is that something Colts fans fell ok about?

 

I know I feel pretty good about it. 

Always impressed with your thought process, research and figures when it comes to salaries and the CAP.  Thank you.

[GoColts8818 4,688]

4 hours ago, OhioColt said:

As of right now the top OLB makes $18 million a year.  Leonard is good but is he great enough to command close to $18 million or more?  I can see maybe around $16.5 million a season deal being made.

The way nfl free agency works yes he is.

[Superman 9,409]

13 hours ago, w87r said:

Darius Leonard:(5 years(raise in 2021) $71.3m $49.3m guaranteed $25m SB (2021/22/23 base,))

2021:$3.42m base, $838k SB, $5m SB = $9.3m ~ guaranteed

2022:$10m base, $5m SB = $15m ~ guaranteed

2023: $12m base, $5m SB = $17m ~ guaranteed

2024: $12m base, $5m SB = $17m

2025: $10m base $5m SB = $15m

 

 

I think something like this could get close.

 

The $5m extra in 2021, then $15.5m/season after and $25m upfront. $67m in new money.

 

My only nitpick is that the Colts don't like big signing bonuses. That makes it hard to do a big money deal with a low Year 1 cap hit.

[Shive 2,294]

8 hours ago, OhioColt said:

As of right now the top OLB makes $18 million a year.  Leonard is good but is he great enough to command close to $18 million or more?  I can see maybe around $16.5 million a season deal being made.

OLB money is a bit convoluted, because that includes 3-4 OLBs, who are edge rushers and typically are paid more than off-line LBs. In previous interviews when asked about his position, he's referred to himself as an ILB, which I think is a little more appropriate. Although Bobby Wagner is sitting at $18M AAV, so I'd say your point is still accurate.

[Superman 9,409]

13 hours ago, NewColtsFan said:

Your #2 take away is Leonard will get $17-18m per.   But your breakdown of your proposed contract looks to me like $14.25m per year.   5 years, $71.3m.

 

He responded already, but the key is $67m in "new money," divided by four additional years = $16.75m average. That's how these contracts get reported and ranked, even though it doesn't work that way on the cap.

[RollerColt 2,676]

10 minutes ago, Superman said:

 

He responded already, but the key is $67m in "new money," divided by four additional years = $16.75m average. That's how these contracts get reported and ranked, even though it doesn't work that way on the cap.

Why is it that they report it like that? Is it because the cap is always uncertain?

[2006Coltsbestever 22,342]

8 hours ago, crazycolt1 said:

Players are paid what the market will sustain. 

Yep and that is where having a great agent comes in as I posted above. 

[Superman 9,409]

12 minutes ago, RollerColt said:

Why is it that they report it like that? Is it because the cap is always uncertain?

 

Because contract details are generally leaked by agents, who like to present the details in the best light possible.

[RollerColt 2,676]

22 minutes ago, Superman said:

 

Because contract details are generally leaked by agents, who like to present the details in the best light possible.

Ah that makes a lot of sense, thanks Supe!

[NewColtsFan 9,280]

5 hours ago, w87r said:

Because his new money is 4yrs $67m(including $5m 2021 raise)

 

 

Which is a $16.75m a year. (4yrs $62m + $5m in 2021)

 

 

The 2021 number doesn't reflect that figure, but he is getting a raise there of $5m for agreeing to deal, with additional $20m more in signing bonus as well.

 

 

And just because the article said $17-$18m doesn't mean that is what he will get, but like I said my offer puts it at $16.75m per if you add the extra $5m he will yet in 2021 to the 4 new years numbers.

If I understand correctly, it’s almost win-win.

 

The player and agent can claim 16.75 based on new money.    But the team can claim 14.25 by factoring in the current 4th year which will still exist, though sweetened a bit with $$$.   Good for both sides. 
 

Is this a fair viewpoint? 

[w87r 5,357]

1 hour ago, Superman said:

 

My only nitpick is that the Colts don't like big signing bonuses. That makes it hard to do a big money deal with a low Year 1 cap hit.

I wasn't going to do a SB because I know that is not really Ballards MO,  but for this instance, I figured it made sense here as I was giving Leonard a bump in pay this year anyway so that $5m could just tie into the SB, and the potential of receiving a big chunk up front might entice Leonard to take the deal. 

[w87r 5,357]

10 minutes ago, NewColtsFan said:

If I understand correctly, it’s almost win-win.

 

The player and agent can claim 16.75 based on new money.    But the team can claim 14.25 by factoring in the current 4th year which will still exist, though sweetened a bit with $$$.   Good for both sides. 
 

Is this a fair viewpoint? 

Yeah pretty accurate assumption.

[stitches 8,429]

Yeah. I don't think I would ever love a record setting off-ball LB contract, but it's not like we can let him go... It has to be done plus he deserves a big payday... 

[chickenMan 608]

If we didn’t sign him this offseason, assuming we didn’t implode next year, I doubt he’d leave. We would offer him at least as much as most other teams, and he seems like he really likes it here. He doesn’t strike me as the kind of guy who’s looking to bail.

 

The only other team I could ever fathom DL playing for is Carolina, since that’s where he’s from

[OhioColt 113]

13 hours ago, GoColts8818 said:

The way nfl free agency works yes he is.

Can tell we are all getting old when get more excited and flash back to your tag line of Ric Flair woo.  I can still remember back in the 80's when Irsay would come out to the boonies for his private birthday bashes a few weeks prior to his actual b-day and have Colt's players and some cheerleaders gathered around camp fire listening to music.  Fast forward to 1999 when the Colts moved their training camp to Terre Haute and remember Manning showing up at the local bar wearing his pink sweatsuit while the Edge would take a taxi cab from Indy to Terre Haute because of his fears.

 

Long live the Die-Hard Colts Fans

[coltsfeva 1,181]

I was thinking about starting a new thread but, this video not only convinced me of keeping him but shows a few things:

What a special player he is

    Great recovery speed, ball-stripping/punching technique, football intelligence and humility. Pretty amazing stuff

 

  

How well the Colts are coached

  Darius made reference to the communication on the field between players and the ball security techniques that Rathman taught and how it influenced him, to be able to get turnovers . It’s a good example of something I’ve never thought about; how the good coaching of one coach (Rathman) can influence the play of players on the opposite side of the ball.

 

  The influence of Luck and Rivers

   Although he didn’t credit Rivers directly, he did mention Luck. I assumed he learned stuff from Rivers as well. 
 

  It’s Ron Jaworski and Brian Balldinger. A good watch.

 

  

 

[Dogg63 2,154]

58 minutes ago, coltsfeva said:

I was thinking about starting a new thread but, this video not only convinced me of keeping him but shows a few things:

What a special player he is

    Great recovery speed, ball-stripping/punching technique, football intelligence and humility. Pretty amazing stuff

 

  

How well the Colts are coached

  Darius made reference to the communication on the field between players and the ball security techniques that Rathman taught and how it influenced him, to be able to get turnovers . It’s a good example of something I’ve never thought about; how the good coaching of one coach (Rathman) can influence the play of players on the opposite side of the ball.

 

  The influence of Luck and Rivers

   Although he didn’t credit Rivers directly, he did mention Luck. I assumed he learned stuff from Rivers as well. 
 

  It’s Ron Jaworski and Brian Balldinger. A good watch.

 

  

 

At 7:12, Jaws says to Leonard, “You’re fortunate to have one of the real, young stars of this league. You guys will be together for another decade. How has it helped you working every day against a competitor like Andrew Luck?”

 

[BlackTiger 131]

He seems like a candidate for the tag to me.  Does anyone know what that number would be for a will line backer, and if there is a distinction between 3-4 and 4-3?