Weaver Made Financial Decision...........

[CloakNNNdagger]

...................Will the Texans make one concerning him. This is a piece quoting Weaver. The article relates how stories like Weaver effect players, teams and, just as importantly, the fan base. Oh, for the good old days when you could count on and get excited seeing those same old "boring" faces every year:

Former Ravens second-round draft pick and current Houston Texans defensive end Anthony Weaver played in Baltimore for the first four seasons of his career (2002-05) before signing with the Texans as an unrestricted free agent.

Weaver points out that any given player's rationale for switching clubs is based on one basic human need.

"Anybody can relate to the fact that as a businessman, you're trying to take care of your family," Weaver said. "Regardless of where your emotions may lie, you have to do what's best for your family, but in the case of the NFL, [changing teams] happens way too often."

It provides little solace to the paying customer that a majority of the roughly 600-700 free agent transactions that occur each offseason actually involve a player returning to his old team.

As of Sunday night, 221 of 397 signed contracts in the 2008 signing period that concludes in late July followed this scenario, working out to a rate of just under 56 percent.

In fact, after testing the market to look for the highest offer they can, free agents in all classifications (unrestricted, restricted, exclusive rights, franchise, transition, right of first refusal) have returned to their former clubs at a 55-59 percent clip in each of the last six offseasons......................

................"I wanted to be that guy who played in one city for his entire career," Weaver said. "But in this day and age, it's just too tough to do."

[GP]

I guess he's entitled to his opinion pertaining to how he handles his business.

But if a guy is openly saying those things to the media...his head is not on the business of PLAYING for this team. IMO, it's on FISHING for a team that will bump his pay. It's like a person who leaves a great job because someone wants to pay him 50-cents more an hour...you left a good job for a minimal increase. Job hop all you want, but at some point...dance with the one who brung ya'. When you change jobs a lot, you get the rep as a guy who is just using you to get to the next job. Maybe this wasn't Weaver's motive for saying this stuff, but it makes you wonder.

The day Weaver is on a Pro Bowl roster and is leading the league in a statistical category is the day I think he ought to be talking like this. Amobi had only nine less tackles than Weaver, but Amobi had 5.5 sacks to Weavers 0.0. I don't know how the stats break down in terms of how many plays Weaver saw vs. Amobi...but a rookie DT had almost as many tackles as a DE, and the rookie DT had 5.5 more sacks than Weaver.

But if another team wants to pay him, and he can get it, then OK.

I really like Cochran. Heck, I also liked Thomas Johnson and wish we'd had retained him. I think both of those players are as good as Weaver. Just my opinion.

BTW, it really irks me when players from a Super Bowl team are gone in 1 second after they win the title: They jump ship and go "get paid" on some lousy team. Is that really good? I'd take more rings anyday. Reggie White might be the only guy I can think of who left a good team, went to a marginally-talented team, and then went on to do well. Seems like most times the player leaves a good job for the extra $$$...but it doesn't translate into more success. Gets the guy richer, but not any more success--Sapp, Moss, and any other player who left their team to get a payday with Al Davis.

Then again, you have to look out for yourself. It's a fine line to me. And I guess we're the ones watching, they're the ones doing, and so that's all there is it to it.

I don't think you're taking his words into the proper context. JMO.

[Wolf]

wow, I just looked at his stats,

2 years here 1 sack only
after getting 14.5 sacks in 4 years in Baltimore

he is averaging about the same am't of tackles, just not getting to the QB

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/player...?playerId=3580

I am not saying Weaver isn't playing hard, but our coaching staff needs to find a way for him to be active

[infantrycak]

Originally Posted by GP

But if a guy is openly saying those things to the media...his head is not on the business of PLAYING for this team. IMO, it's on FISHING for a team that will bump his pay. It's like a person who leaves a great job because someone wants to pay him 50-cents more an hour...you left a good job for a minimal increase. Job hop all you want, but at some point...dance with the one who brung ya'. When you change jobs a lot, you get the rep as a guy who is just using you to get to the next job. Maybe this wasn't Weaver's motive for saying this stuff, but it makes you wonder.

Wow, quite the diatribe. So 50 cents is analogous to a $12.5 mil signing bonus? Job hop?--he is on his 2nd NFL job.

BTW, it really irks me when players from a Super Bowl team are gone in 1 second after they win the title: They jump ship and go "get paid" on some lousy team. Is that really good? I'd take more rings anyday.

Hardly a ring totting ship jumper--he was drafted right after they won.

IMO Polo is right--he is describing the ideal of playing your entire career in one spot, not lamenting being here.

[GP]

Originally Posted by Polo

I don't think you're taking his words into the proper context. JMO.

I think I made 50% of my post on what value I think Weaver has in context or proportion to his stats here. I feel the other 50% was my opinion on the trend in the league of players hopping from team-to-team.

Weaver made the comment, the article followed it up with stats about how "loyal" free agents are when it comes time to re-do a deal or move on.

But hey: We're watching. They're playing. End of story.

[GP]

Originally Posted by infantrycak

Wow, quite the diatribe. So 50 cents is analogous to a $12.5 mil signing bonus? Job hop?--he is on his 2nd NFL job.



Hardly a ring totting ship jumper--he was drafted right after they won.

IMO Polo is right--he is describing the ideal of playing your entire career in one spot, not lamenting being here.

Weaver was touted as being a very cerebral player, a guy who is smart and well-spoken. It was one of the big perks of signing him away from Baltimore. Would have been nice for him to say what he said, but then to say that he "loves the Texans, the fans, and things are great here.."

I don't have the full article, but it opened up a few thoughts I have on team hoppers. Craig Biggio is a guy I adore because he stuck around. I have to imagine that a lot of other teams had tried to sign him away. Granted, he was being paid well to stay here..but still, he could have gone to George Steinbrenner and probably would have been a Yankee if he wanted to.

Most of my thoughts on what Weaver says is about the general trend, and so I probably did extend or project my thoughts of the topic onto Weaver.

[RipTraxx]

Originally Posted by Wolf

wow, I just looked at his stats,

2 years here 1 sack only
after getting 14.5 sacks in 4 years in Baltimore

he is averaging about the same am't of tackles, just not getting to the QB

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/player...?playerId=3580

I am not saying Weaver isn't playing hard, but our coaching staff needs to find a way for him to be active

I say stick him at the other DT next to Amobi

Then we can get a pass rushing End to take is old spot....

[aj.]

He did it for the money. They all do it for the money. I'm not going to lambast the guy just because he's one of the few that admits it. At least he's honest and not sugar coating it with BS like "It's not about the money, this is a team on the rise and I wanted to be here for x y and z."

It's safe to say that all of us wish he'd make more of an impact in the fall. I used to do a 'least bang for the buck' list. Without question Weaver would be on the top of that list - two years running.

[BornOrange]

Originally Posted by GP

Weaver was touted as being a very cerebral player, a guy who is smart and well-spoken. It was one of the big perks of signing him away from Baltimore. Would have been nice for him to say what he said, but then to say that he "loves the Texans, the fans, and things are great here.."

Weaver very well could have said that he loves the Texans and that he's happy here, but that wouldn't have fit the writer's story so he wouldn't have included that quote. This was a Baltimore writer concerned with free agents that left the Ravens.

However, I find it ironic that a fan base that calls for their team to cut a player who isn't performing up to their expectations then gets upset when that player doesn't express love for the fans.

Until all NFL contracts are fully guaranteed, don't expect players to feel too loyal to their team.

BTW, I am not arguing that all NFL contracts should be guaranteed. That would not improve the league.

[Lucky]

Originally Posted by CloakNNNdagger

...................Will the Texans make one concerning him.

I don't think they can afford to. I was going to check the numbers at Keith's cap page on houstonprofootball.com, but their site is down.

[infantrycak]

Originally Posted by Lucky

I don't think they can afford to. I was going to check the numbers at Keith's cap page on houstonprofootball.com, but their site is down.

From the info on Rotoworld:

If Weaver stays this year--$3.5 mil salary and $2.5 mil prorated bonus--total cap hit $6 mil.
If Weaver cut (one fell swoop)--save the $3.5 mil but create $7.5 mil dead money--net loss on cap of $1.5 mil.
If Weaver cut (as June 1st cut)--save the $3.5 mil but create $2.5 mil dead money this year and $5 mil dead money next year--net savings of $1 mil on cap this year.

For 2009 (post 2008 off-season)

If Weaver stays 2009--$3.5 mil salary and $2.5 mil prorated bonus--total cap hit $6 mil.
If Weaver cut (one fell swoop)--save the $3.5 mil but create $5 mil dead money--net gain on cap of $1 mil.
If Weaver cut (as June 1st cut)--save the $3.5 mil but create $2.5 mil dead money 2009 and $2.5 mil dead money 2010--net savings of $3.5 mil on 2009 cap.

[El Tejano]

Weaver is going to stay unfortunately. Hopefully he gets better from the injury and turns it around.

[Lucky]

Originally Posted by infantrycak

If Weaver cut (as June 1st cut)--save the $3.5 mil but create $2.5 mil dead money this year and $5 mil dead money next year--net savings of $1 mil on cap this year.

So it looks like Weaver will get the opportunity to prove he's healthy in training camp. If the Texans wanted to cut Weaver, they could have done so earlier by naming him a June 1st cut.

I just wonder whether Mario would be better served staying at LDE full time. Maybe it's just that he doesn't look like a edge rusher that makes me think that? Unless the Texans strike mid round gold in the draft, there's no one to replace Williams on the right side, anyway. I just wish that Weaver would play up to his performance as a Raven. Maybe he is, and this is as good as he gets.

[badboy]

Originally Posted by Lucky

I don't think they can afford to. I was going to check the numbers at Keith's cap page on houstonprofootball.com, but their site is down.

I have emailed Keith for explanation of what's up with the site.

[Fox]

Originally Posted by Lucky

I just wonder whether Mario would be better served staying at LDE full time. Maybe it's just that he doesn't look like a edge rusher that makes me think that? Unless the Texans strike mid round gold in the draft, there's no one to replace Williams on the right side, anyway.

I agree, I've always thought Mario has looked more comfortable at LDE, and has a more typical build/skill set for an LDE. As you mentioned the problem is we don't have a better or similarly capable pass rusher who could step in as an every down player at RDE. I did see though that we were looking at a later round DE in the NCAA forum, maybe we're scouting out some potential candidates to fill that role.

[ubecool454]

Originally Posted by Wolf

wow, I just looked at his stats,

2 years here 1 sack only
after getting 14.5 sacks in 4 years in Baltimore

he is averaging about the same am't of tackles, just not getting to the QB

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/player...?playerId=3580

I am not saying Weaver isn't playing hard, but our coaching staff needs to find a way for him to be active

Blame Casserly and Capers on the Weaver pickup. If you were expecting Weaver to be a sack artist you haven't been paying attention.

[ccdude730]

Originally Posted by Lucky

So it looks like Weaver will get the opportunity to prove he's healthy in training camp. If the Texans wanted to cut Weaver, they could have done so earlier by naming him a June 1st cut.

I just wonder whether Mario would be better served staying at LDE full time. Maybe it's just that he doesn't look like a edge rusher that makes me think that? Unless the Texans strike mid round gold in the draft, there's no one to replace Williams on the right side, anyway. I just wish that Weaver would play up to his performance as a Raven. Maybe he is, and this is as good as he gets.

but when you designate a vet as a june 1st cut, how many seasons do they have to be in? and im not so sure they would have cut him anyway. but he definitely needs to pick his game up or this will be his last season here in houston.

LDE reminds me of our SS position. we have guys that can play it, but where is the other playmaker that we need? we are missing a ball-hawking FS like we are missing a true pass-rusher. and i have no doubt mario can play it well, but it does seem like he is out of place when lined up at RDE.

but maybe its just the lack of fast-twitch muscles that keep him from being a premier pass-rusher

[Errant Hothy]

Originally Posted by aj.

He did it for the money. They all do it for the money. I'm not going to lambast the guy just because he's one of the few that admits it. At least he's honest and not sugar coating it with BS like "It's not about the money, this is a team on the rise and I wanted to be here for x y and z."

It's safe to say that all of us wish he'd make more of an impact in the fall. I used to do a 'least bang for the buck' list. Without question Weaver would be on the top of that list - two years running.

QFT!!

All athletes do everything for the money.

Maybe if he's healthier this year he'll play better.