Willie Anderson asked to take a pay cut
http://www.profootballtalk.com/2008/...ake-a-pay-cut/
Quote:
Willie Anderson has been one of the Bengals’ best players for more than a decade, a five-time Pro Bowl tackle who has started 173 games in 12 seasons.
But he’s now 33 years old and coming off a season in which he missed most of the year, and he may need to take less money to keep his job.
A league source tells PFT that the Bengals have approached Anderson and asked him to agree to take a pay cut. It’s not yet known whether Anderson is willing to take it, and it’s also not known whether the Bengals would release him if he refuses. But the possibility exists that the Bengals’ 1996 first-round draft pick could be on the way out.
Re: Willie Anderson asked to take a pay cut
Mark Curnutte is reporting that Willie Anderson told him he was released after refusing to take a pay cut.
http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs...NTPAGECAROUSEL
Re: Willie Anderson asked to take a pay cut
Carson is about all alone in that locker room now as far as a leadership role. Bengals are going to be a bad, bad football team.
Re: Willie Anderson asked to take a pay cut
Looks like they are freeing up some cash, with ideas on what to do with the cap space. Rudi did not surprise me but Willie did. Long suffering Bengals fans will always have a place for Willie as he suffered through the bad years right along with us. Hopefully nobody on the line gets hurt.
Re: Willie Anderson asked to take a pay cut
The freed up money will hopefully go to extending some contracts. If not, I doubt the Bengals were so close to the cap that this was a necessary move. And if they were that close to the cap, it's just another reason to say Brown is a terrible, terrible GM.
Re: Willie Anderson asked to take a pay cut
Willie will find a home somewhere else.
Re: Willie Anderson asked to take a pay cut
I'm all for cutting Willie if the money saved leads to locking up TJ. Rudi is just done.
Melancholy day losing both guys, but both contracts needed to be off the books.
Re: Willie Anderson asked to take a pay cut
Re: Willie Anderson asked to take a pay cut
Absolutely a terrible move. I love the Bengals, but they are clueless in every way of building a team.
Re: Willie Anderson asked to take a pay cut
Quote:
Originally Posted by
eichstadtreds
Absolutely a terrible move. I love the Bengals, but they are clueless in every way of building a team.
I don't understand why this is such a bad move. Take sentiment out of the equation. I though Willie was a great Bengal but last season he couldn't stay of the field. He is played 12 NFL seasons and is on the wrong side of 30. Add knee problems to that and his 300+ frame. I have a feeling that people think Willie is healthy and ready to play, fact of the matter is he isn't a starter and probably won't be able to play a full season ever again.
I would have liked to see him remain on the team but if that happened you would be paying for a very expensive coach while also sacrificing one roster spot. Nothing would be like playing in the NFL with a 52 man roster against a 53 man roster.
I don't like to see Willie go but this may have been best for both parties.
Re: Willie Anderson asked to take a pay cut
He's supposed to sign with the Ravens tomorrow:
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Willie a Raven
By GEOFF HOBSON
September 4, 2008
Updated: 6:25 p.m.
Funny how things work.
With the Bengals scheduled to fly into Baltimore Friday night, Willie Anderson plans on signing a three-year, $11 million deal Friday morning with the Ravens.
Anderson is to get a $1.67 million bonus with an $830,000 salary this year that can jack to $1 million for 40 percent play time. That would give him $3.5 million for the year compared to the $3.1 million he was scheduled to get from the Bengals. Last week Anderson turned down a reduced deal from the Bengals that would have paid him the full $3.1 million if he hit certain play-time figures.
Anderson, a four-time Pro Bowler, said he was greeted like a long lost brother at the Ravens facility with a "Big Willie," roar, and the deal was sealed by the hard sell of offensive line coach John Matsko, defensive coordinator Rex Ryan, and fellow Alabaman Ozzie Newsome, the Ravens general manager.
"Ozzie's reputation speaks for itself," Anderson said.
Anderson's 12-year run in Cincinnati stemmed from differing opinions about his health and his availability to practice. Anderson said the Ravens doctors told him his X-Rays looked like any other NFL player with seven years or more experience and he said he plans to practice in Baltimore.
"I miss the city of Cincinnati, the Brown family, and my teammates," he said as he also texted en masse names of the support people he wanted to thank from equipment manager Jeff Brickner to the security staff.
"I'm sorry to the city that I couldn't do for them what I always dreamed of doing," Anderson said. "Win a championship and restore pride to that city. That hurt me that I didn't accomplish that."
Anderson said he won't know if he's playing Sunday or is a backup to Adam Terry until Friday.
http://bengals.com/news/news.asp?story_id=7022
Re: Willie Anderson asked to take a pay cut
The old "sign the guy who knows the playbook of the team you're playing this week" ploy.
Re: Willie Anderson asked to take a pay cut
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Yachtzee
The old "sign the guy who knows the playbook of the team you're playing this week" ploy.
Good point.
Still, I can't believe they gave him a 3 year deal. I mean, I have no doubt Willie's still a solid OT when he can stay healthy, but does anyone really expect him to stay healthy? For three more years no less?
It's definitely a gamble by Mr. Newsome. And given that it's on the offensive side of the ball, I expect (hope) it to blow up in their faces. :evil:
Re: Willie Anderson asked to take a pay cut
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Originally Posted by
Screwball
Good point.
Still, I can't believe they gave him a 3 year deal. I mean, I have no doubt Willie's still a solid OT when he can stay healthy, but does anyone really expect him to stay healthy? For three more years no less?
It's definitely a gamble by Mr. Newsome. And given that it's on the offensive side of the ball, I expect (hope) it to blow up in their faces. :evil:
I don't expect him to stay on the team beyond this season. It's a classic signing where the only money he's guaranteed to make is the signing bonus and this season's salary. The money for seasons beyond that is meaningless unless he's on their roster to start the season. Teams sign players to backloaded contracts all the time so that they can stroke their egos with huge money contracts but both parties know its very unlikely the player is actually going to see the full money of the contract.
Re: Willie Anderson asked to take a pay cut
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Yachtzee
I don't expect him to stay on the team beyond this season. It's a classic signing where the only money he's guaranteed to make is the signing bonus and this season's salary. The money for seasons beyond that is meaningless unless he's on their roster to start the season. Teams sign players to backloaded contracts all the time so that they can stroke their egos with huge money contracts but both parties know its very unlikely the player is actually going to see the full money of the contract.
Another good point. I'm still thinking in baseball terms where the contract is completely guaranteed, but as you said in the NFL they're not obligated to pay him after this season.
So this is a pretty good move by the Ravens (if Willie can even stay healthy that is). Still, with Ogden retired, the vaunted defense banged up and aging, and with Joe-freaking-Flacco as their starting QB, I see the Ravens getting roughed up this season.