Quote:
Originally Posted by CoryB
I would think that releasing veterans with high dollar contracts will make it more difficult to sign established free agents. Player agents are likely to advise that regardless of contract length offered by the Riders to view any deal as ending when the season does. Personally if I was a free agent the Riders would be last on my list right now because of these moves. Contracts are supposed to offer both the players and the team some level of security.
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If the rumours of Dressler's and Chick's salaries and bonuses are to be believed they were going to be making $500k combined in 2016. Those are astonomical numbers for non-QB international players. I think Jones and Murphy had no choice given the poor salary management that Brendan Tamen saddled the team with. These cuts are on Taman - not Jones. Given the ease of replacing the two players with cheaper import alternatives (Lemon for Chick, the other short Smith guy for Dressler) - its a move that had to be made. I am saddened by this news and don't like it at all but the contracts left little choice.
I can't help but agree with Cory that these cuts will affect the riders contract negotiations going forward - players will demand upfront bonus money to play here. Supposedly Lemon got an upfront signing bonus of $85k (risky as hell for the riders). If I was a player knowing that contracts mean nothing for players long term (with any team, not just the riders) I would also seek as much up front money as possible.