The All Things Terry Thread

[Chris]

So that’s how counsel works? 🤣

 

[lovemaskins]

"he should stand 10 toes down and get every dollar he’s worth" - The problem is that he's not worth what he's apparently asking for, but he seems incapable of or unwilling to accept that.

From whose perspective? His or the teams? Based on what, historical age factors or eyeball tests that he doesn’t look as explosive as another receiver… all subjective.

He’s got selective stats on his side just like the team does. Math can tell you anything.

His worth is what the team is willing to pay. That’s what he’s fighting for. We’d all fight for what we think we’re worth.

 

[Conn]

I’m in the tiny minority here, but I’m with Terry from a monetary standpoint. While I agree the team shouldn’t want to pay what he’s asking from a business perspective, he should stand 10 toes down and get every dollar he’s worth.

Just reading some of the comments in this thread are evidence of why a player should never care for fan sentiment, because that sentiment is purely transactional. He’s awesome as long as he does what the fan thinks is best, and that’s nonsense.

More importantly, the organization is also transactional. Players put their bodies and lives, yes lives, and long term health on the line for a TV show that will exploit them at any point for the “brotherhood” of the team. Underperform, you’re cut regardless of contract.

They’re asked to play injured, sick, and leave their families; yet once he’s used up, teams cut players and then it’s onto the next, and fans are back to the nonsense. And spare me the “they signed up to play, and nobody forced them to play football argument,” cry yourself a river, it’s a business.

So yeah, obviously I hope he’s back and does the fairy tale DC Cinderella story thing and retires a Commander; but if he decides his family and personal legacy are more important than a bunch of strangers online and wealthy businessmen then bruh, get yours!

I wouldn’t hesitate either…

There’s a difference between fighting for every dollar and being delusional to the point of actually hurting your chances at those dollars. He’s fighting to get paid as a top-3 WR in the league, which isn’t happening here or elsewhere. It’s noble to advocate for yourself but there comes a point where you’re being belligerent and hurting yourself.

I’m always on the players’ side against these billionaires. Terry is fucking nuts on this one unless every bit of reporting out there is incorrect

 

[Conn]

 

[mistertim]

From whose perspective? His or the teams? Based on what, historical age factors or eyeball tests that he doesn’t look as explosive as another receiver… all subjective.

He’s got selective stats on his side just like the team does. Math can tell you anything.

His worth is what the team is willing to pay. That’s what he’s fighting for. We’d all fight for what we think we’re worth.

The team's, and likely pretty much the entire league's. If he were a FA he might be able to get some stupid panicking team to pay a 30 year old receiver ~$34m/year, but I think it's very unlikely. If you went around the league and asked every FO what they would pay Terry, I'm betting you likely wouldn't get any answers over ~$28m/year.

He's not on the level of Chase, Jefferson, and Lamb (the top 3 paid WRs) and he's also at least 4 years older than all of them. He's simply not going to get as much as they are and there's no reason to pay him in that tier.

 

[KDawg]

Here’s my thought on what’s happening with 17…

He wants to be paid like an elite receiver. The team said they want to pay him but not like that and no one else would either. Agent says, “I bet they would.”

Team replies, “go ahead and look.”

And here we are. I hope this ends with Terry staying with us, but if it doesn’t good for Terry and good for the team for sticking to their guns.

Either way, it would be nice to see this resolved soon.

 

[HTTRDynasty]

Unfortunately for Terry, there’s nothing he can point to that’s even close to this:

 

[Neophyte]

I can't buy this list.

We agree that Daniels is number 1.

Luvu and Wagner? The defense was awful with them. They were not more positively impactful than Terry and if we are including age as a factor it's pretty silly to include Wagner.
Tunsil hasn't played a snap yet for this team. I've seen too many highly touted free agents (or players we traded for) who were great on their former teams but bums with us. Maybe he becomes a core player. Maybe not.
Lattimore? Lattimore was the most disappointing player on the roster last year. Saying he's top five is the stretchiest of stretches. We don't even know if he be meh.

First, we disagree about the defense being "awful". It was middle of the road and enough to get us to the NFC Championship game. That's not awful, my friend.

Wagner and Luvu both had great years last season, by any measure and for any age. The defense could have been better but it wasn't short on LB play so much as it was short on DL and Secondary play. And Wagner arguably set the professional standard for the entire team - JD5 included. He is a leader's leader and he will still be one of the most influencial players on this team long after he retires due to his impact on young men like JD5, Sainristal, Cosmi, Reaves, and a host of others.

Tunsil doens't have to play a snap for this team to be better than Terry. He is a Top 5 player in the league at the second most important position on the offense and is reportedly stonewalling everyone in camp. He is what he is.

Lattimore was hurt. Now he isn't. Having watched him for years, he can take Terry out of the game all by himself when he is on and again, reports from camp are that he is most definitely "on" this year.

However, I get it, brother. It's hard to look at "our guys" realistically. Most of us, myself included, pushed a lot of hot air defending guys who were here under Ron because they were great stories and they were ours. At that point, we needed something to hang on to and that's okay.

We have other things to hang on to now though.

Maybe the greatest lesson I've learned from being a fan of the Premier League for the last 15 years is that players come and go, sometimes quickly, but the team is forever.

 

[Conn]

Here’s my thought on what’s happening with 17…

He wants to be paid like an elite receiver. The team said they want to pay him but not like that and no one else would either. Agent says, “I bet they would.”

Team replies, “go ahead and look.”

And here we are. I hope this ends with Terry staying with us, but if it doesn’t good for Terry and good for the team for sticking to their guns.

Either way, it would be nice to see this resolved soon.

If we hear that his agent has been granted permission to talk to other teams, this will be why. Then they can actually compromise

 

[Bigwig]

Why would Terry moderate his demands?

To get more than Peters is willing to pay?

And there's zero chance he would accept a one year rental. He wants to get overpaid on a long term deal, not be year to year.

I agree it would be foolish for another team to trade for him without his buy-in. I don’t agree the chance is zero—look at Deebo Samuel.

And I also think there's no way we trade him outside of getting a 1st rounder + offer. There's just no incentive for the FO to let him go for a lower pick when 1) he's under contract for this season and 2) they could then franchise him in 2026 for ~$28m, which is a fair amount lower than the >$33m/year that he's apparently asking for.

I don’t see why the line should be at a first rounder versus a second rounder, but of course Peters should get as much as he can if he goes for a trade.

In any case, there are a couple of consolation prizes besides the draft capital. The franchise tag would remain available for other negotiations in 2026. The team could still get back around $17M in cap space. And the drama/distraction would end.

I also see long term PR value with teammates and fans to accommodate the explicit wishes of a well-respected player.

 

[lovemaskins]

The thing is, he is under contract which will pay him $20m this year including bonuses.

So, unlike the last time when he was playing on a rookie deal he couldn't negotiate (that's set by the CBA), he's now playing the final year of an agreement he negotiated and signed. And is paying him $20m.

The thing is, the Commanders WANT Terry to stay. They don't want him to leave. They don't want to trade him. They want him to stay and be happy. And they are already paying him well.

But Terry has to realize he is entering his age 30 season. A 3 year extension will run through his age 33 season. There is no way any team is going to sign him to a contract that a player 2 years younger received, who has some similar attributes. It's just not the way it works.

So Terry has to get what he can get within reason.

Asking for a trade is a move, but it's not his only move. It's also not a terribly good move either. He's not going to get traded. He knows that. There is no reason to trade him.

When you're negotiating, what's REALLY important is to understand YOUR leverage position. If you are not in a good leverage position, don't make outlandish demands. It will come back and bite you in the ass.

Sure he’s under contract, but no good to great player typically plays on the last year of a contract, hell coaches usually don’t.

He fully understands his age and leverage. This is his last chance to get a massive payday. It’s showing. He using every tactic available. Holding out, holding in, being the good guy now playing the malcontent.

His side knows Jayden’s development hinges on him being there, the teams’ chance to compete, the fan sentiment. His camp is well aware of the leverage here…

There’s a difference between fighting for every dollar and being delusional to the point of actually hurting your chances at those dollars. He’s fighting to get paid as a top-3 WR in the league, which isn’t happening here or elsewhere. It’s noble to advocate for yourself but there comes a point where you’re being belligerent and hurting yourself.

I’m always on the players’ side against these billionaires. Terry is fucking nuts on this one unless every bit of reporting out there is incorrect

I disagree with your word choice of “delusional.” Asking for a trade or asking for negotiations to start at what he thinks is his nearest realistic comp, DK, which is what’s been reported isn’t delusional, it’s realistic for HIM.

Now to me, or us, not so much, but I don’t blame him for starting there… I’m assuming he’s STARTING there… so if he is asking for $34M, and yeah I think he has a right to ask for better than DK who is a lessor wideout, albeit younger, I understand why he thinks it’s fair.

Washington holds the perspective of this board and me, he’s not worth $34M per. But if Adam is stuck at say $27/28M per, that’s “delusional” too.

The deal is somewhere around $30M. I’m sure the deal can be structured to JP Finlay’s point to make Terry “feel good” and still keep it team friendly. Somehow on the surface he makes “more” than DK, gives him some guarantees, and allows the team an out.

I can’t make Terry out to be some spoiled brat idiot who should know better to ask to be paid like the best wideouts when he’s proven to be just that. Just not the top 3… he’s up to get paid, so the league has gotta pay him…

Get it done!

 

[Voice_of_Reason]

His side knows Jayden’s development hinges on him being there, the teams’ chance to compete, the fan sentiment. His camp is well aware of the leverage here…

It doesn’t.

And at the end of the day he either plays and plays well or his possibility of another lucrative deal is finished forever. He can’t sit out and he can’t fake injury the entire year.

His leverage is zero.

His ask has to be commensurate with his age/ability. If it is not, then the team can literally do nothing and he has to show up and play.

And if he has a bad season they won’t franchise him and nobody else will pay him top dollar.

He holds no leverage.

And I could argue his approach is running g counter to his desired outcome.

 

[lovemaskins]

It doesn’t.

And at the end of the day he either plays and plays well or his possibility of another lucrative deal is finished forever. He can’t sit out and he can’t fake injury the entire year.

His leverage is zero.

His ask has to be commensurate with his age/ability. If it is not, then the team can literally do nothing and he has to show up and play.

And if he has a bad season they won’t franchise him and nobody else will pay him top dollar.

He holds no leverage.

And I could argue his approach is running g counter to his desired outcome.

He doesn’t have Free Agency leverage, but to say he “no leverage” is disingenuous. If he had “no leverage” the team wouldn’t have been discussing a new deal and talking about him being Commander for life. And he certainly wouldn’t have a pay raise on the table.

He has some leverage, the argument has been whether he is overplaying it. I’m arguing that whatever leverage he has, he should use every bit of it. Fan goggles seem to shade that fact to some on this board as if he should automatically understand to take whatever the team thinks is fair because he’s not Ceedee Lamb and is 29 years old.

There’s plenty of stats to back his stance and real data points to justify his position. And he believes there are soft skills that should be taken into account as he’s been a stand up guy and leader for the organization.

Seems like none of that matters to the team, and it’s just hand picked metrics and his age now that his payday is up for negotiation. He’s not having it and I support his position to fight for what he thinks he’s earned!

 

[Higskin]

This is crazy and Steelers were stupid....

 

[lovemaskins]

And Terry has every right to ask for that deal…

 

[RedWolf]

Let him sit. 25 contract. 26 franchise tag. 27 ciao

 

[skinzplay]

The Steelers overpaid for Metcalf as part of an attempt to lure Rodgers with added weaponry. McLaurin's camp is crazy for thinking our new FO will follow that kind of financial blueprint.

 

[mistertim]

He doesn’t have Free Agency leverage, but to say he “no leverage” is disingenuous. If he had “no leverage” the team wouldn’t have been discussing a new deal and talking about him being Commander for life. And he certainly wouldn’t have a pay raise on the table.

He has some leverage, the argument has been whether he is overplaying it. I’m arguing that whatever leverage he has, he should use every bit of it. Fan goggles seem to shade that fact to some on this board as if he should automatically understand to take whatever the team thinks is fair because he’s not Ceedee Lamb and is 29 years old.

There’s plenty of stats to back his stance and real data points to justify his position. And he believes there are soft skills that should be taken into account as he’s been a stand up guy and leader for the organization.

Seems like none of that matters to the team, and it’s just hand picked metrics and his age now that his payday is up for negotiation. He’s not having it and I support his position to fight for what he thinks he’s earned!

Terry doesn't have leverage. The only thing he could do that would hurt the team at all is sit out and refuse to play this season. But doing that would hurt him even more than it hurts the team. If he sits out then he risks getting paid nothing this season in addition to not accruing a year of play, meaning his current last year of his contract would roll over into 2026.

So yeah, he has no leverage. Everyone but you seems to realize that.

 

[CuredFromBatteredFanSyndrome]

Fan goggles seem to shade that fact to some on this board as if he should automatically understand to take whatever the team thinks is fair because he’s not Ceedee Lamb and is 29 years old.

The fan goggles thing to me is goofy. There’s plenty of fan sentiment out in social media land that thinks money grows on trees, and we should just pay the guy whatever he wants.

Most rational fans, pundits, “sources”, and what appears to be the market, believe Terry should be looking for a deal with $30M being the absolute maximum.

All signs point to him believing he should be getting well north of that. There are tiers, and he wants to be paid on the top tier, while all the metrics support a lower tier.

 

[Discobob]

And Terry has every right to ask for that deal…

And Peters has every right to politely decline