Working on a long-term deal with Sleepy?

[servumtuum]

If you were among those who were hoping the Redskins might be able to palm TE Fred Davis off on some other team in a trade and pick up some much needed cap room, you might want to start looking for another scenario to pursue.

Vinny Iyer of The Sporting News is reporting the Redskins are trying to work out a long term deal to keep Sleepy around for a while.

Report: Fred Davis, Redskins working on long-term deal

The Washington Redskins want to keep tight end Fred Davis as a key target for Robert Griffin III for the long term. The Washington Post reports the team might lock up Davis with a multiyear deal that prevents him from leaving as a free agent next March.

If the Redskins chose to use the franchise tag on Davis for a second consecutive year, he would be slotted to earn $6.5 million for just the 2013 season. But given Davis played only seven games last season after tearing his left Achilles' tendon on Oct. 21, team officials may prefer setting him up with an incentive-filled contract.

In 19 games through 2011-12, Davis has totaled 83 catches for 1,121 yards. He is only 27, and his skills on intermediate routes would be a big boon for Griffin's continued growth.

Link: http://aol.sportingnews.com/nfl/story/2013-02-13/fred-davis-contract-washington-redskins-long-term-deal

 

[Om]

...team officials may prefer setting him up with an incentive-filled contract.

And therein lies the question. That's a best-case scenio for the team, certainly, but one that Fred's agent will push hard to make the least contingent possible. As he should--that's his job.

Here's to the team and Fred finding the right balance.

 

[Lanky Livingston]

There's gotta be some sort of Achilles clause that protects the team if he doesn't recover fully. Too much risk, especially considering he's one hit away from a year suspension.
Posted via BGO Mobile Device

 

[Jugband McGillicuddy]

Fred creates a great match up problem for defenses. I just wonder if he's too much of an injury/off-field problem for us. I guess I kind of have to take Mike's approach, and hope it works out.

 

[Elephant]

This rumor makes me sad! Dump him! Dump him now!

 

[Canadian Hog]

In my estimation, Fred Davis is the kind of player that for every 3 or 4 great plays he makes, he will make that one costly mental mistake which can hurt the team.

He certainly can put up numbers, but kills you in areas that aren't necessarily reflected on the stat sheet.

It's the intangibles Fred lacks. At the same token, it's the intangibles that will be required down the road to help this team clinch a championship.

Let him walk.

 

[Bulldog]

I think we need to look to the example of the Giants where they have rotated tight ends over the past few years with Shockey, Boss, Bennett, etc. and refused to go after the big ticket deal for a player at this position.

If you are lucky enough to draft a Graham or Gates and get them on a cheap rookie deal, you obviously make the move to keep them if they are healthy.

But Davis' contract with whatever team he signs with needs to reflect the risk inherent in his current injury status.

The Redskins, up against the cap, and with needs at CB, S, OT, and depth in the front seven I really don't see TE as being a position to drop $5M or $6M on a player with question marks.

The truth is that the Redskins rebounded from 3-6 and made the playoffs without Davis.

No, Paulsen is not the long-term answer at TE, but the reality of going 7-0 in those last 7games is evidence that the Skins can afford to draft a TE in the middle rounds and develop him OR find a more cost effective option in free agency who is 100% ready to play.

When you look at the numbers and see what Santana Moss did for the team in 2012 he essentially caught those short to intermediate zone passes that would have gone to a pass catching TE, especially on third down.

If we are bringing Moss back for $6M as a slot man, I don't see tying another $5M up in Davis Part II.

I don't think teams with good front offices like the Giants, Steelers, Packers, etc. would bring Davis back.

Think Green Bay is going to franchise Jermichael Finley?

I don't think so.

 

[Win4us]

Yeah i'd vote to move on and draft a TE pretty high honestly. If there's a solid-stud TE sitting there with our 2nd, or even 3rd just start from scratch imho.

 

[Bulldog]

To me there is the recent case of Jammal Brown and his contract extension that still counts dead money of $3.3M against the cap for 2013.

In the position the Redskins find themselves against the cap for 2013 we really can't afford to swing for the fences and take risks on guys that are not 100%.

At least not for big dollars.

For guys on veteran minimum or incentive 'make good' deals I say fine, bring them on and we can give them extensions in 2014 when we are on sounder footing

 

[servumtuum]

I think we need to look to the example of the Giants where they have rotated tight ends over the past few years with Shockey, Boss, Bennett, etc. and refused to go after the big ticket deal for a player at this position.

If you are lucky enough to draft a Graham or Gates and get them on a cheap rookie deal, you obviously make the move to keep them if they are healthy.

But Davis' contract with whatever team he signs with needs to reflect the risk inherent in his current injury status.

The Redskins, up against the cap, and with needs at CB, S, OT, and depth in the front seven I really don't see TE as being a position to drop $5M or $6M on a player with question marks.

The truth is that the Redskins rebounded from 3-6 and made the playoffs without Davis.

No, Paulsen is not the long-term answer at TE, but the reality of going 7-0 in those last 7games is evidence that the Skins can afford to draft a TE in the middle rounds and develop him OR find a more cost effective option in free agency who is 100% ready to play.

When you look at the numbers and see what Santana Moss did for the team in 2012 he essentially caught those short to intermediate zone passes that would have gone to a pass catching TE, especially on third down.

If we are bringing Moss back for $6M as a slot man, I don't see tying another $5M up in Davis Part II.

I don't think teams with good front offices like the Giants, Steelers, Packers, etc. would bring Davis back.

Think Green Bay is going to franchise Jermichael Finley?

I don't think so.

Letting Woodson go might have freed up enough cap space to make sure Finley doesn't go anywhere-they have to make sure CM3 gets signed though.

Another rumor floating around is that Greg Jennings might not get re-signed either.

 

[Bulldog]

Right, but my guess is the deal if it happens is for less than the $6.5M tender a franchise tag will require in 2013. Also, Finley is 100% healthy as of this writing.

Again, I have no problem paying a guy if he is productive.

But the Redskins are in a unique position for one more season in having to absorb the cap penalty and I don't want to see the team be regretful of not being able to sign an OT or CB or S that becomes available in free agency, perhaps unexpectedly through a release/cut, that otherwise might be workable if not for the $5-6M for Davis in his current situation.

 

[Rymanofthenorth]

no, just no, achilles combined with the lack of brain means no way in hell is this a good risk

 

[pjfootballer]

I think we need to look to the example of the Giants where they have rotated tight ends over the past few years with Shockey, Boss, Bennett, etc. and refused to go after the big ticket deal for a player at this position.

If you are lucky enough to draft a Graham or Gates and get them on a cheap rookie deal, you obviously make the move to keep them if they are healthy.

But Davis' contract with whatever team he signs with needs to reflect the risk inherent in his current injury status.

The Redskins, up against the cap, and with needs at CB, S, OT, and depth in the front seven I really don't see TE as being a position to drop $5M or $6M on a player with question marks.

The truth is that the Redskins rebounded from 3-6 and made the playoffs without Davis.

No, Paulsen is not the long-term answer at TE, but the reality of going 7-0 in those last 7games is evidence that the Skins can afford to draft a TE in the middle rounds and develop him OR find a more cost effective option in free agency who is 100% ready to play.

When you look at the numbers and see what Santana Moss did for the team in 2012 he essentially caught those short to intermediate zone passes that would have gone to a pass catching TE, especially on third down.

If we are bringing Moss back for $6M as a slot man, I don't see tying another $5M up in Davis Part II.

I don't think teams with good front offices like the Giants, Steelers, Packers, etc. would bring Davis back.

Think Green Bay is going to franchise Jermichael Finley?

I don't think so.

1) I don't care what other teams do. I don't want to build this team with the "Patriot Way," or the "Steeler Way" or any other team. I want us to build this team for what's best for us.

2) You guys are foolish if you think the Redskins will pay $5 or $6 million a year for Fred. He and his agent will have to know that coming off injury and one toke away, the Redskins will be protecting their best interests.

3) Paulsen is a backup and that's as good as it gets for him. I would not count on him or Paul being anything long term. I look at Paulsen as a Don Warren to Davis Clint Didier.

4) Moss is NOT coming back at $6 million. Bank it, book it and stamp it. He will have to restructure to come back as a 34 year old slot player and he knows it.

5) Giants have been up against the cap for a couple of years now. I suspect they would have loved to resign Shockey or Boss, but couldn't afford to. The Steelers are getting old and Heath Miller might not make it to opening day. Green Bay's Super Bowl "Bill" has come due with all their players rookie contracts expiring, so they have to make decisions. I suspect that the Giants, Steelers and Packers would all bring Davis back as long as the price is right.

6) As someone else said, Woodson was released so they could possibly re-sign Finley.

7) Who the hell is out there on the "cheap" that could put Fred's numbers up? You realize he was one of the leading receivers at TE the year before and last year was our #1 target while Garcon was out? Don't say Jared Cook, because his blocking sucks and he'll probably be franchised today. The only other TE I would go after that could emulate Davis style is Dustin Keller.

8) Cap penalty, schmap penalty. Bruce Allen is a guru with the cap. He was able to get Garcon, Morgan, re-sign Fletcher and bring in other guys that contributed to this 10-6 team, all the while not backloading contracts and putting us in cap hell for the future. I suspect we'll still be as aggressive in free agency as we were last year.