Morgan Extends!!!

The "talk" was of not spending money on league veteran free agents who have put up big numbers but whose better days are likely behind them. In the case of Wahle and Lucas, they are both reasonably young guys whose better days are likely ahead of them so bringing them in did not deviate from the "talk". In the case of Morgan, the "Plan" has always included holding onto your own key players. Again, the extension for Morgan is an example of the front office doing exactly as advertised.

Fact is, Morgan had 101 tackles last year in only 12 games and was named to the Pro Bowl. His durability is an obvious concern, but when healthy Morgan can be a difference maker on the field. Contract extensions for players like Morgan, at this point in his career are as much, if not more so geared towards anticipated production as opposed to past production........and/or health. The organization determined is was a worthwhile gamble to pay Morgan as if he will be a perenial Pro-Bowler for the next several years. If healthy, he probably will be. We will only be able to speculate here, but imho this contract is likely below what his market value would have been as an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season. We'll have a better idea if this is a good contract or a bad one when the seasons over.

 

The Carolina Panthers on Wednesday afternoon secured the long-term services of one of the key members of the team's standout linebacker corps, signing four-year veteran Dan Morgan to a five-year extension worth about $28 million in so-called "new money."

A first-round choice in the 2001 draft, Morgan was entering the final year of his original NFL contract, and would have been eligible for unrestricted free agency next spring had the extension not been reached. Team officials have been negotiating the extension with agent Drew Rosenhaus for several months and talks accelerated the last few days. The extension essentially creates a six-year deal through the 2010 season.

In the past three weeks, Rosenhaus also negotiated lucrative extensions for New Orleans cornerback Mike McKenzie and Arizona wide receiver Anquan Boldin.

Morgan, 26, was the 11th player chosen overall in the '01 draft and the former University of Miami standout is regarded as one of the game's most productive and quickest middle linebackers when healthy.

The new contract includes an initial signing bonus of $6 million. There are roster bonuses of $4 million for 2006 and $2 million in 2007, and reporting bonuses of $500,000 each for the 2006-2010 campaigns. Morgan can earn another $3.5 million in escalators. The base salaries are $540,000 (for 2005), $545,000 (2006), $750,000 (2007), $2.85 million (2008), $4.25 million (2009) and $5.383 million (2010).

In terms of the "new dollars" in the contract, it averages $5.6 million, which puts Morgan among the five highest paid players at his position.

The only drawback with Morgan is the time he has missed to injuries during his career. In four seasons, he has been sidelined for 22 games. That amounts to nearly a season and a half worth of games and Morgan has never appeared in all 16 contests in any season.

In 42 games, Morgan has 287 tackles, four sacks and five interceptions.

Carolina has also had discussions about a possible extension for weakside linebacker Will Witherspoon, who can become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/columns/story?columnist=pasquarelli_len&id=2136761

 

Initial gut instinct?

I hate it.

Why? Besides the obvious (we're rewarding him as a Pro Bowl player when, IMO, he didn't play like one; he can't stay on the field to earn it), because we're overspending like fucking crazy. In two years, contracts like Jenx, Rucker, Peppers, Delhomme, will start to mature, and mega-deals like Lucas and Wahle signed will be burdensome as well. Add that to having to deal with cut contracts like Davis', and we're outright screwed in the near future.



Past that, I felt like last year could've been a year we kept pushing. Injuries didn't help, and it's hard to suggest we would've actually gone anywhere, but we basically took a year off as far as the front office is concerned, under the banner of fiscal responsibility.

I really wish that Morgan would've been the leader we needed. I really wish that Morgan was as good an all around player as we'd hoped - fuck. I really wish he just played like a MLB, for that matter. He doesn't cover his gap well, he leaves his gap at an alarming rate, and he's more often the second guy there rather than the first because he sidesteps blocks.








As far as Witherspoon, if we're going to keep Morgan, may as well keep him, too. I'd rather have WW of the two, honestly.

 

and he should be paid like a top 5 LB in the league

 

Reminder:

12/08/2004 Probable Concussion
12/01/2004 Doubtful Concussion
11/24/2004 Out Concussion
11/17/2004 Out Concussion
11/10/2004 Questionable Concussion
11/03/2004 Questionable Concussion
12/17/2003 Probable Concussion
12/10/2003 Questionable Concussion
12/03/2003 Questionable Head
11/05/2003 Probable Concussion
10/29/2003 Questionable Concussion
10/22/2003 Questionable Concussion
10/19/2003 Day-to-day Concussion
10/08/2003 Probable Hamstring
10/01/2003 Probable Hamstring
09/24/2003 Probable Hamstring
09/03/2003 Probable Hand
12/12/2002 Injured Reserve Shoulder
12/12/2002 Injured Reserve Shoulder
12/04/2002 Questionable Shoulder
11/27/2002 Questionable Shoulder
11/24/2002 Day-to-day Shoulder
11/20/2002 Probable Hernia
11/13/2002 Out Hernia
11/06/2002 Out Hernia
10/23/2002 Questionable Groin
10/16/2002 Out Groin
10/13/2002 Day-to-day Strained left groin
09/25/2002 Questionable Knee
09/22/2002 Day-to-day Pulled left hamstring
12/05/2001 Probable Ankle
11/14/2001 Questionable Ankle
11/07/2001 Probable Ankle
11/04/2001 Day-to-day Sprained left ankle
10/31/2001 Questionable Leg
10/24/2001 Out Leg
10/17/2001 Out Leg
10/10/2001 Out Leg
10/03/2001 Out Leg
09/30/2001 Day-to-day Ankle
09/09/2001 Day-to-day Strained groin

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/nfl/players/5458/injuries.html

 

Read this

Then this

 

Please translate to simple english.

 

I have a personal rule about reading anything that starts with a Preamble....translation please

 

I agree with Mags and Collin on this one. Dan Morgan is not what I hoped for when we drafted him. Especially the fill the gap type MLB. I suppose, also, it's hard to be a real leader when you can't stay on the field. That's the very absolute minimum you ask of a leader, that he's present and acounted for.

The balloon bonus on the end. Is that included in the average of 6 mil a year? I understand that most players look on that as money they will never see.

 

There is no Collective Bargaining Agreement from 2007 on...no contract. No one knows what the cap will be or how the terms will be worked out (or if one will be in place at all). Therefore, teams are really only making sure they fit under the cap for this season and next...and letting the rest take care of itself. I disagree but in an insane sortof way it makes sense. Unless a new agreement can be reached by the start of 2007 there will be no cap that year. That's great for the players and bad for the teams BUT it give teams a year to fix the books. I'm not saying the front office is planning for this just that they have no way of knowing what the 2007 and on cap looks like.