Reading today that contract talks according to DeCastro have been light. This shouldn't be a difficult deal. There is I would imagine a pretty defined guard market value. And no doubt he should be at or near the top of it. He doesn't seem to be the kind of guy who needs to break the bank. Just fair is fair no more no less. If this contract isn't done he hits the open market. Sure you could franchise him but is that what you want to do with a player like this. Plus you might well have to use that on Bell to at least get something for him. I'm kinda surprised this isn't done yet.
DeCastro contract puzzling
- Thread starter SteelerSask2
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It's difficult because the Raiders signed the guy from the Raiders and made him the highest paid guard in the game. 11 million a year. Of course Decastro and his people are asking for higher or close to it. The Steelers don't want to go over 8-9. There's your issue
What is complicating what was expected to be a pretty straightforward deal is the Raiders signed Kelechi Osemele — a second-round pick of the Ravens the same year DeCastro was drafted — to a five-year, $58.5 million deal in March that included a $25.4 million bonus.
Osemele averages $11.7 million a season and has yet to make a Pro Bowl. No other guard averages more than $8 million a year. Osemele's $25.4 million in guaranteed money is nearly $10 million more than any other guard.
http://triblive.com/mobile/11020346-96/decastro-million-steelers
Osemele averages $11.7 million a season and has yet to make a Pro Bowl. No other guard averages more than $8 million a year. Osemele's $25.4 million in guaranteed money is nearly $10 million more than any other guard.
http://triblive.com/mobile/11020346-96/decastro-million-steelers
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Raiders have money they need to burn as per the CBA and in order to sign any free agent they have to overpay. If DD wants to play for the raiders and watch his career crumble he's more than welcome. But if you look at actually playing out your contact he'd be better suited staying here and likely getting the entirety of his contract instead of just the guaranteed portion.
Ok that makes sense. Once again the Raiders screw the market with bad contracts. However, I doubt if one outlier contract sets the market. The market was 8. This guy is almost 12 but like you said anyone in the know realizes that the Raiders have a history of dumping these contracts. So make it 10.5 /year. You aren't letting him walk and I doubt very much he wants too.
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Guards have gotten almost that much guarantees in the past. Hell, Faneca got $20-$22 guaranteed in the first 3 seasons with the Jets way back in 2007.
Osemele's contract is very interesting from the perspective the Raiders did not amortize any money in the contract. No signing bonus. They had so much room under the cap they didn't need to.
Osemele is basically making $13.2 million this year (some is roster bonus, some is base salary, some is workout bonus) and exactly the same next year.
For the last three years of the deal his cap hits are just his salary and he's basically a year-to-year player with NO DEAD MONEY if they ever want out of the deal. Gives a lot of power to the organization in year 3 if they don't think he's worth $10 million anymore at age 29 or age 30 or age 31.
I think with DeCastro we are going to have to approach it a lot differently. We'll use a big signing bonus with our salary cap structure. We might make it a 6-year deal. And our guarantees will probably extend into year 3 (maybe for injury only but still). We will want DeCastro to get less money over first three years than Osemele but more might be guaranteed.
We might have to do something like this:
6-years, $64 million with a $15 million signing bonus, $17 million THIS YEAR, a year 2 salary of $8 million guaranteed and a year 3 salary of $9 million guaranteed for injury ($34 million total guaranteed announced).
That's a little less than Osemele is making in the first 3 years ($34 million vs. $36.6 million) but year 3 is guaranteed for injury (Osemele is not) and because of the structure and dead money (vs. Osemele) he's likely to have some bargaining power vs. being released in year 3 or 4 (Osemele does not). Plus DeCastro actually pockets more money RIGHT NOW vs. Osemele as well ($17 million this year vs. $13.4 million) to play the investment game for a year.
Osemele's contract is very interesting from the perspective the Raiders did not amortize any money in the contract. No signing bonus. They had so much room under the cap they didn't need to.
Osemele is basically making $13.2 million this year (some is roster bonus, some is base salary, some is workout bonus) and exactly the same next year.
For the last three years of the deal his cap hits are just his salary and he's basically a year-to-year player with NO DEAD MONEY if they ever want out of the deal. Gives a lot of power to the organization in year 3 if they don't think he's worth $10 million anymore at age 29 or age 30 or age 31.
I think with DeCastro we are going to have to approach it a lot differently. We'll use a big signing bonus with our salary cap structure. We might make it a 6-year deal. And our guarantees will probably extend into year 3 (maybe for injury only but still). We will want DeCastro to get less money over first three years than Osemele but more might be guaranteed.
We might have to do something like this:
6-years, $64 million with a $15 million signing bonus, $17 million THIS YEAR, a year 2 salary of $8 million guaranteed and a year 3 salary of $9 million guaranteed for injury ($34 million total guaranteed announced).
That's a little less than Osemele is making in the first 3 years ($34 million vs. $36.6 million) but year 3 is guaranteed for injury (Osemele is not) and because of the structure and dead money (vs. Osemele) he's likely to have some bargaining power vs. being released in year 3 or 4 (Osemele does not). Plus DeCastro actually pockets more money RIGHT NOW vs. Osemele as well ($17 million this year vs. $13.4 million) to play the investment game for a year.
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I can't worry about pending deals; either they get it done or they don't. I am not gonna bother to think about it until it is done.
Pay the man and move on to the next player who needs a deal done. This is not a guy you let walk. DeCastro has HOF characteristics, you don't let a guy like that go while you have only a few years left with our franchise QB.
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DD's a pro bowl guard in his prime years and a key cog vs the run and pass. He's durable, a leader type and has no issues off the field. A very safe player to re-sign.
Pay the man top guard money, not top tackle money.
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This is exactly it. DeCastro is a no brainer and a guy you absolutely love to have on your team.
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He's just a guard, we've got Finney or Hubbard to take over his spot...that's our leverage.
Offer him a fair deal (don't be Raider stupid) he can take it or get franchised.
Offer him a fair deal (don't be Raider stupid) he can take it or get franchised.
Can they franchise DeCastro and if anything Transition tag Bell?
Just a Guard?
You want to go back to having someone like Kemoeatu playing guard? Go watch XLIII if you need any references. Sorry you pay the man and protect your franchise QB while you still have him.
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Yes they could, but Bell's uncertainty certainly helps DeCastro's case to a deal because the Steelers would be wise to keep the franchise tag for Bell.
We are spending a lot on offensive line right now. We have the potential to have Foster, Pouncey, DeCastro and Gilbert all in 2nd contracts so no "rookie contract values" anywhere to be seen.
Those "rookie contract values" are going to have to come from TE, WR #2 and #3, and a lot of defense (DB's, maybe a LB or two, and a DL or two).
Not a bad way to set things up for the tail end of Roethlisberger's career.
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Thought the sarcasm was obvious when I stated Finney and Hubbard were our leverage.
True Del, Plus Franchising a RB is cheaper than franchising a guard.
Personally, I think DD is solid. Last year was his best year, so there is the opportunity to improve. With Brown and Bell coming up next year, That's who I concentrate on. On this team, DD is not a 10mil player. 8 I can live with, but if you want to retain all world players like Brown and Bell, you have to pay them, and you can't pay them if you're throwing money out to DD.
Personally I think he owes us a couple mil per season after ending Pouncey's entire year on the single worst block in Steelers history...
Personally, I think DD is solid. Last year was his best year, so there is the opportunity to improve. With Brown and Bell coming up next year, That's who I concentrate on. On this team, DD is not a 10mil player. 8 I can live with, but if you want to retain all world players like Brown and Bell, you have to pay them, and you can't pay them if you're throwing money out to DD.
Personally I think he owes us a couple mil per season after ending Pouncey's entire year on the single worst block in Steelers history...
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zmetkler
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My thoughts on the contract situation earlier in the summer. Even with the slow contract talks, it still rings true right now.
https://gzsportsreport.com/2016/07/21/david-decastro-the-true-priority/
https://gzsportsreport.com/2016/07/21/david-decastro-the-true-priority/
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Both these guys are fringe NFL players. Hubbard's terrible, and Finney unproven. With Miller gone, we need our best OL players to stay here.
I think what they will have to do is Sign AB to an ungodly contract, franchise Bell for a season and let him walk and structure DeCastro so his big numbers phase in at the point that you can drop Pouncey without it being cap jail. Hell Pouncey has played one of the last 3 seasons. He wouldn't be missed terribly.
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So you're reinforcing what I said, thanks for the vote of support.
I think they're just waiting to see how much cap space they have. DeCastro isn't going anywhere.