Jerome Baker Contract Extension

3 years $39 million per PFT: https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2021/06/13/dolphins-jerome-baker-agree-to-three-year-contract-extension/

He is the best LB the Phins have. At some point though, you have to look at the backups and wonder if the MAJOR PRICE DIFFERENCE between Baker and the backup is worth it.

I would say with Baker it may be. But a few more of these young guys who need extensions and I may be changing my opinion.

Of course, they kicked Kyle Van Noy to the curb cause he wasn't living up to his salary, so... He was good, but not THAT GOOD....

Baker needs to keep improving, but he did seem to step up last year IMO.

Love the extension. Baker is a do-it-all LB that became a playmaker in this system last season. He's young and durable, with great speed and awareness. He is great in all 3 phases: coverage, pass rush, and run stopping. He is the QB of the D, and he gets better every season. I think we could see an even bigger jump in 2021, with McKinney next to him. Baker is the most underrated player on this D, and he's a key part of everything Flores and Boyer want to do. To see where he is now compared to his rookie season...wow. That's player development, right there.

Baker is a prime example of a young, ascending player that the Phins needed to keep. Next up: Mike Gesicki.

Interesting stat from the SI write up on the contract extension:

https://www.si.com/nfl/dolphins/news/miami-dolphins-sign-linebacker-jerome-baker-to-contract-extension

"In 2020, Baker was one of only two players in the entire NFL — along with Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Devin White — to finish with at least 100 tackles and seven sacks."

Love Baker. He loves what he does. I think the Dolphins appreciated his team 1st attitude. Im wondering if this was a message to Xavien Howard. Since Howard has stayed away and worked out on his own, they may be saying if you commit to us we'd commit to you kinda thing.

Don't know that if it's a thing or not but, the day after Baker says he wants to stay on the team they sign him. Just saying, is this a shot at Howard?

Umix10 wrote:Love Baker.  He loves what he does.  I think the Dolphins appreciated his team 1st attitude.  Im wondering if this was a message to Xavien Howard.  Since Howard has stayed away and worked out on his own, they may be saying if you commit to us we'd commit to you kinda thing.

Don't know that if it's a thing or not but, the day after Baker says he wants to stay on the team they sign him.  Just saying, is this a shot at Howard?

I don't think the Baker contract has anything to do with Howard. Baker's contract was due to end after this season, so they locked him up.

The Dolphins have already made a major commitment to Howard, and he is under contract for 4 more years. They don't need to do anything with him...he's already got his money. If he wants a new deal and the Phins are willing to renegotiate, that's one thing...but the Dolphins are under no obligation to do anything and they don't need to send any messages - Howard either plays for the Dolphins, or he doesn't play at all and he'll lose money while he sits out.

Yeah I don't understand Howard's position. It's been ONE YEAR since he signed an extension, and the team took on some risk because he had been hurt at the time - I believe. It's kind of unprecedented to be talking renegotiation so soon after signing a new deal and reaping the bonus and guaranteed money.

He needs to report to camp, play this season, and count on the team to take care of him when the timing makes sense. Now is not the time.

Howard just wants to strike while the iron is hot.

How wonderful would it be if Iggy steps up and they are able to trade Howard for a 1st and some more picks.

But then again.... this defensive scheme just doesn't work well without some great CBs on the outside.

The team holds all the cards with a signed player, so the player is only left with holding out. I never worry about this OTA crapola. If Howard is still holding out come training camp...THEN, we can start to worry.

But Iggy suddenly materializing into a CB worthy of the #30 pick would sure solve a host of problems for the Phins IMO.

A holdout is like a cancer it'll spread and could detrimental to the team first attitude that has been building the last 2 years. Howard is a great player but he's not "the" guy on a "Team". He should have shown up. I don't know what happens behind the scenes but he is under contract and obligated by it. By not showing up, seems selfish to me.

Don't tell me he never saw this coming. The details were outlined when he signed the extension. Him holding out only tells me that he never thought he would be this good when he signed the extension. Otherwise, why sign the extension under those terms.

I'd say find a trade partner now. Don't let this be a sideshow of what the team is trying to do this season. Trade him and make it a high price in draft assets. Nothing else. We have a bunch of hungry young guys that are team first. Don't need a guy whose business sense isn't getting him anywhere near the football field

People who are saying the Howard situation is unprecedented haven't been paying attention. This behavior is becoming that "new normal" we're being told is so great and wonderful and we have to love. And of course the media is right there fanning the flames of player discontent just like they've been ordered. I've said it time and again--millennials have become so spoiled, so used to getting their way, that now they somehow become MORE unhappy when they do.

Umix10 wrote:A holdout is like a cancer it'll spread and could detrimental to the team first attitude that has been building the last 2 years.  Howard is a great player but he's not "the" guy on a "Team".  He should have shown up. I don't know what happens behind the scenes but he is under contract and obligated by it.  By not showing up, seems selfish to me.  

Don't tell me he never saw this coming.  The details were outlined when he signed the extension.  Him holding out only tells me that he never thought he would be this good when he signed the extension. Otherwise, why sign the extension under those terms.  

I'd say find a trade partner now.  Don't let this be a sideshow of what the team is trying to do this season.  Trade him and make it a high price in draft assets.  Nothing else.  We have a bunch of hungry young guys that are team first. Don't need a guy whose business sense isn't getting him anywhere near the football field

It's not that I disagree that the situation is...less than ideal. But there's no need to trade Howard or any player away months before the season even begins. They've got plenty of time to trade him and who knows, injuries may strike and they might wind up actually needing him (if he holds out weeks into the season which I doubt). At that point either Howard returns and plays or he stays away out of sheer spite and reveals to the world what kind of person he really is, ruining all his leverage in the process. I have every confidence Flores will handle Howard the proper way.

And now back to your regularly scheduled thread...

Isn't it nice to see draft picks who actually work out get actually re-signed? Makes you wonder why this team doesn't do it more. IMO what this signing really means is that there are no more excuses for Gesicki not to be re-signed. I'm tired of new roster holes constantly being created on top of the ones already there just because Grier won't re-sign the relatively few picks of his who actually work out.

finfanatic wrote:Howard just wants to strike while the iron is hot.

But that's the thing...he already struck! He just got a 5-year, $75,250,000 contract, including a $7,000,000 signing bonus, with $39,260,641 guaranteed.

DolFan 316 wrote:

It's not that I disagree that the situation is...less than ideal. But there's no need to trade Howard or any player away months before the season even begins. They've got plenty of time to trade him and who knows, injuries may strike and they might wind up actually needing him (if he holds out weeks into the season which I doubt). At that point either Howard returns and plays or he stays away out of sheer spite and reveals to the world what kind of person he really is, ruining all his leverage in the process. I have every confidence Flores will handle Howard the proper way.

BAM! Nailed it.

BTW, I heard that starting this season, players who are fined for missing training camp days have to pay the fines no matter what. In the past, the fines were usually waived when the player reported, but not anymore. So holding out means losing actual money now.

Well...GOOD!!! FINALLY the league decided to do SOMETHING to check the entitled brat man-children  

That means Erin Rodgers and "Hands" Watson should be filling a Brinks truck with their fine money, right?

Now if only we could get the damn media to stop acting like it's a racist conspiracy every time a player who's already the highest paid one at his position doesn't get a raise one year into the 5-6 year contract he agreed to.

DolFan 316 wrote:Well...GOOD!!! FINALLY the league decided to do SOMETHING to check the entitled brat man-children  

That means Erin Rodgers and "Hands" Watson should be filling a Brinks truck with their fine money, right?

Yep, this is a GREAT thing and should (hopefully) cut down on holdouts. And don't get me wrong...I'm all for the players getting as much $$$ as they can. But threatening to hold out one year after signing a GINORMOUS contract? Sorry...I can't support that.

As for Rodgers, he's one of my favorite players - on the field. But this "wah, I don't like the people that sign my enormous checks, wah" bullshit is sickening. Suck it up, buttercup...and enjoy the remainder of your $134,000,000 contract that included almost $100,000,000 guaranteed - from the team that you hate.

DolFan 316 wrote:Now if only we could get the damn media to stop acting like it's a racist conspiracy every time a player who's already the highest paid one at his position doesn't get a raise one year into the 5-6 year contract he agreed to.

Well, yeah, but that's a whole other story...

JMP wrote:

finfanatic wrote:Howard just wants to strike while the iron is hot.

But that's the thing...he already struck!  He just got a 5-year, $75,250,000 contract, including a $7,000,000 signing bonus, with $39,260,641 guaranteed.

Uh.... That deal is old news! The market has changed.

https://www.profootballrumors.com/2020/12/xavien-howard-wants-new-contract

According to Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald, Howard’s camp will ask the team to renegotiate the five-year, $75MM contract that Howard signed with the ‘Fins in 2019. Although the contract made Howard the highest-paid CB in the league at the time, he is now the sixth-highest-paid corner, one spot behind teammate Byron Jones and his $16.5MM average annual value. Plus, Jones’ $46MM in full guarantees dwarfs Howard’s $27.2MM, and Howard is looking to strike while the iron is hot.

He made his second pro bowl, lead the league in INTs, and led in INTs 2018 while only playing 12 games. And the CB opposite him is getting more moolah, plus a whole lot more guaranteed!

In four years he will be 31-32 and ain't no big contract likely then. The market price for Howard as of now is closer to the Jalen Ramsey price tag IMO.

When it comes to a raise, it never hurts to ask...if you have the performance to back it up. Howard does IMO.

I am not worrying about it now like I said. If this goes on into training camp and becomes a distraction...THEN it will be a concern.

It will be very interesting to see how the Phins handle this.

That article I linked to is from Dec 2020 by the way, so the Phins have known about Howard's desire for more moolah for awhile now.

finfanatic wrote:

JMP wrote:

finfanatic wrote:Howard just wants to strike while the iron is hot.

But that's the thing...he already struck!  He just got a 5-year, $75,250,000 contract, including a $7,000,000 signing bonus, with $39,260,641 guaranteed.

Uh....   That deal is old news!  The market has changed.  

https://www.profootballrumors.com/2020/12/xavien-howard-wants-new-contract

According to Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald, Howard’s camp will ask the team to renegotiate the five-year, $75MM contract that Howard signed with the ‘Fins in 2019. Although the contract made Howard the highest-paid CB in the league at the time, he is now the sixth-highest-paid corner, one spot behind teammate Byron Jones and his $16.5MM average annual value. Plus, Jones’ $46MM in full guarantees dwarfs Howard’s $27.2MM, and Howard is looking to strike while the iron is hot.

He made his second pro bowl, lead the league in INTs, and led in INTs 2018 while only playing 12 games. And the CB opposite him is getting more moolah, plus a whole lot more guaranteed!

In four years he will be 31-32 and ain't no big contract likely then. The market price for Howard as of now is closer to the Jalen Ramsey price tag IMO.  

When it comes to a raise, it never hurts to ask...if you have the performance to back it up. Howard does IMO.

I am not worrying about it now like I said. If this goes on into training camp and becomes a distraction...THEN it will be a concern.  

It will be very interesting to see how the Phins handle this.

That article I linked to is from Dec 2020 by the way, so the Phins have known about Howard's desire for more moolah for awhile now.

In professional sports, the second an athlete signs a contract, the market changes. The next guy in line will get more money than that guy just did. You know this, I know this, the athletes know this, the agents know this, and the teams know this. Bitching about your "worth" a year or so after the fact is absolute bullshit. Xavien had a great season - absolutely. And he's getting paid for it, handsomely. If he doesn't like it, he can sit at home and pay the fines while his teammates work their asses off. "Boo hoo, someone else makes more money than me." GTFO with that crap...you just signed a mega-deal a year ago.

As to how the Phins should handle this: they shouldn't do a damn thing about it. They don't need to - they already did the right thing by backing up the Brinks truck for Xavien in 2019, and they're paying him a fortune for the next FOUR YEARS.

HA!!! PREACH IT, JMP!!! SOMEBODY'S GOT TO STAND UP TO THESE WHINY-ASS BABIES!!! ENOUGH IS FREAKING ENOUGH!!!

If I'm an NFL GM I just sign every non-rookie to a one-year deal and that way all this hissyfit throwing is circumvented once and for all. Let somebody else foot the new bill. Last time I checked the cap was the same for all teams. Who else does Howard think can afford him?

My only concern is cap space. If the team becomes a playoff team/contender how will they manage the cap space? I'm not sure Grier has a handle on the cap.

As far as Xavien is concerned, I don't mind the best corner in football getting paid to be the best corner in football but it should be through incentives. I don't like the contracts that reward a player for previous work when the future work won't be as good.

If contracts are all about worth,then all contracts should be incentive based.

Degarmo wrote:If contracts are all about worth,then all contracts should be incentive based.

I wouldn't mind that. I think more players would give more effort if it meant more pay.

CarsonChris wrote:

Degarmo wrote:If contracts are all about worth,then all contracts should be incentive based.

I wouldn't mind that. I think more players would give more effort if it meant more pay.

Completely agree.. Unfortunately, that ship has sailed. Once the guaranteed money in these contracts starting becoming astronomical, any hope of incentive-laden contracts was gone. Unless it's an older player trying to re-establish himself, incentives are nothing more than gravy in the current contracts - it's all about the guaranteed $. It sucks, but that's the way it is.

CarsonChris wrote:My only concern is cap space. If the team becomes a playoff team/contender how will they manage the cap space? I'm not sure Grier has a handle on the cap.

Grier has been masterful with the cap so far, and every contract his staff has given out has been cap-friendly. The cap is also supposed to make huge jumps over the next several years, too.

But you're right - if a bunch of these young guys become good/great players, sooner or later they will be in line for huge paydays. That's why it's so important to draft well - we'll need to let some of these guys walk and replace them with younger, cheaper players.

CarsonChris wrote:As far as Xavien is concerned, I don't mind the best corner in football getting paid to be the best corner in football but it should be through incentives. I don't like the contracts that reward a player for previous work when the future work won't be as good.

Yep, you pay a guy after a 10-INT season...but what are the chances he'll ever have that type of season again???