Why Sheldon might have to stay
Why the Eagles might not be able to get rid of Sheldon Brown.
Why Sheldon might have to stay
Rich Hofmann, Daily News Sports Columnist
Sitting over in the NovaCare Complex on Sunday when the Eagles traded two fifth-round picks for Patriots cornerback Ellis Hobbs, two questions immediately hit me:
1) What does this mean for disgruntled corner Sheldon Brown?
2) Why did it only take two fifth-rounders to acquire a starting corner?
We're going to take these in reverse order. Why fifth-rounders for a guy who has started for the better part of four years? You do have to wonder a little bit. You do have to wonder about why the Patriots have spent the off-season acquiring new secondary talent, making Hobbs expendable. The price was pretty reasonable, especially for a player at such an important position. So let's not go too crazy about what they got here. They got a professional player, and a guy who is young enough that he might still be getting better. Don't say much more than that, though, until we see more.
Then there is the Brown question. This isn't about him anymore -- it's about other people. Two of them are Andy Reid and Joe Banner, and they are not likely to acquiesce quickly to Brown's demand for a new contract and/or a trade -- because that's not what they do. Even more important than them, though, is the unspellable Jack Ikegwuonu (and, to a lesser degree, just-drafted Victor Harris). One of them has to be able to play or the Eagles cannot move Brown.
Remember: Lito Sheppard is gone now, and the Eagles play four cornerbacks a decent percentage of the time. And if the fourth guy can't play, opposing offenses will make the Eagles play four cornerbacks an even higher percentage of the time. And it's not even that: they play three corners a ton of the time, and if somebody sprains an ankle, the fourth has to play in place of one of the first three, and the other teams will find him on the field every damn time if he can't play.
When I listen to Reid talk about this stuff, I try to hear the truth beneath the words. And when Reid talked Sunday about Ikegwuonu, who missed his rookie season injured, he said, “Jack is coming off the major knee [surgery]. He has been doing the offseason program and it looks like he has a chance. He is a little bit rusty right now but he is working his tail off so we will add him into the mix.”
That does not sound like a ringing endorsement. This is going to have to play out. Brown has no chance to be moved until the Eagles are convinced Ikegwuonu or Harris (or somebody) can get on the field.
Comments (51)
ditto— riza1976
Comment removed.- A crowded secondary is a good problem to have. However, this Brown situation may get ugly. Good point about not moving him until someone can prove they can play. I have a feeling he'll be in Green all year.— Ticow021
- Maybe he can understudy Butchie who sez he wants to retire.— mick314
- I do not understand Banner's dogmatism re: not renegotiating contracts (until he initiates the renegotiation, typically with one or two years remaining on a contract.) If he can initiate, why can't the player? If Banner's preference is to give an up-front bonus and not renegotiate up to current market value unless it's his option, then his business tactic is faulty. If Brown is tne 10th best corner but is currently being paid much less than that, then Banner needs to renegotiate, otherwise, as players wise up to his tactics, unhappy players (i.e. always proven performers) will sprout up like weeds: not a formula for success. Renegoted increases can be net of the up-front. That's fair for everyone - much moreso than the one-sided take-it-or-leave-it dealing from a position of power that is overly expensive, and sub-optimal, in the long run. Banner should not be so myopic. A willingness by ownership to renegotiate can be a powerful player incentive. Share the wealth you depend upon these players to produce for you, as they produce it, not years later or never (in the case of injury or retirement.)And if a player does not produce up to their negotiated rate, cut your losses. You know how to do that, right? As opposed to ethics, they do teach risk remediation in all the best business schools.— Scoop
- Rich is dead on here. I think this is insurance in case we trade Brown or for some crazy reason he holds out. It is odd that the Pats only wanted two 5th rounders. Does anybody know if they plan to use 'Macho' the CB from Virgina Tech as a CB or SS?— OKC_EAGLES
- Wait until training camp to trade Brown. Somebody's starting corner always blows a knee and the Eagles can trade him then.— Tom98786
- Comment removed.
- Scoop, are you kidding? The player agrees to a contract on his own free will, takes a huge signing bonus, knowing that he could end up not living up to his potential or getting hurt 3 games later, and then decides that the contract is no longer good. The Eagles can change any contract they want bc they are the owner, but they don't have to, and if Brown didn't want to be in this position, then he shouldn't have signed the long-term contract. There is a reason why players have agents/lawyers when they sign their deals, so ne excuses. Besides, it's not like players give the Eagles $$ back when they don't live up to their potential. If Brown wanted to see how things went in a few years after he signed his contract, he should have added in a players option, but he didn't want to do that since it would likely reduce his signing bonus.— furio
- Keep him till training camp and hope that a need opens up with another team (i.e. an injury or a guy someone thought would be good isn't), then trade him when he has an increased value for another pick on 2010. On the draft, looks good initially, not sure what level of talent was picked up with all of those later picks, hopefully there is another Trent Cole in the bunch.— Reddgie Noble
- Scoop: The front end loaded contracts benefit all parties involved, especilly the player. They get their money earlier, and have more time to make it work for themself through investing, etc.. It gives the team payroll flexibility to improve the team in the upcoming years, giving the player a greater chance of meeting team oriented bonuses (playoff victories, super bowl appearances). The FO's strategy only backfires when the player suffers from short term memory loss and forgets that they got paid before they had completely earned it.— Reddgie Noble
- Scoop: The front end loaded contracts benefit all parties involved, especilly the player. They get their money earlier, and have more time to make it work for themself through investing, etc.. It gives the team payroll flexibility to improve the team in the upcoming years, giving the player a greater chance of meeting team oriented bonuses (playoff victories, super bowl appearances). The FO's strategy only backfires when the player suffers from short term memory loss and forgets that they got paid before they had completely earned it.— Reddgie Noble
- Comment removed.
- I am all for renegotiations if you bring the goods to the table, but really, other than being an average CB, what has Sheldon proven?— PhillyPhantastico
- By trading, the iggs get a starter and Brown no longer can say he deserves a raise, Plus he has four years left,,,,nobody put a gun to his head when he signed, remember the Quote "I'm set for life", I didn't know his life was only two years long....he can afford tweezers now, for the splinters he will get on DA BENCH!— SkipinWV
- Scoop: One you said might make sense - renegotiated increases done net to the up from t bonus already paid. Andyeatsitall mentioned 'Pay us back half the xx million signing bonus with interest up front and then we'll sit down and negotiate a new deal. This could be done in theory, and counted in (as part of) the new deal. Not sure I see too many players and/or agents going for this, but who knows. I worry about the pandoras box we might be opening; also, if there is not a similar remedy for mgmt who may want to recast a deal for a "not terrible" but underperforming player, then why do this? Comments welcome, I am not an expert here...— ruttrho
- This is a matter of one's moral fiber. Simply put, Sheldon signed a lucrative deal when it was in his interest to do so. At the time, there were a lot of better corners in the league, but he didn't say "pay me what I'm actually worth." No, he took the deal. Now the shoe is on the other foot. Other corners who signed much later are now having their turn. He took the financial security instead of the insecurity of waiting for the big payday. You cannot have it both ways, unless.... You are one of the premier corners in the league which Sheldon isn't. If you are the best corner in the league, management would only be so happy to renegoiate your deal. Remember folks this is a raise he is asking for, "paying more for the same amount of work." If management says "no," then QUIETLY ask if your agent can have permission to see if anyone would pay more for your services elsewhere and compensate the team. If they say "no" again, then live with it; don't become a rotten child and cry if you can't get your way. Dissapointment is something everyone must deal with at some point in time. The moral high ground is on the side of management on this one. This is a simple case of GREED on Sheldon's part; nothing more, nothing less.— southern eagle fan
- Will you folks stop with the Brown contract stuff allready! Holy smoke, Sheldon signed the contract and received a huge signing bonus, he "DID NOT" have to sign it, signing was HIS choice and he now has to live with that decision. WHY would they negotiate? he has 4 years left on his current contract, this one has incentives to make more money, up to this point he hasn't reached one of them, if he plays better and reaches the goals of the incentives he'll make more money, that's all there is to it, end of story. Philly writers, think of something else to write about, stop beating a dead horse!!!— FireChief
- I thought Demps played corner too. And what about Joselio Hanson? Isn't he the third corner?
Last I saw Sheldon he was struggling mightily to cover any and all Arizona WRs in the NFC Championship game. He should have kept his mouth shut and gone back to work in the offseason. Now he gets to ride the pine for a year (like Lito), getting maybe 10-15 snaps a game in the dime package.— jpk- yescadog, I feel your pain and I understand your blight. One thing though, you weaken your argument when you say things like, "I hope he blows out his knee...", as a former highschool/college player, I take umbrage to such and callous statement. Why would any decent respectable person wish such a fortune on another human being? You sir are despicable. I'm not surprise by your neanderthal comments. I'm an out of towner, but i'm a die-hard Iggles fan. I read the comments that some of the fair citizens of filthydelphia post and I must say filthydelphians are the most ignorant, racist and behind the times people I've ever had the displeasure of meeting. Statement like yours only confirm what the rest of the country knows; all fithydelphians are idiots.— ctruitt
- The real problem here is how the NFL operates. Why do contracts even exists if players can be cut without any recourse or if players can just ask for more money for outplaying a contract? There must be a better way to set this up so both parties are happy. Until then it's just going to be a problem across the entire league.— Philly Dom
- My question is, what is the track record for these early signings? How many of these early contract extensions finish their contract without a major ruckus. It seems to me to be a failed strategy. Also, is it true that Michael Lewis was railroaded because he refused to re-up? If that's the case how voluntary are these early signings?— porcamiseria33
- Sheldon Brown is about the 30th highest paid corner in the league right now, and is nowhere near the 10th best corner in the league lets actually think who is better than him and see if he is right or if his contract is right. Asante Samuel, Duante Robinson, Marcus Trufant, Nnamdi Asomugha, Champ Bailey, Dre Bly, Ronde Barber, Philip Buchanon, Nate Clements, Antonio Cromartie, Cortland Finnegan, Darrelle Reevis, Dominique Rogers-Cromartie, Samari Rolle, Aquib Talib, Charles Woodson, Nick Collins, Al Harris, Carlos Rogers, Chris Gamble, Terrnace Newman, Antoine Winfield. Thats 22 i can think of off the top of my head, some your going to agree with some you wont and some you may put ahead of Sheldon so do the math if i can find 22 in about 5 minutes of hardly searching theres probably at least 3 more that can go ahead of him. So lets think possibly the 25th best corner in the NFL not even the best on his own team, 30 years old, 4 years left on his contract, no leverage, on the decline of his career with people running by him and jumping over him every game. Why would they want to pay him more money i would rather trade him for a single 5th round pick than pay him. He isnt worth anymore money and shouldnt get anymore because he signed the deal just live with the fact that your an average corner Sheldon and thats why your paid as such.— allsprtsfan84
- Hey Inq do u let companies get free advertizing in your comments section? Shouldn't tomtomz.com pay u?— Warhound
- why is nobody talking about the fact that HOBBS and ASANTE were the two starting CBs during that crazy Patriots run??? They have played 2gether as a tandem for a while. That has to have its advantages on the field. If Sheldon slacks off, check that...if Sheldon Brown don't make the PRO BOWL...he gone end up just like Lito.— Joyner80
- One question I'm hoping someone can answer for me - why would you trade for Brown unless you'd be willing to renegotiate, and why would you be willing to do so at this point in the contract? How does a trade benefit Brown?— speener
Rich - good points. That is a cheap price to get a starter. Maybe the Pats fleeced ole' Joe Banner?— Poppys- Comment removed.
- ctruitt: You are a total muppet. Generalizations are ignorant so you become as hypocritical as Sheldon when you characterize Philadelphians as a whole. It was so easy for Sheldon to criticize Lito last year. How short his memory is that now he finds himself unhappy with his own deal. Sit him on the bench and force him to play special teams till he begs to play again. The only thing you can do to these guys to teach them a lesson is take away the one thing they love to do....playing ball.— probert675
- Brown can play special teams.— maximus
- yescadog, just bc your life is miserable and you wouldn't sniff $7 million in 7 lifetimes, don't wish ill upon another human being by hoping "he blows out his knee and gets cut"... what a disgusting statement... Sheldon Brown is a hard-hitting CB with above average cover skills and is not afraid to step into the box to play the run... sure, he gets beat on occasion but so did lito sheppard when he was making pro bowls... Brown is a great compliment to samuel who has world class cover skills but is not a physical player... i hope he is a starter next year bc w/out dawk we are going to need someone who is not afraid to hit and intimidate— GoPhils09
- Interesting points, Rich. But to play devil's advocate here, why didn't the Eagles have this problem in previous years? They didn't have Hobb before this weekend and the 2 CB's you mentioned were drafted so were not on the team until this weekend. Why wasn't having 4 solid CB's on the team an issue before this weekend? Again, not disagreeing with you, just playing advocate. If it's an issue of Brown not being injured, well Hobb also played all games the last 2 years. I think the reason why the Pats traded Hobb for two 5's is because they were planning on letting him walk after this year so they at least got something out of it. So I guess both teams benefitted.— awl
- while i agree that hobbs being let go for 2 5th rounders is questionable, I think that his talent and ability may have less to do with it than one might think. He is in his contract year and the pats did not want to pay him star money which is what he prob was going to ask for. They figured they'd get younger and prob have someone ready to step in until the other guys develop (shawn springs?) Remember say what you want about this guy, but he was a starting corner on an 18-1 team. he did get beat by plax for the final score, but so have ALL corners who have worn an eagle uniform and played against the giants with plax. I believe they will dangle Brown this year and trade him next year, UNLESS some is willing to part with a 1st day pick.— ag
- Comment removed.
- Players want to get current market value. Long-term contracts are cost-effective and owners understand this very well. In the long run, keeping proven performers happy is a better strategy than saying the player should've negotiated better. Reddgie, I understand earning your pay. I just favor receiving it as the performance is delivered, not in arrears. Owners only give up-front bonuses as a negotiating tactic. They pay only what they have to unless, via a long-term deal, they can pay less. This strategy is becoming very expensive. It will cost the Eagles a good player, two draft picks, and an adjustment period on defense. Brown will not be the exception, he and Lito will be the rule. Pay them what they earn when they earn it and they will make Lurie's $1.1 BILLION team a $2 BILLION team before he can cry foul. Just pay the players as they deliver. The players have only a very few years to share in the unbelievable wealth they helped to build. Ever hear the term "playing for a contract?" What if you could get that performance every year? Offer up-front monies and an optional 3-year renegotiation which nets out any up-front monies paid. Why wait 5 years to renegotiate if waiting costs you a good player, or two, or more? You pay Brown market rate or his replacement market rate. I'd rather pay the guy we have rather than risk performance from a new guy. Long-term contracts may seem dollar-wise but they are less motivational than intermediate-term contracts after two years. Of course, there's a cost to dealing fairly: you won't get to be millions of dollars under the salary cap each year.— Scoop
- All I hear is hatin'. First of all, Sheldon is a solid corner and if I were him, I would try and get as much money as possible. He has been the better corner between him and Sheppard for years. As far as the signing bonus he got in '04, he deserved every dollar. You philly fans are quick to forget that he has been a solid corner for you guys for a long time. Show the man some respect.— eglassiter
- Scoop, I absolutely agree with you. These people who post here think just because they can't make the kind of money Sheldon is making that he should just be satisfied with whatever he is getting. This is a business and the Eagles go out of their way to marginalize even their good players. I say get the best deal you can get Sheldon. Don't show them any loyalty because you best believe that the Eagles brass won't show you any.— eglassiter
- The compensation for Hobbs was low because Hobbs has only 1 year left on his contract and the Pats were going to let him walk. Now they have some picks in hand in exchange for letting him walk earlier. Simple as that.— jtj06
- Rich, you are absolutely right. I didn't understand why people were saying that the arrival of Hobbs meant Sheldon would get traded. Think about it. They have three corners who have played in the Eagles system -- Samuel, Brown, and Hanson. Lito is gone. Hobbs was signed to take Lito's place. Lito was the fourth corner. When you think about it that way, two fifth round picks sounds about right. And even if Macho Harris or Jack Ikegwuonu can play, they are not going to release Sheldon until at least next year so they can ease one of those young corners into the system. I think Sheldon should have an opportunity to get paid. That's all anybody in any profession wants. Unfortunately, I think Sheldon is going to have to wait at least a year to get that opportunity.— kingsolomonsmind
- I don't think they'll be able to trade Brown because I don't think anybody really wants him. If you trade for Brown, you'll have to redo that contract and pay him more money. Is any team going to trade a decent draft pick and pay additional money to Brown? A 30-year-old corner who doesn't get picks, has never sniffed a pro bowl, and whose best days are behind him? No way.— Vituperator
- It's pretty obvious why Hobbs only cost us two 5th round picks. The Patriots weren't going to re-sign him. You want to talk about cheap organizations. The Pats lead in that category. They've let a ton of guys in their prime (not guys 30-35 years old like the Eagles) walk because they didn't want to pay them...Deion Branch, Asante Samuel, etc. Hobbs is a 26 year old CB with 4 years of starting experience and he's one of the top kick returners in the game. You think a contract extension was going to be cheap? Nope. So Belichek has brought in some young kids and a few older vets to tide them over until the kids are ready to go. So that's why the Pats were willing to give him up. Since he's in the last year of his deal and he may end up being a rent-a-player for one season, the Pats weren't going to command a high price for him. Why would the Eagles or any other team give up a 2nd or 3rd round pick for a guy that they may only have for 1 season unless he's the next coming of Darrell Green or Deion Sanders? The trade made perfect sense for both sides. Sheldon isn't going anywhere. That would leave the Eagles with only 3 CBs with any experience. They were bringing in a vet whether or not Sheldon opened his mouth.— JimG
- Brown is like all other pro players. Pay me now and then pay me again later if someone else gets paid more than me. I'm tired of hearing that the players only play x amount of years and need to get as much as they can. What ever happened to finding a REAL job after their playing days are over like a normal person has to do. Work for a living. I wouldn't redo his contract or trade him. He brought this on himself so let him suffer now.— The Marco Islander
- Scoop. Hint: They did renegotiate Brown's contract. He now has FOUR (4) years remaining on that recently renegotiated contract. As you yourself partly stated, "...typically with one or two years remaining on a contract". Once again, Brown has FOUR (4) years remaining on his contract. Let him honor it.— essell
- Comment removed.
- yescadog - totally unnecessary, disgusting commentary about wishing harm on him
- Essell, so you agree with The Marco islander's winning, incentivizing strategy of "let him suffer now" huh? Heaven forbid Banner figures out that some fans believe they should work for less than they're worth. He'll start signing Eagles fans. The Eagles won't win a Super Bowl with such a strategy, but that doesn't seem important anyway. The real winning comes when Banner can sign players for less than they're worth. What is it, 10 or 11 years under Banner's winning under-the cap (or, pay-them-less-than-they're-worth-and-pocket-the-difference) formula? Think he can maintain his winning formula for 25 years? Just think how many players would have to suffer then. That'd be something, huh? (Too bad Dawk couldn't have suffered just a little longer, that ingrate.) Wanna win a championship, Joe? Confused about how to do that? Follow the formula of the world championship team across the street: pay up and retain the experienced players.— Scoop
- sheldon might have to stay. this is an article or blog written by hoffman. and he gets paid. who cares? who cares if sheldon stays or leaves. what has he done to make the eagles champions? does sheldon live in south carolina. yes. south carolina has the second higest unemployment in the united states according to states. if sheldon leaves he will add to the unemployment of south carolina. this is important. you ask to who? i'm not sure but sheldon is important to the south carolina politations because he has a social social number and he pays taxes. doesn't he? well, anyway he can't cover very well. he rarely intercepts passes from the other team. he has been on zero championship teams. what the hell does sheldon do? why on earth are we writing about him?— JACK V
- It's not rocket science: when you ask, "Why did it only take two fifth-rounders to acquire a starting corner?" The answer is the Pats treat corners like the Iggles treat linbackers: draft and sign them to a 4-yr deal, then let them go when it's time for the big money. In Johnson's system, CBs and D-line get both love and money. But, Belichick has a different philosophy and different budget priorities.— Iggleman1
- I think this issue with Brown is a league wide problem that must be sorted out with the new negotiations between the Players and the Owners. It is totally upside down when ower draft selections with playing experience are well under the yearly top unproven and picks. As we complain about Brown, as well as I blame his Agent, the Eagles took Peters to our glee and Hobbs to get the nightmare out of New England. I think The Eagles brought in enough DBs to satisfy the flexibility contingency that can arise during a season. This situation is part of football so the hope is only minimum injuries. Injuries can occur in Training Camp just as easily as during a pre-season or regular game. That is the purpose of depth and flexibility. The Cards stiffed Boldin with a virtual franchise tag without compensation. Teams can't cave in to this, but both sides have a right.— aden
- Also let's not forget that the existing players are the product that generates revenue. There probably is a league wide pay scale for position. However this can be blown out of whack when the supply side for exceptional talent is needed by a team with a big demand and lot's of money. These are all delayed business issues that were perhaps too complex for the Union to deal with in the past. While the Owners are Prime Time Capitalist with concentration in maximizing profits, there was conflicting demands. Maybe this lawyer has the appropriate approach for resolving this dilemma of salary differentials. It has to be uniformly addressed from both sides to make it a complementary entity...TEAM/ORGANIZATION.— aden
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