Kolb's contract as a limiting factor
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Kolb's contract as a limiting factor
Sheil Kapadia, Philly.com
It continues to seem unlikely that the Eagles will be able to deal Kevin Kolb for 2011 draft picks.
But that hasn't stopped league-wide conversation surrounding the future of the Birds' quarterback.
The latest item on the topic is a column by Tom Pelissero from 1500 ESPN in Minnesota. Pelissero writes about a topic that we've heard before - that a potential new contract for Kolb could limit the number of teams that are willing to trade for him:
According to league sources, Kolb's agents have spread the word they're seeking a multi-year deal from any team that acquires him, with a price tag one NFL decision-maker said is "significant enough to make me nervous," considering how little the former University of Houston star has played.
"There's no way I pay him like a proven guy," said an executive in personnel for an AFC team. "If you give up a one, that's your guy. You're going to ride with him, so you're going to pay him. But you've still got to make sure that the finances are such that it's based on what he's proven. Whether you're dealing with the agent or not, he has to understand I'm paying part of the price in draft picks."
As I've written before, I would be surprised if Kolb's contract really becomes a major issue in any potential deals, and here are the reasons why:
1. First and foremost, he wants to be traded. You might even say he desperately wants to be traded. Does the money have to be right? Sure. But is Kolb's camp really going to risk having him spend yet another year in Philadelphia as the backup for the possible payoff of being able to get a slightly better contract as a free agent after next season? I don't see it.
The guy wants to start, and he wants to start now. That doesn't mean he'll do it for cheap, but I believe that does mean he'll accept a reasonable deal. As for his agents spreading word about a new contract, that's their job: to get the best deal they can for their client.
2. The idea that Kolb would have to agree on a new contract with a new team before a trade can be finalized has been assumed (from my perspective) ever since this conversation began. But the team will want to have a new deal in place as much as (actually, more than) Kolb's camp. Think about it. Why would a franchise want to give up a first-round pick (and maybe more) for a guy who was guaranteed to for only one year? It would make no sense. It wouldn't be unprecedented. We saw the Redskins trade for Donovan McNabb last offseason without having a new deal in place. But Kolb is younger and the price for him (in terms of picks and/or players) will be greater than what Washington gave up for McNabb.
3. Teams pay for franchise quarterbacks. And while Kolb is unproven to a large degree, so was Sam Bradford, who got a reported $78M ($50M guaranteed) over six years before ever playing a down in the NFL. The Chiefs paid Matt Cassel $63M ($28M guaranteed) over six years after he had one year of experience as a starter in New England.
Will it be a risk to trade a first-rounder for Kolb and then give him a sizable deal? Sure. But I don't see how it's any different than what teams do every offseason. I understand that Bradford signed a rookie deal as the No. 1 pick, and the circumstances are different here, but the point is that if a club believes Kolb can be its franchise quarterback, it will be willing to shell out the money to show him that. I think it's really that simple.
Pelissero has some other interesting nuggets. He asked four personnel men if they'd give up a first-round pick for Kolb. Three gave a qualified yes, and one gave a firm no.
He also expresses a notion that we've heard before: that the Eagles are "difficult to deal with" on trades.
While that might be true, let's keep in mind that the Eagles made trades involving players (not just draft picks) with the following teams last year: the Patriots, Seahawks, Broncos, Lions, Redskins, Browns and Bucs. Add in draft-day deals, and the Chargers, Cowboys and Packers make that list too. That's 10 teams, or nearly a third of the league, that the Eagles made trades with in 2010.
A well-connected league source tells Pelissero that three logical teams that could be interested in dealing for Kolb are the Dolphins, 49ers and Vikings. I've been saying for a few weeks now that I think Minnesota makes a lot of sense as a potential suitor.
The way things stand now, the big issue will likely become whether the Eagles are willing to make a deal for something other than 2011 draft picks. Will they be willing to accept 2012 picks? Will they be able to get creative and perhaps fill a defensive need with a player instead of a pick?
Those are questions we don't have answers to, and won't have answers to until the league and the players form a resolution (or at least until rules are put into place for player movement in 2011).
But with this year's draft less than two weeks away, it seems like that's the next direction we'll be heading in with the Kolb situation.
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Comment removed.
Why does everyone think that Kolb is a franchise quarterback? A couple of good starts, a couple of bad ones as teams got to know him better. What makes anyone think that he would be better than say AJ Feeley (who had better numbers when he was here)?— mjc1- here we go, again...— M60tanker
- It will be interesting to see what sort of contract Kolb gets. And, Vick too. Vick will likely be extended by the Eagles as soon as the CBA / Free Agency gates open up again.— CouchKing
- Did you read the Matt Cassel numbers???? That is the starting point for Kolb, and he will get more, whether you like it or not.— tommy_the_k
- Not quite sure about that - In just 2008 Cassel played all 16 games for NE, threw just under 4K yards, and had 23 TDs (21 passing and 2 rushing) in just that season.
It would be hard for Kolb's agent to make that comparison. Over 4 yrs, Kolb's total passing yards is only 2K and 12 TDs (11 passing & 1 running) and that's collectively over 4 years.
Just my opinion.— mjdehm - 1st of all Cassel left New England with a 11-5 starting record for the season, he had a coach and front office people for that team that is why he got what he got. His year was not that great for 2010. I went back to Kolb's college records because for the life of me I don't see him as a great qb. His record was 5-7 and the teams he played were not in the top 50 in college so unless he gets better I don't see him getting a fat check. He got 12 million dollars for being a bench player and that to me was highway robbery. That last game against Dallas completely turned me off with him. I don't think he will last very long unless he gets a great great line in the NFL and I don't think any team has that anymore.
— Blessed8251 - Kolb's camp needs to cool it on the contract whispers unless he wants to spend another year sitting on the bench at the Linc.
Other team personnel saying the Eagles are "difficult" on trades is basically a complement. If they say you are easy to deal with that basically means you are easy to fleece. The Eagles have been generally effective in the trade market, and if that means they had to negotiate hard so be it. The Redskins are "easy to deal with" on trades.— igle_fan_99 - It's clear that the Eagles are only concerned about what they can get in return for moving Kolb. They'll put the best upside on the guy they can, in the hopes of getting a first-round pick. My feeling is now they won't; this thing has gone on too long, and Lurie and his minions waited for what they wanted. They might still get it, who knows? Supposedly deals can be cut during the draft; if so, they might do it then.— MidStaterUXB
- I don't understand why they don't trade their own 2012 picks to a team for that team's 2011 picks (make sure the 2011 picks equate to value for Kolb, and the 2012 picks equate to value of the 2011 picks). Then after the lockout, trade Kolb to the team to get your 2012 picks back. You essentially trade him for 2011 picks, but in two steps - just takes a wink and a nod.
Or do it without the wink, and take a risk that you'll find a team willing to give 2012 picks relatively equal to what you gave up. It all will balance out if you know what his value is among interested teams.— dawk2020 - Comment removed.
- Comment removed.
- Von; While it's true that Howie is probably trying to prove himself the history shows it's Reid who is difficult to deal with. He has ALWAYS Over valued his players and under valued others. It's the whole smarter then everybody else that permeates throughout the organization
- Kolb just wants to get out from the felon Vick/Eagle stench that surrounds this team. Most of Reids picks have a troubled past and are clearly prison candidates. Gotta stop drafting all these street rats that never went to class and can't stay out of trouble. Vicks the leader so surround him with more thugs— bill19666
- That would pretty much limit the Eagles to only drafting players from BYU and The Ivy League.
Also - Could please name for me Reid's list of prison candidate draft picks? My apologies but I can't think of any.— mjdehm
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