Chargers not ruling out Vincent Jackson, yet

Chargers not ruling out Vincent Jackson, yet

Posted by Mike Florio on February 24, 2012, 7:00 AM EST

It has widely been reported that the Chargers won’t use the franchise tag on receiverVincent Jackson for second straight year. And for good reason.

Jackson made $11.424 million via the franchise tag in 2011. Under the CBA, he’s entitled to a 20-percent raise if the Chargers use it again. And that equates to $13.7 million for 2012.

Or, in other words, 11 percent of the unadjusted salary cap for the coming season. For one player.

On Thursday, G.M. A.J. Smith didn’t rule out the possibility of applying the tag. “We have the ability to franchise him although that figure is high,” Smith told Alex Marvez and Bill Polian of SiriusXM NFL Radio. “I don’t particularly like the option because we have different plans and that’s a big [cap] hit. But we’d love to have him back.”

It ordinarily would make sense for a team to use the threat of the franchise tag when talking about a long-term deal with a player. But Jackson’s expected pay under the franchise tender provides a very high starting point for talks. With $13.7 million due under the tag this year and the number rising to 144 percent of his 2012 pay if the Chargers tag him for a third time in 2013, it wouldn’t be unreasonable for Jackson’s camp to expect more than $30 million over the first two years of a multi-season contract.

And so it’s not surprising that, as Jason La Canfora of NFL.com reports, “[p]eople close to Jackson” (i.e., his agents) believe that the tag is coming. They want the tag. No one else will pay Jackson $13.7 million in 2012, especially with so many receivers on the open market.

Jackson is already 29, and even though Smith told Marvez and Polian that the team no longer is concerned about Jackson’s history of off-field issues, Jackson still has a history of off-field issues, which could affect his value in the eyes of other teams, especially if those other teams are considering free-agent receivers who don’t have a history of off-field issues.

And so “people close to Jackson” likely suspect that the Chargers ultimately will pay Jackson more than any other team. Especially if the Chargers can be coaxed into using the franchise tag on him again.
http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/02/24/chargers-not-ruling-out-vincent-jackson-yet/

VJ is not worth the cap hit. The WR FA market is really deep this year. He will not get that money from another team. Get him under a reasonable contract or let him walk.

The market is deep with #2 receivers. Jackson and Colston are the only #1s.

And Colston has had multiple microfracture knee surgeries.

I would argue VJ is the only #1 worth paying #1 money too.

WAIT!!!!
HOLD ON!!!!
WE...AGREE ON SOMETHING...

If we let VJ walk does that mean VBrown is the new #1? Tuto could have been a solid replacement for VJ. If we dont get VJ backAJ better go get olinemen.

S.D. U-T Chargers‏ @sdutChargers

Only "news" re: Vincent Jackson is sides had preliminary talks Thursday & for 1st time Chargers informed agents that franchise tag unlikely.

I say just let him go out into FA and make him a fair offer.

alternatively, make him an offer, if he doesn't take it, wait to see what offers other clubs give him and then, unlike with Brees in 2006, actually negotiate based on the other clubs' offers (assuming there are any higher than our initial offer)

that can be a catch 22 for both parties. Bolts negotiate could be on the high end and other teams offers could be on the low end. I am sure not matter what AJ does it will be wrong.

This doesn't count him in either, give him the poison pill treatment.

That is the approach we took with Weddle that lead to us having to over pay him. If they have guys they want, they should start working with them early and not let other teams drive up the price

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.co...sons-agents-that-franchise-tag-is-improbable/

10-11 mil, pretty much exactly what I would price him at. Looks like AJ is being realistic, lets just hope VJ can be the same.

Which is right where he wanted 2 years ago when AJ decided to be a d1ck!

Accurate assessment.

Of course. We have to play like we are interested in High ballin VJ so another club will give him more than he can resist.

IMO I dont think Eric ever had any intention of uprooting. Hes a Charger for life as much as LT was.... which means we can at least enjoy the great years.

If VJ wants more than 11 mil/yr for 5 years, he's retarded. He's worth every dime of that, but not more. At 12 mil a year you can get 2 avg WRs and a pretty good DB, and between the three of them you can probably equal VJs impact. At 11 mil, the 3rd player in that situation would probably be very average, and not worth the difference.

If the Chargers are looking at 10-11 mil, then it's on VJ from here on out.

I don't either, which is why they should have never let him hit the open market and let other teams drive up the price

IMO..If you step back and look at the big picture what AJ/Dean decided to go was to save the team money at the same time have VJ. I think what they tried to do was squeeze his youth out of him until he either hit the 'age,' injury, or DUI. Now he is going to be 29, and on the down side of his career, so I think AJ/Dean's plan was just to get to this point and negotiate at a lower price.

And the reason they slapped the franchise tag on him last season & paid him $11 million was? Seriously, if they really didn't want him, why throw the tag on him last season?

They should have signed him to a deal 2 years ago, when he was demanding 5 years $50mil, now they are saying that they are willing to give him $10-11mil/yr.

He had to sign that tender BEFORE they could negotiate. It was a lousy tender, yes. But McNeil signed his and got a longer deal. Only thing is, McNeil doesn't seem to be coming back this season.

My thing is, if they really didn't want VJ, then why tag him? Seems to me they did want him. Guess the only question now is, how long will the deal be? 3 years? 4?

Not a chance in hell he takes less than 4, in fact if we lose him it'll be because someone offered him a 5th year.

No, he didn't. The Chargers just demanded he did and then AJ said on Yahoo sports they would NOT negotiate anything at that time even if he had signed.

I am not saying that they didn't want him, I am saying they screwed up 2 years ago and are suffering now because of it, and it will end up costing them more than had they not played games 2 years ago

I never said they didn't want VJ they are just trying to get him without paying him what he wants. That is a lot of money for anyone. AJ/Dean are going to do what it takes to get a player on their term. They are not winging there salary cap nor roster.

Paying him $11 mil last year proves that it wasn't about money, it was all about pride and they allowed pride to get in the way of smart business

Your right and it goes by their theory of 'You are only a Charger 1 year at a time"

People latch onto sh_t like "pride" and "ego" when in fact it isn't either of those things. If the Chargers don't set an organizational tone, and deal with players consistently, then you start having everyone expect different rules for them. Without getting into whether it's right or wrong, that's what the team did and it's not about A.J.'s ego, even though lazy fans like to spit that out.