Crosby a Rat

[Fiji Mariner]

Surgery on the meniscus was relayed by the ortho surgeon (whom all teams are familiar with). Excuse was BAL medical team were concerned after their review of scans and felt the risk was too great for the cost. I call bullshit, and GM had second thoughts about the loss of 2 1st rounders and Hendrickson was then available. The fact the GM said he was talking to both player agents tells it all.


Drink, even though this was done during the “legal tampering period”, this smacks negotiation not in good faith. Goodell should be involved, and I wouldn’t be surprised if LVR doesn’t file a grievance with the league about it. That trade impacted a dozen free agent signings across the league $$$ wise, and now the trade is voided.

Should be some kind of penalty, or remove the all negotiating periods with FA until the actual new year begins.

I would say the best decision would be to eliminate Baltimore’s ability to tamper within the legal tampering window. They should just have to wait to the league year as they seem to be doing illegal tampering…fine em a couple picks too since they’ve done this before and are repeat offenders.

 

[madinsomniac]

The thing is, BAL is a repeat offender with this tactic. On at least two occasions they reneged on a deal. If I was the Colts GM, I would be filing a grievance with the league as well, as the GM indicated they had a contract ready for Hendricksen to sign. Only for BAL to swipe him away with sweetened deal. Getting one of the top FA pass rushers was part of their plan before the draft. The other locking up Pierce. Now they are out of the sweepstakes, unless Crosby was to take less money and Vegas not get the return they intended to receive.

Next month’s League owners meeting is going to be pretty interesting if you are a fly on the wall. Can you imagine what would have happened if Vegas didn’t have all that cap room and had to take back Crosby’s contract after signing Linderbaum to that huge contract and the other moves they made? Not to mention, DAL wanted Crosby so bad but missed out and signed Gary from Green Bay. Now they can’t get Crosby even if they wanted to. Biscotti and DeCosta will be in chain mail when the meetings begin next month.

Even so, Goodell won’t do jack, and just say going forward no negotiations with FA until the new league year starts. If caught, the team loses a 1st round pick. Which is fine, but BAL gets away with it a third time.

In the past, Baltimore has reneged on UFA deals, which was shady because each time it happened just as a better and more reliable option became available, but also there was no other team involved, just the Ravebs and the player... the precedent for ufa dealings is that the team or player have the right to back out until the contract is finalized... right or wrong, there are players that change their mind occasionally after agreeing with a team and the league and PA lets it slide.

This case is different. The two teams had a handshake deal on a trade. It was publicly announced. The only time that gets reversed is in the case of a failed physical... but in this particular case, they had access to his medical files prior to their own physical. They knew where he was at when they closed the deal...

The Ravens didnt do their due diligence if they didnt run everything by their team doctors first. If there was any questions about anything, they should have had an independent doctor do a checkup on him prior to free agency starting.. they guy is at the facility every single day rehabbing... its not like he was unavailable

Instead they waited till he showed up on Tuesday.
Then they supposedly freaked out and got a metric ton of independent doctors to look at his knee because of a supposed long term issue... not next year... he is ahead of schedule for that and nobody sees any problems then.. not even next year... just a vague issue that might be a problem in the final year of his contract...
Newsflash... anyone with any knee procedires gets that boilerplate warning that several years down the line they may need another procedure... and those arent certain... its just cautionary prognostication(this coming from a guy who has knee issues and have heard a half dozen doctors say six different things about such stuff, lol)

The Ravens story is just too perfect to CTOA... and the

Either they Traded for Crosby and then were for some reason negotiating with Hendrickson anyways so they could have a great pass rush but leave their offense gutted .. but then Crosby's exam showed something they somehow missed initially just as they were signing Hendrickson to a deal that is strikingly similar to what Crosby would have gotten from them.. and of course the unexpected fact they lost a ton of starters and backups and needed premium picks had nothing to do with any of that


Or.. they Traded for Crosby when Hendrickson's price was thought to be closer to TJ and Garrett and that there would be a bidding war for him. Saw he wasnt getting the demand expected and his price was closer to Crosby's anyway, contacted him to see if they could get him, negotiated a deal before Crosby got his exam, then found an excuse to back out of the contract, and recoup their Picks because everyone left in UFA and they need all of those assets to realistically restock

The league just needs to search their email servers like they did to the redskins during the Snyder investigation or the Gruden investigation.. and maybe the text records around the Hendrickson and crosby deals on the company phones.. they can get them and it would at least quiet down the uproar some... or fan the flames until they are punished, if its true.. either or

 

[WindyCitySteel]

If the league decides to investigate they can, as they have in the past, collect all emails and texts around whatever incidents they are looking into.. if they find that the Ravens used a preknown injury to back out of an agreed upon deal they can dock them draft picks..

Is there precedent for this?

 

[Superman]

 

[Ike Kelly]

In the past, Baltimore has reneged on UFA deals, which was shady because each time it happened just as a better and more reliable option became available, but also there was no other team involved, just the Ravebs and the player... the precedent for ufa dealings is that the team or player have the right to back out until the contract is finalized... right or wrong, there are players that change their mind occasionally after agreeing with a team and the league and PA lets it slide.

This case is different. The two teams had a handshake deal on a trade. It was publicly announced. The only time that gets reversed is in the case of a failed physical... but in this particular case, they had access to his medical files prior to their own physical. They knew where he was at when they closed the deal...

The Ravens didnt do their due diligence if they didnt run everything by their team doctors first. If there was any questions about anything, they should have had an independent doctor do a checkup on him prior to free agency starting.. they guy is at the facility every single day rehabbing... its not like he was unavailable

Instead they waited till he showed up on Tuesday.
Then they supposedly freaked out and got a metric ton of independent doctors to look at his knee because of a supposed long term issue... not next year... he is ahead of schedule for that and nobody sees any problems then.. not even next year... just a vague issue that might be a problem in the final year of his contract...
Newsflash... anyone with any knee procedires gets that boilerplate warning that several years down the line they may need another procedure... and those arent certain... its just cautionary prognostication(this coming from a guy who has knee issues and have heard a half dozen doctors say six different things about such stuff, lol)

The Ravens story is just too perfect to CTOA... and the

Either they Traded for Crosby and then were for some reason negotiating with Hendrickson anyways so they could have a great pass rush but leave their offense gutted .. but then Crosby's exam showed something they somehow missed initially just as they were signing Hendrickson to a deal that is strikingly similar to what Crosby would have gotten from them.. and of course the unexpected fact they lost a ton of starters and backups and needed premium picks had nothing to do with any of that


Or.. they Traded for Crosby when Hendrickson's price was thought to be closer to TJ and Garrett and that there would be a bidding war for him. Saw he wasnt getting the demand expected and his price was closer to Crosby's anyway, contacted him to see if they could get him, negotiated a deal before Crosby got his exam, then found an excuse to back out of the contract, and recoup their Picks because everyone left in UFA and they need all of those assets to realistically restock

The league just needs to search their email servers like they did to the redskins during the Snyder investigation or the Gruden investigation.. and maybe the text records around the Hendrickson and crosby deals on the company phones.. they can get them and it would at least quiet down the uproar some... or fan the flames until they are punished, if its true.. either or

Listening to Eric DeCosta (GM) talking about being “gutted” or agonizing about the failed physical is nauseating. He’s full of **** too. Crosby wouldn’t pass a physical for ANY TEAM right now regardless. He’s progressing as planned on his recovery so his availability would have been the same for any team who traded for him. DeCosta got cold feet because of the trade cost. Biscotti probably told him his *** was on the line if the player didn’t work out since it heavily mortgaged their draft future.

In any case, the league needs to just revert to the hard FA starting date that was in place before, but also fine teams heavily by taking 1st round picks if they violate the rules. That would be the best deterrent.

 

[slashsteel]

Listening to Eric DeCosta (GM) talking about being “gutted” or agonizing about the failed physical is nauseating. He’s full of **** too. Crosby wouldn’t pass a physical for ANY TEAM right now regardless. He’s progressing as planned on his recovery so his availability would have been the same for any team who traded for him. DeCosta got cold feet because of the trade cost. Biscotti probably told him his *** was on the line if the player didn’t work out since it heavily mortgaged their draft future.

In any case, the league needs to just revert to the hard FA starting date that was in place before, but also fine teams heavily by taking 1st round picks if they violate the rules. That would be the best deterrent.

I was thinking whatever they were giving up goes to the team they were negotiating with. Player, whatever draft pick, etc.

That victimized team would retain said player obviously.

 

[Pittsburgh Charlie]

so is there an issue with crosby or did they just realize 2 1sts was too much

Yes

 

[madinsomniac]

Like its been said before, going into UFA, Hendrickson was seen to be a huge money option.. like near Watt and Garrett numbers.. he turned down Cinci's long term contract... he wasnt expected to be cheaper that Crosby.. he also was a UFA, meaning there was no guarantee you could sign him even if you pony up the money he wanted..

What they did was lock in a trade for Crosby, then negotiate with Hendrickson, when a deal was reached they backed out of the Crosby trade, had no deal been reached, Crosby would be a Rat..

Its not hard to speculate that statements about him failing a physical over potential issues 3 years down the road on a three year deal are absolute bunk, as is the idea they wanted both guys on massive deals with all their other holes...

This was just them gaming the system.. the NFL could investigate and punish them, but they wont

 

[insaniti]

Its not hard to speculate that statements about him failing a physical over potential issues 3 years down the road on a three year deal are absolute bunk, as is the idea they wanted both guys on massive deals with all their other holes...

Also the fact that until they redid Lamar's deal (and that's still gonna bite them in the end), they didn't have the space for both, it's why they lost 8 starters to begin with. Lamar was/is playing hardball and holding them random with his insane contract.

His cap hit for 2027 is $84.5 MILLION!!!! And then a dead cap hit of $42.5m the following year on their added/voided year for cap reasons...

Pretty sure I read that both sides have said they missed the deadline for an extension...

 

[Ike Kelly]

I was thinking whatever they were giving up goes to the team they were negotiating with. Player, whatever draft pick, etc.

That victimized team would retain said player obviously.

Sure, but it would penalize every other team as well. Vegas would just load up on first rounders. BAL has done this tactic at least a couple more times in the past. Just removing BAL 1st rounders for a couple years and slapping a $1 mil fine on the franchise would show all teams front offices not to screw around with the system. Getting rid of the “legal tampering” period would be best and have player agents also conform to the rules, otherwise they lose license with the NFL. Hell, maybe fine the player too so plausible deniability is removed.

The owners need to come together on this next month during the owners meeting to press Goodell into doing something.

 

[madinsomniac]

Sure, but it would penalize every other team as well. Vegas would just load up on first rounders. BAL has done this tactic at least a couple more times in the past. Just removing BAL 1st rounders for a couple years and slapping a $1 mil fine on the franchise would show all teams front offices not to screw around with the system. Getting rid of the “legal tampering” period would be best and have player agents also conform to the rules, otherwise they lose license with the NFL. Hell, maybe fine the player too so plausible deniability is removed.

The owners need to come together on this next month during the owners meeting to press Goodell into doing something.

The legal Tampering period is going nowhere. Its there to cover the leagues *** from clear cut tampering cases. Prior to it, it was really obvious when guys were signing huge complicated deals several minutes into the start of UFA that tampering was widespread

They should just make league trades official anytime after the superbowl.. or at least a week prior to the new year starting..

 

[Ike Kelly]

The legal Tampering period is going nowhere. Its there to cover the leagues *** from clear cut tampering cases. Prior to it, it was really obvious when guys were signing huge complicated deals several minutes into the start of UFA that tampering was widespread

They should just make league trades official anytime after the superbowl.. or at least a week prior to the new year starting..

Mad the LTP was installed at the behest of the players union during CBAs, and was a bargaining chip against the League’s push for extending the regular season. The “spirit” of the LTP was so franchises who allowed players to seek out a trade via their agent had control as to what trade was accepted (i.e. comp, out of division/conference). However, when there is an inch offered, a mile is taken. Both sides are guilty as they can’t help themselves.

Pete Rozzelle was heavy handed as a commish and did a fine job keeping everyone in line. Yes, he had a role in the concussion coverup, but technology was limited then and the grass roots from player families hadn’t achieved power in the legal circles. Tags was less so heavy handed, but still kept straight while the new Free Agency, salary cap model exploded the network markets and bore fruit to expansion. He kept the league strong until he retired.

Goodell, was the commish in waiting as vice to Tags, and it’s easier to note has made the league owners and players multi-generational rich 10x more than they were before. Less though regarding the game itself, something his predecessors did much more so. However, he caved when congressional oversight threatened to remove the League’s Anti-Trust exemption due to SpyGate. That is the only reason why evidence was destroyed before Senator Spector was able to review it. The big problem of all this is, Pete and Tags had no “favorites” amongst owners and were even keeled amongst arguments. Goodell, however, has his inner circle of owners he placates to. We know who they are, and it’s a sure bet he was told to stay out of the Gruden affair by those inner circle pals until emails surfaced. One thing for sure, Rozzelle would have gotten Snyder out of the NFL as soon as possible. Having to deal with Jack Kent Cooke was a headache enough for him. Same as for Al Davis.

Point being, if the Commish says don’t tarnish the “Shield”, then he needs to put down the hammer to those who do when circumventing the rules.