Demarcus Ware, Any interest?

The structure of his current contract looks like Jones was hoping for a bigger jump in the cap by 2014 or never had plans on keeping Ware past 2013.

 

YEAR	BASE	S. BONUS	MISC.	CAP HIT	DEAD
2009	6,005,000	4,000,000	1,790,000	11,795,000	-
2010	7,800,000	4,000,000	-	11,800,000	-
2011	685,000	4,000,000	1,803,000	6,488,000	-
2012	825,000	4,000,000	2,721,750	7,546,750	-
2013	840,000	4,000,000	3,252,443	8,092,443	15,825,250
2014	12,250,000	-	3,753,750	16,003,750	8,571,500
2015	13,750,000	-	3,753,750	17,503,750	5,317,750
2016	13,000,000	-	1,032,000	14,032,000	2,064,000
2017	13,000,000	-	1,032,000	14,032,000	1,032,000

I would love for the Pack to take a chance on this guy....maybe Thompson should throw a 6th round pic at Jonsey to see if he bites

The contract comes with a trade. Wait for Jones to cut him.

 

Respect sacks? No thanks. He better come cheap or he is not worth it. A one year deal for 2 mil? Maybe.

Ware would look pretty sweet lined up opposite Matthews.

Ware looked pretty "unsweet" last year.

Ware was below average

Ware will be 32 in July, that contract he has is paying him for past performance.  He is still worth big money but not anything near what his current contract is paying him.

If the Packers were to sign him, it'd be Joe Johnson part deux.

 

The Packers just need Nick Perry to stay healthy.

Niners fans want him badly.

No

 

Or...........

 

Charles Woodson Part Deux?

 

Might be worth a shot.

For the right price, yes.

I think he'd make a better compliment to Matthews than Frank Zombo or Erik Walden ever did, that's for sure. As long as it doesn't cost eight gajillion dollars and is relatively short term, I think it would be an awesome pickup.

 

If the Cowboys release him, you just know some other team would be willing to pay way more than TT, though. If TT is going to make a big splash in FA, I'd prefer he went after Jairus Byrd or TJ Ward. But, Ware would be very tempting, no doubt.

 

My thoughts exactly

His age, combined with his recent injury history, makes me leery.

I'd likely pass, although Goalline's suggestion would be the most tempting scenario.

Even if it takes another year to find 'the guy', I think it's worth it in the end.

Woodson was 29 when the Packers signed him, whereas Ware will be 32 by training camp.  Woodson reluctantly signed with the Packers when only one other team signed him, whereas teams will be lining up to sign Ware.

 

If the Packers could get Ware for the minimum, or an incentive-laden contract, then sure, you sign him and see what he can do in training camp and preseason.  I just don't see the point in paying what Ware will actually go for under the hopes that he still has it.  We all had similar hopes with Jeff Saturday, and the center position is still unsettled.

 

I also think it is telling that a lot of Cowboys fans are ok with letting Ware go, similar to how Packers fans are generally ok with letting Raji depart.

Ware's also not the biggest guy and he played as a DE most of last year after excelling as a stand up 3-4 OLB. He's not a long-term guy, but he's no minimum guy either. Look at what Denver got out of Shaun Phillips last year or Arizona out of Dansby. Reasonable but solid, short-term contracts.

I'm thinking they already have found "the guy".......Mulumba.  Ware...pass.  If we spend money on a f/a olb, i'd rather we go big time and chase Orakpo.  As things are, i think we're better off signing Neal and watching Mulumba make that 2nd year jump.

Ware is 32 and has made a ton of money, I doubt he's looking for a big payday. He seems like he's at the point where he will be looking to play for a contender and get a ring. Who knows though.

 

I seriously doubt Thompson pursues him beyond minimal contact. He signed Charles Woodson in 2006 because we really needed a CB, we don't necessarily need another OLB. Clay Matthews and Nick Perry will have a combined cap number of about 13 million in 2014 and if you look at Terrell Suggs new deal with Ravens (5 year, 28 mil) I would guess you're not going to get Ware for less than 7 million per year. So if that is the case we would be dedicating around 15% of the total cap space to 3 players at the same position. To me that's tough to justify.

and you would be wrong

He's scheduled to make $16mm in 2014. I'd think he is looking for something more than Thompson would consider. I'd rather [re]sign Neal as another OLB for a lot less than what Ware will cost and then use $$ on ILB or S help.

 

 

Part of me doubts Ward or Byrd hit free agency, both are only 27 and the kind of guy teams usually find a way to keep. If Byrd comes out and makes $8 million and Burnett is getting $3 million, that's also a lot in the safety position. $4-5 million for Ware short-term and $3 or so to Dansby short-term might work if viable replacements can be drafted and developed. 

 

Why? I don't think it's unreasonable to assume a guy who has already made over 50 million from his current contract plus whatever he made from his rookie deal isn't necessarily interested a massive payday. Maybe he is, I don't know, but it's not wrong to think he may be more interested in a ring than big money. That tends to be the case with a lot of players in his situation. 

 

Byrd is going to be franchised again IMO, but TJ Ward may hit the market. He will get a big payday though, I'm not sure Thompson will be willing to break the bank. Especially since he just gave Burnett a good raise.

I only base my statement on the behavior of almost every football player over the last twenty years.

 

i could be wrong.  Ware could be that different guy who isn't concerned about getting the biggest deal.  

 

But i'm not rong.

Two examples:

Favre had a SB ring and 3 MVPs and took $20mm for 2 years with MIN.

Montana had 4 rings(3x MVP) and 3 league MVPs and got $10mm for 3 years with KAN.

 

IMO (and EKBs it seems), big names want big $$ regardless of past successes.

Yes they do...

and the other side of that is a guy at the tail- end of his career like Junior Seau taking a small deal to try and win one in NE. Billy Boy likes the guys who are on their last dance 'cause he knows he'll get everything from them. Ware isn't quite at that stage yet,  and neither is his agent. They will sign a decent but fluffy deal this March, get cut next year and then they will be ready to accept the reality that the End is near

 

Father Time is still undefeated in the NFL

I believe that there are quite a few players who would take less $$$ in the latter part of their career to win a SB.  These are the superstar's (Seau, Gonazalez, etc.) who have made a ton of money, not the journeymen.  Ware might be in that conversation in a couple of years.

 

TOG and Montana, were going to go take the highest check, since their legacy's had already been written.   

Thanks for clearing that up. I assumed you were and I only base that statement on all your posts over the last ten years. 

That $16+ million in dead money for Ware is still getting paid to him right? Ouch.

Cap money isn't real money. Dead money is usually money the player has already been paid.

Andrew Brandt wrote about this last year I think. It is something like - dead money is the amount of money a team has paid a player over the course of the contract, plus the remaining guaranteed money, minus the total cap hit the team had taken for the player over the course of his contract. I'm fairly certain it is not money still to be paid. It does constitute a Cap hit to the team though.

Dead money is money that a player counts against the cap but he's no longer on the team.

 

Ware is an interesting case. Reggie White signed his deal in GB when he was 32, and it was a record amount of money. Ware had 19 sacks just 3 seasons ago- he's still really good. He had a really bad injury season last year- but playing in Dallas will do that to you.

 

Like others, it depends on the price. But as a player? Bookend him with CMIII? Oh yeah, sign me up for that...

I would prefer the Packers to stay younger, but if an older veteran would be signed I think Jared Allen would probably be a better option than Demarcus Ware.  Both are the same age, but Allen's production has not taken as big of a dive.  Neither player would come cheap, and other teams would almost certain out-bid TT.

Ware's career, except for last year, was that of a 3-4 OLB. Allen has played exclusively as a 4-3 DE.

 

All other things being equal, Ware is the best fit in GB. Not even a close call, IMO.

Reggie White was the prized free agent on the market even at 32.  I don't view Allen or Ware the same way at all. 

The concern I have with both guys is that their production has totally fallen off a cliff.   I mean, it's practically Raji-eske.   Don't know why exactly but it's a risk

What about Dion Jordan?  Better fit in a 3-4 defense.

 

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/w...und-pick-dion-jordan

Problem:  They want to move him so they can move up for a offensive tackle.

 

Solution:  We tag and then trade them Newhouse.  Although, maybe we should ask for a 4th kicker, after all, Newhouse has been a starter in this league.

And where does Joe Thomas figure in on this? And Turd Ferguson?