Hutchinson offer - I don't understand how the terms benefited him.

[BrownsWon 0]

As I understand the terms of the contract, if Hutchinson was not the highest paid offensive lineman on the team then his entire $49 million contract would become guaranteed. As explained, this is not an issue for Minnesota since he is the highest paid offensive lineman but Seattle would have to guarantee the entire contract.

 

By putting in this clause, he essentially forced Seattle not to match the offer and become a Viking. As he sits now, he has a $49 million contract which is not guaranteed.

 

If he had signed the same contract without the guarantee, Seattle would have matched and he would still be a Seahawk.

 

As I see it, the guarantee did not benefit Hutchinson in any way but it did benefit the Vikings. The only thing I can figure from the situation is that maybe Minnesota insisted on the clause being there or they weren't going to offer that kind of money? Is this right?

[Vikings4ever 570]

I heard Hutchinson and/or his agent insisted on the clause, so it sounds like Hutch wanted out.

[t.j 35]

As I see it, the guarantee did not benefit Hutchinson in any way but it did benefit the Vikings. The only thing I can figure from the situation is that maybe Minnesota insisted on the clause being there or they weren't going to offer that kind of money? Is this right?

 

Most likely. Minnesota only had one shot to sign him, and if the Seahawks matched, then the Vikings are SOL. So, the Vikings had to do it to get him, and Hutch had to agree to it to get the money.

[Drizzay 766]

Hutch was on KFAN this afternoon, and he mentioned that he and is agent expected the Seahawks to renue his contract last year. When that didn't happen, he expected to be franchised. And when that didn't happen, he felt kinda jadded. So he went and got the best deal available. Easy as that

[FlaHawker 24]

From what I have heard, Holmgren, Reinfeldt, and Ruskell told Hutch to go out and see what his value was on the market, let them know, and they would match. the Hawks did not want to be the ones to set a salary precedent for a guard. They also told Hutch, from what I have heard that they would give him a contract in the Jones ballpark, but a tad lower. Thus by having his agent put in a poison pill clause Hutch basically said that he wanted out of Seattle. However, if you really think about it, this makes absolutely no sense. Without the poison pill, the Hawks would have matched the offer thereby giving Hutch the same money he now has in Minnesota. Therefore, leaving Seattle had nothing to do with the money. He leaves a team with an upcoming defense, Matt Hasselbeck, Shaun Alexander, and arguably the best O-Line in the league, to play for the Vikings and a sub par defense, Brad Johnson, and Chester Taylor. Instead of taking the same money in Seattle and a shot at the Super Bowl, Hutch took the money for a chance to sail on the Love Boat. Totally irrational behavior.

[SoloMatisse 0]

He either wanted out or he and his agent just schemed the most brilliant guaranteed contract in the history of the NFL. Closer to home....still in the NFC. Someone in that camp was wearin' some thinkin' caps.

[Tough Guy 0]

The nice thing is that poison pill only applied to the HAwks not the Vikings. So next year when McKinnie is a FA the Vikes can give him more money than Hutch got and his contract sint guaranteed. Absolutly brilliant move by his agent and Rob Brezinski!

[FlaHawker 24]

This is far from a brilliant move. This basically undermines the transition tag so teams will now use the Franchise tag more to limit movement. If teams can create poison pills that don't give the matching eam a chance to restructure its finances to match, think of the crzy clauses that will be put into contracts in the future. How can that possibly be good for the league? Hutch, his agent and the Vikes may be laughing now, but the league will suffer in the long run.

[49ER MAN 0]

I think what some people are missing the boat on (no pun intended) is what were the Seahawks thinking of only giving him the transition tag and NOT the franchise tag? Yeah, he's a guard and not a tackle but he's at least a top 5 guard in the league, perhaps the best in some people's minds. Having continuity on the offensive line is very important to the success not only running the ball but passing it as well. To me, Alexander's value dropped a little after Hutchinson became a Viking. You can't tell me that the Seahawks won't miss Hutchinson.

[Vince44 208]

I am sure they will miss him, but that is a insane amount of money to spend on a guard.

[Grind 0]

Obviously, from Hutch's perspective, he must have felt slighted by the Hawks in the past and the only way he would play again for them would be if they paid him MORE then he could make anywhere else. Yes, without the poison pill, Seattle could have matched, but then he would be playing for the Hawks for the same amount he could have played else where.

 

I don't see how such contract language is bad for the league. The rules as they are give the player a legit chance to make some money and also gives the team a chance to retain the player. Bottom line is, Seattle CHOSE not to match the offer. You can say they couldn't based on the language of the contract, but that is not true. Maybe it would have been tough, but they could have gotten creative if they CHOSE to do so. Lets face it, the rules are slanted toward the owners in the NFL with non-gauranteed contracts and such. If a player can use such a "loophole" to gain a little back, then they should take advantage of the opportunity.

[Arsenal 3]

This is far from a brilliant move. This basically undermines the transition tag so teams will now use the Franchise tag more to limit movement. If teams can create poison pills that don't give the matching eam a chance to restructure its finances to match, think of the crzy clauses that will be put into contracts in the future. How can that possibly be good for the league? Hutch, his agent and the Vikes may be laughing now, but the league will suffer in the long run.

 

 

QFT

 

I don't understand why the league allowed for this type of contract. The precedent it sets is going to make for all kinds of nasty contract disputes in the future.

[FlaHawker 24]

I think what some people are missing the boat on (no pun intended) is what were the Seahawks thinking of only giving him the transition tag and NOT the franchise tag? Yeah, he's a guard and not a tackle but he's at least a top 5 guard in the league, perhaps the best in some people's minds. Having continuity on the offensive line is very important to the success not only running the ball but passing it as well. To me, Alexander's value dropped a little after Hutchinson became a Viking. You can't tell me that the Seahawks won't miss Hutchinson.

 

 

The Seahaws gave Hutch the Transition Tag out of respect because they did not want to go through the nonsense they went through during all the Walter Jones' holdouts. They figured they would let the market decide what Hutch was worth, so they didn't have to set the bar on a contract for a guard. They then asked Hutch and his agent to come back to them with any offer and they would match. Apparently Hutch viewed the Transition Tag as an insult. Thus, you have the creation of poison pill so that the Seahawks could not match.

[darwin 0]

Hutch wanted out, plain and simple.

I think John Randle helped pull him over to MN....They are good friends and Randle is back in MN now.

 

Enough about the love boat.

Daunte, Mo, Kelly Campbell, Chavous.... All the rif raf pervs are gone now. Except McKinnie, who now wants out, as he's the last of the dildos left. (pun intended from Mount Mc's rap sheet).

[t.j 35]

Therefore, leaving Seattle had nothing to do with the money.

 

Except for the fact that his reason for leaving is that they didn't give him a new contract last year.

 

This is far from a brilliant move. This basically undermines the transition tag so teams will now use the Franchise tag more to limit movement. If teams can create poison pills that don't give the matching eam a chance to restructure its finances to match, think of the crzy clauses that will be put into contracts in the future. How can that possibly be good for the league? Hutch, his agent and the Vikes may be laughing now, but the league will suffer in the long run.

 

It's not brilliant for the league, it's brilliant for the Vikings. I'm sure the league will revisit the transition tag and matching rules. It's kind of ridiculous that the transition tag doesn't save you much money (top 10 at the position vs top 5 for franchise) and you get jack for compensation if someone takes your player.

[Vikings4ever 570]

It's not brilliant for the league, it's brilliant for the Vikings. I'm sure the league will revisit the transition tag and matching rules. It's kind of ridiculous that the transition tag doesn't save you much money (top 10 at the position vs top 5 for franchise) and you get jack for compensation if someone takes your player.

 

The transition tag does have its advantages. As in the Seahawks case, it can be used to determine the market value of a player. The franchise tag can't do that because a team won't risk losing 2 first round picks for a player they're not VERY interested in.

 

Also, unless the rules were changed in the new CBA, there's a period in which you can sign a franchised player to a long term contract, or else you lose the ability to franchise anyone for the duration of the contract.

[49ER MAN 0]

The Seahaws gave Hutch the Transition Tag out of respect because they did not want to go through the nonsense they went through during all the Walter Jones' holdouts. They figured they would let the market decide what Hutch was worth, so they didn't have to set the bar on a contract for a guard. They then asked Hutch and his agent to come back to them with any offer and they would match. Apparently Hutch viewed the Transition Tag as an insult. Thus, you have the creation of poison pill so that the Seahawks could not match.

 

In my view, the Seahawks were the ones that messed around with not sgining Jones to a long term deal for 3 years and then finally getting it done. The organization was lucky no one wanted to sign Jones during that time and pay the 2 1st round picks by being the franchise player. I know the Vikes gave him a huge contract but how did the Seahawks let Hutch, top 5 maybe even the best guard in the league get away like that for nothing? And then turn around and give Julian Peterson $55 million 2 years after an Achilles tendon injury? Hmmmm......