Stillers Extend
Ward�
http://espn.go.com/nfl/columns/pasquarelli_len/1249508.html
In a move of imbecilic stupidity and
poor foresight, the Stillers extended WR Hines Ward with a new extension.� In terms of "new money," the extension
is worth about $9.5 million and includes a $2.5 million signing bonus.
Here's why this was a foolish move:
In the Stillers offense, and with
Ward's bare minimum of game-breaking skills, Ward was NOT going to put up
eye-catching numbers.�� Had he entered
FA in March, about 2 teams would have shown light, casual interest in Ward ---
as a complementary #2 receiver.�� You
extend players who are ripe to get lavished with gold-mine offers -- players
like EARL HOLMES.��� The team has gone
out of its way to extend some decent, but hardly sought-after players, all the
while ignoring Earl Holmes, who will be a very highly sought-after player come
March.�� Holmes -- a premier ILB and
defensive LEADER -- should be the guy the team should target, not a complimentary
player like Ward.�� Remember, if Holmes
departs as a FA, you now have a GAPING hole at ILB, and you've got to either
reach high in the draft, or make a trade or a signing of a veteran
ILB.�� (Mike Jones is surely no starting
ILB.)��� If Ward departs as a FA, a 3rd
round draft choice or low-priced FA simply steps in as the #2 or #3 WR.
Ward is a nice complimentary #2 or
#3 receiver...nothing more.�� He could
have easily been re-signed, or, if he departed, one of about 47 other
complimentary receivers would have been available, as would Bobby Shaw, a guy
who put up as good of numbers, if not better, than Ward in '00, despite getting
far less playing time.� Go check out the
Raider depth chart, for example...Tim Brown, Jerry Rice, James Jett, Jerry
Porter.�� Oakland wouldn�t offer more
than about $600K for Hines, and if Hines accepted it, he�d be fighting with
ex-Stiller David Dunn for the #5 spot on their WR depth chart.� Go check out the Ram depth chart, where they
have 4 receivers who are all better than Hines Ward.�
The key to working capanomics
is recognizing supply and demand.�
When you have a 1-of-a-kind player who is low in supply and high in
demand, then you basically overpay him and extend him as soon as possible.� In the case of the opposite -- a
79-of-a-kind player who is high in supply and low in demand, ya lowball him and
avoid extensions unless the player is willing to accept a relatively low salary.��