Merriman: What would you do in his place

by not humble enough on Aug 19, 2009 12:05 PM PDT Comment 24 comments

Shawne Merriman is a super-insane amazing talent. We all know that. The questions for Bolts fans: is his knee repaired? Is he going to remember how to play football? Is he going to destory opposing quarterbacks? Strike fear in the eyes of Left Tackles?

(this is my first real fanpost, but hey you can only get better if you practice.)

The first step is the knee: it appears that it's back.

Most assume the next step is: Can he not be afraid of knee injury?

I think the next real question is: should he test it?

why? becuase of money

Money is powerful. With it you can buy things. It can ruin your life (MC Hammer and something like 70% of former nfl players) but point is it matters.

Merriman's draft mate DeMarcus Ware just made a lot of money. ~~Lee Suggs~~ Terrell Suggs just made a lot of money. Merriman knows he is in line, even if he has a crappy year, for a contract that'll be at least 70% of those guys. The only thing that can get in the way a serious injury.

Who's waiting to drop big bucks on him:

Patriots

Green Bay

Washington

New York G

Denver (need Outside rusher)

Chiefs (need Outside rusher)

Raiders (Cause Crazy Al's got money)

Dallas (less then others)

And who's got to money and might try to get him to fit their scheme)

New York Jets

Chicago

Philly

Basically he's going to have everyone going after him. All he needs to do is survive this year. this is where it gets scary: what if he does like Igor? Igor knew Luis got all the money so he concentrated on getting through the season. Ran away from piles, didn't really fight. In some plays he doesn't try and running plays seemed to be directed in his direction because of it. it killed us.

Now if Igor had played really hard he would have gotten paid more but he survived the season, went to Dallas for moderately big bucks. But still much more then injured Igor would have gotten. As Plaxico called it: he made a business decision. You can not like it but you can't really blame Igor. The differences in outcomes mean millions of dollars. If you were Igor's Uncle, what advise would you give him?

Back to merriman.

What's he going to do? Is he going to play how we love, all out, lights out, fucking crazy, angry and violent? Or is he going to go for the sure money? If I was his agent I know what I would advise.

This is an airing of views but i also wanted to include a suggestion: give him a player option contract. 2 million a year for 4 years gaurenteed if he wants it. So if he gets injuried he gets that money. (Risk management baby!) but if he makes it through the season playing awesome, he ops out and gets the huge money somewhere else. But I'm guessing football teams don't do that kind of stuff.

This FanPost was written by a member of the Bolts From The Blue community and does not necessarily reflect the views of the Bolts From The Blue editors or SB Nation.

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Good 1st post bud

I think a fish needs to swim , a bird needs to fly , and a linebacker needs to kick ass. He’s already rich by most people’s standards and he has more than his friends or family could haved dreamed for him. In the end; How does he want to be remembered?

by RTChargerfan on Aug 19, 2009 1:03 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

thanks, you have a point

what are you after all the money is gone?

by not humble enough on Aug 19, 2009 3:13 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

It is a matter of money

and as RTCF said, it’s also about how you are remembered. Add to that the fact that if Merriman goes nuts and puts up 15-20 sacks, he will get more money that just about anyone in the NFL. Only a few QBs will be making more than him. If he doesn’t show he is back to 2007 Merriman, I think the money is significanty less (but still very nice)

I don’t think Merriman has any speed but full out, and that is one of the things that make him great. I don’t think you can stop him from going all out. I think the Cowboys are going to see quickly that if Igor will half ass it for the Chargers, he will also half ass it for them. After all, he still needs to protect himself for his next contract.

by Stephen (shaynes41) on Aug 19, 2009 2:14 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Edited

had to edit a couple of things in there because of language and because you reference Lee Suggs where you meant Terrell Suggs.

I think you’re way off on teams interested in him after this season. I don’t think he has any interest in playing in a 4-3 defense and I don’t think any 4-3 teams want to give that much money to “see if he can play DE”. Here are the clear-cut favorites (leaving out SD)

New England
Green Bay
Denver
Kansas City
Washington

"I did not invent the wheel, I was the crooked spoke adjacent." - Aesop Rock

by John (obviousman) on Aug 19, 2009 3:08 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

still a pretty good list

and you left off Dallas. While they have Ware, they do like to make splashes in FA and reuniting with Wade Philips (if he is still there) might be interesting.

by Stephen (shaynes41) on Aug 20, 2009 9:09 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Nah

Nobody is going to have the money to pay the 2 best pass-rushing OLBs in the game.

"I did not invent the wheel, I was the crooked spoke adjacent." - Aesop Rock

by John (obviousman) on Aug 20, 2009 9:37 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

jerry jones will hide some of the salary by purchasing a stadium full of verve.

by Stephen (shaynes41) on Aug 20, 2009 10:50 AM PDT up reply actions 2 recs

free verve at all Dallas Cowboys games!

by not humble enough on Aug 20, 2009 11:49 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

thanks for the edits, i'll leave them bad words out next time

so you don’t have to take them out.

I agree with your list as the major interests.

you never know if a team switches to 3-4 (if green bay pulls it off this year) and with his talent someone might try because they can get him

by not humble enough on Aug 19, 2009 3:15 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

just so you know not humble,

without any financial advisors, or pretty much without any brains Merrimen is set for life ALREADY. He can buy real estate in a buyers market, he can buy bonds , he can invest conservatively in all types of funds or like a dumbass he can put it in various savings accounts and live off of the intrest. So come contract time when he’s crying for money it’s for his pride and his great great great great grand children he’s crying for. Back in 1970 I used to delivered the San Diego Union Tribune to a guy named Sam Grunison, a back up center for the San Diego Chargers. He was a good man who lived in a modest house. IN THE SAME NEIBORHOOD AS ME. His career was short but he did just fine with the money he made. Merrimen could buy 100 of Sams Houses ALREADY

by RTChargerfan on Aug 19, 2009 9:10 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

The argument for asking for more money

Yes, it somewhat has to do with pride. Not only has he earned a right to make more money than certain players (backups, rookies, etc) through his performance, he’s earned the right to ask for the same (or close-to) amount of money that Demarcus Ware will get paid. Asking for anything else would be screwing himself.

Asking for more money is not all about pride and positioning though. It also has to do with the career length of an NFL player. Shawne is 25 right now. Let’s assume a new CBA is in place next year and he becomes a free agent. If he’s asking for a long-term deal (which he will be), it will either be the last NFL contract he signs or it will be the one he signs during his “prime years”. Any contract after this next one will surely be for less because he’ll be a veteran with less speed and less power than the players coming out of college.

Think about that for a second. Somebody hands you a contract and says “Here’s what we’re going to pay for for the next 8 years. At that point, we’ll either decide to let you go or we’ll sign you for a year or two at a significantly lower amount.” You’re not looking at the dollar number on that contract as “Look at what I’m making per year!”, but you’re looking at it as “Is that going to cover me and my family for the next 50 years of my life? Is that going to make being a 40-year-old cripple worth it?” Also, these contracts are not guaranteed. So not only is he looking short term (make as much right now in case I get injured), but he’s looking long term as well (making enough money to cover me comfortably for the next 5 or 6 decades, because I’ll hardly be able to walk and won’t be able to have a normal job). It’s not all about ego.

"I did not invent the wheel, I was the crooked spoke adjacent." - Aesop Rock

by John (obviousman) on Aug 20, 2009 5:43 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

He really can't push it

It is just stiff. So he may want to elevate his game, but that knee just will not work as fast as he’d like it to. Flexibility is that last thing to come back after knee reconstruction, he just has to deal with it. Barring any further injury;

He finishes the season strong and

He’s close to 100% this time next year

Whether he gets paid…. During a lock out…. I do not know, but his stock will be fine.

by Trendsearcher on Aug 20, 2009 1:12 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Shawne is a football player

He loves football, he loves to hit. I can’t imagine a guy like him going “Igor” on us. He’ll be smart about over-extending himself until the knee is ready, but he’ll play balls-out once he’s sure of his health.

If the thunder don't get ya then the lightning will!!

Robert Hunter

by Buck Melanoma on Aug 21, 2009 1:05 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Give Igor some love

Even though Igor talked a better game than he played and he let us down last year lets cut him some slack.
Igor had a down year last season (as did most of the SD defense), but I am not buying that he was dogging it.
The best way to get a pile of money is to have a great year at the end of your contract.
And the best way to get hurt on the football field is to half ass it out there and not go full out.

by JeromeB on Aug 21, 2009 1:27 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs