O Line: How Much are They Paying These Guys?
by NorthLeft12 on Mar 13, 2010 3:18 PM EST
69 comments
I felt it was only right to continue down this path after taking a look at the D Line and the potential financial impact of using the # 2 pick for Suh or Gerald McCoy. Now it is the O Line's turn. I'll first take a look at what they make now [2009 data with whatever 2010 updates I can find], then look at where they would be if Russell Okung was taken at # 2. I will compare those totals to a number of teams throughout the NFL, probably not all of them because I don't have all day, and also consider how it compares as a per centage of the total team payroll.
A final disclaimer. I am not a financial guy. What professional athletes earn is the last thing I care about. But it does seem to matter to a lot of other people on this site. I am just doing this to try and validate some of the rationalizations that I am hearing about picking this player or that player in the upcoming draft.
[More after the jump]
The O Linemen I used for the study are: J. Backus($4.5), G. Cherilus($1.7), D. Cook($0.7), D. Gandy($1.2), J. Jansen($0.9), D. Loper($1.2), D. Muhlbach($0.66), S. Peterman($3.0), D. Raiola($7.5), and M. Ramirez($1.1). Those are their salaries in brackets next to them, and yes, those salaries are in millions.
The total is $22.4M for approximately 22% of the total Lions payroll.
Some other teams in the NFL for comparison:
Chicago - Nine linemen for $26.6M for 22% of their total payroll.
Green Bay - Eleven players for $14.3M for 12.5% of their budget.
Minnesota - Nine for $12.9M for nearly 13% of their payroll.
St. Louis - Ten guys costing $18.76M for about 19% of the total payroll.
Tampa - Ten players for $9.1M and 10.7% of the payroll.
Indy - Nine linemen for $11.2M and 11% of the payroll.
NY Jets - Eight players for $22.4M and 18.5% of their total budget.
KC - Ten guys for $14.3M and 17.4% of their payroll.
NY Giants - Nine linemen for $19.3M and 14% of the payroll.
Baltimore - Ten guys for $11.1M and 10% of the budget.
Cleveland - Ten linemen for $17.5M and 18.6% of their payroll.
Cinci - Ten players for $12.9M and 14% of their payroll.
Miami - Nine linemen for $22.8M and 18% of the payroll.
New England - Eleven guys for $19.8M and for 20.4% of their payroll.
Tennessee - Eight players for $16.8M and 15% of the payroll.
New Orleans - Nine linemen for $19M and 15.6% of their total payroll.
Carolina - Eleven guys for $14M and 12.3% of the payroll.
Arizona - Eight linemen for $10M and 9% of the payroll.
Atlanta - Eight players for $11.2M and 12% of their payroll.
Buffalo - Eleven that cost $14.8M for 13.3% of their payroll.
Dallas - Eleven linemen for $16M and 17.5% of their payroll.
Denver - Nine players for $14.3M and 14% of their budget.
Houston - Ten linemen for $19M and 15.5% of their payroll.
Jacksonville - Eight guys for $15.5M and 14.5% of the payroll.
Oakland - Nine guys for $16.4M and 14.5% of their salary budget.
Philly - Twelve for $24.5M and 23.3% of the payroll.
Pitt - Twelve for $22.2M and 18.7% of their payroll.
San Diego - Nine for $12.5M for 12.5% of the total salary budget.
San Fran - Nine players for $21.2M for 21% of the payroll.
Seattle - Eleven for $17.7M for 20% of their budget.
Washington - Twelve for $17.7M for 18% of their payroll.
Whew! It was raining so I had more time on my hands. All thirty-two teams up there.
Average $$$ = $16.8 Million for 16% of their payroll.
The Lions are already well above the average. With Okung they would be at the top of the league, by a lot. If Russell gets approximately $10M per year, the Lions would be committing about 28% of their payroll, assuming they cut at least one or two of the higher priced Guards, like Peterman. Our best Guard....apparently.
For me the bottom line is not the money, because the Lions are screwed no matter who they take at # 2. If they want to save money and can't trade they could institute the idiot strategy of passing on their pick until it becomes affordable. And yes, if you did not guess, I think that strategy is beyond stupid.
Comments or questions. I am here to reply.
This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of Pride of Detroit or its writers. FanPosts are valued expressions of opinion by passionate and knowledgeable fans.
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Great research, rec
Hey that's a timeout, I can play right? yeah, get me--get the F-- Help me up...I can throw the ball if you need me to throw the ball...
WOW
We are getting the shaft with these turds. Backus and Raiola do NOT deserve that kind of loot. We are overpaying for incompetence!!!!!! Replace all of t hose turds aside from Mulbach, he has been very solid as a LS.
I don't know Usmarine. You would be surprised how much guys make on the O Line.
Orlando Pace, who was awful for Chicago this year, made $6Million. I saw many other guys who were no more than bench warmers making two, three, and four million. It is what it is.
It also depends how these things are structured. Front end loaded, back end, bonus, what have you.
Personally, Backus is paid about right, and Raiola might be a little overpaid, but his contract is probably loaded more to the front.
Check out this Link: http://content.usatoday.com/sports/football
/nfl/salaries/teamdetail.aspx?team=32&year=2009
for all the salary data of all the NFL players to get some perspective.
You have a point
I wasn’t thinking about how these deals were structured.
by Usmarine0341 on Mar 13, 2010 4:21 PM EST up reply actions
I'd expect to see a center taken in this draft
Can’t expect to see Raiola on the team next year with that number…
Nice
Great post once again, the Vikings have a really good o line and look at how little they spend on them. That’s good drafting. The Lions on the other hand, need a new approach.
I don't know that the Vikings O Line is that good.
They gave up 34 sacks [fifteenth in the NFL] and their runners averaged 4.1 yards per carry [nineteenth in the NFL]. And that’s only nine sacks and 0.1 yards per carry better than the Lions. And the Lions O Line never got to block for a guy like Adrian Peterson.
I think you are giving the Vikes’ O Line a lot more credit than they deserve. They are apparently looking for a new Guard and Center. They cheaped out and let Matt Birk go last year, and were not too happy with the job that his replacement did.
Well
Just look at their QB play and look at ours? Also the running game of Chester Taylor was better than any Lion.
Taylor averaged 3.6 yards per carry. Half a yard less than Mo Morris and just a little more.....
………than an injured Kevin Smith [3.4].
Which is strange considering that they have the highest paid lineman in the league
and one who was the 4th overall pick
by Donald Driver on Mar 16, 2010 12:56 AM EDT up reply actions
Hi Double D
Had to get out of the Acme Packing Comp for a min. I know it’s harder for you guys to single out a player that you want but who’s the Pack nation hoping for in the first round?? Or should i say what position??? I’m guessing Tackle or CB.
How many lumps you want Doc?
I doubt we'll draft a cornerback that early unless he returns kicks
We have 3 starting cornerbacks on the roster already and two backups that aren’t going anywhere if they’re healthy because of their prowess on special teams even if one of them is a huge liability. People were talking a lot about those two positions but Al harris seems to be getting healthier and we resigned both of our tackles and have our RT of the future on the roster already, so an edge rusher has become Brandon’s favorite option, and I have no doubt we’ll draft one somewhere or pick up Greg Ellis. I think that they’ll still go tackle though. There’s very little depth on the o-line and it’s what TT’s been scouting the most heavily. We really need a young LT to groom too because Clifton’s become old and much less effective. Safety is a high possibility as well due to little depth and the sometimes questionable play of Atari Bigby.
by Donald Driver on Mar 16, 2010 1:24 PM EDT up reply actions
Hey great post!
Thanks for all the time & effort you’ve put into this. According to your numbers maybe it would make more financial sense to spend that #2 cash on the defense.
I’ve got a question, however. The total O-Line salary you have listed for the Rams ($18.76M for about 19% of the total payroll) seemed a bit low since they selected Jason Smith 2nd overall last year. The total salary for Jason Smith on USA Today’s site is $2,930,000, but according to Rotoworld he signed a six-year, $61.775 million contract with $33 million guaranteed (link). I have no idea how USA Today came up with a total salary for Jason Smith of less than $3 mil. What gives?
Yes exactly the problem I was having.
There is a disconnect between the way the salaries and bonuses are reported on the USA Today data base and what some contracts are for. Not sure if some of them are back end loaded, like Smith’s may be which could explain that. If you look at the top paid OL, Vernon Carey of Miami is second on the list because in 2009 he had $14.2M in bonuses. His base salary is only $800K.
I can’t believe I just wrote that his salary is ONLY $800K. There are a few other guys who got huge bonuses that year; Jason Brown C for the Rams, Jake Grove C for the Dolphins, Joe Staley LT for SF, and Max Starks LT of the Steelers. Conversely, Jason Peters LT of the Eagles got a salary of $10.5M.
Our own Gosder Cherilus gets a $495K salary with a $7M bonus, this year.. I could see that in the end the numbers I generated could be very misleading depending on how the contracts have been structured.
I am guessing this is a common practice in the NFL.
I've been studying the numbers...
…and yes, there definitely seems to be a disconnect. Jason Smith’s contract must be back-end loaded, like you said.
But if that’s the case, then wouldn’t the Lions be able to sign Russell Okung to a contract similar to Jason Smith’s and pay him only $3 mil next year? I’m good at math but these contracts have me pretty confused…
Hey NorthLeft12...
How did you decide to use the Cap Value column instead of the Total Salary column when determining the total offensive line salaries for each team? According to USA Today:
The cap value represents the player’s pro-rated signing bonus, plus salary and other bonuses for the season.
- and -
The ‘total salary’ is for compensation that was earned in 2009 as salary and all forms of bonuses, but does not account for deferred payments.
by BriansLions on Mar 15, 2010 10:14 AM EDT up reply actions
Some of the 2009 salaries were wild, based on the signing bonus that year.
I did not think that they accurately reflected what the 2010 investment in those players is. And conversely, I did not like the CAP figure because it represents what has been or what will be paid that player. In my mind, what has been paid, in the form of a signing bonus, is “lost” money, and what will be paid, in back loaded contracts, is misleading because the teams have no intention of paying that money. It is routinely renegotiated or avoided by cutting the player.
This was the most difficult part of this exercise and [fairly] leaves my calculations open to criticism. If we had a CAP in place, I would use the CAP only as this is what would be restricting the Lions from making moves in Free Agency etc.
Does that make sense?
by NorthLeft12 on Mar 15, 2010 11:51 AM EDT up reply actions
Gotcha
I really do think that what you did makes sense; I just have issues with both the Total Salary and Cap Value columns, and which column should be used when performing these calculations.
I did some work of my own and exported all of the OL salaries from USA Today to Excel and did the calcuations based upon Total Salary and Cap Value, just to get a comparison.
> View my Cap Value calculations here (similar to what you posted, but I found some inconsistencies)
> View my Total Salary calculations here
Now, my only criticism is assuming that Okung would get paid $10mil next year. Based upon the 2009 salaries of Jason Smith and Eugene Monroe, it can be assumed that Okung’s 2010 salary (if selected #2 overall) would be roughly $3mil. Taking that number, and adding it to both the Total OL Salary and Total Team Salary, would not increase the % Salary nearly as much as you calculated in your FanPost. From my Cap Value sheet, it would increase the Lions % Salary devoted to the OL from 22.8% to 25.1%. From my Total Salary sheet, it would increase the Lions % Salary devoted to the OL from 27.8% to 29.9%.
Feel free to criticize what I did, as well. I’m just trying to make sure we’re on the same page…
by BriansLions on Mar 15, 2010 12:37 PM EDT up reply actions
I am an Excel Illiterate so I am very impressed with what you did here.
The inconsistencies are probably the individuals that I adjusted due to their high 2009 compensation. I also found one player who was listed at the wrong position and added him back to his team’s OL list.
Thanks
I wanted to do my own calculations (no offense, I was just having a hard time wrapping my head around how much the Lions spent last year on their O-Line) because it seems that your FanPost has only given the pro-Suh camp more ammunition against selecting Okung.
Based upon the research that we both did, and assuming that Okung would get paid approximately $3mil next year, I stiill wouldn’t shy away from drafting him 2nd overall. Call me crazy (as I’m sure 95% of POD’ers will), but I still believe he makes more sense than Suh/McCoy/Berry for the Lions, regardless of the amount of cash they’ll have devoted to the O-line in 2010.
You're not crazy.....
However, it is not all about the money here. Money will be a factor, no doubt, but it should not be THE deciding factor. We need to draft the best player available, for his skills and abilities, who will make an immediate impact and provide a long term value. Do not discount marketability either…..who is more marketable? Okung or Suh/Berry/McCoy etc?? Do you see more Jake Long and Joe Thomas jerseys than Troy Polamalu jerseys? Let me answer that for you….no you do not (Polamalu was #3 in ALL jersey sales from April 1 through August 28, 2009, with only Jay Cutler and Brett Favre above him).
That said, there were NO defensive tackles OR offensive linemen in the top 20……but my bet is that Suh would sell more jerseys and tickets than Okung, and you can’t discount that fact from a business aspect.
http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/2009/08/nfl-jersey-sales-top-20-favre-vikings-vick-eagles-crabtree-49ers/
Oh you didn't know?? You're ass better CALLLLLLLL SOMEBODY!!!!!
That's interesting
Since both QB’s signed with new teams last year so all the new and some of the old fans had to go out and buy those NEW jerseys. And Troy didn’t even play most of the year. Amazing!!!!!!
How many lumps you want Doc?
For the sake of this part of the conversation
When our Lions actually had a o-line back when we had Glover and comp. Did anyone here either own or know someone who owned a O-line’s jersey???? Don’t count the Thumbs-up Utley shirts that went on sale at the end of that year so that the proceeds went to his family.I personally don’t know of 1 person that owned 1. Speilman, Moore,Sanders, Peete/Mitchelle. Perriman;Morton; Ball;Crockette;Blades and Schleshiger. Those are the only Jerseies I can ever remember seeing.OOPS Porchette!
How many lumps you want Doc?
Based on what KDawg said and the information he provided........
……….it sounds like Berry jerseys will outsell both Suh and Okung.
Honorary Driver of the Kyle Wilson Bus and Keeper of the Dreadlocks!
The 313 Missile Squadron: Delmas, Berry, Wilson, Houston......seek and destroy!
Hey, as long as Zack Follett keeps hitting people, he can rap to Barney the Dinosaur for all I care.
Yes, Everything points to Berry being chosen at # 2!!!
Polamalu jerseys are third in sales for a five month period in mid 2009 = Eric Berry chosen by the Lions at # 2 in 2010.
Jersey sales?! JERSEY SALES?!?!! ARE YOU KIDDING ME!??!!
I agree with you
but I just disagree with you on which player the Lions should select based upon “who will make an immediate impact and provide long term value.” I’m about 80/20 in favor of Okung over Suh. Conversely, the average Lions fan is probably 100/0 in favor of Suh over Okung… lol…
And no, I won’t attempt to argue with you that a LT will sell more jerseys. But I sincerely hope marketability is a non-factor on the Lions draft board. The best way to market the Lions, in my honest opinion, is to build a winning team. We just disagree on what exactly is the best way to accomplish that.
I am in the same spot BL.
I spent a lot of energy defending Backus and “promoting” the idea of a major, although short term, upgrade of our O Line by targetting a top Guard in this class. I belittled the idea of drafting an LT at our first pick as a waste of our resources [money and draft pick]. Now after the FA moves by Mayhew and taking a second look at the pros and cons of the players and positions available for us at # 2, I am thinking that Okung is the best long term pick. I always conceded that picking a top LT might be the best long term investment this team could make. Now I think that it is the best decision. Period.
Suh may still be the better player now and in the long run, but I think Okung will do more for this team, on both sides of the ball, than Suh can. Primarily, it will be his job to help Stafford be able to do what we think he can do.
Also, I don’t think this is a WIN/LOSE situation. Either of these guys, and to a lesser extent McCoy and Berry too, will help this team get a lot better and win more games. I am just learning to appreciate Okung more these days.
Guys
Now that we are bringing in DE’s to look at via FA I’m sold that we are going to trade down and try to get Berry in the first round. We are going after a DE in the second round if the right guy(s) are there and in the 3rd look for Guard/CB and with the 4th and 5th round picks look for another CB and or Guard. Our Coach’s are not happy with the inconsistent play that they have gotten out of Hunter and Avril so you can look at one of those two to be involved in a trade with someone I’m now thinking Avril and our #2 for their 6 and something else; maybe 2 something else’s. Or even a sign and trade with Seattle who knows but I don’t see Hunter and Avril both being Lions when the season starts.
How many lumps you want Doc?
Brian
There is NO best way to accomplish building a winning team…..you just keep adding the right guys at the right places until you get there. There is no specific outline or schematic for rebuilding…..thus the reason we must draft the best player available regardless of position. Honestly, it is 6 in one and half a dozen in the other…..we are going to get a great prospect in the top 10, no matter what. Hopefully it will be a guy that does not bust, and who comes in and makes a big impact right away.
Oh you didn't know?? You're ass better CALLLLLLLL SOMEBODY!!!!!
Great post
Enlightens me a little on the possibilities involved. Maybe Okung isn’t as likely as I though.
The Bringers of Hope: Stafford - Delmas - C. Johnson - Pettigrew - Levy - Hill - Schwartz
Zack Follett: he will hurt your mind.
First McCoy, now Okung.......the pretenders keep dropping as hype meets cold reality
Looks like we’re down to Suh as the only hyped player in Berry’s way. Two down, one to go.
BPA wins out.
Honorary Driver of the Kyle Wilson Bus and Keeper of the Dreadlocks!
The 313 Missile Squadron: Delmas, Berry, Wilson, Houston......seek and destroy!
Hey, as long as Zack Follett keeps hitting people, he can rap to Barney the Dinosaur for all I care.
Ahhhh TY LEFTY
You; Sean; and DREW, are awesome for alot of the better threds on our POD. I am happy that it did rain so you had time to look this stuff up for me. I’m sure I’m not the only one that asked but I think I was the first. I am amazed that we are that high on the % of payroll in our front line, I was thinking we would be somewhere in the middle not near the damn top. So now after seeing that I don’t want Okung even more. But if we do you can add about 5 more million to the list cause I could see backus getting cut before the season started, and having Jansen play swing duty at the Tackle position. I can see us getting rid of Gandy;Loper; and or Ramirez if we do go get a Guard in this draft as well. Hell we could get rid of 2 if not all of them if we get a Guard in this draft.
How many lumps you want Doc?
Backus won't be cut
For whatever reason everyone in the FO plus Schwartz has a serious mancrush on Backus, maybe cuz he’s such a good guy off the field and wins the sportsman of the year award and stuff like that on a regular basis.
by WestsideLionsFan on Mar 14, 2010 12:59 AM EST up reply actions
I think if the Lions sign Pitts...
that will be the last signing on the offensive line starter-wise. That will be the line-up they go into the season with. They may draft a guard in the later rounds to start to groom, but I think that will effectively take them out of the left tackle market in the draft.
If they sign Pitts, I think it will be to start versus depth. If they draft Okung and sign Pitts, that will mean either 1) they have to bench either Pitts or Backus (most likely Pitts)… which makes little sense or 2) they plan to start the season with Okung on the bench… which makes little sense either or 3) they plan to draft Okung and try to trade Backus. I don’t think that they will get enough for Backus and Schwartz seems to really like him, so I don’t see that happening.
Bottom line… I think the signing of Pitts will likely close the door somewhat on Okung.
BTW… thanks for the props, Davis.
I have always liked
you 3’s posts, that does not mean I always agreed with every thing but you 3 seen to go that little bit farther than the rest. And WSLF I don’t think we are getting rid of Backus either but I was refering to IF we drafted Okung then I can not see us having some 15million sitting on 1 position in 2 different guys.
How many lumps you want Doc?
You're probably right
But Pitts is coming off a pretty bad injury, and there’s no guarantee he’ll be 100% at any time during the 2010 season.
That being said, if they sign Pitts it’s yet another offensive lineman on the roster, and it would definitely make the selection of Okung even more questionable.
by BriansLions on Mar 15, 2010 10:33 AM EDT up reply actions
Half of that was in a bonus. Probably just for the first couple of years of the contract.
If you look at some of the other newly signed Centers [Jason Brown, Matt Birk] his contract is not out of line.
I would not call Jason Brown an elite Center......except for his pay.
Birk is 33 years old, two years older than Dom. You want to try and keep your O line stable if you can, so unless you are prepared to try and find someone else or take a chance on a draft pick later, you have to pay the man.
Man seems like we're overpaying guys at every turn
I’m guessing RB (Kevin Smith is still on his 3rd round rookie deal) and the secondary (we have nobody but Delmas) are the only two spots where we are well below the league average.
Hopefully in the next few years we can shed these bad contracts one by one was we improve and can get guys at more affordable contracts in free agency.
by WestsideLionsFan on Mar 14, 2010 12:56 AM EST reply actions
We are not REALLY overpaying that much...
it’s called free agency and the name of the game is big contracts. Every team buys at a premium in free agency. The Lion’s premium is slightly higher because they are a bad team.
But you have to look at it this way… the best way to keep a consistent team is to draft well, then resign those players. I’m not saying resigning Backus and Raiola was a good move or bad move, just that it is better to resign your own players. What we haven’t done is feed young talent into the line (aside from Gosder). If we had done that, we may not have had to resign those two.
I Think...
the $ listed is what they made last year, or to put another way. what their salary cap # was in the 2009 season. may i remind alot of us that NFL contracts are structured to pay different amounts in different years, because contracts are not guaranteed.
We have a couple guys (backus, raiola) that are in the back end of 2nd contracts, i think that inflates what we pay our o-line.
I know it might be skewed from no inclusion of bonuses, but looking at Super Bowl teams...
Is anyone else bothered that the Colts spend half of what we do, and the Saints spend 3 million less?
They may not for long.
As others have commented, the Colts O Line does not block very well for the run, and Manning picks out the open guy in a hurry and always seems to recognize any blitzes to minimize sacks that way. Frankly, it seems like a lot of teams don’t even bother to blitz him anymore.
I’m not saying that means the linemen are not good, it just means they don’t have to be excellent to allow that offence to work well.
Lots of people are moving towards us taking a OT high in the draft
I have heard the issues of value and average pick by position that say an OT is a high draft pick and a DT is not. Here is what I think we are forgetting in this situation: The FO like s Bakus and thinks he is a good LT. They think their OGs are hot crap sandwiches. This is good news because you can draft a good OG in the later rounds (and pay them a lot less).
I would be very surprised if we got Okung. I would be surprised if we took an OT at all in the draft. I think we will use a 3rd or 4th on an OG as well as signing a decent OG FA.
+1
I just keep seeing the horrible looking D and with this draft being so deep on that side of the ball, I don’t know how we can pass up a chance to get alot pf players on that side of the ball. 2/3rds of our picks should go to the defence.
How many lumps you want Doc?
You can't draft a good OG in the later rounds
Evilsmurf had a great comment on the “If Russell Okung is the pick” post, in which he did some research and found out that if you want a quality Guard in the draft, you’d better select him in the 1st or 2nd round. I don’t want to plagiarize him, so go to that fanpost and scroll down to the bottom.
Essentially, Evilsmurf’s research led him to say this:
Anyways I think its pretty clear, if you want a pro bowl caliber LG you better draft him in the 1st or 2nd round.
by BriansLions on Mar 15, 2010 11:26 AM EDT up reply actions
Maybe the Lions don't want or need a Pro Bowl quality Guard.
They may just want a guy who won’t get steamrolled or embarrassed every play. Should be able to get that in the third or fourth round.
By picking Okung and moving Backus to LG means that we will have one of the highest paid LGs in the league. Along with one of the highest paid LTs and Centers.
by NorthLeft12 on Mar 15, 2010 11:56 AM EDT up reply actions
+1
Good point. If they’re only looking for a serviceable LG, then they may have luck finding him in the later rounds.
by BriansLions on Mar 15, 2010 12:39 PM EDT up reply actions
And Brian
Even if we go and get a guard, OK there’s our pick at 34. All I was saying is that we need to infuse so much talent on 1 side of the ball to get them respectable that we need to draft 2/3rds to 3/4th of our picks this year to the D. I’m not specifying what picks go to what spot, but we definitely need more help on D than on O.
How many lumps you want Doc?
I totall understand what you're saying
but you’re setting yourself up to be disappointed with this years draft if you want to see 75% of the draft picks be defensive players. The defense has been epically bad, but the offense hasn’t been that much better. The Lions need an infusion of talent on both sides of the ball, and I believe that they’ll continue to take the BPA at positions of need, regardless of what side of the ball they play on. Don’t forget that they just spent the majority of free agency bolstering the defense, as well, so be prepared for some offensive players to be taken in the draft (OG, RB, WR, etc).
I don't see WR in the mix
But I can totally agree with you on the LG/Rb selection.
How many lumps you want Doc?
Hmmm
What do you think the chances they would hold on to Backus next year if they took Okung this draft? I dont really think Schwartz is as enamored with Backus as he says he is..hes just smart enough not to cause drama with a guy he plans on having on his roster this year. I believe they take Suh though. But hypothetically speaking Backus would be the odd man out next year if they took Okung.
Backus will remain a Lion
whether or not they select Okung. If they do select Okung, Backus would kick inside and fill the glaring hole at Left Guard. Two roster upgrades with one selection.
Backus
his natural position is actually L guard
by staffordfan on Mar 19, 2010 12:35 PM EDT up reply actions
Oh really?
That’s funny…..since he played LT at the U of M, LT at Marist School in Dunwoody, GA as a HS Freshman, AND LT at Norcross HS in Norcross, GA for the rest of his HS career.
“His natural position is L guard”? According to who or what?
Oh you didn't know?? You're ass better CALLLLLLLL SOMEBODY!!!!!
He played LG in Pee Wee maybe?
Just give me 25 guys on the last year of their contracts; I'll win a pennant every year....Sparky Anderson
riola resigned last year along with peterman
so apperntly they didn’t get those big deals.
Sorry, I don't understand what you are saying here.
Raiola was offered and signed a four year extension for $20 million. Raiola’s salary number may be high this year due to the bonus he got to sign. May be less in future years.
Peterman re-signed in February of 2009 for $15 Million over five years.
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