N/S Trey Hendrickson and Tee Higgins are requesting a trade (1 Viewer)

[St. Widge]

Not buying the "retirement" threat. He would forfeit $31M in salary over the next 2 years, placed on the Bengals reserve/retired list and won't be able to sign anywhere else, and the Bengals could require him to pay back $7.8M worth of the signing bonus he got from them.

I think the retirement threat is just him trying to get leverage on the Bengals. Not sure of his contract, but if he retired now it would probably result in a big salary cap hit for the Bengals. But, I do think it's a hollow threat.

 

[St. Widge]

Your post is spot on. When players are seeking more money, guarantees, and longer contracts while currently earning $15m per year the "retirement threat" sounds like a desperate attempt to add a concern their current team should consider. How often do players make good on these threats and retire under these circumstances?

So, he wants more money, a solid amount of it guaranteed, for a longer period of time. Otherwise, he would prefer to be traded. I can accept that position in his demands, but the Bengals don't have to bend to them. They can call bluff and ride out the last 2 years of his contract if they want. And if he really does have a CTE moment and retires to show them, he will face the consequences as you described above. That would be one concussion short of stupid.

As far as finding a trade partner, the team trading for him would have to give up solid compensation along with fitting him in on the roster while taking on his $15M salary while dealing with the same demands from T-Rex that he seeks from the Bengals. With that said, he may be worth it to a team that is trading for him knowing what you are getting as a player under 30 years old performing at a high level that you could lock up on a longer deal.

If I was him, I'd do what CJGJ did. Show up at camp and make trouble in the locker room.

 

[Judge_Smails]

We tell players it’s a business when we cut them loose. But when they treat it like a business, everybody gets all sore.

Your post reminded me of this:

 

[Loco Hornet Fan]

I don't like players chasing money. I understand the idea of getting your worth and making the most you can, but we're not talking about whether you can pay your bills next month or whether you have to settle for a Corolla because you can't afford a Camry. TH has made $68 million and is set to make $21 million this year (I think). He could take care of the children of his grandchildren if he wanted to, so forgive me if I don't feel sorry for him.

I'm a fan of the NO Saints. I want players chasing rings first and foremost. I don't mind if they get paid, but I want players who can say they won a SB over players who say they'll only play if they're paid their "worth."

I mean, yes, if it was up to me, really good players would all sign here for pay cuts because they want to win and already make great money.

I just don’t think that is a realist expectation or ask of the players. I also don’t think it necessarily indicates a character flaw.

It seems (to me) that a lot of the time, players trying to get “paid their worth” is framed as a pejorative, and I don’t understand that.