POLL: Is Ekeler Right to Organize RB's For More $? - Ekeler Discussion

[dmac_bolt]

One problem with Squeaky Ekkie is that maybe some of the players from OTHER positions will get disgruntled...what if ASJ starts organizing the DB Bargaining Group? What if Dicker feels underpaid and organizes the Kicker Bargaining Group? Thanks to BellyEkking Ekkie, the possibilities are endless...

now you're hitting your stride! lol ... and to think I almost cautioned you to stop. All I can say now is ... bravo.

(btw - I agree with you - lots of position groups could feel underpaid just sitting next to Ekk in the locker room)

[dmac_bolt]

Make no mistake about it...the Bolt management is a BIG PART of the market conditions...otherwise, BellyEkkie wouldn't have gone disgruntled and asked for a trade not too long ago...

they are 1/32nd but they hold his paper. He did accuse them of asking for too much in trade. He didn't say what it was. SF gave a 2, 3, 4 and 5 pick, I strongly doubt they asked for more than that. So if he is really worth as much to the world as McCaffrey, why didn't one of the 30 teams not LAC or SF offer him a McCaffrey Contract and give LAC those 4 picks?

I'm assuming SF doesn't need two McCaffreys, er - one McCaffrey and one Ekeler. I get them confused, they are like identical twins on the field.

[dmac_bolt]

Eke's complaint, more specifically - if no one saw it:

When asked Monday if he was ever close to leaving the Bolts, Ekeler opened up about how difficult it actually is for a top running back to seek a trade.

"No, and that's because I came with a lot of baggage," Ekeler told Zach Gelb on CBS Sports Radio. "You were going to have to trade some high picks for me. The Chargers, they weren't going to let me go for anything that wasn't up there, so they saw my value there. It's funny how when they allow me the trade, they're like, 'OK, but we want you to get these types of picks,' which were not low picks, 'but we're not going to pay you like you're that type of player.'

Does anyone believe the Chargers were asking for Rd1 pick(s)? I don't. what did they tell him they would want, is what I want to know? I am betting a R2, R3, maybe both per the McCaffrey trade, which is the most recent similar trade in the league.

Should we tell Ekeler what a Round 2 rookie makes? lol ...

[Topcat]

Eke's complaint, more specifically - if no one saw it:

Does anyone believe the Chargers were asking for Rd1 pick(s)? I don't. what did they tell him they would want, is what I want to know? I am betting a R2, R3, maybe both per the McCaffrey trade, which is the most recent similar trade in the league.

Should we tell Ekeler what a Round 2 rookie makes? lol ...

Either TT mentioned a round 1 pick during negotiations as a possibility, along with other round picks, or Ekkie is lying or exaggerating...in that case, I shall refer to him as, ahem...E...oh, never mind...I've hit my pun limit for the day...

[dmac_bolt]

Either TT mentioned a round 1 pick during negotiations as a possibility, along with other round picks, or Ekkie is lying or exaggerating...in that case, I shall refer to him as, ahem...E...oh, never mind...I've hit my pun limit for the day...

nonsense, TC - you're hitting your stride!

[powderblueboy]

I would say it's still a free market. The salary cap is roughly similar to your bank balance and the ceiling on your credit card...you're not supposed max out your Visa or MasterCard...in the same way, the owners can only budget their money for a max amount each year, depending on how much debt they carry over...

You can say its a free market - you'd just be wrong.
From the perspective of a player:

1. You are drafted and do not choose the team for which you play.
2. Your original contract is pretty much automatically set in dollar amount and years.
3. After your initial contract is up, your team has the option to franchise tag you, barring you from negotiating with other teams
and giving them leverage when you attempt to renegotiate with them.
4. Once you actually test your 'market' value, the salary cap restricts the number of teams that will compete for your services.

Once again, the cap artificially reduces your value in a free market. It does so by minimizing competition for your services.
That is antithetical to any notion of 'free' market value - one not subject to artificially imposed restrictions on economic activity.

[Topcat]

nonsense, TC - you're hitting your stride!

Very well then, Dmac...since u insist...IF Austin is indeed misrepresenting what TT said in those negotiations, I shall, refer to him, among other names as, ahem, Exaggerating Ekkie...

[Topcat]

You can say its a free market - you'd just be wrong.
From the perspective of a player:

1. You are drafted and do not choose the team for which you play.
2. Your original contract is pretty much automatically set.
3. Your team has the option to franchise tag you, barring you from negotiating after your original contract is up,
giving them leverage when attempting to negotiate your 2nd contract.
4. Once you actually test your 'market' value, the salary cap restricts the number of teams that will compete for your services.

The contractual provisions controlling your credit card usage is not a very good analogy: you signed up and had various options beforehand.

Okay, Powdah, so how would u change the current NFL system, from draft day to free agency?

[powderblueboy]

Okay, Powdah, so how would u change the current NFL system, from draft day to free agency?

I don't know - it's not up to me.

I do know that the idea of drafting an rb, running him into the ground, and moving on in 4 - 5 years is not working for running backs.
What will happen is that all the best athletes will no longer opt for that position and there will be no enjoyment watching rbs anymore.

Less LT's and Barry Sanders, and more Josh Kelly's and Jamaal Williams is where the position is headed.
I have nothing wrong with Josh Kelly (solid player), but no one tunes in to watch him.

The ability to break away sooner from a first contract perhaps?

[DennisR91]

Okay, Powdah, so how would u change the current NFL system, from draft day to free agency?

Idea only

deal or no deal with hiwie mandel

its like white elephant lottery

[Lefty2SLO]

I don't know - it's not up to me.

I do know that the idea of drafting an rb, running him into the ground, and moving on in 4 - 5 years is not working for running backs.
What will happen is that all the best athletes will no longer opt for that position and there will be no enjoyment watching rbs anymore.

Less LT's and Barry Sanders, and more Josh Kelly's and Jamaal Williams is where the position is headed.
I have nothing wrong with Josh Kelly (solid player), but no one tunes in to watch him.

The ability to break away sooner from a first contract perhaps?

If the NFL went back to all of the clutching, grabbing, holding and outright mugging of receivers that occurred in years gone by then running the ball would be a more desired approach to moving the ball. Would that enhance the viewing experience? Would that advance the NFL? Nope. There's a reason the NFL is increasingly popular - fans want to see high scoring games, not 3 yards and a cloud of dust.

Anything that reduces the popularity of the game will result in reduced revenue, which of course will result in reduced salaries across the board for all players. Is that what all the players want??? The game is evolving, (pure) RB's are no longer a critical component of the offense, and their propensity for injuries adds to the problem. If the rules stay as is I can foresee a day where pure RB's (Henry) will be few and far between (or vanish entirely), and backfields will be populated by hybrid receivers / halfbacks a la Deebo, and screens and jet sweeps will be the 'running plays' of future offenses (even more than they are now). The de-emphasis of the traditional running game is simply a response to rule changes, and was/is inevitable.

The guys coming up through the RB ranks in HS and college better take notice . . . . . . . . . .no matter how hard the current crop of RB's posture, complain and stomp their feet they can't stop it.

[21&500]

Eke is right to organization what he wants so long as it doesn't interfere with his performance or the locker room.
until there is clear evidence that either 1 or 2 of those things have happened, I'll continue to support him in his efforts towards what I think is a good cause, RBs deserve more, market be damned.