It seems like Eli Manning is always following in big brother Peyton’s footsteps.  He chose to play quarterback, he chose to play in the SEC (following Peyton’s offensive coordinator at Tennessee to Ole Miss), and he was drafted into the NFL with the first overall pick in his class.

In 2008, just one year after Peyton led his Colts to a Super Bowl victory, nabbing the MVP trophy for his efforts, Eli led the Giants to Super Bowl glory–and nabbed an MVP trophy for his trophy case as well, making them the first (and so far only) brothers to play quarterback in the Super Bowl and win Super Bowl MVP awards.

Along the way, like brother Peyton, Eli has managed to whore himself for numerous products, even working with Peyton on spots for Oreo and ESPN–although at $5 million in endorsements, he still has a way to go to catch Peyton’s $13 million.

And now, as the 2009 season approaches, Eli looks to be following in Peyton’s footsteps again, as his rookie contract is set to close out–by requesting a potentially team crippling contract from the team that has turned him into a star.

In March of 2004, Peyton signed a then record seven-year, $99.2 million contract, which included a $34.5 million signing bonus.  The deal was supposedly done to be somewhat cap friendly, accounting for roughly 10% of the salary cap each season–but in the end, Manning had to restructure the deal in 2007 to free up cap space for the team–and coming into 2009, he was still carrying a cap number of $21.2 million.

Along the way, despite winning the one Super Bowl, the Colts struggled at times to put together a solid defense, were unable to keep their Super Bowl winning offensive line intact, and were forced (before the Super Bowl win) to let star RB Edgerrin James leave via free agency.

Now, brother Eli is looking to cash in, with his rookie contract expiring–supposedly asking for a salary in the $20 million/year range, and his agents pushing for him to be the highest-paid player in the game.

While many executives estimate Manning will end up in the $15 million/year range, the total contract could be worth as much as $120 million, with more than $40 million guaranteed.

While less of a risk than giving unproven rookie Matthew Stafford a guarantee of $42 million, one has to wonder if in the long run, signing Eli to that big of a deal will mean the Giants might be merely a decent team, rather than potentially a great one.

So far, the only quarterback that I can think of that has essentially turned down more money to make sure that his team could remain competitive–and with his three Super Bowl wins, two Super Bowl MVPs, an NFL MVP, $9 million in endorsements, and Gisele Bundchen waiting for him at home, I don’t think anyone would say that Tom Brady made the wrong call.

John Elway told something called The Pueblo Chieftain that he is “saddened” by the feud between his former team, the Denver Broncos, and their rising star quarterback Jay Cutler.

I wonder how sad he was back in 1983, when he refused to play for the team that drafted him?  Back in 1983, he used his status as a minor league baseball player in the Yankees organization to hold the Baltimore Colts, who had picked Elway first overall out of Stanford, hostage, because he felt they could not allow him to be successful.

The Colts got QB Mark Herrmann, the rights to OL Chris Hinton, and a first round pick–and remained a basement dwelling team for the better part of 15 years, until Peyton Manning came along.

While successful in getting his way, it was one of (if not THE) first example of what has become all too common in the NFL these days–players who, according to the collective bargaining agreement, should have little say in where they play (whether due to draft rights being held, or due to the fact that they already signed a contract) pissing and moaning until they force their way out.

The only situation in the NFL as galling (or more) than Elway’s situation was Eli Manning weaseling his way out of San Diego on draft day.  At least both of those moves appeared motivated by the talent on the team’s involved–neither of those situations is bad as Kobe Bryant demanding that the Charolette Hornets trade him to a team in a bigger market, simply so his star would shine brighter.

In this area, I tend to think that the owners need to take a stand.  Cutler is under contract–unless they get a king’s ransom of a trade offer for him, one that makes them a better team immediately, I think they should not move Cutler, and force his hand.  If the realationship is really damaged beyond repair, then I suggest that Bus Cook’s latest headline grabber make his way down to Mississippi, and help Brett Favre on the tractor.

On the eve of the beginning of the 2008 football season for most of the league Drew Rosenhaus has taken the opportunity to reiterate that his client, Anquan Boldin would like his employer, the Arizona Cardinals, to trade him.

Despite having three years left on his current deal he wants a new one that would put him among the highest-paid receivers in the league.

Rosenhaus emphasizes that he hopes Boldin is traded by the Oct. 14 trade deadline and adds that Boldin won’t re-sign with the Cardinals. “Essentially that bridge has been blown up,” Rosenhaus told the Arizona Republic. “He’s looking to play as hard as he can for the club, for his teammates, but the sooner he is traded, the better.”

That’s a great message for his teammates to hear as they prepare for San Francisco. “Hey guys, I’ll be out on the field with you, but it’ll be grudgingly. I really don’t want anything to do with this team anymore.”

It’s the second time in a week that Rosenhaus has been in the news obnoxiously pimping his clients. In a video posted on YouTube, he argued earlier in the week that another client, Lito Sheppard, deserves to start for the Philadelphia Eagles.

No question Sheppard is a starting-quality cornerback in the NFL. And Zoneblitz has argued that there could be a trade market for him should the Eagles choose to move. And Rosenhaus has every right to talk up his client.

But he shouldn’t be throwing other players under the bus, which is basically what he did to Sheldon Brown when he made the Sheppard should be starting claim. Rosenhaus isn’t a coach and he isn’t a general manager. He’s an obnoxious agent with a knack for taking negotiations into the media – and for making his clients look like asses … or helping them do so themselves.

Reference the Terrell Owens situation from a few years ago when he was with the Eagles that ultimately ended with Owens being suspended from the team and Rosenhaus answering a Philly scribe’s question about what he has done for Owens other than get him suspended by repeating the phrase “Next question.”

Note also this offseason’s Chad OchoCinco trade demands that really went nowhere.

Or the year that Mike McKenzie, a solid cornerback in Green Bay, wanted out. Rosenhaus orchestrated a deal to New Orleans but villified his client in the process. Or the ongoing saga of Javon Walker, who has whined his way off of two teams now, the first being the second time Rosenhaus stabbed the Packers in the back.

Sure, there are some inequities in the salary system, no doubt. Salaries aren’t guaranteed and teams can cut players virtually at any time. But the fact remains that with upfront signing bonsues these guys are generally paid very, very well for their services to the extent that their plights are not going to be understood by the average person.

Playing the public opinion game rather than handling these situations off camera and behind the scenes has often made his clients look like buffoon. In the case of Boldin, his client has no leverage. If you don’t want to play in Arizona why would you want to force the Cardinals’ hands, thereby reducing any potential return the team could get if they did offer Boldin to someone else in trade?

I like Boldin as a player. I like him a lot. He’s big. He has good hands. He is a fantastic physical speciman. But I don’t like the tactics.

If I were Arizona, much as Cincinnati did this offseason in dealing with Chad Johnson, I’d make clear to the player that he is under contract and that any efforts to publicly undermine the process would result in him simply being stuck on the roster that much longer. Boldin has three years left on his deal – that’s three years the team could make his life a living hell. Why would the player’s agent, if Boldin really, truly does want off the team, incent the team to do just that?

St. Louis Rams running back Steven Jackson clearly reads Zoneblitz.com.

After Zoneblitz posted a story saying he had fallen short of earning the right to holdout for a new contract, the potential superstar back ended his holdout, reporting to camp as his agent attempts to negotiate a new contract for him.

Okay, I don’t really expect that Jackson gives a crap about my opinion, nor need he or should he.

But while Jackson is a budding superstar who has clearly been productive he has yet to put up numbers reflecting his status for an entire season. In 2006, his best season, he put up 16 touchdowns, but 10 came in the final four weeks of the season after the Rams were out of the race.

The holdout may be affecting his fantasy status as well. It’s a small sample – actually a minute one – but my brother and I participated in our first fantasy draft of the season tonight. And Jackson, who by conventional wisdom is a top five pick, fell into the second round before being picked (who knows – maybe it reflects on us and our league-mates more than his overall status, but still…).

Jackson probably does deserve a new contract, or at least deserves it as much or more than most of the other guys out there that are whining and crying for new deals. But I respect the Rams’ stance on this particular issue – come into camp and we can talk. Otherwise, go ahead and hold out.

After all – as Zoneblitz said the other day – the Rams are just as capable of missing the playoffs without Jackson as they have been of missing the playoffs with him.

Wide receiver Anquan Boldin, entering his sixth season in the NFL, has requested that the Arizona Cardinals trade him, due to his unhappiness with his current contract, and his claim that the team has reneged on on an offer to re-do the deal.

“At the beginning of camp, I hadn’t asked for a trade,” Boldin said. “As of recently, we did.”

Boldin reached 400 career receptions faster than any other player in NFL history, and has 5,458 yards and 29 touchdowns in his career.  He has three years left on a four-year, $22.75 million extension he signed after the 2005 season, which keeps him under contract until 2010.

Asked if he thought the situation could be resolved, Boldin answered “No.”

“If I’m not going to be treated fairly, if my hard work and loyalty isn’t going to be rewarded here, then let me go somewhere where it’s going to be rewarded. That’s how I feel,” Boldin said.

Because nothing says hard work and loyalty like whining about your contract to the press, and trying to cause a distraction for the team as it prepares for its third preseason game.  Still, he’s not worried that the situation will hurt his reputation with fans:

“Anybody that knows me, that knows what kind of guy I am, they know I’m a hard worker,” he said. “I’m a guy that does the right things, on and off the field. I’m not worried about my reputation being tarnished for me telling the truth.”

Because, you know, fans have a long history of being more loyal to a player who wants to leave their city over the team that is less likely to leave.

We’ll give Boldin some credit–he’s not being as big of a douchebag so far as some of Drew Rosenhaus clients–but that might just be because Rosenhaus is too busy reminding TO how to stir things up in Dallas to fully devote attention to the lowly Cardinals.

But you signed the extension in 2005, and you have three years left on it–if you couldn’t get the renegotiation of the deal based on your performance in writing, then you shouldn’t have signed a deal if you knew you could out-play it.  Especially with a team as notorious for being cheap as the Cardinals.

Now you’re a co-number one receiver with a guy with a much bigger contract (despite inferior career numbers), and you’re causing a distraction for your team and asking to be traded–despite the fact that going to a new team would likely hurt your numbers this season, and hurt your long term value.

Shut up, play football, and maybe you’ll get lucky enough to get something done–contract or trade–at the end of the season, when it would be in everyone’s best interest.

Steven Jackson has held out for 22 days now missing two of his team’s preseason games. He’s seeking a new contract as he heads into his fifth season.

On its face, perhaps he’s earned it. He’s had three 1,000 yard seasons and scored 36 touchdowns in his career. But has he truly earned the right to hold out in hopes of scoring his big payday?

The 2006 season was his best. He rushed for 1,528 yards and 13 touchdowns, then added three more scores through the air.  He caught 90 passes. Those are some fantastic numbers. BUT … 10 of the 16 total touchdowns and 500 of his 1,528 yards rushing came during the season’s final four games – after the Rams had started 5-7, virtually eliminating themselves from the playoffs. Certainly he was not inept during the season’s first 12 games. But during a season in which much, much more was expected from him his failure to deliver earlier hurt his team (Full disclosure – I had Jackson on a fantasy football team that season and his low touchdown numbers during weeks one through 12 hurt my chances as well).

In 2007 Jackson missed four games altogether due to injury and was hampered in several others. He broke 100 yards rushing just twice and scored just six touchdowns, five on the ground. Again, the Rams as a team foundered, finishing 3-13 and well out of the race for the playoffs.

No doubt that when Jackson is on the top of his game he’s one of the league’s biggest threats. And granted, Jackson was hampered by an offensive line that was decimated by injury in 2007. But if I am a general manager or team owner in the NFL today, before I am going to unload a Brinks truck in front of a running back I need him to show up for an entire season rather than pad his stats during the last quarter of a lost year.

I also need the running back to show multiple years running that he is going to be durable and that he is going to help his team win games. Since he joined the Rams, the team has gone 8-8, 6-10, 8-8 and 3-13. So, to this point, Jackson has done none of the above.

So, again, no question – at the top of his game, there are few in the league as talented as Jackson. I enjoy watching him and I do think he is a good-to-great player. And, if his line stays healthy, I think this could be a solid year for him, not only for the Rams but for fantasy football players who take him likely in the first half of the first round of their drafts – the rest of his division certainly hasn’t gotten that much better and it wasn’t that great to begin with.

But until he steps up and displays that dominance for a season or more and helps take his team into a playoff chase I question how he justifies not being in Wisconsin with his teammates.

About a week after his agent told reporters Ryan Grant was livid with the Green Bay Packers’ first contract offer, the running back has joined teammates in training camp after signing a 4-year, $30 million deal.

He had been an exclusive rights free agent but held out seeking a long-term contract.

Grant took control of a putrid Packers running game last season falling just short of 1,000 yards rushing in half a season as a starter. He figures to start again this year despite a strong camp thus far by Brandon Jackson, a second year player who disappointed as a rookie.

Grant’s biggest concern now is that several teammates have demanded that he take them out for dinner.

While Grant looked good last year we think he’s a risk as a fantasy player this season, especially if Aaron Rodgers wins the quarterback competition allegedly taking place between he and Brett Favre. Defenses have had an offseason to study him and they’ll also likely be keying on Grant to force the passing game to beat them. Expect a decent season but games where he looks nothing like the backfield savior he was last year.

Favre Fiasco. Favre Fatigue. Favre F-k Up (of Off).  Whatever you want to call it, Roger Goodell wants the Favre situation done.  By Monday.

But why is it any of his business to make such a declaration?  And why hasn’t he approved a players request for re-instatement for almost a full week?

We were all impressed when Goodell stepped in as commissioner, and started to try to crack down on possibly the only blemish that Paul Tagliabue left him with–the “degradation of the NFL society” we could call it, as several bad boy incidents started to paint the NFL in a bad light.

And I’ve been impressed by his willingness to come out against the ridiculous NFL Rookie pay scale that exists.

But I think by not acting on a players request to be reinstated within a reasonable time frame, and now declaring that he wants the situation resolved by Monday, he’s heading down a slippery path.  If the delay wasn’t in the Packers favor (any delay to the situation hurts whoever ends up with Favre), I would suggest that they file tamporing charges against him.  Of course, since he is the judge, jury and executioner, that wouldn’t get very far.

As to the Favre fiasco, rumors are that the $20-million, 10 year “marketing agreement” offer to Favre may be pushed to an even higher amount through negotiations this weekend. 

Frankly, I still can’t believe that the NFL will allow this type of a deal to happen, without some sort of salary cap implications.  I realize he’s a “retired” player, but as commenter Sir Whoopass pointed out last week, what’s to prevent Jerry Jones from starting to pay players from other teams to not play if the Packers are allowed to pay their own player not to?

Like the Poison Pill negotiating tactic (which to my knowledge wasn’t ever officially banned, but hasn’t been used since the Vikings nabbed Steve Hutchinson, and the Seahawks “retaliated” by signing Nate Burleson), this needs to be nipped in the bud early.

Too bad the NFL doesn’t have a commissioner who is willing to step in on situations like these…

OK, I think everyone here knows that we here at ZoneBlitz are predominantly fans of the Minnesota Vikings, being the local team.  And, I think I can speak for my brother when I say that over the last 10 years, Matt Birk has become one of our favorite players on the team.  Local guy, Harvard grad, very down to earth from what we’ve seen/heard, and co-owner of a couple of fairly nice local restaurants.

There has been a lot made in some media outlets of his absence from OTAs this past offseason, apparently due to his being upset over his contract situation (which expires after this coming season).

Birk finally spoke publicly about the situation today, and I tell you what–Chad Johnson, Chris Baker and the rest could really stand to take some notes.

A few of Birk’s quotes:

“Obviously a lot has been made of the fact that I haven’t received a contract extension. That was just part of my decision process, not coming to OTAs. I consider myself very lucky to be a part of this team and play football for a living. But I consider myself more blessed with my family. With our situation right now, it’s a busy time. I was needed there more this offseason than I was here.” (Birk’s wife is pregnant with their 4th child).

“I’m very happy with my contract. I’ve never beefed about my contract at all. I’m very happy about it this year. I just have a desire that I want to be here for as long as I play. I would think that if I didn’t want to be here that would be more troubling. By like I say, it’s all about right now. You don’t need to be a football genius. I know I’m excited about … we’ve got a good corps group of guys that came back from last year’s team, really liked a lot of the moves that we’ve made. It’s exciting to be part of what’s going on here.”

Asked if he was upset about not being approached about a new contract, Birk said:

“How can I sit here and pout or be upset about anything? … I’m not entitled to anything. Nothing is owed to me. I know that in this thing the decisions are made all for one reason and that’s to win. Hopefully, I’ll be a part of it around here but we’ll just have to see. It’s not personal. I’m not going to be begrudge anybody for doing what they feel is like what’s best for the team.”

I could care less if he’s even just saying the right things as leverage to try to make the situation better for the negotiations–it’s damn refreshing to hear someone actually come out and say the right things, rather than just whine, whine, whine about not getting what is (or in many cases is not) due to them.

And I, for one, hope like hell that the Vikings do reward him with an extension that is reasonable, and ensures that he does finish his career in Minnesota.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers started this offseason with $44 million in cap space, and quickly added Jeff Faine, Ben Troupe, Warrick Dunn, Antonio Bryant, Marques Douglas, Teddy Lehman, Eugene Wilson, and a handful of other free agents.

Now comes word that RB Earnest Graham, who filled in admirably last year when Cadillac Williams went down with a torn platellor tendon, wants his share.  And maybe a little extra for his trouble?

He missed his second day of “voluntary” workouts yesterday, and speculation is that the contract situation is the reason why.  And with Drew Rosenhaus as his agent, would it shock anyone?

Per ProFootballTalk, Graham supposedly wants not just More Money, but Gore Money–as in the five-year, $28 million contract that Gore signed in March 2007, not the amount of money Al Gore spends on jet fuel to fly around the country talking about global warming. 

The thing is, Gore was coming off of a year with almost 1,700 yards rushing, 5.4 per carry, 106 per game, and 61 catches for almost 500 yards to boot–in other words, he was their offense in 2006.

Graham, on the other hand, was an after thought in 2007, until Williams AND Michael Pittman went down with injuries.  Yeah, he put up some ok numbers–900 yards rushing and 10 TDs, with about 50 catches, but only 4.0 yards per carry, which is decent, but not great.

Oh, and the Bucs still have Cadillac Williams–who frankly may not play in 2008, but is making progress on his rehab.  And they signed Dunn to fill Pittman’s role.  And they still have Michael Bennett, who could still make the team, and 2007 rookie Kenneth  Darby.  So it’s not like they don’t have options.

If the demand for Gore-type money is there, it’s probably just agent posturing–and with Drew Rosenhaus as his agent, would it shock anyone that they aim high?–but if they really expect to get that kind of money…well, I’m guessing this story won’t make Drew’s next book about how great he is.

———-

And in other Tampa Tears news, Graham isn’t the only Buc that’s wondering where his money at–QB Jeff Garcia is also looking for a little bit bigger piece of the pie.  He is participating in workouts, but somewhat grdgingly:

“That’s just it; nothing’s happening with the contract,” said Garcia, who is entering the final year of a two-year deal worth $7 million. “My agent has talked to them. We’re trying to work something out, but it’s not happening.

“I don’t plan on missing anything, and it’s only April, so there’s hopefully still time to work things out. That’s why I’m not getting too caught up in it right now. But it’s not where I’d like it to be.”

Welcome to the real world, Jeff.  When you’re a 38 year old quarterback who has been with 5 different teams in the last five years, missed a bunch of games due to injury, and frankly not looked all that impressive for a few of those years mixed in, it may not be the Bucs’ top priority to get you an extended deal at the dollar amount you want.  Especially when you’re in the second year of a two-year deal for $7 million.

Garcia is thought to want a contract around the league average for starting quarterbacks (about $7 million), and to make up some of the incentive bonus he apparently missed due to the Bucs decision to rest him last year.

Our thoughts?  Give him a couple million for the bonus, maybe throw him another incentive for 2008, and tell him to take it or leave it, and shut up about it.  It’s not like the Bucs don’t have a handful of other QBs on the roster that would like a crack at the job.