Could Smith Get Similar Contract To Jackson?
The Ravens want to lock up wide receiver Torrey Smith before he plays the final year of his rookie contract in 2014, and many are wondering what his contract could look like.
A recent ESPN Insider article opined that Smith is not a "true No. 1 receiver," saying he is "close but not quite." Only 12 of the NFL's 32 top wide receivers got the distinction.
If Smith isn't among the top 12 wide receivers in the league, who is the measuring stick you look at when trying to determine his contract value?
DeSean Jackson, another guy who didn't make the No. 1 pass-catcher list and recently got a new deal, might be a good model for Smith's ensuing deal, says NFL.com's Gregg Rosenthal.
"To me, you can't pay Torrey Smith to be Larry Fitzgerald," WNST's Glenn Clark said to Rosenthal.
"How about DeSean Jackson?" Rosenthal replied.
Clark believes Smith's agent, Drew Rosenhaus, will have a good argument for more, but both Clark and Rosenthal agreed that the Jackson contract might be a good starting point. The four-year deal that Jackson struck with the Redskins seems to be too short for Smith, who is heading into his prime.
Below are the details of Jackson’s deal, and where it ranks among all NFL WRs, per Spotrac.com:
Contract: 4 years / $32,000,000 – Ranked 18th (tied) among all NFL WRs
Signing bonus: $5,000,000 – Ranked 26th (tied) among all NFL WRs
Average annual salary: $8,000,000 – Ranked 13th among all NFL WRs
Guaranteed: $16,000,000 – Ranked 12th among all NFL WRs
| Year | Base Salary | Signing Bonus | Misc. | Cap Hit | Dead Money | |||||||
| 2014 | 1,000,000 | 1,250,000 | 2,000,000 | 4,250,000 | 15,000,000 | |||||||
| 2015 | 3,750,000 | 1,250,000 | 4,250,000 | 9,250,000 | 11,250,000 | |||||||
| 2016 | 3,750,000 | 1,250,000 | 4,250,000 | 9,250,000 | 6,250,000 | |||||||
| 2017 |
Of course, there is a chance Smith will want to pull a "Joe Flacco," meaning he may want to play out the final year of his rookie deal, betting he will have a big season that would earn him a bigger contract. What are the chances the two sides pull off an agreement before the season? "Torrey Smith may want to test the FA waters," wrote ESPN's Jamison Hensley. "He is repped by Drew Rosenhaus. One of his clients, WR Antonio Brown, did sign an extension early in training camp a couple of years ago. So, there is a history of getting something done before the season." Below are the top-20 paid wide receivers, ranked by average salary, per Spotrac. Top 20 NFL WRs 2014 Average Salary
Ravens' First-Round Draft Duo Ranks No. 2 Two first-round picks. Two Hall of Famers. Has there ever been a more successful first-round of an NFL draft than when the Ravens selected tackle Jonathan Ogden (No. 4) and linebacker Ray Lewis (No. 26) in 1996? The Chicago Bears 1965 draft may be the only one to give the Ravens a run for the top spot. Per Sports on Earth, the Bears edge the Ravens out with their selections of Dick Butkus (No. 3), Gale Sayers (No. 4) and Steve DeLong (No. 6). Three picks gives the Bears the advantage. Here's the rest of the top five: 1965 Los Angeles Rams (Roman Gabriel and Merlin Olsen) Another Day, Another Ravens Uniform Design People sure like to toy with NFL uniform designs. Jesse Alkire, a freelance graphic artist / designer from Chicago, recently published his take on all 32 teams’ looks, with the Ravens below. Here's his explanation of the Ravens look: "More menacing, darker design to match the macabre of Edgar Allen Poe. Purple to black gradient throughout takes cues from the raven's glossy feathers, changing shades when activated by light and movement. The number and letter type plays off the idea of color and light refraction. Feather design on shoulders, updated logo." Check 'em out (mobile users tap "View in Browser" at the top of the page).    Ravens 3 Remaining Free Agents Tight end Ed Dickson said goodbye to Ravens fans yesterday after signing a new one-year deal with the Carolina Panthers. "Baltimore is forever in my heart with this sb47 ring but it's Time to move forward & do work Carolina!" he tweeted. Of the 13 unrestricted free agents the Ravens had to start with this offseason, Hensley points out that only three now remain. What is in their future? TE Dallas Clark:"It wouldn't be a surprise if Clark retired. He turns 35 in June," wrote Hensley. RB Bernard Scott: WR Brandon Stokley: Quick Hits
This article has been reproduced in a new format and may be missing content or contain faulty links. Please use the Contact Us link in our site footer to report an issue.
| |||||||||||
