Slauson Took a Pay Cut Last Week

[Tackleem]

Tannenbaum is a hard man:

http://blog.nj.com/jets_impact/print...slauson_t.html

CORTLAND, N.Y. -- When Matt Slauson got to training camp, he realized he was in a competition for the starting left guard job. Last week, he also agreed to a pay cut, according to a person with knowledge of his recent renegotiation.

Slauson was scheduled to earn $1.308 million, but agreed to a renegotiation Aug. 1. He will now earn $1.05 million fully guaranteed this season, between a $435,000 signing bonus and a $615,000 base salary. The difference is about $300,000.

The Jets opened up the competition between Slauson and 2010 second-round pick Vlad Ducasse in training camp. Slauson has been the starter there for the past two seasons. He was sidelined for the offseason after major shoulder surgery, and Ducasse filled in at that spot.

But yesterday, coach Rex Ryan indicated Slauson has won back the job.

"I think right now, we'll go with Matt," Ryan said. "He's got the experience, but he has looked really good to me."

It's not known how the pay cut and the left guard competition are related, but the timing is interesting. From Slauson's perspective, taking the pay cut guaranteed him a roster spot but he is now expected to be the starter anyway.

Slauson, a sixth-round pick, had originally been scheduled to make $565,000 this year, but his base salary was bumped to $1.308 million because of an escalator earned in the 2010 season based on his playing time and the Jets making the playo

ffs.

[revischrist]

So they made up a fake Guard competition with Ducasse to scare Slausson into thinking he was expendable. Slausson jumps at the chance of grabbing 1 million guaranteed instead of the 1.3 million he was due to earn.

Well played Mr. T.

[loluchka80]

i don't get it. they are cutting slauson's salary, but giving wayne hunter a 4 year $14 million deal?

[sec.101row23]

Originally Posted by loluchka80

i don't get it. they are cutting slauson's salary, but giving wayne hunter a 4 year $14 million deal?

Where did you get that from?

[Mark TJ Sanchez]

We should be giving this guy an extension. Idk what tanny is doing with the o line

[NPTJET53]

Originally Posted by revischrist

So they made up a fake Guard competition with Ducasse to scare Slausson into thinking he was expendable. Slausson jumps at the chance of grabbing 1 million guaranteed instead of the 1.3 million he was due to earn.

Well played Mr. T.

Yeah but he got Guarenteed money because he had a shoulder injury last year. Maybe durability is a concern for Slauson and his agent.

[brady's a catcher]

Is he an UFA after this year? If so, he'll remember this come contract time. Can't have all pro-bowlers on the OL, need to lock some guys up for moderate money, which we should still be able to do. Wonder what the end game is with this move. Bring in/trade for a vet WR or OT?

[DDNYjets]

Seems like a win-win. He takes a bit of a cut in exchange for some guarantees and security.

I do agree with you guys. The "competition" was a complete farce.

I also agree. He should be getting an extension. Maybe they want to see how the shoulder holds up first. Make sense. But I think if he finishes the season healthy there is going to be a market for him. Good player who is still improving.

[Joe W. Namath]

Obviously, Slausen does not understand leverage. He has Ducasse behind him. He should have demanded a raise.

[NY's stepchild]

Originally Posted by loluchka80

i don't get it. they are cutting slauson's salary, but giving wayne hunter a 4 year $14 million deal?

Obviously Vlad looked good enough to make Slauson think he might be cut. That's good news. Then the Jets guaranteed his reduced salary. Now it makes sense that slauson would keep his job. Hunter really has a 1 year 2.4mil contract right now unless they worked something out we don't know about.

[NY's stepchild]

Originally Posted by DDNYjets

Seems like a win-win. He takes a bit of a cut in exchange for some guarantees and security.

I do agree with you guys. The "competition" was a complete farce.

I also agree. He should be getting an extension. Maybe they want to see how the shoulder holds up first. Make sense. But I think if he finishes the season healthy there is going to be a market for him. Good player who is still improving.

If it was a farce then Slauson would not have worried. Vlad must have played well enough to make this work. Good news for next year, or if someone gets hurt this year.

[chirorob]

Originally Posted by brady's a catcher

Is he an UFA after this year? If so, he'll remember this come contract time. Can't have all pro-bowlers on the OL, need to lock some guys up for moderate money, which we should still be able to do. Wonder what the end game is with this move. Bring in/trade for a vet WR or OT?

Next year when people whine about Slauson getting every penny he can from the Jets, and not giving a home town discount, remember the Jets putting the screws to him for 300K.

[Laxman]

Originally Posted by DDNYjets

Seems like a win-win. He takes a bit of a cut in exchange for some guarantees and security.

I do agree with you guys. The "competition" was a complete farce.

I also agree. He should be getting an extension. Maybe they want to see how the shoulder holds up first. Make sense. But I think if he finishes the season healthy there is going to be a market for him. Good player who is still improving.

I don't think the competition was a farce, at all...... for the same reason you just stated. I think the Jets wanted to see how his shoulder was going to hold up. You can't put all of your eggs into one basket-- especially when coming back from surgery.

Not everything the Jets do has some conspiracy or alterior motive attached. Sometimes, things are just as they appear and are reported.

[sec.101row23]

Originally Posted by NY's stepchild

If it was a farce then Slauson would not have worried. Vlad must have played well enough to make this work. Good news for next year, or if someone gets hurt this year.

It has nothing to do with Vlad, he is coming off injury and was offered guaranteed money. If a team offers guaranteed money before the first pre-season game you take it, especially when it wasnt a huge cut.

[DDNYjets]

Originally Posted by NY's stepchild

If it was a farce then Slauson would not have worried. Vlad must have played well enough to make this work. Good news for next year, or if someone gets hurt this year.

His injury.

Vlad did play well. In OTAs.

Listening to the podcast last night, I can't remember who it was but one of them made mention that in spite of what was being reported that they did not think Vlad looked good at all based on what they saw in practice. Now obviously that can only be taken FWIW. But in a way, so is what the coaches say. We have been BSed before.

Good news is that we will get a close look tomorrow. I am sure he is going to get plenty of playing time.

[cant wait]

Originally Posted by chirorob

Next year when people whine about Slauson getting every penny he can from the Jets, and not giving a home town discount, remember the Jets putting the screws to him for 300K.

I'm impressed-- you actually figured out a way to complain about the jets favorably reworking a contract. Bravo

[HardKnocks]

Its seems strange that a team that has a reputation for just giving the money away would choose to squeeze their starting LG for less than $300K. What kind of message is that to the rest of the locker room? Sometimes I just can't understand this organization.

[lamont_jordan_rules]

... there is nobody better than MT at managing the cap ...


... sad that with the cap it is necessary to make moves like this ... but it is what is needed to stay competitive ...





l_j_r

[PatsFanTX]

Originally Posted by chirorob

Next year when people whine about Slauson getting every penny he can from the Jets, and not giving a home town discount, remember the Jets putting the screws to him for 300K.

That's what doesn't make sense.

Why redo a contract for a measley $300K?

What did the Jets FO gain by doing this?

[chirorob]

Originally Posted by cant wait

I'm impressed-- you actually figured out a way to complain about the jets favorably reworking a contract. Bravo

Yes. The 300 thousand dollars saves almost .3% on the total team payroll. But it forces a starter to swallow crap and like it, the year before he goes free agent.