Jennings camp demanding new deal

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Spud387
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Article:
http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/news ... story.html

What are everyone's thoughts? He is only making $55k right now, but his agent is demanding starter money. Jennings has not earned that and COULD very well be a flash in the pan (who had average stats on a bad team).

I am in the stance that he has to prove himself before getting a raise, but $55k is really low. IMHO he should not get starter money (not even close), but a small bump should be warranted.

Jennings stats:
For all of the indications of being part of the league’s exciting new wave of young quarterbacks, the fact is Jennings has started only seven CFL games (six in the regular season, one in the playoffs, which he didn’t finish). The rookie from Saginaw Valley State had a 3-3 record in 2015, completing 66 per cent of his passes for 2,004 yards and tossing 15 touchdowns. He was intercepted 10 times and ended up with a quarterback rating of 99.8. By comparison, the league’s most outstanding player, Henry Burris, had a QB rating of 101.0, although Burris started all 18 games for the Ottawa Redblacks. Lulay’s QBR in 2011 was 95.8, the year he was named the CFL’s MOP. Ricky Ray holds the CFL’s highest single-season quarterback efficiency rating — 126.4 — for the Argos, in 2013.

Read more: http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/news ... z41xQgLjeP
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B.C.FAN
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If Jennings plays as well as he did in his limited opportunities last year, I can see Wally rewarding him with a raise and extension during the season. That's his way of doing business, and he has rewarded the agent's other clients. Wally holds all the cards in this one. Jennings and his agent would be well served to be patient. Any offseason negotiations would be based on Jennings' body of work, which is six regular-season games. That's not enough to reward him with a typical CFL starters' salary. The middle of this season is a better time to negotiate a long-term deal.
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KnowItAll
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I think he should get a slight raise plus bonuses for playing time and acheivements.
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Sir Purrcival
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That is what I would probably do. Re-negotiate with incentive laden contract for now. Slight raise. Maybe to up to $100k with incentives to twice that for performance. If he has a great season, $200000 is not unreasonable even if he is a novice QB. Performance is performance and it doesn't really matter what quarter that may come from (no pun intended). It represents an opportunity to appear flexible and fair on the part of the Lions without damaging the bottom line too much if he does turn out to be a flash in the pan. A starting QB at $55000,00 per is pretty ridiculous.
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Blitz
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When I first read this article, especially after reading Wally's comments the other day, that the starting quarterback position was not locked in stone going into training camp, and had to laugh.

Wally has always treated contracts with players, no matter how long the term or the amount of dollars, as if they were meaningless. Contracts are not guaranteed and Wally has dealt with them as such. Injured or a better player comes along and the Wally either cuts the player or demands the player renegotiate for less or be cut. Jennings agent is doing the same. When Jennings signed, he should have signed with a clause that paid him much more if he became the starter. He was desperate and naïve.

Wally returns as HC with a very talented team. Our receiving crew, with Internationals Arsenault, Hawkins, Moore, Boldewijn, Burnham and Jeffers-Harris is stacked and if we had signed a National center (as we did) and resigned Harris we could have started four import receivers. Still, a starting lineup which inclues three of the following receivers as starters (Arsenault, Hawkins, Moore, Boldewijn. Jeffers-Harris) will be dangerous.

But its all moot if Jennings is not our starter. Lulay can play quarterback for us and get the job done but we need the young arm of Jennings to lead this offence. Wally will not be smart if he plays hardball on this one. Jennings deserves a renegotiated contract and Wally would have been wise to have been the one to initiate the process. Of course, Wally would never do that.

If Lulay is getting paid more than $150.000 to back up, Jennings deserves much more this season. He also could get hurt so having a renotiated contract before training camp makes sense.
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WestCoastJoe
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A very dangerous game Wally is playing. But that is his modus operandi with players.

Jennings may very well have his nose out of joint already.

Can a GM or talent scout see talent? How many games does he need? I expect there are CFL GMs out there, who already have a very strong idea of the talent level of Jon Jennings.

But Wally is going to grind, grind, grind. Make the guy prove himself over and over. Plus put pressure on with Lulay.

Not a nice formula in the modern world of sports management.

No loyalty given. No loyalty returned.

A dangerous game. Could it turn out alright? Yes. Could it be a disaster? Yes.

What could be done? Something. Something. Words of hope, even. Bonuses. Something to shoot for. Something to show the high evaluation of the player in the eyes of management. "Here is what we feel about you as a player. Here is what we foresee as the possibility. Here is how we will handle your renegotiation in the fluid situation we face." How about even a $50,000 bonus for last year's work, giving the franchise hope? Jennings sure as hell better know where he stands.

Can pressure kill? Yes. Is it important to feel valued? Yes. Is it destructive to feel ground up? Yes.

Are fans and media over-reacting? LOL I don't think so. How much evidence of dinosaur brains in the office do we need, after 13 years of this antediluvian regime?

Yes, we have some hopes for this year.
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TheLionKing
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Jennings sign his current contract with the Lions on his own volition. He was not coerced into signing. I agree with Sir Purrcival, renegotiate with bonuses for performance. Win win for both parties.
Lionsfan65
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Does Jennings deserve more than $55,000 per year? Yes.
Does he deserve the full salary of a starting quarterback at around $250,000? No, not with only 6 regular season games played.
Although he did post some pretty good numbers in those 6 games if he can keep that pace for an entire season, then by all means he deserves a big raise.
For now I would give him a Kevin Glenn style contract, around $100-125,000 with bonuses for each start and accomplishment. :roar: :roar:
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Sir Purrcival
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TheLionKing wrote:Jennings sign his current contract with the Lions on his own volition. He was not coerced into signing. I agree with Sir Purrcival, renegotiate with bonuses for performance. Win win for both parties.
He did sign the contract but his job description has changed considerably since he did that. He was a 3rd string guy who realistically only expected to get a little game time if he was lucky. This year, he is going in as the man to beat for the starting job and although 6 starts is not a huge body of work to draw on, one has to say that any team in this league that would have a starter QB playing for only $55000.00 per season would be a laughing stock to every other team in the league. If Wally can't see the big picture with renegotiating, then he risks losing a potential starting QB in the future. That threatens the long term well being of the franchise both not only in risking losing said QB as soon as the opportunity arises but also by confirming far and wide across the league that WB is the tightest, stingiest GM currently in the league. How many times have we suspected already that this image has cost us when vying for wanted FA's. How many signings of FA's have we made when the FA was in any kind of a competitive market for his services? We all understand fiscal responsibility. Part of that is knowing when to spend money as much as when not to spend money. This would be one of the former. If he can't figure that one out, he has no business being a GM.
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Coast Mountain Lion
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It may not exactly be a fair comparison, given his college accolades and the expectation level when he came to the CFL. But how much did the Alouettes pay Troy Smith when they anointed him their new starter following six games or so, before he flamed out?
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JohnHenry
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Jennings is in a very poor bargaining position at this time. Yes, his salary is low but it's comparable to about half the players in the league. If he doesn't report to camp he could be suspended, until Feb. 2018. After starting 7 games, he just hasn't proved himself yet and isn't worthy of a veteran starter's salary. Drew Willy had to wait 5 seasons to get the $400k contract. The most Jennings could earn is $150k with a one-year extension. That's they way it works. If he reports to camp and plays his guts out leading his team to the playoffs...then he could earn a $250k salary with an extension. If he keeps improving and wins the Cup and is named the Leagues' MOP and Grey Cup MVP, like his backup, then Jennings might be in line for a $400k salary too.

But Jennings using Travis' salary as an example of why he should get a raise immediately or he won't report to camp, is in poor taste and is a bad career decision. :thdn:
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Sir Purrcival
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I agree that he has a contract and should play under it rather than hold out if it comes to that but his position should be, "I will honour my contract but when it is done, this will factor into any future negotiations". It isn't an explicit threat but the meaning will be crystal clear. If he does well, he will have lots of options to go elsewhere and who could blame him if he chose not to stay?
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maxlion
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All negotiations involve some tension due to parties having contrary aims, but this agent has had a positive history with the organization from past reports I've seen. It's not unreasonable to request a renegotiation given the circumstances and I would be surprised if this becomes a big issue. If I recall correctly, Glenn had his contract renegotiated midseason to reflect his starting role when Lulay couldn't play.
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B.C.FAN
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maxlion wrote:All negotiations involve some tension due to parties having contrary aims, but this agent has had a positive history with the organization from past reports I've seen. It's not unreasonable to request a renegotiation given the circumstances and I would be surprised if this becomes a big issue.
Agreed. Jennings has a great attitude and his agent has a good relationship with Wally. It will all be resolved fairly in due course. Any negotiating rhetoric from the agent or Wally in the interim is just that, and can safely be ignored.
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WestCoastJoe
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“Think about it,” Ghahremani said Thursday. “He’s (Jennings) going into the season as the starting quarterback, he earned the job, and he’s making 55. The backup (Travis Lulay), as great as he is, is making more than three times as much. How is that logical, especially if he (Jennings) gets hurt?”
Read more: http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/news ... z420cHbYju
Ghahremani was reacting to comments made by Lions GM and head coach Wally Buono, who suggested the team might wait to see how training camp plays out before agreeing to a renegotiated deal. Buono doesn’t want to make a contractual statement that Jennings is the starter, without giving the 32-year-old Lulay an opportunity to prove he can be again. Although Buono says he has a pecking order established, it’s malleable, depending on how the competition for jobs plays out.
"Wally Buono, who suggested the team might wait to see how training camp plays out before agreeing to a renegotiated deal"

Wait to see how TC plays out? That is not putting Jennings at the top of the depth chart.

"giving the 32-year-old Lulay an opportunity to prove he can be again"

Again, that is not putting Jennings at the top of the depth chart.

"Although Buono says he has a pecking order established, it’s malleable, depending on how the competition for jobs plays out."

Pecking order established when it is also malleable? LOL That really means it is not established.

So it is an open competition between Jennings and Lulay. Lulay has an excellent chance to be the starter come opening day. And Jennings has an excellent chance to be the backup, at $55,000 per year.
“It’s not something I’m overly concerned about,” Buono said. “The good thing is Jonathon has two years of obligation left to the B.C. Lions. When you look at the history of the Lions, we’ve always taken care of people who have contributed and needed their contracts put in line with their contributions. We’ve done it for other people. But I don’t believe the team or the player should be in a rush. In fairness to both parties, let things evolve.”
“It’s not something I’m overly concerned about,” Buono said. “The good thing is Jonathon has two years of obligation left to the B.C. Lions."
I don't see this (treating Jennings as trapped) as a good thing. Based on what Jennings has shown, despite the short duration as starter, this is not a strong endorsement, not something to build loyalty in Jennings.

A QB rating of 99.8 with real bullets flying. Does anyone really think it was a one off year for Jennings? Contracts are not guaranteed anyway. Pay the man. If he seems to lose something, bring in the next guy. Cut him loose.

Just IMO. Others see it differently.
John Madden's Team Policies: Be on time. Pay attention. Play like hell on game day.

Jimmy Johnson's Game Keys: Protect the ball. Make plays.

Walter Payton's Advice to Kids: Play hard. Play fair. Have fun.
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