At what point does his advisors tell him that his NFL career is over? He'll get paid what's left on his rookie deal so it won't be like he's on food stamps. He could possibly be eligible for disability considering.. Time for this young man to put his OSU degree to good use and find his next path in life. If not, he'll be walking with a cane before he's 30.
Stretching the field requires more than just a speedy receiver. You have to have a QB with an arm to get him the ball and an OL to give the QB some time to throw. Best example is last year's Steelers game. Roethlisberger's TD pass to Coates was an absolute laser beam. That's what makes a receiver a deep threat. D coordinators aren't going to worry too much about Fitzpatrick throwing to Robby Anderson.
Injury settlement would most likely be equal to his whole seasons salary so I would think they just keep him on IR and wait to see how he recovers for next season. It doesn't cost a roster spot. The only real danger there is him getting injured next training camp, then they would be on the hook for his full years salary again. If he recovers but doesn't cut it in camp next season they can cut him before the 1st regular season game and be clear of his salary.
Claim Smith off waivers to have the honor of paying him $1M while he recovers from an ACL injury, makes sense. Wouldn't B*lichek then need to waive Smith to be able to put him on IR, leaving him on waivers again?
I think it will come down to what they feel his potential future is going forward. There are alot of good young receivers on the roster at this point making Smith expendable. I'm not really sure what his settlement would be or if he would even have to be paid for a non football related injury. I know that cutting him prior to the 53 man roster saves $1,265,426 against the cap. That will also figure into the final decision.
As long as those advisors are profiting off his contract, they will encourage him to continue to chase his dream.
Does anyone know for certain the designation of Smith's injury? Football related or non football related injury. I thought Mac has said at a presser during the draft that he was injured the day before OTAs. The reports I have read say it was day one of OTAs and others confirm it was the day prior to. A quote from Mac : “He had been around, working and training, but at the first [session] he experienced a situation with his knee,” general manager Mike Maccagnan said. “We examined him before he went out.” The MRI came up as a torn knee ligament. That could be what determines if he is paid for the season or not.
There is precedent for it. He did it to the Giants when they tried to waive Jake Ballard with an injury designation. As long as they keep him on the 90 man roster he can be moved to IR without hitting waivers when final cutdowns happen. Just like he did with Ballard. As for paying him $1M, that's a lot of money to us but chump change in the NFL for a 25yo WR with some upside. The Patsies currently have $20M in cap space so they could absorb that if they think he can produce.
Being it is the same knee he could have a good argument that it related and that would mean on the job injury and a much bigger injury settlement. Usually those settlements are based on an estimate of recovery time and an ACL has to be 9 months or so, putting it in January. If they are having to pay almost the entire thing, might as well keep him under contract until next year.
Comparing Ballard to Smith? Ballard had 38 receptions for over 600 yards in 2011, it was his first injury and his contract was close to league minimum. Smith has less than 140 yards in his career, is on back to back ACL tears and salary is over $1M Why would any team waste the roster spot, even in training camp? The Jets aren't wasting a roster spot and they need a lot more help than the P*ts.
Shame for the lad but if he has looked after his salary so far then he has had a helping hand to set himself up at something else in life, of course he would have loved to have been an NFL star but it wasn't to be, he takes his lottery win and builds himself a good solid life in business and regale his children and then grand children with tales on his bad luck and how he nearly was a football star.
The argument could be made, but if it happened away from the team it's not a "football related injury" and the contract can be void along with the cap hit. I agree if they reach an injury settlement it will be equal to a full season or close to it. It will come down to the page 5 language . I'm just curious if the Jets can escape the cap hit or not.
There's a local bar here in Ft.Lauderdale that offers a free drink in exchange for an AA white chip. AFAB.....
I was in FtLaud last summer and really enjoyed it. Charted a boat and did some cuda fishin. Ate the best seafood I've had in years too! Wouldn't mind making Ft. Laud a regular getaway destination.
I fish often. There are some benefits to living here, the weather, beach, year round fishing, excellent restaurants but those damn Dolphin fans........ Every preseason, proclaiming they will win the Superbowl. And that Damn song!!!!! Next time your down we should do some real fishing. Wahoo, Dolphin, sailfish.