Link: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.co...-suggests-violation-of-pre-free-agency-rules/ DeVito courtship suggests violation of pre-free agency rules Posted by Mike Florio on March 17, 2013, 6:12 AM EDT Getty Images Last Saturday, the NFL opened for the first time in a non-lockout year a three-day window for negotiating with agents for upcoming free agents. Given that the league used a similar period after the 2011 lockout, it was widely assumed that agreements in principle could be reached during this period, as long as the contracts weren’t formally executed until after the launch of free agency. Then, on the day before the window opened, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell issued a memo that essentially closed it, scaring teams into not talking the same type of turkey they had intended with a threat of the least-used weapon in the NFL arsenal: the tampering investigation. Through it all, it was clear that teams and agents “may not discuss or make any travel arrangements” until the launch of free agency. Which makes the first paragraph from an article by Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com particularly interesting. “It was Monday night, and Mike DeVito was getting ready for a flight to Kansas City,” Cimini writes. “There was an offer on the table from the Chiefs — a good offer — and he was leaving the next day to sign it.” Those facts, apparently gleaned from a phone interview with DeVito, suggest a violation of the letter and spirit of the restrictions on the negotiating window. And before Chiefs fans start accusing us of trying to start trouble for their team, we mention this only because the March 8 memo expressly threatened tampering investigations, and because most teams had seemed to be scared into not doing anything that could cross the line. In the end, it could be that teams were crossing the line, but insisting on discretion from agents. Regardless, the process apparently gave teams a chance to understand the market for unrestricted free agents — and essentially kill it.
What is sad here is the Jets looked woefully disorganized in regards to their intentions and approach towards Devito. The Jets made a last second offer as we he was leaving town. He said he did not even bother to read it at that point. If they actually had a plan and an intention to keep him they should have begun that negotiation and conveyed an offer long before FA had started.
I think it shows that you can't trust what the media writes. They said DeVito was a top priority, but clearly he was not. It makes the Jets seem unorganized, but in reality they knew he would be gone.
Yeah none of us know for sure what truly went down and who offered what and when......so all I can say is I was a fan of Devito's, he played hard and was consistent, and Ill miss him. Wish we could of kept him in green and white, but not for the salary he signed in KC, that's a little too much. Happy for him though, he earned it! Sent from my LG-P999
devito was on joe and evan the other day. he said that he went to kansas city on the weekend i believe and then came back and the jets did make an offer to his agent that was 'not even in the ballpark'. he said he left everything up to his agent and didnt even know what teams had pursued him. it seemed a bit like he was just trying to not have to answer questions. but through saying very little he did make the jets look bad.
Our beat writers have no inside info right now. There was no early reports on Colon, Garay, or Folk. Right now they are acting like bitter little children on twitter and in their articles. My guess is they have no clue what the Jets are doing, not that we are disorganized and right now my guesses have as much accurate info as theirs do.
I think possibly but this is the Jets we're talking about here. Besides at best we probably get like a swap of 4th round picks(KC has 96, we have 103) or something like that.
This is nice to hear. Screw the beat writers! I hope the Jets keep the lid on all the deals the they make. Too much information was being leaked throughout the entire organization the past few years. And I agree, just because the beat writers have no clue what the FO is doing, it does not mean the FO is disorganized.
When we were busted for tampering with Parcells we had to give the Patriots a 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th over a four year period helping to build their dynasty. If KC is busted we should get their second rounder.
The appearance of disorganization does not come from beat writers but that the Jets waited to make a last second offer to Devito only when he was getting ready to leave to go to KC. If they wanted to keep him and make an offer then they should have been a little more proactive with a better plan than a desperate oh know he is leaving last second low ball offer. If they wanted to just go thru the motions and let him leave that could have been a lot better. They could have done that earlier, engaged in in some actual discussion and wished him well if he was looking for something better. You can criticize Tanny for a lot of things and I surely have. But planning and being ready was one thing he did well. He had plans, back-up plans and then back-up plans for those.
The idea that he was a priority came from the beat writers. DeVito was given an offer, but was it the only offer, was it another attempt after other offers were rebuffed? Your notion that things are disorganized is coming from bits of info handed down by DeVito himself and the ramblings of beat writers who have proven only that they have no idea what is going on behind closed doors so far this offseason. At best your reaching with your conclusion.
I am not making a conclusion. I don;t think there is enough to do so. Just enough to send up red flags. We know from Devito's mouth that the Jets made him one offer only when he was on his way out of town and that it was a lowball offer. From that alone it seems to be bit disorganized and a desperate attempt by the Jets rather than a planned out effort. Take what of it that you will. But it has nothing to do with your obsession and hate of beat writers.
:drunk: simple question. DeVito signed to a three-year, $12.6 million contract with more than $8 million guaranteed, according to Rapoport. He claims that the Jets low balled him. do you really think he is worth what KC paid him? If not, than the Jets offer wasn't a low ball offer but a realistic contract.
You are missing the point. KC jumped the gun and basically sealed the deal with Devito while the Jets still held exclusive negotiating rights. When the Jets made their offer, Devito and his agent may have further negotiated (in hopes of a better offer from the Jets) instead of hopping on a plane if they did not already have a better offer from KC. Devito was the best Jet free agent available and KC broke the rules to steal him from the Jets. Goodell's letter was very clear about what the rules were.
He also said he had no idea what teams were bidding for him , he left it to his agent Red flags=conclusions
