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Contract Negotiation NFL Players NFL Teams

What’s The NFL Free Agency Word?

Here are some deals that caught my eye over the past week:

  • Alvin Keels and Joel Segal got DeAngelo Hall $54 million ($22.5 million guaranteed) in a 6-year deal with the Redskins.
  • The Redskins have already spent a lot not only on Hall, but also on Albert Haynesworth.  Chad Speck got his client a 7-year deal worth a maximum of $115 million if he remains with the team all 7 years and meets all performance bonus clauses ($41 million is guaranteed, including $32 million in the first 13-months of the contract).  Is there still a salary cap in the NFL?  At least the Skins don’t have to worry about Jason Taylor taking money away from the cap (he was released).
  • If he knew about this website, Sage Rosenfels would be a fan of our Shabbat Shalom: Friday Wrap-Up.  For the time being, he will be counting his money that the Minnesota Vikings offered him.  Rick Smith got his client a 2-year deal worth $9 million.  Not bad for a guy who does not have the starting job wrapped up in Minnesota.
  • Kenneth Vierra did not instruct his client, Chris Kemoeatu, to sign with whatever team presented the most money to his client.  Instead, Kemoeatu accepted a $20 million, 5-year deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers (including $6 million guaranteed), and passed up a bigger offer from the New York Jets.
  • Will Cedric Benson be the starting RB for the Cincinnati Bengals?  Who knows?  What we do know is that Eugene Parker was able to get Benson a 2-year, $7 million deal.
  • The Bengals also agreed to terms with Laveranues Coles.  Roosevelt Barnes is happy to see his client join Ocho Cinco.  Barnes also helped structure the 4-year, $28 million contract.
  • No one will be competing for the starting inside linebacker position on the Baltimore Ravens.  Ray Lewis tested the free-agent market and did not like what he saw.  Or maybe he just loves being a Raven.  He re-signed with the team, while teammate, Bart Scott, signed with the Jets.
  • And last, but not least, some guy that goes by T.O. signed with the Buffalo Bills.  Terrell Owens and his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, accepted a 1-year, $6.5 million deal.  It is a little bit colder in Buffalo than Dallas.

By Darren Heitner

Darren Heitner created Sports Agent Blog as a New Year's Resolution on December 31, 2005. Originally titled, "I Want To Be A Sports Agent," the website was founded with the intention of causing Heitner to learn more about the profession that he wanted to join, meet reputable individuals in the space and force himself to stay on top of the latest news and trends.

Heitner now runs Heitner Legal, P.L.L.C., which is a law firm with many practice areas, including sports law and contract law. Heitner has represented numerous athletes and sports agents as legal counsel. He has also served as an Adjunct Professor at Indiana University Bloomington from 2011-2014, where he created and taught a course titled, Sport Agency Management, which included subjects ranging from NCAA regulations to athlete agent certification and the rules governing the profession. Heitner serves as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Florida Levin College of Law, where he teaches a Sports Law class that includes case law surrounding athlete agents and the NCAA rules.