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Alright, here's what I do.
I just weigh which bullet I want to bite.
Do I want to trade Bowe for something Brandon Marshall like, 2 3rds?
Bowe has zero character issues, so I may be able to land two 2nds for him.
Or I can pay him a massive contract. Megatron's deal is in the OP, and Larry Fitzgerald's contract is eight years, $120 million, with $50 million guaranteed.
He's neither one of those guys -- even in years where the QB situation has been dire in Detroit and Arizona, those two guys put up better numbers than Bowe has with his crappy QB situation.
At the same time, he has a similar game-changing impact on our offense. Our offense with Bowe can be lethal in 2012, without Bowe... it starts looking really ordinary.
So I approach Bowe and I tell him he can risk 2012 on a franchise tag, and we see how that worked out for Vincent Jackson, or he can sign a contract with me now. I am very comfortable signing him long term, like seven years. I am not comfortable paying him $100 million when most QBs don't get that much.
I'll give him a better deal than Cassel, but a worse deal than Drew Brees is about to get.
Seven years, $80 million is my absolute highest. Let's put the biggest $ on the front and back end of this contract. I'll pay him $15 million this year since I don't need the salary cap space. I'll pay him another $15 million in his last year on the contract. That leaves the rest of his contract at 5 years, $50 million. Which is perfect value.
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