If I Was the GM: A.J. Smith and RFA Trouble

The offseason is almost my favorite time of the year for one reason. I can criticize every move a General Manager makes and wish I was one. To further enjoy the offseason, I thought I’d pretend for a second that I’m a GM in some interesting situations.

Chargers General Manager A.J. Smith is a business man, and a strict one at that. From day one on the job, he has been unrelenting on holdouts and conservative with the owner’s money.

This year’s funky rules put Smith in a good situation. Nine players who could have become Unrestricted Free Agents were Restricted Free Agents, all because this is the final year of the current Collective Bargaining Agreement. Smith tendered all nine players in order to keep them on the team and didn’t have to risk them leaving San Diego for a better paycheck.

Now, Smith is in a difficult situation. Left Tackle Marcus McNeil and wide-out Vincent Jackson refused to sign their tenders. In response, Smith lowered their tender values causing their salaries to plummet by almost 3 million dollars. Both players have refused to sign their reduced tenders as of yet and could hold out until the 11th game of the regular season in order to receive the high salary, long term contracts they desire.

A.J. Smith doesn’t want to give in to their demands because of the uncertainties that next year holds. The CBA could possibly restrict the salary cap, forcing the Chargers to cut players and causing Smith a large headache just to pull the team under the cap.

So what should Smith do? This is where I come in.

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If I was GM, I would give Jackson and McNeil one offer with minimal flexibility. A two year deal worth 10 million dollars, six million due this year and four million due next year. This deal leaves both players with twice as much money than they would have had with the tender and gives them a decent amount the next year. Other deal incentives would include: an exemption from the use of any tags at the end of the contract, a guarantee to revisit the contract soon after the new CBA is agreed upon, and a three million dollar signing bonus up front.

Compromise would be limited so as not promote the holdout option for other players in the future. If McNeil and Jackson don’t take the deal by the beginning of the season, there would be no contract other than the measly 650,000 dollar tender.

Of course this decision is up to A.J. Smith, but if I was GM that’s how I’d handle it.

By Mark Lindgren
Pro Football Fans Staff Writer