Reggie Pays Seymour's 7.5 M SB, Like It Nation?

The Raiders have paid Richard Seymour's $7.5 million roster bonus, ensuring he'll remain with the club this year.

There was speculation that Seymour would be a candidate for release due to his massive salary, but GM Reggie McKenzie indicated that the Raiders ''wouldn't be making wholesale changes'' despite their recent decision to part ways with CB Stanford Routt on Thursday. Seymour is set to make $15 million in 2012 and is now fully guaranteed the $30 million extension he signed with the Raiders in 2011.

I will never believe for one moment that Richard deserved this amount of $$ given his injury history, penchant for committing foolish personal fouls and penalties and not making plays but Reggie believes he can have a career yr since he is paying him among the elite. I don't like it at all but I will go into the season expecting 15 ML worth of play from Big Rich.

                                                                   Go Raiders

I am surprised.  I thought Tommy Kelly was better last year - though it's always possible he gets the boot.  I would have hated to lose both of them.

I am pleased - though had really wished they could have redone the deal a little. 

It had to be right cause Big Shirl did it.  We all know he could never makes a mistake. 

I certainly dont know for a fact, but I wonder if they could parlay his contract like they do in baseball. If they spread out a million dollars a year over the next 7 years where they just simply cant use that money - cap wise if thats legal. Probably not. But like in baseball the Cards are paying Matt Holiday till like 2035 or something. The Mets are still paying Bobby Bonilla.

Maybe Big Mac just thinks Rich is earning some of that money in the locker room and in practices not just in games $man. You can't just cut everyone unless you don't care about wins at all the 1st couple of years. This is all part of the plan of the genius that you have been praising, now your gonna have to live with these type of decisions as well as the ones you like. Get ready to post about the Raiders keeping Palmer and you not liking it.

Maybe Big Mac just thinks Rich is earning some of that money in the locker room and in practices not just in games $man. You can't just cut everyone unless you don't care about wins at all the 1st couple of years. This is all part of the plan of the genius that you have been praising, now your gonna have to live with these type of decisions as well as the ones you like. Get ready to post about the Raiders keeping Palmer and you not liking it.

Well, if you cut Routt based on performance then Seymour should be held to the same standard. What has he done to improve the D? We still stink vs the run and I haven't seen on the field, where it matters IMO to say he should have got that bonus. If you read my post there are options dude so obviously cutting him wasn't the only one. If he was offered a paycut and refused then he should have been gone like Routt. IMO I think Houston could step in and do a better job and move Desmond Bryant  or Jarvis Moss to DE. With that $$ saved we could even bring in a DT if necessary. Hey, it might be the right move, I hope so for I believe in Reggie even though I don't like the decision at all. 
 
If Reggie keeps Palmer of course I won't like it but if Reggie believes that is the best route to go then I will as well. Think it is a waste of $$ and will bash if he doesn't take us to the playoffs. I really believe we should trade him and resign Campbell and have him and Pryor battle it out for the starting position. Campbell may beat him out but if Pryor shows that he is ready then let him take over. This is for another topic though, time will tell. Go Raiders.

What this tells me is that they feel they still have enough in the tank to be major players in free agency even if they have to pay this massive amount to Seymour. Or it could be that the cap hit they would have taken for cutting him would have been too significant to warrant letting him walk. I don't know what that number would be but I've seen it on here in somebody else's post. Anyway I think Seymour is overpaid but I can live with a guy like him being overpaid a lot more than anybody else on the team.

The Raiders will figure out how to get around the salary cap and get the players they want/need as will every team that can attract free agents to them.

However IMO the Raiders made the choice between Richard Seymour and Tommy Kelly with this move. I dont think they keep both and after reading up on a few mock drafts something occured to me. Granted they where just mock drafts. But when coming to the Bills who run a 4 3 now, they keep mentioning how they didnt get enough qb sacks out of their defensive line. Well Kelly had what 6 maybe 8? That was more than anybody on that line and almost combined.

Pass rushers seem to go rather early in drafts, just like cornerbacks. So I could see the Bills having some interest in Kelly at maybe a 3rd or 4th rd value that way it allows them to take some of those other defensive positions earlier.

Also the Bills have shown a certain interest in former Raider players such as Kirk Morrison and they are rumored to be setting up a visit for Stanford Routt today.

It wouldn't have made much sense to cut Seymour.  This is the final year of his deal.  He was guaranteed 7.5 mil of his 15 mil contract already so in reality he only cost the Raiders 7.5 mil for this season.  They wouldn't have gotten a better DL on essentially a one year, 7.5 mil deal.

LOL at Campbell and Pryor battling it out for the starting position...give me a break man. Pathetic.

Well, if you cut Routt based on performance then Seymour should be held to the same standard

Close, but not quite.  I believe that Routt was cut for a combination of reasons, one of which was the pay not matching the production.  Also, I believe that he hasn't ever shown anyone that he can be a leader of a defense. 

Seymour has some wear on the tires, and the gears don't really shift as smoothly, but that experience of winning a couple championships just can't be replaced.  Sure, he doesn't put up the numbers that he used to, but given his age, you shouldn't really expect him to either.  He is supposed to be the leader of the defense, and that is actually worth something.  He is also supposed to be a strong lockerroom presence, and that is worth something too.

I will say that in reality we have no idea what type of leaders these guys really are, and we have no way of knowing if they are really a great locker room presence or not.  But given the $7.5 million payday for maybe a $4 million season, I have to assume that he is a leader and also a great locker room presence. 

Does this remove us out of the Mario Williams bidding war? Seymour's contract would be best suited for a monster like him.

Mario Williams will be a Buccaneer. They are in the best shape cap wise I think depending on what you read/believe. They are gonna spend money and they invested top draft choices in McCoy and Price, adding a premiere pass rusher would elevate their play. I also expect TB to snag the corner from Atlanta.