Scott's deal could impact Harrison

[mesaSteeler]

Scott's deal could impact Harrison
Posted by ESPN.com's James Walker
March 3, 2009 11:00 AM
http://myespn.go.com/blogs/afcnorth/0-2-177/Scott-s-deal-could-impact-Harrison.html

You can bet that Bart Scott's six-year, $48 million deal with the Jets will come up during negotiations over James Harrison's contract with the Steelers.

Perhaps it would have been better for the Pittsburgh Steelers to reach an agreement with outside linebacker James Harrison before free agency.

The type of money thrown around last weekend likely raised a lot of eyebrows in the respective camps of Harrison and the Pittsburgh Steelers. As of last week, the two sides remained far apart in negotiations.

Former Baltimore Ravens linebacker Bart Scott got a $48 million contract over six years from the New York Jets, an average of $8 million per year. This particular deal could be a major factor in Pittsburgh's ongoing talks with its Pro Bowl linebacker.

Scott's deal likely raised the bar for Harrison, who put up better numbers than his former AFC North counterpart and was the NFL's defensive player of the year in 2008. They both play linebacker in a 3-4 defense, so they're very comparable.

Would the Steelers be willing to go at or above $50 million to keep Harrison for six years? That remains to be seen as Pittsburgh rarely dishes out that kind of money. Perhaps providing a shorter contract (three or four years?) at the same average salary could be a middle ground.

Or would Harrison take a hometown discount to get a deal done and stay with the defending Super Bowl champions long term? That's an interesting option as well. But either way Harrison has to be looking at Scott's deal right now and feeling like he deserves market value.

As both sides continue their back-and-forth, expect Scott's name to come up quite a bit in these negotiations.

What is Harrison worth?

Former Ravens linebacker Bart Scott just signed a lucrative deal with the Jets, which impacts Pittsburgh's James Harrison.

Harrison Scott
Pittsburgh Steelers New York Jets
30 Age 28
5 years Experience 7 years
2 Pro Bowls 1
101 tackles, 16 sacks 2008 stats 82 tackles, 1.5 sacks
??? Contract Six years, $48 million

Baltimore Ravens, Pittsburgh Steelers, 09 free agency, AFC North, James Harrison, Bart Scott, New York Jets

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[OX1947]

Guys, 6 year 48 million isn't what Bart Scott will get paid. NFL contracts are the biggest smoke screens in sports. I think he is only guaranteed 20-25 mil of that contract.

James will likely get a 5 year 40 mil contract with 25 mil guaranteed. The difference is, Harrison will get all 40 mil if he is productive all 5 years. Cant say that about most of the teams out there that pay big cash.

[joefootball]

James will likely get a 5 year 40 mil contract with 25 mil guaranteed.


no way he accepts that offer...

[OX1947]

no way he accepts that offer...

Gotta pay attention to the guaranteed money part. I do not believe anyone out there would pay him more then 25 mil guaranteed. And if Harrison is productive for 5 years, he would earn the rest.

[Galax Steeler]

no way he accepts that offer...

That sounds pretty fair to me.

[desertsteel]

no way he accepts that offer...
I want to keep him happy, but let's face it -- the Steelers have all the leverage. He's under contract next year, we franchise him in 2010 and he's a FA in 2011 at 34 years old. No team is giving big contracts to 34 year old LBs. This won't be crazy money when he signs and there may be hard feelings (ala Hines Ward), but it'll get done.

[XxKnightxX]

I want to keep him happy, but let's face it -- the Steelers have all the leverage. He's under contract next year, we franchise him in 2010 and he's a FA in 2011 at 34 years old. No team is giving big contracts to 34 year old LBs. This won't be crazy money when he signs and there may be hard feelings (ala Hines Ward), but it'll get done.

And he threatens with a holdout and we just plug in the next in line. Dont be surprised if the Steelers draft a Linebacker within the 4-6th round.

[scsteeler]

I say Harrison signs before Training camp and if does not the Steelers are very good and finding someone to fill in that linebacker spot. I am not worried! I really like Harrison but I also understand that this is also a business.

If the Steelers are so cheap as others say why is that we always have very little cap room and other teams have more cap room. Is it because the Steeler have more guaranteed money in their contracts which makes their deals better even though other contracts look bigger on paper?

I was just curious.

[XxKnightxX]

I say Harrison signs before Training camp and if does not the Steelers are very good and finding someone to fill in that linebacker spot. I am not worried! I really like Harrison but I also understand that this is also a business.

If the Steelers are so cheap as others say why is that we always have very little cap room and other teams have more cap room. Is is because the Steeler have more guaranteed money in their contracts which makes their deals better even though other contracts look bigger on paper?

I was just curious.

I say its because we pay good money for 53 players that can play when asked to rather than paying gagilliions to 3 players and pray to god that the rest of the players put up an effort knowing the man next to him will pay his bills off in one check when the other one has to do it in a month.

[lilyoder6]

if harrison would hold out.. then he would just have the luxury of staying home and paying fines for not showing up... then he will have no contract money to spend

[steelreserve]

If Bart Scott got overpaid 6 years and $48 million, I predict Harrison will sign for at least 5 years and $60 million. With the Redskins. We just don't have that kind of stupid money to throw around.

This is why toward the end of the season I kept saying, don't be surprised if we pick a linebacker in the second round or something like that, even trade up to get one. I think Harrison just played his way out of our price range. We've likely got two guys to replace in the next two years, and Timmons can only take over for one. Next up: Woodley and Farrior.

[AllD]

The truth is:

1. James Harrison deserves more $ than the Steelers can afford to pay. Pick a number over $50 million and he is still a bargain.

2. The Steelers did develop him and deserve some credit for that, but he still deserves a lot more than what he is being paid currently based on the career season he had last year and the Super Bowl.

3. The Steelers need to find a compromise without insulting Harrison and Harrison also needs to have realistic expectations based on the Steelers business model.

4. One way to be diplomatic would be to be up front and ask Harrison if he would just like to play out his contract and possibly be franchaised after it expires.

5. If he really wants to test FA, then give him the right to walk away after his contract expires without being franchaised.

6. There is risk on both sides if a deal is not made. Harrison should accept a reasonable offer if most of the money is guaranteed. He risks loss of a new contract if he becomes injured and the Steelers risk losing one of the best players in the league if they cannot sign him.

Please, let's get the deal done and keep the team solid. He should be getting paid to do commercials and appearances to make up some of the economic drawbacks of playing in a small market.

[chucoblack&gold]

Please, let's get the deal done and keep the team solid. He should be getting paid to do commercials and appearances to make up some of the economic drawbacks of playing in a small market.

very unlikely, doesn't seem like his character:noidea:

[steelreserve]

very unlikely, doesn't seem like his character:noidea:

Yeah, and there are probably also a lot of people who would be reluctant to use him in their ads because they're worried about the criticism they'd take from his little "incident" last offseason. That can really suck the wind out of your career as a corporate pitchman.

[BehindSteelCurtain]

I say they get a deal done for 6 years for 85 million.

[BehindSteelCurtain]

I just think that Harrison's success is because of the Steeler's Defense. I think he'd be medicore if he was on a different defense.

[chucoblack&gold]

I just think that Harrison's success is because of the Steeler's Defense. I think he'd be medicore if he was on a different defense.

I'm sure Lebeau has alot to do with his success, but you got to give it to the man..... he's a stand out in one hell of a defense.