Chad: Keep me in green Pennington believed to have told agent to resolve situation with team BY KEN BERGER STAFF WRITER February 24, 2006 Chad Pennington is rehabbing his right shoulder in Florida, but his arm apparently is in good enough shape to point his agent in the right direction before a crucial meeting with Jets management at the scouting combine. Jets officials arrived in Indianapolis yesterday, as did Pennington's agent, Tom Condon, who is believed to have gotten very specific marching offers from the injured quarterback. Pennington very much wants to stay in his green and white No. 10 jersey. Although Pennington already has rejected the Jets' offer to take a steep pay cut to return next season, he is believed to have instructed Condon to do everything in his power to keep him with the Jets. Whether the feeling is mutual will become apparent by the time Condon and Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum meet face-to-face this weekend in an attempt to resolve the quarterback's contract. During a lengthy interview session upon arriving in Indianapolis, Tannenbaum said the two sides have had "many conversations" and are "in the middle of active negotiations." The talks are aimed at finding a way to lower Pennington's $12 million salary cap figure for 2006. The Jets already have the ability to lower that number to $7.5 million by guaranteeing Pennington's base salary of $6 million next season, but the cash-strapped team wants to go even farther. The deadline is March 3, when Pennington is due a $3 million roster bonus that the Jets don't want to pay because he is coming off his second right shoulder operation in as many seasons. Running back Curtis Martin, who has restructured his contract to give the Jets more cap room, endorsed bringing Pennington back yesterday on ESPN Radio. "I will play with Chad any day, I don't care what anybody says," said Martin, who nonetheless couched his support based on Pennington's health. "If his shoulder comes back healthy," Martin added. "I would like to see if it does." Tannenbaum said resolving Pennington's situation "can happen today" or "can happen three meals from now. It's hard to say." It all depends on how often you eat - and on whether the Jets have decided that Pennington is too damaged to rely on anymore. Coach Eric Mangini said in Indianapolis yesterday that he is "very comfortable" with the Jets' cap situation after millions were shaved off this week with a flurry of roster moves. But the situation could become complicated if defensive end John Abraham decides to sign his $8.3 million tender as the team's franchise player. If Abraham signs the offer, which his representatives received yesterday, the Jets would be required to clear the cap space by next Friday.
Hope the report is true, I have a feeling it is, I mean Chad does not come across as that type of player. I think this is more about his agent than Chad, hopefully he is back in green next year. I for one would like to see what he has left. What happens here will determine where we go in the draft, if an agreement is not reach then all the Cutler fanboys will get their wish, but the more interesting thing would be to see who we draft is an agreement is reached.
It's not the agent. It's Chad. Who works for who? We want/need him to take a cut. He said no. If he wanted to play for what we offered he would. I hope Mangini sticks to his guns and doesn't waiver from his offer. Play for what we offer or play for someone else.
Where else is he going to make anymore then the veteran minimum. Here he has a chance to make loads of cash if he stays healthy and performs at his best. The potential for how much he can make is greater here then anywhere else, not to mention the fact that he can still be the starter for this team.
Its just strange all of a sudden the stance has changed from No paycut to do whatever it takes to keep me with the Jets? Mangini has no loyalty to Chad so yeah Chad will be cut and they will draft a Qb if he does not take the cut. Given Chad's situation i think its more than fair what they are offering him, he can make back most of the money if he is healty and on the field.
I don't believe his stance was ever no paycut. I believe it was no 95% cut. However, I also believe that was his agent's stance more than his.... and now Chad advised him to follow his wishes or be gone.
It's a 'my way or the highway' kind of thing. Why would EM want a QB coming off the surgeries that Chad is. He saw twice a year how Chad struggled with just the one tear and now he has two. Why would he want a QB that he regularly beat up on. He wants him gone so I doubt he will budge on his offer. BYE CHAD.
Chad is toast- I'd love to part ways with this guy ASAP. I love the fact that the CS is cutting the heavy money and dead weight as we go through this offseason. To me, Pennington is just that, dead weight. He's always been a noodle armed QB, now coming off of his second shoulder surgery- when he did play last year his level of play had dropped off dramatically, he also lost his fire and didn't appear to have much of a spark in leading the team. Convince me please, outside of the obvious financial side of things, what are the positives to keeping this guy around? Let's call his one good 3/4 season for what it was, a fluke....
I think your assessment is correct. Besides saving 8,9 or 10 mil against the cap, we don't have to go looking for a vet QB to fill a spot. I am sure they will still grab a QB early and he will be playing by the end of our season. I really like Chad but he is way too fragile for me.
What an odd thing to say. Is this like that Burger King commercial, where we're asking Chad to shave 8,299,999 double bacon cheeseburgers off his salary?
Yeah, I think I am in with KOZ, too. Condon cold be a Trojan Horse if too much Hardball is played. If a deal is not struck by the end of the combines, that would be bad for Chad.
Cutting Pennington saves either 0 or 3M, depending on the reports you see. Keeping him and restructuring him saves a lot more.
This is great news....thataboy Chad... That's so awesome... awesome for Curtis 2..good good man... and i love the words "shaving off" millions...YES! btw, if we trade JA > that will help so much ...I have a feeling Eric Mangini will get us under the cap and get us some good young talent...an 8-8 season is for sure a possibility
We need to be under the cap with Abraham... not technically, but if we aren't, he can sign his tender at any moment, and bam, we have to cut people or be over the cap and be penalized. He'd have such large leverage it wouldn't be funny. This is why they'll make sure there is room for him.
I have a hard time believing this happening during the Combine. I'm guessing the last thing Tom Condon would want during a convention of new and prospective clients is a headline that reads, "Pennington Agrees to Huge Paycut." This will be an uncomfortable weekend for him.
Were you calling him noodle arm in 2002 when he completed almost 70% and led us to the division title and a 41-0 playoff win? I imagine the answer to that is NO
The answer IS no. It wasn't till the following week that we started calling him that. Then he got hurt. Then he got hurt. Then he got hurt. Chad has to go. It's that simple. Love him if you want but I want to win so I will be happy when he is gone.
Great point. This may not be good for new Condon Clients, but Condon/Chad ae on the clock. They have until March 3rd to get this done. 7 days.
