Originally posted by MrAdrenaline:
Like Jed said during the preseason game, "When he wants to be here, he'll be here"
In other words, there is an offer on the table, and when he decides to sign it, we'll welcome him with open arms. Definitely sounds like a take it or leave it offer.
I'm all for letting him sit out the entire season if that's what he wants to do. It would suck to lose that draft pick, but at least we wouldn't be overpaying more than teams already do with their 1st round picks. Not only that, but it would be a positive for the NFL in the long run, as it would almost guarantee a future rookie cap, to protect teams from this sort of thing.
Parker is going to cost a lot of future players $$$, as this will certainly work against the players union when negotiating a new CBA. Of course that means less dough in his pocket down the road as well.
You obviously do not know Eugene Parker very well. I encourage the skeptics to do a background search on his clients and cases in the past. I think you will come away very impressed. I know I was.
You state that Parker is going to cost a lot of future players money, but this is an institutional problem that started way before Parker, and will continue down the road until the player's association decides to let the league create a rookie salary system. And, Crabtree is not the only guy who has not signed.
In that the media has been fixated on him before, during, and after the draft, it shows that this player is very unique to the league. And, due to that unique situation, a unique contract has to, and will be, constructed.
Not to pick on you, but there seems to be an overwhelming sentiment that Niners' management is so much tougher than Parker. I beg to differ. The guys on the Niners' side are relatively young and inexperienced, while Parker has been doing this for a long time. A group of young pups are not going to crack an old vet who has faced much more experienced, savvy and grizzled GM's around the league.