Randall Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 $19 million of deal guaranteed By John Clayton ESPN.com The Arizona Cardinals and Kurt Warner agreed Wednesday to a two-year, $23 million deal, with $19 million of the contract guaranteed. Under the terms of the deal, Warner will receive a $15 million signing bonus and $4 million base in each of the two seasons. "Kurt and I are appreciative of the way the [team GM] Rod Graves and the Cardinals resolved the negotiations," said Warner's agent, Mark Bartelstein. The negotiations ran all Tuesday evening and early Wednesday morning. One of the big breakthroughs came Tuesday when Warner, who had been asking for $14 million to $16 million a year, reduced his asking price to $11.5 million a year, as long as there were substantial guarantees in 2010. He was also willing to take $1 million less a season if the team successfully satisfied the contract extension demands of wide receiver Anquan Boldin. The Cardinals didn't initially like the structure of Warner's reduced contract because it paid Warner $13 million in 2009 and $10 million in 2010, of which $6 million was guaranteed. They felt that it meant Warner would be guaranteed $19 million of his $23 million, figuring he wouldn't be cut in 2009 after helping to take the team to the Super Bowl. In the end, they agreed to guarantee all but $4 million of the contract and assure Warner will be the Cardinals' starting quarterback the next two seasons. On Monday, Warner flew by private plane to San Francisco to visit the San Francisco 49ers, who outlined the parameters of a contract that would be for more money and more guarantees than the Cardinals were willing to offer. Though the 49ers' offer was not firm, Warner knew he could come close to his idea of being paid like a top-five quarterback, which, in his view, is the $14 million to $16 million range. Warner has been performing like a top-five quarterback since taking over the Cardinals' starting job from Matt Leinart on Oct. 14, 2007. He has thrown 53 touchdown passes in his last 27 starts as the Cardinals' starter. Last season, he completed 67.1 percent of his passes and threw for 4,583 yards. In four playoff games, he completed 92 of 135 passes for 1,147 yards for 11 touchdowns and three interceptions. John Clayton is a senior NFL writer for ESPN.com. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikesVikes Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 The price of success. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kpholmes Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 Glad to see the Cardinals stop acting like cheap bastards for a day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chargerz Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 Good for him!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
i_am_the_swammi Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 Good for him!! Guy says he is all about "God telling him what to do"....but after using the 49ers as leverage, it appears to me that it was Washingtons, Jeffersons, Hamiltons, and Franklins that were driving his motives. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fingfootball Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 link Says he'll give a million a year back if they sign Boldin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kpholmes Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 Guy says he is all about "God telling him what to do"....but after using the 49ers as leverage, it appears to me that it was Washingtons, Jeffersons, Hamiltons, and Franklins that were driving his motives. I don't really see anything wrong with what he did. Whether he was actually going to sign with SF or not is irrelevant - this is a business. and he deserved to get paid. The Cardinals are a notoriously cheap organization and needed a good kick in the rear to get him signed. Warner initially wanted $29 and they offered $20. Warner lowering to $23 to get re-signed by the Cardinals is not a bad compromise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randall Posted March 4, 2009 Author Share Posted March 4, 2009 (edited) I don't really see anything wrong with what he did. Whether he was actually going to sign with SF or not is irrelevant - this is a business. and he deserved to get paid.The Cardinals are a notoriously cheap organization and needed a good kick in the rear to get him signed. Warner initially wanted $29 and they offered $20. Warner lowering to $23 to get re-signed by the Cardinals is not a bad compromise. He may have been trying to jump start the contract talks. If he saw the Cardinals were taking advantage of him wanting to stay in Arizona he was calling their bluff. Guy says he is all about "God telling him what to do"....but after using the 49ers as leverage, it appears to me that it was Washingtons, Jeffersons, Hamiltons, and Franklins that were driving his motives. Maybe God told him to get more greenbacks. Edited March 4, 2009 by Randall Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
i_am_the_swammi Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 I don't really see anything wrong with what he did. Whether he was actually going to sign with SF or not is irrelevant - this is a business. and he deserved to get paid.The Cardinals are a notoriously cheap organization and needed a good kick in the rear to get him signed. Warner initially wanted $29 and they offered $20. Warner lowering to $23 to get re-signed by the Cardinals is not a bad compromise. So let me get this straight....the guy is all about the team, but when push came to shove, $20M was not enough, so he went to SF, got their interest up, then went back to ARZ and said "OK, I have a buyer....I'll take $23M to stay, giving you a $6M discount off my asking price to make it look like I am being reasonable". I'm not saying he didn't deserve it based on his play...he absolutely has. It just seems a little hypocritical that he used another team's interest as a way to get more money from his current employer, when all along, he has always presented himself as a higher-ground morally. Yet another guy who, if he had just said "Ya know what, all else aside, I'm gettin me some", I'd at least have more respect for his honesty. He's no diffferent than any other NFLer, and shouldn't try to come accross as such. But to come out and say "God will guide me as to where I will play"...and then have this predictible scenario unfold....well, I see thru it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MustOfBeenDrunk Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 So let me get this straight....the guy is all about the team, but when push came to shove, $20M was not enough, so he went to SF, got their interest up, then went back to ARZ and said "OK, I have a buyer....I'll take $23M to stay, giving you a $6M discount off my asking price to make it look like I am being reasonable". I'm not saying he didn't deserve it based on his play...he absolutely has. It just seems a little hypocritical that he used another team's interest as a way to get more money from his current employer, when all along, he has always presented himself as a higher-ground morally. Yet another guy who, if he had just said "Ya know what, all else aside, I'm gettin me some", I'd at least have more respect for his honesty. He's no diffferent than any other NFLer, and shouldn't try to come accross as such. But to come out and say "God will guide me as to where I will play"...and then have this predictible scenario unfold....well, I see thru it. LOL - reread your post, pretend someone else wrote it and then reply Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
i_am_the_swammi Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 So let me get this straight....the guy is all about the team, but when push came to shove, $20M was not enough, so he went to SF, got their interest up, then went back to ARZ and said "OK, I have a buyer....I'll take $23M to stay, giving you a $6M discount off my asking price to make it look like I am being reasonable". I'm not saying he didn't deserve it based on his play...he absolutely has. It just seems a little hypocritical that he used another team's interest as a way to get more money from his current employer, when all along, he has always presented himself as a higher-ground morally. Yet another guy who, if he had just said "Ya know what, all else aside, I'm gettin me some", I'd at least have more respect for his honesty. He's no diffferent than any other NFLer, and shouldn't try to come accross as such. But to come out and say "God will guide me as to where I will play"...and then have this predictible scenario unfold....well, I see thru it. Well said! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrTed46 Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 Woohooo $20 well spent...i hope. (CBFL reference) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randall Posted March 4, 2009 Author Share Posted March 4, 2009 Woohooo $20 well spent...i hope. (CBFL reference) BASTAGE (former Warner owner) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.