Dunta Watch 2009

[bckey]

Originally Posted by WMH

Rick Smith should just tell him there will be no tag next year and be done with it.
He can always change his mind later ...............

I like this thinking.

[Keith]

Dunta speaks! Dunta speaks!!

Robinson declared he would be on “the first thing smoking” and at practice tomorrow morning if the Texans would agree not to place a franchise tag on him for a second consecutive year.

“I’d be on the way to the airport while we were talking, and be the first one at the next practice if they did that,” Robinson said in a telephone interview from Sarasota, Fla., where he is working out to prepare for the upcoming season.

then he said...

“We’re not inclined to agree to that,” Texans general manager Rick Smith said. “It has less to do with Dunta Robinson, and more to do with organization. We don’t feel comfortable doing that, so we’re not going to.” ...

“If Dunta were a two- or three- or four-time Pro Bowler, I’d be more comfortable with him missing training camp,” Smith said. “But he needs to be here for his teammates and for him. He plays a skilled position that the more reps, the more snaps, he gets, the better he’s going to be.

and then he said...

Robinson said he doesn't feel like he's asking for much. "It’s what other teams do and have done,” he said. “It’s not a crazy request. I’m trying to meet them in the middle, but they won’t come halfway. I would have been at all the offseason stuff, and at training camp from Day 1 if they just agreed to that.” ...

“He said I wasn’t a franchise tag-worthy player,” Robinson said. “If that’s the case, then why pay me franchise-level money? And possibly two years in a row? Doesn’t make sense to me.”

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/...t/6564888.html

Finally a cool article on this subject from the chron. Thank you Jerome.

Be mad all you want at Dunta, or Rick, or the sun and moon, whatever... but Dunta sorta has a point, maybe? I mean, Dunta was asking for a contract this offseason equal to what he might have earned if proven healthy. Ok, tag him. Next year, he's either already proved it and it's easier to pay him, or he isn't worth the second F-tag.

The only reason to retain the tag would be leverage for trade value. I get that. But at what cost? The Texans need to have their best team ready on the field Week 1.

[edo783]

Give us the right to match any offer (sort of like a RFA) he gets next year and I'm good to go. I still think 9.9 million is too much, but to get the drama done and meet somewhere in the middle...

[nunusguy]

Once again, I don't think Dunta Robinson wants to be living and/or playing football in Houston, TX. Why ? I dunno, but I'm convinced its not a monetary issue regarding what the Texans are willing to pay him or anything about contract terms, its an issue about geography.

[barrett]

So is Solomon Dunta's new agent? He actually wrote two different, full length articles in the same day that both say the same thing. Dunta is still a good guy and the Texans should agree to not tag him again next year.

I understand an opinion piece on this from a sports writer, but he wrote two, literally in the same day. He even has lines in one he used in the other. Do they not have an editor at the chronicle to catch that sort of thing. Maybe tell him to delay one by a week.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/6565222.html
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/...t/6564888.html

In both articles his main argument is that the Patriots and Titans once had franchise players and agreed to not tagging them again, so the Texans should too. Nowhere does he mention that the Patriots and the rest of the league had dozens of other franchise players who were tagged and given no promise. I mean just a few months ago the Pats tagged Matt Cassell with no promise of year 2 freedom. Karlos Dansby was tagged for the 2nd straight year and is in camp right now. In all 14 players were tagged and only Dunta is not in camp. That didn't make either article though. Just how the Texans are being cruel and that just because they have a weapon, they should be careful in "how they use that hammer."

[gunslinger57]

I'm still trying to figure out why Dunta and Jerome seem to think the Texans should hamstring themselves next off-season with the possibility of losing their best DB with absolutely no compensation. THAT'S bad business, not making Dunta play for "only" $9.9 million for the year.

Besides that, if the rumors were true, didn't the Texans make a fair market value offer that Robinson turned down? He would have been a top 3 or 4 paid CB (again, if true) and everyone would have been happy. Instead, he turns it down and holds out despite coming off a severe injury and needs all the reps he can get. I don't have much sympathy for the player in this case.

[painekiller]

Originally Posted by edo783

Give us the right to match any offer (sort of like a RFA) he gets next year and I'm good to go. I still think 9.9 million is too much, but to get the drama done and meet somewhere in the middle...

The union would be all over Dunta for that one.

[NBT]

Originally Posted by gunslinger57

I'm still trying to figure out why Dunta and Jerome seem to think the Texans should hamstring themselves next off-season with the possibility of losing their best DB with absolutely no compensation. THAT'S bad business, not making Dunta play for "only" $9.9 million for the year.

Besides that, if the rumors were true, didn't the Texans make a fair market value offer that Robinson turned down? He would have been a top 3 or 4 paid CB (again, if true) and everyone would have been happy. Instead, he turns it down and holds out despite coming off a severe injury and needs all the reps he can get. I don't have much sympathy for the player in this case.

That they did.......and that is the major reason I have turned against Dunta.

[edo783]

Originally Posted by painekiller

The union would be all over Dunta for that one.

Yeah, I know that, just thought it would be a good PR move by the team to get that into the press and have Dunta snivel about that also and run to the league/union rules to hide under. He would just be showing more of his true colors.

[dadmg]

Originally Posted by NBT

No, smart aleck, not because I say so, because a lot of us are tired of his one-sidedness. Sure it's a business, but at some point you have to believe you have made your point and get down to the business of winning this year.

I think Mike's point was more than fair. The franchise tag is a useful tool, but any GM that uses it has to be wary of a holdout. I don't think either side (management or Dunta) is being unreasonable, but the vehement reaction from fans surprises me. Dunta has certainly not worn out his welcome with me and likely not with his teammates or management. When I see bluster about how we should not try to bring him back or that he's worn out his welcome, the same thing Mike said goes through my mind.

[popanot]

I like Dunta and hope we can work out a long-term deal next year, but the man is absolutely delusional if he thinks the Texans will waive the tag option for next year. The guy apparently is getting horrible advice from his agent.

[cloudwasher]

I know he's pissed about not getting a contract or being able to test the free agency market, but here's what it comes down to: Either out of greed or respect, he wants a big contract. If it were a matter of just getting out of Houston, he'd probably have demanded a trade by now. He is only shooting himself in the foot by not being out there for training camp. There's a new defensive coordinator and new secondary coach and assuming he sits all of training camp, he's going to come back week 1 and not be on the same page as everyone else. Its then going to take him several games, if not half the season, to get himself back up where he could've been starting the season at. He's then going to bring up questions about whether he has fully recovered and whether he is truly consistent (never really got back up to his full potential last year either) and end up lowering his market value.... and all thats assuming he doesnt get injured in the first half of the season before he gets back up to full speed and REALLY screw his value.

The bottom line is the guy is getting some really bad advice. I know he's worried about getting injured in training camp, but you're a lot less likely to get injured by teammates than opposing players that don't give a damn about preserving you for the season and are coming straight at you. That likelihood is amplified if you're not going full speed because you've sat out training camp and aren't as prepared.

That's my two cents.

[itssharif]

I apologize for my irresponsible actions of posting information that should not have been posted. The business side of football should remain behind closed doors and I should have respected the parties involved in their respect to privacy within the matter.

[superbowlbound]

I don't understand why there has been absolutely no talk of a conditional ban on using the franchise tag next year. Dunta obviously wants all-pro money. He turned down Chris Gamble's contract with his name on it, so he obviously thinks pretty highly of his worth on the field. Why the Texans wouldn't be willing to say, "fine. You start in the pro bowl, which would make you one of the top 4 corners in football, or 'worthy of the franchise tag', and we won't use it again." I don't see much of a downside here. Sure, the possibility exists that he'll achieve that incentive and walk leaving us with nothing, but I don't really see that happening. Eventually, especially as you become a really good team, you've got to let certain players go when their contract demands exceed their on-field value, for the good of the team. The way I see it, Dunta's not worthy of the franchise-tag now, nor will he be next season. I say give him a conditional promise, so that when he doesn't quite meet that standard, he has that extra motivation to get a deal done before the deadline to franchise.

He has to have learned something about the business side of the NFL through all of this. Get your butt into camp so you can get up to speed, and then go play for your new contract, be it here or somewhere else. You're not helping anyone at all by holding out right now.

Really it's that that's put such a sour taste in my mouth towards dunta. He is gaining literally nothing. All he's doing is showing the entire league that he can be every bit as stubborn as chad ocho cinco or to. That is not a positive thing.

His tender this year is a sunk cost regardless, so give him that conditional release, get him here and up to speed, enjoy his playing his heart out for a new contract for (hopefully) 19 games, and then worry about signing him long-term. Let him earn his way out of the tag. I'm not convinced that the 2010 offseason is going to be as rife with spending as some of the players may think. With an improved front 7, adding a safety or 2 in the draft next year, and we can be fine with jaques and freddy on the outside with quin and mccain as the nickel/dime going forward. Give us a healthy run into the playoffs, and the chemistry boost you get from a vocal leader like dunta will be far less of an issue, I assure you.

[cadams]

i think the key there is long term. they can change the terms of the one year franchise deal i believe.

[papabear]

Originally Posted by cadams

i think the key there is long term. they can change the terms of the one year franchise deal i believe.

No, The franchise tag is the average of the top 5 salaries for that position or a % raise(don't remeber the exact %) over the players last year salart, whichever is higher. I might not have that 100% correct, but the franchise tag amount is set by the CBA. It's nothing the Texans have control over.

[Mike]

Originally Posted by NBT

No, smart aleck, not because I say so, because a lot of us are tired of his one-sidedness. Sure it's a business, but at some point you have to believe you have made your point and get down to the business of winning this year.

I am sure you and your merry band of haters have an opinion that the team or Dunta can give a rats behind about. Get over yourself. If you are tired of him, then go cheer for someone else or another team, just don't get hurt jumping off or crawling back on the bandwagon in a hypocritical fit.

The team gives two $hits about your opinion or the opinion of anyone else, and I am glad for that (see the drafting of Mario.)

Have fun at your "I hate Dunta" meeting tonight while dressed in your Confederate Costumes.

[itssharif]

Guys I have posted information that I should not have posted. It was irresponsible of me. My request to those who have copied and pasted my quote is to please remove it if you don't mind. I should have respected the privacy of the parties involved in their business matter and it was irrespobsible of me not to do so.

[painekiller]

Originally Posted by papabear

No, The franchise tag is the average of the top 5 salaries for that position or a % raise(don't remeber the exact %) over the players last year salart, whichever is higher. I might not have that 100% correct, but the franchise tag amount is set by the CBA. It's nothing the Texans have control over.

They can agree to a higher amount and they can agree to clauses like Haynesworth got.

But the Texans do not have to agree to anything more than the CBA states.

[papabear]

Originally Posted by painekiller

They can agree to a higher amount and they can agree to clauses like Haynesworth got.

But the Texans do not have to agree to anything more than the CBA states.

I knew they could add riders, like the pro bowl for Haynesworth, but I didn't realize they could go over the franchise amount...although as long as they paid the minimum I guess that makes sense. I just didn't realize it was an option.