For the last two weeks, the bloggers in the mainstream media (is that an oxymoron?) have been quoting players saying that they have not signed or started negotiating contracts. I read somewhere today that Jeff Ireland stated that everyone would be signed by Training Camp and that negotiations would start to pick up soon.
At one point, Mike Berardino (sun-sentinel) spoke with JD Folsom, who said that they were still working on negotiating a deal, then it came out that JD had actually worked out that deal and signed the day before. So, the question is, if the Dolphins don't release the information, does that mean it hasn't happened? Like the tree falling in the woods question. For the record, if a tree falls in the woods, there is always SOMEONE there to hear it. Whether it be human or squirrel.
Anyway, I bring this up because today Berardino blogged about Anthony Fasano and his 'people' having not even discussed a new contract at this point. Now keep in mind that NFL rules state that a player cannot renegotiate his contract within 365 days of his previous negotiation. Since he was traded to Miami in late April, it's possible that he didn't actually sign a new contract until May/June, so he couldn't negotiate a new contract until then. That said, I find it almost iimpossible to believe that these agents for these players have not even DISCUSSED their contracts at all at this point. The reason I have for this is that I have worked on many contracts in my own line of work, and before they are signed, it generally takes a month or more of sending multiple revisions back and forth between agents/lawyers/general managers/V.P.s/players. It's not like they can get from first meeting to signed copy in a week.
Another reason I'm conflicted on what to believe is that I still have two sources, including one very close to Pat White, sticking by their story that White has indeed come to terms with Miami, despite it not being released to the media since I first reported it in early June. It's possible they are BSing me, but it's also possible, and just as probable if not more, that the team is BSing the media.
At one point, Mike Berardino (sun-sentinel) spoke with JD Folsom, who said that they were still working on negotiating a deal, then it came out that JD had actually worked out that deal and signed the day before. So, the question is, if the Dolphins don't release the information, does that mean it hasn't happened? Like the tree falling in the woods question. For the record, if a tree falls in the woods, there is always SOMEONE there to hear it. Whether it be human or squirrel.
Anyway, I bring this up because today Berardino blogged about Anthony Fasano and his 'people' having not even discussed a new contract at this point. Now keep in mind that NFL rules state that a player cannot renegotiate his contract within 365 days of his previous negotiation. Since he was traded to Miami in late April, it's possible that he didn't actually sign a new contract until May/June, so he couldn't negotiate a new contract until then. That said, I find it almost iimpossible to believe that these agents for these players have not even DISCUSSED their contracts at all at this point. The reason I have for this is that I have worked on many contracts in my own line of work, and before they are signed, it generally takes a month or more of sending multiple revisions back and forth between agents/lawyers/general managers/V.P.s/players. It's not like they can get from first meeting to signed copy in a week.
Another reason I'm conflicted on what to believe is that I still have two sources, including one very close to Pat White, sticking by their story that White has indeed come to terms with Miami, despite it not being released to the media since I first reported it in early June. It's possible they are BSing me, but it's also possible, and just as probable if not more, that the team is BSing the media.
