Both Terrell Owens and Dennis Northcutt have been taken out of the free agent market because their agents FORGOT TO FILL OUT THE PROPER PAPERWORK! Now, both unhappy players are contractually obligated to remain with their teams for the next three years. How do these guys let this happen?
What? I have never even heard of this happening before. How can they be forced to stay with their teams for three years?
Both players signed contracts that would allow them to void out if they reached certain incentives/performance numbers in the first part of their contracts. I'm guessing the last three years of each player's contract is a "lowball" number to create salary cap friendliness, which is why they'd WANT to opt out in the first place. Since their agents didn't file the forms that say "My guy met his goals, so he's voiding the rest of his contract," they're both screwed. I'll be reeeeaaaaallly interested to see what happens here next.
I dont know about Northcut, but I think in Owens case there will be some kind of a buy-out option offered by the 49ers. I just cant imagine him on that team next year, that will not be good for either party. Also, they might trade him or even flat-out release him. Where the team that gets him would have a chance to give him a new contract, or something like that.
Owens will now get traded unless he wins his appeal(his agent claims that he has until March 1st to file, but the 49ers say the deadline was Feb 21st)....his current contract calls for 3 more years at around $5mil a year, which is a great contract for the team that employs him, but if hes traded he will want to restructure or just tear up the deal and start over....
I though the deadline for all transactions was yesterday or sometime this week. How can they mandate how long the players will have to stay w/ their respective clubs? Aren't their contracts up regardless? Isn't it interesting that players on teams where Carmen Policy was or is part of the Mgmt are affected?
Those 2 players had opt outs written into thier contracts....they had to declares themselves as free agants by a certain date, which is whats in question now....if they dont use that clause, thier contracts remaim intact and in Owens case, that means 3 years remaining at a little of $5mil per year....of course, once the 49ers trade him, as a stipulation, he will want to redo that deal