That’s incorrect from my understanding… For example, the Lions picked up Ebron’s 5th year option, but then released him after his 4th year with no penalty.
Upon being exercised, the fifth year option is fully guaranteed, and any base salary in the player’s fourth year that was not fully guaranteed will become so.
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Yep, May whatever, we either enter into a fully guaranteed 5th year deal for $11m w Okudah or his status after Yr 4 is FA.
If this past year was better, I’d be ok w it. Given it was up and down, nope. I think he will play well next year, but given the salary levels I showed, 11m is an overpay for a 2 and probably break even for a 1.
Now, you do have to factor in the NFL Cap going up quite a bit for 24 and probably thereafter…
I feel like he is a option decline and extension negotiation decision based on his play through the year next year. He may want tontake advantage of getting to FA a year early, and may not react well to a 1st rd high pick at CB from us in a few months or a CB signing in a few weeks. A FA #1CB by Brad to me would be a harbinger of that option being deader than the Snyderverse…
Right, in the new league year… You can pick it up and still release them before the start of the new league year, right?
No!
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Yote you need to relax bud… What you’re doing isn’t cool. It’s condescending. Here’s a copy of the code of conduct. Please read it and follow it moving forward.
Personally I think Okudah is inconsistent and a boarderline CB2. I’m not opposed to bringing him back but I think we should seriously attack the off season with the intent to find his replacement. In fact we should be trying to find a CB1 and CB2 starter in my opinion. I feel CB is our weakest link and DT isn’t far behind.
In my opinion Okudah should be penciled in not inked in as a CB2.
In all honesty I’d like to see us add 2 starting level CB’s and a starting level NB. I’m not too fond of Will Harris at starting NB.
Keep in mind Yote you wanted to give AO a 5 year deal last offseason. I felt he wasn’t worth it. You strongly disagreed with that. I felt AO wasn’t a starter quality CB and you felt otherwise. Last year at this time you felt Parker, AO and Jacobs were the Long term answers for us at CB.
You felt the same way on Nevin Lawson. You felt he was a long term answer and wanted him extended. I did not… we debated that one pretty heavily.
Okudah has yet to show he’s worth a second contract. He’s inconsistent, and is coming off serious injury. We should be looking to replace him. That doesn’t mean he can’t improve or won’t turn the corner but I think the odds are against him…… it’s a big risk to count on him to be your starter…. with all that said I like Okudah as a person and a player. I just don’t think he’s a player we can or should count on.
You’re welcome to disagree if you like. Just like you did with AO. You’re entitled to your opinion. I just happen to disagree.
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Here is the big concern or risk concerning him. You pick it up and the Achilles is a real problem for him or he gets injured. Which seems like a high probability with him. That 11 mil is sitting on your cap as fully guaranteed money. His play doesn’t reflect that type of risk for me.
Achilles are a fickle injury. Many players try to come back from them and show flashes but ultimately retire a year or two down the road due to recurring issues.
I personally think the right course of action is to say no. If he beats the odds, improves as a player and becomes a FA next year. That’s a risk I am willing to take.
I’d rather do that than the alternative.
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Did they change the rule since Ebron?
“The Lions picked up the fifth-year option on Ebron’s contract after the season, a one-year deal that would have become guaranteed at 4 p.m. on Wednesday. The team reportedly continued to field offers throughout the week, but never found a taker. Now he’ll have an opportunity to explore free agency a year early, and should draw serious interest given his skill set and age.”
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Yes it changed in the 2022 CBA.
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Agree with this, voted no.
DB, DT two biggest area’s of need this offseason on the D side of the ball for me.
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I pointed to the fact that the option is just a small incremental raise above what he’s going to make in 2023. I’m not sure why that’s such a big deal. I think bringing him back on the option is smart business and is a completely different calculation than giving him a large extension to his contract.
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Well that explains it, thanks
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I think that is a good read for everyone who is curious. Below I have attached a visual representation from our good buddies at overthecap.com that shows the 2020 draft class and where they stand with their 5th year options. You can see how drastic of a change it is between some position groups. But its also notable how quickly a guys 5th year option can escalate based on reaching playing time and pro bowl incentives. Okudah is due the bare minimum BECAUSE he has struggled and missed time. His option could be over $18M with some more playing time and a couple of PB votes. So as weird as it sounds, you kind of want to root for our rivals to have their 1st round rookies get bogus votes into the pro bowl because it increases the 5th year option cost by so much.
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Think of it this way.
The Lions exercise the option.
Draft a CB, or two. Sign a CB and Okudah can’t beat them out for a starting spot. Your now paying him 11 mil to ride the pine.
Or
The Lions draft a CB round one this year. Highly likely.
Okudah gets benched again for poor play and Jacobs takes his spot. You’re now paying him 11 mil to ride the pine and have him on the books through 2024.
Or
Okudah struggles with more injuries (highly likely). You have his contract on your books through the 2024 season.
Or
You don’t exercise the option and if any of the above happens you can easily move on after 2023.
Or you don’t exercise the option and he tears it up. You can still sign or tag him if you feel he is worth it.
The risks don’t outweigh the benefits in my opinion.
Ask yourself this question. Is he more likely or less likely to live up to the contract?
If your answer is more likely.
So far he hasn’t lived up to his contract in 3 seasons. What makes you think he will?
I’d say that’s wishful thinking.
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I think the Lions should draft 2 corners and trade Okudah
What’s wrong with that? Its only for 1 year. You get a year to bring up the draft picks and get them acclimated to the defense. Then you simply don’t resign Okudah. You have to remember that regardless of how many corners you have on the 53 man roster you are going to use all of them.
But again, there is a big difference between a 1 year option and resigning the guy to a new contract. You seem to view it like its a new contract rather than getting 1 more year of use out of a guy at the same pay rate as the year before.
He’s going to play no matter what. That’s how the CB position works.
Its a 1 year option, not a contract extension. You are trying to use language that makes it sound like we are signing him to a multiple year extension. We are not. Its a 1 year option.
If he tears it up, great. Now you have the option already exercised for the following season rather than paying MORE money to tag him. I am talking about picking up an $11M option, YOU are talking about picking up a $20M+ tag. That doesn’t make sense.
So why would you tag him or sign him to an extension if he “tears it up?” The 5th year option is a freebie as far as I am concerned.
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IMO I do not believe that the Lions should pick up the 5th year option at this time. While unlike some I still believe that Okudah can become a CB1 all that he has shown is at best a CB 2. Which I believe that Jacobs has already shown that he can fill.
Now if the Lions do as many of us believe and take an outside CB in Rd 1, then the current setup allows a season for the rookie to get up to speed without being forced to play an extended amount of time this season. I am a firm believer that CB and QB are the two positions that you really do not want to start as a rookie, period. Now if by chance the rookie shows that he can handle the starting position, just like Sauce this last season, then that is better then the plan and great, if not then the Lions still have a couple of decent #2s that can play.
Now on the chance that Okudah does take that next step, which as I stated I believe that he still can. Then the Lions are in a great position and can look at giving him a new contract next offseason.
If he plays great that will only be 1 season that you are basing a contract extension on. If you use the option you can make him show you 2 seasons before making that decision.
Jeff Okudah vs Justin Jefferson in Week 3:
2 catches allowed
9 yards allowed
56.3 passer rating allowed
It was a great game for sure in week 3…but you can’t just post 1 game samples. In the 2nd Vikes game, Jefferson had over 220 yards and it should have been 250 because I really don’t think he stepped out of bounds on that long catch and run. Gotta look at the full season to get a better picture of his performance. Looked good early, then the injuries started popping up and was benched late in the season.