The NFLPA processed June 1 transactions today and the Lions saved only $6.3M (instead of his entire base salary of $10.5M). So it appears that maybe a settlement was reached (or an arbitrator made his ruling) and the Lions were charged $4.2M for guarantees for Sutton.
This agrees with OTC as they too have another charge of $4.2M for Sutton. Not sure if Jason will write up something on this or not.
Current cap space $34.6M and we’ll need about $12M for in-season and PS. Plenty to do extensions or acquire someone at trade deadline, if needed.
This is one of those areas that the NFL and players union need to really get on the same page.
I think that the Lions should be 100% free of any hit to their cap on this issue. That way the NFL is giving teams incentives to be vigilant in these types of cases and take swift action.
Now as far as the money or settlement. I am also fine with him getting some or even all of his contract. That is a separate part of this discussion.
But you have to send the message to the teams that they are encourage to police their own and not “let things play out”. Send a message that bad behavior has serious and immediate consequences.
Now if it turns out that it is all BS then teams and players should have avenues back into the league or get that salary.
I think the Lions being able to recover some of the money…but not all of it…is a fair outcome. I do not believe that being heavy handed is the right path. You aren’t really sending a message as much as giving teams excuses to get out of bad contracts. Even if it means putting a PI to follow a guy around (like with DeShaun Watson) or setting someone up.
I think it’s a bad idea to have employers as both arbiters and punishers of employees based on accusations and suppositions with no due process myself, why would you think an organization whose mission is to protect the interests of players would go along with such a scheme?
This is probably why the Steelers waited so long to sign Sutton and why they signed him for the vet minimum. The $4.2M might be subject to offsets, meaning we may get a credit during year end reconciliations for any salary earned this year.
Although Sutton wasn’t worth what Holmes paid him, he’s worth much more than the league minimum.
No. No you don’t. That is what presses WRONGFUL actions like with Punter Matt Azaria. What you would be doing is setting the precedence that if something SOUNDS bad, immediately assume it’s true and act on it. Which of course is not only legally wrong, but morally wrong headed as well. Every case is different, but presuming innocence is better than presuming guilt. Especially in todays social media society and believing all woman that you shoudn’t be believing.
Sutton’s case was a very bad look (especially his refusal to turn himself in immediately), Goff, ARSB, Hutch or Sewell would not have been immediately released.
If the Lions were invested in retaining Sutton they could have immediately suspended him or asked the commissioner to place him on the commissioner’s list until some further details emerged.
I think the team was outraged by the accusation and his response, attempting to protect Sheila and the Ford’s, while also seeing an opportunity to get out of the contract.
I too like this half measure. This sordid episode was more complex than it initially seemed. Way beyond what is fair and right–as a model human, I want to emphasize, way beyond what is fair and right–2 good things happened for the Lions:
They largely got out of a bad contract, considering their new defensive focus and Sutton’s strengths as a player.
The locker room was always going to extract lessons for themselves about player treatment by management. This episode had the potential to weaken some of our glue. I think this resolution will sit well with the team.
Why does it feel like Ward Cleaver is guiding our team? Or Mister Rogers for you young guys…
How exactly and who
Would give Sutton $20m he lost based on accusations before anything played out ?
It’s a tricky line when athletes have also been known to be targeted and many many many everyday people have had a crazy situation go south
That wasn’t always indicative of their best selves
Nor that I’m defending Sutton but if teams act quickly
What about due process ?
What of standing and helping an individual you’ve invested in vs condoning it or turning blind eye ?
This discussion was somewhat broached in giving Patricia the benefit back in the day as in due process and allegations , including dismissed or settled ones.
Given circumstance
And I suspect Sutton played through some foot injury where we saw his play dip
And he might’ve been distracted by the personal situation that had been playing out behind the scenes
Just because you brought up the punter
And then also mention
“Morally wrong headed”
If that’s part of your reasoning
One could you lack of morals - morally wrongheaded - to describe the punter’s decision making too that put him in that situation
Legally I get it
But if you do the "morally wrongheaded " angle than it does seem to also point back to the punter being judged for his morals
That behavior wasn’t everybody’s morals and still could be a reasonable red flag when considering if you want to pay him a million plus to be a pro kicker
Agree nfl players can be targets too which means they need to be even smarter in these situations with so much at stake.
Suttons goose was cooked when the warrant was put out and he did not turn himself in as far as the Lions and the NFL were concerned. He lost most of his leverage and any defense of “let it play out”.
He is not just an average Joe. He also is an entertainer and when this stuff happens it hurts his brand and the NFLs brand.
Maybe and just maybe he should have not launched her out the window…or strangled her…or whatever he did to her. But for sure after she woke up she suddenly realized that even if he was guilty that things were better if he had a job. He will get little sympathy from me. He for sure laid his hands on her. And then took off and then avoided the police or answering the charges until he convinced her that her life was better if he was not put in jail.
I mean I actually do not care much on how it works out for him. He created the situation and then wants absolution. All of this was created by him and him alone. Everyone can split hairs all they want. But there seems to be little doubt he injured her.
Azaria admitted to having sex at a party with a highly intoxicated 17 year old (even though she said she was 18). Rape is always a he said, she said, nearly impossible to prove. Many people would get fired if their employer found out they had sex with an underage girl (as they should). The Bills did their investigation and handled it. Nothing wrong with the way they handled it.
You seem to think I’m defending him but your laying out a process to handle any situation quickly without due process
That would apply to other players not just Sutton
And saying every arrest is legit , every accusation a fact.
Add at the end of the day
Sutton is back in the NFL
So the question could be asked
Is Sutton better than the Lions worst corner ? Because the league didn’t punish him yet but lions fired him
And are paying him and paying somebody else to play
Even looking at Buggs recent allegations and story time line …
What if he is being harassed ? What if the dogs were his ex’s and she left the dogs there?
I don’t mean to sound like I’m defending bad behavior but it’s more of a discussion on due process and shady business too. As mentioned
Could a team use that type of strategy just to get out of a bad contract ?
That Raiders corner back who got accusations while being drafted …
One could ask
Is he worth the investment when his decisions put him in that position ?
Meanwhile a guy like Joe Mixon as far as I know hasn’t had any additional issues.
I am definitely not defending any poor behavior and was speaking more to the question of philosophy and rights of an employee.
Even as u mention these specific examples
I don’t mean to be discussing them more as examples of things the league and players union have faced.
Key point left out was that she accused HIM of “leading her upstairs” and into the rape ambush. That was proven to be materially false. Charges were dropped. Consentual sex with a girl (when in college) who states she is 18 is what actually happened. But that wasn’t why Buffalo dumped him. They dumped him based on the ALLEGATION that he led a 17 year old girl into a brutal gang rape. That… did not happen. I feel for the girl, but again yet another lying girl that got a guy who did something slightly creepy as a college student (banging a willing 18 year old) fired and defamed.
