The number of reasons to give Manny Lawson an extension are quite numerous and I stand behind his request for a new contract.
Let’s quickly review Lawson’s history with the club.
- After losing DE/WOLB Carter and SOLB Peterson in free agency, the team trades up a week before the draft to have a shot at a starting OLB. Lawson is what we got. A two-year OLB in college who payed down DE his senior year. Immediately his DE experience had everyone expecting him to be a pass rusher first and OLB second. Also compare him to the ‘elite class’ of 2006. Sims has only 2.5 sacks and 1 INT in his career. Greenway was good in ‘08 with 5.5 sacks and 3 FF. But he has no sacks any other year and 3 FF, 5 INTs in the other 2 healthy years. Hardly standout above Lawson. Carpenter has washed out of DAL and CLE’s Wimbley had a great rookie year but has not been standout since.
- His rookie season, he is pushed into extensive time. Has issues with stamina on the field and lack of power in his OLB role but he shows great flashes of coverage skills.
- Shows up even better in coverage and after adding lots of upper body power for 2007. Starts great and then tears his ACL in a week 4 practice session. As a result, TEs tear us apart the next few weeks. Especially as LB Navies in attacked in coverage and OLB Haralson has to work hard to develop and later take over the role left behind.
- In 2008, he comes off his ACL. Plays 14 games nad has a rather pedestrian year. No high tackles, 1 FF, and 3 sacks.
- In t2009 has a career year. Despite limited playing time at points, led team with 6.5 sacks and 4 FF. Along the way, showed vastly improved ability in run stopping and controlling the edge.
The fact is Manny is due to make under 700k for his experience and effort. He is the best coverage OLB we have. He has better run stopping skills than Haralson and sets the edge very well. He showed he has regain enough burst and playmaking in 2009.
The counter-argument is that he has had only 1 good season but in all fairness, he did suffer a virtually impossible injury. Even Jerry Rice suffered a busted ACL. That said, he is our best all-around weapon at OLB. He can add sacks, cover, and run stop. Plus, what are our other options? Sure, maybe Brooks has that 9+ sack ability and Haralson has shown it himself. Even if the other two improve and turn into starters over Lawson two things hold true. One is that he’s still a versatile and capable 2nd stringer and the other is that he is really useful. He can be a nickel LB for us and a capable starter.
I say we bump the man up with 4 new seasons on top of the next one. Start with a new salary. A new signing bonus and loaded with escalator and bonus clauses. If he continues to start, he gets a bump or two of 1M to 2M per remaining season. If he gets sacks and/or turnovers, he can net up to an extra 1M per season. So if he returns and flames out and never has more than 4 sacks and 2 FFs and 2 INTs in a season as a backup, he won’t be overpaid and had his shot. If he improves vastly in the next 2 years, he can expect improved compensation and can even complain after 2 seasons for a bigger, more guaranteed, higher salaried deal. Win-win and we keep depth at worst.
—————————————————————————————
More Articles in the upcoming weeks leading up to camp, keep an eye out for material.
July 2nd, 2010 at 6:42 pm
I am with you solidly on this one, and can not for the life of me understand some of the negativity that exists towards Manny. Nice breakdown of the other linebackers in his class for the
whammy-bar Madden crowd. I believe that Manny has the heart of a champion, and as such should be respected by the organization- even if it is only in a secondary role. Incentive laden
ladders can insure fairness to all. I hope he thrives, and remains a niner.
July 2nd, 2010 at 11:56 pm
Good point, Wiz. At 700k this year, he will be underpaid. I haven’t heard anything (perhaps you have), but is he looking for a sensible extension, or looking to break the bank, so to speak?
July 5th, 2010 at 3:55 pm
If Manny is looking to break the bank then he needs a new agent. He has had one ‘very good’ year out of 4 in the league this far. He did nothing to warrant that type of money his first 3 years and last year, he barely reached that level. Plainly put, he lacks the history. Even if he had a pro bowl year by adding maybe 2 TD returns and 2 more INTs and maybe 2 more sacks as well, he couldn’t sell it.
We extended Haralson before last season, just spent top cash on Willis, may need a big upgrade on Brooks’ deal and that much money in short time on so many LBs is a problem.
July 8th, 2010 at 6:32 pm
My only concern with keeping Manny is the money, since we have some other notable players (especially VD) that need to be re-signed. Hopefully Manny and his agent will be reasonable.
July 13th, 2010 at 8:38 am
People keep mentioning that but I remind them of one thing. Consider how much money we will be CLEARING in the short-term. Clements will clear 6M+ when he’s cut after this season. We could be swapping a multi-million dollar SS in Lewis for 2nd round rookie Mays by season’s end. Spikes could be in his last year and is a lot more expensive than his backups…combined. Plus, Gore’s ‘new’ deal will going into year 5 in 2011-2012 and will likely need to be redone, most likely creating some space. Plus, Davis already has high cap numbers. Remember that his rookie deal, at the time paid him an ‘average’ higher than any other TE in the game.
But there’s a solid 15M-20M in players we can EXPECT and plan to lose that will end up taking their pay and giving it to new, younger stars.