False premise, RFIP.
No one is suggesting letting AD go. That was never an option.
The choices are:
Pay him whatever he wants.
Or pay him a fair market rate for an elite DT that could be retained for up to 4 more years at bargain basement prices if there is no extension. Probably somewhere in the neighborhood of $18-20 million per for 5-6 years and $70 million guaranteed. I suspect that an offer at least that good has been on the table for weeks now.
Them are the two choices. I favor the second option. Especially since opening day is still a month away.
