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RockRam
Of course the Rams covet AD. So do I. But not for any amount of money he chooses at the time he chooses.
The NFL is the ultimate team sport. You need the other 52 guys and you can't auction them off simply to satisfy one player.
Calling refusing to play while not being paid "leverage" is a misuse of the word. It is basically only a way to express not being happy. The Rams have complete control over who AD plays for, for this next and the next 2. Period. No matter how unhappy he is. No matter if he holds out or not. The reality is that at some point he'll never recoup the money he will have left sitting on the table.
What good did it do AD to hold out last year? What good will it do this year? Absolutely none.
And don't forget: with Suh in fold, the cupboard is hardly bare at DT. Both playing together is going to be great. But if I'm the Rams, and Suh has another consistent and very good year, if the AD situation still looks intractable, I pay Suh and Tag Donald. Then Donald can do whatever self-destructive thing his agent talks him into.
Leverage means the exertion of force to gain something. You used the word "covet" to describe something the Rams want. Anytime someone wants something, withholding or threatening to withhold that thing is literally a dictionary definition of leverage.
Let's look at your scenario as an example. Let's say the Rams do tag AD after this season.
You're now the Rams GM, and Donald says "Trade me! I'm not playing. I'm sitting out the entire year!" What do you do? Can you afford to sign Suh on an expensive long term deal and pay another DT - who isn't playing - $15M a year?
Can you do this and realize your goal of winning a SB in the prime year of 2019 when Goff is still cheap, Talib and Peters' last years under contract, and before having to lose good players due to imminent salary increases to star players?
It's your move. What action do you take?
It even gets more complicated with Cooks' pending free agency. If AD signals that he is not willing to play under a franchise tag and will sit the whole year, do you tag him anyway and potentially let Cooks get away?
My bet is, the Rams trade him....or pay him. His holding out is an exertion of force. Thinking there is a way around that is naive.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/03/2018 10:02AM by dzrams.
