Tolling Teddy

[Guest]

@MaroonBells said:
I wish I knew. It has to be decided, challenged and resolved by March 14th or it will have a huge impact on both the Minnesota Vikings and Teddy Bridgewater. 

That’s why I don’t see it ever getting that far.  There’s no way that the league rules on the
matter and it gets settled in court in time. 
The only way I see it happening is if we pick a different QB and try to
force Teddy to be the backup for cheap with the expectations that he’ll be 100%
gone in 2019.


Letting the process play out just opens both parties to the
risk of not getting what they wanted in a pretty big way, because teams need to
commit to QBs and good QBs need to find teams before those positions get
filled.  I can’t imagine the wrath that
Spielman would feel if he was counting on tolling Bridgewater as our starter,
all the FA QBs went elsewhere thinking we’re set with Bridgewater, only to find
out that Bridgewater is indeed a free agent who now is biased against the
Vikings and we rolled into the season left with only Sloter and an uninspiring veteran backup.

[Guest]

@medaille said:

@MaroonBells said:
I wish I knew. It has to be decided, challenged and resolved by March 14th or it will have a huge impact on both the Minnesota Vikings and Teddy Bridgewater. 

That’s why I don’t see it ever getting that far.  There’s no way that the league rules on the
matter and it gets settled in court in time. 
The only way I see it happening is if we pick a different QB and try to
force Teddy to be the backup for cheap with the expectations that he’ll be 100%
gone in 2019.


Letting the process play out just opens both parties to the
risk of not getting what they wanted in a pretty big way, because teams need to
commit to QBs and good QBs need to find teams before those positions get
filled.  I can’t imagine the wrath that
Spielman would feel if he was counting on tolling Bridgewater as our starter,
all the FA QBs went elsewhere thinking we’re set with Bridgewater, only to find
out that Bridgewater is indeed a free agent who now is biased against the
Vikings and we rolled into the season left with only Sloter and an uninspiring veteran backup.

this exactly,  if hes their guy... make sure he knows.  if he isnt really their guy,  let him know by cutting the cord.   sure we could let him play out the process which will likely get ugly and then what do we gain even if we win?  1 more year of a cheap Teddy who is pissed at the organization.  no thanks.

[Guest]

I am under the impression that whether or not the contract tolls is not up to the Vikings, but that it is automatic from the league according to the language.  Therefore, the Vikings need to know if Bridgewater is being tolled before they can offer any contact. 

If the contract tolls, I would assume it is fully guaranteed like a rookie contract, the Vikings would have to offer an extension.  Therefore, if the Vikings just go for a new contract, it may not be legal under the CBA (ignoring a guaranteed contract). If the contract does not toll, it would have be a new contract.

No matter what, the Vikings need to know if the contract tolls in order to offer a legal contract under the terms of the CBA.  

[Guest]

If they are letting it go towards the toll route, I think some combination of these are in effect:

1. Vikings have not seen enough of his knee/health to feel comfortable he won't just crumple after a few big hits. Speilman might have taken some heat internally for the $6.8M paid to Sharrif Floyd last year and not want to get more if Bridgewater gets reinjured.
2. Bridgewater isn't interested in one of these 1-2 year modest pay contracts with a lot of team-friendly escape clauses regarding his health, which many people here are suggesting.
3. Bridgewater thinks he should be THE starting QB, not here to backup Keenum or Bradford.

If the Vikings can toll his contract they can look at his health for another year, and force him to compete for starter or backup, with very little money.
People say Bridgewater will be pissed at the team. Well, the Vikings will have a year to cheer him up. If he wins the starting QB job and has a great 2018 season, Spielman will be offering a contract extension by December and everyone will be lauding Teddy. If he is still mad this time next year and won't sign, but has proven he is a great starter, then franchise him. Even if we franchised him 2 years running like the Redskins did to Cousins because Teddy carried a hateful multi-year grudge, we get a starting QB for 3 years (2018-20) at less average cost because 2018 was cheap. OTOH, if he reinjures his knee or doesn't perform well and ends up 3rd-string...who cares if he's pissed?

[Guest]

seems to me all this shit should have been settled before now.  Both the Vikings and team Teddy should have had an explanation and been ready to roll if the season played out this way.

[Guest]

@JimmyinSD said:
seems to me all this shit should have been settled before now.  Both the Vikings and team Teddy should have had an explanation and been ready to roll if the season played out this way.

I can't believe this isn't the case.  It seems like this should have been investigated and settled long ago after Teddy was placed on the PUP.  I can't imagine the NFL would let this issue linger into the offseason and this close to free agency.  Maybe both the team and Teddy already know the answer to the tolling issue but aren't addressing it until they have to.  Or maybe one of them is appealing the decision?  

Could be why Teddy seemed to act a little more distant towards the end of the season?

[Guest]

@SFVikingFan said:

@JimmyinSD said:
seems to me all this shit should have been settled before now.  Both the Vikings and team Teddy should have had an explanation and been ready to roll if the season played out this way.

I can't believe this isn't the case.  It seems like this should have been investigated and settled long ago after Teddy was placed on the PUP.  I can't imagine the NFL would let this issue linger into the offseason and this close to free agency.  Maybe both the team and Teddy already know the answer to the tolling issue but aren't addressing it until they have to.  Or maybe one of them is appealing the decision?  

Could be why Teddy seemed to act a little more distant towards the end of the season?

I must have misunderstood this situation earlier this year.  a guy that knows made a comment that this wasnt going to be an issue either for Teddy or even that the team would consider the toll,  like it was a team option thing.  of coure with legal shit its rarely cut and dry and is often open to many interpretations.

as far as Teddy being distant, I am sure he was disappointed that he didnt get a chance to show what he could do,  but I would bet that the reason he was making himself scarce in the post game situations was once again him not wanting to give the media a chance to make him the story when he really wasnt part of it.