Seattle signs Jon Ryan for six years.

[swede]

Glad someone got the exact numbers. You people do realize the almighty american dollar hasn't been fairing well for awhile, right?

We'll get that fixed.

[Fritz]

A little perspective on Ryan's contract, which is long, but not real large in dollar value:

I suspect Ryan has benefited somewhat from the "Lechler effect". Lechler's contract with Oakland is for four years and is reported to have $16 million in base salary and another $3 million in incentives, with $9 million guaranteed. This should increase the perceived value of punters, who, except for a few, were often not paid much more than minimum salaries.

Under the existing CBA minimum veteran salary schedule, Ryan would have been entitled to around $5 million in minimum salaries. His total contract value of $9.1 million is a nice, but not outlandish increase over the minimum that would have been due to him.

The contract appears to be minimal risk for Seattle. With just $1.6 in a signing bonus, at worst they could release Ryan at any point with minimal impact even if there is a salary cap. At best, they have could have a stable punting situation for what is an eternity in the NFL (six years).

This could be Ryan's last (and only) significant NFL contract. He will be 35 the season after it expires. He's not likely to be offered any kind of long term deal at that point.

Maybe he'll become the Louie Aguilar of the next generation...punt for a different team every year, filling in (and sucking at it, I might add). But he did keep on picking up a paycheck long after he was anything more than a guy who couldn't kick furshitzen but could be counted on to at least get the punt off.

[Smidgeon]

... he's just fun to pick on since he's canadian.

I can't believe you'd pick on somebody just because they're Canadian.

Did they pay him in Canadian dollars? That would save the club $280,000 US$...

1 USD = 1.03303CD

Glad someone got the exact numbers. You people do realize the almighty american dollar hasn't been fairing well for awhile, right?

Looks like the American dollar is getting stronger. When I checked it was 1 USD = 1.025246 or something like that.

[Smidgeon]

A little perspective on Ryan's contract, which is long, but not real large in dollar value:

I suspect Ryan has benefited somewhat from the "Lechler effect". Lechler's contract with Oakland is for four years and is reported to have $16 million in base salary and another $3 million in incentives, with $9 million guaranteed. This should increase the perceived value of punters, who, except for a few, were often not paid much more than minimum salaries.

Under the existing CBA minimum veteran salary schedule, Ryan would have been entitled to around $5 million in minimum salaries. His total contract value of $9.1 million is a nice, but not outlandish increase over the minimum that would have been due to him.

The contract appears to be minimal risk for Seattle. With just $1.6 in a signing bonus, at worst they could release Ryan at any point with minimal impact even if there is a salary cap. At best, they have could have a stable punting situation for what is an eternity in the NFL (six years).

This could be Ryan's last (and only) significant NFL contract. He will be 35 the season after it expires. He's not likely to be offered any kind of long term deal at that point.

Maybe he'll become the Louie Aguilar of the next generation...punt for a different team every year, filling in (and sucking at it, I might add). But he did keep on picking up a paycheck long after he was anything more than a guy who couldn't kick furshitzen but could be counted on to at least get the punt off.

Yeah, but can you count on Ryan to get the punt off? I seem to remember a cold, windy day in Chicago where he couldn't buy a clean punt even if he threw his new $1.6 at it.