11/17/24
November 28, 2012
Eagles Cut, Jaguars Claim Jason Babin: The Philadelphia Eagles cut defensive end Jason Babin and he was claimed by the Jacksonville Jaguars, who at 2-9 were second in line to grab a player off waivers. Babin has 5.5 sacks this season and 30.5 the preceding two years. Babin, 32, signed a five-year, $27.725 million contract with Philadelphia before the 2011 season. The Jaguars are on the hook for $1.69 million this year, but the $16.225 million he's owed from 2013-15 would likely be renegotiated. The Jags are last in the NFL this year with 13 team sacks.
Wrong question. What are the odds they could find that many sacks from him over the next 2.5 seasons?
I think it makes sense, given that:
1) He played very poorly this season. 2) He's 32 years old and owed a lot of money the next few years.
posted by DudeDykstra at 10:29 PM on November 28, 2012
Point taken, but they knew he was going to be 32 in 2012 when they signed the five-year deal. If you give somebody a five-year deal and his first two years have 23 sacks, what more did he need to accomplish to get to stick around for the life of the deal?
posted by rcade at 11:04 PM on November 28, 2012
ESPN suggested there are a couple promising rookies behind him on the depth chart, so that makes his down year look worse from the Eagles' perspective.
posted by yerfatma at 09:11 AM on November 29, 2012
I would have picked him up in a second. He still has something left in the tank.
posted by Debo270 at 10:00 AM on November 29, 2012
but they knew he was going to be 32 in 2012 when they signed the five-year deal
The nice part (for ownership) about long-term NFL deals is that, unless the contract is guaranteed, when a player is cut, the team owes him nothing. This is the reason for such things a signing bonuses, roster bonuses, and other ways for the player to get something up front. I don't know the terms of Babin's deal with Philadelphia, but if they had to pay him after they cut him, I doubt they'd have released him. One thing that affects the Eagles is how any up-front money has been prorated for salary cap purposes. If there were a significant amount of "dead money" on the salary cap, again, he might not have been cut.
No matter the reason for letting him go, I understand there were numerous teams that put in claims.
posted by Howard_T at 03:40 PM on November 29, 2012
I understand there were numerous teams that put in claims.
Originally reported that three did, the Jags, Bills and Washington, but apparently the team from DC did not.
posted by yerfatma at 11:32 AM on November 30, 2012
I don't get how the Eagles could cut a guy they loved before the 2011 season who went on to register 36 sacks in 2.5 seasons. What are the odds they can find that many sacks from his replacement?