12/22/24
February 20, 2004
Washington gives Mark Brunell a seven-year deal,: clearing the way for the Jaguars to trade him to Joe Gibbs' team next month. Brunell, 33, is still a pretty good player -- but so is incumbent starter Patrick Ramsey, 25, who is presumably only getting better. Is giving Brunell an $8.6 million signing bonus and a contract that lasts until he's 40 a sign Gibbs will have trouble in the salary cap era, or is this the veteran QB the team needs?
This deal clearly means that Ramsey is on the way out. You don't offer that much money to an experienced quarterback unless he's the no-doubt-about-it starter. I think the Indigenous Persons got a good deal here, and I wonder if us Jags fans will be rueing the speedy way that Jack Del Rio handed the franchise to Byron Leftiwch. When you read how well Brunell and Gibbs have gotten along, I think it's worth mentioning that Brunell took Gibbs to the hospital upon their first meeting. (That hospital, coincidentally, is practically within sight of my house -- two of my kids were born there.)
posted by rcade at 10:43 AM on February 20, 2004
As evidenced by Mark Rypien Gibbs really doesn't need a star at QB to win. I can't emphasize this enough ... nothing is more amazing than Gibbs winning a Super Bowl with Mark Rypien. You really had to be there in the early years to appreciate just how awful Rypien really was. Rypien used to drop back and gun the ball into the ground 10 feet in front of his receiver. No exaggeration. He threw more balls into the ground than Randall Cunningham, made more bad decisions than Kordell Stewart, was more awkward and clumsy in the pocket than Kerry Collins. The guy couldn't have been 3rd string on any other NFL team and Gibbs made him the Super Bowl MVP. Plain shocking.
posted by Mike McD at 10:52 AM on February 20, 2004
not much of a cap hit as the contract passes year 3 or 4 Is Brunell going to be quarterbacks coach at that point? Because he's already looking old. I don't think the Jags will be upset Byron Leftwich is in charge within a year or two.
posted by yerfatma at 11:02 AM on February 20, 2004
This smells more of The Danny than Saint Joe. I think it is a bad idea for this team to have a QB controversy. From what I have read (and I am a local) the team likes Ramsey. Also from what I have read Ramsey is not happy with this move, and I don't think that this will motivate him one iota. He knows a team doesn't pay that sort of money to even a possible backup. Meet the new boss, same as the old boss. O/T: I wonder if Saint Joe will ask The Danny if he can add a The Passion sticker to the Indiginous People's helmets, like he did with Bobby LaBonte's #18 ;)
posted by scully at 11:42 AM on February 20, 2004
Gibbs loves them QB's from the state of Washington. As well he should, cause they're awesome. Go Brunell!
posted by vito90 at 02:34 PM on February 20, 2004
Contract details (and details on how pissed Ramsey is) are available in this piece by Len Pasquarelli.
posted by jeffmshaw at 08:41 PM on February 21, 2004
Ramsey literally kills himself for you last year and this is the payback he gets? What's the upside of Brunell over Ramsey? Unless the 'Skins upgrade their offensive line Brunell won't even make it out of preseason, let alone as long as Ramsey did last year (what, like 3/4 of the season). I liked the bits in jeffmshaws link about Ramsey's agent having the leverage points. Hope he hardballs them at every turn.
posted by pivo at 10:50 PM on February 21, 2004
This is not a seven year deal. It's set up in such a way that Brunell gets money up front and he can be cut with not much of a cap hit as the contract passes year 3 or 4. This works for the team and the player. Essentially, it works the same way as every other contract the Redskins have signed in the last few years. Year in and year out fans (mostly from other teams) say that the Skins will be in cap hell based on the signings and yet they never are. Why? Well, because they know the cap and they are crafty with it. I would suggest this has nothing to do with Gibbs managing in a cap era because it's business as usual in DC. As for the signing itself, I'm neither thrilled nor bummed. I'm a huge fan of Ramsey's, but this will only tick me off if it means he's on the way out. More likely, the Skins see a need for someone to challenge him at the position and know that having two QBs is a good idea. Plus, Gibbs tends to favor veteran quarterbacks so it allows him that option.