Denver signs tender w/David Anderson [Texans Match Offer]
 

Heard a report on the radio that Denver offered a tender to WR David Anderson. I don't have any pertinent details, and I can't find anything official on the InterWebs yet, but the report indicated it was in the neighborhood of a ~$1.5M bonus + the contract (I didn't catch any details on that). The Texans would get Denver's 7th round pick if the they decide not to match.

Found this link from National Football Post:
http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/...ing-to-denver/

well, I like David, and he is/was our fourth receiver. Smart player. I hope if he goes we can get more than 7th for him.

Mark Berman from FOX26 said it was a three-year deal Anderson signed.

As I posted in the other RFA thread, I would have tendered him with the 2nd rounder. It doesn't sound like this is a crazy offer, but with Andre Johnson and Andre Davis already paid well, plus Kevin Walter due a WR2 contract after this season, I'm not sure what sort of salary slot the Texans have in mind for Anderson.

more details from the chron:

Surprising? Uhhhhh.... no. I'd match and slap Rick Smith on the wrist. Anderson's cap value this year has to be under $1 million still, so even as a WR4, this isn't a cap killer.

ETA - The Texans were committing $1.01 million in cash anyway to Anderson this year. That matches the signing bonus. I would guess the first year salary would be around the vet minimum or so, meaning the cash to keep Anderson in 2009 would be roughly the same as it would have been had he received the 2nd round tender. Seems like a no-brainer to me to match this, but then again, I would have never put the team in this position to begin with, so who knows what will happen here.

well, Denver has been pretty active today, but not really impressive gets it seems. I guess I'd match this 4.5 offer, but its close. Good for David though.

Can these RFA offers contain poison pills? I wonder if there's something hidden in the offer that would prevent us from matching? Honestly though, I'm not as worried as some about losing DA. I really don't think he brought anything to the table that AD/JJ/OD/Dressen or a decent FA/draft pick couldn't take up the slack on. DA was good at finding an open slot in the 5~10yd. range, but he was never a deep threat or a threat to break a big play.

Theoretically, yes. But usually the poison pill is to front-load the cap figure to make it harder for a cap-laden team to match. The Texans have ample cap room, so I doubt there is anything fishy here.

I can understand the casual attitude from some thinking it's okay to let Anderson go (I'm guessing he would probably relish a return to Colorado).

It's probably something the Bengals felt when the Texans signed Kevin Walter to an offer sheet for a 7th rounder. Nothing too exhorbitant in the offer, no poison pill, just more than the Bengals wanted to pay since they felt they had a deep WR corps, what with T.J. Whosyourmama, OchoCinco, and Chris Henry. Fast foward to 2009... think the Bengals would like Walter back?

Walter had 19-211-1 (11.1 avg) for a statline in 2005. Anderson in 2008 had 19-241-2 (12.7 avg). They look different in person, but otherwise the comparison is eerily similar.

Um, If we don't match, we lose the string dance forever, and that would be damn shame. Sure didn't take long for someone to pounce on him, did it? Looks like we got vonta leach'd again.

I was thinking a poision pill like; "If player XYZ plays X amount of games in Texas the player gets an extra $$$ in bonus or contract money". Something corny like that.

As for losing DA, I find it hard to compare him and Walters. Walters is much more explosive and has/had much higher upside potential. I can see some comparions of DA to Wes Welker or Brandon Stokley, but I don't think DA will ever reach their productivity. Sorry, I just don't see it happening. If Andre D can stay healthy, I think he's much more dangerous in the slot than DA was. I'd take Angry Dre, Davis and Walters over Dre, DA and Walters.

Don't get me wrong, I'd like him to be here. It's just that I don't see it as that big of a deal if he goes. Even if he does well, I don't think I'd ever think back and say "damn we should have kept him".

Anderson played at Colorado St. so he may just want to go home.

I read where the Broncos were also pursuing Jabar Gaffney. The New England OC they hired for head coach apparently loves Welkeresque receivers.

I hope we match. I think that Kubes likes DA. I am also hoping that the low tender was a wish in the well that no other teams were catching on to what we have potentialy in our #3-4 reciever.

I have this odd feeling that DA is one of the "guys" in the locker room that gives this team a odd ball feeling to it, personality wise. It has also been reported that his work ethic and dedication is huge. Losing a guy that is as versital as he is with the ability to produce with the chances he has been given could be a bad thing.

So just because someone quickly signed him to an offer sheet means he's destined to be a star?

Not so sure I would match the offer. Like Bob said the kid may just be trying to go home. And because I have my eye on this kid, Johnny Knox

http://www.inthebullseye.com/archive/2009/20090227.html

I'd prefer to keep Anderson, eschew the 7th rounder, and use my other picks to continue to address the needs on defense and running back.

I'm with popanot on this one. If the Texans match, fine. If they don't, not a big deal. Maybe use that 7th rounder on a future punter..... Turk ain't gonna last forever...I'd rather see AD or JJ get more reps, anyway. Although DA did an admirable job while he was on the field, he's just not going to run away from anybody....

whoops. Guess that's what happens when you try to slip one by. I'd be mildly surprised to see us match even though I like Anderson.

Im happy for the guy. He had to work his ass off to get this far. He deserves this. No matter where he plays I wish him well and hope he plays great.*



*Unless he is playing against us.

I dunno but perhaps that just tells us they don't really value him that much ? We'll soon see.
A downside it would seem is that its now not as easy to deal Jacobey ?

We did talk to alot of WR's/returners at the combine.

I look on this as perhaps one last reprieve for JJ to pick up his game and hold on to the damn ball.

That's not what I'm saying at all. Just that we tried to slip a guy by with a low tender, and then he went and signed an offer sheet with another team. That's all, even though it's not quite the same, because we ended up having to give vonta a significant raise, whereas matching the broncos offer will put his 09 cap figure at just about what it would be if we'd given him the second round tender. I do think DA's gonna have himself a nice little career, though. Not great by any means, but he's an NFL caliber receiver, for sure. That and i'm sure gonna miss the string dance.

I would match it without a second thought. I was with Keith in not understanding why they didn't place a second round tender on him for 500k more. I think you guys are underestimating what DA does for this team. It's not catastrophic if he leaves, but most teams in this league have trouble finding two solid WR's they are happy with. We've got three and I see no reason to lose that for basically peanuts.

17 catches and very little help on special teams doesn't seem difficult to replace. He was a nice player but I'd rather have the extra 7th round pick at that price. LZ commented on his inability to separate from man coverage which is just indicative of his physical limitations. His possible departure reminds me of Billy Miller. Both guys made some plays and got the most out of their abilities and were also fan favorites. However, in both cases, their physical limitations were too great and the roster could be strengthened (potentially) by replacing them.

I'm not saying they aren't plenty of guys who could upgrade David Anderson, but your comparing the small chance most seventh round picks have of making a team vs. a guy who you know can play the role you need of him, who is still young, and relatively cheap, with great hands.

I'm a guy who preaches about the value of draft picks...and advocates hoarding as many of them as you can, but in this case a 7th rounder is not enough, IMO, for a guy who has earned his way onto the team and shown he's capable of contributing (even if it's only a little). If it was a 5th I would probably offer to give him a ride to the airport though.

I don't call his new offer cheap? League minimum is cheap

Texans have matched.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/...t/6293740.html

I was wondering about this. Good for DA. Hard work and determination does pay off. He seems like a team guy and plays as hard as he can and I respect the hell out of that.

On a side note, he was one of the most fun players to talk to at last years season ticket holder event. He was with Dreesen and they were a riot to talk with.

I dunno but wonder just how much interest the Broncos have in DA ? Maybe Smith is holding out for something more than just a seventh round pick ?

Probably not. The Texans would have a fresh $1 million in dead money if they traded Anderson.

Thinking the Texans might match their offer, I would guess that the Broncos might have asked Smith for a trade before signing him to the offer sheet, if at all of course.

Then again, considering what the Broncos have done re: Cutler these last few days, there's no telling what's going on in Denver anymore.

As for Anderson, I stated my position early and often, so I'm happy. This is not a huge money deal. For a 4th WR (and perhaps a first choice slot receiver), this is fair, especially on an offense that likes to sling the pigskin around the yard like the Texans do.

Good for DA. It wouldn't have bothered me had the Texans not matched, but he does bring some value to the team so I'm glad he's back. No doubt, he deserves to be here more than some.

I don't think it was a wise move. If the team thought he was worth the money they should have tendered him more upfront. Another overpaid role player. Yes he is a nice guy and everyone pulls for him, but this is a bad business deal, IMO.

So you think he should have been tendered at the higher number ($1.5 million), but you think it is a bad business deal to match this offer (3 years, 4.5 million, or 1.5 per year).

I am missing your logic on this one.

Your correct i did not make any sense, $1.5M is to much for Anderson's talent level. And now he has dead money if he is cut.

Isn't the whole tender gauranteed on a RFA. So tendering him at 1.5 would have actually resulted in more gauranteed money, and more potential dead money. This deal is every bit as cap friendly as the higher tender (or maybe more so).

I think we may be seeing the last of the Denver Connection. With Papa Shanahan gone, there might not be the same good ole boy stuff happening that much. I don't believe Mike Shanahan would have done the DA offer....

Denver picked up Jabar Gaffney from New England so perhaps with the DA move, they were attempting to stockpile some experienced receivers for Cutler...

I don't think the RFA tender is guaranteed. The franchise tag becomes guaranteed once signed by the player, but unless I am too sleepy to remember, the RFA (and ERFA) tenders are not guaranteed when signed. There's also no signing bonus on the RFA tenders, so dead money there is not an issue.

Tossing aside the guarantee issue... Anderson's cap value will probably be less in 2009 under a 3-yr contract than as a RFA. With a $1 million signing bonus split into thirds, his bonus would then be $333k. Add that to whatever 2009 base salary he negotiated with the Broncos (probably the min for a player with 3 credited seasons, $535k), and the '09 cap figure for Anderson is maybe around $868k, a few hundred thousand less than with the tender.

So the threat of dead money... Anderson seems to be a virtual lock to make the team in 2009. In 2010, there may or may not be a cap, so I'm not sure dead money is an issue if there isn't. Assuming 2010 is played under the same cap rules as any normal capped year, then yeah DA could have as much as $667k in dead money on the 2010 cap (or half that as a June 1 cut with the other half deferred to 2011, again assuming old rules apply).

Probably overkill on the subject, especially considering this is not at all a big money deal. Take a harder look at Eugene Wilson's cap figures... now there's a dude who needs to perform and not flame out a la Will Demps.

Are you sure it's not gauranteed. If not, why wouldn't everyone tender at the high amount to make a play for draft picks and then cut the player if nobody signed them to an offer sheet.

Because the low tender is $1.05 million this year, which is almost double the vet minimum for a player with three credited seasons. Is Stanley McClover worth a one-year $1.05 million contract? No, which is why that RFA wasn't tendered and signed to the vet min.

I agree with part of this. It's obvious the Texans have DA in their plans and want him around or they wouldn't have matched. I think it was almost a given that someone would make him an offer if the risk was only a 7th round. If they would have just given him a second round tender that would have stopped any offers IMO. Now they are tied up to him for more money. The deal is not huge, and the dead money would not be a killer if we had to cut him....if there's even a cap.

I think DA is slotted to be our #3 WR this year. I' sure Davis will get a few reps, but it looks doubtful that Jacoby is even part of the plan. I don't think that this contract is outrageous for the role he is likel to fill for this team this year. I do think the Texans didn't play their hand well with the low tender.