Saints cut Veteran RB Latavius Murray

[masterfins]

For Team Owners this is another example of the business side driving their decisions, but brings up a lot of questions for me.  Background:  Latavius Murray has spent 8 years in the NFL, 4 with Oakland, 2 with Minnesota, and the last 2 with New Orleans.  He's a backup RB, and made $7.6 million over the last two years with NO.  He's had decent production for a #2, and was due to make $4M this year, that would put him around #15 in pay for RB's.  He made the 53 man roster, but a draft pick did pretty well in preseason, pushing him for the #2 spot.  On Tuesday at 3 pm his $4M would have been guaranteed for the season, the Saints asked him to take a pay cut (I'm not sure how much), he said no, and they cut him mere hours before the deadline.

I hate to see a player like this cut over money, but it is partly a result of the owners driving down the salaries of RB's over the years, and a factor of the salary cap.  However, given the current pay range for RB's he was being overpaid to be a #2 RB.  So I question what went into the player's decision to refuse a paycut?  You see this happen several times a year when players refuse a pay cut, yet objectively it would be in their financial best interest to do so.  Murray is good enough to pickup a backup role on another team, but he'll probably get a contract for about $750,000 per year, which I would guess is much less than the cut he was asked to take.

So why refuse the paycut? Is it ego? Does he think another team will pay him that much?  Did his agent tell him not to because he would lose fees?  Is it stubborness? 

Sometimes we all have to just suck it up and take jobs, or do things in our jobs, etc. that we don't want to do, but need to do to earn a paycheck.

[Dolphster]

Total speculation on my part here, but I would guess your first two scenarios are most likely.  Ego.  Professional athletes have had their asses kissed and told they are wonderful since high school (if not longer) and even the most humble of guys can't avoid having a pretty high sense of self after all that.  It is a blow to the ego to be told to take a pay cut.  Secondly, I think for that same ego reason, a lot of them think they are going to have a LOT higher market value after being cut than they usually end up having.

I'd say that you are right and that he will sign somewhere else at a pretty large sum less than what he still could have had if he accepted the pay cut in N.O.   

Just my opinion and mine is no more valuable than anyone else's on this topic. 

[EDGECRUSHER]

The player can also think that ownership is bluffing just to save some money and who wants to lose half their salary on a bluff?

As far as RB salaries go, the position is the worst in all of sports because it is the most punishing, the shortest and the easiest to replace. Only true elite RBs make a big difference and their shelf lives aren't any longer than the others. If Derrick Henry has a 3.8 YPC this year, no one will be shocked, they just break down quickly.

Pay structure can only be changed through the Players Union and they are the worst in sports. If I could fantasy book the next collective bargaining agreement(exciting!), I would have RBs be able to become free agents a year earlier than the other positions and no franchise tag. They still wouldn't get $15 Million a year, but teams wouldn't feel too bad about going 3 Years/$27 Million for the Top 10 guys.

[Spider-Dan]

Yeah, I would also go with, "He thought it was a bluff."

[ArtieChokePhin]

The Dolphins need all the RB help they can get, considering they passed up some talented ones in the draft.   I'd bring him in.

[masterfins]

The Dolphins need all the RB help they can get, considering they passed up some talented ones in the draft.   I'd bring him in.

On this tangent I'll say I think people are going to be surprised how well the Dolphins RB's do this season.  The O-line will be much improved (may take a couple games to gel), and the RB position for Miami is designed to be more of a pass catching position, which will leave defenses guessing and hopefully open up some space when they do run.

Back to the original topic, I think players need to learn to go to Spotrac website and actually look at the pay scale for their position.  Then these average players may have a better sense of what they can get paid.

[masterfins]

I also wonder whether the Saints management may be looking at this season as a start to a mini rebuild.  I mean they have Winston the interception machine at QB, so they might not care if they don't do well this season so that they can move up the draft order to get a QB next season.

[pondwater]

I also wonder whether the Saints management may be looking at this season as a start to a mini rebuild.  I mean they have Winston the interception machine at QB, so they might not care if they don't do well this season so that they can move up the draft order to get a QB next season.

A proper rebuild would have been for Payton to leave when Brees left. He's not half as good a coach as he thinks he is. Moving forward, as long as he's still there the Saints won't win another SB. If I'm wrong, remind me of this thread and I'll happily eat my crow.

[ArtieChokePhin]

Murray signed with Baltimore late yesterday.   And it's a good fit considering their starting RB and one of their Pro Bowl CB's both tore their ACL's in practice.  Very bad luck for Baltimore.

[fyo]

^ Just to add some numbers, the Baltimore deal is apparently worth $2 million, according to ESPN. They also reported that the Saints contract was $3.15 million, so he's probably getting at least as much as he would have gotten with the paycut.