Question Mark: Coaching contracts can be structured with an out clause
Published: November 27, 2009, 12:40 am
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Q: Presumably the Bills are going to have to give a new coach a five-year contract. Wouldn't the new coach ask, what happens if the ownership of the team changes hands during my tenure? Wouldn't that be an impediment to signing a new coach? — Alex Robinson, Toronto
A: I expect Bills owner Ralph C. Wilson Jr. would put a clause in the contract of the new coach stating that if the team is sold during the coach's tenure, the coach has an option to void the deal and still receive the bulk of the money due to him. He also could have a variety of other options available to him. Maybe if he wanted to stay, it would trigger a salary escalator. Or he could adjust the length of the deal.
This has been done before. When St. Louis hired Steve Spagnuolo, it included an out clause if the Rams are sold. It was a necessary arrangement, because the Rams recently had changed hands, to the heirs of former owner Georgia Rosenbloom, and the team is on the selling block.
I think an option in the contract could be written in a variety of ways that would satisfy a prospective head coach.
Q: Is the Bills' ineptness a result of an inability or unwillingness to compete financially in the modern day NFL? How big a factor is the salary cap in leveling the playing field throughout the league? — Tim Mahoney, Rochester
A: Here's the short answer: The salary cap has been an effective component in leveling the playing field. Every team in the league has made the playoffs this decade except for Buffalo, Houston and Detroit. Pittsburgh, a modest spending team, has won two Super Bowls in the past four years. New England is one of the richest teams in the league but also is a modest spender. The Pats have three Super Bowl wins this decade.
The Bills rank 25th in overall spending this season, according to News figures based on overall contracts for all the players on the roster. A bigger budget would help. The Bills, historically, are on the lower end of coaching salaries. However, Dick Jauron was in the middle of the pack with his latest deal.
The Bills are budget conscious about giving signing bonuses and adding reinforcements during the season. Nevertheless, the biggest reason the Bills haven't made the playoffs is poor management decisions, poor spending decisions and the inability to find a quarterback.
Q: Can you tell me what is up with Aaron Maybin? With all the injuries this year, it makes no sense to play a safety at linebacker instead of Maybin. Although he was drafted as a defensive end, he has more size characteristics of a linebacker. Why not see what the kid can do besides standing on the sidelines all year or getting in on only a couple of plays per game. — Greg Mazikowski, Clarence
A: I agree, the Bills should play him more. But he's not a linebacker, at least not this season. He never has dropped in coverage. The only benefit of playing him at linebacker would be if they were willing to drop him in coverage once in awhile, because that way the offense would not be sure if he was rushing or not. Getting him comfortable dropping in coverage is probably a lengthy offseason project. He missed most of training camp, so that probably eliminated any chance of using him that way. Nevertheless, he's big enough to play DE in this scheme. He's bigger than Indianapolis' Robert Mathis. So let him play.
Bills beat reporter Mark Gaughan answers your football questions every Friday, online and in the paper. Send your e-mails to mgaughan@buffnews.com, or join his live chat at 11 a.m. on the BillBoard blog.
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