Arian Foster Briefly Addresses His Contract Situation
Surely Arian Foster talked more about it than one quote in a single interview, but this is all I've been able to find so far. Via Rotoworld, The Best Running Back in the NFL talks about the possibility of a long-term contract in Houston:
"Hopefully, they can make my dream come true, because I just love the city of Houston, man. I really do."
I know, I know...that's not exactly earth-shattering or newsworthy. In these bleak February news cycles, we must take what we can get. And, frankly, I love that Arian loves the City of Houston. Here's hoping he has many more years to express that affection via his play at Reliant Stadium.
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He doesn't have nearly as much value outside of the ZBS
which limits his leverage and he knows it. I have no doubt he will be resigned.
The Houston Texans: The Ron Paul of the NFL.
I do not see him getting
CJ2.1YPC money but he should be compensated fairly well!
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I think he deserves to get his money
I just don’t think theres much threat of him hitting the market. This is the best place for him and he knows it.
The Houston Texans: The Ron Paul of the NFL.
I've Said It Before, And I'll Say It Again
I think that ship has sailed. The Texans may have been able to lock Foster up for J. Charles money prior to the 2011 season, but not now.
While I don’t think he’ll get the money they got, the Adrian Peterson and CJ2.0YPC deals changed the game.
Ecstatic that Texans fandom no longer means that April is the highlight of my season...
by Tim on Feb 3, 2012 1:53 PM CST up reply actions
Is the deal changed enough for Arian to put him out of reach for a long-term contract?
McNair implied last year that Arian would get paid if he had another big year, but that was then. Now, I wonder just what his limit is on a new contract.
"How can an idiot be a policeman? Answer me that!"
-Chief Inspector Dreyfus
It's A Fascinating Dynamic
I do, to some degree, buy the notion that Arian could give the Texans some sort of discount. He wants to get paid (and deserves to be paid, considering his production and the relatively short shelf life of his profession, which is magnified by the position he plays), but I think he does have a firm grasp of the big picture.
The issue, to me, is how much the Texans are willing to pay a RB, even one as tremendously talented as Arian Foster. While I could see them paying him more than they’d pay another RB, I find it hard to believe there’s not some line in the sand, some number at which they’ll simply say, “Sorry, that’s the highest we’ll go.”
Now, where is that line? $15 mil guaranteed? $20 mil? $25 mil? I have no idea. I just can’t see it being the $30 mil or higher in guaranteed money Peterson or Johnson got.
Ecstatic that Texans fandom no longer means that April is the highlight of my season...
by Tim on Feb 3, 2012 2:34 PM CST up reply actions
I agree with your line of thinking
and I keep wondering if the focal point of negotiations will be the length of the contract. A longer deal would make the guaranteed money much more palatable and help protect him against the shelf-life issue (especially at RB). Financial security for Arian doesn’t necessarily have to come in the number of dollars per year as much the number of years he gets those dollars.
The gamble here is whether he would be useful over a long enough period of the contract to make his cap # safe, and it’s a risk I would take when comparing his running style (and ability to avoid contact) to someone like Peterson.
A longer deal would make the guaranteed money much more palatable
Here is where I get pretty dim on NFL contracts. “Guaranteed money” does not mean what it sounds like, as I understand it. It actually refers to non-incentive salary, does it not? And that pay stops if the player is cut, right?
"How can an idiot be a policeman? Answer me that!"
-Chief Inspector Dreyfus
Guaranteed money against performance and injury is paid no matter what.
If you cut someone and they have $15MM guaranteed left on their contract, if they clear waivers, you pay them all $15MM up front is my understanding.
Ah, right. Thanks.
I forgot the “clear waivers” part.
"How can an idiot be a policeman? Answer me that!"
-Chief Inspector Dreyfus
Keep in mind there is no waiver wire during the offseason though.
You cut somebody now, they’re a free agent.
And you're off the hook for the contract salary?
"How can an idiot be a policeman? Answer me that!"
-Chief Inspector Dreyfus
Nope, you have the pay the guaranteed money
Unless they have deals like Peyton & McNabb have/had
Murphy’s 20th Military Law:
If it’s stupid, but it works, it ain’t stupid
"Fuck em all. Go Texans."
by The Night Owl on Feb 4, 2012 12:39 AM CST up reply actions
very good point.
and I tend to agree. I see far less risk in signing Foster to more years than either AP or CJ b/c of the way he runs and also b/c we have a more potent pass game than either of those two teams. With the rise of Tate and the fact that Foster excels behind our oline and the ZBS, I think that’s enough to get a slight discount on a deal, relative, to the other two aforementioned rbs.
For normal people, maybe
But Arian is no normal person. He constantly expresses himself on twitter as someone who detests “playing for money”. He hates that entire mentality. He plays because it is what he loves to do, and because it gives him a platform to change people’s lives. He will only take what money he needs to give his wife and family a good life, but going after a CJ contract is the last thing he wants. Getting that big a pay day, let alone putting his team in a bad position by doing so, is the exact opposite of Arian’s personality.
He probably doesn’t hate CJ, but he hates what he represents. For someone who spreads the kind of messages that Foster does, that is probably enough to keep him very affordable.
by SoCalTexan on Feb 3, 2012 2:18 PM CST up reply actions 7 recs
I love Arian Foster and his mannerisms just as much as the next guy
And I don’t think he’ll demand CY2YPC money. But lets not kid ourselves. He’s earned a significant pay day and he knows it. Its great to think our heroes will put the team before all else, and I think that to a certain extent he will knowing that our system fits him so blatantly well. But, with the shelf life for a RB in the NFL being so small, he’s well aware that this is his window of opportunity to make the money he deserves. I’d like to think you’re right, but I don’t.
by brightshinies on Feb 3, 2012 2:28 PM CST up reply actions 5 recs
I've read what he's said on twitter too,
And if what he’s saying is true, he will take a modest reasonable offer, rather than risk the team cap with some outrageous sum of money. If I’m wrong, than I will lose a great deal of respect for Arian (the person, not the player). He’s constantly preaching about the evils of materialism and greed; I’d like to see his spoken principles put into action.
Swat and swim, dip and rip, twist and spin; just do whacha gotta do to light up that QB.
while I totally agree
I think we have to be fair to Foster here. He’s played his way to becoming a top 5 rb in terms of compensation and I’m sure he knows this. If the Texans oblige him with a fair contract, I think that would be enough to seal the deal, even if it is less than CJ/AP money.
On a different note, is there a way to sign: Mario, Foster, and Myers long term this offseason? If so, Rick Smith would gain some serious respect from me (more so than he already has.)
I think the team has more leverage now that...
All Day got hurt and CJ sucked. It’s why I think the discussion can be there (or even a MJD/S-Jax type deal).
"Lord, beer me strength."
A crazier thought....
Does he even want to sign a long-term deal? Why not sign a 3-year deal now and then re-negotiate after the NFL has a new TV deal in place and he still has some viable years left (probably more since he seems to keep himself in good shape and avoids taking big hits like other backs).
"Lord, beer me strength."
Yeah. Can someone explain why a 5-year deal is good from Arian's point of view?
‘Cause I don’t see it. He can always be released, no matter how long his deal is.
"How can an idiot be a policeman? Answer me that!"
-Chief Inspector Dreyfus
He'll be 26 when the season starts....
Given the shelf-life of the average RB, this would be the best chance to maximize his value.
"Lord, beer me strength."
It would mean that he can get a bigger guarantee
Guarantee money is paid over the length of the contract, so, the longer the contract, the higher the guarantee amount can be without breaking the salary cap. If the Texans keep him, he gets what he signed for and no complaints. If the Texans let him go before the contract is up, he still gets his guaranteed money. In either case, he can renegotiate his contract up at any time.
If everybody was somebody, then nobody would be anybody - Gilbert and Sullivan
Yes, he can always be released, but if he performs at this level, we are forced to pay the premium and he doesn’t have to re-negotiate up.
So the variable is guaranteed money. I’d take the longest year deal with the most guaranteed money, but I’d also look at how much I’m getting for the first three seasons, since after that I’d start to worry about being cut.
TJ must throw 30 times for us to win.
Yup
and if he performs at this level, then we get what we were asking for and everyone is happy
If everybody was somebody, then nobody would be anybody - Gilbert and Sullivan
I think he would do well outside ZBS
find the hole…hit the hole….elude blockers. He is pretty darn good at all those things. I think it translates well.
Yeah, I don't buy this "system back" BS.
That kind of vision and quick cutting ability is going to work pretty much anywhere.
"How can an idiot be a policeman? Answer me that!"
-Chief Inspector Dreyfus
I don't see him in a power running scheme
He isn’t that type of runner. The ZBS fits his #1 quality, vision. He is a make guys miss runner, not a put your head down and push a pile kind of guy.
The Houston Texans: The Ron Paul of the NFL.
by DaGoaT on Feb 3, 2012 6:32 PM CST up reply actions 2 recs
Completely agreed here DaGoat.
I think people are not realizing there is a big difference b/w our stretch/zone schemes than say what Atlanta or Jax does with MJD and Turner. Foster isn’t built like them and he wouldn’t even be successful in that kind of a system if they forced him into it.
Foster seems to be very intelligent, and I think him being vocal about returning to Houston is proof that he knows he would have a far more successful career here compared to somewhere else. I just hope that Oakland doesn’t continue their habit of taking our coaches/players and target Foster to an extremely high deal forcing us to match it. Let’s sign him up quickly before we are forced to make a decision we don’t want to.
Why would Oakland target Foster?
They already have DMC. Sure, he’s not anywhere near as good as Arian, but he’s a serviceable running back that’s on the books. If they did force us to match a high deal, though, that would vault the Raiders up into Titans/Cowboys status for me.
Houston Texans: 1 Playoff Win.
Vince Young, Dunta Robinson, and Jason Babin: 0 Combined Playoff Wins.
DMC
has terrible vision imo. He’s good once he can get into open space, but he has to hit an open hole quickly and his quality is his speed, not his patience to wait for a stretch play to develop. I also don’t think he can take a hit well either.
The Houston Texans: The Ron Paul of the NFL.
That whole comment was a double entendre.
Dallas Cowboys, all hat and no cattle since 1996.
"Will it never be noon?" Duke of Orleans to the Dauphin and Constable of France every Sunday before the Texans play.
by Jonathan Fosburgh on Feb 5, 2012 3:03 PM CST up reply actions
exactly
which might lead the Raiders to put in a bid for Foster. They’re a wild card team man. The more this lingers, the more scared I get.
But I hope all this trepidation is for naught, and Smith finds a way to lock Foster up long term. He truly deserves it.
5 yr(s) / $45,000,000
Madame de Staël once said, "One must choose in life between boredom and suffering." De Staël is dead but there is always an alternative.
This is where the cool is.
4 years 30 mil, with 20 guaranteed
If everybody was somebody, then nobody would be anybody - Gilbert and Sullivan
that'll be a 7.5 mil cap hit, same as Schaub
If everybody was somebody, then nobody would be anybody - Gilbert and Sullivan
this seems
like something we’d offer and get done.
Thats a 9 mil cap hit...Too much
If everybody was somebody, then nobody would be anybody - Gilbert and Sullivan
or they could give him that on an incremental scale
but the cap hit would be huge later on.
If everybody was somebody, then nobody would be anybody - Gilbert and Sullivan
All I know...
Is he has to be resigned
*Proud Packers shareholder*
With my last breath, I curse Zoidberg!
by RaY210 on Feb 3, 2012 3:55 PM CST via mobile reply actions 4 recs
He's become my favorite player
I’m going to root for him to succeed wherever he plays. It will be a lot simpler for me if he keeps that Toro on his helmet.
if you read this blog and are on twitter...
…Chances are you follow him. And if you follow him you know how much he tweets about not caring about money/money doesn’t buy happiness/if you aren’t happy with $10 then you never will be. Thus I’m very hopeful this won’t be a big deal (in terms of drama) and he won’t DEMAND a top level contract. Hopefully he conveys as much to his agent, too. Namaste.
by BigTexBD on Feb 3, 2012 6:47 PM CST via iPhone app reply actions
I think Foster will resign at a reasonable price, because he has a good head on his shoulders, and let’s be honest, however you look at it he’ll be a millionaire, more than enough to put the pork chops on the table and pay for his kids college, I think he understands that, I hope anyway
Texans fan and Proud.
by Botarix on Feb 3, 2012 7:34 PM CST via Android app reply actions
Arian Foster is going to be a Texan for a long time. There's no doubt in my mind.
We all know Bob McNair pays his players when they produce.
I figured that if I said it enough, I would convince the world that I really was the greatest.
~Muhammad Ali
by steelblue on Feb 3, 2012 8:08 PM CST reply actions 6 recs
no doubt bro.
Bob has shown that this is consistently the way he does business. I’m confident (while praying) that this gets done in a non-drama fashion.
Does the players union have any say?
Do they kinda quietly insist the players get the highest deals to push averages up. Which increases the minimum of something?
True arrogance has been displayed here- WestministerRavensfan or something
Hi My name is Jack, why don't you help me off?
I have personally never had much faith in the union or players agents to facilitate...
a fair deal for the “current” team. That is the whole concept of free agency, to get the most value on the market. I am SO glad the Texans have Chris Olsen involved in their contract negotiations.
'Without change something sleeps inside us, and seldom awakens. The sleeper must awaken.' -Frank Herbert
dammit...
http://www.houstontexans.com/team/staff/chris-olsen/60032eb8-d2f1-471d-9902-4842f91a411d
'Without change something sleeps inside us, and seldom awakens. The sleeper must awaken.' -Frank Herbert
Not quite on target
But CJ and the BESFs deserve each other
"Some ideas are so stupid that only intellectuals believe them." - George Orwell
I am Barry - I am from Texas
"Hopefully, they can make my dream come true"
Translation:
“I love money as much as the next guy”
"All our lives we're taught to get in line. The ones who conform never discover." - Undrafted Free Agent and NFL Rushing Leader Arian Foster
my offseason moves
Resign Mario and arian giving them big guarenteed money and a reasonable first year cap number. If Chris myers, dreessen, and Jason Allen get bigger offers than we can afford, they walk. Then resign mike brisel. Release jacoby and lienart if need be for cap relief. Now we can replace some lost fa’s in draft.
First round – Nick Toon – wr – Wisconsin.
Second round – Ben Jones – center – Georgia.
Third round – either Josh Chapman or Almeda Ta’amu if either drop to third round at nose tackle.
Fourth and fifth I would look at a corner who can also return and another speedy wr who could also return as well.
It is very realistic to keep Mario and Arian. Just have to manuever cap and be willing to take some losses and replace them in draft.
Dirt dog pimp
by jahunter221 on Feb 4, 2012 2:50 PM CST via mobile reply actions
Someone put on here his first round tender
would be $2.4M, is that right?
If we don’t get a cap-friendly deal from him that allows us to keep the OL together and maybe keep Mario, I think they tender him.
TJ must throw 30 times for us to win.
I figured
this would be their last viable option going into next season. I can see us doing it.

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