Fonzie
09-15-2004, 09:09 AM
Hadn't seen this posted yet - from Packersnews.com, hxxp://www.packersnews.com/archives/news/pack_17815384.shtml
McKenzie to end holdout
Cornerback still hopes to be traded
By Pete Dougherty
PackersNews.com
Cornerback Mike McKenzie is ending his five-month holdout and returning to the Green Bay Packers today.
McKenzie, 27, remains upset with his contract and his relationship with coach Mike Sherman, but he’s returning to the team so he can begin collecting the weekly paychecks on his $2.75 million salary and with hopes that the Packers still will trade him this year.
Sherman wouldn’t confirm Tuesday that McKenzie is back with the team but said the two will have a meeting at the Packers headquarters at 8 a.m. today.
Barring unexpected developments, McKenzie then will be a member in good standing under his current contract.
The Packers need not make a roster move to add McKenzie because they have had only 52 active players since releasing tight end Steve Bush on Saturday.
Sherman has said from the start of McKenzie’s holdout, which began at the team’s mandatory offseason minicamp last April, that he will welcome back his starting left cornerback if and when he ends the holdout.
“I’ve said that time and time again over the last couple of months,” Sherman told a pool reporter on Tuesday evening.
McKenzie’s return to Green Bay suggests that his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, and the Packers have resolved any issues regarding a potentially substantial fine for missing training camp. The sides also probably discussed when McKenzie will be ready for game action.
The NFL’s standard practice is to give a team a two-week roster exemption for a player who’s had a long holdout, though most clubs use only one week because they want the player back on the field quickly.
The Packers will base McKenzie’s return on what kind of shape he’s in when the six-year veteran suits up today. He’ll likely practice some this week and sit out Sunday’s game against Chicago, then play Sept. 26 at Indianapolis.
By missing the first week of the regular season, McKenzie forfeited 1/17th of his 2004 salary, or $161,764. If he reports to the Packers this week, he’ll receive his paycheck regardless of whether he plays Sunday against Chicago.
There is another important financial issue regarding his return.
Under the NFL’s collective-bargaining agreement with the players union, the Packers can fine McKenzie $5,000 a day for training camp. It’s unclear whether they can fine him for every day of camp or for only six days a week, but either way, such a fine would be big.
Training camp, including preseason games, was 34 days long, so if the Packers can sanction McKenzie for each day of camp, the fine would be $170,000. Any day that doesn’t count — the Packers probably will have to consult the NFL for the proper interpretation — would lower that total by $5,000.
However, teams sometimes waive those fines as part of an agreement to get a player to end his holdout. Rosenhaus undoubtedly discussed that issue with the Packers before sending McKenzie to Green Bay on Tuesday evening, though it’s unclear whether Sherman intends to enforce the fine.
Either way, Sherman has steadfastly refused to renegotiate McKenzie’s contract. Asked whether a renegotiation was part of McKenzie’s return, Sherman responded with a terse “No.”
The Packers could convert McKenzie’s workout bonuses for 2005 and 2006 — $200,000 for each year — into reporting bonuses, because they’d agreed to that before his holdout began.
McKenzie is upset because he thinks the five-year contract extension he signed in January 2002 is grossly below current market value. He has three years left on the $17.11 million extension. His base salary is $2.75 million this year; it goes up to $3.43 million in 2005 and $4.1 million in 2006.
McKenzie also has told the Packers that he’s unhappy with the way Sherman has run the team as coach and general manager.
So, Rosenhaus said he’s still trying to get McKenzie traded.
“The top priority for Mike (McKenzie) remains a trade, and maybe him coming in will precipitate something,” Rosenhaus told ESPN.com on Tuesday.
“Sometimes you have to change the strategy, to try something new. And clearly, there was a financial factor at work here as well. Let’s hope teams see that Mike is back at work and perhaps become a little more motivated to try to acquire him.”
McKenzie to end holdout
Cornerback still hopes to be traded
By Pete Dougherty
PackersNews.com
Cornerback Mike McKenzie is ending his five-month holdout and returning to the Green Bay Packers today.
McKenzie, 27, remains upset with his contract and his relationship with coach Mike Sherman, but he’s returning to the team so he can begin collecting the weekly paychecks on his $2.75 million salary and with hopes that the Packers still will trade him this year.
Sherman wouldn’t confirm Tuesday that McKenzie is back with the team but said the two will have a meeting at the Packers headquarters at 8 a.m. today.
Barring unexpected developments, McKenzie then will be a member in good standing under his current contract.
The Packers need not make a roster move to add McKenzie because they have had only 52 active players since releasing tight end Steve Bush on Saturday.
Sherman has said from the start of McKenzie’s holdout, which began at the team’s mandatory offseason minicamp last April, that he will welcome back his starting left cornerback if and when he ends the holdout.
“I’ve said that time and time again over the last couple of months,” Sherman told a pool reporter on Tuesday evening.
McKenzie’s return to Green Bay suggests that his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, and the Packers have resolved any issues regarding a potentially substantial fine for missing training camp. The sides also probably discussed when McKenzie will be ready for game action.
The NFL’s standard practice is to give a team a two-week roster exemption for a player who’s had a long holdout, though most clubs use only one week because they want the player back on the field quickly.
The Packers will base McKenzie’s return on what kind of shape he’s in when the six-year veteran suits up today. He’ll likely practice some this week and sit out Sunday’s game against Chicago, then play Sept. 26 at Indianapolis.
By missing the first week of the regular season, McKenzie forfeited 1/17th of his 2004 salary, or $161,764. If he reports to the Packers this week, he’ll receive his paycheck regardless of whether he plays Sunday against Chicago.
There is another important financial issue regarding his return.
Under the NFL’s collective-bargaining agreement with the players union, the Packers can fine McKenzie $5,000 a day for training camp. It’s unclear whether they can fine him for every day of camp or for only six days a week, but either way, such a fine would be big.
Training camp, including preseason games, was 34 days long, so if the Packers can sanction McKenzie for each day of camp, the fine would be $170,000. Any day that doesn’t count — the Packers probably will have to consult the NFL for the proper interpretation — would lower that total by $5,000.
However, teams sometimes waive those fines as part of an agreement to get a player to end his holdout. Rosenhaus undoubtedly discussed that issue with the Packers before sending McKenzie to Green Bay on Tuesday evening, though it’s unclear whether Sherman intends to enforce the fine.
Either way, Sherman has steadfastly refused to renegotiate McKenzie’s contract. Asked whether a renegotiation was part of McKenzie’s return, Sherman responded with a terse “No.”
The Packers could convert McKenzie’s workout bonuses for 2005 and 2006 — $200,000 for each year — into reporting bonuses, because they’d agreed to that before his holdout began.
McKenzie is upset because he thinks the five-year contract extension he signed in January 2002 is grossly below current market value. He has three years left on the $17.11 million extension. His base salary is $2.75 million this year; it goes up to $3.43 million in 2005 and $4.1 million in 2006.
McKenzie also has told the Packers that he’s unhappy with the way Sherman has run the team as coach and general manager.
So, Rosenhaus said he’s still trying to get McKenzie traded.
“The top priority for Mike (McKenzie) remains a trade, and maybe him coming in will precipitate something,” Rosenhaus told ESPN.com on Tuesday.
“Sometimes you have to change the strategy, to try something new. And clearly, there was a financial factor at work here as well. Let’s hope teams see that Mike is back at work and perhaps become a little more motivated to try to acquire him.”