Was this wise?

[Fritz]

" Jerry Rice has signed a 6-year, $30 million contract extension to remain with the Oakland Raiders, a salary cap-friendly deal that theoretically could keep the star receiver playing until he's 46."

http://espn.go.com/nfl/news/2003/0304/1518036.html

[Draft Dodger]

why are the Raiders over the cap again?

[AgPete]

I guess they're going for it one more time. Old Al Davis won't die without another Superbowl. Expect Emmitt Smith to be in the silver and black any day now. ;)

[rkmsuf]

It was wise in terms of their current roster. If they give Porter an increased role this sets them up for a run next year...

[bbor]

This dude never ceases to amaze me....i would'nt be surprised if he played until he is 50.

[Kodos]

Wasn't the contract really backloaded, so it frees up money now?

[QuikSand]

Originally posted by Kodos
Wasn't the contract really backloaded, so it frees up money now?

That's how I read the phrase "a salary cap-friendly deal."

[astralhaze]

They can then cut him once the wheels fall off, most likely at a small cap hit. If that is the case, not a bad move.

[Kodos]

Originally posted by QuikSand
That's how I read the phrase "a salary cap-friendly deal."

Well, it could be one of those "salary cap-friendly deals" that in actuality destroys everything that the Raiders have worked for over the last 2 decades, and that in fact sends Al Davis to an early grave.

You never know. :)

[kcchief19]

The Raiders were in salary cap hell already, so all this is doing is postponing the inevitable and making the eventual day or reckoning that much worse when it comes. They are clearly trying to give it one more run and they hope that everybody retires so they can take the cap hit, go 1-15, and rebuild from there.

[bosshogg23]

I dont think this contract will make their cap situation in the future that much worse. If/when they decide its time to rebuild, they just release all the old foggies and overpaid players in the same year. It will end kill their team that year but thats it. Thats the plan Baltimore went with and they were out of salary cap trouble in 1 year.

[Kodos]

I thought the fact that the Ravens were almost let out of their hell by the expansion draft was unfair to other teams that didn't have that option when they had salary cap problems. It was like a get out of jail free card almost that they get rid of several highly-paid players without suffering the cap hit.

[Darkiller]

I don't know how they'll work it out later (in 2-3 years) but that doesn't seem very wise to me.
Obviously, they want another final shot at the Lombardi before all breaks up so they re-signed Rice and Brown in that purpose.

This year was their best chance, I mean, they had the NFL MVP and they played in the SuperBowl.
I don't know how things could be better for them next year.

[kid_dynamite]

next year is a new ball game so anything can happen. ultimate goal is to win the SB and they put themselves in a position to do it next year.