PFW: Colts may cut Marvin at the end of 2008 season

by Brad Wells on Oct 26, 2008 10:28 PM EDT in Colts News

There’s a growing sentiment around Indianapolis that WR Marvin Harrison will be given his walking papers in the offseason. The Colts’ perennial Pro Bowler simply hasn’t been the same explosive force since coming back from his bursa sac (knee) problems of 2007, and we hear the club will be reluctant to shell out the more than $13 million he’s due in 2009. Also, the pending litigation over his alleged involvement in an April shooting in his hometown of Philadelphia could prove embarrassing to the organization. The problem with cutting him is the Colts’ lack of an established third receiver who could be plugged into coordinator Tom Moore’s spread offense.

Again, everything I and the Zombie Bros have seen tells us that Marvin Harrison hasn't lost anything. At 36, he is still that fast. He is fast out of his breaks, runs great routes, and unless you blindly ignored him burning Chris McAllister a few weeks ago, you know he still has serious speed.

So, I just don't know where this "He's done" talk comes from. And how could a bogus lawsuit from a convicted felon who refused to cooperate with police "embarrass the organization?" This is nothing but silliness, and a bit surprising from PFW. I'd expect this kind of stuff from PFT.

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it may be time though.

Is he done? Not yet.
But is he still worth 13 million? I don’t think so.
Freeing up that kind of cap space could allow the colts to spend it on an impact DT.
albert haynesworth anyone?

by torontocoltsfan on Oct 26, 2008 11:11 PM EDT reply actions

I'll pass on the headstomper

Marvin has to pick it up to justify keeping him. I put it on him being out of sync with Peyton not being in decline, but he’s having the worst season of his career so far.

Shonn Greene for Heisman
144 yards per game
6.5 yards per carry
08 TDs per game > 06 GPA

by shake n bake on Oct 26, 2008 11:22 PM EDT up reply actions

I’d trade Marvin for Haynesworth right now. I thint Fat Albert has his anger issues in check, and he’s a monster. The Colts need a monster. They have enough receivers to get TDs if they can get the ball back once in a while. With Haynesworth the defense would be complete and they would get the ball back a lot.

Next year I think Marvin will be with the Colts again. I think he looks good still. We just need a DT more than another good WR.

by wcwills on Oct 26, 2008 11:37 PM EDT reply actions

Harrison for Haynesworth

was that a joke? if not, i propose trading Tim Jennings to Chicago for Tommie Harris too. Haynesworth/Harris would solve the defensive tackle situation.

in all seriousness, i think Marvin can still be effective, but i agree with those above that he’ll have to take a pay cut to stay on board in ‘09. i’d still give it a couple weeks for him and Peyton to shake the rust off before shoveling dirt on his career.

by SBakerTheTouchdownMaker on Oct 27, 2008 8:48 AM EDT up reply actions

and if they do cut Marvin they still have to take the cap hit for his bonus money

Which I can’t figure out from the sources I know about. His contact is weird and it looks like they’ve tinkered with it at least once (probably a few times) since he signed it in 2004

Shonn Greene for Heisman
144 yards per game
6.5 yards per carry
08 TDs per game > 06 GPA

by shake n bake on Oct 26, 2008 11:53 PM EDT reply actions

The way most contracts are structured...

the bonus money would have been paid out by now. However, if they tweaked it since he signed it then who knows. I don’t see the Colts keeping him for $13mil. Bill is very vigilant with the cap, and unless they work out a deal he will be gone.

by JagsCub on Oct 27, 2008 4:29 PM EDT up reply actions

of course it's been paid

but it’s about how much has gone against the cap. Signing bonus gets split evenly through every year of the deal. ColtsCap has some of his cap hit as converted bonus with a smaller than you’d expert signing bonus hit. So they’ve been tweaking the bonus structure to move the cap burden to different years.

Shonn Greene for Heisman
144 yards per game
6.5 yards per carry
08 TDs per game > 06 GPA

by shake n bake on Oct 27, 2008 4:38 PM EDT up reply actions

Well then the ammoritization should be next to nothing in the latter years.

So, then if they’ve tweaked the structure of the deal then in essence they have changed the contract in which he would have had to sign a new one to make the money move to different years. Can NFL teams re-structure bonuses to contracts without the player resigning a new deal? I don’t think so. So therefore how can they tweak the bonus structure?

by JagsCub on Oct 27, 2008 4:46 PM EDT up reply actions

With a players consent

they can turn roster bonus into signing bonus to spread it out over the rest of the contract instead of taking the full hit the year the bonus is paid.

There might be more ways the tweak deals, but that’s the really common one I know teams can do.

Shonn Greene for Heisman
144 yards per game
6.5 yards per carry
08 TDs per game > 06 GPA

by shake n bake on Oct 27, 2008 5:50 PM EDT up reply actions

I'll never trade Marv

nor do I want him to be cut. Like Shake said, I think its more Peyton and Marv not being in sync than Marv just not being good. I also think the Colts can restructure his contract to minimize the cap damage during the off season. I highly doubt the Colts getting rid of him.

by metal_militia on Oct 27, 2008 1:25 AM EDT reply actions

When talking about being in sync

you have to remember that he was out since week 5 of last year. Couple that with Mannings injury which lasted all through training camp and the struggles on the offensive line, that makes it seem like marv is not himself. We have all seen Marv still burn defenses throughout this season, its just a matter of Manning having more time in the pocket

by metal_militia on Oct 27, 2008 1:29 AM EDT up reply actions

Peyton Manning is also having a bad season? No talk of cutting him…

by DaveT on Oct 27, 2008 1:56 AM EDT reply actions

Manning isn’t 329 years old, though.

I’d hate to see Marvin leave, but on the other hand, I’m not sure he’s worth that kind of cash any more. Maybe we could rework his deal to say $15m over the next two seasons.

by eltharion_doa on Oct 27, 2008 4:33 AM EDT reply actions

this is just idiotic talk. I believe peyton and his knee have alot to do with this too.

they arent just going to drop him like a fly. they may rework his contract but Im not buying any of this

by kinnickcolt on Oct 27, 2008 6:03 AM EDT reply actions

Maybe Marv wants to retire as well?

I’ve been expecting Marv to retire in the couple years anyway and maybe this is just talk leaking out that Marv and Colt management have been discussing?

by MarkFive05 on Oct 27, 2008 11:28 AM EDT reply actions

possible

Marvin strikes me as the type who will walk away from the game when he can’t play up to his expectations anymore… Though I can’t see him leaking it to the media. To be honest I half thought Marvin might hand it up after last year with the injury problems he had..

Realistically we might miss him, but a don’t think it would be a devastating blow with Reggie, Gonzo, and the depth we have (if Hall could stay healthy)

An expert is someone who knows more and more about less and less until they know everything about nothing...

by bluegirl on Oct 27, 2008 12:17 PM EDT reply actions

In relation to the "bogus lawsuit"...

It is actually pretty significant. In the state of Pennsylvania if you have a concealed weapons permit, you are held to higher standard. Even though Marvin maintains it was not him who pulled the trigger (the convicted felon does) he is still accountable for the whereabouts of his firearm. This has been a big topic in the Philly area, and that is why it is a big deal.

Btw, with this bar and carwash that he owns in the NE part of Philly… i’m surprised that more of this kind of thing hasn’t happened. I am sure the reason he has a gun permit is because he owns businesses in one of the highest crime neighborhoods in Philly.

by JagsCub on Oct 27, 2008 4:51 PM EDT reply actions

give him credit

that is his old neighbourhood and rather than do something stupid like giving old friends money for drug deals he has set up legitimate businesses to give people jobs… But I do agree that in that area owning a gun is a necessity and it is surprising someone hasn’t tried this before. I suspect it has something to do with the respect marvin has in his community that people haven’t tried to cause problems before.

An expert is someone who knows more and more about less and less until they know everything about nothing...

by bluegirl on Oct 27, 2008 6:01 PM EDT up reply actions

I have been wondering for a while if he may be released after the season not because he has lost skill (it is clear that Manning has missed him on many long passes) but because his cap hit is large and as it stands the Colts are going to be in trouble for 09. Basically, marvin needs to restructure or he needs to be cut which I think would save them 7-8 mil.

I hope they can work something out with hm but nobody should be shocked if he gets cut because again, right now Indy is looking at some salary cap issues for 09.

Peyton needs to restructure as well and Dallas is set to get a big ass roster bonus which hopefully can be tweaked.

by loregnum on Oct 27, 2008 5:59 PM EDT reply actions