The Bears signed 13-year veteran long snapper Pat Mannelly to a two-year extensionand signed versatile defensive tackle Matt Toeaina to a three-year extension. These players have performed very well all season. Mannelly has been so consistent in his time with the Bears, if they let him test the market this off-season he would have been [...]
Bears Backer
In his one-on-one interview with Joe Dumars, Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press asked about contract extensions:
Q: There are several players on this team that will either be restricted or unrestricted free agents next summer. Talk about your philosophy toward contract extensions.
A: I think in my 10 years we’ve only done extensions twice. We did Tayshaun (Prince) and (Jason Maxiell).
I could be missing another one or two, but Dumars has given at least three more extensions than the ones he gave Prince and Maxiell:
Did Dumars just forget about these? (With Hamilton, I think Dumars might wish he had.) Or are his comments more calculated than that?
Larry Coon explains which contracts can be extended, and by my interpretation, Rodney Stuckey and Tayshaun Prince are eligible. I’d guess both players want extensions.
Of course, it makes sense for Dumars to not give either extensions. I doubt ownership would allow extensions at this point, and the pending Collective Bargaining Agreement, which will likely be more owner-friendly than the current agreement, makes waiting even more prudent.
Is it possible Dumars is trying to downplay how often he gives extensions in order to placate Stuckey and Prince?
Or has Dumars really forgotten how he built the Pistons? Looking at the roster, you could certainly make the case for the latter.
Share:
