Latest news with #contractNegotiations
Yahoo
23-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Giants want young gun to stay amid Victorian interest
GWS coach Adam Kingsley has made it clear he wants emerging star Leek Aleer to stay, but understands the decision is out of their hands. A sore Aleer is likely to make way for Sam Taylor in this week's Sydney derby as speculation grows around the young defender's playing future. Off-contract at season's end, Aleer has been heavily linked with a move to St Kilda. The 23-year-old has struggled to crack into a stacked Giants defence - boasting the likes of Lachie Whitfield, Lachie Ash and Jack Buckley - since being drafted with pick No.15 in 2021. He has only played 20 games so far. Leek Aleer with an early contender for MOTY 🤯 @VFL — GWS GIANTS (@GWSGIANTS) March 29, 2025 An injury to Taylor opened the door for Aleer to return to the side in round 11, and he has held onto his spot since. But with Taylor passed fit for Friday night and Aleer managing soreness, coach Kingsley admits the fourth-year Giant is unlikely to retain his spot. Aleer will be one of three changes, with star duo Josh Kelly and Jesse Hogan also available after being rested last week. "Leek didn't do much today (at training). He was a bit sore, so we'll assess that again with our medicos," Kingsley said on Wednesday. "He probably looks unlikely to play at this stage, I would think. "It's going to be a really difficult decision, and a difficult match committee that we're going to have. "Some unlucky guys are going to miss out." As contract negotiations continue, Kingsley could only praise the young star's attitude amid growing interest. "His decision will be his decision," Kingsley said. "We hope he stays. We know there's a lot of interest in him, and he's going to be a really good player, we know that. "He's handling it extremely well. I haven't noticed a change in behaviour at all. "He's head down, bum up, getting to work, making sure he prepares really well and then performing well. "Maybe in private time, it's different, but certainly when he presents at the club, that's what I see."
New York Times
14-07-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
As deadline approaches, Chiefs' Trey Smith remains unsigned: How does NFL's franchise tag work?
The NFL's deadline for franchise-tagged players to sign long-term extensions is Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET, and the future for Kansas City Chiefs right guard Trey Smith remains undetermined. Smith and Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins were the only players placed on franchise tags this offseason, the lowest total in 31 years. But while the Bengals and Higgins agreed on a four-year deal worth $115 million, Smith's long-term contract negotiations remain ongoing. Advertisement In April, Chiefs general manager Brett Veach said he spoke with Smith's agents and hoped to reach an agreement after the NFL Draft. 'Hopefully, we get that done. There's no lack of interest or will or desire on our end,' Veach told reporters. 'My guess is once the draft's over and our focus is back on taking care of the players that are here and trying to get those guys locked up. (Smith's agency) CAA, on their end, they are one of the leading agencies in regards to the players they produce every year, so I'm sure once things settle down on both ends, we'll be in a position to continue this dialogue and hopefully make some progress there. 'There's no secret there that we'd like to get Trey locked up.' Smith, 25, was a sixth-round draft pick by the Chiefs in 2021. He has started every one of the 67 games he's played for Kansas City and has missed only one contest in four seasons. In 2024, Smith allowed a career-low 1.5 sacks and earned his first Pro Bowl selection. Smith skipped all of the Chiefs' OTAs in March but was in attendance for June's mandatory minicamp amid contract negotiations. His presence is crucial as the Chiefs hope to squash the blocking issues along their offensive line that cost them in Super Bowl LIX. A franchise tag is a one-year contract that an NFL team can issue to keep a top player from entering free agency. The tag allows a team to retain a player on a guaranteed deal with a non-negotiated salary. Each team can issue one franchise tag per offseason, and it can only be used on players set to become unrestricted free agents. There are two types of franchise tags: exclusive tags (which prohibit negotiation with other teams) and non-exclusive tags (which allow negotiation, though if the player reaches a deal with a new club, the original team can either match it or refuse and be awarded two first-round picks as compensation). The non-exclusive tag is the more popular option. The salary for players on a non-exclusive franchise tag is pre-determined, using either the average of the top five salaries at the player's position from the previous five years applied to the current salary cap, or giving the player 120 percent of his previous salary, whichever is higher. The two players tagged this offseason were down from an average of 9.2 players tagged from 2020 to 2024. The dip signaled a relatively weak free-agent class and suggested that organizations are becoming more proactive in signing top players to long-term deals. Advertisement If Smith doesn't sign a long-term deal by the deadline, he'll be locked in to play a one-year deal worth $23.402 million. NFL rules prohibit players playing on the franchise tag from negotiating toward a new deal until after the conclusion of the current season, so the Chiefs and Smith's camp would have to wait to return to the negotiation table. Smith is probably hoping to reset the guard market and top the four-year, $84 million deal that Landon Dickerson received from the Philadelphia Eagles in 2023. That contract features an average salary of $21 million per season. Smith — if he does indeed play on the tag — would draw more for that single season than Dickerson's average, and it would benefit the Chiefs to work out a long-term deal rather than have to franchise Smith a second season, which would translate into a $28.082 million salary for 2026. — Mike Jones, senior writer
Yahoo
03-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Insider: T.J. Watt told Steelers, ‘You're fortunate to have me', in past contract talks
The Steelers' contract talks with T.J. Watt continue to take center stage — but both parties have been down this road before, and one insider believes there's a connection to be made. According to CBS Sports insider Aditi Kinkhabwala, the issues between Watt and Pittsburgh resemble the 2021 contract negotiations — where, apparently, both sides had choice words for one another: Advertisement 'Here's what the disconnect is,' Kinkhabwala said Wednesday on 93.7 The Fan. 'And this is what happened the last time around in these negotiations. T.J. Watt was openly told, 'You're fortunate to be a Steeler.' And his response was, 'You're fortunate to have me.'' Four years ago, both the Steelers and Watt were locked in a contractual stalemate that wouldn't be resolved until days before the regular season began — and many insiders agree a similar situation could take place this season. While it's important for everyone to take these reports and rumors with a grain of salt, if Pittsburgh truly wants to keep Watt, they very well could be forced to make him the highest-paid non-QB in the NFL. For up-to-date Steelers coverage, follow us on X @TheSteelersWire and give our Facebook page a like. This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: Steelers, T.J. Watt exchanged bold words in past talks, per insider
Yahoo
20-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Bengals crushed by earned reputation with major contract standoffs
The Cincinnati Bengals have modernized in a few ways, which many fans recognize. Joe Burrow's arrival has accomplished that. But the old-school reputation the Bengals very well earned over the course of decades is something currently being leveraged in a very public fashion during contract standoffs with first-round pick Shemar Stewart and All-Pro edge rusher Trey Hendrickson. Advertisement So says Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated: 'Is Hendrickson taking advantage of the leverage created by Burrow's words and the spot the Bengals are in? He'd be smart to do that. Is Stewart piggybacking on the Hendrickson situation to get favorable contract terms? It wouldn't be the dumbest thing to do—though, as a rookie, it'll be vital that he's ready to go. Also important? That the Bengals, after their healthiest offseason in a few years, are ready to roll when they report to camp.' RELATED: Bengals, Shemar Stewart nuclear option includes 2026 NFL draft route Breer notes that, beyond the really obvious stuff from over the last few years, the Bengals left their comfort zone on the Ja'Marr Chase deal and made some scouting department shuffles after losing Christian Sarkisian. Advertisement But the Bengals will continue to lose the battle of public perception for the foreseeable future. Their history overshadows the fact that Hendrickson signed a short contract extension recently, is 30 years old, was granted permission to seek a trade and has walked back previous holdout threats. Cincinnati's history also, ironically enough, overshadows the fact that attempting to revise contract leverage, starting with Stewart, is another attempt at modernizing, considering some reporting says the language they want to insert is pretty standard for other teams. All of these are self-inflicted wounds. Some would call them growing pains for an organization trying to modernize. There will continue to be a lag between the team's more modern actions of late and actual public perception. Right now, players negotiating with the team are smart and within their rights to keep leaning into that leverage when possible. RELATED: Bengals standouts after mandatory minicamp includes surprises This article originally appeared on Bengals Wire: Bengals crushed by earned reputation with major contract standoffs
Reuters
27-05-2025
- Business
- Reuters
Canada Post to stay operational; union calls for ban on overtime work
May 23 (Reuters) - Canada Post said on Friday that operations will continue, but customers may face delays due to a union-imposed ban limiting workers to eight-hour shifts. The Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) announced an immediate nationwide overtime ban, directing members to refuse work beyond 40 hours per week, it said in a separate release. "At this time, there are no rotating strikes or national work stoppage," Canada Post said. The development comes after Canada Post met with the union Thursday evening to continue contract negotiation talks. However, a spokesperson for Canada Post said the meeting lasted less than 30 minutes and "was unfortunately not enough to demonstrate meaningful progress." Canada Post had previously received notices from the union indicating that it would begin strike activity from Friday. In case of a nationwide strike, the postal company had said it would not accept any new items until the disruption was over, and mail and parcels would not be delivered.
