Casserly On Toucher & Rich: How Do You Fix The Replacement Ref Issue?
There are only two more preseason left before the games start to count and there are some stories that need discussing.
Charley Casserly of the NFL Network spoke with 98.5 The Sports Hub's Toucher & Rich about Maurice Jones-Drew, young quarterbacks, the New York Jets and the replacement referees.
Maurice Jones-Drew is holding out this season over a contract he signed with the Jaguars three years ago that was heavily front-loaded. MJD has already received 70 percent of the value of the contract and he's unhappy that he's only scheduled to earn only $9.4 million in the final two years of the deal.
Does MJD have an argument to request a new contract?
"When you did the contract you made him the third highest running back in the league before he deserved that. The contract was front-loaded, so he accepted the contract he has an obligation to perform under the last two years of the contract. His argument is only one sided when he says, 'I'm one of the lowest paid backs right now,' which he is based on this year's salary and next year's salary, but he's totally forgetting the first half of that option."
They moved on to discuss the fact that there are many young quarterback starting for teams this season. Has the league changed or are these guys just coming out of college more ready to jump in and play?
"I think part of it has to be that college quarterback are more ready, they're throwing the ball more, the offenses are more wide open, you get a chance to evaluate them throwing the ball. Now a lot of it's out of shotgun which you have to say okay when he's under the center how's he going to look there, you kind of have to make that adjustment when you're scanning them, but I think they are more ready."
The guys also discussed the NFL's replacement referees and the fact that there have been some issues during the first two preseason games. Casserly used to be a member of the NFL's Competition Committee that oversee competition and suggest rule changes.
If he were still a member how would he have help to handle this situation with the refs?
"The simple thing people say is save the integrity of the game, get them out there. Well anyone who has been involved in negotiation, what do we do whatever they want we're going to give them? That doesn't work there because we don't believe in that, we think there is a fair number for them. So without being involved in the room and knowing what the give and take is at any particular time it's hard to say where the negotiation is right now."
He thinks that as the replacement referees get more games under their belts things will get better.
