Henson looking to settle Yankee contract, head to football

ESPN article also......Sunday, February 1, 2004


ESPN.com news services
Drew Henson finally got the hint, and has indicated to the Yankees that he'd like to negotiate a settlement to his baseball contract and get on with his football career.

Henson would like to settle up on the $12 million he's guaranteed over the next three years so he can pursue opportunities in the NFL. An agreement with the Yankees could be reached as soon as Monday night.

Henson, who was a sixth-round choice of the Houston Texans in last year's NFL draft, is due $2.2 million this year from the Yankees, plus $3.8 million for 2005 and $6 million for '06. That's what remains of a six-year $17 million contract he signed in 2001.

When Aaron Boone went down last week, the Yankees pointedly left Henson out of the discussion of replacements for the injured third baseman.

It's then that a light finally went on for Henson, who got the ball rolling toward a settlement, just as the Yankees are said to have hoped he'd do.

Houston, which is happy with David Carr as its quarterback, drafted Henson with the idea of signing and trading him. The Texans hold his rights until the '04 draft in April.

ESPN's Chris Mortensen reports that the early list of potential NFL trade suitors includes Buffalo, Dallas, Green Bay, Miami, Pittsburgh and -- a surprise entry -- -Kansas City. Furthermore, Mortensen reports, Henson is planning on an invitation-only football workout in about two weeks.

Henson told teams before last year's draft that he was sticking with baseball, but Houston GM Charley Casserly was undeterred.

"If Drew Henson came out when he was scheduled to, he certainly would have been a first-round pick," said Casserly.

A story in the Houston Chronicle has suggested that Henson would be the third-rated quarterback in this year's draft behind Eli Manning of Mississippi and Ben Roethlisberger of Miami (Ohio).

Once he's free of his contract with the Yankees, Henson could sign with Houston and then depart in a prearranged trade to another NFL team.

Henson last played football in 2000 at Michigan, completing 61 percent of his passes for 2,146 yards and 18 touchdowns, with four interceptions.

His baseball statistics have been much less impressive. He struck out 122 times last season in Triple-A while batting .234 with 14 homers and 78 RBI, and made 28 errors.

So, this offseason, rather than playing winter baseball or working out at the Yankees' complex in Tampa, Fla., he's been in Bradenton, Fla., working on his football skills at IMG, the headquarters of his agent, Casey Close.

 

I wonder what the offers might be for Henson. We could definitely improve the offense or that terrible secondary.

 

What are the odds currently on Henson just waiting for the draft once again?? I assume Houston can take offers for him before actually signing him, correct?

 

Props to CC on gambling that Henson wasn't done with football. Even if Henson chooses not to let us sign and trade him and takes his chances in the draft, Casserly read the situation right.

With the amount of suitors, it looks like we'll get at least a 2nd rounder, possibly a first.

 

Why would he when he can dictate where and for what situation, money, etc ??? He is in the driver's seat as long as he controls his destiny.

Props to CC and to DH!

 

Maybe we can trade Henson and Tony Hollings for a 2nd round pick and a 6th round pick.

 

He'll be a Packer by April.

 

I don't think he can dictate the money. The only drawback for this is that it is the Texans that have to sign him before the trade, which means he has to fit into our rookie pool. As such, he won't be getting a huge contract. But, what they could do is sign him to a short contract, perhaps one or two years at whatever the Texans can afford, that way he gets to be on the team he wants and he can become a FA soon and go for the big bucks. However, if something bad were to happen before he could cash in (teams realize he no longer has it, or perhaps a bad injury) then he would have been much better off waiting to be drafted. I have no idea which way he will go, but were it me the prospect of choosing the team you play for and getting to go to a team that is already talented is too good to pass up.

 

If I'm not mistaken there is no set rookie pay scale in the NFL, that is why you have so many rookies holding out every year. They basically pay those guys comparable salaries to the players drafted right before and after where you were picked and relative to the contract the player got who was drafted in that spot the previous year. That being said, I believe Drew could ask for the type of money that would coincide with his projected draft position this year and get to go to the team of his choosing, you watch the Texans will get somes picks for this guy. A great move by CC and Texan's management.

 

The big-money contracts in the NFL aren't worth the paper they're written on anyway. All non-guaranteed, except for the bonus. If Henson were to go down with an injury, the team would just cut him and he'd be SoL except for the signing bonus. His best chance for cash in the long-term is picking a winning team with a system conducive to developing young QBs, and then signing a 3 or 4 year deal to play there. He probably won't get as much as if he went into the draft for that time frame, but he'd be primed for the big paycheck a few years down the line, right when he comes into his own as a good NFL starter.

 

It is true there is no rookie pay scale, but that doesn't mean the Texans can pay him whatever they want (or he wants). It has to fit under our cap, which as I understand it does not have a lot of wiggle room right now. I don't think the Texans can afford to give him a very lucrative contract before the trade.

 

Won't the team we trade him to be paying his salary so it's really whatever they are willing to pay him as long as it does fit under our cap.... I'm no capologist but if he were traded would we only be on the hook for any signing bonus which there really shouldn;t be any.

 

Upon further though I don't thing we even have to sign the guy, can't we just trade the rights to negotiate with him to another team?

 

Yes, but the signing bonus is the only thing that is guaranteed, so that is what Henson will be looking for in the contract. And the Texans really can't offer much of one. I may be wrong. I'm no capologist either.

I'm pretty sure we have to sign him to trade him.

 

He has to be signed first. Contracts can have accelerators, incentive bonuses, lots of ways to circumvent the immdiate pay/cap issues.

Henson can and will sign with Houston and be traded where he dictates on a contract essentially negotiated between him and the 'new' team.

Packers? I shouldn't be surprised. Oakland? I shouldn't be surprised, either.

 

I sure hope we don't sign him to a big contract and then trade him. That is a no-no for cap purposes.

 

Great idea! I'm thinking a trade to 'zona.

 

according to espn, henson and the yank's have agreed on a buyout. Does that mean that he is now ours to deal? Or, could he conceivably sit out until the draft and try it again.


IMO, he is interested in signing w/the texans (or however that works) so he can pick the team he will go to

 

i read on espn that charles casserly is expecting to get a 2nd rounder for henson!!!!!!!!!!!! no way!!!!!!!!!!!! we should get a first rounder!!!!!!!!!