Nnamdi Asomugha
When the NFL’s free agency period kicks off in March, a top-flight cornerback will be on the market, free to sign with any club of his choosing.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the contract of Oakland Raiders cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha has been voided, making him an unrestricted free agent. The Raiders can’t even use the franchise tag to retain Asomugha, per an NFL Players Association document.
“The contract is voided, but we have to wait on the (new) CBA to know the exact ramifications,” Raiders senior executive John Herrera told CSNCalifornia.com.
The reason for the sudden change in his deal? A clause that said his contract would be void if he didn’t hit certain incentives in 2010.
Because he didn’t achieve those incentives, another clause stated that Oakland wouldn’t be able to tag him, either as a franchise or transition player.
Asomugha played in only 14 games this season, and didn’t have a single interception, fumble recovery, or sack. Obviously, those numbers needed to be improved upon for his contract to remain via his incentives.
The Raiders’ hands are now tied. All they can now do is negotiate with Asomugha and hope he accepts more of a team-friendly deal. After pulling in around $16 million annually – a bizarre amount to pay a defensive back — he won’t likely find another squad willing to duplicate that salary.
Then again, owners like Dallas’ Jerry Jones and Washington’s Daniel Snyder are known for making big splashes, so it wouldn’t be surprising if one of them offered Asomugha an obscene amount when free agency officially opens.
