First, it was Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton who said "No, thank you" to the possibility of signing a contract similar to that of San Francisco 49ers QB Colin Kaepernick. Now NFC West rival Russell Wilson is singing a similar tune.
Bleacher Report's Jason Cole is reporting that Wilson, whose contract-extension negotiations with the Seattle Seahawks have slowed to a crawl, is not about to let his team off with the Kaepernick discount.
The 49ers starter signed a seven-year, $126 million deal last summer to remain with the team, but he relinquished total control of the deal to San Francisco.
The 49ers can release him before April 1 of any season and be off the hook for the remainder of the contract. They also already have saved some $2 million from 2015's salary because Kaepernick did not meet two of the three criteria agreed upon for him to get his full annual salary.
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Kaepernick, who did start 80 percent of his team's snaps to qualify for one category, was not named an All-Pro and did not lead the team to the Super Bowl, which were the other two stipulations.
Bleacher Report's Cole said that Wilson was looking for the same deal as Kaepernick or the Bears' Jay Cutler - who has a seven-year, $126.7 million contract. But Cutler's contract includes $54 million in guarantees, $48 million of which has been fully guaranteed.
Wilson and Cutler used to have the same agent, Bus Cook, and Cook began the negotiation process with the Seahawks. But Wilson now is represented by his former baseball agent, Mark Rodgers, who agrees with Cook in warning Wilson to sign an incentive-laden contract with the Seahawks.
In February, the Charlotte Observer reported that Newton wasn't going to cater to his team, which wanted him to take a hometown discount.
"Newton's representatives are not interested in any deal resembling the one received by San Francisco quarterback Colin Kaepernick last year," the Observer reported. "Kaepernick's contract includes de-escalators that decrease his compensation by $2 million a year following any season in which the 49ers don't make it to the Super Bowl or Kaepernick is not an All-Pro. Newton wants more guaranteed money, sources say."
And Wilson, who owns two Super Bowl appearances - and one win - will try to negotiate for as much guaranteed money as possible.
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