Is Extending Lovie's Contract The Right Decision?
Chicago Bears' general manager Jerry Angelo has already expressed interest in extending Lovie Smith's contract beyond next season. But it might not be as easy as it seems.
"Here's where it gets interesting," NFL analyst Hub Arkush said on the Danny Mac Show when talking about Smith's contract status. "You have a new Chairman of the Board taking over, I want to say it's February 15, that'll be George McCaskey. And while assuming he doesn't have changes in mind already, it will be up to Ted [Phillips] and [Angelo] whether Lovie gets extended."
LISTEN: Hub Arkush On The Danny Mac Show
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There's no real rush to extend Lovie's contract. He's signed through next season and it might be a smarter move for the organization to see how the 2011 season, if there is one, plays out.
"George is clearly going to have the final say over how many years and how much money," Arkush said. "Now if I'm Lovie, I don't take an extension for less than three or four years. And I sure don't take it for less than $6 million a year, because I'm earning 5.5 right now."
If McCaskey wants to come in and establish the team as his own, or if he's worried about the impending lockout then he might not be willing to make such a long-term commitment.
"I have to believe at that point George says, 'wait a minute, that's too much. I don't want to be committed,'" Arkush said. "And so I think what's going to happen, unless George gets stupid, is I think they're going to talk extension. They're going to try and work it out...And I think it won't get done.
"Now if George gives them the green light to do whatever they want then it may get done. But then I fear that this franchise could be in trouble because that's just not a wise move right now."
