Wake sitting out....

[notahomer]

(according to NFL network....)

Cam Wake is sitting out the Dolphins OTA's due to wanting a new contract..... The Miami Dolphins are a team where many analysts can't figure out where they'll be going in this weeks NFL draft. I don't think Wake will have much trouble finding a NFL home somewhere else should the Dolphins choose not to pay him what he thinks he deserves...... Of course, we'd love to have him back I'm sure but there's no way we're in the price range....

[Rammer]

Wake is under contract with the Dolphins for another season, for basically the NFL minimum salary of $615k. His contract stipulates that if he attains 10 sacks in any season, his contract would be renegotiated. He reached that sack total in 2010 but the Dolphins didn't redo his deal because they claimed Cam never officially requested it. Cam's production dropped off considerably last season after his Pro-Bowl campaign in 2010...and after being jerked around in his rookie season. Coach Sparano benched Cam for the final 4 games of 2009 saying he needed to work on his pass coverage!

Seems like the CFL is much better suited to Cam, just not his wallet unfortunately. He is deserving of a raise, now he has been forced to play the political/business game of the NFL.

[Rammer]

Yep, Cam deserves a raise, but he did sign that contract. He is considered by many as a Top 5 player in his position in the NFL (as we all suspected). The other 4 guys average $13M per. Cam should be in line for, say, $50M over 5 years with $35M guaranteed...something along those lines. He probably has to take a bit of a discount due to his age and he's from the CFL.

Cam had a rough route in the NFL. The Giants signed him originally as a free agent, but cut him before training camp without giving him one opportunity to rush the passer (because he was pigeon-holed as a LB). No NFL team was interested in him and he sat out the next two seasons. Some great talent scouts they have there in the NFL! Cam then sent his highlight video to the Lions and they arranged a workout. Due to a communications mix-up, he went to the wrong college in the wrong state for his tryout. Luckily for Cam, a no-show at Lions camp (Sasha Lancaster?) created an opening. Wally took one look at Cam and put him at DE...and the rest is history. I believe Cam got 3 sacks in his first CFL game...and got 5 sacks in the 2008 Western Final, his final CFL game.

I see he didn't double out.

Glad to hear who the LB was that was high on Wally's list (Sasha Lancaster), that move will remain in my long term memory on how things are meant to happen in life.

[TheLionKing]

Another player that was high on Buono's list that didn't panned out was the immortal Gary Butler

[Big Time]

Wake was the best defensive player I have ever seen in the CFL. I've never seen a player alter the strategies of opposing teams the way he did. He was so dominant that other teams literally resorted to holding him on every single play to prevent him from killing their QB's. The officials didn't seem to know what to do about it either because they blatantly ignored the holding throughout most of every game because otherwise they would have called a penalty on 95% of every play he was on the field.

I don't know the details of his contract but I believe in the right system Wake could be the defensive player of the year in the NFL. I wish him well and hope that Miami finds a way to be less of a gong show.

[SammyGreene]

#91 hits it big time with a 4-year $49 million dollar deal of which $20 million is up front and guaranteed.

[No Ordinary Joe]

Congrats to Cam, very well deserved. Miami has no threat of a pass rush without this guy, finally he's getting paid.

[WestCoastJoe]

Super guy. An inspiration. His dreams have come true after a hard road.

[notahomer]

#91 hits it big time with a 4-year $49 million dollar deal of which $20 million is up front and guaranteed.

Saw this blurb on NFL network! Happy for the guy! Maybe he'll be taping $1000 bills (if the US has that particular demoniation of currency) to the ceiling of the Dolphins dressing room to challenge his teammates......

[TheLionKing]

Well deserved A class guy to boot

[Tighthead]

#91 hits it big time with a 4-year $49 million dollar deal of which $20 million is up front and guaranteed.

Congrats to Cam! He signed a 4-yr extension, so the $49 million is over 5 seasons (averaging $9,800,000 per season.) Not sure if the $20 million signing bonus is all upfront but his base salary will balloon from $600k this season to $7 million in 2013 through 2016...in addition to $4 million of the signing bonus applied to the Cap each season.

Regarded as the No. 1 OLB in the NFL, Cam is still underpaid despite his annual salary equaling 2 CFL teams.

You think Wake is more highly regarded than DeMarcus Ware, or even Clay Matthews?

[MiamiBCFan]

Great to have Cam back on the Dolphins! We just had what looks like a really good draft. Don't know if the new QB Tannehill will play this year or not, but he looks like a stud. Now that Cam is signed for 5 years, we may finally be over the hump.

Good luck to the Lions and Dolphins this year!
-Jeff