 |
| Photo by Alexander Nie |
Two cars are racing side-by-side. They are both powerfully built, and can reach speeds few others can. Each driver is accustomed to winning, and has earned that confidence by proving doubters wrong time and again. In the distance, there is a cliff. Both men see it. Neither fears it. For now, it poses no threat. There is still time to consider a variety of options, but eventually both will be faced with a decision: attempt to jump the ravine or stop short and yield to their competitor. Spectators are placing bets. Who will back down? If they jump, who will nail the landing? The dust has started to clear on the negotiations between Russell Wilson and the Seahawks. Fans can see the ravine they are hurtling toward after the 2016 season. The people who assume one side has leverage over the other believe one, or both, of the parties involved fear the jump. Those people are wrong.
Understanding leverage
True leverage in a negotiation is when one side can reliably force the other to come off their position. There is a myth that great negotiators out-leverage their opponents, but experts will tell you the best negotiators are able to find mutual victory
. The concept of leverage in contract negotiations is almost completely based on fear. A team that fears losing a player may pay them more than they want. A player that fears the market will not value him enough or he will be forced to play for a bad team or in an undesirable city might take less money to stay put.
 |
| Photo by winnifredxoxo |
Teams tend to have the most leverage because of the way the CBA works. They can cut players that underperform without paying them the full value of their contract. Those that watch Hard Knocks might remember the scene when then Jets GM Mike Tannenbaum called QB Kellen Clemens into his office and told him they wanted to reduce his salary to the veteran minimum. Clemens asks, “What if I were to say I don’t want to do that?” To which Tannenbaum replied, “Then we’ll cut you.” On it’s face, that sounds like a badass fully leveraged negotiation. If Clemens, however, thought another team would pay him more than Tannenbaum was offering or that he could win a starting role for another team, he would have jumped at the idea of being cut.
Tannenbaum absolutely had authority based on the powers the CBA gives teams, but he only had leverage if Clemens feared being cut. In this case, he chose to stay and have his salary reduced.
If any player in the NFL has leverage, it is the franchise quarterback. They are few in number and perceived to be the key to Super Bowl glory. No position is paid more, and no position commands as much to acquire via trade. A player has leverage over a team when negotiating a contract if the team fears losing the player and lacks confidence in their ability to replace him. The player cannot force the team to raise its offer any more than Tannenbaum could force Clemens to accept the pay cut.
Perception versus reality
 |
| Photo by farhanazam015 |
Fearless negotiations
