I think people are missing what a bridge deal is and what it does for both sides. The goal is not to play a young player full price for a short term contract. The whole point is to keep costs down while you determine what kind of player they will grow into. With Maatta signing a long term contract, which includes several expensive UFA years, at a little over $4 million AAV, it is ludicrous to offer sign Trouba to MORE money per year when buying two RFA years. Even if you think he is much better than Maatta, you would still offer him $4 million, at the most, for a bridge. If you are going to pay $5 million, you do it long term.
I'm pretty unconvinced by Trouba. I see the potential, but much less of the work ethic that Scheifle has. I'm beginning to feel that Trouba's ceiling may be as a 2/3, which would still be great, but not 8 years, $7 million great. I think, as others have said, that both sides may be interested in a bridge; the Jets to see what it is they have and Trouba to put up a couple of seasons of performance without Stuart. Two years at $3.75 million.
Also agree with the earlier poster that there is no chance Scheif signs any long term contact that approaches $5 million AAV. The going rate for centres of his calibre and age starts at $6 million. If you could get him for 8 years and $6.5 million, I think the Jets would be very happy, although my guess is that his camp will want him to sign his next contract while he is still in his 20's and may push for only 6 or 7 years.
Playing with the numbers a bit, what about 5.5, 5.75, 5.75 (RFA years), 7.5, 4.5 (lockout year), 8.25, 8.25 for an AAV of $6.5 million over 7 years?