If someone exclaims, "pay the man," you can infer they mean the higher end of the scale. I'd take him if we are up; I'd take him if we are down; I'd take him for as long as possible. We have seen a transformation since he has come to the team. Pay him and pay him soon.
If not him, who else can we afford that would produce something similar? And don't give me names like Thomas Frank...I want actual options. Odds are they are a risk, and in this horror scenario, we should have just paid Tonda.