New Signings!?!?
 

I see that Mark Brunell restructured his contract to free up $1million in cap relief. And the way that Gibbs was talking yesterday, I wonder who is going to get cut on June 1st that they are going to go after? Any ideas???

Re: New Signings!?!?
 

Ugh - did he take a paycut or did we make him harder to cut in a couple years?

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i think it doesn't hurt us later. ...... here is a paragraph from the washington post

Last year, Brunell signed a seven-year, $34 million contract that included an $8.6 million bonus. Brunell was scheduled to make about $2 million this season -- a $500,000 roster bonus due this month, plus $1.5 million in base salary. Sources with knowledge of the details said that Brunell agreed to reduce his roster bonus to $235,000 and will earn $765,000, the NFL's minimum salary for a 12th-year veteran. Brunell could make up for the difference through incentives, which don't count against the cap.

it says in the last line he would make up the difference through incentives which don't count against the cap.
This would be nice but we still got like 40 mil to go!!

Re: New Signings!?!?
 

[QUOTE=Daseal]Ugh - did he take a paycut or did we make him harder to cut in a couple years?[/QUOTE]
It's a cut.

He [u]could[/u] still make his mony, but it's built into incentives. He shouldn't see the field, and if he does, we've got bigger problems than cap management.

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Nice to see Brunell did that; even though everyone wanted him too. I dont blame him if he doesnet want too. Maybe Andre Dyson? I heard his name thrown around but I'm not even sure if he is a free agent; is he? Nice to see we have some extra cash though.

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OK guys... anyone who wants to bash Brunell's playing can do so but I think he deserves MAJOR credit for doing this. He is taking a cut to help out this team. I said somewhere else around here that there's no way even a guy like he would do this. Guess I am a cynic because he proved me wrong. This is a class guy all they way. Something to makes us smile about I guess.

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[QUOTE=FRPLG]OK guys... anyone who wants to bash Brunell's playing can do so but I think he deserves MAJOR credit for doing this. He is taking a cut to help out this team. I said somewhere else around here that there's no way even a guy like he would do this. Guess I am a cynic because he proved me wrong. This is a class guy all they way. Something to makes us smile about I guess.[/QUOTE]


I agree. If he see's the feild again were in major trouble. However, this was a nice move by him. I've always heard he was a stand up type of guy, but his play last year really put a damper on that. But taking a cut is somthing really respectable. He's still making out like a theif, but whatever helps.

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Yeah it's definitely a cut since he can't even remotely expect to meet any type of incentives. Incentives DO count against the cap when they are "expected to be met". Expected means they achieved them the previous season. This keeps teams from giving guys a 5 million dollar siging bonus for playing one play. So the incentives must mean he'd have to play more and better than last year which is definitely not likely to happen.

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Remember, these are team incentives not personal ones. He doesn't take a cut unless the Skins don't improve from the 30th rated offense. (the cynic on me has some feelings on this...). If they are 29th or better, even if he never sees the field, he gets the bonus.

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One of the incentives is team-based according to the Post. Obviously, until Canuck hacks the NFLPA website, we have no way of knowing if [u]all[/u] of his incentives are "likely to be earned".

One could argue that a team that trades or releases it's top two receivers and potentially weakens its defense (affecting Time of Possession) isn't "likely" to improve its offensive ranking anyway. I hate to think in those terms, but Curmudgeon isn't logged on, and somebody's got to pee-pee in my coffee.

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Well, well, well. Can we lay off poor Brunell now? I know he had an awful year but the guy is a classy pro and has proven to be a team guy while taking a backseat to Ramsey.

He could have easily said I didn't sign up for this and pouted his way out of town like someone else we know.

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I don't think any of these players should be thanked. They are making a boat load of money for playing a game. If you asked me players should all take pay cuts & make it easier for owners to stay below the cap & field great teams. I agree with a CAP, but the players union only cares about driving up the cost of salaries at the owners expense & thus most teams will never win a championship!

This is why the NHL is still in a lockout. They have seen what a CAP does in the long run & they do not want the same CAP cuff restraints holding back their marquee franchises from winning.

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good point Matty. His arms and legs are done but I think he's one of the best mentors Ramsey could have right now.

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[QUOTE=Mattyk72]Well, well, well. Can we lay off poor Brunell now? I know he had an awful year but the guy is a classy pro and has proven to be a team guy while taking a backseat to Ramsey.

He could have easily said I didn't sign up for this and pouted his way out of town like someone else we know.[/QUOTE]

It is kind of funny how some people seem to think that Brunell takes joy in the poor season he had. As if he came here with the intention of having one of the worst seasons ever for a QB to screw everyone over.

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God forbid Ramsey went down and Brunell had to play again. I for one would still root hard for the guy to be successful. He was a heck of a QB for a long time in this league.

I still have a hard time believing he just lost it so quickly. Maybe he did, or maybe he was hurt more than he let on, or maybe it was a combination of things like a offense that was struggling as a whole, being in a new system, just not getting on the same page with the WR's, etc.

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[QUOTE=ChounsMan]I don't think any of these players should be thanked. They are making a boat load of money for playing a game. If you asked me players should all take pay cuts & make it easier for owners to stay below the cap & field great teams. I agree with a CAP, but the players union only cares about driving up the cost of salaries at the owners expense & thus most teams will never win a championship!

This is why the NHL is still in a lockout. They have seen what a CAP does in the long run & they do not want the same CAP cuff restraints holding back their marquee franchises from winning.[/QUOTE]

Thats what you would do, right chouns? :biggthump

In all seriousness, if you like your job, would you do it for less so that management can benefit and the stockholders can make more money??? No, you'd command whatever you can just like we all would...

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The article did say "one" of the incentives was team based so can we assume that the rest weren't?

[QUOTE=ChounsMan]I don't think any of these players should be thanked. They are making a boat load of money for playing a game. If you asked me players should all take pay cuts & make it easier for owners to stay below the cap & field great teams. I agree with a CAP, but the players union only cares about driving up the cost of salaries at the owners expense & thus most teams will never win a championship!

This is why the NHL is still in a lockout. They have seen what a CAP does in the long run & they do not want the same CAP cuff restraints holding back their marquee franchises from winning.[/QUOTE]
Huh? The NFL has what is called a "hard cap". Pretty much every year it seems like there are a legitimate 8-10 teams who could win the super bowl. Caps have proven that they create more parity.

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Good points Matty and [SIZE=5]ﺶ[/size] (smootsmack/TAFKAS). As frustrating as it was to watch our QB be unable to make the throws, it would have been worse it he was making poor decisions. Brunell may have had a 50 cent arm last year, but his decision-making was sound. He can't teach Ramsey how to throw, but maybe he can teach him [u]when[/u] to throw.

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[QUOTE=Mattyk72]God forbid Ramsey went down and Brunell had to play again. I for one would still root hard for the guy to be successful. He was a heck of a QB for a long time in this league.

I still have a hard time believing he just lost it so quickly. Maybe he did, or maybe he was hurt more than he let on, or maybe it was a combination of things like a offense that was struggling as a whole, being in a new system, just not getting on the same page with the WR's, etc.[/QUOTE]I agree Matty I still have a hard time believing that he lost it so fast. I can't remember did we have him come to DC to do drills and take a physical? If we did you would think that we would have looked at his arm strenth with some deep passes. Can you remember what the deel was?

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They didn't look at him from what I recall. Just up and gave him money.

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Brunell has always been a class act. We may all agree that he's done as an NFL starter and is an anchor on the Redskins salary cap, but it's not his fault he was given an 8 million dollar signing bonus. Brunell is one of the better people in the NFL so him agreeing to help out the team is no surprise to me.

Re: New Signings!?!?
 

This restructure essentially reduces his cap hit this season in the form of a cut. But next year he'll make that money back in base salary if the he meets one of the eight specified incentives, one of which is the team improving it's 30th ranked offense. You can basically take it to the bank that Brunell will meet his incentives and have his salary go up by $1 million next year. So all he's really doing is kicking the cap hit down the road, I'm hesitant to call it a "cut".

Really, I think this move is going to make it more appealing to cut him next year, because there will be more base salary from which to recoup by cutting him. The cap hit from the signing bonus will still be big though.

Either that or they're just going to ask him to restructure again next year. Either way, classy thing for him to help us out this year, even if it's only helping for one season.

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Where did you get that info Schneed?

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[QUOTE=FRPLG]Where did you get that info Schneed?[/QUOTE]


From the Washington Post today: [url]http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A22177-2005Mar9.html[/url]

{ Last year, Brunell signed a seven-year, $34 million contract that included an $8.6 million bonus. Brunell was scheduled to make about $2 million this season -- a $500,000 roster bonus due this month, plus $1.5 million in base salary. Sources with knowledge of the details said that Brunell agreed to reduce his roster bonus to $235,000 and will earn $765,000, the NFL's minimum salary for a 12th-year veteran. Brunell could make up for the difference through incentives, which don't count against the cap.

The incentives for Brunell include team improvement in one of eight offensive categories. Because Washington was the 30th-ranked offense in the 32-team NFL, Brunell will almost certainly earn the incentive.

Before restructuring, Brunell's cap hit for 2005 would have been $3.5 million. }

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Yeah, what he said. Thank you Redskins P.

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From what I understand they didn't work him out before signing him. Obviously a big mistake, but who knows even if they did work him out if it would have changed their opinion.

I still think he has enough arm strength to play effectively, it was his accuracy that was the main problem. That's what makes me think his hammy and/or elbow was bothering him, accuracy problems usually point to problems with mechanics.

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I don't think that Brunell lost it quickly at all. The guy was going downhill when he was in Jacksonville. He should be commended for restructuring, but in my opinion if Samuels had to restructure, he did too. I know Samuels got more money, but that's not the point. He signed on to be the starter, now he isn't, he shouldn't be paid like one. That said, it's still his contract and his decision. I commend him for taking the pay cut.

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Brunell's skills have all but left his body. He is, and should be, an honorary qb coach...teach Ramsey and any other backup we should get down the road. I'll thank him when his money no longer counts against us. or when he mentors Ramsey to make decisions faster and smarter and we go far in the playoffs. Untill then I don't consider brunell valuable at any cost...If he is still around we have been robbed.

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Don't hold back man, tell us how you really feel...lol

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Hopefully those are the only signs of the "old Skins". Signing based on past talents and not checking out the deeper issues.

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What does he have to do to meet his incentives, hit the broad side of a barn...? lol

Either way, I agree with those of you that said he was a classy guy. He did this for the team. He adjusted one years salary in a year he knows he wont be starting. This gives him the option to make his normal pay the following year, if for some reason he does become a starter again. That isnt meant to start an argument, but he beleives he should be a starter so this ensures that if he does what he thinks he can, then he will get paid for it, otherwise hes helping the team out.

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[QUOTE=SKINSnCANES]What does he have to do to meet his incentives, hit the broad side of a barn...? lol

Either way, I agree with those of you that said he was a classy guy. He did this for the team. He adjusted one years salary in a year he knows he wont be starting. This gives him the option to make his normal pay the following year, if for some reason he does become a starter again. That isnt meant to start an argument, but he beleives he should be a starter so this ensures that if he does what he thinks he can, then he will get paid for it, otherwise hes helping the team out.[/QUOTE]

Actually that's not quite how it works. He can meet his incentives by sitting on the bench all year and watching Ramsey improve the team's offense from the 30th rank to the 29th. The incentives are team based; they don't revolve around Brunell's personal performance.

Basically, it's a way that the team can just ask him to move his salary back one year. But he doesn't really have to "earn" it.

That said, it's kinda cool to see a "team" incentive in a contract. This way, whether Brunell is playing or not, he'll be rooting for the team to improve. If the incentive was one based on Brunell's performance, you'd create an individualist mindset in him, and he might do some griping about not getting to start. But with this incentive, as far as his finances are concerned, he won't have his own personal agenda.

Smart contract work, Redskins!

:biggthump

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Yeah, more teams should have team incentives. Then, people won't end up like Troy Brown! Sacrifice a shot at those incentives by playing on the other side of the ball and then have your organization show no gratitude and cut you.

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The NFLPA is killing the league slowly!!!

Look at what some players are getting this offseason compared to the last 2 seasons. Salaries are getting out of hand & franchises are hand cuffed to a HARD CAP!

I agree in parity amongst competitors, but when a player can set his mark at any prices, that's where I draw the line here. The CAP keeps rising yearly, but the salary increases are moving at a much faster pace up.

I just don't see why players think each year they have to better the next guy & press the ownership to cave or fold. Only the Patriots have show that they can sign players for reasonable value & keep the core together for the reward of a SB.

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I'm glad Brunell re-structured his contract to help the team. He may not be a viable starter anymore, but I'm convinced he is a team player and solid mentor for Ramsey. Ramsey weaknesses had been mobility, accuracy, and consistency (as well as holding the ball too long) and I think with help from Gibbs, Brunell, and company, Ramsey will turn into a great qb.

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[QUOTE=FRPLG]OK guys... anyone who wants to bash Brunell's playing can do so but I think he deserves MAJOR credit for doing this. He is taking a cut to help out this team. I said somewhere else around here that there's no way even a guy like he would do this. Guess I am a cynic because he proved me wrong. This is a class guy all they way. Something to makes us smile about I guess.[/QUOTE]

Amen. I'm pretty surprised.

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I'm also a little confused on the incentives here.

It appears Brunell has 'easy' incentives to make up the $1M in 2006. But I always thought if an incentive was "likely to be earned" then it would count against the current cap (2005). If the incentive was "not likely to be earned", and was still earned, then it would count against 2006.

Regardless of the specifics, it's a classy move by Brunell.

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i agree with him. even though he's worthless to use and he could demand to be released cuz he's a backup, he still made a classy move by taking a pay cut to help the team.

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[QUOTE=FRPLG]OK guys... anyone who wants to bash Brunell's playing can do so but I think he deserves MAJOR credit for doing this. He is taking a cut to help out this team. I said somewhere else around here that there's no way even a guy like he would do this. Guess I am a cynic because he proved me wrong. This is a class guy all they way. Something to makes us smile about I guess.[/QUOTE]

I concur........Brunell did something to help the team, something he didn't have to do.....and most likely he realizes that he will be holding a clipboard and Ramsey will be THE MAN so Brunell won't see any of those incentives. Nice Gesture.......YEAH BRUNELL!!! :headbange

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I never questioned Brunell's class, just his playing ability as of last year. :(