O-Line Edition: Free Agency and the Draft

[GTripp0012]

Originally Posted by Lotus

Don't forget that June 1 cuts may leave us with viable RT, ILB, and S candidates. And by that time we might have more cap space back via appeal.

The way agents structure deals these days kills June 1 as a meaningful cut date. I suppose cap-strapped teams like the Cards, Steelers, and Jets might cut a guy or two after that date, but contracts are being written to include roster guarantees within a week of the league year beginning. Those clauses are just being written in to prevent teams from holding onto a guy for three additional months if they know he's not going to be back.

The Raiders and Kam Wimbley are a great example. Under the prior CBA, Wimbley would have either been a June 1 cut, or would have been paid a roster bonus by the Raiders. But now agents are smart enough to pull that option away from the team, and force a decision in March.

The only position where June 1 still might matter is with quarterbacks who get $20 million+ signing bonuses and then have a disaster season that causes the team to find someone else one year into the contract. But it has to be a position or a player who the team is making a significant financial committment to. Like, for example, if Peyton Manning were to be horribly ineffective in 2012.