Lance Briggs - Potential Free Agent

[TheMalcolmConnection]

Honestly, for once, my predictions for the upcoming year are no longer based on any type of example.

With Cerrato now leading the team (in essence) and a WHOLE new crew of coordinators, I'm using purely guess-work. I'd say and hope that Vinny and Danny both learned from the short Gibbs-era and would exercise some prudence when it comes to the salary cap.

While we might take a step back next year, it's wise to be smart financially so we can make steps in the future. We as a fan base are so incredibly impatient, we need to learn, just like the upper management to exercise some rationality.

[Giantone]

Originally Posted by Mattyk72

The cap won't be an issue as we've covered many times lately in other threads.

I think you might have to re -vist the cap again.

[BrunellMVP?]

no reason to sign briggs unless he's willing to give us a washington discount...

[BrunellMVP?]

Originally Posted by Giantone

I think you might have to re -vist the cap again.

Man, we hear about our impending salary cap doom each year...yet each year we go out and sign our main targets...what don't people understand? So long as Synder is the owner, we can continue to push payments back into perpetuity...it will take fundamental monetary change (likely regime) to change this...

[Paintrain]

Originally Posted by Giantone

I think you might have to re -vist the cap again.

Cash trumps cap.. Re-structure deals, convert salary to bonuses.. That's the 10 second version.. I believe Schneed is the resident expert and will be glad to give you the full version..

[Schneed10]

Originally Posted by Giantone

I think you might have to re -vist the cap again.

If you're going to be a fan of another team and be on this board, at least be capable of having knowledgeable discussion. Otherwise, you bring no value to us and should just go away.

You know nothing of the salary cap. Read up:

I'm going to list the ways to get the cap number down. You can debate the merit of making certain moves on this list, but if we don't cut a certain player, you can bet we'd restructure them, which would also save some money.

Expected Roster Cuts:
Phillip Daniels - $3.0 million saved
Mark Brunell - $3.4 million saved
Total Savings for Cuts: $6.4 million

Keeping These Players, Restructuring 2008 Base Salary, Prorating over Remaining life of Contract:
Randy Thomas - $4.3 million saved
Clinton Portis - $3.8 million saved
Jon Jansen - $3.7 million saved
Chris Samuels - $3.4 million saved
Cornelius Griffin - $2.8 million saved
Santana Moss - $2.4 million saved
Casey Rabach - $1.8 million saved
Total Salary Restructure Savings: $22.2 million

Keeping These Players, Restructuring 2008 Roster Bonuses, Prorating over Remaining life of Contract:
Ladell Betts - $1.7 million saved
Clinton Portis - $0.4 million saved
Andre Carter - $1.9 million saved
Antwaan Randle-El - $1.2 million saved
Total Bonus Restructure Savings: $5.2 million

So I see ways to reduce our 2008 cap number by about $34 million. So do I think armageddon is coming next year? NO.

But I wouldn't go making ALL of the moves I listed above, either. We're starting to push a little too much into the future. And if we get rid of Brandon Lloyd, that move will eat up some more space.

Bottom line, we won't have to dismantle the team, but we won't have lots of flexibility, either. We'll need to draft very well.

[Giantone]

Originally Posted by Schneed10

If you're going to be a fan of another team and be on this board, at least be capable of having knowledgeable discussion. Otherwise, you bring no value to us and should just go away.

You know nothing of the salary cap. Read up:

Great.......so according to you your going to have $11.8 million to sign everyone you draft and free agents,ok. I don't think it can be done but hey I'm only a guy on a message board.............like you.

[TheMalcolmConnection]

Originally Posted by Giantone

Great.......so according to you your going to have $11.8 million to sign everyone you draft and free agents,ok. I don't think it can be done but hey I'm only a guy on a message board.............like you.

To give Schneed and CrazyCanuck some credit, they are actually about as well-versed in the salary cap as actual team officials and if they are wrong it's by about .1 million.

They've talked of the Skins cap hell for years and it has never come to fruition. It's all about smart restructuring every year and basically this leaves the Skins ample room to target at least one good FA.

Sure, this approach doesn't allow cutting busts, but it definitely gives plenty of wiggle room when it comes to FA.

[MTK]

Originally Posted by Giantone

I think you might have to re -vist the cap again.

Right.

We've been hearing this same crap since 2000.

Believe me, nobody is worried about it.

[MTK]

Originally Posted by Giantone

Great.......so according to you your going to have $11.8 million to sign everyone you draft and free agents,ok. I don't think it can be done but hey I'm only a guy on a message board.............like you.

The cap isn't rocket science, it's simple math. You can crunch the numbers yourself. Schneed laid everything out there quite nicely. Dispute his numbers if you don't agree.

[freddyg12]

In all fairness, let's not forget that the new collective bargaining agreement was signed in 06, which allowed us to avoid "cap hell" or perhaps cap purgatory at least. If a new deal was not struck we would've had some serious decisions to make.

Restructuring & pushing bonuses back eventually catches up & we've seen it before. The Skins have adjusted to the cap well, and have shown restraint when they've had to, e.g. the 05 & 07 offseasons.

[Giantone]

Originally Posted by Mattyk72

The cap isn't rocket science, it's simple math. You can crunch the numbers yourself. Schneed laid everything out there quite nicely. Dispute his numbers if you don't agree.

I understand ,in his example you're savings is around 11-12 million, ok I understand that but you're telling me you will sign all the people you need for just ...12 million......,that is what I don't understand?


P.S............all the numbers are on the assumption that these players restructure their contracts,why would they now when the coachs they love playing for are gone.

[MTK]

Originally Posted by Giantone

I understand ,in his example you're savings is around 11-12 million, ok I understand that but you're telling me you will sign all the people you need for just ...12 million......,that is what I don't understand?

Depends on how aggressive they want to be. $12M certainly isn't a bad place to start. With the heavily backloaded contracts Snyder hands out you don't need much up front to sign some deals.

[MTK]

Originally Posted by Giantone

I understand ,in his example you're savings is around 11-12 million, ok I understand that but you're telling me you will sign all the people you need for just ...12 million......,that is what I don't understand?


P.S............all the numbers are on the assumption that these players restructure their contracts,why would they now when the coachs they love playing for are gone.

A simple restructure puts money in the players' pocket today vs. in the future. Why would a player say no to that?

[GTripp0012]

Originally Posted by Giantone

I understand ,in his example you're savings is around 11-12 million, ok I understand that but you're telling me you will sign all the people you need for just ...12 million......,that is what I don't understand?


P.S............all the numbers are on the assumption that these players restructure their contracts,why would they now when the coachs they love playing for are gone.

Scheed's contract numbers are based in the assumption that we will do everything possible to free up as much space as we need for one last run.

Hiring a new HC this year, that doesn't make a whole lot of sense, since we would be pushing 15 million dead cap dollars into the next season.

Likely we will have 5-6 million to work with and sign picks and what not. A big splash signing is highly unlikely, but we could get some help at the cornerback or offensive line with that money.