Alex Smith to miss 2019 Season

[sandtrapjack]

Originally Posted by Defensewins

I am sure this was talked about, buried in some thread somewhere, but I do not want to go looking for it. What is the cap implications if Smith retires say at the most opportune time for the Redskins, say after 6/1/2019 or what is the best case scenario? Has this been talked about?

There is no difference between a player retiring and a player being cut from a cap stand point. Only difference is a player that is cut, can sign with another team.

If a player 'un-retires' he stays with his parent team until he is traded, or, cut.

For Smith: If he is on the roster on 3/17/2019, his 2020 salary is fully guaranteed. If he is released before that day and designated a post 6/1 release, he will count $21.5 million against the cap. Even if he retires, it does not change the cap hit.

The most economical would be to release him in his final year. But, due to his current health, that option is not practical.

It looks like to me that the best balance of cap and dead would be to release Smith in 2020 and designate him a post 6/1 release. That is the end of his third year and all guaranteed money of $71m has been paid.

By releasing him near the end of the 2020 league year and designating him a post 6/1 release, the cap hit play out like this:

2020 Dead Cap: $5,400,000
2021 Dead Cap: $10,800,000
2020 Cap Savings: $16,000,000

Heres my source if interested:
https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/washingt...ex-smith-3337/