2013-14 NFL thread

[Jibjabb]

Jimmy Graham is on twitter complaining about the Saints cutting everybody as if he isn't the reason for it, well him and Brees with his big-ass contract. I hope the QBs clamoring for $18+ mil a year are seeing this clusterfuck of an offseason and realizing what their contract will do to their team's cap situation.

Completely agree. Its like these people are ignorant to the fact things like a salary cap exist and if they are taking massive chunks of it than ofc the rest of the team will likely be lacking in talent. I guess if he took a paycut to get more talent around the team and they still are losing people left and right than I could see a legitimate beef.

[Deleted]

Is there some advantage to not using up your cap space up completely? I see a few top tier teams with 25 mill+ left in cap space (colts, broncos, packers, bengals)

[draynay]

Is there some advantage to not using up your cap space up completely? I see a few top tier teams with 25 mill+ left in cap space (colts, broncos, packers, bengals)

well the free agent signing period hasn't started yet, so teams either have room or are desperately trying to make room to begin spending

[Denkou]

Completely agree. Its like these people are ignorant to the fact things like a salary cap exist and if they are taking massive chunks of it than ofc the rest of the team will likely be lacking in talent. I guess if he took a paycut to get more talent around the team and they still are losing people left and right than I could see a legitimate beef.

While I agree that a lot of players can and probably SHOULD take pay cuts in order to help their team out like Brady did, I always wonder how much say the player has in this type of thing. I mean, I'm sure in many cases the player doesn't want to be bothered with paperwork and negotiations and would rather let their agent do all the talking. I'm not trying to make any excuses for players and I do believe that each player should know his contract terms in and out, but its not outside of the realm of possibility that perhaps some of these players don't really know how much they're screwing over their team cap-wise. I would imagine that most players simply train and work out and that sort of stuff and might not even keep up with what's going on in the office.

[Alae]

Is there some advantage to not using up your cap space up completely? I see a few top tier teams with 25 mill+ left in cap space (colts, broncos, packers, bengals)

I believe with the current CBA teams are allowed to officially carry over unused cap space without having to resort to tricks like using phony/unachievable bonuses to essentially move the bonus=cap space to the following year. I don't believe there is a limit to how much cap a team can rollover, however it must be declared before the end of the regular season, but there is something about a minimum amount of cap that must be spent averaged over a four year period, the first year which counted was the 2013 season. I think teams must spend 89% of the cap allotment over that 4 year period.. so even though a few teams could carry 40-50 mill over this year, they wouldnt be out of compliance as they still have time to spend the cap.

I'm not sure that the "adjusted cap", the amount of cap rolled over, can be carried forward continously though.. I think the extra if not used in the following year dissapears.. but then they could just rollover that current years unused?

[Denkou]

So I haven't been keeping up with the offseason much but I just saw that the Packers resigned Sam Shields and I'm really happy about this. Maybe a tad expensive at four years, $39m but we're really weak in the secondary right now and he's proven himself. He made several key interceptions in the final stretch of their 2010 championship season (which was also his rookie season), including a game-ending pick against the Bears to send us to the Super Bowl. If Hayward and Williams stay healthy and Micah Hyde develops we might actually have a decent secondary this season and not give up such big plays.

[Alae]

While I agree that a lot of players can and probably SHOULD take pay cuts in order to help their team out like Brady did........

I'd just like to make the point that while Brady gets a lot of credit for so called taking a pay cut to help out his team that isn't what happened..

He and the Patriots restructed his existing contract.. Adding 3 years and 27 million to his contract, and a additional 3 million of new money as a signing bonus. They basically flattened his cap numbers over the life of the contract, which is great for the Patriots but it was also was a fantastic deal for Brady, He got a LOT of gaurenteed money which is what its all about, especially as he is nearing the end of his career. The Patriots might be carrying some dead money after Brady retires in 2-3 years though. Contracts in the NFL these days aren't really designed to be played to the end of them. Either they get cut or if the player is valuable the contract gets extended.

The cap numbers look something like this:
2013 - $13,800,000 against the cap, with $46,600,000 in dead money if they chose to cut him lol
2014 - $14,800,000 against the cap, with $32,800,000 in dead money
2015 - $13,000,000 against the cap, with $18,000,000 in dead money
2016 - $14,000,000 against the cap, with $12,000,000 in dead money
2017 - $15,000,000 against the cap, with $6,000,000 in dead money

[xskarma]

Brent Grimes: 4 years 32M
Shields: 4 years 39M
Aqib Talib: ???

Verner has 3 teams after him, so he'll probably get a contract over 40M. I don't like where this is going at all, Patriots will have to pay Talib more then they intended I'm sure, and I doubt they will. It's been quiet around Talib and the Patriots so far, but I assume there will be news soon enough with some of the CB dominoes falling.

Also, to complete my downcast thoughts on free agents, I just realised that the top team in the market with needs for a WR (or 2) is....the Jets. If Edelman goes to them he's dead to me. I'm sure that will be enough motivation for him to just re-sign with the Patriots

(seriously though, ANYONE but the Jets, please )

[Vetali]

The Jets are actually sitting pretty well compared to last year. They were in cap hell last year. If they cut Sanchez they'll save even more money.

- - - Updated - - -

William Clay Ford Sr, owner of the Lions has passed away.

[Pendulous]

Cowboys got under the cap by dropping center Phil Costa and reworking some contracts. Also seems like they're gonna drop Miles Austin, which is weird because they don't really have a solid number two receiver. I hope they don't go for one early in the draft, because aside from already having a shitty offensive line, dropping Costa only makes it more important.

[Robbyjawz]

I heard that Travis Frederick, the first rounder last year was really good at center for Dallas. Yeah, the guards likely need work, but what is with getting rid of Austin? He is a solid option, and like you said, they don't really have a proven option behind him. I can see Dallas trying to get Clinton-Dix or Pryor because of the abysmal safety work from last year though.

If the Jets go after Vick, they are cutting Sanchez for certain. If I was the head of that organization, I would cut him anyways. Geno played like a rookie last year, but had some flashes, he shows more upside than Sanchez ever did at this point.

[Pendulous]

I heard that Travis Frederick, the first rounder last year was really good at center for Dallas. Yeah, the guards likely need work, but what is with getting rid of Austin? He is a solid option, and like you said, they don't really have a proven option behind him. I can see Dallas trying to get Clinton-Dix or Pryor because of the abysmal safety work from last year though.

Frederick is there. I guess he was playing backup. But he got playing time because Costa was hurt a lot. I still like Cole Beasley over Austin though, but that's because I like, how I call it, "squirrely" guys. Like Danny Woodhead and Wes Welker.

[Robbyjawz]

I like the guys who are 6' to 6'2 who play bigger than they are, who out muscle their targets, Anquan Boldin has been one of my favorite receivers in the NFL since he was drafted because of how he plays. I loved Hines Ward, give me a WR like those two guys any day. I love those guys who can just give some decimating blocks, and just are downright football players. I would take Austin because he is similar ish to those guys, but his contract might be a bit much.

The "squirrely" guys as you so put it (I like the term by the way, it describes them well) are nice, but not in the NFCW with Richard Sherman, Patrick Peterson, Janoris Jenkins and the like being defensive backs. They will be trounced. That is why I do NOT want Cooks from Oregon State, yeah he is fast and a vertical threat, but if he gets pressed off the line of scrimmage, I don't see him getting out of it as easily. If the Niners go for WR in the first round (which I don't want), I want them to trade up for Evans, and only Evans, because I think they can get their receiver for the future in Matthews from Vandy or Robinson from Penn State in the second round.

[Pendulous]

What is wrong with the Vikings? First, the debacle surrounding Chris Kluwe and how he left there. Then, they trade Percy Harvin away. Which you can say "but injuries", but damn. Now, signing a guy with one start in four years to a huge contract.

[xskarma]

What is wrong with the Vikings? First, the debacle surrounding Chris Kluwe and how he left there. Then, they trade Percy Harvin away. Which you can say "but injuries", but damn. Now, signing a guy with one start in four years to a huge contract.

Well Minnesota had cap room anyway + they now have MORE cap room cause the cap was higher then expected. This is just another bad contract, but it gets worse cause they have more money to throw around.

Then again, they know the guy best, so presumably it's a safer investment for them then had he signed with, I don't know, the Raiders or someplace.

That's the beauty of the NFL though, if he underperforms they can just cut his ass again in a year, or 2. Downside being that they'll continue sucking on defense without a pass rusher, of course.

[Vetali]

I like the guys who are 6' to 6'2 who play bigger than they are, who out muscle their targets, Anquan Boldin has been one of my favorite receivers in the NFL since he was drafted because of how he plays. I loved Hines Ward, give me a WR like those two guys any day. I love those guys who can just give some decimating blocks, and just are downright football players. I would take Austin because he is similar ish to those guys, but his contract might be a bit much.

The "squirrely" guys as you so put it (I like the term by the way, it describes them well) are nice, but not in the NFCW with Richard Sherman, Patrick Peterson, Janoris Jenkins and the like being defensive backs. They will be trounced. That is why I do NOT want Cooks from Oregon State, yeah he is fast and a vertical threat, but if he gets pressed off the line of scrimmage, I don't see him getting out of it as easily. If the Niners go for WR in the first round (which I don't want), I want them to trade up for Evans, and only Evans, because I think they can get their receiver for the future in Matthews from Vandy or Robinson from Penn State in the second round.

I like WRs that run good routes and have a decent catch radius. We need somebody physical though. None of our WRs are very physical.

[xskarma]

So, Mendenhall retired, and wrote a piece on it: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rashar...b_4931316.html

Now, I understand what he is saying, and I acknowledge that attention euh, seekers and divas are popular and that the profession of being an athlete in the NFL has probably shifted towards that of an entertainer in recent years, but I think his conclusion out of it all is wrong. Or maybe not his conclusion, since that's his personal prerogative to feel like he wants to spread his wings, but his assessment that he's got heart for the game. I feel the fact he doesn't care enough about the game to jump through the hoops he's asked to jump through is precisely why some people have gotten the idea he doesn't love the game. He was probably professional in what he did and how he prepared, but part of being a professional is also that you take the bad with the good and that if you love something enough that you will put up with far worse then the picture he paints in his piece.

Whatever heart he had for the game was not enough to overcome the obvious downsides of being a pro athlete, which in my opinion simply proves people were right about him and that he lacked the love for the game. There's people out there that would do anything, and put up with anything to play in the league and there's enough of them that love the game enough to put up with what he clearly does not (anymore) to fill all availble roster spots on teams.

It's a nice piece, and I wish him the best, but he kind of just totally showed why he's not fit (anymore) to be a player in the NFL.

[Robbyjawz]

Jets cut Antonio Cromartie, decent enough plan, they have Milliner and Cromartie was being overpaid. They also cut Holmes, both moves save them a TON of money, I wonder who they are gunning for with these moves, are they looking to make some serious moves in FA?

Steelers cut Lamar Woodley, that is another veteran presence out in Pitt, they resigned Polamalu, but it seems that they are cutting every other one of that ancient defense. I'll agree with the youth movement, that defense was two steps away from being considered decrepit.

Seahawks resigned Bennett, four years, 28.5 million bucks, with 16 million guaranteed. Not a bad price for him, I wanted him to abandon ship, but he scared me less than Bryant, so I'll take it. Will Seattle keep Clemons now is my question.

Niners are actually cutting Rogers as well. THANK GOD! It'll be a slightly bigger cap hit cutting him now rather than in June, like a million buck if I recall correctly. Probably means the Niners will be gunning for a slot corner in free agency or in the draft. If they go for one in the draft, I am liking Verett from TCU more and more, he plays bigger than 5'9 and holy hell, the kid is fluid with his movements. Still like Fuller a bit more, but would not be upset drafting Verett.

And @ demise below me, I win! Beat you to it!

[Aerodactyl]

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/10...ltimore-ravens

Loving the Ravens descent into lotteryville.

Pitta, one of the best recieving TEs in the game? Him and Flacco have great chemistry, its a no-brainer to sign this guy for the long haul.

[fierydemise]

Seahawks resign Bennett.

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/10...ichael-bennett

Deal seems pretty good overall, big money this year but drops down pretty substantially for the rest of the deal which should help the Seahawks have room for the big Sherman, Thomas, Wilson, etc. in the next few years. Its pretty clear Bennett gave the Seahawks a "good chance to win the superbowl again" discount, article says he had two higher offers.