SBNation.com User Blog: dlittle58

Re: Salary Cap/Free Agents

dlittle58 — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 03:41:30 -0000

First, let me say I have a very rudimentary knowledge of how the salary cap works. That being said...

From most of the posts (even some of the staff) it seems like the focus or justification for not signing a "high" priced free agent (Cough, cough Goldson) is a lack of salary cap space in the future. People love to throw out names like Green, Dalton, Dunlop, Atkins, and Zeitler as the reason why we can't have nice things this offseason.

While I understand a massive salary hit over a number of years can restrict the teams ability to resign guys with expiring rookie contracts who have earned a pay day and we want to keep, we don't really have those guys this offseason.

Why exactly can't the team have 1 or 2 year contracts OR heavily front-loaded contracts for this cap year? For example, (these numbers are just for this example) let's say M00bs want 4 years/24 mil. Despite the incentive issue with him, wouldn't something like this be both doable and an excellent use of the gobs of salary cap space we have?

Signing Bonus $6m

2013 - $10m ($10 + $1.5 = $11.5 total)

2014 - $4m ($5.5 total)

2015 - $2m ($3.5 total)

2016 - $2m ($3.5 total)

Again, not a salary cap expert but the way I (likely incorrectly) understand the signing bonus is distributed throughout the contract. This even leaves open the door for a (relatively) cheap cut in 2015/16 if a guy doesn't turn out...

If this is correct, what exactly IS the front office doing?

First, let me say I have a very rudimentary knowledge of how the salary cap works. That being said...

Signing Bonus $6m

2013 - $10m ($10 + $1.5 = $11.5 total)

2014 - $4m ($5.5 total)

2015 - $2m ($3.5 total)

2016 - $2m ($3.5 total)

If this is correct, what exactly IS the front office doing?

Trying to be a realist about the Texan's game.

dlittle58 — Sun, 06 Jan 2013 01:09:29 -0000

Positives:

D backs. They played awesome. No deep balls, at all. And they scored our only TD.

O-line. Most of the O-line played very well. (Not Cook.) Watt was for the most part neutralized.

Zimmer. He called great coverages. Texans were 8/18 on 3rd, I think. That should be enough to win a playoff game.

The season. We won 10 effing games. Do not forget how many 4-12, 5-11, 2-14 seasons we’ve had. Making the playoffs two years in a row is INCREDIBLE.

Brown. Re-sign him ASAP. Dude is straight money.

Negatives:

Rey. He has struggled more than any single player I’ve seen on the Bengals’ D. Ever. I am very concerned that because he is “Marvin’s guy” he will be back in orange next year. He looked pitiful today. Skuta looked much better during Rey’s injury.

Gresh. Good lord. Our TE should be stronger over the middle than any other player on the field. I just don’t understand why he drops so many balls. He could be the definition of the Bengals.

Gruden. Force the ball to AJ. He is the best player on the roster and top 5 in the NFL. I don’t care what it takes. FORCE IT IN THERE.

Dalton. I was all about him. But the last 6 games have really made me question him. On the one hand, he isn’t special. He doesn’t make special plays. In my heart of hearts I don’t think he’s a SB QB. He’s serviceable and the INT wasn’t his fault. But that missed TD on 3rd down is the type of play you need to make to win in the playoffs.

Marvin. Nuff said.