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2014 NFL Free Agents (1 Viewer)

I understand why Donald Brown signed the deal, but what is San Diego thinking?
Isn't Mathews a possible cut?
:no:

Only due $1.9 mil. Imagine Donald will play Ronnie Brown role. And will be an upgrade if/when Mathews goes down.
Really? I know they are both former first rounders but before this signing I was higher going into 2014 on Mathews than I ever was on Brown
Thought about editing my post after I wrote it to specify the upgrade -- Meant Donald would be an upgrade over Ronnie (if/when Mathews goes down)

 
@ryanohalloran: #Jaguars agreed to terms with RB Toby Gerhart.
Like that for all involved, makes the Jags better IMO.
He'll get a chance, no doubt. It smells like Mendy in Arz to me though. Marginal talent in a bad situation. There is value because he will compile touches but that's about it.
Marginal....disagree, he's going to be a force. Let's see what they do with their O-line and QB.

 
I understand why Donald Brown signed the deal, but what is San Diego thinking?
Isn't Mathews a possible cut?
:no:

Only due $1.9 mil. Imagine Donald will play Ronnie Brown role. And will be an upgrade if/when Mathews goes down.
Really? I know they are both former first rounders but before this signing I was higher going into 2014 on Mathews than I ever was on Brown
Thought about editing my post after I wrote it to specify the upgrade -- Meant Donald would be an upgrade over Ronnie (if/when Mathews goes down)
That's how I see it.

 
How NE like will the Texans offense be? Why don't they go after Edelman with Owen gone and use 3 WR sets?

 
Rotoworld:

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports the Jets are not in the hunt for Matt Schaub.
The Texans haven't released Schaub yet, so it's entirely possible he won't even hit the market if the sides are discussing a pay cut. Houston would only save $3.6 million against the cap by cutting him. RapSheet previously reported the Browns and Raiders would have interest in Schaub when/if he is set free.

Related: Jets

Source: Ian Rapoport on Twitter
 
Filed to ESPN: Denver has reached agreement on a 6-year, $57M deal that includes $26M gtd with former Patriots CB Aqib Talib, per sources. Per Adam Schefter
Wow, that's a bit steep IMO. Basically took champ's salary and gave it to Talib. Hope Elway knows what he is doing.

Apparently DRC wanted more, so I guess this makes sense.

 
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Filed to ESPN: Denver has reached agreement on a 6-year, $57M deal that includes $26M gtd with former Patriots CB Aqib Talib, per sources. Per Adam Schefter
Wow, that's a bit steep IMO. Basically took champ's salary and gave it to Talib. Hope Elway knows what he is doing.

Apparently DRC wanted more, so I guess this makes sense.
What?

It's 4.5 plus the yearly salary. Which could be as cheap as 1 or 2 million a year early on.

Bailey meanwhile got 11 million, 11 million, 11 million and 10 million (cut) the past 4 seasons.

They are getting Talib and TJ Ward the first couple seasons for the cost of Bailey.

 
Filed to ESPN: Denver has reached agreement on a 6-year, $57M deal that includes $26M gtd with former Patriots CB Aqib Talib, per sources. Per Adam Schefter
Wow, that's a bit steep IMO. Basically took champ's salary and gave it to Talib. Hope Elway knows what he is doing.

Apparently DRC wanted more, so I guess this makes sense.
What?

It's 4.5 plus the yearly salary. Which could be as cheap as 1 or 2 million a year early on.

Bailey meanwhile got 11 million, 11 million, 11 million and 10 million (cut) the past 4 seasons.

They are getting Talib and TJ Ward the first couple seasons for the cost of Bailey.
You don't know how the contract is loaded, and based on previous contracts Elway doesn't front load as he hates dead money.

 
Filed to ESPN: Denver has reached agreement on a 6-year, $57M deal that includes $26M gtd with former Patriots CB Aqib Talib, per sources. Per Adam Schefter
Wow, that's a bit steep IMO. Basically took champ's salary and gave it to Talib. Hope Elway knows what he is doing.

Apparently DRC wanted more, so I guess this makes sense.
What?

It's 4.5 plus the yearly salary. Which could be as cheap as 1 or 2 million a year early on.

Bailey meanwhile got 11 million, 11 million, 11 million and 10 million (cut) the past 4 seasons.

They are getting Talib and TJ Ward the first couple seasons for the cost of Bailey.
Annual salaries are probably something like $7M, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 with the first 3 years and part of the 4th fully guaranteed.

 
Filed to ESPN: Denver has reached agreement on a 6-year, $57M deal that includes $26M gtd with former Patriots CB Aqib Talib, per sources. Per Adam Schefter
Wow, that's a bit steep IMO. Basically took champ's salary and gave it to Talib. Hope Elway knows what he is doing.
Talk about rehabbing your reputation...
???
He signed a 1 year/$5M deal last year with the Patriots.

 
Filed to ESPN: Denver has reached agreement on a 6-year, $57M deal that includes $26M gtd with former Patriots CB Aqib Talib, per sources. Per Adam Schefter
Wow, that's a bit steep IMO. Basically took champ's salary and gave it to Talib. Hope Elway knows what he is doing.
Talk about rehabbing your reputation...
???
He signed a 1 year/$5M deal last year with the Patriots.
True, but DRC is in the same boat, no?

 
Filed to ESPN: Denver has reached agreement on a 6-year, $57M deal that includes $26M gtd with former Patriots CB Aqib Talib, per sources. Per Adam Schefter
Good god, how much cap space did Denver have?
going all in on some rings with Manning - I imagine these contracts are light on cap hit early on. We'll probably see many of these guys be cut next year or the following.
Yeah, makes sense for DEN and NO to go all in for the next couple years (especially DEN), as they can just go in to a total re-build when their QBs are done.

 
I understand why Donald Brown signed the deal, but what is San Diego thinking?
SD is thinking they have zero depth behind mathews.

Woodhead has his role, but he cant be counted on to log alot of carries, and carry the load.

Good move for SD, this is Mathews contract year and Donald has ties to the New GM from Indy.

 
The guarantee given to Byrd is the 3rd largest given to a defensive player in league history. Highest to ANY secondary player.

He got $2M more guaranteed than Talib, who got the largest guarantee for a CB in league history.

 
It kind of strikes me as funny/strange/whatever that fans worry about these contracts. They're just numbers and it's not your money.

It rarely seems like teams lose because they couldn't afford a player or two because of cap reasons. Teams lose because the players they're paying aren't good enough.

Is the reason the Raiders are terrible really because they haven't managed the cap well? Redskins?

Were the Broncos and Seahawks in the Super Bowl because of their cap situation?

I just don't think so. With a cap of $133 million, just about any team can get the players they want.

Who cares what the Broncos paid for Ward and Talib? They got better in the places that they needed to upgrade most.

Who cares if the Raiders are a zillion dollars under the cap? They're still not dramatically improving their team (as far as I can tell).

I'm not concerned that the Vikings seemingly overpaid for Everson Griffen. I'm concerned that they think he's good enough to do what they're paying him for.

 
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@ryanohalloran: #Jaguars agreed to terms with RB Toby Gerhart.
Like that for all involved, makes the Jags better IMO.
He'll get a chance, no doubt. It smells like Mendy in Arz to me though. Marginal talent in a bad situation. There is value because he will compile touches but that's about it.
Marginal....disagree, he's going to be a force. Let's see what they do with their O-line and QB.
That really isn't a fair comparison here. Mendenhall got the opportunity to be a starter, did well with that for a few years, got hurt and was not the same RB again. He saw little interest as a free agent and signed with the Cardinals pretty much because no other team wanted him, didn't do much and then retired.

 
Rotoworld:

The 49ers are showing interest in free agent CB Chris Cook.
On Tuesday, the Niners cut Carlos Rogers and allowed free agent Tarell Brown to hit the open market. That leaves Eric Wright, Tramaine Brock and Chris Culliver as their top-three corners. Cook fits the mold as a physical, press player that goes 6'2/212. The Niners have also been linked to Nolan Carroll.

Related: 49ers

Source: Sacramento Bee
Free agent Garrett Graham said talks between his camp and the Texans are going "slow."
The Texans are going to have a fight on their hands if they want to retain Graham to help fill the shoes of released veteran Owen Daniels. The Packers and Giants are two tight-end needy teams that could show interest. The other option for the Texans is to just roll with second-year man Ryan Griffin, who would bring more upside as a pass-catcher but has work to do in the blocking game.

Related: Ryan Griffin

Source: ESPN.com
The Nashville Tennessean confirms the Titans have "some interest" in free agent OLB LaMarr Woodley.
Woodley is visiting the Raiders on Wednesday, an indication he's seeking top dollar after Pittsburgh cut him. A previous report stated "many" people in the Steelers' organization expect Woodley to land with Ray Horton in Tennessee.

Related: Titans

Source: Jim Wyatt on Twitter
Free agent WR Brandon LaFell is visiting the Patriots Wednesday.
Tom Brady should be bubbling over with frustration. The Patriots failed to pony up the cash for Wes Welker last season and appear poised to follow the same path with Julian Edelman this year. LaFell is another backup-caliber outside receiver that wouldn't be an upgrade on the likes of Aaron Dobson and Kenbrell Thompkins. LaFell's best work comes as a run blocker.

Related: Patriots

Source: Adam Schefter on Twitter
The Broncos reportedly have interest in free agent MLB Jon Beason.
The Giants are also in the mix for Beason, a highly talented middle linebacker that comes draped in injury red flags. But for the "all or nothing" Broncos, risk/reward signings make some sense. If healthy, Beason would be a massive upgrade on the likes of free agents Wesley Woodyard and Paris Lenon. Daryl Smith is also thought to be in the mix with the Broncos.

Related: Daryl Smith, Broncos

Source: Denver Post
 
It kind of strikes me as funny/strange/whatever that fans worry about these contracts. They're just numbers and it's not your money.

It rarely seems like teams lose because they couldn't afford a player or two because of cap reasons. Teams lose because the players they're paying aren't good enough.

Is the reason the Raiders are terrible really because they haven't managed the cap well? Redskins?

Were the Broncos and Seahawks in the Super Bowl because of their cap situation?

I just don't think so. With a cap of $133 million, just about any team can get the players they want.

Who cares what the Broncos paid for Ward and Talib? They got better in the places that they needed to upgrade most.

Who cares if the Raiders are a zillion dollars under the cap? They're still not dramatically improving their team (as far as I can tell).

I'm not concerned that the Vikings seemingly overpaid for Everson Griffen. I'm concerned that they think he's good enough to do what they're paying him for.
The Broncos needed the cap space to sign Peyton Manning. So yes, they were in the Superbowl because of their cap space.

As far as the Seahawks go, Russell Wilson will be due a new contract next year. If he goes the Flacco route do you think Seattle will need a good cap situation? Of course they will.

The Dallas Cowboys because they've spent the previous years re-negotiating their players to push money into future years are now entering a period for their franchise where they will have to/did release viable NFL players in order to get under the cap just to sign rookies.

The effects of overpaying for a player aren't felt in year 1. It's a ripple effect. Just look at some of the dead money teams are paying this year. There are 8 teams paying over 10M. That's a pretty big disadvantage to put yourself in. I'll be interested to see how those team fair the next three years.

Year 1 you might not hurt yourself with these contracts but it could very well come back to bite you in the behind.

 
It kind of strikes me as funny/strange/whatever that fans worry about these contracts. They're just numbers and it's not your money.

Teams lose because the players they're paying aren't good enough.

With a cap of $133 million, just about any team can get the players they want.
All three of those statements are 100% accurate. I know I get annoyed when a team I like goes bonkers in FA for just those reasons though. If a team started fresh with $133mil to blow, you could build a team in FA. But by overpaying FA's, you're cutting yourself out of being able to go get the guys you really want because you're beholden (cap and dead cap money) to the ones you overspent for last year, and the year before that, etc.

 
The Broncos needed the cap space to sign Peyton Manning. So yes, they were in the Superbowl because of their cap space.

As far as the Seahawks go, Russell Wilson will be due a new contract next year. If he goes the Flacco route do you think Seattle will need a good cap situation? Of course they will.

The Dallas Cowboys because they've spent the previous years re-negotiating their players to push money into future years are now entering a period for their franchise where they will have to/did release viable NFL players in order to get under the cap just to sign rookies.

The effects of overpaying for a player aren't felt in year 1. It's a ripple effect. Just look at some of the dead money teams are paying this year. There are 8 teams paying over 10M. That's a pretty big disadvantage to put yourself in. I'll be interested to see how those team fair the next three years.

Year 1 you might not hurt yourself with these contracts but it could very well come back to bite you in the behind.
It wasn't my point to say that managing the cap is UNimportant.

What I was trying to say is that people saying something to the effect that "Eric Decker is worth $6m a year, but not $9m" is kind of funny. $3m isn't going to break the bank and if he's a good player that can translate into more wins then he's worth the extra $3m.

Teams like Dallas threw good money at bad talent, that's why they don't win. Denver threw good money at good talent (specifically Manning) and that's why they won.

It comes down to this - you have to pay for talent at key times/key spots or else you're not going to win.

 
It kind of strikes me as funny/strange/whatever that fans worry about these contracts. They're just numbers and it's not your money.

Teams lose because the players they're paying aren't good enough.

With a cap of $133 million, just about any team can get the players they want.
All three of those statements are 100% accurate. I know I get annoyed when a team I like goes bonkers in FA for just those reasons though. If a team started fresh with $133mil to blow, you could build a team in FA. But by overpaying FA's, you're cutting yourself out of being able to go get the guys you really want because you're beholden (cap and dead cap money) to the ones you overspent for last year, and the year before that, etc.
Again, to be clear, I'm not saying that all free agent money is good free agent money. In fact, it's the opposite.

It doesn't matter, IMO, that Denver spent a wad of cash for Ward and Talib. I think it dramatically improved their team. Who cares if the guarantee for Talib is record setting?

OTOH, the money the Raiders spent seems tragically foolish.

 
It kind of strikes me as funny/strange/whatever that fans worry about these contracts. They're just numbers and it's not your money.

Teams lose because the players they're paying aren't good enough.

With a cap of $133 million, just about any team can get the players they want.
All three of those statements are 100% accurate. I know I get annoyed when a team I like goes bonkers in FA for just those reasons though. If a team started fresh with $133mil to blow, you could build a team in FA. But by overpaying FA's, you're cutting yourself out of being able to go get the guys you really want because you're beholden (cap and dead cap money) to the ones you overspent for last year, and the year before that, etc.
Again, to be clear, I'm not saying that all free agent money is good free agent money. In fact, it's the opposite.It doesn't matter, IMO, that Denver spent a wad of cash for Ward and Talib. I think it dramatically improved their team. Who cares if the guarantee for Talib is record setting?

OTOH, the money the Raiders spent seems tragically foolish.
The $11M the Broncos paid Bailey last year killed their secondary and between that, Seller's deal and Manning's deal, the Broncos were thin on the O-line.

Now you tell me if the Broncos could have benefited from an extra $10M spent on secondary and O-line depth last year rather than pay Bailey or give quite so much to Welker and Manning.

 
It kind of strikes me as funny/strange/whatever that fans worry about these contracts. They're just numbers and it's not your money.

Teams lose because the players they're paying aren't good enough.

With a cap of $133 million, just about any team can get the players they want.
All three of those statements are 100% accurate. I know I get annoyed when a team I like goes bonkers in FA for just those reasons though. If a team started fresh with $133mil to blow, you could build a team in FA. But by overpaying FA's, you're cutting yourself out of being able to go get the guys you really want because you're beholden (cap and dead cap money) to the ones you overspent for last year, and the year before that, etc.
Again, to be clear, I'm not saying that all free agent money is good free agent money. In fact, it's the opposite.

It doesn't matter, IMO, that Denver spent a wad of cash for Ward and Talib. I think it dramatically improved their team. Who cares if the guarantee for Talib is record setting?

OTOH, the money the Raiders spent seems tragically foolish.
Because if Talib continues to battle injuries, or turns back into an ####### now that he's made his money, and you want to cut him, you can't do so without accelerating all that guaranteed money onto your cap. You were saying earlier that teams lose because the players that they paid to perform didn't play well. Well, in order for that to be true, they need to get paid first. In virtually every instance you're describing, the team expected the player to contribute a value deserving of the contract they're giving them. Not many teams sign players to big money not expecting it to work out.

I don't think many Jets fans care about the actual cash Decker would be taking in. It's if that extra $3MM (or $5MM, if they don't think he's truly worth more than a guy making $4MM) could be better deployed somewhere else on the roster, and it's a consideration made with every player in every league with a salary cap.

 
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Rotoworld:

ESPN's Adam Schefter reports the Browns are hosting Ben Tate for a free agent visit.
The free agent market has been established for running backs at three years, $10.5 million -- or at least that's what Toby Gerhart (Jaguars) and Donald Brown (Chargers) both received. Tate is still only 25 years old, and could be more willing to play on a one-year, "prove it" deal as a feature back in Cleveland. He needs to "prove" to teams that he can stay healthy for 16 games. Kyle Shanahan's rushing attack would be an excellent fit for his running skills.

Related: Browns

Source: Nate Ulrich on Twitter
NFL Network's Mike Silver names the Giants, Jets, Texans, Raiders, and Lions as possible landing spots for free agent Brandon Pettigrew.
Early-offseason chatter had the Lions potentially franchise tagging Pettigrew, the idea of which now looks foolish. He's been connected to a bevvy of teams but almost certainly not getting the financial offers he's seeking. Pettigrew is 29 years old with shaky hands and no dynamic elements to his receiving game.

Related: Texans, Raiders, Giants, Jets

Source: Mike Silver on Twitter
The Patriots are hosting free agent DE/OLB Matt Shaughnessy on a visit Wednesday.
Shaughnessy took a one-year "prove it" deal in free agency a year ago and it paid off. He made the transition to 3-4 outside linebacker and recorded 36 tackles, three sacks, three fumble recoveries and seven pass breakups. Shaughnessy would add to an already solid defensive end corps in the Patriots' 4-3, giving Chandler Jones and Rob Ninkovich some rotational breaks.

Related: Patriots

Source: Field Yates on Twitter
 
The $11M the Broncos paid Bailey last year killed their secondary and between that, Seller's deal and Manning's deal, the Broncos were thin on the O-line.

Now you tell me if the Broncos could have benefited from an extra $10M spent on secondary and O-line depth last year rather than pay Bailey or give quite so much to Welker and Manning.
That's not true. They ran out of steam because their good players got injured.

Their o-line was weak because Clady was out. Their defense was weak because Chris Harris, Rahim Moore, Derek Wolfe, and Von Miller were all out.

Even if they hadn't had to pay Bailey, I seriously doubt it would have made a difference as to the talent level of their secondary. It wasn't because of money that it wasn't better.

 
The $11M the Broncos paid Bailey last year killed their secondary and between that, Seller's deal and Manning's deal, the Broncos were thin on the O-line.

Now you tell me if the Broncos could have benefited from an extra $10M spent on secondary and O-line depth last year rather than pay Bailey or give quite so much to Welker and Manning.
That's not true. They ran out of steam because their good players got injured. Their o-line was weak because Clady was out. Their defense was weak because Chris Harris, Rahim Moore, Derek Wolfe, and Von Miller were all out.

Even if they hadn't had to pay Bailey, I seriously doubt it would have made a difference as to the talent level of their secondary. It wasn't because of money that it wasn't better.
You're completely missing the point. Injuries happen in the NFL. If you have no quality depth because you have $11M tied up with Champ Bailey, then you end up paying the price when the inevitable injuries happen.

 
Because if Talib continues to battle injuries, or turns back into an ####### now that he's made his money, and you want to cut him, you can't do so without accelerating all that guaranteed money onto your cap. You were saying earlier that teams lose because the players that they paid to perform didn't play well. Well, in order for that to be true, they need to get paid first. In virtually every instance you're describing, the team expected the player to contribute a value deserving of the contract they're giving them. Not many teams sign players to big money not expecting it to work out.

I don't think many Jets fans care about the actual cash Decker would be taking in. It's if that extra $3MM (or $5MM, if they don't think he's truly worth more than a guy making $4MM) could be better deployed somewhere else on the roster, and it's a consideration made with every player in every league with a salary cap.
Regarding the bolded - That's not what I meant/you misunderstood. You need to take it at face value...I'm simply talking about talent. As an easy example, Talib is talented but Saffold is not.

The risk you take with the "what if's" are really not that different whether you're talking about character or possibility of injury. They both could potentially strike at any time. So the question you have to ask is really one of talent.

Now, regarding the Decker/Jets example... this is a matter of supply, demand, and need. I don't think Decker is the best WR, but he's probably the best WR available and it happens to be at a position of (arguably) biggest need for the Jets. Talking about where $5m could be better spent somewhere else doesn't seem to make much sense when a) it's really not that much money, relatively speaking and b) what does "better spent" mean when you're talking about improving the worst area on your roster?

 
The $11M the Broncos paid Bailey last year killed their secondary and between that, Seller's deal and Manning's deal, the Broncos were thin on the O-line.

Now you tell me if the Broncos could have benefited from an extra $10M spent on secondary and O-line depth last year rather than pay Bailey or give quite so much to Welker and Manning.
That's not true. They ran out of steam because their good players got injured. Their o-line was weak because Clady was out. Their defense was weak because Chris Harris, Rahim Moore, Derek Wolfe, and Von Miller were all out.

Even if they hadn't had to pay Bailey, I seriously doubt it would have made a difference as to the talent level of their secondary. It wasn't because of money that it wasn't better.
You're completely missing the point. Injuries happen in the NFL. If you have no quality depth because you have $11M tied up with Champ Bailey, then you end up paying the price when the inevitable injuries happen.
I'm not completely missing the point. As of August 2nd last year, after they had accounted for Bailey, Manning, Welker, et. al. they were still nearly $10m under the cap.

Bailey's contract was not the issue.

 
Because if Talib continues to battle injuries, or turns back into an ####### now that he's made his money, and you want to cut him, you can't do so without accelerating all that guaranteed money onto your cap. You were saying earlier that teams lose because the players that they paid to perform didn't play well. Well, in order for that to be true, they need to get paid first. In virtually every instance you're describing, the team expected the player to contribute a value deserving of the contract they're giving them. Not many teams sign players to big money not expecting it to work out.

I don't think many Jets fans care about the actual cash Decker would be taking in. It's if that extra $3MM (or $5MM, if they don't think he's truly worth more than a guy making $4MM) could be better deployed somewhere else on the roster, and it's a consideration made with every player in every league with a salary cap.
Regarding the bolded - That's not what I meant/you misunderstood. You need to take it at face value...I'm simply talking about talent. As an easy example, Talib is talented but Saffold is not.

The risk you take with the "what if's" are really not that different whether you're talking about character or possibility of injury. They both could potentially strike at any time. So the question you have to ask is really one of talent.

Now, regarding the Decker/Jets example... this is a matter of supply, demand, and need. I don't think Decker is the best WR, but he's probably the best WR available and it happens to be at a position of (arguably) biggest need for the Jets. Talking about where $5m could be better spent somewhere else doesn't seem to make much sense when a) it's really not that much money, relatively speaking and b) what does "better spent" mean when you're talking about improving the worst area on your roster?
And talent falls off. Julius Peppers isn't as talented as he once was. Neither is Demarcus Ware. They got released because their cap numbers were well in excess of what they can contribute at this point. If their salaries were guaranteed, that would be a major issue to their respective clubs, no? The Seahawks won the Super Bowl last year despite having guys like Sidney Rice and Zach Miller being the highest paid players on their team. If guys like Wilson, Sherman, and Thomas weren't giving them insane production at minimal cost, they would not have been able to bring in a guy like Michael Bennett on a one year deal and Cliff Avril on a cheap two year deal which obviously became a major component to their success.

It seems like you're making a much better case for why rich teams in baseball should bring in as much talent as they can afford.

 
And talent falls off. Julius Peppers isn't as talented as he once was. Neither is Demarcus Ware. They got released because their cap numbers were well in excess of what they can contribute at this point. If their salaries were guaranteed, that would be a major issue to their respective clubs, no? The Seahawks won the Super Bowl last year despite having guys like Sidney Rice and Zach Miller being the highest paid players on their team. If guys like Wilson, Sherman, and Thomas weren't giving them insane production at minimal cost, they would not have been able to bring in a guy like Michael Bennett on a one year deal and Cliff Avril on a cheap two year deal which obviously became a major component to their success.

It seems like you're making a much better case for why rich teams in baseball should bring in as much talent as they can afford.
Which is why the numbers in these contracts are bogus. They're structured so that teams can save money when the player's just not worth it anymore.

And whether or not you know it, you're confirming the original point that I made which is that these numbers don't mean anything because good teams know how to manage the cap even if it seems like they're paying too much for player X at the time. Sidney Rice and Zach Miller's (and anyone else's) contracts would have been dealt with if it had been necessary - like they did a while back with Houshmandzadeh and Winslow.

Again, (for what, the third time) I'm not saying that managing the cap is unimportant. I'm saying that good teams know how to manage it so the fact that if a good team gets good talent then it's not a problem and fans shouldn't worry about it. The only thing that matters is making your team better.

Again, I pick on the Raiders. What difference did it make that they spent the last 1-2 years clearing bad contracts off the books to increase their cap space? With the early results, it doesn't look like they're making their team any better. In fact, it seems the opposite.

 
It kind of strikes me as funny/strange/whatever that fans worry about these contracts. They're just numbers and it's not your money.

It rarely seems like teams lose because they couldn't afford a player or two because of cap reasons. Teams lose because the players they're paying aren't good enough.

Is the reason the Raiders are terrible really because they haven't managed the cap well? Redskins?

Were the Broncos and Seahawks in the Super Bowl because of their cap situation?

I just don't think so. With a cap of $133 million, just about any team can get the players they want.

Who cares what the Broncos paid for Ward and Talib? They got better in the places that they needed to upgrade most.

Who cares if the Raiders are a zillion dollars under the cap? They're still not dramatically improving their team (as far as I can tell).

I'm not concerned that the Vikings seemingly overpaid for Everson Griffen. I'm concerned that they think he's good enough to do what they're paying him for.
In Baseball I would agree. Teams have no limit there and what a guy makes is pretty irrelevant to how the team does.

In football though, the cap means everything. Just like salary or auction leagues have to find a way to make a competitive teams on a budget, the nfl does it on a grander scale. There is an inate skill that the good gms possess to not only evaluate talent but get them on the team at a reasonable price to not cost your team in another area. When a cap strapped team like the Saints gives the highest contract for a safety in league history, it gets people to scratch their heads a bit because Sproles will now leave and Jimmy Graham will still need to be paid.

 
Insein said:
Andy Dufresne said:
It kind of strikes me as funny/strange/whatever that fans worry about these contracts. They're just numbers and it's not your money.

It rarely seems like teams lose because they couldn't afford a player or two because of cap reasons. Teams lose because the players they're paying aren't good enough.

Is the reason the Raiders are terrible really because they haven't managed the cap well? Redskins?

Were the Broncos and Seahawks in the Super Bowl because of their cap situation?

I just don't think so. With a cap of $133 million, just about any team can get the players they want.

Who cares what the Broncos paid for Ward and Talib? They got better in the places that they needed to upgrade most.

Who cares if the Raiders are a zillion dollars under the cap? They're still not dramatically improving their team (as far as I can tell).

I'm not concerned that the Vikings seemingly overpaid for Everson Griffen. I'm concerned that they think he's good enough to do what they're paying him for.
In Baseball I would agree. Teams have no limit there and what a guy makes is pretty irrelevant to how the team does.

In football though, the cap means everything. Just like salary or auction leagues have to find a way to make a competitive teams on a budget, the nfl does it on a grander scale. There is an inate skill that the good gms possess to not only evaluate talent but get them on the team at a reasonable price to not cost your team in another area. When a cap strapped team like the Saints gives the highest contract for a safety in league history, it gets people to scratch their heads a bit because Sproles will now leave and Jimmy Graham will still need to be paid.
You guys. You're not understanding what I wrote. And obviously I'm not being clear. Let's reel it back a little.

What I was talking about was fans talking about "My team overpaid for player X". That's nonsense if the player actually improves your team.

Of course managing the cap is important. But it's not one or two guys that you may overpay a little in free agency that cause the problem but rather it is a top to bottom problem with contracts.

 
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Insein said:
Andy Dufresne said:
It kind of strikes me as funny/strange/whatever that fans worry about these contracts. They're just numbers and it's not your money.

It rarely seems like teams lose because they couldn't afford a player or two because of cap reasons. Teams lose because the players they're paying aren't good enough.

Is the reason the Raiders are terrible really because they haven't managed the cap well? Redskins?

Were the Broncos and Seahawks in the Super Bowl because of their cap situation?

I just don't think so. With a cap of $133 million, just about any team can get the players they want.

Who cares what the Broncos paid for Ward and Talib? They got better in the places that they needed to upgrade most.

Who cares if the Raiders are a zillion dollars under the cap? They're still not dramatically improving their team (as far as I can tell).

I'm not concerned that the Vikings seemingly overpaid for Everson Griffen. I'm concerned that they think he's good enough to do what they're paying him for.
In Baseball I would agree. Teams have no limit there and what a guy makes is pretty irrelevant to how the team does.

In football though, the cap means everything. Just like salary or auction leagues have to find a way to make a competitive teams on a budget, the nfl does it on a grander scale. There is an inate skill that the good gms possess to not only evaluate talent but get them on the team at a reasonable price to not cost your team in another area. When a cap strapped team like the Saints gives the highest contract for a safety in league history, it gets people to scratch their heads a bit because Sproles will now leave and Jimmy Graham will still need to be paid.
You guys. You're not understanding what I wrote. And obviously I'm not being clear. Let's reel it back a little.

What I was talking about was fans talking about "My team overpaid for player X". That's nonsense if the player actually improves your team.

Of course managing the cap is important. But it's not one or two guys that you may overpay a little that cause the problem but rather it is a top to bottom problem with contracts.
The point you're missing is that your argument is entirely too simplistic. Of course, in theory, your approach makes sense "if the player actually improves your team". But what happens "if that player doesn't actually improve your team"? We could figure that out with the benefit of hindsight, but the real world is very different because players don't always perform to those contracts and you won't ever know what correct value is.

Every team sets a price they are willing to pay for a player based on the value they expect to get out of that player. There is no other way to approach it in a smart way. Teams do not constantly try to overpay for a player just because they are talented.

 
Insein said:
Andy Dufresne said:
It kind of strikes me as funny/strange/whatever that fans worry about these contracts. They're just numbers and it's not your money.

It rarely seems like teams lose because they couldn't afford a player or two because of cap reasons. Teams lose because the players they're paying aren't good enough.

Is the reason the Raiders are terrible really because they haven't managed the cap well? Redskins?

Were the Broncos and Seahawks in the Super Bowl because of their cap situation?

I just don't think so. With a cap of $133 million, just about any team can get the players they want.

Who cares what the Broncos paid for Ward and Talib? They got better in the places that they needed to upgrade most.

Who cares if the Raiders are a zillion dollars under the cap? They're still not dramatically improving their team (as far as I can tell).

I'm not concerned that the Vikings seemingly overpaid for Everson Griffen. I'm concerned that they think he's good enough to do what they're paying him for.
In Baseball I would agree. Teams have no limit there and what a guy makes is pretty irrelevant to how the team does.

In football though, the cap means everything. Just like salary or auction leagues have to find a way to make a competitive teams on a budget, the nfl does it on a grander scale. There is an inate skill that the good gms possess to not only evaluate talent but get them on the team at a reasonable price to not cost your team in another area. When a cap strapped team like the Saints gives the highest contract for a safety in league history, it gets people to scratch their heads a bit because Sproles will now leave and Jimmy Graham will still need to be paid.
You guys. You're not understanding what I wrote. And obviously I'm not being clear. Let's reel it back a little.

What I was talking about was fans talking about "My team overpaid for player X". That's nonsense if the player actually improves your team.

Of course managing the cap is important. But it's not one or two guys that you may overpay a little that cause the problem but rather it is a top to bottom problem with contracts.
Very true.

Also, big contracts don't hurt when you are getting solid play from the minimum wage guys. Seahawks are example #1.

Just seems like, year in and year out, the biggest free agent deals are mistakes.

 
The point you're missing is that your argument is entirely too simplistic. Of course, in theory, your approach makes sense "if the player actually improves your team". But what happens "if that player doesn't actually improve your team"? We could figure that out with the benefit of hindsight, but the real world is very different because players don't always perform to those contracts and you won't ever know what correct value is.

Every team sets a price they are willing to pay for a player based on the value they expect to get out of that player. There is no other way to approach it in a smart way. Teams do not constantly try to overpay for a player just because they are talented.
I can't argue a point I wasn't making. :shrug:

 
The point you're missing is that your argument is entirely too simplistic. Of course, in theory, your approach makes sense "if the player actually improves your team". But what happens "if that player doesn't actually improve your team"? We could figure that out with the benefit of hindsight, but the real world is very different because players don't always perform to those contracts and you won't ever know what correct value is.

Every team sets a price they are willing to pay for a player based on the value they expect to get out of that player. There is no other way to approach it in a smart way. Teams do not constantly try to overpay for a player just because they are talented.
I can't argue a point I wasn't making. :shrug:
Okay.

Let's start fresh. You asked why fans care about contracts given to players. I, and some others, are stating that in a salary cap league, every dollar spent somewhere is a dollar that can't be spent somewhere else.

So are we done, or do you wanna go back into further detail on what we've been discussing?

 
The point you're missing is that your argument is entirely too simplistic. Of course, in theory, your approach makes sense "if the player actually improves your team". But what happens "if that player doesn't actually improve your team"? We could figure that out with the benefit of hindsight, but the real world is very different because players don't always perform to those contracts and you won't ever know what correct value is.

Every team sets a price they are willing to pay for a player based on the value they expect to get out of that player. There is no other way to approach it in a smart way. Teams do not constantly try to overpay for a player just because they are talented.
I can't argue a point I wasn't making. :shrug:
Okay.

Let's start fresh. You asked why fans care about contracts given to players. I, and some others, are stating that in a salary cap league, every dollar spent somewhere is a dollar that can't be spent somewhere else.

So are we done, or do you wanna go back into further detail on what we've been discussing?
No. I'm good. Thanks.

I think it's silly. You think I'm wrong. It's okay.

Edit: I will concede one point though. Fans of certain teams probably rightly do have a bigger concern with it than others.

 
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Insein said:
Andy Dufresne said:
It kind of strikes me as funny/strange/whatever that fans worry about these contracts. They're just numbers and it's not your money.

It rarely seems like teams lose because they couldn't afford a player or two because of cap reasons. Teams lose because the players they're paying aren't good enough.

Is the reason the Raiders are terrible really because they haven't managed the cap well? Redskins?

Were the Broncos and Seahawks in the Super Bowl because of their cap situation?

I just don't think so. With a cap of $133 million, just about any team can get the players they want.

Who cares what the Broncos paid for Ward and Talib? They got better in the places that they needed to upgrade most.

Who cares if the Raiders are a zillion dollars under the cap? They're still not dramatically improving their team (as far as I can tell).

I'm not concerned that the Vikings seemingly overpaid for Everson Griffen. I'm concerned that they think he's good enough to do what they're paying him for.
In Baseball I would agree. Teams have no limit there and what a guy makes is pretty irrelevant to how the team does.

In football though, the cap means everything. Just like salary or auction leagues have to find a way to make a competitive teams on a budget, the nfl does it on a grander scale. There is an inate skill that the good gms possess to not only evaluate talent but get them on the team at a reasonable price to not cost your team in another area. When a cap strapped team like the Saints gives the highest contract for a safety in league history, it gets people to scratch their heads a bit because Sproles will now leave and Jimmy Graham will still need to be paid.
You guys. You're not understanding what I wrote. And obviously I'm not being clear. Let's reel it back a little.

What I was talking about was fans talking about "My team overpaid for player X". That's nonsense if the player actually improves your team.

Of course managing the cap is important. But it's not one or two guys that you may overpay a little in free agency that cause the problem but rather it is a top to bottom problem with contracts.
I don't get why you are arguing this. It's real simple, the more you pay one guy the less you can spend on the rest of the team.

Even if a guy like Decker helps your team on the field, if you are overpaying by 3 million a year it's a bad decision to sign him. It's exactly how teams like the Cowboys have dug themselves into big holes and how teams like the Ravens and Patriots have been able to stay competitive year in and year out.

This isn't as hard as you are making it.

 
I don't get why you are arguing this. It's real simple, the more you pay one guy the less you can spend on the rest of the team.

Even if a guy like Decker helps your team on the field, if you are overpaying by 3 million a year it's a bad decision to sign him. It's exactly how teams like the Cowboys have dug themselves into big holes and how teams like the Ravens and Patriots have been able to stay competitive year in and year out.

This isn't as hard as you are making it.
And you guys are just cherry picking my argument.

Let's just forget I said anything.

 
The other point to consider in signing high priced free agents is how does that affect the chemistry of the team? If you have good players on your team who have signed good, but not mega contracts, how does the team paying an outsider big bucks affect their attitude? The Eagles are in that situation with McCoy and Jackson and Howie Roseman, the GM, is trying to maintain team chemistry by not going out and overpaying for an outsider.

Also, as evidenced by the dream team fiasco, you can bring in a lot of talent but the new talent still has to mesh as a team and this does not always happen. More talent performing at a lower level does not always help a team.

 
I agree with Andy. It's not the contracts are bad, it's the management of the contracts that are bad. It's a delicate dance to stay under the cap and over the minimum.

 

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