2012 Salary Cap Update Post #107 - (08/21/2012) -- $5,137,214 under

[AdamJT13]

After restructuring the contracts of Orlando Scandrick, Doug Free and Dez Bryant; releasing Terence Newman and David Buehler; and "borrowing" $1.5 million from a future salary cap, we entered the free-agency period $11,386,689 under the salary cap. Newman was designated a "post June 1" cut, so we won't get that $6.016 million of cap relief until June 2 -- in fact, cutting him actually cost us $390,000 of cap room for now, because another player's base salary was added to our top 51 when Newman was released. For now, Newman counts as $8.016 million in dead money. On June 2, that will drop to $2 million. So, one way to look at it is that we entered free agency $17,402,689 under the cap -- we just can't use $6.016 million of it until June 2 or later.

None of our signings have been processed by the league yet (it can take a few days when things are busy), but if the initial contract breakdowns are correct, we were $3,657,522 under the cap before signing Dan Connor but after signing Carr, Orton, Pool, Vickers and Bernadeau. If you want to include the Newman savings after June 2, we're "really" $9,673,522 under the cap.

Other than releasing players, the two main ways that we could gain more cap room, if we need it, would be to restructure DeMarcus Ware's contract (saving about $2.75 million) and to sign Anthony Spencer to a contract extension, lowering his cap number from $8.856 million to something less than $5 million, most likely.

Also, keep in mind the Top 51 Rule when we sign or release players in the offseason. This rule states that the only base salaries (or tenders) that count against the cap during the offseason are those of the current players (including unsigned players who were tendered) with the 51 highest cap numbers on the team. Anyone else's base salary does not count against the cap until after the final preseason cutdown. This means that if we sign a player whose 2012 cap number is $2 million, it doesn't use up $2 million of our current cap room -- that player's $2 million gets added to our cap, but he knocks another player out of our Top 51, so that player's base salary no longer counts against the cap. Right now -- after our first five free-agent signings, that is -- our 50th and 51st players' base salaries are $390,000 each (as are those of players 52-57). Our 40th-49th players' base salaries are $465,000 each. So, whatever Connor's 2012 cap number is, subtract $390,000 to see how much cap room we lose. If we sign or cut someone after that, it either knocks someone else out of the Top 51 or puts someone else back into the Top 51, so their base salary gets added or subtracted as necessary.

[durrrr]

i love you

[wittenacious]

Looks like we still have the $$$ to make a few more mid- to lower-tier FA moves, with added $$$ coming after June 1 to play with, as needed. Thanks for the thorough updated breakdown.

[Az Lurker]

I'm far from the first to say it, but thank you Adam, you are a fantastic addition to this board and your knowledge is astounding.

[jmac]

Originally Posted by AdamJT13

After restructuring the contracts of Orlando Scandrick, Doug Free and Dez Bryant; releasing Terence Newman and David Buehler; and "borrowing" $1.5 million from a future salary cap, we entered the free-agency period $11,386,689 under the salary cap. Newman was designated a "post June 1" cut, so we won't get that $6.016 million of cap relief until June 2 -- in fact, cutting him actually cost us $390,000 of cap room for now, because another player's base salary was added to our top 51 when Newman was released. For now, Newman counts as $8.016 million in dead money. On June 2, that will drop to $2 million. So, one way to look at it is that we entered free agency $17,402,689 under the cap -- we just can't use $6.016 million of it until June 2 or later.

[View Full Quote] None of our signings have been processed by the league yet (it can take a few days when things are busy), but if the initial contract breakdowns are correct, we were $3,657,522 under the cap before signing Dan Connor but after signing Carr, Orton, Pool, Vickers and Bernadeau. If you want to include the Newman savings after June 2, we're "really" $9,673,522 under the cap.

Other than releasing players, the two main ways that we could gain more cap room, if we need it, would be to restructure DeMarcus Ware's contract (saving about $2.75 million) and to sign Anthony Spencer to a contract extension, lowering his cap number from $8.856 million to something less than $5 million, most likely.

Also, keep in mind the Top 51 Rule when we sign or release players in the offseason. This rule states that the only base salaries (or tenders) that count against the cap during the offseason are those of the current players (including unsigned players who were tendered) with the 51 highest cap numbers on the team. Anyone else's base salary does not count against the cap until after the final preseason cutdown. This means that if we sign a player whose 2012 cap number is $2 million, it doesn't use up $2 million of our current cap room -- that player's $2 million gets added to our cap, but he knocks another player out of our Top 51, so that player's base salary no longer counts against the cap. Right now -- after our first five free-agent signings, that is -- our 50th and 51st players' base salaries are $390,000 each (as are those of players 52-57). Our 40th-49th players' base salaries are $465,000 each. So, whatever Connor's 2012 cap number is, subtract $390,000 to see how much cap room we lose. If we sign or cut someone after that, it either knocks someone else out of the Top 51 or puts someone else back into the Top 51, so their base salary gets added or subtracted as necessary.

Wow so if we still had that extra 10 mil from the league we probably could have signed 2 big price free agents and not just one in Carr.

[popp1234]

Yep, those are the same numbers I came up with.

[TwentyOne]

Originally Posted by AdamJT13

After restructuring the contracts of Orlando Scandrick, Doug Free and Dez Bryant; releasing Terence Newman and David Buehler; and "borrowing" $1.5 million from a future salary cap, we entered the free-agency period $11,386,689 under the salary cap. Newman was designated a "post June 1" cut, so we won't get that $6.016 million of cap relief until June 2 -- in fact, cutting him actually cost us $390,000 of cap room for now, because another player's base salary was added to our top 51 when Newman was released. For now, Newman counts as $8.016 million in dead money. On June 2, that will drop to $2 million. So, one way to look at it is that we entered free agency $17,402,689 under the cap -- we just can't use $6.016 million of it until June 2 or later.

[View Full Quote] None of our signings have been processed by the league yet (it can take a few days when things are busy), but if the initial contract breakdowns are correct, we were $3,657,522 under the cap before signing Dan Connor but after signing Carr, Orton, Pool, Vickers and Bernadeau. If you want to include the Newman savings after June 2, we're "really" $9,673,522 under the cap.

Other than releasing players, the two main ways that we could gain more cap room, if we need it, would be to restructure DeMarcus Ware's contract (saving about $2.75 million) and to sign Anthony Spencer to a contract extension, lowering his cap number from $8.856 million to something less than $5 million, most likely.

Also, keep in mind the Top 51 Rule when we sign or release players in the offseason. This rule states that the only base salaries (or tenders) that count against the cap during the offseason are those of the current players (including unsigned players who were tendered) with the 51 highest cap numbers on the team. Anyone else's base salary does not count against the cap until after the final preseason cutdown. This means that if we sign a player whose 2012 cap number is $2 million, it doesn't use up $2 million of our current cap room -- that player's $2 million gets added to our cap, but he knocks another player out of our Top 51, so that player's base salary no longer counts against the cap. Right now -- after our first five free-agent signings, that is -- our 50th and 51st players' base salaries are $390,000 each (as are those of players 52-57). Our 40th-49th players' base salaries are $465,000 each. So, whatever Connor's 2012 cap number is, subtract $390,000 to see how much cap room we lose. If we sign or cut someone after that, it either knocks someone else out of the Top 51 or puts someone else back into the Top 51, so their base salary gets added or subtracted as necessary.

Did you substract the 10 million hit from the league sanction already ? And in case you did how did you distribute it. 5 mills per 2 years or everything against our 2012 cap ?

[rojan]

So we can't use the money from the Newman release until June 2nd? Is there anyway to structure contracts to work around that if we had to?

How much will Newman count against our cap next year?

[Woods]

I guess this is why Stephen Jones says he "chuckles" with regard to having sufficient cap room when interviewed yesterday.

We clearly have enough to do what we need to do (especially if we want to restructure D Ware), which is entirely consistent with Adam's numbers and what S Jones said.

[Arch Stanton]

Great job Adam....as always.

When does the rookie cap figure get announced? Is it after the draft?

[jswalker1981]

Originally Posted by Arch Stanton

Great job Adam....as always.

When does the rookie cap figure get announced? Is it after the draft?

It will get announced when the league thinks we won't have enough money to pay the rookies, and will in turn take another $10 mil as a penalty.

[Temo]

Originally Posted by TwentyOne

Did you substract the 10 million hit from the league sanction already ? And in case you did how did you distribute it. 5 mills per 2 years or everything against our 2012 cap ?

That wasn't factored, I'm pretty sure.

[WG5516]

Adam you're amazing, thank you!

[Beast_from_East]

Originally Posted by AdamJT13

After restructuring the contracts of Orlando Scandrick, Doug Free and Dez Bryant; releasing Terence Newman and David Buehler; and "borrowing" $1.5 million from a future salary cap, we entered the free-agency period $11,386,689 under the salary cap. Newman was designated a "post June 1" cut, so we won't get that $6.016 million of cap relief until June 2 -- in fact, cutting him actually cost us $390,000 of cap room for now, because another player's base salary was added to our top 51 when Newman was released. For now, Newman counts as $8.016 million in dead money. On June 2, that will drop to $2 million. So, one way to look at it is that we entered free agency $17,402,689 under the cap -- we just can't use $6.016 million of it until June 2 or later.

[View Full Quote] None of our signings have been processed by the league yet (it can take a few days when things are busy), but if the initial contract breakdowns are correct, we were $3,657,522 under the cap before signing Dan Connor but after signing Carr, Orton, Pool, Vickers and Bernadeau. If you want to include the Newman savings after June 2, we're "really" $9,673,522 under the cap.

Other than releasing players, the two main ways that we could gain more cap room, if we need it, would be to restructure DeMarcus Ware's contract (saving about $2.75 million) and to sign Anthony Spencer to a contract extension, lowering his cap number from $8.856 million to something less than $5 million, most likely.

Also, keep in mind the Top 51 Rule when we sign or release players in the offseason. This rule states that the only base salaries (or tenders) that count against the cap during the offseason are those of the current players (including unsigned players who were tendered) with the 51 highest cap numbers on the team. Anyone else's base salary does not count against the cap until after the final preseason cutdown. This means that if we sign a player whose 2012 cap number is $2 million, it doesn't use up $2 million of our current cap room -- that player's $2 million gets added to our cap, but he knocks another player out of our Top 51, so that player's base salary no longer counts against the cap. Right now -- after our first five free-agent signings, that is -- our 50th and 51st players' base salaries are $390,000 each (as are those of players 52-57). Our 40th-49th players' base salaries are $465,000 each. So, whatever Connor's 2012 cap number is, subtract $390,000 to see how much cap room we lose. If we sign or cut someone after that, it either knocks someone else out of the Top 51 or puts someone else back into the Top 51, so their base salary gets added or subtracted as necessary.

Thanks for the update Adam, we all appreciate it.

[JeffInDC]

Originally Posted by Temo

That wasn't factored, I'm pretty sure.

He already accounted for that. Why? Because, before all of the moves that he mentioned that saved Cap room, the 'Boys were in negative Cap shape BECAUSE they had $5M taken off. Before the penalty, the 'Boys had almost $4M in cap room (with Spencer's $8.8M already being taken into account). Those numbers where reported by league.