Cost to keep or cut Doug Free - Page 3 - Dallas Cowboys Forum

AbeBeta · 11-27-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by xwalker

The Salary Cap charges for each year would be:

If cut after 2012:
2011 - 3.275 mil
2012 - 5.375 mil
2013 - 4.175 mil
2014 - 4.175 mil

If kept for all 4 seasons:
2011 - 3.275 mil
2012 - 5.375 mil
2013 – 11.175 mil
2014 – 12.175 mil

A nice example of the contract structures that I've mentioned a few times in other threads. Too bad lots of folks here don't get it.

What is interesting is the first year cap hit. Notice how for even a really big deal that hit is very low. It isn't even half of his 8 mill a year average. When people scream about how dead money keeps us from signing guys, it really makes me wonder if they understand that when you sign guys, the first year or two tend to be very cap friendly.

All that said, I think that we do want to keep Free but are going to ask him to take a salary cut. Even if he cuts his base down to 2 mill a year, it is likely more than he'll get on the "Free" market -- that would cut 5 and 6 mill off his cap charge in each year

**MichaelWinicki** · 11-27-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by AbeBeta

All that said, I think that we do want to keep Free but are going to ask him to take a salary cut. Even if he cuts his base down to 2 mill a year, it is likely more than he'll get on the "Free" market -- that would cut 5 and 6 mill off his cap charge in each year

I think the chances are very good that there is discussion concerning Free taking a salary cut.

Given his play he's not going to get any large deals elsewhere.

As of today Doug Free is the 64th rated tackle in the NFL (out of 74) per PFF.

craig71 · 11-27-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by jterrell

Between Bern and Costa you should have a starting OC.

Right Guard will need to be addressed but is a far lesser priority than RT which is probably the 1st or 2nd priority depending upon what happens with Spencer.

Would be very, very nice to have Bern as your Interior Swing OL and Parnell as your 3rd OT. I'd brign Cook back as my 8th OL and last active OL weekly. Hopefully he could play some TE on goal line and short yardage. Dallas is about two solid OL away from being sound there. But even then they need to get some breaks with health. They can't have 4 or 5 guys go down by mid-season.

Another good draft and free agency year will go a long way. But they absolutely have to get better injury results than this year.

I'm not very high on Costa. Anyway you slice it though you are going to have to get better up front in whatever combination that makes sense.

Craig

craig71 · 11-27-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by supercowboy8

I would have to look at free agency for the replacement or early in the draft, round 1 or 2 for a starting RT. Loadholt would be top on my list for a free agent but he will cost some money to get. Also OG and center can be looked at in the draft. You can find a day one starting OG in the second round. I would look for a veteran center and also look in tje first three rounds for a center.

If we can get a defensive play maker in the first then trade back and stock pile picks and collect OL and DL

Maybe so.

As long as the line gets addressed I am fine with however they go about it.

Craig

craig71 · 11-27-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by MichaelWinicki

I agree with JT.

Unless there is a miraculous turn-around Free is gone.

Austin is probably gone too.

I'd go 50/50 on Ratliff and Scandrick.

I'd lean toward Ratliff being cut before Scandrick.

Craig

AbeBeta · 11-27-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by MichaelWinicki

I think the chances are very good that there is discussion concerning Free taking a salary cut.

Given his play he's not going to get any large deals elsewhere.

As of today Doug Free is the 64th rated tackle in the NFL (out of 74) per PFF.

What continues to intrigue me about the guy is that he does have some good games -- he was good on Thursday - yet the Brown's game saw him put in a terrible performance.

Something mental is going on here and I hope the team can get him with the right kind of resources to fix that

demdcowboys#1 · 11-27-2012

He'll be gone.

**MichaelWinicki** · 11-27-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by AbeBeta

What continues to intrigue me about the guy is that he does have some good games -- he was good on Thursday - yet the Brown's game saw him put in a terrible performance.

Something mental is going on here and I hope the team can get him with the right kind of resources to fix that

You're right.

The OT's were not the issue vs the Redskins.

All 3 inside guys were awful.

supercowboy8 · 11-27-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by craig71

I'd lean toward Ratliff being cut before Scandrick.

Craig

Ratliff isn't going anywhere.
He wilk be a 7 million cap hit next year.
If we release him he will be a 10.375 million cap hit.

jterrell · 11-27-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by supercowboy8

Ratliff isn't going anywhere.
He wilk be a 7 million cap hit next year.
If we release him he will be a 10.375 million cap hit.

nope.

we only owe ratliff 6m in signing bonus after this year.

if we cut him the day after the season we pay 6m in cap hit in 2013.
he has a 5m base salary that would come off the books so he'd be a nett add of 1m to release in 2013 if we wanted to move early. and there would be zero charge going forward.

BUT we could release him June 1st and SAVE 2m on the 2013 Cap for releasing him.

We'd owe 3m in dead money in 2014 but still save his 2014 base of 5.5m.

AbeBeta · 11-27-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by MichaelWinicki

You're right.

The OT's were not the issue vs the Redskins.

All 3 inside guys were awful.

Dockery. Dockery. Dockery.

Those three really suck

wileedog · 11-27-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by MichaelWinicki

I think the chances are very good that there is discussion concerning Free taking a salary cut.

Given his play he's not going to get any large deals elsewhere.

As of today Doug Free is the 64th rated tackle in the NFL (out of 74) per PFF.

A crappy player who is cheaper is still a crappy player. Why keep him, even at vet minimum? He has stunk out loud for two straight seasons now, he's not going to get any better.

supercowboy8 · 11-27-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by jterrell

nope.

we only owe ratliff 6m in signing bonus after this year.

if we cut him the day after the season we pay 6m in cap hit in 2013.
he has a 5m base salary that would come off the books so he'd be a nett add of 1m to release in 2013 if we wanted to move early. and there would be zero charge going forward.

BUT we could release him June 1st and SAVE 2m on the 2013 Cap for releasing him.

We'd owe 3m in dead money in 2014 but still save his 2014 base of 5.5m.

We still owe him 4.375 million in gauarneteed money

He has 18 million in guaranteed and, the signing bonus was on 10. He salary the last two years and a roster bonus now has 4.375 left in guaranteed

supercowboy8 · 11-27-2012

Scandrick will be a 3.78 cap hit next year he will be a 6.52 if cut.

I don't see Ratliff and scandrick going anywhere. Also the new CBA only allows one player to be used as a june 1st cut.

jterrell · 11-27-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by supercowboy8

We still owe him 4.375 million in gauarneteed money

He has 18 million in guaranteed and, the signing bonus was on 10. He salary the last two years and a roster bonus now has 4.375 left in guaranteed

that's interesting. guaranteed money is supposed to count against the whole not just when it is paid afaik.

i dont know that i have ever seen a guy in this nfl system getting guarantees 3 years later except some rookie deals.

If he does have that 4.35m guaranteed in 2013 he may well be restructured.
In his initial deal they couldn't spread the cap hit farther than 5 years so 16/17 were left with just base money. a restructure now would certainly save cap cash.