Are JJ/BP learning how to manage the cap better?

[Eskimo]

Last year we sat back idly during initial days of FA while the players we wanted signed elsewhere. Last year when we needed some veteran short-term solutions we gave the possibly washed-up Wiley $5M and Eddie George $2.5M and kept Jeff Robinson on the roster at $1.2M.

This year during early FA we:
Singed A Henry for fill the travesty that was RCB
Signed J Ferguson to fill the gigantic whole for NG in our 3-4
Signed M Rivera to bring leadership to the OL and fill our hole at RG

This year to add depth to the roster we:

Drafted well
Got a young RB A Thomas for $1M
Got a fairly young speed WR in Price for $1.5-2M
Got one of the best #3 CBs in the game in A Glenn for ~$2M
Traded for Fujita to play backup OLB for probably about $600K

At the same time we got rid of:
Q Morgan at $750K
J Robinson at $1.2M for Condo at ~$225K
Carson at $700K for T Johnson at ~$225K
Vollers at $600K for Noll at ~$250K
Scott/Coady at $700K for Pile at ~$250K
Ogbogu at $700K - did not fit our scheme
Coakley at $3M - did not fit our scheme

In short, we are spending our FA dollars on high quality, productive players. We are cutting our marginal vet backups and finding good young replacements with potential to improve in the future. Finding quality vets for depth at reasonable prices while we groom their eventual replacements.

Right now we don't have too many bad contracts on the roster. The only players who I see being in trouble next year because of cap reasons are:

Keyshawn - really showing signs of slowing down

Larry Allen - will next year be the year he finally gets the axe or will he regain his 1999 form. Every year it becomes easier to cut Allen from a cap hit perspective but he has played well in 2004 after a bad 2003 campaign. He has looked good this preseason.

Greg Ellis - not a good fit for the 3-4 and we have Canty, Spears, Ratliff and Coleman on the roster. Two of them should be ready to start next year and we won't need Ellis as insurance. Could very well be trade bait next year to regain the 4th rounder we traded away (could we get a 3rd?).

 

[Billy Bullocks]

Sure Jones has learned his lesson. As far as I know Stephen does most of the cap management stuff, with a horde of others probably. Also, George and Wiley didn't receive much of a signing bonus as far as I remember. You can give a guy alot of money, but if it's not guaranteed money, such as signing bonus, it's easy to get it off the books.

 

[ravidubey]

Jones was trying to immitate New England and to a lesser degree Philadelphia by going cheap. The trick is to go cheap and good.

 

[Eskimo]

Sure Jones has learned his lesson. As far as I know Stephen does most of the cap management stuff, with a horde of others probably. Also, George and Wiley didn't receive much of a signing bonus as far as I remember. You can give a guy alot of money, but if it's not guaranteed money, such as signing bonus, it's easy to get it off the books.

Wiley got $4M SB plus $1M salary - $5M for one's year work - money poorly spent.

George got $2.5M for one year's play - money poorly spent on an ineffective player.

What really matters is how much we spend for the performance we receive. Last year we didn't do a very good job at getting value. We also didn't do a good job of targeting players of improve the team or finding depth at thin areas on the squad.