Breer: How the Eagles have circumvented the salary cap the last couple of years

[fivetwos]

Teams seem to be ok with that problem at the end. Dak's void year money is low now. But I can't imagine what it might look like going forward. But the Cowboys might be ok with Dak near to 20% of the cap every year. Teams don't win super bowls with that kind of QB cap hit. Only Mahomes did it, twice.

I don’t keep track of Daks dead money but it’s going to be significant, probably to where it’s going to hurt eventually….all fine, but they aren’t even going for it while they still have the guy and are pushing the cap hits backward.

I think you said something about half measures the other day, and that’s exactly what they do. I have no good idea as to why they think that will eventually work when it has proven to not over a large sample size.

Acquiring Pickens and leaving your run defense a mess isn’t trying to win. It’s just keeps ng your head above water after a bad season. They never made moves like that when they were much closer.

I really just think it boils down to not being any good at roster building and vastly overrating what they have on the roster….as well as hiring yes men when they need people to tell them certain guys can’t play so don’t be counting on them. When people are constantly kissing you’re behind I can see how you might think a mid round pick could be an immediate stud.

 

[Flamma]

Acquiring Pickens and leaving your run defense a mess isn’t trying to win. It’s just keeps ng your head above water after a bad season. They never made moves like that when they were much closer.

Right. We're not a Pickens away from a championship. I think they just don't want to spend more than they have to. They're paying the players they draft, no one else. Pickens, like Cooper back in 2018, is similar to what you said, an attempt to keep us from being crap, not to win a championship. If we were 12-5 last year, Pickens wouldn't be here. Their SOP doesn't build off the last season.

Their system is a problem with the run game. It's hard to draft a good DT if you're not picking top ten and refuse to move up. They won't pay for one through free agency, and it's even harder to trade for one.

Two players that come to mind I was hoping we'd get, but knew we wouldn't. Dexter Lawrence and Jalen Carter. Their own system doesn't allow those type DTs become Cowboys.

 

[Flamma]

I don’t keep track of Daks dead money but it’s going to be significant, probably to where it’s going to hurt eventually….all fine, but they aren’t even going for it while they still have the guy and are pushing the cap hits backward.

I think you said something about half measures the other day, and that’s exactly what they do. I have no good idea as to why they think that will eventually work when it has proven to not over a large sample size.

Acquiring Pickens and leaving your run defense a mess isn’t trying to win. It’s just keeps ng your head above water after a bad season. They never made moves like that when they were much closer.

I really just think it boils down to not being any good at roster building and vastly overrating what they have on the roster….as well as hiring yes men when they need people to tell them certain guys can’t play so don’t be counting on them. When people are constantly kissing you’re behind I can see how you might think a mid round pick could be an immediate stud.

Something else I forget to mention, it has to do with spending. Which is why I think they don't want to spend more than they have to. All guaranteed money has to be put aside. That's a lot of their money they have no access to. Depending on how they run their empire, it may be difficult for them. That's moving a lot of money around.

 

[Chasing6]

Yes. the push forward money always comes home eventually and once it is hitting you yearly in years 7,8,9 it is tough to handle regardless of the player. You can push poff current money but that past money hurts.
Pat Mahomes is phenomenal and has given the Chiefs the best deal they could ever hope for with his contract and they still are grasping at cap straws around him now.
There is 1 of 1 NFL great QBs who has married a Brazilian super model worth 400 million and is willing to play for 75 cents on the dollar throughout his entire career.

Every other QB eventually understands come years 6-10 that they better make all the money possible because no other job pays like NFL QB.
Fun Fact: Troy Aikman, Tony Romo, Dak Prescott AND Pat Mahomes have a combined net worth less than Gisele on her own.

Does it really? If the CAP keeps going up and you can then push someone else's salary in to void years, how does it ever come due?

If I have $20M due next year for a void year, I just add another $20M in a void year 2027 for another player, so it is basically a wash.

You can just rotate and replace void years. As one is due you add another one with a different player. Plus the Cap keeps going up, and the roster size is not changing.

If I owe $20M on ccard with zero interest due on Jan 1st, 2026 and I am allowed to get a new ccard for $20M that is not due until Jan 1st, 2027. Then I am actually paying nothing. I am just kicking the can down the road at zero cost.

 

[fivetwos]

Something else I forget to mention, it has to do with spending. Which is why I think they don't want to spend more than they have to. All guaranteed money has to be put aside. That's a lot of their money they have no access to. Depending on how they run their empire, it may be difficult for them. That's moving a lot of money around.

Right, it being their own money is an unusual conflict of interest that Jerry calls an advantage.

I mean really…are any other GMs factoring in that they can make X amount in other investments if they don’t sign a certain player…or wait to do it as opposed to be given a budget by ownership?

It’d be fine work if it actually worked on the field. It doesn’t, but there’s no change in sight.

They would potentially get called out on several things of this nature if there were several losing season in a row…and that’s exactly what they are trying to avoid, while talking themselves and others into believing the failure is about luck. No. It isn’t.

 

[Blitzen]

Oh yeah I take the rivalry serious I grew up hating that team and fanbase and the hate still runs deep today.

Gotcha. Maybe that’s why some people get upset with others on the site praising some of the Eagles’ moves. People get the idea the other fans are cheering for them.

I grew up with the Cowboys being terrible in the mid to late eighties and then either winning the SB or making the NFCCG every year of high school. The Eagles were a tough matchup, but SF was the real matchup-a true peer

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

Gotcha. Maybe that’s why some people get upset with others on the site praising some of the Eagles’ moves. People get the idea the other fans are cheering for them.

I grew up with the Cowboys being terrible in the mid to late eighties and then either winning the SB or making the NFCCG every year of high school. The Eagles were a tough matchup, but SF was the real matchup-a true peer

Oh for sure. I hate when it’s done here but I’ll say this….alll the praising they get here it numbed me up for the SB win lol. I honestly didn’t care they won I thought I would. More pissed at Dallas.

 

[Aerolithe_Lion]

Philadelphia with more cap shenanigans:

https://overthecap.com/eagles-do-something-different-with-a-rookie-contract/amp

We’ve started giving our late round rookies weird contracts with uneven guarantees, basically making it a cap benefit if the player goes on IR. So don’t be surprised if Longhorn OT Cam Williams bruises a knee in August and is suddenly out for the season. Development player we can stash for later and save money by doing so

 

[StarOfGlory]

I think Tony and Troy make more money now than they did in their playing careers. Did it ever get out as to why Brady split up with his wife?

From what I understand, Giselle didn’t want Tom playing football anymore. She wanted him at home. Tom said no, he’s still playing. Well, next thing is she decided to share fun time with a personal trainer/pliates instructor. Guess she wanted that male companionship.

 

[DuncanIso]

I doubt this is surprising news to anyone. We have all seen the Eagles sign players right and left every year and wonder how they can fit them all in their salary cap.

Will the league do something about it? Since it's not the Cowboys, I doubt it. Watch for other teams to start adopting this philosophy until they do.

My bet is all this is several feet above the Cowboys (Stephen) heads and they don't understand how this works.

It will catch up to them..

#NFLCreditCard

 

[DuncanIso]

From what I understand, Giselle didn’t want Tom playing football anymore. She wanted him at home. Tom said no, he’s still playing. Well, next thing is she decided to share fun time with a personal trainer/pliates instructor. Guess she wanted that male companionship.

She’s not worth it,

 

[Pola_pe_a]

Anyone can do what the Eagles are doing if you have an owner willing to put up the cash. The Funding Rule requires money to be in escrow for guaranteed money. Using as many void years as they do means more cash outlay for a longer period of time than most owners want to take on.
Nothing to do with market size and more to do with how deep the owners pockets are and how long his arms are.

 

[Johannes44]

I’ve never seen someone sell failure the way he does.

If he is selling failure what does it say about the fanbase that continues to lap up everything he is offering?

 

[Flamma]

I've never been a fan of the hard salary cap. Void years allow teams to be more flexible. Teams that don't want to take advantage of this don't have to. They can sit back and watch.

 

[Redsfan_83]

I doubt this is surprising news to anyone. We have all seen the Eagles sign players right and left every year and wonder how they can fit them all in their salary cap.

Will the league do something about it? Since it's not the Cowboys, I doubt it. Watch for other teams to start adopting this philosophy until they do.

My bet is all this is several feet above the Cowboys (Stephen) heads and they don't understand how this works.

You mean their tushes are pushing the cap hit until a later time?