News: BTB: Cowboys Cap Casualties? Three Players Who Might Be Candidates To Be Cut

[NewsBot]

When the time comes to start shaping next year's roster, will there be one or more cuts made based at least partly on cap savings?

Roster management in the NFL is not only a matter of getting the right talent. It is also driven by the salary cap. The Dallas Cowboys are an aggressive team in utilizing the cap to get the most bang for the buck. Part of that is cutting players who are seen as not being worth their current costs, and who can be cut without a prohibitive hit to the cap.

The Cowboys are in pretty good shape going into 2016. They have very few contracts that look like they are overpaying players. But there are three names that may be considered for release to get some more cap room for free agency and the draft: Brandon Carr, Barry Church, and Doug Free. However, all are starters and the team has to make a decision whether they are in a position to move on. Here are the numbers on the dead money costs and cap savings if each of them is released, based on current contract details from Over the Cap. (The figures are for post-June 1 cuts, except for Church, whose figures do not change. The team can, I believe, use two post-June 1 cuts annually.)

Possible Cap Casualties
Player Dead Money Cap Savings
Brandon Carr
$4,717,000 $9,100,000
Barry Church
$500,000 $2,750,000
Doug Free
$1,500,000 $4,000,000
Total
$6,717,000 $15,850,000​

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[Bluefin]

(The figures are for post-June 1 cuts, except for Church, whose figures do not change. The team can, I believe, use two post-June 1 cuts annually.)

Almost $16 million in cap room with an associated dead money cost of under $7 million may be worth it.

It isn't that easy.

The proposed cap space generated by these possible June releases (BTW, the date is reportedly being moved to May 12th in 2016) would be unavailable to use until the releases officially went on the books in May/June.

Free agency opens on March 15, 2016.

It's a moot point because Dallas can create all the room it needs without using the June/May designation (which can be used on 2 players ahead of time) on any player.

And it's doubtful Doug Free and Barry Church will be cut loose during the off-season, anyway.

If Chaz Green and J.J. Wilcox or other players beat them out in training camp/pre-season next year, that's fine. But the regular cap savings for Free and Church aren't worth just kicking them to the curb before a sure upgrade is added to the roster.

If the veterans get beat out before the regular season starts, they can be released at that point, possibly traded for a future draft pick or kept as depth depending on how the roster shakes out.

Brandon Carr, on the other hand, I would definitely pink slip.

And there's no need to use a designation to spread the dead money over two seasons, just send Carr packing and eat the dead money all at once.

The Cowboys can attempt to re-sign Morris Claiborne before free agency begins and all the contract moves are made to prepare for the off-season.

However, neither corner is ideal in the scheme. They lack the desired physicality in press coverage and run support and have poor instincts in zone coverage.

I'm willing to give Claiborne another year, this looks to be the first time he won't need major surgery during the off-season, but the deal has to be for one year or have an easy escpae clause prior to the second year.

 

[RS12]

And it's doubtful Doug Free and Barry Church will be cut loose during the off-season, anyway.

I think Church has better of being cut depending on how the draft and FA unfold.

 

[DC Cowboy]

When the time comes to start shaping next year's roster, will there be one or more cuts made based at least partly on cap savings?

Roster management in the NFL is not only a matter of getting the right talent. It is also driven by the salary cap. The Dallas Cowboys are an aggressive team in utilizing the cap to get the most bang for the buck. Part of that is cutting players who are seen as not being worth their current costs, and who can be cut without a prohibitive hit to the cap.

The Cowboys are in pretty good shape going into 2016. They have very few contracts that look like they are overpaying players. But there are three names that may be considered for release to get some more cap room for free agency and the draft: Brandon Carr, Barry Church, and Doug Free. However, all are starters and the team has to make a decision whether they are in a position to move on. Here are the numbers on the dead money costs and cap savings if each of them is released, based on current contract details from Over the Cap. (The figures are for post-June 1 cuts, except for Church, whose figures do not change. The team can, I believe, use two post-June 1 cuts annually.)

Possible Cap Casualties
Player Dead Money Cap Savings
Brandon Carr
$4,717,000 $9,100,000
Barry Church
$500,000 $2,750,000
Doug Free
$1,500,000 $4,000,000
Total
$6,717,000 $15,850,000​

Follow me @TomRyleBTB​

Continue reading...

Let Carr play his last year in Dallas at Safety

 

[jblaze2004]

I would cut all three bums and save the money and get some real players. I mean we can pay guys alot less to play like crap or up to those players level.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

Let Carr play his last year in Dallas at Safety

My gosh, why would you pay Carr that kind of money to play safety? I mean it's a ridiculous amount for him to play corner at the level he has this season, but to thrust him to safety... No.

 

[Bluefin]

I think Church has better of being cut depending on how the draft and FA unfold.

That's the way to do it.

Go through free agency and the draft, take everyone to camp, and see what happens.

If a safety or corner is lost for the season with an injury, we would need Barry Church.

Let Carr play his last year in Dallas at Safety

Brandon Carr isn't physical enough at cornerback, so safety isn't in his future.

I was shocked he wasn't forced to lower his salary in order to stay this season. Nothing will make Carr's $9.1M base salary in 2016 palpable.

He needs to go.

I would cut all three bums and save the money and get some real players. I mean we can pay guys alot less to play like crap or up to those players level.

Carr should be released before free agency starts.

Doug Free and Barry Church can go to training camp and compete for jobs. They don't have exorbitant salary cap numbers next season, so the cap savings from an immediate release wouldn't be enough to warrant the moves.

If Free and/or Church get beat out during training camp/pre-season, a decision on their roster status can be made at that time.

There's no need to do it in March.

 

[waving monkey]

why would Claiborne except that deal?

 

[Bluefin]

why would Claiborne except that deal?

He walks if a better offer is on the table.

 

[Kaiser]

I don't think that dead money number for Carr is accurate. Spotrac has his dead money as 7.4MM and his salary as 9.1MM. If that number is accurate I would expect it to be the same situation as last offseason where they only tackle this late in the offseason when they know how the draft and early FA played out. If the cap savings of cutting Carr is really only 1.7MM, I would expect him to stay or do the kind of restructure Doug Free did in 2012. That would drop his salary to the amount he is guaranteed, but spread it over multiple years.

 

[Nightman]

I would cut all three bums and save the money and get some real players. I mean we can pay guys alot less to play like crap or up to those players level.

I know, I hate calling them cap casualties. They should be cut based on their play. The money saved is a bonus.

 

[big dog cowboy]

I look forward to all three players being former Cowboys when the season starts next year.

 

[DenCWBY]

The only players I do not want to see on the 2016 roster is Wilcox, Claiborne, Free, Cassel and Carr

 

[Staubacher]

The only players I do not want to see on the 2016 roster is Wilcox, Claiborne, Free, Cassel and Carr

I would add Street to that list - we need to upgrade WR and it starts there.

 

[dallasdave]

I would add Street to that list - we need to upgrade WR and it starts there.

Agree, Street needs to hit the street !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Bluefin]

I don't think that dead money number for Carr is accurate.

The numbers are accurate in that they show the 2016 cap hit ($4.717M dead money) and savings ($9.1M base salary) for releasing Brandon Carr with the June designation.

The author neglected to mention that there would be another $2.717M in dead money that would hit the 2017 salary cap by going this route, nor did he express that the $9.1M in savings wouldn't be immediately available by using the designation.

And the savings don't reflect that a new salary will enter the top 51 whenever a player is released.

When teams designate a player as a June release, the date is reportedly moving to May 12th this coming off-season, they must wait for that date to arrive before the move becomes official on the books and the cap savings can then be used.

If the cap savings of cutting Carr is really only 1.7MM, I would expect him to stay or do the kind of restructure Doug Free did in 2012.

The cap savings for Carr will either be $5.933M with a regular release, and this number reflects a minimum 2016 base salary ($450K) replacing his spot on the top51.

Or it will be $8.65M with a June release. We would to wait until that date to use the savings and there would be another $2.717M in dead money on the 2017 salary cap.

There was speculation last off-season that Dallas would attempt to strongarm Carr into accepting a renegotiated deal similar to the one Doug Free got but it didn't happen.

Carr isn't worth keeping at this point, so I hope the Cowboys don't approach him about a restructure again.

 

[dallasdave]

The numbers are accurate in that they show the 2016 cap hit ($4.717M dead money) and savings ($9.1M base salary) for releasing Brandon Carr with the June designation.

The author neglected to mention that there would be another $2.717M in dead money that would hit the 2017 salary cap by going this route, nor did he express that the $9.1M in savings wouldn't be immediately available by using the designation.

And the savings don't reflect that a new salary will enter the top 51 whenever a player is released.

When teams designate a player as a June release, the date is reportedly moving to May 12th this coming off-season, they must wait for that date to arrive before the move becomes official on the books and the cap savings can then be used.



The cap savings for Carr will either be $5.933M with a regular release, and this number reflects a minimum 2016 base salary ($450K) replacing his spot on the top51.

Or it will be $8.65M with a June release. We would to wait until that date to use the savings and there would be another $2.717M in dead money on the 2017 salary cap.

There was speculation last off-season that Dallas would attempt to strongarm Carr into accepting a renegotiated deal similar to the one Doug Free got but it didn't happen.

Carr isn't worth keeping at this point, so I hope the Cowboys don't approach him about a restructure again.

Yeah, get rid of Carr !!!!

 

[RS12]

The only players I do not want to see on the 2016 roster is Wilcox, Claiborne, Free, Cassel and Carr

You forgot a few: Church, Street, Hayden, Charles Brown

 

[Kaiser]

The numbers are accurate in that they show the 2016 cap hit ($4.717M dead money) and savings ($9.1M base salary) for releasing Brandon Carr with the June designation.

The author neglected to mention that there would be another $2.717M in dead money that would hit the 2017 salary cap by going this route, nor did he express that the $9.1M in savings wouldn't be immediately available by using the designation.

That's what I was getting at. The net savings of cutting Carr would be 1.6 Million and I don't think the Cowboys cap situation from 2016 to 2017 is so bad that shifting the 2.7MM from one year to the next is a big factor.

I think regardless of how big the number is, if the difference is paying Carr an extra 1.6MM to be the 3rd CB or saving that by cutting him, Carr will be on the team. And Carr as the 3rd CB will be much bigger contribution than this year when he was asked to be the #1 CB at times. Or more likely, some restructure will be worked out this offseason. Last year it would have been a net loss of 4MM to cut Carr, which is likely why his agent stonewalled and won the battle.

 

[Bluefin]

I think regardless of how big the number is, if the difference is paying Carr an extra 1.6MM to be the 3rd CB or saving that by cutting him, Carr will be on the team. And Carr as the 3rd CB will be much bigger contribution than this year when he was asked to be the #1 CB at times.

Beyond the fact that Brandon Carr is vastly overpaid, he simply isn't worth a roster spot going forward at any price.

He's the worst CB on the team.

Carr has been the most trageted, allowed more completions, more TDs, the highest opposing QB rating, has the most missed tackles and zero interceptions.

Morris Claiborne isn't much better, but I am willing to re-sign him provided it is a one year "prove it" contract or contains an easy out for Dallas prior to the second season like we had with Henry Melton.

My preference is to replace both.