News: Cowboys' Cap Space Ranks Above League Average

[CCBoy]

Cowboys' Cap Space Ranks Above League Average

KD DrummondSenior Columnist

http://www.scout.com/nfl/cowboys/story/1559601-cowboys-cap-space-ranks-above-league-average


The NFLPA has updated the 2015 Salary Cap figures heading into training camp. We take a look at the Cowboys situation, as well as a sneak preview to an upcoming Premium article taking a deeper look at the composition of Dallas' cap space.

The landscape of which NFL rosters are determined is normally painted on the canvas stretch across training camp. While that just may be the case, the pigments used to bring each roster to life actually exist are formed after the dollar sign and before the decimal. The NFL Salary Cap determines just how each team goes about getting a team together to prepare for the upcoming season. Teams that manage the cap well are able to stockpile assets and spread talent up and down a roster.

Teams who don’t, end up having top heavy or underachieving rosters; things that eventually lead to the firing of GMs. Today, courtesy of the NFLPA and Bill Huber of Scout.com’s Packer Report, we’re given a snapshot into how each of the 32 teams is doing in giving themselves salary cap flexibility.



TEAM CONTRACTS/ROLL OVER/TEAM CAP/CAP ROOM
Jacksonville Jaguars 91 $21,768,205/$133,082,375/$34,842,132
Tennessee Titans 89 $11,254,828/$128,955,091/$24,836,887
Cleveland Browns 91 $18,908,285/$139,482,247/$21,723,553
Tampa Bay Buccaneers90$1,063,033$124,862,619$19,485,670
Oakland Raiders91$7,400,000$132,063,449$19,247,707
Cincinnati Bengals89$8,697,310$134,714,739$16,854,096
Atlanta Falcons89$2,845,290$129,678,214$16,009,001
Green Bay Packers89$7,791,106$135,790,531$15,118,975
Carolina Panthers90$4,939,773$134,343,982$14,466,055
Philadelphia Eagles90$15,715,700$145,383,862$13,926,916
Miami Dolphins91$7,770,411$140,690,504$11,674,833

Dallas Cowboys 91 $3,260,740/$136,707,255/$11,309,458

AVERAGE/TEAM $5,670,168$137,544,462$11,294,992
Arizona Cardinals91$4,256,919$136,977,488$10,976,778
San Francisco 49ers90$4,206,936$138,993,308$10,301,072
New England Patriots88$6,442,054$134,256,496$9,759,988
Minnesota Vikings90$5,723,960$139,497,855$9,568,505
Indianapolis Colts90$7,699,867$142,485,589$9,376,203
Seattle Seahawks92$4,825,000$138,425,017$9,271,121
San Diego Chargers90$1,500,000$133,307,265$9,103,747
Chicago Bears89$1,545,934$136,529,215$8,077,619
Houston Texans90$966,613$137,483,080$7,981,066
Washington Redskins91$108,621$138,409,000$7,621,145
Pittsburgh Steelers91$778,469$136,043,396$7,453,473
Baltimore Ravens91$5,791,927$137,237,876$7,331,651
Denver Broncos91$5,870,000$142,671,435$6,832,989
St. Louis Rams89$0$137,462,935$6,648,852
Buffalo Bills91$2,647,907$138,974,640$6,245,690
New York Jets91$12,619,394$150,743,316$4,844,478
New York Giants91$151,000$138,176,317$4,673,966
Detroit Lions89$939,171$141,058,448$2,697,943
New Orleans Saints92$1,710,130$141,891,218$2,639,612
Kansas City Chiefs92$2,246,790$145,044,035$538,565


Dallas' 2015 cap space isn't the same as other NFL teams, however. The unique nature of their deals with Greg Hardy, and to a lesser extent Rolando McClain, means that additional space is almost assured to be used up. Greg Hardy's game-play bonuses will count immediately on the 2015 cap each week they are paid out. This could balloon Hardy's cap hit and the team's overall total between $2 and $8 million depending on his suspension appeal...

 

[Longboysfan]

Dallas' 2015 cap space isn't the same as other NFL teams, however. The unique nature of their deals with Greg Hardy, and to a lesser extent Rolando McClain, means that additional space is almost assured to be used up. Greg Hardy's game-play bonuses will count immediately on the 2015 cap each week they are paid out. This could balloon Hardy's cap hit and the team's overall total between $2 and $8 million depending on his suspension appeal...

Correct me on this if needed.
So we know Hardy is being paid on a game bonus structure. Those $$$$ hit and subtract from the CAP as they happen week to week.
When the CAP $$$$$ run out for this year the $$$$ are subtracted out of next years CAP $$$$$.
Now in regards to McClain CAP hit. Him getting the first 4 weeks off gives the Cowboys a 1/4 CAP savings on his contract which we get back.
If the stars align right with the suspensions of both McClain and Hardy we could come out of the year with very little CAP $$$$$ subtracted out for next year.
I do think we do get hit for this years LTBE - Likely to be earned bonus money from Hardy.
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.
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I do think that Hardy is only a one year rental so to speak. As that is why we drafted Gregory.

 

[SHAMSzy]

Correct me on this if needed.
So we know Hardy is being paid on a game bonus structure. Those $$$$ hit and subtract from the CAP as they happen week to week.
When the CAP $$$$$ run out for this year the $$$$ are subtracted out of next years CAP $$$$$.
Now in regards to McClain CAP hit. Him getting the first 4 weeks off gives the Cowboys a 1/4 CAP savings on his contract which we get back.
If the stars align right with the suspensions of both McClain and Hardy we could come out of the year with very little CAP $$$$$ subtracted out for next year.
I do think we do get hit for this years LTBE - Likely to be earned bonus money from Hardy.
.
.
.
.
.
I do think that Hardy is only a one year rental so to speak. As that is why we drafted Gregory.

Why? He's only 27 yrs old and they already took the PR heat.. Would be disappointing if he is only a Cowboy for one year..

 

[Longboysfan]

Why? He's only 27 yrs old and they already took the PR heat.. Would be disappointing if he is only a Cowboy for one year..

I feel with all the younger players here we will try to go long term earlier to lock a few up for down the road.
Just my thoughts on this.

 

[big dog cowboy]

I do think that Hardy is only a one year rental so to speak.

I sure hope not.

 

[Longboysfan]

I sure hope not.

O.K. Say we did sign him long term. And then there is the Dez contract also.
I'm not picking on your reply just wanted to see how you would string it together with the CAP.
Please consider the Those guys on the O line are coming up faster than we want to on their chance for big money.
O.K. Go to it.

 

[Nation]

Glad to see that Drummond could take some time from race-baiting and cop-bashing on Twitter to copy and paste data from OverTheCap.com

 

[dwreck27]

O.K. Say we did sign him long term. And then there is the Dez contract also.
I'm not picking on your reply just wanted to see how you would string it together with the CAP.
Please consider the Those guys on the O line are coming up faster than we want to on their chance for big money.
O.K. Go to it.

So when do we invest money into our defense??

I get your point with the oline but we need some difference makers on the defensive side... especially if dlaw has a sophomore slump

 

[guag]

O.K. Say we did sign him long term. And then there is the Dez contract also.
I'm not picking on your reply just wanted to see how you would string it together with the CAP.
Please consider the Those guys on the O line are coming up faster than we want to on their chance for big money.
O.K. Go to it.

The nice part about not being employed by the Cowboys front office is that we don't have to figure out how their contracts would fit under the cap. It's not easy doing all the creative financial maneuvers that are required to keep a team competitive and under the cap, but Stephen and co. know what they're doing. I have no doubt that if they want Hardy here long term (as well as Dez, Crawford, etc.) they'll find a way to make it happen.

The next lineman who would be up for a new contract is Frederick, and we could maintain his rights through the end of 2017 before extending him to a new deal (by picking up his 5th year option since he was a 1st rounder). And Martin through 2018. We're fine on the o-line for a while as far as extending rookie contracts.

 

[big dog cowboy]

O.K. Say we did sign him long term. And then there is the Dez contract also.
I'm not picking on your reply just wanted to see how you would string it together with the CAP.
Please consider the Those guys on the O line are coming up faster than we want to on their chance for big money.
O.K. Go to it.

You ask a great question. But I default to Stephen on this one. And there are better capologists in here smarter than me by a loooong ways.

 

[CCBoy]

Just saying, the memory of paying for the quality of a Charles Haley, despite problems coming in...aren't lost on this group of coaches.

Haley came in arrogant, and was picked up off his feet and slammed into a locker...before he was a dyed in the wool 'Cowboy.'

 

[Nightman]

That 11.5m can go quickly.

Hardy needs 580k per game or up to 8m
Another 1m for the full 53 man roster
Another 1m for the practice squad
Add in any IR guys and replacements and we are close to 0m

 

[Nightman]

O.K. Say we did sign him long term. And then there is the Dez contract also.
I'm not picking on your reply just wanted to see how you would string it together with the CAP.
Please consider the Those guys on the O line are coming up faster than we want to on their chance for big money.
O.K. Go to it.

First off the cap will rise the next few years and pretty steadily. The TV money has already been spent. It is 143m this year and could be 165m by 2018.

Dez would save money on the cap initially but would settle in at around 10m for a few years.
Same thing with Hardy.

Guys like Carr, Free and Lee will be gone.

TFred and ZMartin are under control for a few more years before we need to worry. QB will be a bigger worry in 3 years.