DMN: Blog: What would it cost to let Roy Williams go?

[Cbz40]

What would it cost to let Roy Williams go?

5:59 PM Thu, May 08, 2008 | Permalink | Yahoo! Buzz
Tim MacMahon

Given Greg Ellis' radio revelation that Roy Williams doesn't think he fits in Wade Phillips' scheme, I reckon the possibility of the Cowboys cutting ties with the perennial Pro Bowl safety is a timely topic. Todd Archer crunched the numbers a few months ago.

According to NFLPA figures, Williams is scheduled to count $6.667 million against the cap in 2008. If the Cowboys chose to cut him, they would have to take on $7.387 million of proration from his $11.1 million signing bonus, so the move would cost them $720,000 against the cap.

Now, they could choose to designate Williams a June 1 cap casualty and spread the hit over two years. If they were to do that - and remember this is IF - then they would take a proration hit of $2.947 million this year, saving them $3.7 million against the cap in 2008. Here's the rub: the remaining $4.4 million of the proration would hit the cap in 2009.
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From a football perspective, getting rid of Roy would leave the Cowboys dangerously thin at strong safety since they didn't address the position in the draft despite Keith Davis moving to Miami.


I'll assume that Pro Bowl FS Ken Hamlin would become the starting strong safety. Pat Watkins could take the starting FS spot, or Anthony Henry might move there, now that cornerback depth is one of the Cowboys' strengths.


What if Hamlin gets hurt? Uh-oh. The only other strong safety on the roster is undrafted rookie Dowayne Davis (6-0, 202), whose ball skills were so bad during rookie minicamp drills that the other DBs were snickering.

 

[Eskimo]

I remember there was some talk that Jenkins could play FS or CB.

I still don't think Henry is a good enough tackler to play FS.

 

[Rampage]

keep Roy for depth and than cut him after next season.

 

[DallasDW00ds0n]

I remember there was some talk that Jenkins could play FS or CB.

I still don't think Henry is a good enough tackler to play FS.

Well when he played FS for the Browns he had 10INTs. Id take 10INTs any day.

 

[Teague31]

keep Roy for depth and than cut him after next season.

for a lousy $720k extra, i say do it no reason to delay the inevitable. hamlin will be fine at SS and I think Brown will turn a lot of heads this year. yes, depth will suffer but i bet they can find someone after the june 1 cuts that won't be any worse.

 

[CrazyCowboy]

not a good sign when team mates are laughing

 

[Eskimo]

Well when he played FS for the Browns he had 10INTs. Id take 10INTs any day.

I think he was more a nickel CB/safety than a true starting FS that year. I'm sure he could adapt to such a role in the nickel here. I'm talking about an everydown FS - I don't think it would suit him well and he would probably get injured quickly.

 

[Rampage]

for a lousy $720k extra, i say do it no reason to delay the inevitable. hamlin will be fine at SS and I think Brown will turn a lot of heads this year. yes, depth will suffer but i bet they can find someone after the june 1 cuts that won't be any worse.

i got 4.4 million reasons why in 2009 we should wait till next year.

 

[theebs]

Why cut him.

At the rate jerry is making deals with parcells He could trade him for a 7 in 2010 and a cup of coffee, but the coffee would probably be cold.

 

[Bach]

idk, but i'll pitch in a couple of bucks.

 

[BigDFan5]

Well when he played FS for the Browns he had 10INTs. Id take 10INTs any day.

I have seen this mentioned several times, he was #3 CB for the browns his rookie year not FS

 

[juck]

Henry is the next Woody in the making.

 

[DCBoysfan]

Like it or not RW will be the starting SS this year. So people just needs to get use to it.

 

[yimyammer]

i got 4.4 million reasons why in 2009 we should wait till next year.

I'm no cap expert, but woudn't it be better to take a $720K cap hit this year (we're jambed for 6.67 if he stays) and then have no cap hit next year vs have a hit this year and a next year and having him on the roster all year, sucking with his crappy attitude and keeping another player from developing?

The dude just sounds like he's given up and is a waste of space.

I see Thomas Everett at the gym every morning, I'm gonna ask him to come out of retirement

 

[ThreeSportStar80]

Roy needs to go, what a COMPLETE waste of signing bonus... Him going to the Pro Bowl the past couple of years was an absolute joke!

 

[Future]

for a lousy $720k extra, i say do it no reason to delay the inevitable. hamlin will be fine at SS and I think Brown will turn a lot of heads this year. yes, depth will suffer but i bet they can find someone after the june 1 cuts that won't be any worse.

based on what exactly?

 

[THUMPER]

I would prefer to trade him after June 1 and get something for him. Maybe the other Roy Williams.

 

[EPL0c0]

we should have drafted Quintin Demps...

 

[silverbear]

we should have drafted Quintin Demps...

I know you're a Miner homer, and I am too, but Quintin would not help us in the Roy situation... he's strictly a free safety, not suited at all to play strong safety...

The football knowledgeable in this thread have already pointed out the reality of the situation, which is that at this point, the only three players on the roster who realistically CAN play strong safety are Roy, Ken Hamlin and undrafted free agent rookie Dowayne Davis... so if you get rid of Roy, you're down to Hamlin and an unproven fringe player...

Until and unless the Boys bring in some more serious competition to play strong safety, any talk of cutting or trading Roy his sheer idiocy...

Regardless of the cap ramifications...

 

[Vinnie2u]

Sorry but strong safeties are needed less and less in a pass happy NFL. They are becoming a liability in 3,4, and 5 receiver sets. 5 years from now the position might be as rare as H-Backs.