Tank is a little better than Hitchens? Remember when Sean Lee would get hurt and our defense went from average to implode? Hitchens was part of the implosion. LVE and Smith put a stop to that. So yeah, when I found out we were letting Hitchens go, I raised up a shot of my finest, thanked him for his services and bid him farewell. Forgot about him before the shot reached my head. Not keeping Leary was a mistake.
Yes, not keeping Leary was a mistake. The analysis of whether to keep a player must be based on three things:
1. Can the player actually play at a high enough level to justify a roster spot?
2. Can the cap hit fit within the 5 year team cap budget?
3. What is the cost/benefit analysis of the ability of the player vs. the cap hit for that player.
It is really this simple.
For example I think Sean Lee fails on #1, passes #2 and fails #3. So we should be moving on from him.
I think Tank passes on #1, passes on #2 but fails on #3 if his demands are anything over $20m per year. The number should be closer to $17 or $18m per year but I could see how the team might say with inflation over a 5 year term that he may be worth that risk.
Most people who want Tank don't care at all about the cap. Most people who don't want Tank don't want him for salary cap reasons and not because they think he can't play at a fairly high level.
What is NOT a factor is "do you have someone who can play at the same level as the player you are analyzing." Every starter falls into that category.
