Interesting that Doug Free's contract has not been restructured

[Nightman]

I am pretty sure that if Free is cut now there is almost no effect on this year's cap due to the restructure he did last year. It would get him off the books the next two years though, when he has even bigger cap hits.

If he is designated a June 1st cut I believe we save like 3m this year but have dead space next year. And that money doesn't come off the cap until June so I don't think the fact he hasn't been asked to restructure again has anything to do with him staying or going.

If they cut him now, they save 2.85m in cap space but have to eat the entire 8.3m in dead money this year.

If they wait until or designate him a June 1st cut, they don't get any relief until then, but it would save 7m against the cap this year and cost 4.15m in dead money in 2013 and 2014.

If they get him to take a 50% pay cut they would save 3.5m against the cap and still have the chance to turn him around. Not a bad swing T.

I guess if they really need the cap space(no Romo or Spencer deals) they will cut him, but they really don't gain that much. Waiting him out seems like the best deal, since the bulk of FA and the draft will be over and the chance of him signing a deal worth 3.5m or more would be slim. The only danger is him getting hurt during OTAs and having to pay him the full 7m.

 

[gimmesix]

If they were definitely going to keep Doug Free, they would restructure his contract.

His 7M base salary would be converted into something like 1M base salary and a 6M restructure bonus. This would reduce the cap hit by 3M because the 6M would be spread out over the final two years of his contract (this year and next).

They have restructured some contracts like Bernadeau that only saved 1M. It seems unlikely that they would just leave 3M of potential cap space hanging there if they were definitely keeping him.

If it does not happen soon, then I believe it indicates that they are planning to make him a June 1st cut.

Considering the Cowboys haven't restructured other contracts they could, such as Ratliff's and Scandrick's and have yet to release Dan Connor, I believe Dallas is restructuring by priority (who is most likely to play out the contract/offer the best value) and when it needs to.

It restructured a number of contracts in order to get under the cap, franchise Spencer, etc., and will probably redo contracts like Free's if there is a particular FA it wants to add.

 

[Verdict]

I personally still think that we are keeping Free on the roster to keep teams guessing about what direction we want to go in the draft. If so then it is nice to see them at least attempt to keep other teams guessing.

 

[Reverend Conehead]

Cut him.

Needs to go. Save a little and move on.

I read on another board that for some reason it's more cap friendly if we wait to cut him June 1st. I think that's what will happen. Free looked awful last season.

 

[tunahelper]

If they were definitely going to keep Doug Free, they would restructure his contract.

His 7M base salary would be converted into something like 1M base salary and a 6M restructure bonus. This would reduce the cap hit by 3M because the 6M would be spread out over the final two years of his contract (this year and next).

They have restructured some contracts like Bernadeau that only saved 1M. It seems unlikely that they would just leave 3M of potential cap space hanging there if they were definitely keeping him.

If it does not happen soon, then I believe it indicates that they are planning to make him a June 1st cut.

His salary will be for the players we draft.