Salary cap question for Adam

[VCDefectors]

(Not that you don't get enough questions already).

One area I haven't heard much talk about is whether there some of these big signings we've had over the last couple of seasons might cause us to lose some of our younger players to free agency down the road.

For example, signing Flo this offseason was probably the wisest move we could have made this offseason. But let's say that Doug Free becomes the better LT a couple of years down the road. Would such a player be inclined to bolt through FA because money is already tied to the older, declining player, or will the Cowboys be more likely to release Flo at some point before the contract expires.

I hope you understand the gist of my question. I can see a few situations where these type of issues will pop up in the next couple of years. (Ellis, TO, Thomas, Flo, etc.)

 

[Hostile]

I think we have more room under the cap next year than we have right now.

 

[Yakuza Rich]

(Not that you don't get enough questions already).

One area I haven't heard much talk about is whether there some of these big signings we've had over the last couple of seasons might cause us to lose some of our younger players to free agency down the road.

For example, signing Flo this offseason was probably the wisest move we could have made this offseason. But let's say that Doug Free becomes the better LT a couple of years down the road. Would such a player be inclined to bolt through FA because money is already tied to the older, declining player, or will the Cowboys be more likely to release Flo at some point before the contract expires.

In most cases, particularly the Flo/Free case they would just release Flo because they would save money if they did down the road. The key to remember is that NFL contracts are rarely as long as they say they are. Flo's deal is for 6 years, but the Cowboys and Flo know that the deal is at best going to last for about 2-3 years and then the Cowboys will either cut him or Flo will retire.

I think the Cowboys feel that they can get at least 2 years out of Flo and hope that Free should be ready to take over at LT at that point and then they cut Flo and save some money against the cap.





YAKUZA

 

[CrazyCowboy]

Stephen Jones will make sure we have cap space.....we learned from the Deon high caps days.

 

[VCDefectors]

Good stuff guys! Yazuka's point about contract length make sense. But, correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't that lead towards having dead money on your cap? Just curious.

 

[Tovya]

I think the Jones' are amongst the best in the NFL at cap management...

But as with any owner/gm, they are always looking at current contracts vs potential free agents (of other teams and our own) vs current & future cap room vs cap increases vs future CBA changes... and a million other things you and I would never fathom.

 

[Yakuza Rich]

Good stuff guys! Yazuka's point about contract length make sense. But, correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't that lead towards having dead money on your cap? Just curious.

Generally the way contracts are set up it doesn't.

I don't have Flo's exact numbers, but when I say they "save money against the cap by releasing him" I mean (an example):

Keeping Player A = $8 million cap hit

Releasing Player A = $4 million cap hit

So yeah, there's still $4 million of "dead money" that the team has against the cap for a guy that's no longer on the team. But they would've paid $8 million to keep him and chances are that they had planned for a worst case scenario of playing the player $8 million if they had to.

The trouble comes when you get a player who is say an $8 million cap hit and they are only a $7 million cap hit if released. You're going to have replace that player with somebody, usually a rookie or some guy with inexperience and thus the team is taking a cap hit of $7 million+ for a rookie or some unproven player.




YAKUZA

 

[cowboyjoe]

ok, i wouldnt worry about salary cap for next year, due to these reasons;

first, the cowboys added an extra 8 million with the restructure of leonard davis and tony romo contract, a grand total of 8 million already added for next year.

then, each year just like last year, we got like 3 million for incentives that tony curtis couldnt reach, so you roll that money that he cant reach to the next year, the eagles are well noted for doing that.

then each year the salary cap goes up about 7 million to 9 million each year

so if you add those 3 together
8 million for restructure deals for romo & davis
3 million for some player that cant reach incentives
7-9 million for salary cap going up each year
18 million to 21 million

now whom do we have to sign for this year and next
we have 8 million now in cap money, plus if deal with glenn is true, and he gets injured we save a million if glenn gets hurt

we need to resign hamlin and chris canty for sure;

next year, miles austin, burnett, tank johnson, ware,
8-9 million for this year
18-21 million for next year

that should be enough to sign these players, our draft picks and maybe a top free agent next year, since our offensive guards kosier, leonard davis are 30ish,

so i wouldnt worry about this year, or next, when parcells left the team he left the cowboys in good cap situation till about 2011 or 2012.

that should give us a 4-5 year run at superbowls

enjoy this guys, those years, because not sure if your aware of it, but when Jerry Jones does walk away, and leaves it in hands of his son Stephen Jones, Stephen said he would not spend the money like Jerry has done to get players like deion sanders, T O, so enjoy this run guys, after that might be awhile before we make a run again, but we should be loaded for the next 5 years,

 

[AdamJT13]

(Not that you don't get enough questions already).

One area I haven't heard much talk about is whether there some of these big signings we've had over the last couple of seasons might cause us to lose some of our younger players to free agency down the road.

For example, signing Flo this offseason was probably the wisest move we could have made this offseason. But let's say that Doug Free becomes the better LT a couple of years down the road. Would such a player be inclined to bolt through FA because money is already tied to the older, declining player, or will the Cowboys be more likely to release Flo at some point before the contract expires.

I hope you understand the gist of my question. I can see a few situations where these type of issues will pop up in the next couple of years. (Ellis, TO, Thomas, Flo, etc.)

I can't predict the decisions the team will make, but there should be no reason that we would have to let a better player -- or at least a better value -- get away because of the salary cap anytime soon.

Also, keep in mind that nobody knows how the salary cap will be structured aftfer 2009. Right now, there isn't even one. All you can worry about is 2008 and 2009, and we're all set for those seasons. If the CBA and the cap get extended, then we can start figuring out the specifics. For now, we're in good shape for the future.

 

[VCDefectors]

I can't predict the decisions the team will make, but there should be no reason that we would have to let a better player -- or at least a better value -- get away because of the salary cap anytime soon.

Also, keep in mind that nobody knows how the salary cap will be structured aftfer 2009. Right now, there isn't even one. All you can worry about is 2008 and 2009, and we're all set for those seasons. If the CBA and the cap get extended, then we can start figuring out the specifics. For now, we're in good shape for the future.

Thanks Adam! You're the best!

 

[BuckyG]

I can't predict the decisions the team will make, but there should be no reason that we would have to let a better player -- or at least a better value -- get away because of the salary cap anytime soon.

Also, keep in mind that nobody knows how the salary cap will be structured aftfer 2009. Right now, there isn't even one. All you can worry about is 2008 and 2009, and we're all set for those seasons. If the CBA and the cap get extended, then we can start figuring out the specifics. For now, we're in good shape for the future.

While we might sometime disagree, I have learned (even back in the day on USENET) that nobody understands the cap better than you do, including big-talking national media blowhards. Regarding the cap, if you say it is so, it is most likely so. (Props from Chris Warner, from way back in the day.)