Watkins: Ware will restructure

[SportsGuru80]

I'm cool with this...

 

[Future]

No. Restructuring does not change how much he paid this season. It merely changes the way that the money he gets is charged against the cap. Restructuring does not guarantee him any additional money in the future.

My understanding has always been that restructuring means the cap hit goes down this year, but would increase in later years, making it even harder to cut him.

 

[Future]

We tend to refer to it that way, because it makes his cap hits in subsequent years higher. Typically, a restructure just turns his base salary into another "signing bonus". So, for next year, you would take his 12.25 million and spread that out over the remainder of his contract, which is four years in total. He still gets that 12.25 mill this year. It significantly lowers his cap hit this year, but makes the cap hit higher each of the next three years, making it harder to cut him because of the increased dead money that would be involved. So, in that sense, it could make the team hold onto him longer than they would have otherwise, effectively "guaranteeing" him more money.

Thanks, that's what I thought.

 

[coult44]

I think restructuring is the worst case scenario for the Ware contract. But that's proably what will happen. That's how Jerry rolls.

Exactly the reason we are even having this conversation. He don't learn anything from Rat, Williams, Austin, etc...

 

[Zordon]

His name sells merchandise but it's been 2 years since he was dominant. He's lost a little bit of that leverage. It would be in his favor to take a pay cut now and keep the years left on his contract because if he can't deliver double digit sacks next year he will be released and he'll be makin less wherever he goes.

Are you from Dallas? Ware is still on all of the billboards and commercials. He's also their go to guy for charity events. On the other hand I think I've heard Free speak on camera once. One is an employee the other is part of the Cowboys family for life. Big difference btw the two.

 

[Nightman]

Are you from Dallas? Ware is still on all of the billboards and commercials. He's also their go to guy for charity events. On the other hand I think I've heard Free speak on camera once. One is an employee the other is part of the Cowboys family for life. Big difference btw the two.

Then it goes both ways. Ware has been paid very well for his contributions and if he wants to stay with the Cowboys family for life, he needs to face facts and take a pay cut. If he doesn't then all that other stuff is means a lot less.

 

[Redball Express]

Wouldn't proclaim Crawford a bust. If Ware returns to form this is a good move, don't think trading him is worthwhile and it's not worth it to move on from him this year. If he doesn't rebound we can revisit cutting him next offseason. Right move.

Until we know where Romo's injury is going to take us..

the team has to spread the cap hit of either Ware and/or Romo in the near future

So structuring is the only way.

 

[starfrombirth]

I think its a mistake for the future. But Atleast theres atleast 2 starting spots already in Dallas. Crawford and Ware, Selvie could start. But i think they go with a Rookie. Worst case scenario Dallas needs a 3 tech DT. And depth.

From this draft

How does restructuring him mean that that spot is set. He NEEDS to be replaced. I'm sorry. I truly appreciate him and what he has done for our team but he is out of gas and we can NOT rely on him.

 

[Picksix]

If Dallas fully restructures Demarcus Ware's 2014 base salary of 12.25M, it would mean dropping the salary down to the minimum, $0.855K in Ware's case, and converting the remaining $11.395M into a signing bonus. It would be spread over the remaining four years ($2.84875M per yr) or the team can add a fifth season to enable maximum proration ($2.279M per yr).

Ware gets that bonus money paid up front, but it counts in equal amounts against the cap for the remainder of the contract.

This restructure would push either $8.54625M (4yrs) or $9.116M (5yrs) in new bonus prorations into 2015 and beyond.

If Ware get released, this is what becomes "dead money." (along with any other remaining prorated bonus money from past restructures still on the books).

The team doesn't actually owe the money to the player, it's already been paid, but it still counts against the salary cap.

When a player is released or traded, all remaining pro-rated bonus money in future years will escalate into that year's cap unless the June designation is used or it takes place after June 1st.

Dallas can do the restructure, create cap room, and revisit Ware's contract again next year or they can have "the talk" and try to work out a compromise that's fair to both parties.

Basically what I was trying to say, though you did it much more thoroughly.

 

[AdamJT13]

My understanding has always been that restructuring means the cap hit goes down this year, but would increase in later years, making it even harder to cut him.

It's not hard to cut Ware. If he's not worth what he would earn, he's easy to cut because it would save cap room.

Restructuring affects cap numbers but does not guarantee the player any more money now or in the future, which is what I was explaining when I responded to your earlier post.

 

[Szczepanik]

I remember the boards when Doug Free was about ran out of town.

How did that workout for us?

Can't wait for the board to eat crow.

 

[BigStar]

I remember the boards when Doug Free was about ran out of town.

How did that workout for us?

Can't wait for the board to eat crow.

He took the pay cut because even he acknowledged he was under performing based off his bloated salary and wouldn't receive even the discounted offer in FA. Fans were correct...he improved and is now "worth" his base? Fans were ready to move on because it showed inconsistency or unreliability in Free's character on top of his abnormally low strength as a tackle (finesse). This is why the team should still be looking to improve the position.

 

[visionary]

I remember the boards when Doug Free was about ran out of town.

How did that workout for us?

Can't wait for the board to eat crow.

paying attention is important before trying to make a point

free took a pay cut

ware is WAY overpaid based on his production

cut the salary or cut the player

 

[TwoCentPlain]

It's not hard to cut Ware. If he's not worth what he would earn, he's easy to cut because it would save cap room.

Restructuring affects cap numbers but does not guarantee the player any more money now or in the future, which is what I was explaining when I responded to your earlier post.

I'm not following you on the restructure part. Restructure to me means converting the non-guaranteed base salary into a signing bonus and prorating it over the life of the contract. Which means not only is the amount converted into a signing bonus guaranteed but it is paid upfront, right now. Unless, by restructure you mean taking less now and adding incentives if met for earning the money back the following year. I thought the NFL cut back on a lot of the easy to be earned incentives teams were putting into contracts.

 

[StarBoyz83]

Cutting him is an easy choice if your trying to build a winning team. He's not worth 3 mil a year let alone 12. You can get 3 guys more productive than him for his salary. He was a great player but its time to cut ties but jerry wont.

 

[AdamJT13]

I'm not following you on the restructure part. Restructure to me means converting the non-guaranteed base salary into a signing bonus and prorating it over the life of the contract. Which means not only is the amount converted into a signing bonus guaranteed but it is paid upfront, right now.

It doesn't have to be non-guaranteed base salary. You can restructure guaranteed base salary, too. A veteran's base salary is guaranteed once the season starts, anyway, and you're probably not going to restructure a guy whom you are going to cut during training camp. So unless we cut him instead of restructuring, he would get the same amount either way.

The original post to which I responded indicated that restructuring would guarantee Ware more money in the future, and my point was that it does not -- he gets the same amount of money this season that he would have gotten, and he is not guaranteed to receive a penny more than that.

 

[OhSnap]

Are you from Dallas? Ware is still on all of the billboards and commercials. He's also their go to guy for charity events. On the other hand I think I've heard Free speak on camera once. One is an employee the other is part of the Cowboys family for life. Big difference btw the two.

Well he can sign a one day contract and retire a Cowboy just like Emmitt when he throws in the towel. He needs to have a good season if a pay cut isn't on the table.

 

[brickman]

Are you from Dallas? Ware is still on all of the billboards and commercials. He's also their go to guy for charity events. On the other hand I think I've heard Free speak on camera once. One is an employee the other is part of the Cowboys family for life. Big difference btw the two.

Family doesn't win football games, football players do. I understand their method of thinking, but sometimes you have to cut the cord. Ware was just an ordinary football player this year, like some of the street guys.

 

[TheSport78]

Another idiot decision by our idiot GM.

 

[xwalker]

Don't overreact, this is an agent negotiating through the media and a sportswriter getting ink by relaying the message. The idea that Jones is going to convert a 12.25 MM salary to an upfront bonus is completely insane and everyone in the food chain know it.

Let me un-agent-speak the original tweet:

Calvin Watkins ‏@calvinwatkins now

I was also told (by Ware's agent) DeMarcus Ware doesn't expect to get cut (unless he overplays his hand). Once again he's not taking a pay cut (up until the moment he does). He will restructure his deal (downward by quite a bit of money).

Awesome.