The cap floor is averaged over 3 years, so there’s not a rush to get over the floor in year one, but that could be a factor.
The penalty doesn’t appear to be to onerous either.
So it’s probably got nothing to do with the floor - which is averaged over 4 league years it appears (2013-2016 and then 2017-2020) - so, as you were.
The cap floor is based on four-year periods rather than single seasons (the current period runs from this season through 2016), so penalties are a long way off. Prior to signing Revis, the Bucs were at 78% of the cap, and the requirement is that each team be within 89% of the cap over the four year period.
I doubt this had much to do with that. Assuming Josh Freeman gets re-signed, he’ll eat 5-8% of the space all by himself, just from going from a mid-first-round rookie deal to his first veteran deal.
A decade without a playoff win will do wonders for your salary cap.
I’m just not sure: “we have the money, so let’s overpay people” is the best plan for long terms success in the NFL.
I guess it’s going to help them then, inasmuch as they can avoid a shortfall this year that they then have to make up on the average next year or in subsequent years. But if they come in at sub-89% then they have had a failure of creativity in accounting - and in any case would only need to pay a very small amount - which at this point wouldn’t be necessary until September 2017 anyway by the looks of things.
Not people; just one guy. Anyway, are you sure the lack of guaranteed money isn’t worth a $5 million bump? Even the best-run teams in the NFL have dead money counting against their caps. I’d much rather be overpaying a guy who is there and performing than a guy who isn’t even on the roster.
Well, I think it’s safe to say that this years’ contract will be paid to Revis. That means, so far, for one year, the Bucs gave up a first round and a conditional (I think) pick and $16 million dollars for a guy coming off ACL surgery. Even if they never pay him another dime after this year, that is a pretty hefty cost for one year of play by a guy recovering from an injury.
I don’t think you would find anyone to disagree with that.
It will be interesting to see where the Bucs go from here. They’ve added a ton of high priced free agents the last couple years. We’ll see if it pays off. I kinda wish they weren’t coached by such a douchebag so I could root for them.
Rumor has it that the Chiefs have settled on Leon Sandcastle as their pick…
Last night I plowed through the offense, tonight it’s time for the defense.
DL - Julius Peppers, Henry Melton, Stephen Paea, Corey Wootton, Shea McClellin, Nate Collins, Andre Fluellen, Kyle Moore, Turk McBride, Cheta Ozougwu
Last year this was clearly a area of strength and and rest of the defense benefited. Peppers is wildly overpaid and marginally overrated but he’s still one of the best in the business and controls the line better than anyone. He doesn’t have the speed to get to the passer as often but his size, strength and positioning ensure the Bears are always one of the best teams against the run. I already spoke at length about Melton, and the Bears are hoping he takes another step up in this franchise season. On the other side, recent draft picks Paea and Wootton both elevated their game allowing the Bears to part ways with veterans Okoye, Toeaina and maybe Idonije. McClellin is still a potential wild card but he will be useful as a 3rd down specialist and insurance if Wootton’s injury issue resurfaces.
The Bears have also added a lot of veteran depth in Fluellen, Moore and McBride while also bringing back Collins to back up Paea. This is a solid but unspectacular group, I find it a bit odd they chose to add replacement level guys like Fluellen and McBride over bringing back Izzy but I suppose it depends what Izzy’s salary demands are.
While none of these players really warrant much attention, I find it interesting that the Bears have 7 DEs on the roster but only 4 DTs. I suppose McBride can rotate inside, I think one might expect to see the Bears draft a DT early this year. Illini Akeem Spence, Sylvester Williams and Jordan Hill all could be potential targets at different spots in the draft. My dream scenario is Sharrif Floyd somehow crash landing at #20 but that’s a pipe dream. More realistically is Star Lotulelei falling and if he does the Bears will take him I believe. I have a tough time imagining the Bears adding a DE in the draft but with Peppers a potential cap casualty next year having a ready replacement could be wise. Margus Hunt is awfully intriguing in the 2nd round if he falls.
LB - Lance Briggs, DJ Williams, James Anderson, JT Thomas, Dom DeCicco, Blake Costanzo, Patrick Trahan
Lots and lots of drama at the LB position. Urlacher is gone, Hayes and Roach are gone. Briggs is still great but getting older and crankier. Still, a month ago things looked really bleak and drafting a LB was a total no brainer. Then Emery landed a couple potential gems for next to nothing in Williams and Anderson. Neither will be a Pro Bowler, but I believe both are upgrades over Urlacher and Roach for far less money. I’m trying to be skeptical on this, knowing that I’m potentially drinking the Kool-aid, but after watching Urlacher and Roach last year I have no doubt these guys can at least match that performance. Both Urlacher and Roach were incredibly smart, prepared and did all the little things well while these guys might get out of position on occasion, but physically we got more dynamic.
The depth is still a serious concern though. Thomas has never had an opportunity to shine but I don’t think anyone expects much from him and DeCicco, Costanzo and Trahan are all special teamers and nothing more.
The additions alleviate the pressure on the Bears to draft a LB in the 1st, but this position is still the weakest on the roster and there’s no doubt the Bears will draft one or two. Everyone has been talking about Te’o but that’s just annoying Chicago-Notre Dame crap. Maybe he’s worth a first rounder, but what I saw in the BCS NC game is not something I want to see in Bears blue. I suppose that could be a fluke and he’s closer to the #1 overall pick some had him ranked as in November, but I don’t want to roll the dice on that. Ogletree is far more enticing for me in no small part because of the similarities to Urlacher. Others have suggested Minter and Jarvis Jones. If the Bears take a LB in the first I suspect they’ll have their pick since he’ll be the first off the board. My favorite scenario is taking Arthur Brown in the third round, though he’s probably a second round talent. The nightmare scenario is Kiko Alonso in any round.
DB - Charles Tillman, Tim Jennings, Kelvin Hayden, Chris Conte, Major Wright, Brandon Hardin, Craig Steltz, Anthony Walters, Zack Bowman, Sherrick McMannis, Isaiah Frey
While the DL was a major boon, the DBs may have been the best overall group for the Bears in 2012. Both Tillman and Jennings were in consideration for DPOTY and both Conte and Wright had excellent seasons in which they were mostly healthy. Hayden stabilized the nickel after DJ Moore finally got canned. The entire group is back intact which is excellent and while Jennings and Tillman are older neither should fall off a cliff this year. Still, finding eventual replacements has to be part of the equation.
The rest of the group is unheralded, the best known is Bowman who’s a special teams star and athletic dynamo. He’s a playmaker but when he was finally given the chance to start in 2011 got absolutely cooked by the Packers. It will be interesting if the new scheme with less emphasis on zone coverage will benefit him. Hardin is coming off the IR after his rookie year and Emery should be expecting big things. He has the tools, if he can figure out how to be in the right place with proper technique he could be a gem. Neither guy projects as a starting CB though. Steltz, Walters and McMannis are all Lovie holdovers who contribute on special teams and Frey made is back onto the preseason roster after being waived giving Emery another chance to vindicate his draft.
There’s a lot to be excited about here, but behind Tillman and Jennings there’s no one who could even be considered as a starting CB in the NFC North. After years of struggle to find depth and stability at Safety the Bears are now a bit thin at CB. Because of that you can’t rule out the Bears drafting a CB, even as high as the first round. The Bears invited a bunch of CBs for private workouts which may mean nothing, but it’s interesting anyways. Some names to watch, Brandon McGee, Robert Alford, BW Webb and Johnthan Banks. The Honey Badger has gotten some run here too, but I’ll take a pass on that mess.
So there you have it. Before Thursday I’ll break down some scenarios for the Bears and put together a list of guys I love and guys I hate.
Seems like Milliner is falling pretty hard in the public eye, or at least among prognosticators. Mayock has him at the #16 prospect. Apparently he’s not really great, just the best of a CB class that lacks elite players.
More rumors of Cleveland drafting Star or Floyd despite the D-line being one of the best and deepest units on the team.
Ideally I’d probably like to trade down so someone could snatch the third OT before Arizona, maybe Miami or SD in the mid teens. From there grab Warmack or Rhodes or Eifert and pick up a second rounder in the process. If we stay at #6, I like Dion Jordan most.
Everyone wants to trade down, so good luck with that. What is it with these quarterbacks? I can’t remember a draft when nobody thought there was at least one superstar there. I’m kind of hoping the Bucs take Matt Barkley in the second as insurance for Josh Freeman.
PFT thinks the Milliner talk is nothing more than disinformation.
I always think like that, that there isn’t a reason to reach into the early or middle first round for a QB who simply isn’t that good or is a developmental project. But teams always do. Whether it is Ryan Tannehill, Jake Locker, Blaine Gabbert, Christian Ponder, Mark Sanchez, or the aforementioned Josh Freeman, teams seem to always draft QB’s too early for me. This year, I think there isn’t a first round grade on any QB (maybe Barkley, but late first), yet I’m guessing that history will hold true and someone will reach for EJ Manuel or Ryan Nassib in the first round.
Todd McShay has Geno Smith graded as a late first rounder and everyone else in the second.
James Fucking Harrison is a Bengal. The surreal nature of it hasn’t really sunk in yet. I’ve hated the guy for so long, and have to begrudgingly admit that he is an upgrade over the woeful, departed Manny Lawson…and perhaps he’s good for making Rothlisberger wet his pants a couple times this season, but damn…James Fucking Harrison.
I look forward to Bengals fans suddenly finding out that Harrison is held on every play.
I doubt they’ll bother now. He was really slow off the snap last year.
That was only because he was being held on every play.
Yeah. But mostly by the trainers, as I recall.
Yeah, yeah. You’re not going to hear me saying anything like that. And from the looks of it, Harrison actually played really well in the last third of the season last year after he’d fully recovered from his injury. The guy can still bring the pain, but…at what cost? Penalties, fines, general head-case issues? Ugh.