New and Improved Free Agency Discussion and News Mega-Thread

[WCH]

Devin Hester did turn 30 this past season. I'm pretty sure that's ancient in PR years.

[zachsaints52]

Originally Posted by WCH

Devin Hester did turn 30 this past season. I'm pretty sure that's ancient in PR years.

Isn't Cribbs even older though? And Dante Hall was old when he set the record.

Ad Saints favorite Micheal "Beerman" Lewis was over 30 too.

[Wootylicous]

Dante Hall was like 27.

[Monomach]

Originally Posted by zachsaints52

Isn't Cribbs even older though? And Dante Hall was old when he set the record.

Ad Saints favorite Micheal "Beerman" Lewis was over 30 too.

Cribbs is younger than Hester. When Dante Hall was 30, he was in the last year of his career.

Michael Lewis had one really good year. :P

[nobodyinparticular]

Originally Posted by nobodyinparticular

In the NBA, if you don't reach the salary floor, the difference between your existing contracts and the salary floor is divided evenly amongst the players currently on your roster almost like a bonus at the end of the year.

Is there a similar clause in the NFL's rules?

Bump. Anyone know this?

[bigbluedefense]

Originally Posted by nobodyinparticular

Bump. Anyone know this?

I don't know, it's a great question. Did you try taking it to twitter?

[Monomach]

Originally Posted by nobodyinparticular

Bump. Anyone know this?

No, this doesn't happen. The 89% yearly salary cap floor the media keeps talking about doesn't exist. It's 89% of the total salary cap over four years.

For example, if the salary cap is a static $100 in each of 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016, a team has to spend $356 total dollars over that period. That can be broken up in any way they want as long as any single year does not exceed that $100 hard cap. So if Mike Brown wants to procrastinate, he can go into 2013 not spending any money, but he'll have top spend more in the next three years to make up for it.

[gpngc]

Originally Posted by Monomach

No, this doesn't happen. The 89% yearly salary cap floor the media keeps talking about doesn't exist. It's 89% of the total salary cap over four years.

For example, if the salary cap is a static $100 in each of 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016, a team has to spend $356 total dollars over that period. That can be broken up in any way they want as long as any single year does not exceed that $100 hard cap. So if Mike Brown wants to procrastinate, he can go into 2013 not spending any money, but he'll have top spend more in the next three years to make up for it.

Where do you find all this stuff? I find this very interesting and I'm not questioning you - just wondering.

[Monomach]

Originally Posted by gpngc

Where do you find all this stuff? I find this very interesting and I'm not questioning you - just wondering.

Teh Googlez. Learning this stuff is the natural side-effect of not being a typical armchair draft "expert." I'm much less interested in mock drafting than I am in the complete mock GM side of things. The draft is just a fun diversion in the middle of the more fun part of the offseason for me.

Oh, should have clarified in that cap explanation...the four year period isn't rolling. It's a set four years. When it's done, everything starts over for the next 4.

[Monomach]

Derp, I was wrong. I dusted off my copy of the CBA. Article 12, Section 9, Paragraphs A through D are the pertinent bits:

Section 9. Minimum Team Cash Spending:
(a) For each of the following four-League Year periods, 2013-201 6 and 2017-2020, there shall be a guaranteed Minimum Team Cash Spending of 89% of the Salary Caps for such periods (e.g., if the Salary Caps for the 2013-1 6 and 2017-2020 are $1 00, 120, 1 30, and 1 50 million, respectively, each Club shall have a Minimum Team Cash Spending for that period of $445 million (89% of $500 million))
(b) Any shortfall in the Minimum Team Cash Spending at the end of a
League Year in which it is applicable (i.e., the 2016 and 2020 League Years) shall be paid, on or before the next September 1 5, by the Team having such shortfall, directly to the players who were on such a Team's roster at any time during the applicable seasons, pursuant to the reasonable allocation instructions of the NFLP A. 84
(c) Nothing contained herein shall preclude a Team from having Cash Spending in excess of the Minimum Team Cash Spending, provided that the Team com­plies with the accounting rules of the Salary Cap set forth in Article 13.
(d) I f the NFL agrees, or a final judgment or award is entered by the System Arbitrator, that a Team has failed by the end of an applicable League Year to make the payments required to satisfy a Team's obligations to pay the Minimum Team Cash Spending required by this Agreement, then, in the event the Team fails promptly to comply with such agreement, judgment or award, the NFL shall make such payment on behalf of that Team (such funds to be paid as salary directly to the players on such Team at the direction of and pursuant to the reasonable allocations of the NFLPA).

So, yeah. My four year explanation was all nice and all, but in the end, if the teams absolutely, positively refuses to comply, that is the punishment at the end of the 4-year period.

[Scotty D]

http://www.rotoworld.com/articles/nf...-rankings?pg=4

Here's a decent top 50 free agent list

1. Rush linebacker Paul Kruger
2. Wide receiver Dwayne Bowe
3. Defensive end Cliff Avril
4. Cornerback Aqib Talib
5. Rush linebacker Anthony Spencer
6. Free safety Jairus Byrd
7. Offensive tackle Sebastian Vollmer
8. Defensive tackle Henry Melton
9. Wide receiver Mike Wallace
10. Free safety Dashon Goldson
11. Defensive end Michael Johnson
12. Left tackle Branden Albert
13. Cornerback Brent Grimes
14. Left tackle Jake Long
15. Right tackle Andre Smith
16. Wide receiver Wes Welker
17. Defensive lineman Desmond Bryant
18. Guard Andy Levitre
19. Cornerback Sean Smith
20. Running back Steven Jackson
21. Defensive end Michael Bennett
22. Defensive tackle Randy Starks
23. Strong safety William Moore
24. Right tackle Phil Loadholt
25. Wide receiver Greg Jennings
26. Wide receiver Danny Amendola
27. Tight end Dustin Keller
28. Defensive tackle Jason Jones
29. Free safety Louis Delmas
30. Tight end Jared Cook
31. Running back Reggie Bush
32. Cornerback Chris Houston
33. Guard Louis Vasquez
34. Defensive end Osi Umenyiora
35. Outside linebacker Daryl Smith
36. Free safety Ed Reed
37. Tight end Martellus Bennett
38. Nose tackle Terrance Knighton
39. Running back Rashard Mendenhall
40. Fullback Jerome Felton

[Caddy]

Why is Talib so high on that list...

[Bucs_Rule]

Originally Posted by Caddy

Why is Talib so high on that list...

The Patriots stunk without him.

I do agree that he is too high. His character problems make him a big risk for a long-term deal. The Pats should tag him instead of Welker.

[LonghornsLegend]

Originally Posted by Caddy

Why is Talib so high on that list...

And Sean Smith is so low. I really don't think there is that big of a difference between the talent level of the two, and combined with the off the field stuff with Talib and the contract he'll demand not sure how he can be valued so high.

[jrdrylie]

That's a pretty weird list. Anthony Spencer is in now way better than Henry Melton. Albert behind Michael Johnson? And Reggie Bush should not be lower than Steven Jackson.

[P-L]

I think Spencer is at least as good as Melton, depending on what you're looking for. Spencer has always been an elite run defender and had 11 sacks this past season. Melton is a phenomenal pass rusher, but isn't very good against the run.

[Ness]

Apparently Anquan Boldin will retire if the Ravens cut him.

Should the Ravens opt to cut veteran wide receiver Anquan Boldin, which isn't necessarily the Super Bowl champions' intention despite a $6 million base salary and a $7.531 million salary-cap figure, then Boldin insists he'll retire.

Boldin, 32, told Pro Football Talk on NBC Sports that he doesn't want to play for another team.

"Baltimore is the only place I want to play," Boldin said in an interview set to air at 5 p.m. ET on NBC Sports Network. "It’s the last place that I will play. For me, I’ll retire a Raven, I’m not putting on any other uniform. .. We have a saying, once a Raven, always a Raven, and I’ll always be a Raven.”

Of course, the Ravens could retain Boldin at his current salary or do a salary-cap friendly extension as they did last spring with strong safety Bernard Pollard that would lower his cap figure for 2013 by converting his salary into a bonus and prorating the bonus over a few seasons. The Ravens have yet to broach that possibility with Boldin, according to league sources, but it's regarded as an option the team is interested in exploring.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/r...,2762363.story

[A Perfect Score]

If we could knock a few million off his cap hit for next year, I'd love to have Boldin back.

[Monomach]

Originally Posted by jrdrylie

That's a pretty weird list. Anthony Spencer is in now way better than Henry Melton. Albert behind Michael Johnson? And Reggie Bush should not be lower than Steven Jackson.

Heh. I dunno if it's "weird" so much as it is "terrible."

[coordinator0]

Originally Posted by A Perfect Score

If we could knock a few million off his cap hit for next year, I'd love to have Boldin back.

I think they'll do that with an extension. It's hard to see him getting cut with the postseason he just had. Boldin is probably Flacco's favorite target too.

[A Perfect Score]

Originally Posted by coordinator0

I think they'll do that with an extension. It's hard to see him getting cut with the postseason he just had. Boldin is probably Flacco's favorite target too.

Well I know Jacoby Jones is scheduled to make about $3.5 mill next season, so if we could shave Boldin's down to something similar, that'd round out our WR core with a great mix of talent and price. Might let us retain Ellerbe or Kruger.

[coordinator0]

I think Jones gets an extension too. They're both in the last years of teir deals now and I would assume Baltimore would like to keep them around for longer than just next season. By also lowering their cap numbers that kills two birds with one stone. I'm not hopeful at all that they will be able to retain Kruger though.

[niel89]

I'd like to extend Jones about 3-4 years. Boldin maybe 2-3 max or restructure him. Jones is 28 still while Boldin is 32. I worry that his speed will decline even more.

Kruger is as good as gone in my eyes. With Suggs getting healthy and Upshaw, we are decently set at olb and I don't think he would want to stay as a part of a rotation and probably for less money than he would get other wise.

That FA list is wacky. I know that Cary Williams will be some where in the top 50 at least. Almost every team is looking to add a decent starting corner.

[bigbuc]

As a football fan I would love to see Cinny sign Henry Melton. Him and geno atkins would be great to see.

[Monomach]

Originally Posted by bigbuc

As a football fan I would love to see Cinny sign Henry Melton. Him and geno atkins would be great to see.

No one is getting Henry Melton without giving up two first round picks.

If people want to have wet dreams about a FA DT, they should have them about Desmond Bryant. He's a beast. I have no idea why no one knows about him other than Raiders fans. At least there's some small chance that he won't be re-signed. He's going to get premier DT money, though.