Wagoner: Rams have options to create cap space

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January 18, 2015 at 8:52 am #17974

zn
Moderator

Rams have options to create cap space

By Nick Wagoner

http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/16015/rams-have-options-to-create-cap-space

EARTH CITY, Mo. — Heading into the 2015 offseason, the St. Louis Rams’ salary-cap situation looks to be relatively tight. But looks in many cases, especially this one, can be deceiving.

The final number for this year’s salary cap has yet to finalize, but many are expecting another large hike in that number in 2015 and 2016. Beyond that, the Rams also have a $3 million plus salary-cap exemption due from the release and subsequent signing of cornerback Cortland Finnegan by the Miami Dolphins.

So attempting to put an exact number on how much space the Rams have now or will have is solely a guess. What isn’t a guess is how much room the Rams can create by making a few tweaks to the roster.

Whether it’s via a cap casualty or executing a new contract, there are four players who could and likely will allow the Rams plenty of flexibility heading into the offseason.

Here’s a look at the quartet that could help restock the vault with all contract numbers courtesy of ESPN Stats & Info:

QB Sam Bradford: 2015 cap number — $16.58 million

The Rams have made no secret that they would like to bring Bradford back at a reduced rate. The above number is the reason why, and it seems entirely unlikely that they’d bring him back from two major knee surgeries at such a high price. They’ve actually budgeted for that amount and could make it work, but the more likely scenario is executing a new contract that would drop his base pay down substantially with a lot of playing time and performance bonuses built in. They won’t take the risk of outright releasing Bradford so any deal will have to be agreed to before the Rams would do anything with the old contract. The Rams can get a big savings here, but it will depend heavily on how much less the player is willing to take and then how he performs after. If the Rams did outright release Bradford, it would save them nearly $13 million but again, that’s almost certainly not going to happen.

OT Jake Long: 2015 cap number — $10.5 million

Like Bradford, Long is also coming off a second straight season-ending knee injury. Unlike Bradford, though, there’s no guarantee that Long will return. Long has not spoken to the media since the injury. There have been rumors of his considering retirement, but recent momentum points toward his attempted return. Either way, it would be crazy for the Rams to bring Long back at such a high price. They could attempt to come up with a new deal for him, but if they did they’d have to find a new position for him with coach Jeff Fisher committed to Greg Robinson as his left tackle. The Rams could save $8 million with an outright release or more than $9 million if they designate him a post-June 1 cut. Regardless, this seems like the easiest and quickest way to save a big chunk of money.

C Scott Wells: 2015 cap number — $5 million

Wells already redid his contract last year and is now in the final year of a two-year deal he signed before last season. This one is pretty cut and dry in terms of Wells’ status. Releasing Wells would save the Rams $4 million with $1 million in dead money, but it’s possible the Rams could hang on to him to see if they can land an upgrade first. Wells has been oft-injured in his time in St. Louis and, to his credit, played through it in 2014, but his production has dropped precipitously from the guy the Rams initially signed three years ago. The Rams have young options such as Tim Barnes, Barrett Jones and Demetrius Rhaney around, but none is a proven commodity. Wells is due a $1 million roster bonus on the third day of the league year. If the Rams are sure that they have a better player in hand by then, Wells could be on the way out.

DT Kendall Langford: 2015 cap number — $7 million

Langford is still a solid, productive player for the Rams and was a valuable piece of a defense that improved dramatically over the final half of the season. But he’s also no longer a starter as rookie Aaron Donald supplanted him and took many of his snaps. And $7 million is a lot of money for a player who played 467 snaps with 25 tackles and a sack last year. That’s down from 703 snaps, 49 tackles and five sacks the year before. If the Rams chose to release Langford, it would save $6 million with $1 million in dead money. The Rams would like to retain Langford, who is also a good locker room influence, but for that to happen, it’s probably going to have to be on a new, reduced contract.

January 18, 2015 at 8:52 am #16789

sdram
Participant

Wonder how much money the Rams will have for FA signees? They have a lot of young guys of their own to consider as well.

This article at least gives some sort of idea about their money issues.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2321354-what-can-st-louis-rams-do-to-clear-more-salary-cap-space-for-2015-offseason

With the 2015 offseason approaching, many are wondering if the St. Louis Rams will have the necessary salary-cap space to partake in the ferocious bidding wars for veteran players.

Sites such as Spotrac provide a nice overview, but salary-cap management is deeper and more complex than many believe. This article won’t pretend to understand the subtle loopholes and footnotes that few have access to, but we can still examine the surface and gain a solid understanding of where the Rams stand this offseason.

Simply put, the money is there if the Rams want it. Setting aside funds to sign the 2015 draft picks and re-sign key in-house free agents (Kenny Britt, Joe Barksdale) will push the cap number close to the limit, but there are a number of veteran cuts to be made, and that will allow the money to flow.

If the Rams part with these veterans as expected, the team will have the freedom to make a splash in free agency.

QB Sam Bradford

This is the big one. Fans are eagerly awaiting the fate of quarterback Sam Bradford, as the outcome of his contract will have the biggest impact on what the Rams can do in free agency.

What will happen to Bradford?
Rams cut him and move on. Rams cut him but re-sign him at cheaper rate. Rams keep him at current price. Trade bait. Submit Vote vote to see results

Bradford has a $16.58 million cap hit in 2015, and the Rams can save nearly $13 million in cap space by cutting the veteran.

In 2014, Bradford suffered his second season-ending injury in as many years. The Rams were stuck with Bradford’s $17.61 million cap hit this past season despite the fact that he didn’t play a single down. With another large cap number in 2015, the Rams cannot risk being burned again, so there’s virtually zero chance that Bradford is retained at his current rate.

With $13 million dollars in cap relief, St. Louis can pursue a high-end free agent on the offensive line—Stefen Wisniewski or Mike Iupati—and retain Bradford at a more team-friendly number.

Elite centers and guards average around $8 million per year. Subtract that from the $13 million figure, and there’s still $5 million remaining—which is a good cap number for Bradford in 2015.

A two-year deal at around $15 million (of course, loaded with incentives and non-guaranteed money) sounds about right for Bradford. That will significantly lower his 2015 cap hit and allow the Rams to pursue a good lineman, which will also help keep Bradford healthy.

Cap Savings: $12.9 Million

Jeff Haynes/Associated Press

T Jake Long

Jake Long was signed by the Rams in 2013, and the team was well aware of his injury history, which is why it inked him to a very team-friendly deal.

Long’s contract is a four-year deal for $34 million, but only $12 million of that amount is guaranteed. The 2015 cap hit is $10.5 million. But St. Louis is only on the hook for another $2.5 million, so the Rams can save a cool $8 million by cutting Long.

Long suffered a season-ending knee injury in 2014, per Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com, and it’s his second major knee injury in two years with St. Louis.

The Rams used the No. 2 overall pick in 2014 to draft monster Auburn tackle Greg Robinson, who took over at left tackle and played well following Long’s departure. With the future left tackle in place, there’s no chance that Long returns at his current rate.

In fact, considering the severity of his latest knee injury combined with his overall struggle with injuries at the NFL level, it’d be wise for Long to call it quits and hang up the cleats. Any more bodily damage could have serious long-term implications, and it might even be too late already.

The $8 million in cap savings will allow the Rams to pursue a free-agent offensive lineman of equal or greater value.

Cap Savings: $8 Million

Elaine Thompson/Associated Press

C Scott Wells

Scott Wells was a major weak point on the offensive line this season. His run blocking was weak, and defenders were able to immediately create pressure in the middle during pass protection. Not to mention, he had numerous bad snaps that absolutely killed the offense’s momentum.

To be fair, Wells spent time in the intensive care unit this past summer with a bacterial infection, according to Jim Thomas of STLtoday.com, and the difficult road to recovery had him ill-prepared for the intensity of training camp. Physically, he was playing catch-up all season long.

As unfortunate as that may be, Wells has been an underwhelming presence since joining the team in 2012, so the decline also has a lot to do with his age (33) and on-the-field injuries (he missed 13 starts in his first two seasons with the Rams).

Jeff Fisher prefers to have a veteran at center, so it would not be a total shock if the Rams retain Wells. His character is off-the-charts, and he’s a solid locker room presence. So he’s not the easiest player to let go.

Having said that, the interior offensive line was dreadful this past season, and football is a business. There has to be a superior option available, and it’s the Rams’ duty to put emotions aside and make the best move for the team.

Wells’ 2015 cap hit is just $4.75 million and only $1 million of that is guaranteed, so that’s a nice $3.75 million in extra spending money if Wells is cut loose.

It’s not a huge sum, but combined with the savings from Bradford and Long, it will put the Rams in a position to make a serious run at Wisniewski or Iupati (assuming their current teams don’t re-sign them). It will help the Rams toward retaining some in-house free agents as well.

Total Savings: $3.75 Million

DT Kendall Langford

Kendall Langford has been a reliable starter on the inside since joining the team in 2012, but the emergence of Pro Bowl rookie Aaron Donald, as well as three-year veteran Michael Brockers, has forced Langford into a backup role.

That’s not a bad thing. When a reliable player of Langford’s caliber is struggling to get reps, it’s a sign that the depth has significantly improved for the Rams. But since Langford still carries a starter’s price tag, there must be an appropriate response.

Langford is due a sizable $7 million cap hit in 2015, but since he’s guaranteed just another $1 million, St. Louis can save $6 million total by cutting him.

Fisher and defensive coordinator Gregg Williams both cherish elite defensive line play and understand the importance of having depth at the position. With that in mind, there’s still a solid chance that Langford will return in 2015 at his current rate.

However, there are talented young defensive linemen struggling to get on the field, such as Ethan Westbrooks, so the the departure of Langford could give those guys an opportunity.

Also, the Rams frequently move their defensive ends inside. Robert Quinn, Chris Long, William Hayes and Eugene Sims all have experience on the interior line, and all four are capable of providing depth at tackle behind Donald and Brockers.

The Rams will attempt to re-sign Langford at a reduced rate. If he agrees, that’s excellent, but it’s not likely. He’s a capable starter, and his only role in St. Louis is as a backup. Surely, there are several needy teams willing to pay him starter’s money, and it’d be hard to blame him for walking.

So, Mr. Westbrooks, welcome to the show.

Cap Savings: $6 Million

Total Savings: $30.65 Million

Scott Eklund/Associated Press

The Rams are capable of making a splash in free agency this offseason, but it will take a few heartfelt goodbyes and some tough decisions.

If the four mentioned players are cut loose prior to free agency, it’ll be a telltale sign that St. Louis will be making headlines with its free-agent signings.

After setting aside money for draft picks and re-signing some key players, there will still be money leftover from these cuts to pursue some big names. The total savings from cutting the above players adds up to $30.65 million (about 23 percent of the $133 million total salary cap from 2014).

The Rams are not in a position to go on a mindless spending spree. Several young centerpieces will have to be re-signed sooner rather than later (Brockers, Janoris Jenkins, Alec Ogletree, Trumaine Johnson), so that’s something to keep in mind as well.

Even so, there’s no reason why the Rams can’t reel in one or two big names in free agency this year. After all, the money has to be spent somewhere, so it might as well go toward filling some glaring needs.

Note: All player contract information in this article is from Spotrac.com

January 18, 2015 at 9:14 am #16790

zn
Moderator

What will happen to Bradford?
Rams cut him and move on. Rams cut him but re-sign him at cheaper rate. Rams keep him at current price. Trade bait. Submit Vote vote to see results

Jeesh. None of those are the more viable options. In fact cutting him is stupid. He’s not obligated to re-sign with YOU if you cut him. So the worst case scenario is, you cut him, someone else has a better deal, and he comes back as a player on a different team and plays well. You just then threw away a qb for nothing. The Rams would look like fools. What idiot GM would risk that.

This whole “cut him and bring him back for less” malarkey is just nonsense. In contrast, one smart thing to do would be to extend him in a way that BOTH reduces the 2015 cap hit AND pays him if he plays.

The secret is incentives and future roster bonuses.

Incentives don’t get paid unless the player reaches certain benchmarks (like playing time.) When they do get paid they count against the following year’s cap.

Roster bonuses–they are set for specific dates. Like let’s say March 2016. The player only gets the roster bonus if he is on the team. So if they cut him before the RB he doesn;t get it and it doesn’;t count against the cap.

First, it’s important that it’s an extension. So they could take this years 13 M, and turn it into 6 M, with 7 in incentives, plus put in say a 10 M roster bonus for March 2016, plus let’s say 2016 also includes 3 M salary. If he plays you end up paying 13 M a year for 2 years. If he doesn’t you are out 6 M.

That’s good for the team, that’s good for Bradford.

Of course my example presents only 1 way of doing it. There are hundreds of others. A creative cap guy like Demoff could do lots of different things.

See that’s the thing about bleacher report. It’s just a fan blog. Often as not you will find message board posts that are better.

the Rams frequently move their defensive ends inside.

Williams doesn’t do that. That was a Fisher before Williams thing.

Wells and Long are possible cuts.

My guess? They are not going to go nuts with free agency.

I mean after a certain point, you have to learn your lesson. If we go with this guys scenario and cut 3 FAs–Long, Wells, Langford–what does that tell you about FAs???!!!

PLus this thing that some fans have where every year you go “hey buy lottsa free agents”…well good teams don’t do it. I posted a study once that looked at the average number of big market FAs per playoff level team going back a couple of years. They average 4 each. Playoff teams as a rule are not built by signing multiple free agents. IMO that’s just a fan fantasy.

My prediction: they are not going to create anything remotely like 30 M in cap space. They will be prudent in free agency if they go there at all. And they will be fine.

January 18, 2015 at 10:03 am #16791

Agamemnon
Participant

What will happen to Bradford?
Rams cut him and move on.

That is a lazy article, but then, I am too lazy to rebut it. 😉 The Rams will be ok. They will be able to keep the players they want to keep. They might even be able to sign one premium FA. Demoff does so good with the cap that I just don’t worry much about it anymore.

Agamemnon

January 18, 2015 at 10:04 am #16792

sdram
Participant

I didn’t really like the options of that “hit me” questionnaire for Bradford either. Seemed like they were missing the most realistic option. But, really it’s just fodder for discussion. It seemed to trip your trigger a bit. I was just trying to contribute something regarding where the Rams currently are in terms of cap space. I doubt they’ll go “nuts” in fA either. Unless I missed it, this blog doesn’t say where they actually are right now but it covers some of the numbers at this point with respect to their space situation and where they could make some room if Snisher decides to go all in. I assume that they’re currently right about at the cap.

“I mean after a certain point, you have to learn your lesson. If we go with this guys scenario and cut 3 FAs–Long, Wells, Langford–what does that tell you about FAs???!!!” FA’s are like boats – the happiest day of a boat owners life are the day you buy and the day you sell.

I’m thinking it’s pretty much a foregone conclusion that Long, Wells are done in St Louis. I’m leaning toward Langford being gone as well. That’s how I’m seeing it. Will they go after a top interior FA? Who knows at this point. Will they go after multiple high priced signees – yeah, I doubt that too. But, who knows. I think they’ll be prudent – sign some of their guys coming up next year, try to fill their holes, sign a guy or two with the money they save with their cuts.

As far as Sam B goes, I could see some sort of a short term extension playing out for him. Seems to me that it makes sense for the Rams and to a degree for him to do this. As far as extending Sam or cutting for space because of his injury question marks, I think so did Jake Long and Scott Wells when Snisher signed them. Looking at the list of possible FA QB’s or even draftees is depressing. Decent FA QB’s with his talent, even with injury concerns are hard to find. I doubt he’s going anywhere this year regardless of an extension or not.

I’m not quite sure what to think about Langford. But I do agree with the premise that the Rams might be better suited using a potential cap savings from him to resign some of their younger guys that are coming up in 2016 which means they won’t have his money available for any type of splash. But, who knows maybe he loves him some Jeff Fisher and Jeff Fisher loves him as well. Or maybe his agent sits him down and tells him that the best deal he could get right now is to redo his deal with the Rams – like you said, lots of scenarios for each of these guys and the Rams FA situation.

Anyway – there looks to be a decent list of interior OL talent and WR talent available in FA this off-season. It’s expensive. What will the Rams do?

January 18, 2015 at 10:12 am #16793

Agamemnon
Participant

Jake Long = 8.0 million

Sam Bradford = 7.0 million (13.0 million > 6.0 million + incentives and an option year.)

Scott Wells = 3.7 million

——————————————-
= 18.7 million

Salary Cap 2015 = ~140 million – 134.6 million = 5.4 million

player cuts = 18.7
under S Cap = 5.4
Finnegan ? = 3.0
———————-

est. = 27.1 million cap space

practice squad = ~1.5 million
injured reserve= ~5.0 million
Draft = ~5.0 million

——————–

est. = 15.6 million cap space
——————————

Restricted free agents. Below are the possible projected tenders.

Level 1: $1,503,000 (Right of First Refusal)
Level 2: $1,503,000 or 110% of 2014 salary (Original Round Pick)
Level 3: $2,296,000 or 110% of 2014 salary (Second Round Pick)
Level 4: $3,269,000 or 110% of 2014 salary (First Round Pick)

Rodney McLeodS RFA Level 1: $1,503,000 (Right of First Refusal)
Austin Davis QB RFA Level 1: $1,503,000 (Right of First Refusal)
Tim Barnes C RFA Level 1: $1,503,000 (Right of First Refusal)
———————————————
= 4.5 million

Exclusive Rights Free agents – The Patriots are scheduled to have six players eligible for exclusive rights free agency in 2015. Sealver Siliga’s tender offer will be $660,000. James Develin and Brian Tyms will be tendered at $585,000. Casey Walker will be tendered at $510,000. James Morris and Greg Orton will be tendered at $435,000.

Cory Harkey FB ERFA
Chase ReynoldsRB ERFA
B Washington G ERFA
———————————————–
= appx. 2.0 million – conflicting or bogus information so this is a guess.

est. = 15.6 million cap space
rfa = -4.5
erfa = -2.0
——————————

**** 2016 is the year we need to be ready for. Use some 2015 to extend players from the 2012 draft class and maybe some of the veterns that we be FAs in 2016.
est. = 9.1 million left for:

Kenny Britt 3 yr(s) / $11,550,000
Joe Barksdale 4 yr(s) / $16,750,000
Shaun Hill 1 yr(s) / $1,750,000
Lance Kendricks 2 yr(s) / $3,000,000

Here are my notes on the salary cap. You guys can sift through them if you want. Personally, I am not interested in explaining anything in my notes, cause nothing is written in stone. If they help, cool. 😉

Agamemnon

January 18, 2015 at 10:25 am #16794

zn
Moderator

sdram wrote:

It seemed to trip your trigger a bit. I was just trying to contribute something regarding where the Rams currently are in terms of cap space.

Oh I wasn’t aiming anything at you. People should always post whatever reading material they want. The poster is not responsible for what it says…the author is. I have posted plenty of things I didn’t agree with in the least, but it’s news, it’s buzz, it’s discussion fodder, it’s about the Rams.

So I was not arguing with you. I think it’s absolutely wrong to go off on a poster for an article he posts. THat used to happen on the old unmoderated huddle and it led to ugly, ugly, ugly posts. “You believe THAT shit? You’re such a tool.” (I am not exaggerating.) Nor is it even right to assume that people post things cause they have agendas. They post things cause we post things. The more the merrier.

So I go off on bleacher’s report stuff about the cap because they are really BAD at analyzing the cap.

You are not supposed to take that as aimed at you. It would be wrong to aim it at you.

It’s the same thing when I post Miklasz, and half the posters go after Miklasz. That doesn’t mean they’re going after me for posting him.

Fair enough?

January 18, 2015 at 11:00 am #16798

sdram
Participant

zn wrote:

Oh I wasn’t aiming anything at you. People should always post whatever reading material they want. The poster is not responsible for what it says…the author is. I have posted plenty of things I didn’t agree with in the least, but it’s news, it’s buzz, it’s discussion fodder, it’s about the Rams.

So I was not arguing with you. I think it’s absolutely wrong to go off on a poster for an article he posts. THat used to happen on the old unmoderated huddle and it led to ugly, ugly, ugly posts. “You believe THAT shit? You’re such a tool.” (I am not exaggerating.) Nor is it even right to assume that people post things cause they have agendas. They post things cause we post things. The more the merrier.

So I go off on bleacher’s report stuff about the cap because they are really BAD at analyzing the cap.

You are not supposed to take that as aimed at you. It would be wrong to aim it at you.

It’s the same thing when I post Miklasz, and half the posters go after Miklasz. That doesn’t mean they’re going after me for posting him.

Fair enough?

Truly ZN, no issues here with me or on my end.I didn’t think you were aiming angst or anything else at me. I just love it when you get riled up about stuff – you’re one sexy ram fan that way. I can see your juices flowing.

If you can stomach that whole article, even the blogger guy understated the Rams FA signing potential towards the end. For me, I was focusing on the dollars and cents part of it.

Now, I get to paint the dining room ceiling. I’d rather get all my teeth pulled than embark on painting the house. But, as they say a painted house starts with the wife bitching about it for six months first.

January 20, 2015 at 7:03 am #16907
Agamemnon
Participant
Rams Free Agency: Projecting Contract Offers for St. Louis
By Steven Gerwel , Featured Columnist
Jan 18, 2015

The St. Louis Rams, and the entire NFL for that matter, will be scrambling to re-sign their in-house free agents before the market opens on March 10—about one month after the Super Bowl.

Retaining local free agents is a vital part of maintaining the team’s core. Rams chief operating officer Kevin Demoff has mentioned in the past that the most important free agents are not the ones from other teams but rather the ones in his own building.

That doesn’t mean the Rams have to cave in and re-sign every familiar face; it just means that continuity and chemistry are important to a football team.

Over the next several weeks, Jeff Fisher and general manager Les Snead will study the list of St. Louis free agents and determine who’s worth hanging on to. It’s a difficult task, but it’s also vital for the future of the team.

This article will highlight several in-house unrestricted free agents who should be retained and make a prediction on the contract offer based on the current market.

WR Kenny Britt

Kenny Britt has always possessed the talent of a true No. 1 receiver, but he’s been incapable of putting it all together and playing with consistency.

Which in-house free agent is the most vital?
Kenny Britt Joe Barksdale Lance Kendricks Other Submit Vote vote to see results

Britt was drafted by Fisher with the Tennessee Titans’ first-round pick in 2009. He immediately contributed with 701 yards and three scores as a rookie. In 2010, he posted career-high numbers with 775 yards and nine touchdowns.

It appeared Britt was going to break out in 2011. He posted more than 130 yards in each of his first two games, including three touchdown catches. In Week 3, his breakout campaign came to a halt with a season-ending knee injury.

A suspension for multiple off-field incidents hurt his 2012 season. In 2013, he was benched for uninspiring play and ended the year with just 96 yards.

Fisher, being the man who drafted Britt, was familiar with Britt’s abilities as a player and felt he could contribute to St. Louis’ offense. Despite Britt’s knee injury and off-the-field troubles, the Rams signed Britt to a one-year contract worth a modest $1.4 million.

Not only did Britt produce on the field with three touchdowns and 748 yards (his highest yards total since 2010), but he served as a veteran leader for St. Louis’ young receivers.

According the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Rams wide receiver coach Ray Sherman is quite pleased with Britt’s presence in the locker room.

“And I tell you what,” said Sherman. “(Britt) has been a joy to have. He’s a smart kid. He’s very conscientious. He wants to do the right thing. He studies. He prepares. And he’s like that when he’s in the classroom, and on the field. I mean I love what he brings to the table.”

For a team that has struggled to find a veteran presence at the receiver position since the departure of Torry Holt in 2009, how can the Rams possibly justify letting Britt walk?

For one, Britt is only 26 years old and is still developing as a player. There’s a realistic chance that he can break out and become the 1,000-yard receiver that the team’s been searching for.

Also, there’s not a good contingency plan in place. If Britt walks, there’s no guarantee the injured Brian Quick will bounce back and play at 100 percent. And while Stedman Bailey certainly has the potential to step up and become the No. 1 guy, it’s still risky to make that assumption.

There’s no way around it. Unless the Rams are confident they can snag Alabama’s Amari Cooper or Oklahoma’s Dorial Green-Beckham in the upcoming draft, they have to re-sign Britt.

The good news is that Britt is not a 1,000-yard guy, at least not yet, and his price tag will reflect that. He should land somewhere between the Riley Cooper and Wes Welker range—about $5 million per year on average.

If the Rams can ink him to a similar contract, he’ll remain with the team for the next several years.

Contract Prediction: Three Years, $15 Million

T Joe Barksdale

The Rams fielded one of the worst offensive lines in football this past year, and upgrades are inevitable this offseason.

One of the biggest question marks is right tackle Joe Barksdale, who apparently took a step backward after a very promising 2013 season.

There’s no question that Barksdale is at least partially responsible for his own decline, but he didn’t have much help. Veteran center Scott Wells and right guard Davin Joseph were total liabilities. Barksdale had almost zero help from the two spots to his left, and it showed.

Wells and Joseph will likely be gone in 2015, and the Rams will undoubtedly pursue guards and centers in free agency and the draft.

The Rams do not have the resources to replace three starters on the offensive line in a single offseason, so it’s both necessary and wise to give Barksdale another shot.

If Barksdale continues to struggle, he’ll be replaced a year from now. However, since he’s still only 26 years old, there’s a good chance he can rebound and get back to his former self.

The Rams will re-sign Barksdale this offseason. Thanks to his decline in play, the contract should be modest—somewhere between Tyson Clabo ($1.2 million on average) and Doug Free ($3.5 million).

Barksdale’s contract will likely contain lots of non-guaranteed money and incentives.

Contract Prediction: Three Years, $9.1 Million

TE Lance Kendricks

Tight end Lance Kendricks has not been St. Louis’ flashiest offensive weapon, but the former second-round draft pick has contributed in valuable and subtle ways.

In 2012, Kendricks established himself as a decent receiver with four touchdowns and 519 yards, which was surprisingly the highest single-season yards total by a tight end in St. Louis’ history (an accomplishment that was outdone by Jared Cook’s 671-yard campaign the following year).

Since the arrival of Cook, Kendricks has taken on the responsibilities of a wild card. He’s not a consistent part of St. Louis’ aerial game plan, but he’s a valuable run-blocker in his new fullback-tight end hybrid role.

He hasn’t been dismissed completely from the passing game. He contributed a career-high five touchdowns this past season and continues to be a valuable red-zone weapon, but his route running has certainly been limited.

The decision will have a lot to do with three-year veteran Cory Harkey. Harkey has been a solid contributor as the No. 3 tight end and is begging for a larger role. He’s a valuable receiver, but Kendricks likely has the edge as a run-blocker.

Undrafted rookies Alex Bayer and Justice Cunningham both made the final roster for St. Louis. If Harkey moves into the No. 2 role, either player is capable of replacing Harkey as the new No. 3 tight end.

The Rams certainly have the depth in place to move on from Kendricks if necessary, but it will simply depend on how much confidence Fisher has in Harkey.

If St. Louis retains Kendricks, his deal will likely be similar to Brandon Myers or Jacob Tamme—about $2.3 million per year.

Contract Prediction: Two Years, $4.6 Million

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2334132-rams-free-agency-projecting-contract-offers-for-st-louis

Britt – Three Years, $15 Million
Barksdale – Three Years, $9.1 Million
Kendricks – Two Years, $4.6 Million
- This reply was modified 9 years, 11 months ago by Agamemnon.
- This reply was modified 9 years, 10 months ago by zn.
- This reply was modified 9 years, 10 months ago by zn.
Agamemnon
January 22, 2015 at 9:18 pm #17181

zn
Moderator

Britt – Three Years, $15 Million
Barksdale – Three Years, $9.1 Million
Kendricks – Two Years, $4.6 Million

Let’s say that avgs. out to 10.3 for 2015.

Is that too hefty? Can they do that?

Interesting thing to watch as it happens.

January 22, 2015 at 9:24 pm #17183

Agamemnon
Participant

Britt – Three Years, $15 Million
Barksdale – Three Years, $9.1 Million
Kendricks – Two Years, $4.6 Million

Let’s say that avgs. out to 10.3 for 2015.

Is that too hefty? Can they do that?

That is close to what I got. So, I think it is can be done without any trouble.

Agamemnon

January 23, 2015 at 1:45 am #17195
Agamemnon
Participant
Discussions underway. Agents for Rams WR Kenny Britt, a pending free agent, meet w/Rams in Mobile.

— Jim Thomas (@jthom1) January 23, 2015

March 7-10

Clubs are permitted to contact, and enter into contract negotiations with the certified agents of
players who will become Unrestricted Free Agents upon the expiration of their 2014
contracts at 4:00 p.m., New York time, on March 10. However, a contract
cannot be executed with a new club until 4:00 p.m., New York time, on March 10.

https://nfllabor.files.wordpress.com/2014/12/12-17-14-important-dates.pdf

On the 7th, other clubs can talk to URFAs. On the 10th, at 4:00 pm, they can announce the deal.
- This reply was modified 9 years, 11 months ago by Agamemnon.
- This reply was modified 9 years, 10 months ago by zn.
- This reply was modified 9 years, 10 months ago by zn.
Agamemnon
February 5, 2015 at 5:51 pm #17982

Dak
Participant

I wonder what type of contract the Rams would be willing to accept with Bradford. If the Rams come up with no real options to compete with Bradford, they’re not able to negotiate with an upper hand. Bradford’s reps will know that the Rams need him too much to cut him, so Sam could just wait out this year’s contract unless he got a nice extension. Are the Rams willing to invest more time and money in Sam at this point?

Long? Gone. Likely.

Wells is another case, since the Rams don’t have a great replacement for him. He’s expensive, but not bank-breaking. But, is he even worth it anymore?

I have to think they could come to terms with Langford with a new deal.

February 5, 2015 at 5:55 pm #17985

Agamemnon
Participant

They will convert some to a bonus, some to incentives, and add another year as an option. His salary cap for this year is probably about 6m. imo

Agamemnon

February 6, 2015 at 9:41 am #18062

zn
Moderator

Dak wrote:

Are the Rams willing to invest more time and money in Sam at this point?

Like Ag says, this is do-able. Extension, incentives based on playing time, roster bonuses etc. The kind of deal where he gets paid if he play, but if he can’t, the team is not out big bucks.

February 7, 2015 at 9:02 am #18117

Winnbrad
Participant

zn wrote:

Are the Rams willing to invest more time and money in Sam at this point?

Like Ag says, this is do-able. Extension, incentives based on playing time, roster bonuses etc. The kind of deal where he gets paid if he play, but if he can’t, the team is not out big bucks.

Maybe a “pay as you go” system. For every game Sam starts and finishes, $1 million. Ya got a 16 game season, ya gotta chance to make $16 mil. Double it for playoff games.

There. There’s an incentive.

🙂

February 8, 2015 at 12:42 am #18148

zn
Moderator

Rams shouldn’t have many salary-cap problems

By Jim Thomas

http://www.stltoday.com/sports/football/professional/rams-shouldn-t-have-many-salary-cap-problems/article_0fd090c2-889d-5c5b-8264-cc665a85dd7e.html

When all is said and done, the Rams should be in decent shape salary cap-wise this offseason. But with the Super Bowl completed, and the offseason officially upon us, the team’s salary cap situation looks tight at the moment.

The Rams currently have 56 players under contract as they build toward the training camp limit of 90. Only the 51 players with the highest salary-cap figures count against a team’s cap until the 53-man roster is set in early September.

With that in mind, the Rams’ team cap number currently is at $142.964 million for 2015, according to figures from the NFL Players Association and other league sources.

The official team salary cap figure has yet to be announced, but most projections are in the $140 million to $150 million range. The final cap number tends to end up on the high end of projections every year.

For the sake of argument, let’s split the difference and put the cap at $145 million. That would leave the current Rams just a couple of million under the cap limit.

But the Rams will have an additional $3 million cap credit as a result of last year’s release of cornerback Cortland Finnegan.

The Rams were hoping to get that credit a year ago, but didn’t, so last year’s loss is this year’s gain.

When you subtract about $1.5 million in incentives earned by players last year that count on this year’s cap, that makes a net gain of $1.5 million.

And as the Rams wind their way through the offseason, they have plenty of ways to add to their cap space, either through reduced contracts or outright releases of players:

Quarterback Sam Bradford: The Rams want to restructure the final year of the injury-plagued Bradford’s contract. They could do so by lopping off some of the $12.985 million base salary he is due in 2015, the last year of his contract, while potentially putting in incentives that could allow Bradford to recoup much of that money.

An outright release would save the team that $12.985 million out of an overall cap count of $16.58 million.

Defensive tackle Kendall Langford: He’s in the final year of a four-year deal and is scheduled to be paid a $6 million base salary and count $7 million against the cap. With the emergence of Aaron Donald as NFL defensive rookie of the year, Langford no longer is a starter and his playing time is down. So the Rams could consider shrinking his base.

An outright release would create $6 million in cap space.

Center Scott Wells: He has a $2 million base salary and counts $5.5 million against the cap. Wells has had tough luck with injuries and illness since signing with the Rams in 2012 as a free agent from Green Bay. He played in all 16 games last season, but it was an uphill struggle because of both an elbow injury and a tick-borne infection that put him in intensive care last spring and resulted in a 20-pound weight loss.

Do the Rams decide to go young at center this year? Or do they stay with Wells for the final year of his contract?

An outright release saves $3.5 million. Wells is due a $1 million roster bonus on the third day of the so-called “league year,” so one way or another the Rams have to make a decision by then.

The league year begins March 10.

Tackle Jake Long: He has missed 10 games over the past two seasons because of knee injuries, and is coming off his second anterior cruciate ligament surgery in less than a calendar year’s time. If coach Jeff Fisher sticks with his plan to keep Greg Robinson as the team’s starting left tackle, Long could end up shifting to right tackle or guard.

In the third year of a four-year deal, Long counts $10.5 million against the cap and is scheduled to make $9.25 million in base salary this year. The Rams could seek a restructure.

An outright release would save the team $8 million in cap space. If Long is on the roster the fifth day of the league year, $4 million of his base salary is guaranteed, so that could impact the Rams’ timetable.

Running back Isaiah Pead: He has had next to no impact with the team after being drafted in the second round in 2012, the first draft of the Fisher/Les Snead regime. The roster is brimming with running backs with Tre Mason, Benny Cunningham, Zac Stacy and Trey Watts.

Releasing Pead would create just under $941,000 of additional cap space.

Wide receiver Chris Givens: His scheduled base salary of $1.574 million (with a cap count of $1.698 million) doesn’t seem exorbitant. Then again, the Rams could deem it too much if Givens is the fifth wideout behind Kenny Britt, Brian Quick, Tavon Austin and Stedman Bailey.

Also a member of that initial 2012 draft class, and in the final year of his contract, releasing Givens would save $1.574 million.

The bottom line: If the Rams released all six of those players, they would save $34.25 million in cap space. That’s highly unlikely. But if they merely saved one-third of that cap space through some combination of restructuring, releasing or not touching those six contracts, it would free up $11.42 million of cap space.

The Rams obviously need some of that money for a variety of reasons. For one, they have a free-agent list that includes wide receiver Britt, tight end Lance Kendricks, right tackle Joe Barksdale and quarterback Shaun Hill.

In varying degrees, the Rams would like to sign all four of those unrestricted free agents. In addition, the Rams’ list of restricted free agents includes free safety Rodney McLeod, tight end/fullback Cory Harkey, and quarterback Austin Davis.

Looking ahead to 2016, the Rams have 35 players under contract for that season and beyond, who will count $89.91 million against the ’16 cap. That might look like a ton of cap space, but the Rams have several players whose contracts expire after the 2015 season.

The list includes safety Mark Barron, defensive tackle Michael Brockers, linebacker Jo-Lonn Dunbar, defensive end William Hayes, cornerback Janoris Jenkins, cornerback Trumaine Johnson, wide receiver Brian Quick, defensive end Eugene Sims and kicker Greg Zuerlein.

That’s in addition to the aforementioned Bradford, Givens, Langford, Pead, and Wells.

Undoubtedly the Rams would like to lock up at least a couple of those players during the 2015 season, as they did during 2014 with Robert Quinn and punter Johnny Hekker.

March 3, 2015 at 11:57 pm #19410

zn
Moderator

Cut Candidates: NFC West

By Nick Mensio

http://www.rotoworld.com/articles/nfl/52544/59/cut-candidates-nfc-west

We’ve shifted into offseason mode here at Rotoworld. In a salary-cap league with non-guaranteed contracts like the NFL, the offseason is a time teams rid themselves of players not living up to their pay scale. Every year, handfuls among handfuls of players are asked to take pay cuts or simply released outright. Before free agency opens March 10, I’ll highlight names from each team who may be on the roster bubble. According to several reports, the salary cap is expected to rise to roughly $142 million in 2015. Terms to know are “cap number”, “cap savings”, “cash savings”, and “dead money”. Cap number is how much Player X will count against Team X’s salary cap. Cap savings is how much Team X will clear in salary-cap space by cutting Player X. Cash savings is how much Team X will save in terms of sheer cash, and it can be formulated by Player X’s base salary + bonuses. Dead money is how much Player X will count against Team X’s salary cap, even if he is released. I already took a look at the AFC East here, the AFC North here, the AFC South here, the AFC West here, the NFC East here, the NFC North here, and the NFC South here.

Mensio’s Note: For detailed salary cap and contract information, go check out OverTheCap.com. Salary figures and cap numbers are from them. I’d also like to give a shout-out to self-proclaimed salary cap enthusiast Andrew Cohen for answering several questions for me. Follow him on Twitter here.

ST. LOUIS RAMS

LE Chris Long
Cap number: $12.5M
Cap savings: $7.5M
Cash savings: $10M
Dead money: $5M
Much is made about Sam Bradford being overpaid, but Long is right up there on the Rams. After handing RE Robert Quinn a mega-extension this past year, the Rams have two of the four highest-paid 4-3 ends in the league. St. Louis loves its pass rush, but Long should be asked to take a pay cut. He missed 10 games last season with an ankle injury and managed just one sack. Long also turns 30 later this month. He’s never been an elite pass rusher, as he’s more of an effort-type player who relies on hard work and his quick jump off the snap. That tends to lead to a lot of offsides penalties. The Rams aren’t going to cut Long because his veteran leadership is valued in a young locker room. But if Long were to hit the open market, he wouldn’t command more than $5-6 million annually, and certainly wouldn’t come close to the $21.75M he’s due over the next two seasons.

LT Jake Long
Cap number: $10.5M
Cap savings: $8M
Cash savings: $9.25M
Dead money: $2.5M
Why the Rams haven’t yet released Long is anybody’s guess, but his days should be numbered in St. Louis. Billed as damaged goods in the 2013 offseason, Long inked a four-year, $34M deal with the Rams. Both of his seasons in St. Louis ended on I.R. with back-to-back ACL tears. 2014 No. 2 overall pick Greg Robinson has already been named the left tackle, but the Rams have said they may consider Long at right tackle or kick him inside to guard. Nobody’s buying it. The Rams would be better off giving Long’s money to a natural free-agent guard like Mike Iupati. Long has landed on season-ending I.R. each of the past four seasons. There isn’t much left in the tank.

DT Kendall Langford
Cap number: $7M
Cap savings: $6M
Cash savings: $6M
Dead money: $1M
Langford was cut by the Rams last week. He was actually one of GM Les Snead’s better signings since taking over in St. Louis, but Langford lost his starting job to Defensive Rookie of the Year Aaron Donald and wasn’t worth the inflated salary. The Rams have expressed interest in bringing 29-year-old Langford back at a cheaper rate, but he’s likely to find a starting job elsewhere as a scheme-versatile lineman. He visited the tackle-needy Lions earlier this week.

C Scott Wells
Cap number: $4.75M
Cap savings: $3.75M
Cash savings: $3.75M
Dead money: $1M
If Langford was one of the Rams’ better signings the past couple years, Wells has easily been one of the worst. He’s missed 13 starts since inking a four-year, $24M deal and graded out as Pro Football Focus’ worst center among 41 qualifiers last season. He just turned 34 in January and can’t cut it as a pass or run blocker anymore. The Rams are reportedly considering holding onto Wells for the time being because they have nothing behind him on the depth chart. Barrett Jones isn’t a legitimate starting option in the NFL despite what large sections of the Rams community wants to believe.

WR Chris Givens
Cap number: $1.666M
Cap savings: $1.542M
Cash savings: $1.542M
Dead money: $124K
Givens led the Rams in receiving as a 2012 rookie with his 42-698-3 line to go along with five 50-plus-yard grabs. He was easily Sam Bradford’s favorite target. Most expected a second-year leap in 2013, but Givens was exposed as a one-trick pony deep threat. His targets then took a sharp hit this past season, as they plummeted from 77 in 2013 to just 17 in 2014. He only played 200 offensive snaps as the Rams’ No. 4/5 receiver.

SLB Jo-Lonn Dunbar
Cap number: $1.346M
Cap savings: $1.346M
Cash savings: $1.346M
Dead money: $0
Dunbar was a nice find for the Rams prior to the 2012 season. He was nails against the run and brought a nastiness to the defense that it had been lacking for several years. But he drew a four-game suspension to open the 2013 season and was eventually released by the Rams before being re-signed after his ban. Dunbar was then arrested in Miami last summer and saw his snaps decline this past season with the Rams using more three-safety looks after the acquisition of Mark Barron. The Rams are rumored to be looking for linebacker help in the draft.

RB Isaiah Pead
Cap number: $1.285M
Cap savings: $941K
Cash savings: $941K
Dead money: $344K
Pead is maybe the biggest bust of the Rams’ draft classes under Les Snead and Jeff Fisher. The 50th overall pick in 2012 received just 17 carries across his first two seasons and was never able to take control of the backfield. He then tore his ACL last summer and missed the entire 2014 campaign. Pead was viewed merely as a special teams player by the Rams before getting hurt. ACL injuries are much easier to come back from now more than ever. Pead is in dire need of a fresh start. He just turned 25 in December.

ARIZONA CARDINALS

LE Darnell Dockett
Cap number: $9.8M
Cap savings: $6.8M
Cash savings: $6.8M
Dead money: $3M
Coming off a torn ACL that saw Dockett miss the entire 2014 season, the Cardinals asked the soon-to-be 34-year-old to take a pay cut down to $2.5M with the ability to earn another $1.5M available via incentives. Dockett balked at the offer and instead was released by Arizona last week. 2014 fifth-round DE Ed Stinson drew praise from coach Bruce Arians as a rookie, and the Cardinals also used a third-round pick last year on DE/OLB Kareem Martin. Dockett has lost juice as a pass rusher, but the team wants him back as a veteran leader. Dockett has drawn interest from the 49ers. He’d be lucky to get $5M on the open market.

CB Jerraud Powers
Cap number: $5.35M
Cap savings: $4.35M
Cash savings: $4.35M
Dead money: $1M
With Antonio Cromartie a free agent, Powers will likely be back in the desert to play out the final year of his contract. He received positive marks in coverage last season as the Cardinals’ slot corner. But the Cardinals prefer bigger corners, and Powers stands just 5’9/190. Arizona is high on special teams ace CB Justin Bethel as a defensive player. Expect GM Steve Keim to eye cornerback help in free agency and the draft with it looking unlikely that Cromartie will be back opposite Patrick Peterson.

C Lyle Sendlein
Cap number: $4.275M
Cap savings: $3.15M
Cash savings: $3.15M
Dead money: $1.125M
Sendlein graded out as Pro Football Focus’ second-worst center out of 41 qualifiers last season, finishing ahead of only the Rams’ Scott Wells. He received extremely poor marks both as a pass protector and run blocker. Entering the final year of his contract and due a $3M base salary as a soon-to-be 31-year-old, Sendlein is a prime candidate to be cut.

WR/KR Ted Ginn
Cap number: $4M
Cap savings: $2.5M
Cash savings: $3.25M
Dead money: $1.5M
Cutting Ginn was Arizona’s first order of business this offseason. The 30-year-old (in April) played just 163 snaps on offense last season, catching zero touchdowns and dropping three passes. He’s still an effective return man, though he’s more dangerous on punts. It’s simple with Ginn; he’s a mere gadget deep threat on offense but brings big-play ability to the special teams unit. He’s just not worth a $4M cap hit. The Panthers and Browns are rumored to be interested in Ginn.

LG Ted Larsen
Cap number: $2.435M
Cap savings: $2.2M
Cash savings: $2.2M
Dead money: $235K
Larsen won the Cardinals’ starting left guard job out of training camp, leaving 2013 No. 7 overall pick Jonathan Cooper to play just 189 offensive snaps as a sophomore. Larsen and RG Paul Fanaika were two of PFF’s bottom-11 guards in 2014 out of 78 qualifiers. It’s a position that needs to be upgraded this offseason, and seeing Cooper take that step and secure a starting job would be a nice jumping-off point. Larsen is a replacement-level talent who wasn’t re-signed by the lineman-needy Bucs as a free agent prior to last season. He’s best-suited for an interior reserve role.

FS Rashad Johnson
Cap number: $2.233M
Cap savings: $1.9M
Cash savings: $1.9M
Dead money: $333K
Johnson played over 1,100 defensive snaps as the Cardinals’ starting free safety last season with the team being extremely cautious with Tyrann Mathieu coming off a torn ACL. Mathieu should be locked in at 100 percent heading into 2015 and ready to take over as an every-down player. Safety is one of Arizona’s deepest positions, with Johnson, Mathieu, SS Tony Jefferson, and 2014 first-rounder Deone Bucannon. Johnson is more of a special teams player than starting safety. The Cardinals will likely make a decision on Johnson before he’s due $550K in bonuses.

ILB Lorenzo Alexander
Cap number: $2M
Cap savings: $1.55M
Cash savings: $1.55M
Dead money: $450K
Alexander missed all but three games in 2013 with a Lisfranc injury and played just 53 defensive snaps across 16 games last season. Signed to be a core special teams player, Alexander missed nearly as many tackles as he made while covering kicks. He also turns 32 in May. Alexander simply doesn’t bring much to the table and can be replaced by a minimum-salary player.

TE John Carlson
Cap number: $1.65M
Cap savings: $1.6M
Cash savings: $1.6M
Dead money: $50K
Coach Bruce Arians needs his tight ends to be blockers. That’s not Carlson, as he was Pro Football Focus’ third-worst blocking tight end out of 67 qualifiers last season. He saw his snaps dip the final half of 2014 in favor of Darren Fells. Carlson also dropped seven of his 53 targets in the passing game. The former second-round pick turns 31 in May and has a lengthy concussion history. Arizona used a second-round pick on well-rounded TE Troy Niklas last spring.

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS

OLB Aldon Smith
Cap number: $9.754M
Cap savings: $9.754M
Cash savings: $9.754M
Dead money: $0
The 49ers are about $500K under the salary cap at the moment and need to clear some money somehow whether it’s in the form of releasing players or converting salaries into “signing” bonuses and kicking the can down the road. Smith is a long shot to be cut, but his past off-field issues and inflated salary make it that the 49ers will at least discuss it. When on the field, Smith is a nightmare edge rusher. Expect the 49ers to keep him and part ways with veteran OLB Ahmad Brooks to make room for second-year OLB Aaron Lynch. Smith will play out the final year of his contract and head toward free agency next offseason. If he can keep his head straight, Smith should command major dollars.

ILB Patrick Willis
Cap number: $8.268M
Cap savings: $7.425M
Cash savings: $7.846M
Dead money: $844K
Willis is another long shot to be released. He’s the leader of the defense, but just turned 30 last month and has chronic toe issues. Willis missed the final 10 weeks of the season after needing surgery. He’s expected to be ready for the start of training camp, as is fellow ILB NaVorro Bowman (knee). ILB Chris Borland shined as a rookie in place of Willis last season and would likely be a starter for many other teams, but the 49ers will likely try to make another run in 2015 with their current veteran-laden defense.

OLB Ahmad Brooks
Cap number: $7.055M
Cap savings: $1.509M
Cash savings: $7.3M
Dead money: $5.546M
Brooks is likely as good as gone. He was reportedly close to being traded prior to the trade deadline, then lashed out at then-DL coach Jim Tomsula, who is now the new head coach, prior to a November game. Brooks missed a couple team meetings throughout the season, leading to two separate benchings. Second-year OLB Aaron Lynch is ready to take over opposite Aldon Smith. Brooks turns 31 in 12 days. He could reunite with ex-49ers GM Scot McCloughan with the Redskins.

TE Vernon Davis
Cap number: $6.968M
Cap savings: $4.9M
Cash savings: $4.95M
Dead money: $2.068M
Davis is coming off a career-worst season that saw him post an awful 26-245-2 receiving line across 14 starts. The downfall was swift after he caught 13 touchdowns in 2013. After his huge 2013 season, Davis sat out OTAs last spring in hope of a new contract. He didn’t get one and then went on to hit a wall as a 30-year-old. Now 31, Davis is clearly in the decline phase of his career. He’s entering the final year of his contract, but GM Trent Baalke said at the Combine that Davis will be back in San Francisco this season. We’ve seen coaches and GMs lie before, but chances appear slim that Davis will actually be cut. Look for Davis to become a bigger part of the red-zone offense this season.

WR Stevie Johnson
Cap number: $6.025M
Cap savings: $6.025M
Cash savings: $6.025M
Dead money: $0
Acquired from the Bills last May, Johnson went on to post a 35-435-3 receiving line as the 49ers’ No. 3 receiver in their run-heavy offense. There was a report over the weekend that the 49ers had released Johnson, but it proved to be premature. The 49ers are talking with the 28-year-old about a pay cut. If he refuses, he’ll likely hit the streets. Johnson isn’t going to take the top off a defense, but he’s a crisp route-runner with a solid pair of mitts. With Michael Crabtree a free agent, the 49ers don’t have much of anything behind Anquan Boldin at receiver. Johnson isn’t worth $6M-plus.

T/G Jonathan Martin
Cap number: $1.042M
Cap savings: $1.042M
Cash savings: $1.042M
Dead money: $0
Rescued from Miami via trade, Martin started nine games at right tackle for the 49ers last season. He was his same ineffective self that he proved to be with the Dolphins, getting destroyed in both the pass and run games. Martin is a minimum-salary player.

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS

DT Brandon Mebane
Cap number: $5.7M
Cap savings: $5.5M
Cash savings: $5.5M
Dead money: $200K
The Seahawks don’t have many, if any, bad contracts. Mebane is probably overpaid, but he was one of the better defensive tackles in the league for the Super Bowl-champion Seahawks in 2013 before having his 2014 season cut short by a torn hamstring in Week 10. He’s expected to be healthy for minicamp. The Seahawks have an excessive amount of talent on the defensive line, and could use some extra cash to hand out a couple more contract extensions and sign a free agent or two. Mebane just turned 30 and is entering the final year of his contract.

DT Tony McDaniel
Cap number: $3.625M
Cap savings: $3M
Cash savings: $3M
Dead money: $625K
Another part of the Seahawks’ defensive line rotation, McDaniel had a down season after being a big contributor on a one-year deal in 2013. He received a new two-year contract last offseason, but wasn’t very consistent. As mentioned above, the Seahawks have depth up front and could add to it this offseason. Seattle will make a call on McDaniel before he’s due a $500K roster bonus.

TE Zach Miller
Cap number: $3.391M
Cap savings: $2.391M
Cash savings: $2.82M
Dead money: $1M
This will be the easy cut for GM John Schneider. Miller re-worked his deal last offseason to remain in Seattle. But he once again couldn’t stay healthy and played in just three games after needing two separate surgeries on his ankle. He’s played all 16 games in a season just once in the past six years. Due a $1.75M roster bonus, cutting Miller will be a no-brainer move. The Seahawks will move forward with Luke Willson and possibly target Jordan Cameron of Julius Thomas in free agency.

March 4, 2015 at 2:09 pm #19434

Herzog
Participant

Next year scares me. Even if we are competitive this year… What’s going to happen next year when we have to let playets go due to cap problems. I don’t see how we can pay them all.

March 4, 2015 at 2:26 pm #19437

zn
Moderator

Herzog wrote:

Next year scares me. Even if we are competitive this year… What’s going to happen next year when we have to let playets go due to cap problems. I don’t see how we can pay them all.

Basically, as of right now, it’s Bradford, Hayes, Brockers, Quick, Jenkins, and Zuerelein.

We don’t know yet if they will want to keep all 6.

But…the way the Rams frontload contracts, they use the 2nd year of a signing, not just the first. So let’s say someone signs in 2015. Their 2015 cap could be less, while the heavy frontload hit is put in 2016.

So the key to the Rams cap is that they are okay IF they have a lot of space in UPCOMING years. Not just the free agency year.

As it stands right now, with a projected 150 M cap in 2016 and presumably at least the same in 2017, the Rams are fine.

They have 60 M free in 2016, and 100 M free in 2017.

That’s before they sign 2 draft classes or add anyone else.

But that’s also before they cut or modify the numbers for guys like Jake Long or Laurinaitis (who will be an 8 M dollar 9 year vet in 2017).

March 4, 2015 at 4:01 pm #19446

Herzog
Participant

OK, Ok…..phew…i was really worried.
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