"My team worked in cap space the way other artists might work in oils or clay. It is our true medium, a master."
Official cap space post-opt outs
1. CLE: $40,468,180
2. NE: $33,431,135
3. WAS: $30,634,658
4. DEN: $29,541,191
5. NYJ: $29,266,652
6. TEN: $25,199,921
7. MIA: $24,650,560
8. BUF: $24,288,558
9. PHI: $23,749,246
10. DET: $22,933,007
11. IND: $22,256,027 12. NYG: $21,441,129
13. HOU: $21,137,877
14. CIN: $18,551,659
15. CHI: $17,220,760
16. JAX: $16,955,684
17. SEA: $14,497,295
18. LAC: $13,675,353
19. GB: $13,280,409
20. CAR: $13,177,619
21. KC: $13,003,035
22. SF: $12,529,886
23. MIN: $12,391,078 24. DAL: $9,903,486
25. NO: $7,821,902
26. ATL: $7,434,223
27. BAL: $6,955,167
28. ARI: $5,619,862
29. PIT: $4,488,656
30. LAR: $3,898,396
31. LV: $3,292,623
32. TB: $1,391,927
This is going to be huge. The 2020 cap space was $198.2M...current esitmates are that the NFL owners may 'borrow' against future years to keep the cap around there. In essence a 'flat' cap for 2021. Because teams can 'carry over' unused funds, the fact that the Browns have over $40M, they are one of the few teams that can not only keep their players in 2021, but actually go after FA's.
I doubt they make a move on Clowney now, unless it is an 'extremely' team friendly deal...as it will not only cost them his salary next year, but will negatively impact the carry over...essentially a double hit.
Some serviceable guards maybe.
or, how about this:
Giants receive:
• T-Mitch
• Wyatt Teller
Browns receive:
• Kevin Zeitler (or Will Hernandez)
The ability to stock our team at worst within the top 10 while leading the league in cap space is some sweet magic, Andrew Berry. You're gonna lock in our core while preserving money to fill in spaces as they emerge.
We have the ability to get the Jags pass rusher and extend him, for instance. We can still sign a linebacker. We can replace Billings and Forbes with short-term but functional vets.
Great to see Pittsburgh and Baltimore near the bottom.
I will just go ahead and ask here. Players who have opted out for 2020 - does their contract still count against the 2020 cap? My guess would be no.
Pretty sure with the opt-out:
1) 2020's contract becomes 2021's contract (Billings)
and
2) It frees up cap space for 2020 (NE soared up to 2nd in cap space, right behind us, after their 8 players opted out).
One think I would also like to see. This would take away the incentive for teams to manipulate the 2020 season (Bilicheat and the Patriots) to take advantage of a worldwide crises to satisfy their own selfish interests.
The draft order of 2020 automatically rolls over to 2021 - thereby preventing teams using opt-outs as a way to "Tank for Trevor".
Pucker up and kiss my ass, New England.
I'd love to be a fly on the wall in Cam Newton's crib. I don't know if he has it in him to be great again but he's damn well got all the bulletin board material he could ever want in his life.
I'm with Jake Burns: I have a gut that the Browns are going to be really, really, really good and we all kinda know the stars are aligning: Playoff caliber roster, probably top 5 to 7. Flexibility to fill in minor gaps over the next 4 to 6 weeks. Everybody's healthy. Schedule is favorable. Coaches and brass seem aligned and dialed in...
And none of those loyal season ticket holders will be there to watch it in person, most likely.
I mean, it could be epic, like 12 or 13 wins, or just awesome, like 10 wins. But this is a really talented team that at least FEELS like it's gonna be extremely well managed and coached. There's not much reason for them NOT to win 10+ games, even while they're going through growing pains on offense.
I mean, it's an offense that wants to hand it to Chubb a lot so there's that for those early games. I think we'll be in sync on that one for sure. And that tees up play-action. I keep reading this offense is annoyingly simple to learn, not really all that many plays... they just all look the same.
New England gained $9.2M on the cap space...and are not likely to spend any going forward, so they will be able to roll-over around $35M to 2021...when they hope to suck enough to have a shiny new QB. I would not be surprised if they cut a few more bigger contracts. They could easily enter 2021 with Trevor and close to $50M in salary cap, enabling them to poach FA's off team that are strapped.
With that said, it looks like the Browns are thinking along the same lines, but don't need to cut players to get there. If they go get Clowney it will be an indication that they are going ALL IN on the 2020 season...but I don't anticipate it as the season itself is still in jeapordy.
What I dont understand is why we dont cheat the cap system.
For player we KNOW are good/not going to decline... why dont we take major advantage of being #1 in cap space.. and take advantage of that cap rollover rule...
And MASSIVELY... FRONT LOAD player contracts INSTEAD of using Bonus'
Bonus money forces spreading it out over the contract.. whereas.. if we sign a player to a 5 year 100mil deal.. why not just pay him a SALARY of 50 mil the first year... then 12.5 mil after that.. it drastically reduces our cap so we can Keep a team of superstars together. Im blown away by how no GM has tried this yet.
In a related thought, I like all of these one year deals AB has done, regarding the comp pick game.
PGL, because players/agents don't want to do that kind of contract. While the front end of the contract sounds great, it gives the player zero protection past the first year. No guaranteed money. So they have no protection from being cut and missing out on the later years of the contract.
Front loaded contracts also play against the club in that later in the contract the players get upset that they don't have that guaranteed money to protect them, and then they want to re-negotiate. Meaning the contract ends up being shorter, and the team already paid out big bucks.
The Browns approach is good. Pay the player early...get him under contract at this year's rates, and lock them in for 4-5 years...long enough for stability, but not so long as the contract becomes completely obsolete for the player.
I still dont get it...
Im talking about using this method for the Myles Garrett's and Baker Mayfields of the world.
Front load the contract and FULLY guarantee it.
The player will love this, they get the majority of the money up front.. and its guranteed.
The team should love this, they're paying the future of players contracts with old rollover money. Then when they have a superstar team, the best players have peanuts against the cap allowing us to retain all our talent.
Not sure why this doesnt work. Its a win win for everyone.