by Chad Jones
We take an in-depth look at the NFC East teams and their looming salary cap issues on the horizon. How will it affect your team?
Dallas Cowboys:
Free Agents:
FB Lawrence Vickers -30-
OL Ryan Cook -30-
DE Jason Hatcher -31-
DE Anthony Spencer -29-
LB Alex Albright -25- (Restricted)
LB Sean Lee -27-
LB Ernie Sims -28-
CB Sterling Moore -23- (Restricted)
S Will Allen -31-
K Dan Bailey -25- (Restricted)
Outlook:
With over $ 140 Million committed to 2014 salaries, significant restructuring & maneuvering will be necessary. Mr. Jones entered the 2013 offseason placated with the same issues, and created the necessary cap room to add a few Free Agent Pieces & get rookies under contract. Similar to 2013, next offseason Cuts provide limited opportunities to open space. The result being, Mr. Jones will have to push back base salaries by guaranteeing latter stages of major contracts.
Of the 2014 Free Agents, Sean Lee Dallas has been internally prioritized. He's seen as a Franchise Cornerstone, a leader, and a guy they're exceptionally high on in the building. Rebounding from a toe injury that ended his 2012 season prematurely, he'll warrant a longterm commitment if he stays healthy.
The next major piece is Anthony Spencer, who hits the 30 threshold prior to the 2014 season. After designating Spencer the 'Franchise Player' two consecutive years, Spencer's Representative Jordan Woy & the Cowboys have expressed interest in working out an extension in the near term. The reality is the Cowboys are hesitant, as tying up significant resources in Spencer will present difficult cap dilemmas if Sean Lee is also retained.
Mr. Jones will have to get creative, and the logical starting point for 2014 is reducing Romo's 21.8 M cap figure. The next major figures belong to DeMarcus Ware (16.0 M), Brandon Carr (12.3 M), Jason Witten (8.43 M), Miles Austin (8.25 M), Jay Ratliff (8.23 M), Doug Free (6.5 M) & Orlando Scandrick (5.6 M) who all willingly restructured this offseason. Mr. Jones will be forced to again restructure, as cutting these players won't glean cap savings. This only further ties resources into these players in future years. Mr. Jones will be one of the Owners anxiously awaiting the cap increase derived from the new television deal that kicks in for 2015.
Philadelphia Eagles:
Free Agents:
QB Michael Vick -32-
RB Felix Jones -26-
WR Arrelious Benn -24-
WR Riley Cooper -25-
WR Jeremy Maclin -25-
TE Clay Habor -26-
C Matt Tennant -26-
DL Clifton Geathers -25-
DL Cedric Thornton -25- (Restricted)
LB Jamar Chaney -26-
LB Phillip Hunt -27- (Restricted)
CB Brandon Hughes -27-
S Nate Allen -25-
S Colt Anderson -27-
S Kurt Coleman -25-
S Kenny Phillips -26-
P Donnie Jones -33-
Outlook:
With $ 124 Million committed for 2014, creating additional cap space will be prioritized at the start of 2014. Numerous 2013 offseason additions signed what appeared lucrative longterm deals, but in reality decisions on multiple signings that could open cap space. What the 2nd year of numerous deals (James Casey, Isaac Sopoaga, Patrick Chung & Bradley Fletcher) amount to are Club Options, which if voided create additional cap room with no dead money.
Veteran holdovers from the previous regime also could be cap casualties to deliver savings. These include Jason Peters, DeMeco Ryans & Brent Celek. Reworking DeSean Jackson's contract to reduce the $ 12.5 Million cap hit would be logical, or he could be Cut- Saving 6.25 M against the Cap. After hiring Jay-Z, DeSean's side will be anxious to getting a new deal ASAP, thus delivering the 3% commission, which currently lands in Drew Rosenhaus' pocket.
Contract extension talks between Jeremy Maclin's Agent Tom Condon & the team have reportedly commenced. Meaningful progress is highly unlikely, as Maclin has yet to emerge as a top wideout, and Condon is unlikely to broker a team-friendly deal. This is merely a preliminary phase, and new talks could emerge if Maclin has a strong year in the new system.
Remaining UFAs do not warrant immediate attention. If Kenny Phillips proves healthy & productive, he could resigned after the season. Represented by Drew Rosenhaus, it's unlikely a team-friendly deal would be signed. The Patrick Chung contract gives the Eagles flexibility. Should Phillips stay healthy for 16 games, Chung could be cut and the 3.25 Million of savings could be applied to retaining KP.
The rest of the group consists of role players, who could warrant mid-level deals if they are effective. The most logical would be Colt Anderson & Cedric Thornton. New Head Coach Chip Kelly inherited a clean slate salary cap wise. There aren't major franchise changing contracts set to expire. Working with GM Howie Roseman & VP of Player Personnel Tom Gamble, the group has the opportunity to build through the draft. The hope being that productive years remain in DeSean Jackson & LeSean McCoy when the QB of the future has been located and roster is ready to contend.
New York Giants:
Free Agents:
QB Derek Carr -34-
RB Andre Brown -26-
FB Henry Hynoski -24- (Restricted)
WR Ramses Barden -27-
WR Victor Cruz -26-
WR Louis Murphy -26-
WR Hakeem Nicks -25-
TE Brandon Myers -27- (Option)
TE Michael Palmer -25-
TE Bear Pascoe -27-
OT David Diehl -32-
OG Kevin Boothe -30-
DE Justin Tuck -30-
DT Linval Joseph -24-
DT Mike Patterson -30-
DT Shaun Rogers -34-
LB Dan Connor -27-
LB Aaron Curry -27-
LB Keith Rivers -27-
CB Aaron Ross -30-
CB Terrell Thomas -28-
CB Corey Webster -31-
S Stevie Brown -26-
S Ryan Mundy -28-
K Josh Brown -34-
Outlook:
With $ 102 Million committed in 2014, the pending Free Agent group is significant. Headlined by wideouts Hakeem Nicks & Victor Cruz, other important pieces include Andre Brown, Kevin Boothe, Justin Tuck, Linval Joseph and the veterans in the secondary. Opportunity to retain multiple players exists, but GM Jerry Reese will remain true to form- Extending players on mutually beneficial terms & not extending beyond market rate.
Starting with the Wide Receivers, willingness to retain both Nicks & Cruz exists. But the Giants will not go beyond their price, as evidenced by the public negotiations, which truly deviate from Giant's preferred practice. Cruz's situation is one we've already commented on, and it will get the most media discussion. Having hired Tom Condon, the deal will be a precursor to extending Eli for the duration of his career. With Hakeem Nicks, a strong working relationship exists with Agent Peter Shaffer. Realistically, some sort of understanding exists that David Diehl's contract allocation, who Shaffer also represents, will be applied to Nicks' next deal.
Stevie Brown's emergence made the oft-injured Kenny Phillips expendable. If he can continue to generate turnovers, Jerry Reese will seek to broker a longterm deal with Agent Blake Baratz.
Andre Brown recently hired Drew Rosenhaus, and could be retained if healthy & productive in 2013. The team will be hesitant to commit major resources to Brown given the position & David Wilson's presence, but a framework similar to Bradshaw's previous deal is not outside the realm of possibility, a deal brokered by Rosenhaus in 2011.
Linval Joseph is a productive run stopping interior presence in his prime. Similar to Barry Coefield, he'll test Free Agency & land elsewhere. Joseph was selected in Round 2 of the 2010 draft, a year prior to Coefield's departure. In similar form, Jonathan Hankins was taken in 2013's 2nd Round to replace Linval in the run stopping role.
Franchise QB Eli Manning's deal concludes after 2015, when he's 35 years old. Ownership could be proactive, working out a final deal with the Franchise Face prior to the conclusion. This would open cap room in the 2014 & 2015 league years. The other longterm decision relates to Jason Pierre-Paul, who will be a UFA after 2015. Health & productivity will be pivotal to his next deal. The Giants could get a bargain if they commit early to JPP, and his representative Drew Rosenhaus.
The Giants are in Win-Now Mode, attempting to be the first team to reach the Super Bowl in their Home. The plethora of 2014 Free Agents is foreboding, but on a year to year basis the Giants are in a strong position.
Washington Redskins:
Free Agents:
QB Rex Grossman -33-
WR Devery Henderson -31-
WR Josh Morgan -28- (Option)
WR Santana Moss -34-
WR Donte' Stallworth -32-
TE Fred Davis -27-
OT Tony Pashos -33-
OT Jeremy Trueblood -31-
NT Chris Baker -25-
LB London Fletcher -38- (Option)
LB Rob Jackson -27-
LB Brian Orakpo -27-
LB Perry Riley -25-
LB Darryl Tapp -28-
CB E.J. Biggers -26-
CB DeAngelo Hall -29-
CB Josh Wilson -28-
S Reed Doughty -30-
S Brandon Meriweather -29-
Overview:
After two years of NFL imposed cap penalties for dealings during the uncapped year, the Redskins will have full resources available in 2014. With numerous potential veteran cuts on the horizon, the Redskins could significantly decrease the $ 110 Million committed to salaries next season.
Of the pending Free Agents, the major decisions come on 2009 1st Rounder Brian Orakpo & TE Fred Davis. Both ended the season on Injured Reserve & will have to return to health to warrant longterm commitments. With Orakpo, the pass rush regressed in his absence. In his prime, he could warrant a major longterm deal if he reverts to pre-injury form. Treading lightly on this negotiation could prove pivotal, as Orakpo & RG3 share the same representation.
With Fred Davis, the demands of Agent Drew Rosenhaus will be critical to determining if he's retained beyond 2014.
Other pieces worth retaining longterm include Rob Jackson & Perry Riley. With Rob Jackson, he's a contingency plan should the team move forward without Orakpo. On Perry Riley, he could be the heir apparent inside when Fletcher retires.
In the secondary, both starting corners will be Free Agents. DeAngelo Hall, whose made a boatload of money in his career, appears comfortable going year to year. It's highly unlikely another team swoops in with a longterm offer after 2013. Josh Wilson could land elsewhere, and that would be ideal from the Redskins perspective. They'd like to see 2nd Rounder David Amerson & Richard Crawford become starters.
Looking towards future contract considerations, RGIIIs second contract will change the salary cap structure of the Skins. With manageable cap figures based on the rookie wage scale, the team doesn't currently tie overwhelming resources into their QB in relation to industry norms. That'll change on his 2nd Contract.
Next offseason will provide an opportunity to not only retain Orakpo, but also a chance to land a major Free Agent. In relation to previous years under Owner Dan Snyder's stewardship, the Redskins are in tremendous circumstances relative to the Salary Cap. It's a testament to Mike Shanahan's careful management of Player Personnel.
Free Agents:
FB Lawrence Vickers -30-
OL Ryan Cook -30-
DE Jason Hatcher -31-
DE Anthony Spencer -29-
LB Alex Albright -25- (Restricted)
LB Sean Lee -27-
LB Ernie Sims -28-
CB Sterling Moore -23- (Restricted)
S Will Allen -31-
K Dan Bailey -25- (Restricted)
Outlook:
With over $ 140 Million committed to 2014 salaries, significant restructuring & maneuvering will be necessary. Mr. Jones entered the 2013 offseason placated with the same issues, and created the necessary cap room to add a few Free Agent Pieces & get rookies under contract. Similar to 2013, next offseason Cuts provide limited opportunities to open space. The result being, Mr. Jones will have to push back base salaries by guaranteeing latter stages of major contracts.
Of the 2014 Free Agents, Sean Lee Dallas has been internally prioritized. He's seen as a Franchise Cornerstone, a leader, and a guy they're exceptionally high on in the building. Rebounding from a toe injury that ended his 2012 season prematurely, he'll warrant a longterm commitment if he stays healthy.
The next major piece is Anthony Spencer, who hits the 30 threshold prior to the 2014 season. After designating Spencer the 'Franchise Player' two consecutive years, Spencer's Representative Jordan Woy & the Cowboys have expressed interest in working out an extension in the near term. The reality is the Cowboys are hesitant, as tying up significant resources in Spencer will present difficult cap dilemmas if Sean Lee is also retained.
Mr. Jones will have to get creative, and the logical starting point for 2014 is reducing Romo's 21.8 M cap figure. The next major figures belong to DeMarcus Ware (16.0 M), Brandon Carr (12.3 M), Jason Witten (8.43 M), Miles Austin (8.25 M), Jay Ratliff (8.23 M), Doug Free (6.5 M) & Orlando Scandrick (5.6 M) who all willingly restructured this offseason. Mr. Jones will be forced to again restructure, as cutting these players won't glean cap savings. This only further ties resources into these players in future years. Mr. Jones will be one of the Owners anxiously awaiting the cap increase derived from the new television deal that kicks in for 2015.
Philadelphia Eagles:
Free Agents:
QB Michael Vick -32-
RB Felix Jones -26-
WR Arrelious Benn -24-
WR Riley Cooper -25-
WR Jeremy Maclin -25-
TE Clay Habor -26-
C Matt Tennant -26-
DL Clifton Geathers -25-
DL Cedric Thornton -25- (Restricted)
LB Jamar Chaney -26-
LB Phillip Hunt -27- (Restricted)
CB Brandon Hughes -27-
S Nate Allen -25-
S Colt Anderson -27-
S Kurt Coleman -25-
S Kenny Phillips -26-
P Donnie Jones -33-
Outlook:
With $ 124 Million committed for 2014, creating additional cap space will be prioritized at the start of 2014. Numerous 2013 offseason additions signed what appeared lucrative longterm deals, but in reality decisions on multiple signings that could open cap space. What the 2nd year of numerous deals (James Casey, Isaac Sopoaga, Patrick Chung & Bradley Fletcher) amount to are Club Options, which if voided create additional cap room with no dead money.
Veteran holdovers from the previous regime also could be cap casualties to deliver savings. These include Jason Peters, DeMeco Ryans & Brent Celek. Reworking DeSean Jackson's contract to reduce the $ 12.5 Million cap hit would be logical, or he could be Cut- Saving 6.25 M against the Cap. After hiring Jay-Z, DeSean's side will be anxious to getting a new deal ASAP, thus delivering the 3% commission, which currently lands in Drew Rosenhaus' pocket.
Contract extension talks between Jeremy Maclin's Agent Tom Condon & the team have reportedly commenced. Meaningful progress is highly unlikely, as Maclin has yet to emerge as a top wideout, and Condon is unlikely to broker a team-friendly deal. This is merely a preliminary phase, and new talks could emerge if Maclin has a strong year in the new system.
Remaining UFAs do not warrant immediate attention. If Kenny Phillips proves healthy & productive, he could resigned after the season. Represented by Drew Rosenhaus, it's unlikely a team-friendly deal would be signed. The Patrick Chung contract gives the Eagles flexibility. Should Phillips stay healthy for 16 games, Chung could be cut and the 3.25 Million of savings could be applied to retaining KP.
The rest of the group consists of role players, who could warrant mid-level deals if they are effective. The most logical would be Colt Anderson & Cedric Thornton. New Head Coach Chip Kelly inherited a clean slate salary cap wise. There aren't major franchise changing contracts set to expire. Working with GM Howie Roseman & VP of Player Personnel Tom Gamble, the group has the opportunity to build through the draft. The hope being that productive years remain in DeSean Jackson & LeSean McCoy when the QB of the future has been located and roster is ready to contend.
New York Giants:
Free Agents:
QB Derek Carr -34-
RB Andre Brown -26-
FB Henry Hynoski -24- (Restricted)
WR Ramses Barden -27-
WR Victor Cruz -26-
WR Louis Murphy -26-
WR Hakeem Nicks -25-
TE Brandon Myers -27- (Option)
TE Michael Palmer -25-
TE Bear Pascoe -27-
OT David Diehl -32-
OG Kevin Boothe -30-
DE Justin Tuck -30-
DT Linval Joseph -24-
DT Mike Patterson -30-
DT Shaun Rogers -34-
LB Dan Connor -27-
LB Aaron Curry -27-
LB Keith Rivers -27-
CB Aaron Ross -30-
CB Terrell Thomas -28-
CB Corey Webster -31-
S Stevie Brown -26-
S Ryan Mundy -28-
K Josh Brown -34-
Outlook:
With $ 102 Million committed in 2014, the pending Free Agent group is significant. Headlined by wideouts Hakeem Nicks & Victor Cruz, other important pieces include Andre Brown, Kevin Boothe, Justin Tuck, Linval Joseph and the veterans in the secondary. Opportunity to retain multiple players exists, but GM Jerry Reese will remain true to form- Extending players on mutually beneficial terms & not extending beyond market rate.
Starting with the Wide Receivers, willingness to retain both Nicks & Cruz exists. But the Giants will not go beyond their price, as evidenced by the public negotiations, which truly deviate from Giant's preferred practice. Cruz's situation is one we've already commented on, and it will get the most media discussion. Having hired Tom Condon, the deal will be a precursor to extending Eli for the duration of his career. With Hakeem Nicks, a strong working relationship exists with Agent Peter Shaffer. Realistically, some sort of understanding exists that David Diehl's contract allocation, who Shaffer also represents, will be applied to Nicks' next deal.
Stevie Brown's emergence made the oft-injured Kenny Phillips expendable. If he can continue to generate turnovers, Jerry Reese will seek to broker a longterm deal with Agent Blake Baratz.
Andre Brown recently hired Drew Rosenhaus, and could be retained if healthy & productive in 2013. The team will be hesitant to commit major resources to Brown given the position & David Wilson's presence, but a framework similar to Bradshaw's previous deal is not outside the realm of possibility, a deal brokered by Rosenhaus in 2011.
Linval Joseph is a productive run stopping interior presence in his prime. Similar to Barry Coefield, he'll test Free Agency & land elsewhere. Joseph was selected in Round 2 of the 2010 draft, a year prior to Coefield's departure. In similar form, Jonathan Hankins was taken in 2013's 2nd Round to replace Linval in the run stopping role.
Franchise QB Eli Manning's deal concludes after 2015, when he's 35 years old. Ownership could be proactive, working out a final deal with the Franchise Face prior to the conclusion. This would open cap room in the 2014 & 2015 league years. The other longterm decision relates to Jason Pierre-Paul, who will be a UFA after 2015. Health & productivity will be pivotal to his next deal. The Giants could get a bargain if they commit early to JPP, and his representative Drew Rosenhaus.
The Giants are in Win-Now Mode, attempting to be the first team to reach the Super Bowl in their Home. The plethora of 2014 Free Agents is foreboding, but on a year to year basis the Giants are in a strong position.
Washington Redskins:
Free Agents:
QB Rex Grossman -33-
WR Devery Henderson -31-
WR Josh Morgan -28- (Option)
WR Santana Moss -34-
WR Donte' Stallworth -32-
TE Fred Davis -27-
OT Tony Pashos -33-
OT Jeremy Trueblood -31-
NT Chris Baker -25-
LB London Fletcher -38- (Option)
LB Rob Jackson -27-
LB Brian Orakpo -27-
LB Perry Riley -25-
LB Darryl Tapp -28-
CB E.J. Biggers -26-
CB DeAngelo Hall -29-
CB Josh Wilson -28-
S Reed Doughty -30-
S Brandon Meriweather -29-
Overview:
After two years of NFL imposed cap penalties for dealings during the uncapped year, the Redskins will have full resources available in 2014. With numerous potential veteran cuts on the horizon, the Redskins could significantly decrease the $ 110 Million committed to salaries next season.
Of the pending Free Agents, the major decisions come on 2009 1st Rounder Brian Orakpo & TE Fred Davis. Both ended the season on Injured Reserve & will have to return to health to warrant longterm commitments. With Orakpo, the pass rush regressed in his absence. In his prime, he could warrant a major longterm deal if he reverts to pre-injury form. Treading lightly on this negotiation could prove pivotal, as Orakpo & RG3 share the same representation.
With Fred Davis, the demands of Agent Drew Rosenhaus will be critical to determining if he's retained beyond 2014.
Other pieces worth retaining longterm include Rob Jackson & Perry Riley. With Rob Jackson, he's a contingency plan should the team move forward without Orakpo. On Perry Riley, he could be the heir apparent inside when Fletcher retires.
In the secondary, both starting corners will be Free Agents. DeAngelo Hall, whose made a boatload of money in his career, appears comfortable going year to year. It's highly unlikely another team swoops in with a longterm offer after 2013. Josh Wilson could land elsewhere, and that would be ideal from the Redskins perspective. They'd like to see 2nd Rounder David Amerson & Richard Crawford become starters.
Looking towards future contract considerations, RGIIIs second contract will change the salary cap structure of the Skins. With manageable cap figures based on the rookie wage scale, the team doesn't currently tie overwhelming resources into their QB in relation to industry norms. That'll change on his 2nd Contract.
Next offseason will provide an opportunity to not only retain Orakpo, but also a chance to land a major Free Agent. In relation to previous years under Owner Dan Snyder's stewardship, the Redskins are in tremendous circumstances relative to the Salary Cap. It's a testament to Mike Shanahan's careful management of Player Personnel.
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