by Chad Jones
We take a look at some critical upcoming salary cap issues that plague the NFC North teams in the coming year. How is your team affected?
Chicago Bears:
Free Agents:
QB Jay Cutler -30-
QB Josh McCown -34-
WR Devin Aromashodu -29-
OT Jonathan Scott -30-
OT J'Marcus Webb -25-
OG Eben Britton -27-
OG Matt Slauson -27-
OG Edwin Williams -26-
C Roberto Garza -34-
DE Turk McBride -28-
DE Kyle Moore -26-
DE Corey Wootton -26-
DT Nate Collins -25- (Restricted)
DT Sedrick Ellis -28-
DT Andre Fluellen -28-
DT Henry Melton -26-
LB James Anderson -30-
LB Blake Costanzo -29-
LB D.J. Williams -31-
CB Zack Bowman -28-
CB Kelvin Hayden -30-
CB Tim Jennings -29-
CB Charles Tillman -31-
S Anthony Walters -24- (Restricted)
S Major Wright -25-
S Tom Zbikowski -28-
K Robbie Gould -
KR Devin Hester -30-
Overview:
Proverbial East Coast Bias aside, Jay Cutler's future in Chicago is the least talked about story entering 2013. The 30 year old gun slinger is at a pivotal point, where a strong season under Marc Trestman could warrant a longterm commitment, or he could be seeking work elsewhere in 2014. Chicago Bears QB is a marquee position in the Sport, one of America's largest cities and markets, and a storied Franchise. Sure the track record of Quarterbacks lacks star power, but Jay Cutler was supposed to buck that trend.
When Geoge McCaskey replaced brother Michael atop the family owned Franchise in 2011, he quickly jettisoned GM Jerry Angelo. New GM Phil Emery was informed Lovie Smith would be retained for the final year of his contract. Despite a 10-6 finish, the Bears missed the playoffs & Lovie was axed. Arriving from the CFL, Marc Trestman will seek to reinvigorate the offense & maximize Jay Cutler's abilities.
Numerous misses early in the draft leave the Bears roster in disrepair. Almost half the players will be eligible for Free Agency in 2014, and more could join via veteran cuts. Besides vital signings Jermon Bushrod & Martellus Bennett, 1 year deals were given to a glut of Free Agents to fill out the roster. When you miss on Draft Picks, diving into Veteran Free Agency is necessary.
The Bears are in a holding pattern. If Jay Cutler can prove himself a 'Franchise Quarterback', the Bears will have a major question answered for the future. Beyond the QB position, a litany of questions persist. Brian Urlacher's retirement culminates a great era, but also signifies the commencement of a rebuild.
Beyond Cutler, the list features two elite ballhawks Charles Tillman & Tim Jennings, who will be on the wrong side of 30. The loan future building block is talented DT Henry Melton, who will play under the Franchise Tag in 2013. An argument could be made to ultimately retain Major Wright or Corey Wootton, but these are role players supplementing the Aging Defensive Core- Julius Peppers & Lance Briggs, in particular.
The 2013 season hinges on Cutler & the development of Emery's past 2 draft classes. With Cutler, either he'll prove his doubters wrong & land a lucrative deal. Or he'll land elsewhere in 2014. But after the struggles of the Franchise finding a Quarterback for years, it's clear they'd prefer Cutler to be their Guy. Results on the field will answer that pivotal question.
Detroit Lions:
Free Agents:
QB Shaun Hill -33-
RB Joique Bell -27- (Restricted)
WR Michael Spurlock -29-
WR Devin Thomas -26-
WR Matt Willis -29-
TE Brandon Pettigrew -28-
TE Tony Scheffler -30-
OT Jason Fox -25-
OG Jake Scott -32-
C Dylan Gandy -31-
C Leroy Harris -29-
C Domonic Raiola -34-
DE Willie Young -27-
S Don Carey -26-
S Tyrell Johnson 28-
S Amari Spievey -26-
S John Wendling -30-
K David Akers -38-
Overview:
Martin Mayhew: 5 Seasons (22 Wins & 55 Losses)- 1 Playoff Appearance
Jim Schwartz: 4 Seasons (22 Wins & 42 Losses)- 1 Playoff Appearance
Qualifying for the playoffs in 2011 for the first time in 13 seasons, Ownership rewarded Head Coach Jim Schwartz with an extension through 2015. After a decade of disappointment, the Mayhew-Schwartz tandem appeared to have the team on the right track. A disappointing 2012 season assuaged fears in the Motor City that 2012 success was a mere apparition. The Ford Family is renowned for their patience, at times to a fault. A disappointing 2013 could result in a change of direction across the organization.
Cap Wise, Mayhew & Schwartz levered up available resources to revert to 2011 form with FA signings to fill major voids. The contract the Franchise would like to extend is Matthew Stafford's. The 1st Overall pick in 2009, Stafford reinvigorated the Franchise and helped move forward from the 2002 draft blunder- Joey Harrington 3rd Overall.
2010 2nd Overall Pick Ndamukong Suh (21.4 M) & Matthew Stafford (19.32 M), these two 2014 cap figures constitute roughly 30% of the Cap. Combined with Calvin Johnson's 13.15 M Figure, the Lions have become a victim of successful drafting. Johnson's extension was warranted, as are Stafford's & Suh's in the future. Under the previous CBA, without the rookie wage scale, top selections received astronomical salaries. Due to yearly restructuring & escalators, the cap figures have increased mightily, forcing early extensions to create space.
Brandon Pettigrew, a First Rounder in the same 2009 draft will be a FA following 2013. Not an elite player, he'll logically depart next offseason. The loan remaining UFA that could be pivotal is OT Jason Fox, who should start at Right Tackle. Going forward, the Lions will have to draft effectively to continue supplementing talent on the roster. After FA splurges this offseason, they'll be tied to the current group for the next few years.
Stafford's extension will be prioritized. Talks have commenced with Agent Tom Condon, whose brokered numerous $ 100 Million contracts for other QB clients. One intriguing aspect to the Stafford extension is it could be tied Jim Schwartz's future, as the Coach is represented by Condon's colleague Jimmy Sexton at CAA. Demands and willingness to broker an extension could reach an impasse if Schwartz were fired, the quintessential 'Dual Representation' aspect to the business.
Green Bay Packers:
Free Agents:
QB Graham Harrell -28-
RB James Starks -27-
FB John Kuhn -30-
WR James Jones -30-
TE Matthew Mulligan -28-
TE Andrew Quarless -24-
OT Marshall Newhouse -24-
C Evan Dietrich-Smith -27-
DE John Jolly -30-
DE Mike Neal -26-
DE CJ Wilson -26-
NT Ryan Pickett -33-
LB Rob Francois -28-
LB Jamari Lattimore -24- (Restricted)
CB Sam Shields -25-
S Morgan Burnett -24-
S MD Jennings -25- (Restricted)
Overview:
Ted Thompson has a methodical approach to cap management, keeping the vital pieces & allowing the replaceable players to sign elsewhere. Thompson should be commended for working out extensions with Franchise Quarterback Aaron Rodgers & LB Clay Matthews III prior to their reaching Free Agency. The deals were both brokered with Athletes Firsts' David Dunn, who had to cash in big-time to maintain his status as a premier Agent.
On a yearly basis, the Packers draft effectively & fill out the backend of the roster with UDFA signings. Accustomed to roster turnover, the Packers aren't players in Free Agency & exercise major caution in extending players longterm, effectively assessing market rate & not extending beyond it. The major piece worth retaining is Center Evan Dietrich-Smith, who will play under a Restricted Free Agent tender in 2013. After supplanting Jeff Saturday at Center, he provided stability on the interior.
On Defense, early talks between Drew Rosenhaus & Thompson on up-and-coming ballhawking Corner Sam Shields took place. The two sides appear far apart, and Shields could test Free Agency next offseason. If the Packers deem keeping Shields critical to success, they can cut Tramon Williams and utilize the near 8.0 M of savings to lockup Shields.
Thompson did the major work early, and the Rodgers & Matthews extensions could force the Pack to let B.J. Raji depart, but that doesn't occur until after 2015. In terms of cap management, the Packers are tremendous and consistently exercise foresight with major decisions. For one of the leagues smallest markets, keeping the right players will be pivotal to success. With Rodgers & Matthews III signing extensions, the core pieces have been retained for the remainder of the Prime of the respective careers.
Minnesota Vikings:
Free Agents:
QB Joe Webb -26-
RB Toby Gerhart -26-
WR Jerome Simpson -27-
OG Charlie Johnson -29-
C Joe Berger -31-
C Seth Olsen -27-
DE Jared Allen -31-
DE Everson Griffen -25-
DE Lawrence Jackson -28-
DE Brian Robison -30-
DT Fred Evans -29-
DT Kevin Williams -33-
LB Erin Henderson -27-
LB Tyrone McKenzie -27- (Restricted)
LB Marvin Mitchell -28-
CB Chris Cook -26-
CB Jacob Lacey -26-
Overview:
Owner Zygi Wilf is thrilled- the Taxpayers agreed to finance a $ 975 Million Stadium, and much credit goes to General Manager Rick Spielman putting a strong product on the field. Set to open in 2016, the Vikings will attempt to contend in the immediate term, but ultimately look towards that 2016 league year to have the longterm answer at Quarterback. While Vikings fans believe Christian Ponder is the 'Franchise Quarterback', it's a misconception.
Next offseason, almost the entire Defensive Line is eligible for Free Agency. In determining who to retain, an emphasis will be on youth & ability to contribute over the next 3-4 seasons. Jared Allen has been a productive edge rusher, but his 2013 cap figure takes the Franchise Tag off the table. He could test Free Agency and land elsewhere. Brian Robison, Kevin Williams, Fred Evans & Lawrence Jackson for varying reasons will not be prioritized. The player that will be retained is Everson Griffen, whose best football remains ahead at merely 25 years old.
What Spielman recognizes internally is Ownership's desire to compete for Championships in the 2016-2020 window. Christian Ponder is simply not gifted enough a QB to get this team to the Promise Land, and the team has peaked & is on the decline. The Vikings could absolutely make the playoffs in 2013 behind Adrian Peterson, but all decisions will be made looking into the future, as the Vikings will aim to open their new Stadium with fan excitement, a true Franchise Quarterback & young team prepared to compete for Championships.
Free Agents:
QB Jay Cutler -30-
QB Josh McCown -34-
WR Devin Aromashodu -29-
OT Jonathan Scott -30-
OT J'Marcus Webb -25-
OG Eben Britton -27-
OG Matt Slauson -27-
OG Edwin Williams -26-
C Roberto Garza -34-
DE Turk McBride -28-
DE Kyle Moore -26-
DE Corey Wootton -26-
DT Nate Collins -25- (Restricted)
DT Sedrick Ellis -28-
DT Andre Fluellen -28-
DT Henry Melton -26-
LB James Anderson -30-
LB Blake Costanzo -29-
LB D.J. Williams -31-
CB Zack Bowman -28-
CB Kelvin Hayden -30-
CB Tim Jennings -29-
CB Charles Tillman -31-
S Anthony Walters -24- (Restricted)
S Major Wright -25-
S Tom Zbikowski -28-
K Robbie Gould -
KR Devin Hester -30-
Overview:
Proverbial East Coast Bias aside, Jay Cutler's future in Chicago is the least talked about story entering 2013. The 30 year old gun slinger is at a pivotal point, where a strong season under Marc Trestman could warrant a longterm commitment, or he could be seeking work elsewhere in 2014. Chicago Bears QB is a marquee position in the Sport, one of America's largest cities and markets, and a storied Franchise. Sure the track record of Quarterbacks lacks star power, but Jay Cutler was supposed to buck that trend.
When Geoge McCaskey replaced brother Michael atop the family owned Franchise in 2011, he quickly jettisoned GM Jerry Angelo. New GM Phil Emery was informed Lovie Smith would be retained for the final year of his contract. Despite a 10-6 finish, the Bears missed the playoffs & Lovie was axed. Arriving from the CFL, Marc Trestman will seek to reinvigorate the offense & maximize Jay Cutler's abilities.
Numerous misses early in the draft leave the Bears roster in disrepair. Almost half the players will be eligible for Free Agency in 2014, and more could join via veteran cuts. Besides vital signings Jermon Bushrod & Martellus Bennett, 1 year deals were given to a glut of Free Agents to fill out the roster. When you miss on Draft Picks, diving into Veteran Free Agency is necessary.
The Bears are in a holding pattern. If Jay Cutler can prove himself a 'Franchise Quarterback', the Bears will have a major question answered for the future. Beyond the QB position, a litany of questions persist. Brian Urlacher's retirement culminates a great era, but also signifies the commencement of a rebuild.
Beyond Cutler, the list features two elite ballhawks Charles Tillman & Tim Jennings, who will be on the wrong side of 30. The loan future building block is talented DT Henry Melton, who will play under the Franchise Tag in 2013. An argument could be made to ultimately retain Major Wright or Corey Wootton, but these are role players supplementing the Aging Defensive Core- Julius Peppers & Lance Briggs, in particular.
The 2013 season hinges on Cutler & the development of Emery's past 2 draft classes. With Cutler, either he'll prove his doubters wrong & land a lucrative deal. Or he'll land elsewhere in 2014. But after the struggles of the Franchise finding a Quarterback for years, it's clear they'd prefer Cutler to be their Guy. Results on the field will answer that pivotal question.
Detroit Lions:
Free Agents:
QB Shaun Hill -33-
RB Joique Bell -27- (Restricted)
WR Michael Spurlock -29-
WR Devin Thomas -26-
WR Matt Willis -29-
TE Brandon Pettigrew -28-
TE Tony Scheffler -30-
OT Jason Fox -25-
OG Jake Scott -32-
C Dylan Gandy -31-
C Leroy Harris -29-
C Domonic Raiola -34-
DE Willie Young -27-
S Don Carey -26-
S Tyrell Johnson 28-
S Amari Spievey -26-
S John Wendling -30-
K David Akers -38-
Overview:
Martin Mayhew: 5 Seasons (22 Wins & 55 Losses)- 1 Playoff Appearance
Jim Schwartz: 4 Seasons (22 Wins & 42 Losses)- 1 Playoff Appearance
Qualifying for the playoffs in 2011 for the first time in 13 seasons, Ownership rewarded Head Coach Jim Schwartz with an extension through 2015. After a decade of disappointment, the Mayhew-Schwartz tandem appeared to have the team on the right track. A disappointing 2012 season assuaged fears in the Motor City that 2012 success was a mere apparition. The Ford Family is renowned for their patience, at times to a fault. A disappointing 2013 could result in a change of direction across the organization.
Cap Wise, Mayhew & Schwartz levered up available resources to revert to 2011 form with FA signings to fill major voids. The contract the Franchise would like to extend is Matthew Stafford's. The 1st Overall pick in 2009, Stafford reinvigorated the Franchise and helped move forward from the 2002 draft blunder- Joey Harrington 3rd Overall.
2010 2nd Overall Pick Ndamukong Suh (21.4 M) & Matthew Stafford (19.32 M), these two 2014 cap figures constitute roughly 30% of the Cap. Combined with Calvin Johnson's 13.15 M Figure, the Lions have become a victim of successful drafting. Johnson's extension was warranted, as are Stafford's & Suh's in the future. Under the previous CBA, without the rookie wage scale, top selections received astronomical salaries. Due to yearly restructuring & escalators, the cap figures have increased mightily, forcing early extensions to create space.
Brandon Pettigrew, a First Rounder in the same 2009 draft will be a FA following 2013. Not an elite player, he'll logically depart next offseason. The loan remaining UFA that could be pivotal is OT Jason Fox, who should start at Right Tackle. Going forward, the Lions will have to draft effectively to continue supplementing talent on the roster. After FA splurges this offseason, they'll be tied to the current group for the next few years.
Stafford's extension will be prioritized. Talks have commenced with Agent Tom Condon, whose brokered numerous $ 100 Million contracts for other QB clients. One intriguing aspect to the Stafford extension is it could be tied Jim Schwartz's future, as the Coach is represented by Condon's colleague Jimmy Sexton at CAA. Demands and willingness to broker an extension could reach an impasse if Schwartz were fired, the quintessential 'Dual Representation' aspect to the business.
Green Bay Packers:
Free Agents:
QB Graham Harrell -28-
RB James Starks -27-
FB John Kuhn -30-
WR James Jones -30-
TE Matthew Mulligan -28-
TE Andrew Quarless -24-
OT Marshall Newhouse -24-
C Evan Dietrich-Smith -27-
DE John Jolly -30-
DE Mike Neal -26-
DE CJ Wilson -26-
NT Ryan Pickett -33-
LB Rob Francois -28-
LB Jamari Lattimore -24- (Restricted)
CB Sam Shields -25-
S Morgan Burnett -24-
S MD Jennings -25- (Restricted)
Overview:
Ted Thompson has a methodical approach to cap management, keeping the vital pieces & allowing the replaceable players to sign elsewhere. Thompson should be commended for working out extensions with Franchise Quarterback Aaron Rodgers & LB Clay Matthews III prior to their reaching Free Agency. The deals were both brokered with Athletes Firsts' David Dunn, who had to cash in big-time to maintain his status as a premier Agent.
On a yearly basis, the Packers draft effectively & fill out the backend of the roster with UDFA signings. Accustomed to roster turnover, the Packers aren't players in Free Agency & exercise major caution in extending players longterm, effectively assessing market rate & not extending beyond it. The major piece worth retaining is Center Evan Dietrich-Smith, who will play under a Restricted Free Agent tender in 2013. After supplanting Jeff Saturday at Center, he provided stability on the interior.
On Defense, early talks between Drew Rosenhaus & Thompson on up-and-coming ballhawking Corner Sam Shields took place. The two sides appear far apart, and Shields could test Free Agency next offseason. If the Packers deem keeping Shields critical to success, they can cut Tramon Williams and utilize the near 8.0 M of savings to lockup Shields.
Thompson did the major work early, and the Rodgers & Matthews extensions could force the Pack to let B.J. Raji depart, but that doesn't occur until after 2015. In terms of cap management, the Packers are tremendous and consistently exercise foresight with major decisions. For one of the leagues smallest markets, keeping the right players will be pivotal to success. With Rodgers & Matthews III signing extensions, the core pieces have been retained for the remainder of the Prime of the respective careers.
Minnesota Vikings:
Free Agents:
QB Joe Webb -26-
RB Toby Gerhart -26-
WR Jerome Simpson -27-
OG Charlie Johnson -29-
C Joe Berger -31-
C Seth Olsen -27-
DE Jared Allen -31-
DE Everson Griffen -25-
DE Lawrence Jackson -28-
DE Brian Robison -30-
DT Fred Evans -29-
DT Kevin Williams -33-
LB Erin Henderson -27-
LB Tyrone McKenzie -27- (Restricted)
LB Marvin Mitchell -28-
CB Chris Cook -26-
CB Jacob Lacey -26-
Overview:
Owner Zygi Wilf is thrilled- the Taxpayers agreed to finance a $ 975 Million Stadium, and much credit goes to General Manager Rick Spielman putting a strong product on the field. Set to open in 2016, the Vikings will attempt to contend in the immediate term, but ultimately look towards that 2016 league year to have the longterm answer at Quarterback. While Vikings fans believe Christian Ponder is the 'Franchise Quarterback', it's a misconception.
Next offseason, almost the entire Defensive Line is eligible for Free Agency. In determining who to retain, an emphasis will be on youth & ability to contribute over the next 3-4 seasons. Jared Allen has been a productive edge rusher, but his 2013 cap figure takes the Franchise Tag off the table. He could test Free Agency and land elsewhere. Brian Robison, Kevin Williams, Fred Evans & Lawrence Jackson for varying reasons will not be prioritized. The player that will be retained is Everson Griffen, whose best football remains ahead at merely 25 years old.
What Spielman recognizes internally is Ownership's desire to compete for Championships in the 2016-2020 window. Christian Ponder is simply not gifted enough a QB to get this team to the Promise Land, and the team has peaked & is on the decline. The Vikings could absolutely make the playoffs in 2013 behind Adrian Peterson, but all decisions will be made looking into the future, as the Vikings will aim to open their new Stadium with fan excitement, a true Franchise Quarterback & young team prepared to compete for Championships.
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