The Tag, and assistant coaches (Smith hired for LB, Milus for DB)

Wouldn't we have to clear cap space "if" we tag Peppers to the 17 mil spot he'd get?

 

As soon as they announce what the actualo cap number is, not the current reports which are estimates, we'll have to comply.

 

So how much cap space do we clear if we cut johnson???

 

Sure.

I am not at home, and accessing via dial up, shit is too slow to be searching but a couple of weeks back I saw something asserting that cutting Johnson after just one year was very close to a wash cap-wise. Minimal benefit. If we plain just don't want him, that's another thing.

 

That was Reed. He was in error.

A lot of people do this - they say that the prorated amount of bonus left is what matters, versus the amount of salary to be saved. Which is true. But the 2009 proration counts this year regardless - cut, keep, trade. So, it's salary of 2009 versus the prorated amount of cap in 2010 - not 09 salary versus (09+10 proration). The 2009 bonus proration doesn't matter because it's there no matter what.

I don't know his specifics offhand, but I could maybe reverse engineer some.
3 year deal, $9 million. I'm going to guess $3 mil to sign, for clean numbers. $1 mil 2008 salary. If there was a 2009 roster bonus, there wouldn't be a question of whether to cut him, and I'll guess since the 2010 salary escalates that there isn't one in 2010. So, that leaves $5 million of contract left;if you expect it's $2 mil this year and $3 mil next year, and $1 million of prorated bonus to count on each 2009 and 2010, then Reed would expect that the 2010 bonus would accelerate to the 2009 cap - $2 million to cut, $2 million to keep. Which lines up with his error (which I can't remember specifically). But since the 2009 proration is on the books no matter what, it's whether he gets cut now ($1 million savings in this example) or designated a June 1st type cut (which puts the 2010 cap proration back to 2010 for $2 million savings).

We'd definitely put Lucas in as a June cut (love the exemption that lets you cut them now). That would mean we'd save his roughly $5 mil salary right off.

Hackett's 2009 cut would be straight salary savings. Two year deal, and he wasn't cut before June that year (duh) so at that point the 2009 bonus proration counted for 2009. Probably saves around $1-1.5 million.



We don't actually need to be under the cap until the 27th, the start of the new fiscal year. We're supposed to be 9-10 mil under right now, more commonly seeing $10 mil. Getting to $17 million won't be hard - cut Lucas, Hackett, Johnson essentially gets us there.
But then you have to earmark $2 mil for RFA, and let's say $3 million for the opening season cap hit of Gross' new contract. That makes things tougher.

Then you either have to get fairly creative or not make a major move with anyone until Peppers is unloaded.




Right now, my guess is that we'll franchise Peppers, things will come close with Gross to the deadline but will sign him, and that other than the three cuts above, we wouldn't see anything unless we needed to make a move for a fairly large signing.

 

I thought we cut Shelton?

 

regarding coaches - my guess would be we sign from amongst one of two 'teams' of coaches for the LB/DB units - Haluchak and Lynn or Haslett and Venturi.

My guess is that the holdup is to do with getting a pair of coaches rather than an individual person - the first pair worked under Fox in NY, the second pair worked together with the Saints/Rams. Of that pair, the first pair seems to make more sense, the second pair would tend to be a little strong-willed for a new coordinator situation. Either or both could be "assistant head coach" and we're not looking for anyone for that role defensively.

I could also be completely mistaken and they may see Venturi as a LBs coach (he's done both). I'm somewhat expectant that at least one of those four will be an assistant coach here. I also expect one will be someone we don't know - may not have pro experience. Might be a young coordinator in college. If I had to guess, I'd say neither of the DL coaches left are going to be here.

 

Mags you think they do anything with Jake? He is in the final year of his deal and we could save over $6 million if we cut him. I doubt we cut him but do you think we might give him a new deal that helps with his cap hit this coming season? A new 3 year deal for a moderate price would probably let him end his career a panther. Even if we sign or draft a new QB who takes the starting job from Jake he would have value as a backup. I can't imagine the market for him would be too high given his playoff melt down and the doubt surrounding the tommy john surgery.

 

just a losing record

 

'precciate the work Mags.

Johnson hasn't shown he can't be replaced for less, I am not as down on Hackett as the rest of the world but suspect he's gone. Have been out of love with Lucas for two years at least, except for his handling of the Smitty beatdown. I wouldn't mind keeping him though, I don't believe he is as bad as he looked. But he isn't worth upper tier money any more so he'd have to want to stay.

It's really going to come down to what we can get for Peppers and I hope we're guaging that now.

Sucks that we are down to battling the 3rd and 4th place teams in the AFC W for staff. edit: waaahhhh