Buckner question

Just curious, if Brentson Buckner were to retire after the season, what would that do to our cap? Same question for S Davis versus us cutting him?

 

Theoretically, we'd gain back their bonus money against the cap. The thing is, though, the only cases we hear about in reference to bonus money are the ones where players retire against the wishes of the team, a la Barry Sanders, so I don't know if Buck would actually be cutting the team a check. They could write it off by making him a staff member a la Hugh Douglas (though I don't know if that's what Douglas arranged), which would basically allow him to assist anyone without spending the long days/nights at coaching or scouting.

But yeah, in theory, we save.

 

Does he have to retire after June 1st for us to slip it over 2 years?

And I think Buckner gets an immediate gig with the NFL Network. Any other Panther make that transition successfully? Kevin Greene tried, Steve Beureline tired, anyone else make it to the networks and stick?

 

He still has 2 years under his existing contract so if he were to wait until after 6/1 we would gain almost $2 million toward the cap. I don't remember him getting a monster bonus so we probablywould save some on 2006 and he would have no impact on 2007 if he retired before 6/1.

 

Buckner got a $1.5M bonus in 2003 and $750K in 2004. Bonus before that where minimal.

 

short answer -June 1 has nothing to do with it.



retiring should count as a net effect of having no money on the cap. It'd be impossible for them to erase two years' worth of bonus on one year's cap, unless it was a special exemption like the league made for Adam Meadows, retiring basically in a season and being unable to rescind the money. In that case, they were making up for the 2004 season's hit by giving them a 2004 and 2005 savings in 2005.

I think y'all are confusing a release from contract in June that gives teams the ability to slow acceleration of a bonus (which happens when a player is cut before his contract is mature), with a retirement (where the savings of both remaining signing bonus, unpaid roster bonuses, and salary is realized). Retirement cap savings isn't accelerated. Signing bonus

This is done because by June of that year, a player is considered with the team for that year and next year's bonus automatically counts under next year's cap. Because of that, the cut causes any accelerated bonus to fall on that next year to represent the loss of the years past next year, including that year, and the salary savings is represented in full that year without the accelerated bonus (that initial year's bonus is already counted, and had been since that June 1 of the previous year).



An additional hanging point on Davis may be incentives, of which his contract is packed with. I don't know how a player's incentives are counted (since they're applied to the following year if there's not enough cap to handle the balance), if that player's not with the league anymore. I'd assume if the player was cut, the incentives are still both payable and charged against the upcoming cap, but if the player's retired, whether the balance comes back from the signing bonus (and therefore is charged in lieu of the bonus) or if it's just forgiven (which I doubt).

 

From memory, the current years incentives are counted against the current years cap if they are dealed likely to be achieved (there is a formula). If they are NOT counted against this year and they are acheived (say for instance going to the Pro Bowl) they are counted against next years. The reverse is also true. Say Davis had a $500K incentive tied to reach 1000 yards. It was already figured into this year's cap. Since he didn't reach it (again, just an example), we would be creditted that next years.

Regarding retirement and bonus money, the panthers would have to formally ask for it back. something they probably wouldn't do in either Davis or Buckner's case. It's nowhere near automatic.

 

The situation is also dependent upon cap space. The league gives flexibility there.

Otherwise the discussion of it at all is moot. Regardless, under no circumstance does it spread unequitably amongst years.

 

His shit is gone down hill in a hurry. Take the NFL Network gig Buck and let the youngsters play (hopefully Jenkins)

 

Actually he's played fairly well this year overall.

We haven't got the pass rush we are used to, but he's been stout w Castens.

Last week had less to do with us getting pushed around as it was our linebackers getting out of position on cutbacks.