2020 Miscellaneous NFL News

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

Thanks, I did not know that about Preston’s contract. It’s good to know the Packers have an out, if necessary. That’s the nature of free agency. You hit on some, but not others.

 

Honestly, today is the first time since he signed that I actually looked at the structure of his contract. It's actually apparent now that the Packers only intended it to be a 2-year deal even when it was signed. I see very, very little way they keep him on the roster with a $16 million cap hit in each of the next two seasons. He's either restructured or gone this off season.

 

That's why questioning the Rashan Gary selection even though the Packers "already had the Smith Bros." was kind of a fool's errand. Now when they are forced to either trade or release Preston, they'll have an uber-talented 23-year-old with a couple years of game experience ready to step into his role.

[PeaveyFury]

 

Honestly, today is the first time since he signed that I actually looked at the structure of his contract. It's actually apparent now that the Packers only intended it to be a 2-year deal even when it was signed. I see very, very little way they keep him on the roster with a $16 million cap hit in each of the next two seasons. He's either restructured or gone this off season.

 

FWIW, Over The Cap says Preston Smith’s 2021 cap number is $16 million. If they cut him, there would be $8 million in dead money, but $8 million in savings. His 2022 cap number is $16.5 million with only $4 million in dead money and $12.5 million in potential savings.

 

Exactly right. They have a monster out after this year, which I expect them to take unless they restructure those numbers significantly. I can't see them paying that huge roster bonus next March.

[CheezWizHed]

Certainly not the way he is playing this year. He hasn't been terrible, but a big step back from last year.

[homer]

I don't know who this guy is but he's reporting that the Titans gathered for a workout on the 30th breaking the NFL protocols. Now they have more positives this week.

 

https://www.paulkuharsky.com/news/titans-broke-protocols-gathered-for-a-workout-last-week

[nodakfan17]

That’s a really bad look for Tennessee.

[tmwiese55]

With how good Rodgers has been I think that hypothetical talked after Love was drafted of Rodgers only having two years left in GB should be out the window. Therefore, he's hopefully a route to moving around money to free up space. NFL cap is tricky and it seems many here have more grasp on it than me (I do well with NBA, especially before the newest CBA but not this) and you guys seem to think it's possible. So hopefully that's a route they can do and it also keeps Rodgers here for several more years. On the other hand, how open to it will he be if he has some bitterness left in him right now.

[nodakfan17]

Regarding using the franchise tag on Aaron Jones in a tag-and-trade scenario, a Packers cap junkie on Twitter mentioned it would be exceptionally difficult to use the tag on any current player because teams have to have enough initial cap space to absorb the tag amount at the beginning of the league year.

[PeaveyFury]

Regarding using the franchise tag on Aaron Jones in a tag-and-trade scenario, a Packers cap junkie on Twitter mentioned it would be exceptionally difficult to use the tag on any current player because teams have to have enough initial cap space to absorb the tag amount at the beginning of the league year.

 

Though true, this is easier than it initially appears, I believe. The franchise number is actually surprisingly low for RBs (I believe it was ~$10 mil for 2020). The draft class won't count against the cap until they're signed in May, well after the league season starts, so the Packers enter the new league year as of now with about half of what they'd need. I'm uber-confident they'd just open up the rest by cutting Kirksey or some equivalent.

 

EDIT: The actual # was $12mil for RBs in 2020. Far less than the more premium positions like QB, which was ~$27m.

[nate82]

NFL season could be paused, whatever that means if more positive tests start coming back.

 

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/nfl-chief-medical-officer-doesnt-rule-out-league-pausing-2020-season-amid-rising-number-of-covid-19-cases/

[nodakfan17]

Regarding using the franchise tag on Aaron Jones in a tag-and-trade scenario, a Packers cap junkie on Twitter mentioned it would be exceptionally difficult to use the tag on any current player because teams have to have enough initial cap space to absorb the tag amount at the beginning of the league year.

 

Though true, this is easier than it initially appears, I believe. The franchise number is actually surprisingly low for RBs (I believe it was ~$10 mil for 2020). The draft class won't count against the cap until they're signed in May, well after the league season starts, so the Packers enter the new league year as of now with about half of what they'd need. I'm uber-confident they'd just open up the rest by cutting Kirksey or some equivalent.

 

Ah ... thank you. The cap guy used David Bakhtiari as an example with a potential $17 million tag value. I assumed (perhaps incorrectly) that the RB tag would be around $15 million.

[HiAndTight]

No, I follow you. If we're assuming that the Smiths would be on board, you can conceivably free up ~$3 million more from Preston Smith and ~$4 million from Z. Combined, that's less than you'd save from just cutting Preston.

 

Does Preston Smith have trade value? Assuming the Packers eat the amortized signing bonus at the time of trade, his contract becomes a bit more palatable to a team who potentially trades for him.

 

They structured Preston's deal a bit odd in the fact that he received a relatively low signing bonus relative to his base salaries in the back end of the deal. You'd have to bank on a team thinking that even with the Packers eating the pro-rated signing bonus, that he's worth a $12m cap hit in 2021 and a $12.5 mil cap hit in 2022. His drop off this year has been fairly huge thus far, so it remains to be seen whether that's a 4-game anomaly or the start of a downward trend.

 

 

A LOT of it has been how he's been used. I've never seen Pettine drop a OLB'er in coverage more than he has Preston Smith this year.

[HiAndTight]

I believe Jones, King, and Linsely will all be gone next year. Going into this year, I assumed Dillon was drafted for next year more than this year. I love Jones, but the history of the league says you don't pay RBs big money. There are some exceptions in history (Jones probably wants a Marshall Faulk comp...), but we are a passing league and RB lifespans rarely justify it.

 

I could see Turner being cut - though he seems to be playing better this year than last.

 

But the biggest bang available.... wait for it... extend Rodgers. I'm not going to try to theorize how or future impacts because I'm not cap expert. But:

- The way Rodgers is playing now, it would be foolish to switch to Love in a year or two (if he continued his 2018-2019 decline - yes, but not now).

- I think Rodgers would be open to helping the team as he is having fun and really playing well. Just not sure how much...

- Rodger's contract is the poison pill that is causing most of our cap difficulties.

 

 

This is easily the most obvious.

 

I also think they'll work something out with regard to the Cap so teams have a little more freedom this year. Teams were planning on the Cap jumping to ~240 or even 250 next year and teams spent accordingly.

[adambr2]

Without looking it up, anyone know what the salary cap was the season the Packers won Super Bowl 45?

[adambr2]

I like the idea of the Titans forfeiting on Sunday if they can't play. It doesn't interfere with the schedule, and maybe guys will start taking this seriously if it starts costing them wins.

[nate82]

Without looking it up, anyone know what the salary cap was the season the Packers won Super Bowl 45?

 

Was that the uncapped year?

[nodakfan17]

Without looking it up, anyone know what the salary cap was the season the Packers won Super Bowl 45?

 

Was that the uncapped year?

That sounds right, now that you mention it. As I recall, the Cowboys and one other team (Washington?) were later fined by the NFL for going hog wild and violating the spirit of the uncapped year. Basically, an uncapped 2021 season would give teams some flexibility in dealing with the current uncertainty, but I don’t think they would be permitted to load up on free agents using bloated 1-year contracts or extending players with front-loaded deals.

[adambr2]

You guys got it, 2010 was uncapped.

[adambr2]

The Bucs just went for (and converted) a 4th and 1 from their own 19 in the 2nd quarter with a 10 point lead.

 

I love how this stuff is becoming more "normal".

[PinaMadness]

How on Earth is Chicago leading this game? It feels like the Bucs should be up by 17.

[HiAndTight]

I like the idea of the Titans forfeiting on Sunday if they can't play. It doesn't interfere with the schedule, and maybe guys will start taking this seriously if it starts costing them wins.

 

 

Man...that's harsh and I'm really glad I don't have to make that decision. You're penalizing guys for working out together. And I get ALL the other implications it has, but I think if I had my way, I'd give them a pass on this one and warn a team that if they violate the protocols going forward, they'll be subject to FF's and or losing picks and the obvious fine.

 

I get the rationale for saying "screw it, make them forfeit," but there was no penalty in place and you're kinda penalizing the Chiefs, Ravens, Steelers...all the teams who the Bills may be competing for HFA AND they'd basically get a bye week heading into the Steelers game. So the Steelers get burned twice.

 

But you're certainly not alone in your thinking.

[BrewersSuperCollector]

I like the idea of the Titans forfeiting on Sunday if they can't play. It doesn't interfere with the schedule, and maybe guys will start taking this seriously if it starts costing them wins.

 

They will take it more seriously if it costs them game checks.

[HiAndTight]

Without looking it up, anyone know what the salary cap was the season the Packers won Super Bowl 45?

 

Was that the uncapped year?

That sounds right, now that you mention it. As I recall, the Cowboys and one other team (Washington?) were later fined by the NFL for going hog wild and violating the spirit of the uncapped year. Basically, an uncapped 2021 season would give teams some flexibility in dealing with the current uncertainty, but I don’t think they would be permitted to load up on free agents using bloated 1-year contracts or extending players with front-loaded deals.

 

 

I have to believe that teams have some idea what the NFL is going to do with regard to the Cap. Looking at some of the recent contract extensions that have been signed, the fact that the Packers are offering Bahk reportedly around 18 million AND negotiating with Jones...I suppose they could just be planning to create as much cap space as possible, but I think it's more likely the NFL will come up with some way to give teams some breathing room.

 

 

Something has to give. The Saints were 78 million over the 175 million dollar cap number BEFORE they extended Kamara. Obviously they were in trouble to begin with, but that's pretty excessive.

 

And while other owners may be looking to recoup some money from their losses this year...a publicly owned team that has 400+ million reserve fund for emergencies that Murphy said they may not even have to use this year? I'd really hope if things keep going like they are, the Packers would do everything they could do end the Rodgers era with a big boom. A couple of SB runs...that could even open up the debate about the Goat(Rodgers vs Brady/Montana). Of course the cart is miles ahead of the horse here...

[yourout]

How on Earth is Chicago leading this game? It feels like the Bucs should be up by 17.

 

That incomplete pass before their field goal may end up costing them the game.

[HiAndTight]

How on Earth is Chicago leading this game? It feels like the Bucs should be up by 17.

 

I missed most of the game, but Tampa's OL does not look good.

 

 

And Tampa losing a guy like Vita Vea? That's a massive blow and that appears to be a significant injury. I'd be pretty surprised if that's not a broken bone or something tore.

 

That's like us losing Clark for the year. That could make a huge difference next week for the Packers as Tampa's run D looked pretty stout from what I've seen.

[PinaMadness]

How on Earth is Chicago leading this game? It feels like the Bucs should be up by 17.

 

That incomplete pass before their field goal may end up costing them the game.

Yeah, I don't know what Nagy was thinking there. I'm glad he's the Bears head coach.