Everything Free Agency 2021 - Rumors, news and notes

[djw4bucs]

11 minutes ago, RaidersAreOne said:

That's what I am thinking as well. I think it's probably best for everyone if he returned to TB. Try and run it back, put up huge numbers and get a big payday still.

If he is smart take less money this year for a 1 year deal, and if his production stays the same then get a massive payday when the cap goes back up

 

[soflbillsfan]

4 minutes ago, djw4bucs said:

If he is smart take less money this year for a 1 year deal, and if his production stays the same then get a massive payday when the cap goes back up

 

Didnt he do that 2 years in a row though? People continue to dwell on the cap but thats not the case for anyone taking a multi year deal. We all know that it can be loaded in which year 2 can absorb what year 1 couldnt because of the low cap hit. The NFL fully expects it to go back to the cap range of 205-210 mil next year when everything goes back to normal after months of the vaccine being available and projected to have 200 million people vaccinated by August. Not to mention the massive tv deals they are currently working on closing out. So guys like shaq looking for 5 year deals will still get paid heavily and you have to strike while the iron is hot and having back to back solid years it wouldnt make much sense to take a 1 year deal unless the pool of teams that are interested in him is smaller then he thinks. 

[Blackstar12]

Definitely the type of player Ballard might sign.

[Forge]

12 minutes ago, Blackstar12 said:

Definitely the type of player Ballard might sign.

That's right. Keep focusing on everyone but Trent williams. The niners would greatly appreciate it

[SkippyX]

The Bucs can Saints the %&*^ out of the cap at this point.

• Give Barrett a 3 year deal that's voidable to 1 so you can take a cap hit next year.
  • He collects 22 million now with a 12 cap hit.
• Give David a 5 year deal voidable to 3.
• Give Gronk and Brown the same thing.

You can go nuts with funny money, you just get pounded later.  (and the new TV deal will allow for some level of pounding)

 

I have no idea what the Saints are doing now with no real QB and 60 million still to shed but the Bucs are pretty clear right now.

• Hill is a downgrade as a runner and a passer to Cam Newton and no one wants Cam Newton.

 

[Broncofan]

1 hour ago, SkippyX said:

The Bucs can Saints the %&*^ out of the cap at this point.

• Give Barrett a 3 year deal that's voidable to 1 so you can take a cap hit next year.
  • He collects 22 million now with a 12 cap hit.
• Give David a 5 year deal voidable to 3.
• Give Gronk and Brown the same thing.

You can go nuts with funny money, you just get pounded later.  (and the new TV deal will allow for some level of pounding)

 

I have no idea what the Saints are doing now with no real QB and 60 million still to shed but the Bucs are pretty clear right now.

• Hill is a downgrade as a runner and a passer to Cam Newton and no one wants Cam Newton.

 

I agree 100 percent on Taysom Hill, but Payton's bromance with Taysom is unshakeable. It's literally his Achilles.   But that's not changing so....

Still, I posted it on the Franchise Tag thread in NFLN, but since those threads die, there's a very clear path to NO getting cap space, and still being OK and even getting some room for a relatively budget QB (Jameis?):

Cut Kwon Alexander & Manny Sanders - 13.15M+ & 4M

Restructure to future years - Micheal Thomas (9.6M), Terron Armstead (7.5M), Janoris Jenkins (5.6M) & Andrus Peat (6.75M)

Extend & backload everything to 2022+ with 1M salary - Marshawn Lattimore (8.2M) & Ryan Ramczyk (8.85M)

Letting Brees retire saves nothing (that money is already credited).

63.7M created.    And if they want to create another 9.5M+, they can extend Taysom Hill (I wouldn't for a simple gadget guy, but Payton loves that guy).   Enough for the draft, and about 5M for a Jameis multi-year deal (which goes big signing bonus, 1M salary, and say 20M spread out over 4 years, and a 15-20M salary and 2022+ extra bonuses).  

They'll still have issues for 2022+ - but more room to work with.  They'll be the paupers of the NFL cap space for at least 2-3 more years, but they can get things done before March 17th.  The path is pretty clear.

[Forge]

That's a good sign for bringing back Trent

[Ray Reed]

 

 

[.Buzz]

Trent's not coming here but man is this soundbite great.

[Tk3]

54 minutes ago, .Buzz said:

Trent's not coming here but man is this soundbite great.

I've been saying it for a while - Jags have a VERY unique opportunity right now (Bengals to a lesser extent)

There is going to be a FLOOD of talent on the market that will have to sign at bargains (even if the top guys get paid, the middle guys are all going to be even cheaper)

Teams like Jags/Bengals with HUGE cap space and a young, desirable offense to build around, have a real opportunity to rebuild via free agency alongside their elite young QBs

[MWil23]

3 minutes ago, Tk3 said:

I've been saying it for a while - Jags have a VERY unique opportunity right now (Bengals to a lesser extent)

There is going to be a FLOOD of talent on the market that will have to sign at bargains (even if the top guys get paid, the middle guys are all going to be even cheaper)

Teams like Jags/Bengals with HUGE cap space and a young, desirable offense to build around, have a real opportunity to rebuild via free agency alongside their elite young QBs

https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/cap/2021/

That middle tier (cap space) group is also interesting, with the Colts (pending Wentz), Seahawks (pending RW situation), Dolphins (pending Tua), Titans, Browns, and Ravens all having some decent space options to add some pieces and/or a big piece, even without restructuring.

They not only are setup this year, but also in 2022-2023 with the projected cap likely skyrocketing as well. 

[LinebackerGod]

3 minutes ago, MWil23 said:

https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/cap/2021/

That middle tier (cap space) group is also interesting, with the Colts (pending Wentz), Seahawks (pending RW situation), Dolphins (pending Tua), Titans, Browns, and Ravens all having some decent space options to add some pieces and/or a big piece, even without restructuring.

They not only are setup this year, but also in 2022-2023 with the projected cap likely skyrocketing as well. 

Yeah, but those cap situations (Cle/Bal) will be right back to "strapped" after they sign their big-named FA's. Both have yet to sign their franchise QB's to the megadeals they're bound to get. I think that will significantly hinder their cap situations. Plus, the Ravens have to sign Stanley (I think?), Humphery, and Andrews. The Browns still have to sign Chubb, Teller, and Ward.

[.Buzz]

12 minutes ago, Tk3 said:

I've been saying it for a while - Jags have a VERY unique opportunity right now (Bengals to a lesser extent)

There is going to be a FLOOD of talent on the market that will have to sign at bargains (even if the top guys get paid, the middle guys are all going to be even cheaper)

Teams like Jags/Bengals with HUGE cap space and a young, desirable offense to build around, have a real opportunity to rebuild via free agency alongside their elite young QBs

Makes it looks weird that the Bengals are letting Lawson and WJIII leave.

But agreed. All depends how FAs play this. Some may take a cheaper one year deal with a legit contender then hit the market when the cap bounces back next year.

[MWil23]

Just now, LinebackerGod said:

Yeah, but those cap situations (Cle/Bal) will be right back to "strapped" after they sign their big-named FA's. Both have yet to sign their franchise QB's to the megadeals they're bound to get. I think that will significantly hinder their cap situations. Plus, the Ravens have to sign Stanley (I think?), Humphery, and Andrews. The Browns still have to sign Chubb, Teller, and Ward.

Definitely the case, but you'd also figure that Richardson comes off of the books in 2022 ($13.6 million), as well as Njoku ($6 million), and those two alone free up close to $20 million without a restructure, and with the cap likely going WAY UP.

In 2023 OBJ and Landry also both come off of the books. If the Browns were to do some sort of extension, they could navigate those numbers fairly easily.

The 5th year option on Ward could conceivably be picked up with an extension after 2022 into 2023 when the cap space is plentiful, and then the Browns would have some decisions to make between Bitonio and Tretter with Teller's hit as well...not to mention Conklin's number/free agent demand.  

Hooper's contract is beginning to look like it's a bad one and needs major restructuring.

[Tk3]

3 minutes ago, MWil23 said:

https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/cap/2021/

That middle tier (cap space) group is also interesting, with the Colts (pending Wentz), Seahawks (pending RW situation), Dolphins (pending Tua), Titans, Browns, and Ravens all having some decent space options to add some pieces and/or a big piece, even without restructuring.

They not only are setup this year, but also in 2022-2023 with the projected cap likely skyrocketing as well. 

I actually hadn't realized how high the Jets/Patriots climbed on this list. Jets presumably will also have a QB to add to that mix, and while the Pats don't, they still have that organizational reputation

Agreed on the likes of Indy, Seattle, Miami, etc as being places someone could choose to go for a bargain

As of now I'm counting roughly $600 million in remaining cap space (that's the gross of all positive teams, it is NOT netting out the negative space from those 10 teams). 

I don't know the exact cost of all rookie contracts, but I believe its nearly half of that amount that will have to be budgeted for. using an OTC article from last year's draft as a baseline The Salary Cap Cost of Rookie Draft Picks | Over the Cap

There just isn't room for a ton of 10+ million contracts, and I can't wait to see how it plays out