Cap Space for 2020

[The Franchise]

Here are some cap figures for next year.

Current cap space to be rolled over to 2020 - $21 million
Current cap space projected for 2020 - $1.6 million

People who should be cut after this season. Their replacement in quotes.

Sammy Watkins (Pringle/Hardman) - $14 million cap savings
LDT (Wylie/Rankin) - $5 million cap savings
Daniel Sorenson (literally anybody or Watts) - $3.75 million cap savings
Cameron Erving (literally anybody) - $3.25 million cap savings
Damien Williams (Thompson) - $2.3 million cap savings
Dustin Colquitt (It's a punter...come on) - $1.35 million cap savings

That's 6 cuts that we should have no problem finding a replacement for.

Projected cap space for 2020 after cuts - $31 million

We could add more by making Anthony Hitchens a June 1st cut. That would put his dead cap space in 2020 at
$4.2 million and his cap savings at $8.5 million. It would only save us roughly $2 million in 2021 and then
$11 million in 2022. I think he's overpaid but a decent #2 LB.

So, if we roll over the cap space from this year, and with the 6 cuts, we should be at $52 million in
cap space.

We're obviously going to need that cap space for Mahomes but we will only have 2 CBs under contract
(Ward and Fenton). We also will have 4 DEs under contract (Clark, Okafor, KPass and Speaks). I think
some of that cap space should be to bring Ogbah back if it isn't a huge amount of money.

[RunKC]

We’ve gotten a lot of outstanding value from either rookies or cheap players that are on rookie contracts or contracts that are small in comparison to the larger picture (Okafor).

If the reports are true, I believe Veach’s plan would be to sign Jones and then continue finding cheaper talent to surround the team.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by RunKC

We’ve gotten a lot of outstanding value from either rookies or cheap players that are on rookie contracts or contracts that are small in comparison to the larger picture (Okafor).

If the reports are true, I believe Veach’s plan would be to sign Jones and then continue finding cheaper talent to surround the team.

Okafor has been nothing resembling an 'outstanding value'.

He was mediocre, then hurt, then finally looking good...then hurt again.

Any fair interpretation of the Okafor deal has to put it at middling at best for this season (and I think I'm being generous there). He has essentially a 2 year, $11 million deal and was...fine. Sometimes. Other times he was actually pretty damn bad (and I still contend he bore a large share of responsibility for our early season struggles against the run - he was trash there).

For the first 8 weeks of the season he was somewhere between 'invisible' and 'lousy' except for the game against the Broncos where EVERYONE got right.

Then he missed 4 games.

So through 12 weeks he'd been an actual asset one time and in a game where I'm pretty sure I could've picked up a QB pressure. Then he finally looked genuinely good in Wk 13 against the Patriots and could very well have maintained that momentum but he got hurt again and will now be lost for the post-season.

I mean c'mon - how's that an 'outstanding value'?

[RunKC]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

Okafor has been nothing resembling an 'outstanding value'.

He was mediocre, then hurt, then finally looking good...then hurt again.

Any fair interpretation of the Okafor deal has to put it at middling at best for this season (and I think I'm being generous there). He has essentially a 2 year, $11 million deal and was...fine. Sometimes. Other times he was actually pretty damn bad (and I still contend he bore a large share of responsibility for our early season struggles against the run - he was trash there).

For the first 8 weeks of the season he was somewhere between 'invisible' and 'lousy' except for the game against the Broncos where EVERYONE got right.

Then he missed 4 games.

So through 12 weeks he'd been an actual asset one time and in a game where I'm pretty sure I could've picked up a QB pressure. Then he finally looked genuinely good in Wk 13 against the Patriots and could very well have maintained that momentum but he got hurt again and will now be lost for the post-season.

I mean c'mon - how's that an 'outstanding value'?

It’s an outstanding value bc of multiple reasons:

1. His cap hit is just south of $3 million. That is cheap. There are rookies that are paid more than him. It’s basically a 1st rd rookie contract, which in the grand scheme of things is a bargain.
To put that into perspective, he is the 25th highest paid player at his position this year.
2. He replaced Justin Houston at 15% of the price. He was on track to have a close to similar season to Houston last season. Less than $3 million compared to $20 million. That was the goal this offseason right? Am I missing something here?
3. Again. 5 sacks in 10 games for less than $3 million along with a decent run stuffing player who struggled a bit early in a new scheme but has turned it on the last month. That’s great value and exactly what we should be doing.

But man you need to get this mindset out of your head that players needs to be playing outstanding games every week. There’s context here.

Like Frank Clark, you throw the Ravens game out of the window. We’ll no shit he didn’t pile up stays and struggled a bit in the running game. You know how hard it is for any DE to sack Lamar Jackson or stop him in the open field running the ball? Go ahead and put your best DE out there and see how he does. There’s a reason Baltimore is good.

He’s had some struggles early no doubt. He also played a rookie QB in week 1 that they did not and could not prepare for. And Lamar Jackson. And he was out in Oakland.

I also don’t care about the “he destroyed Denver” argument. Your lovechild Khalil Mack got an All-pro award for destroying Denver for 5 sacks in 2015. He also embarrassed Donald Stephenson the week before for 2 sacks. So half his production came against scrubs.

Good players dominate scrubs and often pump stats that way. They are supposed to beat weak players.

[DJ's left nut]

You keep saying that I need players to be outstanding every week. I don't - even a little. I want them to not be a liability more weeks than they are, at least when we're talking about guys who are never supposed to be more than solid veterans. And you can't say that about Okafor. You say 'he had some early struggles' - well hell man, the guy missed the entire middle of the season and he'll miss the end. So apart from the 6 games he'll miss to injury and the 7 games worth of 'early struggles' - what exactly did he do 'round here?

I need them to not suck more often than they don't. Okafor was BAD man, he was just bad. And for all the 'YOU GUYS JUST WANT SACKS!!!!' crap I hear when we complain about a move, y'all sure are quick to cite them as dispositive.

I have NEVER claimed sacks are the only thing that matters. And if you're just gonna 'throw the Ravens game out the window' them I'm gonna just throw the Broncos game out the window and say that he had ONE decent week this year. I'm not sure why you get to 'throw out Baltimore' and then say "I don't care about Denver'. You wanna toss his worst game? Alright - you need to be willing to toss his best. If everyone sucks against Baltimore, well everyone's pretty damn good against Denver.

And don't bother trying argue cap hits when we're hemmed into his deal for 2 years - long-term planning matters. For year 1 of this deal, it was a bust. Was it a cheaper bust? Sure, but a bust it was. Trying to compare it to Houston's deal is folly as Houston's deal was KNOWN as ludicriously over market.

And if you want to just lean into 'he was the 25th highest paid player at his position this year' you're welcome to do so, but he was NOT the 25th most valuable DE in the league this year so I'm not sure how you've done your argument any favors.

Mike Pennel has been more important to this defense than Okafor. But a fair amount. Ogbah was far outplaying him and now that both of their seasons are over I think you can say that Ogbah provided more in his limited run than Okafor in his - and I don't see that as even drawing much of an argument.

Okafor was a disappointment. He DIDN'T 'beat weak players' apart from a single game. He was starting to look like a guy who could salvage the deal we signed him to because he WAS turning the corner, but then the guy got hurt. Again.

I don't know how you can say that he was a bargain when we got about a 1/2 season of play out of him and most of that was ineffective.

[BryanBusby]

Originally Posted by kccrow

If Wilson and Lynch declare I don't think so. It's pretty stout in the top 10 DTs.

Davis is solid, then you have Wilson, Lynch, and an already declared Madubuike and Elliott. Murchison, Lawrence, Fotu, offer solid value solid in different ways. Coatney is a sleeper in my opinion.

Eh. I'm more on the I'll wait and see approach on some of these underclass guys.

Not too enamored with the Tier 2 pool this year.

[RunKC]

I think at this point you try to keep your own guys in FA.

Pennel and Wiz should absolutely be here at their price point. Give them a bit of a raise and stay another year as critical veteran depth.

Aside from Pat and Jones, Ward has to be a priority. He’s more than earned an extension heading into a contract year. I think Veach has to try and get that done early.

Really aside from that, I would try to get Ogbah and Breeland back, however I don’t see them going for anything less than quality money as they’ve never been paid above a rookie scale before. They don’t seem like candidates to stay IMO.

Corner market is a buyers market this year. Lot of decent guys out there. Hoping Veach can get Chris Harris Jr on a discount for a year or two.

Not sure of the IOL market, but maybe there is a quality one out there at a low enough price to talk to. Maybe someone like Alex Mack, who if I were to guess would be a likely cut in Atlanta. If not, make it a priority in the draft.

[Chris Meck]

Originally Posted by RunKC

I think at this point you try to keep your own guys in FA.

Pennel and Wiz should absolutely be here at their price point. Give them a bit of a raise and stay another year as critical veteran depth.

Aside from Pat and Jones, Ward has to be a priority. He’s more than earned an extension heading into a contract year. I think Veach has to try and get that done early.

Really aside from that, I would try to get Ogbah and Breeland back, however I don’t see them going for anything less than quality money as they’ve never been paid above a rookie scale before. They don’t seem like candidates to stay IMO.

Corner market is a buyers market this year. Lot of decent guys out there. Hoping Veach can get Chris Harris Jr on a discount for a year or two.

Not sure of the IOL market, but maybe there is a quality one out there at a low enough price to talk to. Maybe someone like Alex Mack, who if I were to guess would be a likely cut in Atlanta. If not, make it a priority in the draft.

I largely agree. I think we need to draft an IOL very early and also sign a solid vet.

In fact, I like that approach to every area of weakness as much as possible.

[The Franchise]

Originally Posted by RunKC

Even though it should happen, it’s hard for me to think Andy will allow Veach to part with Sammy next year, especially if we don’t win it all.

Idk why I just have a feeling Andy is going to try to keep as many weapons as he can and tell Veach to make Pat and Jones (I think Veach will extend him) first year cap hits low.

Frank Clark’s cap hit is $6.5 million this year. I think something similar will be set up for Chris Jones.

There is no way that Watkins can be brought back at that cap number. Dude isn’t worth half of the $21 million he’s set to make next season.

[Chris Meck]

Originally Posted by The Franchise

There is no way that Watkins can be brought back at that cap number. Dude isn’t worth half of the $21 million he’s set to make next season.

nah, you GOTTA let Sammy walk. Just gotta.

[BryanBusby]

They've already been preparing to lose a receiver in the offseason. That's why I kept saying all along that the Tyreek situation made no difference to the draft.

Only thing his thing did was make it easy to pick what WR is going. Since he was never charged, it's an easy pick to let Sammy go in the winter.

[pugsnotdrugs19]

I just hope Sammy can tear it up to close the year strong so we can flip him for a pick. ANY pick, I don’t care.

[RunKC]

Yip

Charvarius Ward needs a new deal.

— Nate Taylor (@ByNateTaylor) December 23, 2019

[O.city]

So you pretty much have to move on from Watkins, for sure. Quite a few other older players are making money that you should theoretically be able to replace fairly easily.

I kinda wonder if you could get Dorsey to trade you OBJ for Watkins.

[RunKC]

Carson Wentz just got a $32 million AAV contract extension. His first year cap hit is $8.39 million. Mahomes contract will likely be a bit higher than Wilson’s leading $35 million AAV.

I think that would put Pat around an $11 million first year cap hit. Then with Jones first year cap hit mirroring Clark, it would be $6.5 million.

So yeah we’ll be fine next year cap wise and could keep Sammy if Andy really pushes to (I hope not).

We’ll have money to spend this Spring outside of Pat/Jones. Hopefully we trade/cut Sammy and use that money on a Ward extension and a veteran IOL.

[New World Order]

Originally Posted by pugsnotdrugs19

After 2 years of observation, I’m pretty convinced that the best way to build this team for sustained championship contention is placing top priority on defense and offensive line. Especially moving forward.

If Mahomes has consistently good protection and Hill, Kelce, Hardman. He’s going to make shit happen. One way or another.

But to have a good defense to lean on when times are tough is critical I think.

Interior line help needs to be priority number 1 in April.