'06 Cap Blurb

[Hercules Rockefeller]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/preview05/columns/story?columnist=clayton_john&id=2146705

For the 2006 season, the Redskins already have $116 million of cap dollars committed, second only to the Broncos.

Hopefully this is because there are a couple unguaranteed roster bonuses that are counted in their entirety on the cap, so the number is inflated by a bit.

[Hercules Rockefeller]

Finally, only took about 10 tries to post a new thread

[Endy]

Cap numbers in August of the season before the season in which they are talking about are worthless.

[Hercules Rockefeller]

Cap numbers in August of the season before the season in which they are talking about are worthless.

Not necessarily, Denver has no one high-priced in danger of getting cut in the next week.

[bloodsunday]

Not necessarily, Denver has no one high-priced in danger of getting cut in the next week.
Exactly. It's a sign that next offseason will be the same as this offseason... much movement. At some point we need to steady the ship and build a little continuity. Somebody is going to come in here and argue about the expiration of Nalen and Lepsis, blah...blah...blah. That's fine. Maybe losing those contracts gets us under (or close to) the cap. But then how do we replace them. That's 50% of the quality in our OL. Plus WR has to be a concern at some point. Just because we'll be under the cap doesn't mean that we are in fine shape. We will have holes to fill and no cap space to do it, again. The rest of the quote (about building your team through FA) is just as applicable.

[Crushisback]

This is the only reason I would be happy about Nails pending retirement. Might be hard to resign Lepsis as well.

How the hell do the Eagles do it?

[bloodsunday]

This is the only reason I would be happy about Nails pending retirement. Might be hard to resign Lepsis as well.

How the hell do the Eagles do it?
As I have been shouting at the top of my lungs for the past 10 days they do two things that we don't:
1) They build from the line out. I believe that a quality lineman can cover up the mistakes of lesser skill players better than vice versa.

2) They are very good in the draft. If they have a high priced player coming up for FA, they draft a replacement -- and rarely miss. See Patterson for Simon just this year.

They don't waste picks on Maurice Clarett. And before someone brings up TO, let me say that until Mo produces the way TO does its a waste of your time to even mention it. Mo was going to be a 4th string tailback (at best) on this team with an attitude problem. If TO was 4th string he'd be gone.

[Endy]

Not necessarily, Denver has no one high-priced in danger of getting cut in the next week.


Next week? No. Next season? Different story. Guys will be cut, guys will restructure. Same story every season for every team.

Besides, it's not like this team is the Redskins from a few years ago when they were over the cap and they sucked.

[Hercules Rockefeller]

Next week? No. Next season? Different story.

No, not different story. The majority of the guys here now are going to be here next year. It's a good indicator of where they stand.

[bloodsunday]

No, not different story. The majority of the guys here now are going to be here next year. It's a good indicator of where they stand.
More importantly it's a good indicator of how much work they'll have to do in the offseason just to field an equivalent team, let alone make upgrades. How are we going to afford two #1 picks?

[Hercules Rockefeller]

More importantly it's a good indicator of how much work they'll have to do in the offseason just to field an equivalent team, let alone make upgrades. How are we going to afford two #1 picks?

A lot of it is fake money. Obviously by being that high, Brown's $8M bonus is unguaranteed, Warren has a $2.5M bonus in there and his deal voids, Lepsis is due something large as well.

[bloodsunday]

A lot of it is fake money. Obviously by being that high, Brown's $8M bonus is unguaranteed, Warren has a $2.5M bonus in there and his deal voids, Lepsis is due something large as well.
Yeah but those three (plus Nalen) are 4 pretty good players you have to replace or resign. Tough work when you are over the cap to begin with. If Brown and Warren play as well as we hope, we have little shot at retaining them next year because of the money they can command.

[Hercules Rockefeller]

Yeah but those three (plus Nalen) are 4 pretty good players you have to replace or resign. Tough work when you are over the cap to begin with. If Brown and Warren play as well as we hope, we have little shot at retaining them next year because of the money they can command.

Brown and Warren's cap numbers are so high that even after cutting them and re-signing them, the numbers won't come close to what it was supposed to be.

Lepsis and Nalen we'll just have to see on.

[Beantown Bronco]

Let's not forget Trevor Pryce is probably on the books for over $10 million. Rod Smith is probably between $5 and $10 mil. Numbers that will be cut down to less than half easily.

I guarantee there will be NO problem for the Broncos next year signing back those who play well, as well as their entire draft class. There never is.

[Pat Bowlen]

Let's not forget Trevor Pryce is probably on the books for over $10 million. Rod Smith is probably between $5 and $10 mil. Numbers that will be cut down to less than half easily.
Easily?

[ND Bronco Fan]

How come I thought I always remember people talking about next year being a great cap year for us, now this? What's not adding up.

[SoCalBronco]

Brown and Warren's cap numbers are so high that even after cutting them and re-signing them, the numbers won't come close to what it was supposed to be.

Lepsis and Nalen we'll just have to see on.

How much room do you think we will have to play with?

[DarkHorse30]

Let's not forget Trevor Pryce is probably on the books for over $10 million. Rod Smith is probably between $5 and $10 mil. Numbers that will be cut down to less than half easily.

I guarantee there will be NO problem for the Broncos next year signing back those who play well, as well as their entire draft class. There never is.

NFLPA has the numbers for 2006: (salary only...bonuses are averaged and added per year)

Pryce: 6.5M
Warren: 6.6M
Nalen: 6M (had his biggest salary last year at 3.4M)
Bailey:5.5M
Plummer: 4.3M
Wilson: 3.9M (biggest salary this year at 1.3M)
Smith: 3M (biggest salary this year at 3.5M)
Ekuban: 3M
Lynch: 2.9M
MA: 2.6M
Engleberger: 1.75M
Putzier: 1.5M
Brown: 1.4M

Of these contracts, I would expect Warren, Nalen, Wilson, Smith, Bailey and Plummer to restructure. Pryce is the wild card.....maybe he'll recognize he likes being a bronco and realizes he already had his big contract year (last year at 5.3M)

The biggest salcap problem has been cleared up, IMO, and that's dead money. We don't have any monstrous, un-negotiable contracts like we have in the past, thanks to some vigorous bargain-hunting and the passage of a few years.

Cap hell is more likely for a team like the raiders....who started back-loading like crazy the last few years and haven't upgraded their system to take a more realistic view of the contracts. Endloads like 4 years at 8M is fine....unless a guy like Rich Gannon wants to dump 7M in his bank, like he did last year. They've got guys like Derrick Gibson at 10M for the next 4 years, Randy Moss at 9, 10, 11M...and Collins in at 8M for the next 4 years. Eventually they will get toasted with this haphazard method. My guess is that Bruce Allen took his accounting procedures with him to Tampa...leaving Amy Trask to consult the black hole for cap wisdom.

[SoCalBronco]

NFLPA has the numbers for 2006: (salary only...bonuses are averaged and added per year)

Pryce: 6.5M
Warren: 6.6M
Nalen: 6M (had his biggest salary last year at 3.4M)
Bailey:5.5M
Plummer: 4.3M
Wilson: 3.9M (biggest salary this year at 1.3M)
Smith: 3M (biggest salary this year at 3.5M)
Ekuban: 3M
Lynch: 2.9M
MA: 2.6M
Engleberger: 1.75M
Putzier: 1.5M
Brown: 1.4M

Of these contracts, I would expect Warren, Nalen, Wilson, Smith, Bailey and Plummer to restructure. Pryce is the wild card.....maybe he'll recognize he likes being a bronco and realizes he already had his big contract year (last year at 5.3M)

The biggest salcap problem has been cleared up, IMO, and that's dead money. We don't have any monstrous, un-negotiable contracts like we have in the past, thanks to some vigorous bargain-hunting and the passage of a few years.

Cap hell is more likely for a team like the raiders....who started back-loading like crazy the last few years and haven't upgraded their system to take a more realistic view of the contracts. Endloads like 4 years at 8M is fine....unless a guy like Rich Gannon wants to dump 7M in his bank, like he did last year. They've got guys like Derrick Gibson at 10M for the next 4 years, Randy Moss at 9, 10, 11M...and Collins in at 8M for the next 4 years. Eventually they will get toasted with this haphazard method. My guess is that Bruce Allen took his accounting procedures with him to Tampa...leaving Amy Trask to consult the black hole for cap wisdom.

Ok, from those numbers thats already 13 million thats fake money. Warren's deal voids and he becomes a FA so thats not even real money. Brown wont see that bonus. Nalen is all but certain to be gone.

[bloodsunday]

Let's not forget Trevor Pryce is probably on the books for over $10 million. Rod Smith is probably between $5 and $10 mil. Numbers that will be cut down to less than half easily.

I guarantee there will be NO problem for the Broncos next year signing back those who play well, as well as their entire draft class. There never is.
There's always a tradeoff. It's pay me now or pay me later. If we are able to cutdown some veteran salary then it usually comes at the expense of bonus money (and down the road cap issues). Sometimes letting go of a player is a good thing (Reggie Hayward) relative to his market value and his worth to you. But if we lose 3 or 4 core players like Nalen, Lepsis, Pryce, Rod Smith, Brown, and Warren that's tough to overcome.

[DB-Freak]

Ok, from those numbers thats already 13 million thats fake money. Warren's deal voids and he becomes a FA so thats not even real money. Brown wont see that bonus. Nalen is all but certain to be gone.
I didnt someone say Pryce has 9.5 million impact on salary cap next year?

And how much cap hit would we take if we cut him.

[Endy]

Methinks you guys need to relax a bit. Every season we've heard about teams in salary cap hell and with a few exceptions (49'ers, Redskins...) everything turns out okay. Guys will be given extensions with prorated bonuses, old dudes will be cut, players will restructure and the cycle will go on forever.

Hell, we haven't even played a game on this season yet.

[SoCalBronco]

I didnt someone say Pryce has 9.5 million impact on salary cap next year?

And how much cap hit would we take if we cut him.

I thought it was around 10 or so but it appears to be around 6 from what is posted above which isnt bad. When they were talking about cutting him this year they said even with the cap hit, we would save several million. I dont know what it is this year but about 6 million isnt that bad just in and of itself.

[bloodsunday]

Ok, from those numbers thats already 13 million thats fake money. Warren's deal voids and he becomes a FA so thats not even real money. Brown wont see that bonus. Nalen is all but certain to be gone.
How much are we over? The orginal quote says the Redskins are at more than 116 and second to the Broncos, which means we are more than 16 over the projected 100 million dollar cap (probably around 17 or 18). So sure we have 3 deals that void for 13 million but that still leaves us over the cap and having to find replacements.

I mean losing even just those 3 is going to be some big holes. If we have to lose others it could get dicey. It's not out of the question that Brown and Warren get huge market offers (Hayward) if they perform up to expectations this year.

[DarkHorse30]

Ok, from those numbers thats already 13 million thats fake money. Warren's deal voids and he becomes a FA so thats not even real money. Brown wont see that bonus. Nalen is all but certain to be gone.

This the glass half full version, so take it with a grain of salt. I don't think Warren will leave. Denver offered him a great opportunity to turn things around and he seems pretty happy at this point. Also, he has already had several big contract years.

Nalen made a mint for a center last year....and probably recognizes that no one will pay an older center top dollar. If he retires, than Denver saves the cap money.

Brown's contract only inches up 500K per year, starting this year at 900K. If he produces, he will earn every bonus promised him.

I'm pretty impressed with the things Denver has done to right their cap-situation in the last 3 years. You look at that contract for Clarett and you realize that they had the idea of cutting him completely covered in his contract.

[bloodsunday]

NFLPA has the numbers for 2006: (salary only...bonuses are averaged and added per year)

Pryce: 6.5M
Warren: 6.6M
Nalen: 6M (had his biggest salary last year at 3.4M)
Bailey:5.5M
Plummer: 4.3M
Wilson: 3.9M (biggest salary this year at 1.3M)
Smith: 3M (biggest salary this year at 3.5M)
Ekuban: 3M
Lynch: 2.9M
MA: 2.6M
Engleberger: 1.75M
Putzier: 1.5M
Brown: 1.4M

Of these contracts, I would expect Warren, Nalen, Wilson, Smith, Bailey and Plummer to restructure. Pryce is the wild card.....maybe he'll recognize he likes being a bronco and realizes he already had his big contract year (last year at 5.3M)

The biggest salcap problem has been cleared up, IMO, and that's dead money. We don't have any monstrous, un-negotiable contracts like we have in the past, thanks to some vigorous bargain-hunting and the passage of a few years.

Cap hell is more likely for a team like the raiders....who started back-loading like crazy the last few years and haven't upgraded their system to take a more realistic view of the contracts. Endloads like 4 years at 8M is fine....unless a guy like Rich Gannon wants to dump 7M in his bank, like he did last year. They've got guys like Derrick Gibson at 10M for the next 4 years, Randy Moss at 9, 10, 11M...and Collins in at 8M for the next 4 years. Eventually they will get toasted with this haphazard method. My guess is that Bruce Allen took his accounting procedures with him to Tampa...leaving Amy Trask to consult the black hole for cap wisdom.
This is great data, but we have to consider three things: 1) there are a bunch of guys that have already restructured. Jake for example restructured twice this offseason. Can we restructure his deal any more and how much would we really gain from that? 2) restructuring usually leads to bonuses and dead money if not done carefully. 3) Wouldn't cutting Trevor accelerate a bunch of bonus money? If so any savings we get from expiring contracts would be negated by him. His restructure this offseason was about into a bonus and leaves us vulnerable to dead money.

[Endy]

If only every player signed the "Maurice Clarett No-Cap-Hit Special" contract. :D

[SoCalBronco]

This the glass half full version, so take it with a grain of salt. I don't think Warren will leave. Denver offered him a great opportunity to turn things around and he seems pretty happy at this point. Also, he has already had several big contract years.

Nalen made a mint for a center last year....and probably recognizes that no one will pay an older center top dollar. If he retires, than Denver saves the cap money.

Brown's contract only inches up 500K per year, starting this year at 900K. If he produces, he will earn every bonus promised him.

I'm pretty impressed with the things Denver has done to right their cap-situation in the last 3 years. You look at that contract for Clarett and you realize that they had the idea of cutting him completely covered in his contract.


I dont think Warren leaves either but that number is still bogus because the deal voids to FA status. So if they keep him, its a new deal and undoubtedly the base salaries for the first couple years will be low. Even in Brown produces he isnt going to get that 7 million roster bonus. It will be renegotiated down. There is still too much risk. I dont think we will need to do alot in FA next year anyway. We can rebuild almost totally from the draft. We will have 8 or 9 picks in the first five rounds alone and its supposed to be a deep draft, almost as good as 2004 and certainly much better than last year.

[Mediator12]

This is great data, but we have to consider three things: 1) there are a bunch of guys that have already restructured. Jake for example restructured twice this offseason. Can we restructure his deal any more and how much would we really gain from that? 2) restructuring usually leads to bonuses and dead money if not done carefully. 3) Wouldn't cutting Trevor accelerate a bunch of bonus money? If so any savings we get from expiring contracts would be negated by him. His restructure this offseason was about into a bonus and leaves us vulnerable to dead money.

1. Always a good question, but if done prudently, the Cap does increase every year and dollars are Cheaper on the end than in the beginning.

2. See above.

3. Trevor took a flat out Pay cut, not a true restructure for this year. His bonus will have been amortized another year and would be much lower.

[Hercules Rockefeller]

I tried to guess who has a deal for next year, but might get cut next week. I came up with 39 players and base salaries totaling $65.87M. This includes Warren, Lepsis, and Nalen even each of their deals will void. That'll take it down to around $52M in base salaries for next season.

QB
Jake- $4.3M
BVP- $310k

RB
MA- $2.565M, last year of his deal and his cap number is probably over $4M
Tatum- $385k
KJohnson- $460k
Q- RFA

WR
Ashley- $600k
Rod- $3M
Darius- $385k
Luke- $385k
Devoe- $310k
Jackson- $385k (still listed as a WR at NFLPA)

OL
PJ Alexander- $460k (included because he was on IR, or did he get an injury settlement?)
Carlisle- $970k
Foster- $598,750
Hamilton- $545k
Lepsis- $1M (deal voids, there is most likely a very good size unguaranteed roster bonus he is owed, so that hits the cap in its entirety as of now)
Nalen- $6M (deal voids, savings are unknown because of how many times he's restructured)

TE
Alexander- $1.11M
House- $770k
Putzier- $1.5M

DE
Brown- $1.4M (due an $8M roster bonus, his cap number is around $10M)
Ekuban- $3M
Engleberger- $1.75M
Trevor- $6.53M (due a workout bonus of $1M, cap number is over $9M. Cap hit goes down to around $1.7M if he's cut and if he took a paycut this offseason and didn't receive any new bonus money)

DT
Myers- $670k
Warren- $6.6M (Deal voids, also has a $2.5M bonus on there that disappears upon voiding)

LB
Gold- $670k
Pierce- $461k
DJ- $478k
Al- $3.9M

CB
Champ- $5.5M
Browner- $310k (included because he's on IR)
Foxworth- $310k
Paymah- $310k
DWilliams- $385k
Shoate- $310 (because he's probably going to be put on IR)

S
MAnderson- $545k
Feguson- $800k
Lynch- $2.9M (probably over 4 because of restructuring this past offseason)

K
Elam- $1.3M
Sauerbrun- $1.395M
Ernster- $310k

[Hercules Rockefeller]

and as of now, the dead money should only be around $333k

[SoCalBronco]

Thats great stuff, Herc.

Rep.

[Hercules Rockefeller]

3. Trevor took a flat out Pay cut, not a true restructure for this year. His bonus will have been amortized another year and would be much lower.

If he took a flat out paycut, '06 will be the last season of amortizing his signing bonus.

[Beantown Bronco]

At one point we were over $20 million over this year's cap and look how well we did. If we're only in the teens over next year's we're even better off in theory.

Let's not forget that there is in theory a cap free year or at least a huge jump in the cap coming up that bonuses can be pushed to in an emergency.

Once again....no need to worry folks.

[elsid13]

Herc

PJ took a injury settlement I believe.

[Hercules Rockefeller]

Then there's another $460k off

[bloodsunday]

I don't think Warren will leave. Denver offered him a great opportunity to turn things around and he seems pretty happy at this point. Also, he has already had several big contract years.
Even if we pay him below market value, we still need to get his money down to save on the cap. I mean he is a FA so he counts for nothing against next year's cap at this point? Right?

Nalen made a mint for a center last year....and probably recognizes that no one will pay an older center top dollar. If he retires, than Denver saves the cap money.
Here's a crazy thought. Why not keep Nalen at a reduced rate, assuming he is willing to do so. I mean why does everyone (Nalen included from the quotes I've seen) assume he will be gone?

Brown's contract only inches up 500K per year, starting this year at 900K. If he produces, he will earn every bonus promised him.
Isn't Brown owed sum huge roster bonus that essentially guarantees that he'll either resign with Denver or become a FA next spring? Either way I don't think he'll be playing under that original contract with us next year.

I'm pretty impressed with the things Denver has done to right their cap-situation in the last 3 years. You look at that contract for Clarett and you realize that they had the idea of cutting him completely covered in his contract.
I'll agree on the point that they've done a good job with the cap post-Griese. However, they don't deserver much credit on the Clarett deal. He turned down a 410K bonus. That was him being an idiot.

[bloodsunday]

3. Trevor took a flat out Pay cut, not a true restructure for this year. His bonus will have been amortized another year and would be much lower.
Man I hope that's true. Do you have a source? Everything I read, while not totally reliable, pointed towards a "restructure". If he took accelerated bonus money it would make moving him next year harder.

[bloodsunday]

I tried to guess who has a deal for next year, but might get cut next week. I came up with 39 players and base salaries totaling $65.87M. This includes Warren, Lepsis, and Nalen even each of their deals will void. That'll take it down to around $52M in base salaries for next season.

QB
Jake- $4.3M
BVP- $310k

RB
MA- $2.565M, last year of his deal and his cap number is probably over $4M
Tatum- $385k
KJohnson- $460k
Q- RFA

WR
Ashley- $600k
Rod- $3M
Darius- $385k
Luke- $385k
Devoe- $310k
Jackson- $385k (still listed as a WR at NFLPA)

OL
PJ Alexander- $460k (included because he was on IR, or did he get an injury settlement?)
Carlisle- $970k
Foster- $598,750
Hamilton- $545k
Lepsis- $1M (deal voids, there is most likely a very good size unguaranteed roster bonus he is owed, so that hits the cap in its entirety as of now)
Nalen- $6M (deal voids, savings are unknown because of how many times he's restructured)

TE
Alexander- $1.11M
House- $770k
Putzier- $1.5M

DE
Brown- $1.4M (due an $8M roster bonus, his cap number is around $10M)
Ekuban- $3M
Engleberger- $1.75M
Trevor- $6.53M (due a workout bonus of $1M, cap number is over $9M. Cap hit goes down to around $1.7M if he's cut and if he took a paycut this offseason and didn't receive any new bonus money)

DT
Myers- $670k
Warren- $6.6M (Deal voids, also has a $2.5M bonus on there that disappears upon voiding)

LB
Gold- $670k
Pierce- $461k
DJ- $478k
Al- $3.9M

CB
Champ- $5.5M
Browner- $310k (included because he's on IR)
Foxworth- $310k
Paymah- $310k
DWilliams- $385k
Shoate- $310 (because he's probably going to be put on IR)

S
MAnderson- $545k
Feguson- $800k
Lynch- $2.9M (probably over 4 because of restructuring this past offseason)

K
Elam- $1.3M
Sauerbrun- $1.395M
Ernster- $310k

Then how does ESPN come up with close to 120 million? Is there a bunch of bonus money missing from your projections?

[bloodsunday]

At one point we were over $20 million over this year's cap and look how well we did. If we're only in the teens over next year's we're even better off in theory.

Let's not forget that there is in theory a cap free year or at least a huge jump in the cap coming up that bonuses can be pushed to in an emergency.

Once again....no need to worry folks.
My point is just that they'll have to make a bunch of moves again next offseason. I have no doubt they get it figured out. It'd be nice to see some continuity. If they lose 2 OL (Lepsis and Nalen) and 2 DL (Brown/Warren and Pryce), those are pretty big holes. Especially on the OL where our depth is pretty shaky right now. Pryce looks to be the backbone of our DL as well. It's tough for our Offensive and Defensive units to gel when we have huge turnover rates. But I am confident they have a plan to get it fixed. We are loaded with draft picks as well.

[elsid13]

My point is just that they'll have to make a bunch of moves again next offseason. I have no doubt they get it figured out. It'd be nice to see some continuity. If they lose 2 OL (Lepsis and Nalen) and 2 DL (Brown/Warren and Pryce), those are pretty big holes. Especially on the OL where our depth is pretty shaky right now. Pryce looks to be the backbone of our DL as well. It's tough for our Offensive and Defensive units to gel when we have huge turnover rates. But I am confident they have a plan to get it fixed. We are loaded with draft picks as well.


I don't think you will see major turnover in the lines, if they perform well this season. Yes Denver Front Office will have do some work with cap, but Shanny always seem to keep the core players that are important to this team. See Wilson and Elam examples. The key is getting that dead money off the cap.

[Beantown Bronco]

We cut more cap room this year than we will have to next year and all we did was say goodbye to Hayward and Kennedy essentially. Obviously no big loss there.

The only way they lose two OL and DL next season is if they choose to, not because the cap will dictate it.

(I find it odd that everyone's worried about losing Lepsis now, yet every other day I see a "Draft DBrickshaw with the Skins pick" post from someone different....hmmm)

[Pat Bowlen]

Man I hope that's true. Do you have a source? Everything I read, while not totally reliable, pointed towards a "restructure". If he took accelerated bonus money it would make moving him next year harder.
http://broncos.mostvaluablenetwork.com/?m=200504

Scroll down until you see:

"The possibility of Trevor Pryce remaining in Denver moved quickly from speculation to actuality yesterday. The Broncos and Pryce have agreed to a deal that will allow the Broncos to retain the services of the four-time pro bowler for the next three at least the next three seasons. In order for the deal to get done Pryce agreed to a pay cut of roughly $2 million, and saved the Broncos more than $3 million against this year’s salary cap."

While you're at it, look at this (http://www.gavatorta.com/images/cards/optimism.jpg).

[Raider Bill]

Cap hell is more likely for a team like the raiders....who started back-loading like crazy the last few years and haven't upgraded their system to take a more realistic view of the contracts. Endloads like 4 years at 8M is fine....unless a guy like Rich Gannon wants to dump 7M in his bank, like he did last year. They've got guys like Derrick Gibson at 10M for the next 4 years, Randy Moss at 9, 10, 11M...and Collins in at 8M for the next 4 years. Eventually they will get toasted with this haphazard method. My guess is that Bruce Allen took his accounting procedures with him to Tampa...leaving Amy Trask to consult the black hole for cap wisdom.


OMG we're in cap hell again! Those are all base salaries you listed, essentially meaningless. We'll be under the cap for the first time in years next season.

We're carrying over 15 million in dead money this year, still signed Moss and are paying Woodson 10.5. There's 20 plus million in new net cap room going forward.

Gannon's dead money will only represent 4 million next season. We haven't waived anyone else with appreciable signing bonus

[Mr. Trout]

The Titans got hammered this year. Lost Rolle, Mason, and K. Carter. I was reading somewhere that they have almost $30 million in dead money. It could be a lot lot worse for the Broncos.

[Pat Bowlen]

The Titans got hammered this year. Lost Rolle, Mason, and K. Carter. I was reading somewhere that they have almost $30 million in dead money. It could be a lot lot worse for the Broncos.
How do you figure?

[eddie mac]

Sooner or later this team is going to have to start drafting better in the lower rounds instead of bringing in over-priced FA every season!! How many guys are still on our roster who were drafted on the second day by the Broncos? It would be great if we could measure that up against other teams with less cap problems who are still quite competitive.

[clean]

One day bloodsunday was walking in the woods when -- KERPLUNK -- an acorn fell on his head.

"Oh my goodness!" said bloodsunday. "The sky is falling! I must go and tell the king."
On his way to the king's palace, bloodsunday met Henny Penny. Henny Penny said that she was going into the woods to hunt for worms.

"Oh no, don't go!" said bloodsunday. "I was there and the sky fell on my head! Come with me to tell the king."

So Henny Penny joined bloodsunday and they went along and went along as fast as they could.

Soon they met C**ky Locky, who said, "I'm going to the woods to hunt for seeds."

"Oh no, don't go!" said Henny Penny. "The sky is falling there! Come with us to tell the king."

So C**ky Locky joined Henny Penny and bloodsunday, and they went along and went along as fast as they could.

Soon they met Goosey Poosey, who was planning to go to the woods to look for berries.

"Oh no, don't go!" said C**ky Locky. "The sky is falling there! Come with us to tell the king." So Goosey Poosey joined Co**y Locky, Henny Penny and bloodsunday, and they went along as fast as they could.

http://www.geocities.com/mjloundy/

[DBroncos4life]

One day bloodsunday was walking in the woods when -- KERPLUNK -- an acorn fell on his head

"Oh my goodness!" said bloodsunday. "The sky is falling! I must go and tell the king."
On his way to the king's palace, bloodsunday met Henny Penny. Henny Penny said that she was going into the woods to hunt for worms.

"Oh no, don't go!" said bloodsunday. "I was there and the sky fell on my head! Come with me to tell the king."

So Henny Penny joined bloodsunday and they went along and went along as fast as they could.

Soon they met C**ky Locky, who said, "I'm going to the woods to hunt for seeds."

"Oh no, don't go!" said Henny Penny. "The sky is falling there! Come with us to tell the king."

So C**ky Locky joined Henny Penny and bloodsunday, and they went along and went along as fast as they could.

Soon they met Goosey Poosey, who was planning to go to the woods to look for berries.

"Oh no, don't go!" said C**ky Locky. "The sky is falling there! Come with us to tell the king." So Goosey Poosey joined Co**y Locky, Henny Penny and bloodsunday, and they went along as fast as they could.

http://www.geocities.com/mjloundy/



Now thats some funny ****!

[wabbit]

Cap numbers in August of the season before the season in which they are talking about are worthless.

This is true.

Denver has made a art form out of 're-arranging' contracts to meet off-season FA & rookie salary requirements.

This last off-season, just prior to the FA period, Hercules Rockefeller PM'd me, asking what I might have heard about Denver's cap latitude.

I asked some very reputable people who you would think would know...none did...not really.

Best answer I got was that the numbers are 'fluid'...dependent on re-structures, possible cuts & the new dollar figure posted by the NFL at Owners Meetings in March...AFTER the deadline for cap compliance around March 1st.

In short, while there may be a hard number based on current allowances...the 'allowance' changes again when owners agree to a new, & higher cap...freeing up new money...& the cycle begins anew.

Fun with numbers, to tell the truth, and that's how everyone plays it...with a wink & slight of hand.

[Hercules Rockefeller]

Jim Armstrong and Patrick Saunders (before he was switched to the Rox beat) repeatedly said the cap situation improves next season.

[bloodsunday]

http://broncos.mostvaluablenetwork.com/?m=200504

Scroll down until you see:

"The possibility of Trevor Pryce remaining in Denver moved quickly from speculation to actuality yesterday. The Broncos and Pryce have agreed to a deal that will allow the Broncos to retain the services of the four-time pro bowler for the next three at least the next three seasons. In order for the deal to get done Pryce agreed to a pay cut of roughly $2 million, and saved the Broncos more than $3 million against this year’s salary cap."

While you're at it, look at this (http://www.gavatorta.com/images/cards/optimism.jpg).
First of all, good info. All the articles I saw (mostly local papers) suggested that it was a restructure and that financial terms were not disclosed.

As for the pessimistic comment(s). Let it be. You people don't do know me near well enough to label me a pessimist. If you wanna label me anything, let it be as a realist. Just because I'm not drinking the cool aid and believing that everything Denver does is gospel, doesn't mean that I am not a fan or that I think they can't win. The fact is that this team has not improved much the past 6 years and I am looking for improvement. I am not worried that the sky is falling and we're suddenly going to be competing with 9ers for the #1 pick.

[fontaine]

The fact is that this team has not improved much the past 6 years and I am looking for improvement.

I disagree, this team improved ten fold in one offseason when Brian Griese was kicked out on his a$$.

I used to despise defenses laughing it up and making comments in their local presses about how the DEs just had to rush to a specific area in the backfield and Griese would be there, ready to get sacked and cave in.

It's one thing losing, quite another when your QB is the butt of jokes among every defense he plays.

[bloodsunday]

I disagree, this team improved ten fold in one offseason when Brian Griese was kicked out on his a$$.

I used to despise defenses laughing it up and making comments in their local presses about how the DEs just had to rush to a specific area in the backfield and Griese would be there, ready to get sacked and cave in.

It's one thing losing, quite another when your QB is the butt of jokes among every defense he plays.
I don't see how that's a 10 fold improvement. We went to the post-season once during the Griese Experiment (although Gus got played the game). We've been twice under Plummer. In all 3 cases we weren't even really competitive in the game. Along the way we have done essentially the same things: poor special teams, inconsistent play making, and the occassional brain fart game. Remember Ryan Leaf's career game against us?

So, I would say while that we have upgraded that one position (maybe?), the team as a whole isn't much better. Sure we are winning on average about 1 more game under Plummer than Griese, but nada in the postseason. The results simply don't support your assertion that we are 10 fold better. To be considered a better team this year we must at a minimum win a playoff game and preferrably win the division as well. Improved play in certain aspects of the team is meaningless without results to show for it, IMHO.

I realize that this is a fluid measuring stick because the variables around you change (schedule, division strength, injuries), but nonetheless winning playoff games, championships actually, is what this franchise is all about. Plummer has not gotten us any closer than Griese.

[fontaine]

I realize that this is a fluid measuring stick because the variables around you change (schedule, division strength, injuries), but nonetheless winning playoff games, championships actually, is what this franchise is all about. Plummer has not gotten us any closer than Griese.

The statistical difference is minute, yes I'll admit. It's one more win a season with Plummer.

But their is a chasm of difference between Griese and Plummer. The team believes in Plummer and rallies around him. If he just cuts down on his ints he would have been a candidate for the pro-bowl last year. Griese is a spineless choke artist who was despised by his team mates here, and he caved under the slightest pressure. That's a huge difference.

[bloodsunday]

The statistical difference is minute, yes I'll admit. It's one more win a season with Plummer.

But their is a chasm of difference between Griese and Plummer. The team believes in Plummer and rallies around him. If he just cuts down on his ints he would have been a candidate for the pro-bowl last year. Griese is a spineless choke artist who was despised by his team mates here, and he caved under the slightest pressure. That's a huge difference.
I agree with your assessment of Griese. I am a HUGE Michigan fan and no one hoped he would succeed here more than me. But no one was more glad to see him go than me either.

If Jake can just win us a playoff game this year, it will all go away. I don't care if Jake wins this season by throwing fewer INTs or rushing for 1000 yards. We need to win.

[fontaine]

I agree with your assessment of Griese. I am a HUGE Michigan fan and no one hoped he would succeed here more than me. But no one was more glad to see him go than me either.

If Jake can just win us a playoff game this year, it will all go away. I don't care if Jake wins this season by throwing fewer INTs or rushing for 1000 yards. We need to win.

I found Gary Kubiak's comments pretty interesting on Mike Anderson. Kubes said Mike has had the best camp out of all the players there bar none.

It seems that Tater will be the change of pace back that will be ideally used on stretch/toss plays where he can use his pace outside and Anderson will be the guy in the middle. I also like how they've incorporated more screens and pass plays to the RBs, it'll allow Jake to check down to the RB a lot more often.

I do think there's a lot of reason for hope. Having said that, we need our team to be running at full steam because this year's schedule looks the toughest I've seen in a long while.

Who knows, there have been years where I thought this team deserved to make the playoffs and they didn't and others where they looked like crap and still made it to the postseason.

I'll be satisfied as long as this team improves and the defenses gels (where most of the Draft picks/FAs are) so that it can set us up for another run next season if we don't make it in this year.