Joe Gibbs the Information Minister on the Cap

[watermock]

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Gibbs Defends Redskins Free Agent Approach
By JOSEPH WHITE AP Sports Writer
© 2006 The Associated Press

ASHBURN, Va. — Joe Gibbs defended the Washington Redskins' aggressive approach to free agency on Wednesday, dismissing any implication that the team is somehow circumventing the NFL's salary cap.

"The thing I want to emphasize is this: We haven't done one thing that anybody else can't do," the Redskins' Hall of Fame coach said following a news conference to introduce free agent signing Andre Carter. "We have certain rules in the league. Here's the cap, here's the numbers, here's what you can spend, so everybody in the league can do what we're doing, it's just that they choose not to, many of them."

Despite starting the month some $13 million over the $102 million cap that was set following negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement, the Redskins have once again been one of March's busiest teams.

Since Saturday, they have traded for San Francisco receiver Brandon Lloyd and signed five unrestricted free agents: receiver Antwaan Randle El, safety Adam Archuleta, tight end Christian Fauria, backup quarterback Todd Collins and Carter. Randle El and Archuleta alone were given contracts with a combined $21.5 million in guaranteed money.

"Each team's a little different, how they want to build a team. ... Certainly Pittsburgh is a scheme that works, they won a Super Bowl," Gibbs said. "If you watch their team, there are a lot of draft choices, they're real conscious about that. It remains to be seen how we'll end up doing, but we've chosen to be more aggressive in free agency."

The Redskins put themselves under the cap by cutting five expendable players on the eve of free agency, and they also saved $4.4 million in the deal that made linebacker LaVar Arrington a free agent. Since then, they've been cutting cap dollars by renegotiating contracts with returning veterans, giving the players upfront bonuses that can be prorated for salary cap purposes.

Owner Dan Snyder's overspending in 2000 caused then-coach Marty Schottenheimer to make drastic cuts in 2001, but Snyder's strategy since then has been to map out a cap strategy using what Gibbs said were "three- to four-year spreadsheets." The goal is to shift cap money around in a coherent manner that keeps the team from being forced to part with players it wants to keep.

It hasn't worked perfectly _ coveted linebacker Antonio Pierce left for the New York Giants last year _ but Gibbs' free agency upgrades helped get the Redskins into the playoffs last year, and the overhaul continues. Only five projected 2006 starters were with the team before Gibbs arrived in January 2004.

The best free agent additions under Gibbs have been linebacker Marcus Washington, cornerback Shawn Springs, defensive tackle Cornelius Griffin and defensive end Phillip Daniels.

"People say, 'Why would you go get the free agents?'" Gibbs said. "Well, look at the guys we wouldn't have on our football team."

The Redskins are able to afford huge signing bonuses because Snyder's marketing savvy has helped make the team one of the most profitable in sports, but Gibbs downplayed the connection between Snyder's fortune and the team's free agency haul.

"The biggest misrepresentation there is that (it's because) Dan's got a lot of money. That's not it," Gibbs said. "We've got a rule. Believe me, if we had no rules, Dan would spend some money."

[Bob's your Information Minister]

The Redskins may be overpaying, but they are going to have a hell of a team next year.

[broncosteven]

The Redskins may be overpaying, but they are going to have a hell of a team next year.

They have overpayed in years past & have had mediocre to bad teams. I can't wait for Sean Taylor to start serving his jail time that will hurt them some.

[bloodsunday]

The Redskins may be overpaying, but they are going to have a hell of a team next year.
None of those guys they signed are worth the money they gave them. Many of them are more hype than actual talent. This team won't be much better and they'll be in salary cap jail soon.

[Crowpointer]

The Redskins may be overpaying, but they are going to have a hell of a team next year. That's BS. I heard that a few years ago when they signed D Sanders and Bruce Smith ( to name a few)

[ludo21]

That's BS. I heard that a few years ago when they signed D Sanders and Bruce Smith ( to name a few)


yeah but they are picking players that will actually help them. I think they win that divison. Not only the players they picked up, but also Gibbs is a great coach.

[SkinRamon]

That's BS. I heard that a few years ago when they signed D Sanders and Bruce Smith ( to name a few) Yeah and those two bastards were old as hell and past their prime. We just signed guys who are young and on the rise. They'll improve the team in the areas we needed most: wide receiver and defensive help (Carter & Archuletta).

It's fine to piss on the Skins for their big spending. But it's also well-known that the Broncos join us in the top ten for the NFL's highest payrolls every year.

Our signings help the team. We played you last year, remember? Did Brunell have anyone to throw to besides Moss and our TE, Cooley? Nope. Patten blew.

[dbfan4life]

They have overpayed in years past & have had mediocre to bad teams. I can't wait for Sean Taylor to start serving his jail time that will hurt them some.

Yeah right. Taylor will do his time in the offseason. He'll be on the work release program, he can attend all football related functions and then report when he gets a chance.

[Edskins_RVA]

None of those guys they signed are worth the money they gave them. Many of them are more hype than actual talent. This team won't be much better and they'll be in salary cap jail soon.
I do believe we went to the 2nd round of the playoffs last season.. I guess guys like linebacker Marcus Washington, cornerback Shawn Springs, defensive tackle Cornelius Griffin and defensive end Phillip Daniels DIDN'T help us get there then.. Not to mention the trades that brought us Portis and Moss.. Oh! And there were the draft picks of Cooley and STaylor thrown in for good measure.. Gibbs had clearly "lost it" when he switched from Ramsey to Brunell..

Then again... Maybe Joe does know what he is doing.. :wiggle:

P.S. It seems we've been is this alleged "Cap Jail" ever since Snyder bought the team.. I wonder when we're actually going to get "punished"? :thanku:

[sirhcyennek81]

P.S. It seems we've been is this alleged "Cap Jail" ever since Snyder bought the team.. I wonder when we're actually going to get "punished"? :thanku:


considering an 11th hour reprieve from the owners bought you a 6 year extension, spend away. Eventually, the cap will catch up to you.

:Broncos:

[Edskins_RVA]

considering an 11th hour reprieve from the owners bought you a 6 year extension, spend away. Eventually, the cap will catch up to you.

:Broncos:
I totally agree the CBA extension saved our (pardon the pun) "collective" a$$e$.. Then again, Joe had plan B ready, but we definitely wouldn't have been as aggressive.. Skins are much more organized about how they spend than in the past. Contracts are structured to minimize cap hit as much as possible.. Like Joe said,
"The thing I want to emphasize is this: We haven't done one thing that anybody else can't do," the Redskins' Hall of Fame coach said following a news conference to introduce free agent signing Andre Carter. "We have certain rules in the league. Here's the cap, here's the numbers, here's what you can spend, so everybody in the league can do what we're doing, it's just that they choose not to, many of them."

:strong:

[Man-Goblin]

I do believe we went to the 2nd round of the playoffs last season.. I guess guys like linebacker Marcus Washington, cornerback Shawn Springs, defensive tackle Cornelius Griffin and defensive end Phillip Daniels DIDN'T help us get there then.. Not to mention the trades that brought us Portis and Moss.. Oh! And there were the draft picks of Cooley and STaylor thrown in for good measure.. Gibbs had clearly "lost it" when he switched from Ramsey to Brunell..

Then again... Maybe Joe does know what he is doing.. :wiggle:

P.S. It seems we've been is this alleged "Cap Jail" ever since Snyder bought the team.. I wonder when we're actually going to get "punished"? :thanku:

Whatever, dude. The Broncos signed Nate Webster.

[broncosteven]

considering an 11th hour reprieve from the owners bought you a 6 year extension, spend away. Eventually, the cap will catch up to you.

:Broncos:

I am no contract genius but they build these contracts so that these guys never get paid the big bucks at the end, or they get paid in bonus money either way it does not appear that they have a lot of dead money on their cap.

[Edskins_RVA]

I am no contract genius but they build these contracts so that these guys never get paid the big bucks at the end, or they get paid in bonus money either way it does not appear that they have a lot of dead money on their cap.
That is correct!

[Edskins_RVA]

Whatever, dude. The Broncos signed Nate Webster.
About time you guys picked up SOMEONE!! :P

[broncosteven]

About time you guys picked up SOMEONE!! :P

We didn't need a ton of guys to get us a few more wins.

[Edskins_RVA]

We didn't need a ton of guys to get us a few more wins.
Nope.. You guys have had a "solid" team pretty much since Shanny has been the HC.. But you guys have also lost a couple of players and haven't added the ones you really want (ie Carter).. Like many here have said, it's still early and FA is only part of it..

Keep in mind that Joe has only had 2 seasons since coming back from an 11-year hiatus. 2nd round of the playoffs is not bad for your 2nd year back.. It's hard to argue that the FA signings we've made are not going to help us maintain, if not exceed last year's result..

[Paladin]

I don't think it is hard to argue at all.

[rubaiyat]

I do believe we went to the 2nd round of the playoffs last season.. I guess guys like linebacker Marcus Washington, cornerback Shawn Springs, defensive tackle Cornelius Griffin and defensive end Phillip Daniels DIDN'T help us get there then.. Not to mention the trades that brought us Portis and Moss.. Oh! And there were the draft picks of Cooley and STaylor thrown in for good measure.. Gibbs had clearly "lost it" when he switched from Ramsey to Brunell..

Then again... Maybe Joe does know what he is doing.. :wiggle:

P.S. It seems we've been is this alleged "Cap Jail" ever since Snyder bought the team.. I wonder when we're actually going to get "punished"? :thanku:


The cap went up almost 20 million from the year before. THAT is what saved you from cap hell.

[Kaylore]

The Redskins may be overpaying, but they are going to have a hell of a team next year.
Not necessarily. It takes awhile to integrate yourself into a system before you can really play to your potential and throwing a lot of money at players doesn immunize yourself against another team getting hot or injuries. Look at what the White Sox did and what the Red Sox and Yankees didn't do.. I believe in Karma. :)

[Edskins_RVA]

I don't think it is hard to argue at all.
Well that certainly was a good point! :thumbs:

[Crowpointer]

Not necessarily. It takes awhile to integrate yourself into a system before you can really play to your potential and throwing a lot of money at players doesn immunize yourself against another team getting hot or injuries. Look at what the White Sox did and what the Red Sox and Yankees didn't do.. I believe in Karma. :)
Easy on the Red Sox Khan they (like the Pats ) are only one year removed from being World Champs.

[Crowpointer]

Yeah and those two bastards were old as hell and past their prime. We just signed guys who are young and on the rise. They'll improve the team in the areas we needed most: wide receiver and defensive help (Carter & Archuletta).

It's fine to piss on the Skins for their big spending. But it's also well-known that the Broncos join us in the top ten for the NFL's highest payrolls every year.

Our signings help the team. We played you last year, remember? Did Brunell have anyone to throw to besides Moss and our TE, Cooley? Nope. Patten blew.
Patten was on the bubble for a while (before making the Pats)the year before he signed with you. Your goof. The Players that sign the first week represent the overpaid/worst value in the free agent market. You need a "middle class" of players on your roster. You can't do that by overpaying the first week of free agency, you have no money left to sign bargain players.

[orinjkrush]

i think its pretty much an empirical truth: there is little if any correlation between salary and performance. the real truth is can you judge talent and character? i think joe gibbs has shown that he can. shanny a little less so.

[Kaylore]

Easy on the Red Sox Khan they (like the Pats ) are only one year removed from being World Champs. And how many championships did they win before that? They were the second richest franchise for a long time before 2004.

You do need to be willing to spend money to build a successful team, but you can't "buy" yourself a championship.

Also the Patriots built almost all their core players through the draft, as did the Steelers, so that example just makes my point.

[eddie mac]

Maybe the Redskins did pay a bit over the top for these players but it was the market that set the prices. They've decided to bite the bullet down the road and go for it all now and props to them and to be totally honest apart from Randle El I'd have been over the moon to land any of the other 3 and IMO each one of Lloyd, Carter and Archuleta would've enhanced our Superbowl chances.

You can sit on the fence and wait until the prices drop and hope you have an excellent draft, we'll see which strategy pans out better come the end of January 2007.

[RedskinBronco]

Maybe the Redskins did pay a bit over the top for these players but it was the market that set the prices. They've decided to bite the bullet down the road and go for it all now and props to them and to be totally honest apart from Randle El I'd have been over the moon to land any of the other 3 and IMO each one of Lloyd, Carter and Archuleta would've enhanced our Superbowl chances.

You can sit on the fence and wait until the prices drop and hope you have an excellent draft, we'll see which strategy pans out better come the end of January 2007.


good post. I think redskins management is certainly a lot smarter than before. All these guys are young and getting into that "prime of their careers" stage. We'll see if they fit well together. I can't fault Snyder this time around. These are all young, solid players unlike D. Sanders, B. Smith, Carrier, etc...

Springs, Griffin, Daniels were all 2004 additions. I expect these guys to have the same or even more of an impact than that FA class for the skins. The skins don't care about the draft. We'll see if this approach works.

What is bothersome about the Broncos is that they could seriously drop off if they don't add a couple of pieces. Like eddie mac said, we'll see come January 2007. I will say this though...right now I would put my money on the skins to have the better year. The Broncos have to add a couple of pieces and do it fast, before everyone is gone.

[eddie mac]

good post. I think redskins management is certainly a lot smarter than before. All these guys are young and getting into that "prime of their careers" stage. We'll see if they fit well together. I can't fault Snyder this time around. These are all young, solid players unlike D. Sanders, B. Smith, Carrier, etc...

Springs, Griffin, Daniels were all 2004 additions. I expect these guys to have the same or even more of an impact than that FA class for the skins. The skins don't care about the draft. We'll see if this approach works.

What is bothersome about the Broncos is that they could seriously drop off if they don't add a couple of pieces. Like eddie mac said, we'll see come January 2007. I will say this though...right now I would put my money on the skins to have the better year. The Broncos have to add a couple of pieces and do it fast, before everyone is gone.

Looks like the last DE option will be off the board as well soon. The Falcons are preparing a contract offer for Abraham.

[Atlas]

Yeah and those two bastards were old as hell and past their prime. We just signed guys who are young and on the rise. They'll improve the team in the areas we needed most: wide receiver and defensive help (Carter & Archuletta).

.

Archuletta is overrated and what exactly has Carter ever done to get $6 mil a year???

[Drek]

And how many championships did they win before that? They were the second richest franchise for a long time before 2004.

Sorry, thats a common misconception. Up until the late 90's the Sox were one of the highest revenue teams, yes, but not nearly as much of that got turned back into the team as it does now. For a long time the Yankees, Blue Jays, and Orioles all out spent the Red Sox.

The concept of "big money markets" and "small money markets" is a misrepresented aspect of baseball. Many teams have been payroll leaders at some point in their franchise history, but for whatever reasons, change in ownership, waning fanbases through bad product, etc., they lost their financial power. The Red Sox and the Yankees might seem like they're these big money "buy 'em all" teams but if you look at the rosters they were winning with up until the mid 90's the star players always came from the farm system, just like any other team, where they showed a better eye for developmental talent than many other teams.

Regardless, it clearly states in the original article what the 'skins strategy is. They sign new FAs to backloaded deals, renegotiate their current veterans who're just hitting the fat part of their own previously backloaded deals, and in doing keep pushing the money back. Its similar to what the 49ers did in the early 90's when they were pushing for Young's SB, and lead to their big drop off. The real difference is that the 49ers purged the roster and had a change of ownership to one much more tight fisted (and less football savy) than their predecessors. I don't see Snyder going down that road, so he's free to keep spending, putting off the salary of today's players for tommorow. He'll be fine as long as the cap keeps moving up, but like we saw this year, any type of major labor problem that freezes the cap low for a year will cause some real problems.

Personally, I think Snyder has something of a plan regarding FA. As long as the CBA calls for a high percentage of revenue to go to a player cap he can spend away betting on annual increases in cap room to get near the cap number. Then veteran restructures get him under with room to sign new FAs to backloaded deals. Any CBA problems that stall cap increases will result in veterans restructuring just to get them under the cap, with few FAs signed. The season following is when those restructures would come to haunt them, but said season in reality would almost definately be uncapped, a strike, or a lockout. Any eventuality gives Snyder his out.

The only thing that is really ever going to chap Snyder's ass is if a new CBA is negotiated in a few years were the owners really step on the players throats and keep the cap from climbing. Since Snyder is an owner of a big time franchise thought that eventuality is somewhat under his influence. I just wonder how good he's going to feel in a few months, having just signed a ton of FA and veteran bonus money checks, when the NFL comes calling for revenue sharing, which Snyder will be writting the fattest check for.

[eddie mac]

Archuletta is overrated and what exactly has Carter ever done to get $6 mil a year???

Atlas, the CBA extension raised the market value of those players by giving teams more money to work with, they were 2 of the best players available at their positions. Does a team sign them as FA with no compensation but the cap hit/financial package, do you give up a draft choice and get a similar player who'll want the same deal, or do you stand pat with your current DE's and hope a draft pick is the answer you're looking for??? Tough call for any GM and it looks like Shanny has gone with the latter, as I said previously we'll know how it's worked out at the end of this season but IMO they've made a huge mistake in standing pat.

[SkinRamon]

Patten was on the bubble for a while (before making the Pats)the year before he signed with you. Your goof. The Players that sign the first week represent the overpaid/worst value in the free agent market. You need a "middle class" of players on your roster. You can't do that by overpaying the first week of free agency, you have no money left to sign bargain players.
Aside from the 5 or 6 Redskins that everyone knows about (Portis, Moss, Brunell, Springs, etc.) I think the majority rest of the guys on our team are blue-collar, or "middle class players", like Derrick Dockery, Ade Jimoh, Cedric Killings, Mike Sellers, Ladell Betts, Lemar Marshall, or TE Chris Cooley (former 3rd round pick), and others. We've got plenty of them already -- whoever we sign next is for depth.

And on the subject of overpaying --- it's overpaying if these signings make the team worse. If we win more games this year and put a better team on the field and win our division--- the price was just right. We've overpaid in the past, like you said, with Sanders and Bruce Smith, but when I compare those signings to the ones now I see no real parallel. You overpaid for Daryl Gardener in 2003. That's an example of overpaying.

In the end, like I said, the Denver Broncos and Washington Redskins will always be in the Top 10 for biggest payrolls. It's not like you guys spend SO MUCH LESS than us. You are not the Cardinals.

And that's a good thing.:)

[Crowpointer]

Aside from the 5 or 6 Redskins that everyone knows about (Portis, Moss, Brunell, Springs, etc.) I think the majority rest of the guys on our team are blue-collar, or "middle class players", like Derrick Dockery, Ade Jimoh, Cedric Killings, Mike Sellers, Ladell Betts, Lemar Marshall, or TE Chris Cooley (former 3rd round pick), and others. We've got plenty of them already -- whoever we sign next is for depth.

And on the subject of overpaying --- it's overpaying if these signings make the team worse. If we win more games this year and put a better team on the field and win our division--- the price was just right. We've overpaid in the past, like you said, with Sanders and Bruce Smith, but when I compare those signings to the ones now I see no real parallel. You overpaid for Daryl Gardener in 2003. That's an example of overpaying.

In the end, like I said, the Denver Broncos and Washington Redskins will always be in the Top 10 for biggest payrolls. It's not like you guys spend SO MUCH LESS than us. You are not the Cardinals.

And that's a good thing.:)
FYI I am a Patriots fan (I joined up on this site last October by invitation at the Patriots Broncos game in Denver) The Patriots way of doing things is to wait. We will spend up to the cap like you but we try to shore up our middle class guys but not overpaying the first week of free agency. It looks like Denver is taking the same approach.

[SkinRamon]

FYI I am a Patriots fan (I joined up on this site last October by invitation at the Patriots Broncos game in Denver) The Patriots way of doing things is to wait. We will spend up to the cap like you but we try to shore up our middle class guys but not overpaying the first week of free agency. It looks like Denver is taking the same approach.
PATS fan?

Yeah thanks for Patten you jerks!!! ;)

[Crowpointer]

And how many championships did they win before that? They were the second richest franchise for a long time before 2004.

You do need to be willing to spend money to build a successful team, but you can't "buy" yourself a championship.

Also the Patriots built almost all their core players through the draft, as did the Steelers, so that example just makes my point.
I would never pretend to be an expert on how the Broncos have had success as an organization. I leave that to the guys who live and breathe the Broncos. On the same hand don't you think it is ridiculous for you to tell me how the Patriots built their team. There is an excellent called Patriot Reign (written by former Boston globe writer Michael Holley) that you can read that gives an excellent account of how the Pats are run. He basically lived with the team for a year with access to all meetings ect.. If you read this book then maybe we can have a discussion on the Pats. As far as the Sox goes yes it took them 86 years to win another championship but has any team year in and year out given the fans their moneys worth of entertainment like the Red Sox. Playing against the Yankees every year( the most successful franchise in sports history) didn't help the Sox on the trophy front but go to a game at Fenway and tell me they are not doing it right.