Denver 2014 Salary Cap and Free Agents

[fontaine]

A few of us have wondered if we're going to have space under the '14 Cap to re-sign our key Free Agents.

Well, here's what I can see so far (please contribute your info or correct mine below).

2014:
About 40 players under contract
Salary Cap of these contracts: --> $112 Million
Dead Money --------------------> $1.1 Million
Practice Squad + Draft Cap ------> $5.5 Million

Total Cap Charge ~ $119 Million (roughly rounding up).

League wide Cap ~ $125 Million (Anticipated).

------2014 Denver Broncos Cap Space (so far) ~ $6 million------

So that's 6 mill free to resign some of our key free agents. Not much right?

Well, this is where we can free up a lot of space fairly easily.

2014 Cap Charges:
Champ Bailey $10 million (no dead money)
Chris Kuper $6 million (off the books as he signed a new 1 year deal for '13)
Jacob Tamme $3.8 million (833K is dead money if he's cut)
Joel Dressen $3.3 million (833K is dead if he's cut)

I think we keep Tamme (for insurance in case we can't resign Decker). So that means we'll have an additional ~ $19 million by cutting Champ, Kuper is already off the books for '14, and Dressen.

------2014 Denver Broncos Cap Space (with cuts) ~ $25 million------

Also we can add an estimated rollover of $8-9 million from the 2013 season. We were under $10million this season before signing Justice, extending Ramirez/Clark.


---2014 Denver Broncos Cap Space (with '13 rollover) ~ $33 million---


So that's $33 million? Now we can obviously resign Champ (my opinion is for him to play as Free Safety where he can use his experience/play recognition). Typically the FO keeps around $10-12 million in cap space unused for injuries, and rollover. So conservatively we have $20 million and that should be enough money to sign:

Decker
Ayers
Woodyard
DRC

- I think Ayers/Wood will be easy to resign. Both guys were drafted and developed here. MLBs don't break the bank and Ayers is a good complimentary pass rusher but not an elite one. DRC is a priority with Champ aging and Tony Carter/Bolden not paning out. Decker, IMO is going to be the hardest to resign because he'll most likely want to test Free Agency as he'll be the premier FA WR out there.

*All the info above was gathered using spotrac.com

[fontaine]

The FO really has done a great job of drafting the last few years that highlights how much easier it is to manage cap/contracts when you're 2/3rd day draft picks are contributing.

For example take Trevathan. He's a decent starting WLB in our team. His cap charge for this year is a ridiculously low ~ $500K. Rookie minimum plus a tiny signing bonus.

His backup, Paris Lenon has a cap charge 3 times that at $1.5million because he's a veteran and years accrued in this league raise your basic yearly salary. So even going to 2nd/3rd tier veteran in FA is always more expensive compared to your own draft.

Same with guys like Thomas/Green compared to Dressen/Tamme and so on.

[mennonite]

Why does everyone seem so sure that Champ can play safety?

[Punisher]

Why does everyone seem so sure that Champ can play safety?

because he can't play CB anymore

[fontaine]

Why does everyone seem so sure that Champ can play safety?

Because Rahim Moore/Ihenacho can't.

Champ routinely reads plays, reads the QB, tracks the ball in the air like a WR and has enough closing speed and technique to break up passes in flight.

Both our safeties don't react to the pass in time.

[BroncoMan4ever]

Because Rahim Moore/Ihenacho can't.

Champ routinely reads plays, reads the QB, tracks the ball in the air like a WR and has enough closing speed and technique to break up passes in flight.

Both our safeties don't react to the pass in time.

In fairness to Ihenacho he hasn't really been used as that center field pass defender. He has been the guy in the box acting as a 4th LB more than a Safety.

[BroncoMan4ever]

The FO really has done a great job of drafting the last few years that highlights how much easier it is to manage cap/contracts when you're 2/3rd day draft picks are contributing.

For example take Trevathan. He's a decent starting WLB in our team. His cap charge for this year is a ridiculously low ~ $500K. Rookie minimum plus a tiny signing bonus.

His backup, Paris Lenon has a cap charge 3 times that at $1.5million because he's a veteran and years accrued in this league raise your basic yearly salary. So even going to 2nd/3rd tier veteran in FA is always more expensive compared to your own draft.

Same with guys like Thomas/Green compared to Dressen/Tamme and so on.

I can see us trading Dreessen and or Tamme next offseason. Why pay them almost 4 million apiece to ride pine and play ST? Green is a good blocking TE and has versatility to line up at FB occasionally. The team will work with Juice on blocking for sure until he is at least a marginal blocker and not a liability. Also the team has moved Gerel Robinson to TE. We have 2 starters and a decent depth guy.

A team like Atlanta would want a TE since it is doubtful Gonzalez returns. Get a couple mid round (probably 3rd) picks for these guys and use the extra draft ammo to go after a playmaking Safety, DT, DE or OL depth.

[NFLBRONCO]

I can see us trading Dreessen and or Tamme next offseason. Why pay them almost 4 million apiece to ride pine and play ST? Green is a good blocking TE and has versatility to line up at FB occasionally. The team will work with Juice on blocking for sure until he is at least a marginal blocker and not a liability. Also the team has moved Gerel Robinson to TE. We have 2 starters and a decent depth guy.

A team like Atlanta would want a TE since it is doubtful Gonzalez returns. Get a couple mid round (probably 3rd) picks for these guys and use the extra draft ammo to go after a playmaking Safety, DT, DE or OL depth.

try a 7th round pick for these guys. A 3rd lol

[errand]

Why does everyone seem so sure that Champ can play safety?

Because several former great CB's have turned into very good to great S's like Woodson (both Rod and Charles)

[BroncoMan4ever]

try a 7th round pick for these guys. A 3rd lol

Tamme is a very good pass catcher. And in terms of money isn't making a lot. Dreessen is a good all around TE. Also Dante Rosario got traded for a 7th. Both guys are better than Rosario

[lolcopter]

Tamme is a very good pass catcher. And in terms of money isn't making a lot. Dreessen is a good all around TE. Also Dante Rosario got traded for a 7th. Both guys are better than Rosario

still not getting a 3rd for either of those guys, no friggin' way

[Broncos_OTM]

I was just reading that Michael Johnson maybe becoming a free agent.. I think it might be worth it to risk picking him up. He's proven and ready to go(Neil Smith to a lesser degree.) Possibly leaving us the chance to take a CB or S with our top pick even perhaps a lineman.

[fontaine]

In fairness to Ihenacho he hasn't really been used as that center field pass defender. He has been the guy in the box acting as a 4th LB more than a Safety.

And there's a reason for that. Coaches won't tell you this player sucks or is average in coverage but they'll tell you how they view a player by how they play him.

Last year Moore was playing more of a run support role and Adams as the over the top deep safety. This year Ihenacho is playing the in the box, run support type safety because they either don't trust him enough in coverage or he hasn't shown he can do that.

[fontaine]

I can see us trading Dreessen and or Tamme next offseason. Why pay them almost 4 million apiece to ride pine and play ST? Green is a good blocking TE and has versatility to line up at FB occasionally. The team will work with Juice on blocking for sure until he is at least a marginal blocker and not a liability. Also the team has moved Gerel Robinson to TE. We have 2 starters and a decent depth guy.

A team like Atlanta would want a TE since it is doubtful Gonzalez returns. Get a couple mid round (probably 3rd) picks for these guys and use the extra draft ammo to go after a playmaking Safety, DT, DE or OL depth.

Not likely. There will be a large number to FA TEs next year so why trade for a guy when you could have a similar player as a FA?

I think we keep Tamme. With Decker's situation a question mark we can shift our offense to a more 12 formation look if Decker can't be resigned with Julius Thomas and Tamme.

[baja]

Who needs a TE now? We should trade one of the two for a pick, at least a 4th.

When is the trade deadline, the 29th?