2006 Point & Laugh at the taterskins thread

[Catapult]

One guy feels sorry for Skins fans.  The other thinks they need help.

Guess which is which.

[qwert246]

See, he's pointing, but not so much laughing.  More of a smug pointing.

[SD_Eagle5]

Spin this one douchebags  I actually found a rational Skins fan, they should embrace him. 

Cap Hell 

Tandler's taterskins Blog Ver. 02.20.06--The taterskins gambled when they signed some of their key players over the past few years. They may be on the verge of losing that gamble and the team could have a decidedly different look in 2006.


You can reach Rich Tandler by email at WarpathInsiders@comcast.net

Over the weekend, two almost identical articles by Pete Prisco of CBS Sportsline and Len Pasquarelli of ESPN.com came to almost identical conclusions in regards to the taterskins salary cap situation. They both claimed to have talked to a trio of cap experts from various places and these experts told them that the taterskins were in a cap situation that was so untenable that they may be forced to make drastic cuts to get under the cap. The taterskins, they say, may be forced to play the 2006 season with 15-20 rookies making the minimum in order to get in compliance with the cap rules. There would have to be an unprecedented bloodbath in regards to the roster.

As those two writers are notorious for their frequent anti-taterskins biases, their pieces were immediately met with derision from all around taterskins nation. "There they go again," was the common refrain.

Well, this observer, accused of being a homer far more often than he's called anti-taterskins, is here to tell you that, as painful as it may be to say it, what Pete and Lenny said is by and large true. If there is not extension of the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) before the free agency period begins on March 3, the taterskins will officially take up residence in the dreaded cap hell. The taterskins took a gamble and, as of right now, it looks as though they may well lose it.
The gamble they took was to insert roster bonuses into the contracts signed by Marcus Washington, Clinton Portis, and others. Since these bonuses are not guaranteed, they all count towards the 2006 salary cap, pushing it up to a number that is some $20 million over the limit, which will likely come in at $95 million.

The taterskins had to structure those deals in that way in order to make them acceptable under the current collective bargaining agreement between the NFL and the NFL Players Association. The gamble that they took was that the CBA would be extended and revised before the '06 free agency season began. That would allow them to guarantee the roster bonuses for those players, meaning that they could spread out the impact over the life of the contract. That would, for example, lower Shawn Springs' cap number by some $2.3 million, Portis' by $2.25 million. The cap savings by this accounting procedure would total $15 million. The rest of the overage could easily be handled by cutting some fringe players and restructuring some other contracts.

It was a reasonable gamble at the time the contracts were drawn up. The NFL and the NFLPA have never before gone to the brink of an uncapped year, which is what 2007 would be under the current CBA, before extending the agreement. However, we find ourselves about 10 days before free agency starts and a CBA extension does not appear to be imminent. In Sunday's Washington Post an NFLPA representative said that the chances of reaching a deal were not very good. That doesn't mean that it can't happen or won't happen. It means that every minute that passes without a new agreement pushes the taterskins a minute closer to entering cap hell.

Without a CBA extension the taterskins will need some very creative measures, some very painful decisions and/or some unprecedented cooperation by many players to get under the cap. There will be an article here Tuesday on WarpathInsiders.com that will look at some creative options. Right now, though, let's focus on the latter two.

One of the problems with cutting players is that with the contracts structured as they are and the fact that most of the contracts are pretty new, there isn't much money to be saved in releasing a lot of players with big camp numbers. For example, LaVar Arrington counts about $12 million towards the '06 cap, but releasing him would result in a slightly higher cap charge than that because of uncharged money already paid to him. It's like being upside down on a car loan, when the car is worth less than the payoff amount. Cutting Arrington would the put taterskins further away from the goal of being able to get under the cap. The same is true of such players who might be considered expendable in a crisis such as Mark Brunell and Davis Patten.
Now, to be sure, there are players that the team could release that actually could save money. Some of these players are ones that the taterskins would rather not cut such as Marcus Washington, Ladell Betts, Jon Jansen and Joe Salave'a. However, the taterskins could cut those four plus Taylor Jacobs, Renaldo Wynn, Pierson Prioleau, Phillip Daniels, James Thrash, Cory Raymer, John Hall, Patrick Ramsey, Walt Harris, and Matt Bowen and still be about $8 million shy of being able to make it under the cap.

To realize the maximum cap savings, which are obviously necessary, these players would have to be replaced with rookies earning the minimum salary. Thus the "15-20 rookies" alluded to by Prisco and Pasquerelli.

The taterskins will not release all of the players on the list above. To make up the difference and to clear the remaining cap space they will have to restructure some contracts and, in the process, ask some players to give back real money.

This doesn't happen very often. Usually when you hear about a player redoing his contract to help the team create cap room he doesn't give up a dime. It's usually just a matter of deferring something or guaranteeing all or part of a salary to spread out the cap hit. The player is not, as many believe, "taking one for the team" when he cooperates in such restructurings.

But it appears that if the taterskins are going to be able to scrape under the cap without losing some key players in the prime of their careers some players are going to have to take a pay cut, plain and simple. And if they don't, well, the taterskins will enter another level of hell altogether.
Again, more on that in an article here on Tuesday. The point here is to tell you that, without a CBA extension, Chicken Little (and Pete and Lenny) will be right. The sky will be falling. A whole slew of players that have been solid contributors will be gone. There will be so many young players on the roster that the team mascot will have to be changed to Barney. The taterskins won't be able to afford any free agents; heck, they won't be able to afford cab fare for a free agent from Dulles to taterskins Park.

There is the possibility that a CBA extension will get done and none of this will have to happen. It's very difficult to assess the chances of that happening; it may not look good now but a breakthrough in the negotiations could occur at any time. But if it doesn't, well, things will get ugly. If you're a taterskins fan, keep your fingers crossed, hang a horseshoe in a appropriate spot, be on the lookout for four-leaf clovers, or whatever you do to try to bring on good luck. This isn't typical media anti-taterskins spin.

It's the real thing.

[Wingspan]

good thing saunders will be there guiding 10 players cut from temple.

[Feva]

I think March 7th would be a pretty good day to get the new CBA done.   

[Wingspan]

what actually happens if a team is over the cap?

[PhillyPhanInDC]

Salary Cap FAQ

So...what happens if a team goes over the Salary Cap?
 
Answer:  The short answer is simply that NO team CAN go over the Salary Cap.  Note that every contract must go through the NFL League Office before the deal can be made official.  Presumably, one of the things the league must do at this time is determine whether or not the contract would violate the NFL's Salary Cap.  If the deal does violate the cap, then the NFL will reject it.
There have been instances in which a team has managed to sneak a cap evading contract by the league.  Upon further review, the violations were caught by the league and the respective teams were penalized.  Penalties include fines and/or forfeiture of draft picks.  In recent history both the Pittsburgh Steelers and San Francisco 49ers have been penalized draft picks, while the 49ers' front office personnel (Carmen Policy and Dwight Clark) were also fined. 

[SD_Eagle5]

Penalties include fines and/or forfeiture of draft picks

Well Skins fans can take solace in the fact that the league can't go after this years 1st.

[MDS]

Jason Campell was totally worth it.

[PhillyPhanInDC]

Especially when you consider who he'll have to work with. Who will they be able to sign? At this point gettng a deal done with a second round rook might be difficult. 

Where will they trim the fat? No one on that team is going to (or is really in a position to) take a pay cut.

Think of it: Santana Moss just had the best season in his career, off the charts, "Hey Santana, want to restructure you contract? C'mon!" Marc Brunnel is old and pretty much done, last contract of his career, "Hey Marc, want to take a pay cut? No, honest, we won't cut you like it was cool once Campbell starts..." And finally, to Jason Campbell, "Hey kid, you excited about your future here with the taterskins?"

Ha.

Pointing and laughing.

[Wingspan]

Salary Cap FAQ

So...what happens if a team goes over the Salary Cap?
 
Answer:  The short answer is simply that NO team CAN go over the Salary Cap.  Note that every contract must go through the NFL League Office before the deal can be made official.  Presumably, one of the things the league must do at this time is determine whether or not the contract would violate the NFL's Salary Cap.  If the deal does violate the cap, then the NFL will reject it.
There have been instances in which a team has managed to sneak a cap evading contract by the league.  Upon further review, the violations were caught by the league and the respective teams were penalized.  Penalties include fines and/or forfeiture of draft picks.  In recent history both the Pittsburgh Steelers and San Francisco 49ers have been penalized draft picks, while the 49ers' front office personnel (Carmen Policy and Dwight Clark) were also fined. 

so then any team going over the cap can be blamed on the NFL then? i mean if the NFL is checking the contract, i am assuming they only check the current year? you would think they would check a few years down the road.

[rjs246]

Spin this one douchebags I actually found a rational Skins fan, they should embrace him.

Cap Hell

Lots of stuff that gives rjs massive, taterskins-hate-fueled boners.

Massive boners.

[Larry]

What's really funny is that the taterskin writer is basing his calculations on the best case scenario. 

What if the underpaid mercenaries like Moss, Cooley, and Sean Taylor ask for raises?   the taterskin cap mess has given them more leverage.

[PhillyPhanInDC]

What's really funny is that the taterskin writer is basing his calculations on the best case scenario. 

What if the underpaid mercenaries like Moss, Cooley, and Sean Taylor ask for raises?   the taterskin cap mess has given them more leverage.

Don't forget Sean Taylor's little episode last season. Think that dude cares if he plays for Gibbs and Co.? That should be fun to watch. Moss got a 6 Year/$31 Million deal, a good but contract. Will he see it as "Elite" type pay? That should be interesting.

Flashbacks are fun:

With a Deal In Tow, Moss Finally Joins The taterskins

By Nunyo Demasio
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, May 6, 2005; Page D01


Wide receiver Santana Moss participated in his first workout at taterskins Park yesterday after signing a six-year, $31 million contract extension. Although voluntary workouts started March 21, Moss stayed away because of his contract. In yesterday's 90-minute workout, with Moss and his new teammates in T-shirts and shorts, it didn't take long for Moss to display the explosiveness that elicited his new deal.

"He's quicker than lightning. That boy's quicker than a hiccup," cornerback Shawn Springs said afterward. "He's blazing fast."

Moss's stamina was on par with his teammates because the former Miami Hurricane had been working out regularly at the University of Miami, which is renowned for its offseason workouts among alumni. Still, Moss was unfamiliar with Coach Joe Gibbs's offense and starting quarterback Patrick Ramsey.

Moss "was thinking a lot but I saw him make a couple diving catches," said tailback Clinton Portis, another former Hurricane. "He's going to fit into this system. I knew he was in top-notch shape."

At yesterday's news conference to announce Moss's contract, Gibbs said that in the weeks leading to the draft, he checked on Moss whenever he ran into ex-Hurricanes.

"They'd say, 'Hey look, that guy is working himself silly down there,' " Gibbs said. "So I felt good about that. It was good for us, though, to get him in here so we could start working with the quarterbacks."

Moss, acquired in a trade earlier this offseason with the New York Jets for wide receiver Laveranues Coles, said he had been staying away from taterskins Park on the advice of agent Drew Rosenhaus. Moss said he was so anxious about being at taterskins Park that he even prodded Rosenhaus to make a deal and end his unofficial holdout: "It [the holdout] was real awkward. I wish we didn't have to go that route, but it's behind us."

Moss had been scheduled to become a free agent after this season when he was scheduled to make $540,000.

Moss's contract all but officially makes him Washington's top wide receiver. The extension could be voided after five years if Moss plays at least 45 percent of the offensive snaps in any year between 2006 and 2010. Thus, the deal likely will end up worth $26.5 million over five years. The first two years are structured to give Moss the equivalent of guarantees worth $11 million.
Moss's contract is richer than deals signed this offseason by other wide receivers such as Oakland's Jerry Porter (five years, $21 million, including $7 million guaranteed) and Plaxico Burress, who signed for six years and $25 million with the New York Giants, with $8.25 million guaranteed. But Moss's contract stops just short of the one signed by Pro Bowler Muhsin Muhammad, who signed a six-year, $30-million deal with the Chicago Bears, including $12 million in guarantees.

"We wanted to get [Moss] locked for the long term," said taterskins Vice President Vinny Cerrato. "That's better than going through free agency when the money probably gets a lot higher."

Washington's wideouts last season averaged only 11.5 yards per catch and collected six touchdowns overall. Moss's career averages of 16 yards per catch and one touchdown every 7.9 receptions are among the NFL's best.

Rosenhaus and his brother, Jason, also represent second-year safety Sean Taylor, who has missed voluntary workouts over concerns about his rookie contract. Moss said that he saw Taylor, another ex-Hurricane, working out once at the University of Miami. But Moss believes that Taylor works out regularly on his own. "When I do see him, it's around UM," Moss said.

At yesterday's news conference, Jason Rosenhaus declined to comment on Taylor's contract. Said Gibbs: "We just had some real good talks. I think I got a little information and everything from Drew and we'll just see what happens."

But Gibbs added: "The biggest thing there is [Taylor] has a contract."

[Feva]

Jason Campell was totally worth it.

Crazy thing is most of those nutjobs really believe that.