Could Cards sign Cousins to Back Loaded Contract

[az jam]

I'm not a cap expert like some on the board. But how about signing Cousins to a contract that doesn't give them a big hit in 2018 so they have some money to be active on getting some players in free agency. In 2019 both Fitz and Palmers salaries should be off the books and the would free up cap space. They could also drop Iupati and Honey Badger this year to free up more money. Baker can replace TM and Iupati didn't contribute much in 2017.
Just wondering. I don't want the Cards to be in cap hell by signing Cousins.

 

[juza76]

No way we have one of the best qb class ahead of us

 

[HoodieBets]

No way we have one of the best qb class ahead of us

Not at 15 there isn’t. I don’t want the 4th QB off the board


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Harry]

The problem is that type of contract handcuffs you in the future. DJ is going up in costs. They’ll likely sign FAs who will do the same. Also to make Cousins accept that you’d have to guarantee the delayed dollars. Not good if he fails. I’d rather take a cheap bridge, try to trade for Rivers or sign Stafford if he’s released.

 

[oaken1]

The problem is that type of contract handcuffs you in the future. DJ is going up in costs. They’ll likely sign FAs who will do the same. Also to make Cousins accept that you’d have to guarantee the delayed dollars. Not good if he fails. I’d rather take a cheap bridge, try to trade for Rivers or sign Stafford if he’s released.

are there whispers in your circle that stafford might come available? I havent heard anything.

 

[unseenaz]

are there whispers in your circle that stafford might come available? I havent heard anything.

just signed a huge contract. he goin no where

 

[oaken1]

I'm not a cap expert like some on the board. But how about signing Cousins to a contract that doesn't give them a big hit in 2018 so they have some money to be active on getting some players in free agency. In 2019 both Fitz and Palmers salaries should be off the books and the would free up cap space. They could also drop Iupati and Honey Badger this year to free up more money. Baker can replace TM and Iupati didn't contribute much in 2017.
Just wondering. I don't want the Cards to be in cap hell by signing Cousins.

Its possible. you make his 2018 salary something like $1mil then over the next four years have his salary jump to $15mil, then throw in a $60mil signing bonus... makes his cap hit $13mil in 2018, then $27mil in each of the next four years. That would be 5 years at $121mil ... it could be made more attractive by guaranteeing some of the salary each year.

as Harry said,..if he fails or gets injured we would be screwed because we would have between 15-20mil in dead money every year of the contract.

They could mitigate it somewhat by adding a roster bonus next year of 10-15mil...since we have lots of cap space next year... but there really is no way to do it to protect the team if he does not produce... huge gamble... less risk for the team to trade away an extra first round pick

 

[oaken1]

just signed a huge contract. he goin no where

thats what I thought also...just signed the biggest contract in history didnt he?

 

[DevonCardsFan]

The more likely guys are Tyrod Taylor; Dalton; Cutler; There will be a vet that can be had for trade;as a bridge QB

The problem is that type of contract handcuffs you in the future. DJ is going up in costs. They’ll likely sign FAs who will do the same. Also to make Cousins accept that you’d have to guarantee the delayed dollars. Not good if he fails. I’d rather take a cheap bridge, try to trade for Rivers or sign Stafford if he’s released.

 

[POISON]

The more likely guys are Tyrod Taylor; Dalton; Cutler; There will be a vet that can be had for trade;as a bridge QB

Those are awful bridges, I'd take a rookie before that mess.

 

[unseenaz]

Those are awful bridges, I'd take a rookie before that mess.

Tyrod Taylor could be good under the right circumstances, Dalton even more so.

 

[DevonCardsFan]

Those are awful bridges, I'd take a rookie before that mess.

No as bridge for a rookie QB; there going to have to add a vet too

 

[Cheesebeef]

Those are awful bridges, I'd take a rookie before that mess.

Can’t Expect a good bridge AND a rookie because a good bridge is still gonna cost a grip of cash and we wouldn’t do that with the expectation that he might only be starting for a year u til the room takes over... probably less than a year also.

 

[oaken1]

Can’t Expect a good bridge AND a rookie because a good bridge is still gonna cost a grip of cash and we wouldn’t do that with the expectation that he might only be starting for a year u til the room takes over... probably less than a year also.

yup.
my thoughts are we go into the season planning on the rook to start... but maybe give the first couple weeks to the vet if the rook is not quite ready.

 

[cardncubfan]

We need more than 1 QB. Need at least 3 for camp.

 

[cardpa]

I'm not a cap expert like some on the board. But how about signing Cousins to a contract that doesn't give them a big hit in 2018 so they have some money to be active on getting some players in free agency. In 2019 both Fitz and Palmers salaries should be off the books and the would free up cap space. They could also drop Iupati and Honey Badger this year to free up more money. Baker can replace TM and Iupati didn't contribute much in 2017.
Just wondering. I don't want the Cards to be in cap hell by signing Cousins.

Unless I'm wrong and someone please correct if I am, but doesn't Palmer's just drop off the books since he retired? I don't see how the team would still have to carry him on the books since he announced his retirement. Isn't the balance of his contract wiped out? Same for Fitz if he retired.

 

[Jetstream Green]

The most sense really is just draft your guy and just start the kid who will be in a advantageous position of having a coaching staff which will adapt an offensive style around him day one

 

[WildBB]

Cousins won't accept that. He wants the guaranteed $$ up front, and he'll get a boat load of it.

 

[JeffGollin]

Its possible. you make his 2018 salary something like $1mil then over the next four years have his salary jump to $15mil, then throw in a $60mil signing bonus... makes his cap hit $13mil in 2018, then $27mil in each of the next four years. That would be 5 years at $121mil ... it could be made more attractive by guaranteeing some of the salary each year.

as Harry said,..if he fails or gets injured we would be screwed because we would have between 15-20mil in dead money every year of the contract.

They could mitigate it somewhat by adding a roster bonus next year of 10-15mil...since we have lots of cap space next year... but there really is no way to do it to protect the team if he does not produce... huge gamble... less risk for the team to trade away an extra first round pick

If he fails or gets injured: Change "If" to "When."

 

[NJCardFan]

Those are awful bridges, I'd take a rookie before that mess.

I would scoff at Dalton. He wouldn't be my first choice but we could do worse.

 

[az jam]

Unless I'm wrong and someone please correct if I am, but doesn't Palmer's just drop off the books since he retired? I don't see how the team would still have to carry him on the books since he announced his retirement. Isn't the balance of his contract wiped out? Same for Fitz if he retired.

I believe we have $6.6 million in dead cap money this year for Palmer. Even a person retires we still have to cover the dead money the was paid in the past to the player that was never on the books for that year. It was spread over multiple years.

 

[GatorAZ]

I'd rather frontload it if it means cutting Veldheer, Mathieu, AP and Dawson. I don't think he's getting 30 mil a year unless he's willing to go to the Jets or Browns.

The Cards could sign him to 25-28 mil a year and give him over 30 the first year.

 

[TJ]

Cousins is going to get rich this offseason with a number QB-needy teams having tons of cap room that could sign him to a rich contract without needing to front-or-back-load it.

By the way---I'm officially guaranteeing that Cousins does not sign with the Cardinals.

 

[football karma]

Quick answer: yes

Just as an example, The Cards could give him a 7 year deal with a, lets say, $100 mm signing bonus and a 2018 salary of $1mm. The 2018 cap hit is $15mm and some change.

 

[Harry]

Unless I'm wrong and someone please correct if I am, but doesn't Palmer's just drop off the books since he retired? I don't see how the team would still have to carry him on the books since he announced his retirement. Isn't the balance of his contract wiped out? Same for Fitz if he retired.

AZ Jam is like my math homework; right answer, wrong explanation sort of. NFL players typically get sign bonuses with new contracts. Those bonuses are counted against the cap by dividing the bonus by the number of years in the contract and the counting that result against the cap year by year. When a player retires typically however much hasn’t been charged accelerates and is charged that year. By waiting until after June 1 you can charge a year worth to the next year. This is why there are often players released June 1. Bonuses are the primary cause of dead money, but other guaranteed money can also be dead.