My wishes in FA ( and how it would influence my thinking on our draft)

[joeshmo]

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I'm sorry, Joe. You usually got all cap details under control, but I have to disagree with you on this one.

Disagree all you want, it was the same story for Seattle last year and their front office was a mess, and in much worse condition. Teams know how to manage the cap and get things done, there is restructured deals, cutting dead weight, cuts after June 1st, last pick in the draft costs only about 2.5-3 mill in cap space, ect. It is much easier then the casual fans seems to think. Teams do it with ease every year yet people still dont think it is possible. Anything is possible if an owner isnt afriad shell out signing bonuses. and Indy isnt afriad to shell out bonuses.

As for Freeney, his new deal will actually save money on this years cap. He will cost over 6 mill in cap space this coming year and they can cut that in half even with the biggest deal ever for a DE. It would actually be to Indy's advantage for this years cap to extend his deal.

Teams do it every year yet people are still surprised that they get it done.

Remember when June 1st cuts used to mean something, not anymore becuase Teams have a handle on the cap more so then ever before. There are loop holes everywhere and teams know how to use them.

 

[BACH]

As for Freeney, his new deal will actually save money on this years cap. He will cost over 6 mill in cap space this coming year and they can cut that in half even with the biggest deal ever for a DE. It would actually be to Indy's advantage for this years cap to extend his deal.

Link? This is what I got on Freeney's deal and there's nothing to suggest that Freeney will have a $6M cap number..


Colts | Freeney Agreement in Place - from www.KFFL.com
Sat, 27 Jul 2002 13:01:31 -0700

ESPN.com's Len Pasquarelli the Indianapolis Colts have agreed in principle with rookie DE Dwight Freeney, the team's first-round draft choice. There are still some elements to be worked out and the paperwork will have to be reviewed as well. Freeney will land a seven-year deal that will void to five years. The five-year deal is worth around $8.8 million-$9 million.

 

[joeshmo]

Link? This is what I got on Freeney's deal and there's nothing to suggest that Freeney will have a $6M cap number..


Colts | Freeney Agreement in Place - from www.KFFL.com
Sat, 27 Jul 2002 13:01:31 -0700

ESPN.com's Len Pasquarelli the Indianapolis Colts have agreed in principle with rookie DE Dwight Freeney, the team's first-round draft choice. There are still some elements to be worked out and the paperwork will have to be reviewed as well. Freeney will land a seven-year deal that will void to five years. The five-year deal is worth around $8.8 million-$9 million.

That wasnt the only part of the deal. They didnt include incentives in those numbers. If incentives were recahed not only would the 6th and 7th year be voided but his base salary would be raised to 5 mill in the final year. This raise in base salary in later years is a common tactic by agents to force an extension or a cut so they could get another signing bonus before they are out of their prime.

Here is the link. It is the official NFL players association site, it only shows base salaries though, and is the only correct web site to find salaries on the web. And it suggests a 5 mill base salary, add his signing bonus and I came up with about a 6 mill. figure.

http://nflpa.org/Members/playerProfile.asp?ID=32987

They last 2 years are shown on the NFLPA web site becuase the years will not be technicaly voided until after next season.

Never take for granted the numbers that the media gives us when concerning the amount of a players contract. It is never the final number and most of the time the media reported numbers are only the base amount that they can make they never included all the incentives or the max that the player can make if all incentives are met.

 

[john h]

Every team needs three above average CB's. While we saw very little of Rolle this year, my guess is that he'll turn out to be an excellent one. Eric Green needs more seasoning but he has all the markings of becoming an elite nickel back. Macklin has been solid but isn't what I'd call above average. Our options for getting the third CB are through the draft or in FA. Using the draft would mean that we have three CB's that are all youngsters.

I wouldn't mind going the FA route to get a little veteran help and the marquee guy available will be Nate Clements. He'd be awful expensive but is clearly a star. A CB secondary consisting of Clements, Rolle and Green would be formidable (with Macklin for dime/depth/special teams. His contract runs out in '07 I believe).

The other FA that I want to target is LeCharles Bently, currently playing C with the Saints but has Pro Bowl years as a G. Not only does he offer versatility, but would be exactly what we need at LG. Addressing this in FA means we don't have to use a 1st or 2nd round pick on an O-Lineman. An O-Line of : L.Davis; L.Bently; N.Leckey; E.Brown and O. Ross will be all we need to establish a solid running game and could be as good an O-Line group out there.

In terms of our other key need (NT), I believe that Ryan Pickett is exactly what the doc ordered. Again, it saves us using a 1st or 2nd rounder on a run stuffing NT.

All three were former #1 or #2's from Ohio State within the last four years. They are young, mean and talented. They would bring experience to an even younger group of players.

If we could pull off this tri-fecta we could use our day one picks on select skill players that we need. My picks would be as follows:

Round #1: LenDale White (6'1"/230) RB from USC. Every team needs two complementary running backs with differing attributes. White becomes the power RB and Arrington functions as the potential game breaker RB. This would make for a terrific 1-2 punch, especially behind the O-Line that I've proposed.

Round #2: Greg Blue (6'2"210) FS from Georgia. Griffith is here for one more year.....maybe not even, especially if we can find someone like Blue. He's fast, battle tested, and is an experienced FS who is a true center-fielder with ball hawking skills.....a great compliment to Adrain Wilson. Our defensive backfield (Clements; Rolle; Green; Wilson and Blue) awesome.

Round #3: Best QB left on the Board. Will Jay Cutler/Charlie Whitehurst fall this far.....if so, jump all over either in a NY minute.

I love being an armchair GM.

I think White would be an excellent choice as he is strong and can run over people as well has speed. Do not expect JJ to be the guy ahead of him however or be a game breaker as JJ is not and never will be. There is a reason he fell into the 2nd round and we are seeing it.

 

[john h]

I can't understand why you would want to use a first rounder on a complementary RB when we have other, more significant holes to fill. You can easily find that complementary RB in the later rounds.

If we can't trade up for Matt Leinart, I like the big DT, Ngata from Oregon (sp?). He would be the final piece to make our D-line very good.

Because we are dead last in the NFL in running and it is not all on the OL. Every one in the league knows we do not have breakaway or power runners. Only because we have all pro caliber receivers and a QB who can fire the ball fast can we even make the games close. Boldin is a better runner than either of our RB's.

 

[john h]

Well that weak link made that whole line crumble. Pittsburg can't run block or pass block this year. I like Ross on the line.

I don't like Lendale White pick. We need a QBOF, we need one. We will only have Warner and Navarre next year. A third round reach, that might be a good backup someday is not what we need. Kurt might acually go down next season. Jay Cutler will go in the 1st round, barring an injury or terrible workout.

I have watched many of Culers games. He is good but not 1st round good. I think the Georgia QB will go ahead of him.