Updated 2011 Cap Figures.

[Cards Czar]

Also, the 2011 salary cap is $120 million. There will also be 20 Million allotted for acnillary benefits. The manadatory cap floor has not yet been set but I am using (92%) floor. is the possibility of a one-player exemption per team in which $3 million could be taken out of the benefit pool and applied to each teams cap figure120 X 92% = 110.4 Million = The mininum that a team can spend.Team2011 CapInfoArizona 83 MCan spend up to 37 million.Atlanta 102.1 MCan spend up to 17.9 million.Baltimore 101.3 MCan spend up to 18.7 million.Buffalo 96.4 MCan spend up to 23.6 million.Chicago 104.9 MCan spend up to 15.1 million.Cincinnati90.7MCan spend up to 29.1 million.Cleveland 99.2MCan spend up to 20.8 million.Dallas 136.6MOver by 16.6 million..Denver 125M Over by 5 million.Detroit 113.8Can spend up to 6.2 million. Green Bay 129.8Over my 9.8 million.Houston 118.4MCan spend up to 1.6 million.Indianapolis 115.5MCan spend up to 3.5 million.Jacksonville 78.1MCan spend up to 41.9 million.Kansas City 74.7M Can spend up to 45.3 million.Miami 103.1MCan spend up to 6.9 million. Minnesota 108.4MCan spend up to 11.6 million.New England 102.3MCan spend up to 17.7 million.New Orleans 105.2M Can spend up to 14.8 million. New York Giants 126.3MOver by 6.2 millionNew York Jets 128.5MOver by 8.5 million.Oakland85.8MCan spend up to 34.2 million. Philadelphia80.8MCan spend up to 39.2 million.Pittsburgh 116M Can spend up to 4 million. San Diego 85.9MCan spend up to 34.2 million. San Francisco 100.9M Can spend up to 19.1 million. Seattle 81.1MCan spend up to 38.9 million.St. Louis 102.4MCan spend up to 17.6 million.Tampa Bay 59.7MCan spend up to 60.3 million. Tennessee 107.4MCan spend up to 12.6 million.Washington 115.2 MCan spend up to 4.8 million. Ref:http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/blog/shutdown_corner/post/Labor-Update-2011-salary-cap-set-at-120-millio?urn=nfl-wp3408http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Special-Content/News/2011/07/NFL-labor.aspx

 

[kerouac9]

Arizona 83 MCan spend up to 37 million.

We'll see how the numbers work out, but this is the important one.

People need to think about how that money gets moved around, though, and how much roster space we'll have to fill.

The Cards absolutely need to sign (and these are players who will likely count against the cap going into training camp--i.e. starters and roster backups):

3 offensive linemen (Faneca, Sendlein, Lutui)
1 wideout (Breaston)
1 tight end (Patrick/Spach)
1 QB (Anderson [Please God let this be the first thing this team does])
2 DT/NT (Watson and Robinson)
2 DT/DE (Iwebema and Branch)
1 Punter (Ben Graham--not expected to return)

And that doesn't count players will likely add like at least one and maybe two ILBs and probably another cornerback. That's 9 players.

Say they average $3 million in compensation, which is extremely conservative considering that you're getting starters for sure at OG, OC, and QB, the last position will probably be in the ballpark of $10 million. But we'll assume $3 million for the 9 players.

That's $24 million out of the proposed $37 million to just field a team, leaving us with $13 million to play with (likely at most). We'll say we'll put aside another $7 million (conservatively, likely) for rookie contracts. Now we're at only $6 million to play with.

That's before we start getting better at many positions.

Then we're looking at extending pending 2012 free agents in season like Larry Fitzgerald, but also Calais Campbell, maybe Early Doucet, maybe Tim Hightower, probably Brandon Keith.

We can save some money by getting rid of Anderson and maybe seeing if Joey Porter can convert some of his salary into incentives (although he has no reason to do so--the team isn't going with Schofield to start the year), but it's not like this team can afford to go hog wild in free agency.

People need to adjust their expectations a little.

 

[Duckjake]

Say they average $3 million in compensation......That's $24 million out of the proposed $37 million

Are you saying the Bidwills are going to sign 8 free agents at an average of $3 million apiece when they only had something like 8 guys on the entire roster last season who made more than $2 million and increase payroll by $35 million or more in one season?

Given the history of this outfit that seems like a real stretch.

But maybe times really have changed and it is what the Bidwill's were saving their money for last year.

 

[kerouac9]

Are you saying the Bidwills are going to sign 8 free agents at an average of $3 million apiece when they only had something like 8 guys on the entire roster last season who made more than $2 million and increase payroll by $35 million or more in one season?

Given the history of this outfit that seems like a real stretch.

But maybe times really have changed and it is what the Bidwill's were saving their money for last year.

No; I think that's going to be the average.

So your Quarterback is going to make $8 million minimum. Take that out of the $24 million and you have 7 guys averaging $2.28 million.

I don't think it's fair to use 2010 payroll in figuring stuff out. Clearly the Cards were hoarding money in preparation for the lockout. The two years previous they were among the league leaders in payroll.

 

[Duckjake]

No; I think that's going to be the average.

So your Quarterback is going to make $8 million minimum. Take that out of the $24 million and you have 7 guys averaging $2.28 million.

I don't think it's fair to use 2010 payroll in figuring stuff out. Clearly the Cards were hoarding money in preparation for the lockout. The two years previous they were among the league leaders in payroll.

I was just looking at that many guys making $3 million. But i see what you are saying now.

But if Anderson was going to make $4 million and the new guy gets $8 isn't that only a $4 million increase?

Without knowing exactly which players are costing how much of that posted number of $80 whatever million its hard to discuss this intelligently. So bear with me if I ask some seemingly dumb questions.

 

[joeshmo]

Without knowing exactly which players are costing how much of that posted number of $80 whatever million its hard to discuss this intelligently. So bear with me if I ask some seemingly dumb questions.

If I remember I will post my spreadsheet tonight when I get home. Its been done for sometime now, just didnt want to post it until new CBA was done. Now is a good a time as any I guess.

 

[Duckjake]

Here's one of those dumb questions. Why is it so hard to find a website that has accurate salary and cap hit per player for for each team for last season. I used to go to USA today but they only go to 2009 now?

 

[joeshmo]

Here's one of those dumb questions. Why is it so hard to find a website that has accurate salary and cap hit per player for for each team for last season. I used to go to USA today but they only go to 2009 now?

USA today is only accurate for the year prior.

Rotoworld is without the best on the market, but they are not without errors. They spell out the base salaries great but at least more then half the time they do not spell out the incentives, escalators, or how players can reach their bonuses. Some players will spell out exactly how the gauranteed money is the be paid out and others just give one lump sum with details. You will get a great idea using this site just dont count on it as gospel, use as just a guide.

As for why its so hard to find exact info, it is because a lot of agents are very secretive. They would rather release to the media a lump sum which sounds better to prospective clients rather then full details which dont sound as good. Same with football teams they dont want other agents or players to know all details for negotiating purposes, they dont want another playrs full contract to dictact what they would give to another player or what another player would ask for.

 

[kerouac9]

I was just looking at that many guys making $3 million. But i see what you are saying now.

But if Anderson was going to make $4 million and the new guy gets $8 isn't that only a $4 million increase?

Without knowing exactly which players are costing how much of that posted number of $80 whatever million its hard to discuss this intelligently. So bear with me if I ask some seemingly dumb questions.

I think that Anderson's salary escalated to $8 million when he hit playing-time incentives. That's low money for a starting QB. I fully expect for the next QB to get $10 million if he's signed with the expectation of being a starter (Hence my Bulger bet).

 

[Duckjake]

USA today is only accurate for the year prior.

Rotoworld is without the best on the market, but they are not without errors. They spell out the base salaries great but most of the time they do not spell out the incentives, escalators, or how players can reach their bonuses. Some players they will spell out exactly how the gauranteed money is the be paid out and others just give one lump sum. You will get a great idea using this site just dont count on it as gospel, use as just a guide.

As for why its so hard to find exact info, it is because a lot of agents are very secretive. They would rather release to the media a lump sum which sounds better to prospective clients rather then full details which dont sound as good. Same with football teams they dont want other agents or players to know all details for negotiating purposes, they dont want another playrs full contract to dictact what they would give to another player or what another player would ask for.

Gotcha. Thanks.

 

[Cards Czar]

I had this thing perfect in Excel but for some reason it looks like that. I wont let me delete either. Sorry about it being cluttered together.

 

[DoTheDew]

The Cards absolutely need to sign (and these are players who will likely count against the cap going into training camp--i.e. starters and roster backups):

3 offensive linemen (Faneca, Sendlein, Lutui)
1 wideout (Breaston)
1 tight end (Patrick/Spach)
1 QB (Anderson [Please God let this be the first thing this team does])
2 DT/NT (Watson and Robinson)
2 DT/DE (Iwebema and Branch)
1 Punter (Ben Graham--not expected to return)

UDFAs will fill depth positions at at least a few of these slots. My prediction: we'll carry a UDFA depth OL, re-sign Deuce and Sendlein and bump Hadnot to starter, our new WR will be a UDFA with Roberts moving up, our TE will be an old vet who comes for the minimum to mentor Housler, we will spend at least $10 mill on a QB, we'll go cheap depth on the DL with some Robinson-like cheap vet as well (please not Robinson!).
For our Punter we'll bring in a rookie and a vet and the winner makes the team.

We'll say we'll put aside another $7 million (conservatively, likely) for rookie contracts. Now we're at only $6 million to play with.

$7 Million sounds about right. John Clayton reported that Newton's contract would be 4 years $22 million with the 5th year option. Further "Carolina sources are estimating they’ll have to pay Newton a signing bonus somewhere in the neighborhood of $12 million to $14 million."

So we're looking at $8-10 million in salary over 4 years+the signing bonus average for Newton. So $3-$3.5 mill from the bonus + no more then $2.5 mill in salary this year. I'd speculate that there will be raises each year so Newton's first year salary is probably around $1.5 mill for a total cap number of $5 mill.

So PP7s cap number could be in the ballpark of $4-$4.9 mill. From everything I've heard the salaries of 2nd round-7th round picks will be roughly the same as before.

 

[DoTheDew]

Just noticed that there are 6 teams with less than $10 mill and 5 teams that are over the cap which means cuts are coming. Given the solid quality of FAs in the class and the overall lack of money available to teams, expect FAs to be had a little cheaper then normal.

Graves mantra of snailing for a while and then getting bargains might actually work this time. Also, the fact that players will have so little time to get acclimated could mean surprise training camp cuts because you will have:
1. Well paid FAs who make teams on their contracts alone even though they are totally lost out there because they haven't learned the scheme.
2. Well paid players who get cut because they are out of shape.
3. Young guys who come cheap and are cut because they don't pick it up fast enough.
4. Teams saving roster spots for rookies that would have been cut in a normal year where they had the whole summer to learn the playbook.

 

[40yearfan]

We'll see how the numbers work out, but this is the important one.

People need to think about how that money gets moved around, though, and how much roster space we'll have to fill.

The Cards absolutely need to sign (and these are players who will likely count against the cap going into training camp--i.e. starters and roster backups):

3 offensive linemen (Faneca, Sendlein, Lutui)
1 wideout (Breaston)
1 tight end (Patrick/Spach)
1 QB (Anderson [Please God let this be the first thing this team does])
2 DT/NT (Watson and Robinson)
2 DT/DE (Iwebema and Branch)
1 Punter (Ben Graham--not expected to return)

And that doesn't count players will likely add like at least one and maybe two ILBs and probably another cornerback. That's 9 players.

Say they average $3 million in compensation, which is extremely conservative considering that you're getting starters for sure at OG, OC, and QB, the last position will probably be in the ballpark of $10 million. But we'll assume $3 million for the 9 players.

That's $24 million out of the proposed $37 million to just field a team, leaving us with $13 million to play with (likely at most). We'll say we'll put aside another $7 million (conservatively, likely) for rookie contracts. Now we're at only $6 million to play with.

That's before we start getting better at many positions.

Then we're looking at extending pending 2012 free agents in season like Larry Fitzgerald, but also Calais Campbell, maybe Early Doucet, maybe Tim Hightower, probably Brandon Keith.

We can save some money by getting rid of Anderson and maybe seeing if Joey Porter can convert some of his salary into incentives (although he has no reason to do so--the team isn't going with Schofield to start the year), but it's not like this team can afford to go hog wild in free agency.

People need to adjust their expectations a little.

K9, I haven't heard anything about Ben Graham not returning. Are you saying that just because he is supposed to be a FA?

 

[kerouac9]

K9, I haven't heard anything about Ben Graham not returning. Are you saying that just because he is supposed to be a FA?

Urban has said it multiple times. If you haven't heard it, it's because you're not listening.

 

[Duckjake]

Urban has said it multiple times. If you haven't heard it, it's because you're not listening.

In fact we've been asking for quite awhile what the heck happened to Graham that he went from all-star punter to a guy the Cardinals are looking to "upgrade" in just one season.

 

[Mulli]

Let the Graham is Toast debates begin!

 

[Crazy Canuck]

Unrestricted FAs

21 Hamza Abdullah SS
74 D'Anthony Batiste OT
78 Alan Branch DE/NT
15 Steve Breaston WR
62 Ben Claxton C/G
5 Ben Graham P
76 Deuce Lutui G
89 Ben Patrick TE
97 Bryan Robinson NT
63 Lyle Sendlein C
83 Stephen Spach TE
22 Matt Ware SS
98 Gabe Watson NT
31 Jason Wright RB

Restricted FAs

27 Michael Adams CB
32 Nehemiah Broughton FB
80 Early Doucet WR
34 Tim Hightower RB
91 Kenny Iwebema DE
72 Brandon Keith G/T
23 Trumaine McBride CB
45 Reagan Maui'a FB

Exclusive-Rights FAs

94 Keilen Dykes DE
57 Curtis Gatewood OLB
30 Marshay Green CB
20 A. J. Jefferson CB
18 Max Komar WR
52 Cyril Obiozor OLB/DE
56 Reggie Walker ILB

 

[kerouac9]

CC:

Adams, Iwebema, and McBride weren't given RFA tenders, so they'll be unrestricted when the new league year starts.

 

[joeshmo]

CC:

Adams, Iwebema, and McBride weren't given RFA tenders, so they'll be unrestricted when the new league year starts.

I am wondering when the whole new CBA thing is finalized, teams will be given an opportunity to re-asses their RFA tenders, be able to add or subtract during the rumored 72 hour period were teams have exclusive right to negotiate.

 

[Crazy Canuck]

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/6773711/talks-recessed-owners-give-free-agency

 

[Mulli]

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/6773711/talks-recessed-owners-give-free-agency

Also Friday, the NFL sent all 32 teams a memo saying it was working on an agreement and would hold a debriefing on it Thursday in Atlanta at the league meeting, team sources told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter.
The sources said no league business such as contracts, negotiations or practices with players, were expected to happen before that meeting. In the memo, the league also reminded teams that lockout rules from March 11 remain in place.

End is nigh

 

[Crazy Canuck]

End is nigh

and close too.

 

[kerouac9]

UDFAs will fill depth positions at at least a few of these slots. My prediction: we'll carry a UDFA depth OL, re-sign Deuce and Sendlein and bump Hadnot to starter, our new WR will be a UDFA with Roberts moving up, our TE will be an old vet who comes for the minimum to mentor Housler, we will spend at least $10 mill on a QB, we'll go cheap depth on the DL with some Robinson-like cheap vet as well (please not Robinson!).
For our Punter we'll bring in a rookie and a vet and the winner makes the team.

That would be really disappointing. I understand maybe moving Doucet and Roberts up the WR depth chart, but it would be a shame not to bring in a mid-level veteran free agent WR to compete. We have a lot of UDFA-level players already to compete for peanuts at WR--Steven Williams, Max Komar, the 7th round rookie. We'll bring in other camp bodies, but we should spend a little on a guy who could step in and play.

Same thing with OL: we have Ben Claxton and Tom Pestock and D'Anthony Batiste and we'll probably bring in three or four UDFAs to be camp bodies, but we need at least one more swing OL who has s hown that he can kind of play in the NFL. Those guys cost money, and you expect them to make the roster. We didn't draft a single OL.

If the Cards lose two of their roster DL (Iwebema and Robinson) once the league year starts and replace them with UDFAs, it'll be a sign that this team is not interested in competing and doing the things that good teams do to compete. Especially if they lost their 4th DL in Branch.

Winning NFL teams are made up of solid NFL players up and down the roster, not stars and scrubs.

 

[THESMEL]

We are up in the air on most our SB experienced players, I haven't even started grades yet, but Deuce, Lyle, Breaston, are at the top of my needs list, We aint signed past DD and AW and it showed.

My hope is that we run this year like we should have run last year. But they did the opposite of everything I graded and said. and we sucked bad.