SmashMouth

SaintFanInATLHELL

This is one of the reasons why players hold out. What exactly does "blow up their cap" mean? What percentage of the cap for each year of the contract constitutes "blown up".

The only blowing up of the cap in the NFL has been the cap value itself. $120 million in 2011. $188 million now. Growing by more than $10 million a year for the last 4 years.

We should all know by now that NFL contracts are not worth the paper they are written on. The Saints could deliver CGM a 6 year $126 million with $66 million guaranteed and all of the following would not be true: not 6 years, not $126 million, not $21 million a year, and not blow up the cap. In fact the only real number that's there is the $66 million. With NFL contracts the only numbers to pay attention to are the guaranteed money. The rest is monopoly money that will either get restructured, or extended, or completely cut depending on the performance of the player after the guaranteed dollars are delivered. As I pointed out in my other post, that $21 million eventual cap hit is actually less percentagewise than cap hits for WR in the past. Larry Fitzgeralds 2011 cap hit of $16.8 million was 13% of the 2011 salary cap. By the time CGM gets anywhere near a $20 million cap hit, the cap will be above $200 million, meaning that the hit would be less than 10% of the cap.

Every NFL contract for virtually every elite player in every position will be the highest of all time for the 5 minutes it's the latest contract. It's just not worth getting hung up on that phrase. Just take a look at the extension signed by Kevin Byard of the Titans this week: 5 years, $70.5 million, $33 guaranteed, $14.1 million average. It tops out the contract for Landon Collins and the next safety will get even more. BTW note the relevant number is missing, $33 million guaranteed. Byard can be cut 3 years into the extension and never see the back end money.

And of course, it didn't blow up the Titans' cap.

SFIAH

Super Bowl Championships: New Orleans Saints:1, Carolina:0, Atlanta Chokers: STILL ZERO

Only Atlanta choked in an unchokable situation... Life is definitely good.

K Major

Just stop it SFIAH, you're making way too much sense.

SaintFanInATLHELL

Sorry. I'm just trying to understand the kneejerk reaction. Let's not forget these exact same arguments come out each time Brees comes up for an extension: "Brees is too much a hit on the cap. We'll just have to let him go." It's crazy talk man. I guess next year we'll be back talking about it's time to trade AK because he's going to want to be paid because he's clearly outplayed his 3rd round rookie contract.

SFIAH

The Dude

I know I had a bet with dicknozzle over there about Cam last year but I really did want to see him work out. I was hoping he and Smith would make everyone forget about last years receiving corps. I really hoped they would be an unexpected surprise. I still think Smith will come into his own. People give him a bad shake but it’s not every day that 3rd round players like Kamara come out of the wood pile and make a huge impact right away

AsylumGuido

NFL Radio gushed about Butler when talking with Payton and Payton even gushed a little himself. He even made a Colston comparison.

turbo_dog

Anyone remember Onomo Ojo? I thought he was going to be a superstar.

CHA_CHING

Wishing him well where ever he goes. Really bummed out it didn't work for us, but he's had a history with injuries which was the biggest concern with signing him last year.

CHA_CHING

He's a Patriot now. He'll go off for 150 receiving yards and 3 TDs in a blow out regular season win and then we'll be wondering why we let him go.

foreverfan

But he was cheap and still not worth the money.