2014 - Falcons Cap Number And Cut List

[g-dawg]

Revised: Assist to Psychic Gibbon

Right now, looking at the 2014 roster, the top 51 players the Falcons have show a committed salary cap number of $116 million.

No one knows for sure what the 2014 cap will be but many in the media have said it could be around $127 million which would mean the Falcons would have a meager $11 million to sign/add free agents and draft picks. As we know, moves will be made to create more space - it not only happens for the Falcons but for all teams.

I got my information from the following website "over-the-cap.com" - link here:

http://overthecap.co...lcons&Year=2014

This is nice because it gives a breakdown by player on salary, pro-rated bonus, cap charge and dead money. Obviously the high dollar players who have recently signed (Matt Ryan, Sam Baker, William Moore) have negative cap savings - so those players are safe.

From analyzing, here - to me - are the obvious cuts and corresponding savings to the cap after factoring in dead money(rounded):

2014 Cuts/Re-structure:

$ 7.00mm - Tony Gonzalez(retired)

$ 5.25mm - Asante Samuel (he is in last year of deal and is diminished-cap savings significant) - CUT

$ 3.00mm - Thomas DeCoud - CUT

$ 2.00mm - Steven Nicholas - CUT

$ 2.00mm - Roddy White (re-structure and extend - not cut)

$ 1.30mm - Garrett Reynolds (not worth a roster spot at this point) - CUT

$ 1.40mm - Jason Snelling (getting old/off-field issue hurts him - CUT

$ 0.50mm - Andrew Szczerba (roster trash) - CUT

$ 0.50mm - Saed Lee (who?) - CUT

$22.93mm - Cap Savings

$89.02mm - Cap Dollars committed after cuts/moves (plus $5mm carryover)

42 players still counting towards top 51

$37.98mm in cap space available in 2014 (projected)

With high draft picks, Falcons rookie pool will probably count about $10mm towards salary cap but will be offset by some more cuts in the top 51 players - so let's say "net/net" the rookies eat up another $5mm. This would leave $33mm in salary cap space.

Current Players contracts expire (will be unrestricted):

Jonathan Babineaux - let go

Corey Peters - re-sign

Peria Jerry - let go

Chase Coffman - re-sign

Dominque Franks - re-sign

Mike Johnson - re-sign

Garrett Reynolds - cut

This thread is meant to just START DISCUSSION - obviously all these numbers are just estimates. If we make the moves/cuts I suggest, there are still going to be to many contracts to count in the top 51 if we have 5+ draft picks and probably another 3-4 free agents.

Just think this is interesting AND it shows the Falcons do not have as much money as you think they do - re-signing Sam Baker was a really bad move but Falcons should hang with him and Holmes for one more year IMHO since we cannot cut Baker now anyway. Cutting Nicholas/DeCoud is fine with me but there are virtually no significant cap savings by doing either.

Conclusion:

I believe the above moves, followed by maybe 1-2 more re-structures would allow Falcons to sign maybe three rather significant free agent signings and maybe 3-4 more second level signings while signing a significant draft class.

Side note:

I would let Jonathan Babineaux test free agency and risk losing him - at 33yrs old, he probably thinks he is worth more than the market thinks he is worth - i.e. Curtis Lofton - I would risk losing him and only bring him back on a reasonable 2-3 year deal that is cap/team friendly - he really is not stout and I don't want him back anyway although I know most of you do.

Upcoming free agents : Given that Julio Jones/Sean Weatherspoon are coming off injury, it might be a good time to explore contract extensions to see if discounts can be received for offering security to these players - especially discounts for Julio. Its a risk for Falcons to sign/extend Julio coming off the foot fracture/screw issue but if it saves the Falcons money in the long run, it could be worth it. As far as Spoon, I would not extend him unless Falcons received favorable terms - Spoon is in weak negotiating position given his array of injuries and lack of dominant performance.

[falconidae]

Read somewhere cap would be a 127 [i'll see if I can find it] and think the Falcons have 3.5 mil to carry over, if so, that would be another 7.5 mil.

[g-dawg]

Read somewhere cap would be a 127 [i'll see if I can find it] and think the Falcons have 3.5 mil to carry over, if so, that would be another 7.5 mil.

that would be nice......

[Psychic Gibbon]

There are a few things:

-Cutting Nicholas would save $2 million in cap space. He is also a roster dead weight. There is zero chance of him being here next season.

-Cutting Samuel would save $5.25 million, not $4.5 million.

-Cutting Reynolds would save $1.3 million.

-I'd expect Jackson to be a post-draft cut if they pick up a RB at some point in the 3rd to 5th rounds. This will be made easier with a switch to a ZBS so the RB won't require good vision. Someone like James Wilder would be an ideal candidate.

[g-dawg]

There are a few things:

-Cutting Nicholas would save $2 million in cap space. He is also a roster dead weight. There is zero chance of him being here next season.

-Cutting Samuel would save $5.25 million, not $4.5 million.

-Cutting Reynolds would save $1.3 million.

-I'd expect Jackson to be a post-draft cut if they pick up a RB at some point in the 3rd to 5th rounds. This will be made easier with a switch to a ZBS so the RB won't require good vision. Someone like James Wilder would be an ideal candidate.

I made changes as per your advice - I was wrong in assuming that you had to subtract the dead money from the cap savings and agree w/ you on Nicholas

[Oh4Real?!]

Hopefully we use majority of this cap space grabbing offensive lineman in FA. I really want proven lineman instead of rookies that could very well be bust like Konz. That'll give us more room to focus on defense in the draft which has been our biggest issue for years now.

[Torpedo-Of-Truth]

It blows my mind how hard people have turned on Decoud. He may be having an Off year but no way he goes anywhere.If this team had any semblance of a pass rush he could stop worrying about tackling (which he already can't do well) and back to his ball hawking ways. He will be fine next year.

Other than that, I agree with all the other cuts.

[g-dawg]

Hopefully we use majority of this cap space grabbing offensive lineman in FA. I really want proven lineman instead of rookies that could very well be bust like Konz. That'll give us more room to focus on defense in the draft which has been our biggest issue for years now.

I think we draft an offensive guard in 2nd round and sign a right tackle in free agency.

My preference:

2nd round LG/RG: Gabe Jackson-Miss. State

UFA RT: Michael Oher-Baltimore Ravens

Left Tackle, we just have to run with the highly paid Sam Baker and underdeveloped Lamar Holmes for 2014 - between the two of them, I believe we can manage the position.

[g-dawg]

It blows my mind how hard people have turned on Decoud. He may be having an Off year but no way he goes anywhere.If this team had any semblance of a pass rush he could stop worrying about tackling (which he already can't do well) and back to his ball hawking ways. He will be fine next year.

Other than that, I agree with all the other cuts.

It blows my mind how - one season with 6 interceptions - makes you forget how DeCoud was on verge of being cut(prior to 2012 season) and how poor of a tackler he has always been.

[Thiccolas Cage]

I am all for drafting an OG in the second round. Then double down on DT and get either RB/OLB. The offseason is looking promising.

[Torpedo-Of-Truth]

It blows my mind how - one season with 6 interceptions - makes you forget how DeCoud was on verge of being cut(prior to 2012 season) and how poor of a tackler he has always been.

Aside from a great Season last year Decoud has always been average. You make it sound like he shouldn't be in the NFL. Think with logic not emotion.My point is that he is going nowhere next year.

Edited November 29, 2013 by Torpedo-Of-Truth

[g-dawg]

Looks to me like Falcons could sign the following and still be set-up for future years and re-signing Julio/Spoon:

DT-Arthur Jones, Ravens (4yrs, $24mm)

RT-Michael Oher, Ravens (4yrs, $20mm)

FS-Jarius Byrd, Bills (5yrs, $40mm)

if you evened out salary/bonuses over life-of-contract, those three players would eat up about $19mm of the $38mm of salary cap space(about half) and would give you room to extend Julio Jones and still leave you about $10mm without even doing any other re-structures. I'm still not sure if Byrd is worth the money but figured I would throw the Byrd lovers a bone here.

[g-dawg]

Aside from a great Season last year Decoud has always been average. You make it sound like he shouldn't be in the NFL. Think with logic not emotion.My point is that he is going nowhere next year.

I don't think DeCoud is average - he is the last line of defense. More than anything, we need a safety who takes proper angles to the ball and makes the tackles when he is supposed to - DeCoud fails in both instances. I would say that DeCoud is slightly above average in coverage and well below average in tackling, taking proper angles to the ball and defending the ball in the air. Net/net, I think DeCoud is below average.

[Jaymadd]

I think that Holmes will be our LT going forward with Baker the Mistake Sackmaker sitting on the bench as depth unitl he can be cut, unless he beats out Holmes. I think we make alot of cuts this season. I dont think Decoud will be cut this year and will be given one more year especially if we can improve our front four.

[Clark Kent™]

The Babs/Lofton reference doesn't hold much weight because Babs is going to be 33 and Lofton was what 27-28? I don't get the impression that Babs thinks he is worth more than he is. IF he does then sure let him test free agency, but I think its a lot of speculation to assume that.

[g-dawg]

I think that Holmes will be our LT going forward with Baker the Mistake Sackmaker sitting on the bench as depth unitl he can be cut, unless he beats out Holmes. I think we make alot of cuts this season. I dont think Decoud will be cut this year and will be given one more year especially if we can improve our front four.

I firmly agree that Baker/Holmes will man the left-side for at least one more year. I don't see us drafting Jake Matthews in the top 5.

You are probably right on DeCoud, but it is probably slightly better than 50/50 - seeing DeCoud get benched midway thru the season does not bode well for him as per the thoughts of the coaching staff/Dimitroff.

[g-dawg]

The Babs/Lofton reference doesn't hold much weight because Babs is going to be 33 and Lofton was what 27-28? I don't get the impression that Babs thinks he is worth more than he is. IF he does then sure let him test free agency, but I think its a lot of speculation to assume that.

true on the age. However, Falcons have a history of overpaying - see Sam Baker and Justin Blalock. When Falcons are patient they usually do better. This is a bad example because the player ended up being a bust - but look at Ray Edwards - he was thought to be a $10mm player at outset of free agency - Falcons waited out the market and got him for about half that price. Lofton, I used him as an example because he thought his value was at $8mm/season and, even though he signed w/ Saints, they got him at 1/2 price and Falcons offered $5mm/season (more than Saints).

If Falcons sign Babs prior to free agency, they will overpay - I truly believe his market value is about $4mm/yr. on a two year deal.

[Jaymadd]

I firmly agree that Baker/Holmes will man the left-side for at least one more year. I don't see us drafting Jake Matthews in the top 5.

You are probably right on DeCoud, but it is probably slightly better than 50/50 - seeing DeCoud get benched midway thru the season does not bode well for him as per the thoughts of the coaching staff/Dimitroff.

The only way I see us replacing Decoud is with someone on the roster already or a FA, but if it is a FA I would rather see the money go eslewhere and the draft picks be used elsewhere and if Decoud is a fail next season to just use a 1st round on a FS.

[Clark Kent™]

true on the age. However, Falcons have a history of overpaying - see Sam Baker and Justin Blalock. When Falcons are patient they usually do better. This is a bad example because the player ended up being a bust - but look at Ray Edwards - he was thought to be a $10mm player at outset of free agency - Falcons waited out the market and got him for about half that price. Lofton, I used him as an example because he thought his value was at $8mm/season and, even though he signed w/ Saints, they got him at 1/2 price and Falcons offered $5mm/season (more than Saints).

If Falcons sign Babs prior to free agency, they will overpay - I truly believe his market value is about $4mm/yr. on a two year deal.

It wasn't just about Loftons age either. I think clearly it had to do with how he was going to be used in our defense. The knock on him was that he was a two down thumper which you already know and if he signed for less money with the Saints then surely that had to come into play

That is just simple supply and demand. Anytime a team can wait on a player the more that players value goes down. You know where I stand on Babs. For now, with no evidence of him asking for more than he is worth then i'd say sign him and don't risk FA, but if he comes out and says he wants to get one more big contract or something insane like that then i have no problem with letting him kick rocks.

[g-dawg]

The only way I see us replacing Decoud is with someone on the roster already or a FA, but if it is a FA I would rather see the money go eslewhere and the draft picks be used elsewhere and if Decoud is a fail next season to just use a 1st round on a FS.

who said draft a FS in 1st round? Not I said the blind man.

[Dirtybird56]

How do we go from 38m in cap space to 16.5m after a net loss of 5m from the rookies?

Decoud will be here next year but he's serviceable when he doesn't have to worry about tackling. We could have a big offseason and be right back in the thick of things next season no problem

As for Oline: I imagine roll with letting Konz/hawley compete for C next season, either sign asamoah for RG or draft Yankey/Jackson in the 2nd. I wouldn't be surprised if we roll with Holmes at RT or sign a FA, hopefully the latter

[g-dawg]

It wasn't just about Loftons age either. I think clearly it had to do with how he was going to be used in our defense. The knock on him was that he was a two down thumper which you already know and if he signed for less money with the Saints then surely that had to come into play

That is just simple supply and demand. Anytime a team can wait on a player the more that players value goes down. You know where I stand on Babs. For now, with no evidence of him asking for more than he is worth then i'd say sign him and don't risk FA, but if he comes out and says he wants to get one more big contract or something insane like that then i have no problem with letting him kick rocks.

players always want to get as much as they can get. There is no way that Babs is going to sign a "team friendly" deal without testing free agency first - this is just common sense.

[Makaveli96]

I think that the very first moves we should make after the cuts should be to sign Julio and Spoon to long-term contracts.

[Torpedo-Of-Truth]

I don't think DeCoud is average - he is the last line of defense. More than anything, we need a safety who takes proper angles to the ball and makes the tackles when he is supposed to - DeCoud fails in both instances.

What you "think" and what is reality are 2 different things. When the guys upfront don't do their job it always makes the CB and S look worse than they really are. As I stated, I agree is a subpar tackler but no player is perfect. Having said that, the point is that Decoud will not be cut. If he he was you can bet another team would sign him in a heartbeat. He is what he is, an average player who will have his ups and downs although the "downs" are further compounded with these sorry front 4. Now if he craps this bad again next year I could easily see him getting cut. However I just don't see it happening this offseason.

Edited November 29, 2013 by Torpedo-Of-Truth

[g-dawg]

What you "think" and what is reality are 2 different things. When the guys upfront don't do their job it always makes the CB and S look worse than they really are. As I stated, I agree is a subpar tackler but no player is perfect. Having said that, the point is that Decoud will not be cut. If he he was you can bet another team would sign him in a heartbeat. He is what he is, an average player who will have his ups and downs although the "downs" are further compounded with these sorry front 4. Now if he craps this bad again next year I could easily see him getting cut. However I just don't see it happening this offseason.

why do you think DeCoud's playing time is being diminished right now?