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Article on Matt Leinart ...

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Dolphin-One

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Saw this article in the LA Times on Matt Leinart.
http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-leinart13jan13,0,1661359.story?coll=la-home-headlines

The article included the text:
With the money that a pro career promises comes even more scrutiny and considerably stepped-up financial pressures. Eli Manning received roughly $16 million  guaranteed  last year, and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, the 11th player selected, received about $9 million from the Pittsburgh Steelers. Players chosen near the end of the first round often receive about $3 million.
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Seeing the #1 pick last year get $16-million (guaranteed) and the #11 pick last year earn $9-million, I suspect (in my opinion) any #2 pick will likely cost the Dolphins $14-million or more against the NFL salary cap.

I know the Dolphins can financially afford the pick. But can the Dolphins (with respect to the NFL salary cap) afford to take a player with the #2 pick overall?

The Dolphins are already over the cap - needing to cut $11.6-million just to make the estimated $84-million salary cap.

I've been leaning towards the team drafting Matt Leinart or Alex Smith with the #2 pick overall. But seeing the article this morning, and in particular the one paragraph, has me asking the question "Can Saban assemble a competitive team within the NFL salary cap and draft any high-profile players like Leinart, Benson, Rodgers, Smith, Campbell, Frye, Brown, Rolle, Edwards, Barron, Pollock, Spears, or Cody?"

Comments please...

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In My Opinion
 
KyPhinfan13 said:
Doesn't each team get a "rookie pool allotment"?
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I've never heard of a "rookie pool allotment" that allows teams to exceed the NFL salary cap...
 
Dolphin-One said:
Seeing the #1 pick last year get $16-million (guaranteed) and the #11 pick last year earn $9-million, I suspect (in my opinion) any #2 pick will likely cost the Dolphins $14-million or more against the NFL salary cap.

I know the Dolphins can financially afford the pick. But can the Dolphins (with respect to the NFL salary cap) afford to take a player with the #2 pick overall?
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First off the guaranteed money is mostly signing bonus. The cap hit from thie money is spread throughout the duration of the contract...which is likely to be 6-7 yrs. With the base salary of a top pick probably being around 1 mil the total cap hit for the first year is ~3 mil.

Dolphin-One said:
I've been leaning towards the team drafting Matt Leinart or Alex Smith with the #2 pick overall. But seeing the article this morning, and in particular the one paragraph, has me asking the question "Can Saban assemble a competitive team within the NFL salary cap and draft any high-profile players like Leinart, Benson, Rodgers, Smith, Campbell, Frye, Brown, Rolle, Edwards, Barron, Pollock, Spears, or Cody?"

Comments please...

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In My Opinion
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The question is a valid one though. I think moreso because the lack of talent at so many positions on this team. The number 2 pick wont have that sort of impact on the cap, but it will be necessary for that pick to be a franchise player, and have an immediate impact on the field. If the pick doesnt pan out....then the cap implications come into play.

I think is more can the phins afford not to trade down? Are any of those players listed real franchise players? Is there a Peppers, Manning, LT in that group that can single-handedly alter the outlook of a franchise? If the pick can be traded that should be the course taken. The odds are more favorable when more picks are in hand. Its a big time risk handing your franchise over to some 22 yr old kid.
 
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There may be a runningback or two that can alter the look of a franchise. There are also a few QBs.

I'm concerned about Alex Smith being so smart though. The last two really smart cerebral QBs I can remember are Joey Harrington and Akili Smith.
 
Yes, the NFL allocates a certain amount of cap money for rookies. I don't know how that works.
 
Phinsdude said:
Yes, the NFL allocates a certain amount of cap money for rookies. I don't know how that works.
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Teams may allocate cap money for rookies but I still do not know that a team can exceed the salary cap.

There is a "Rookie Pool" that consists of 5% of DGR (Defined Gross Revenue). The "Rookie Pool" appears to be a limit on how much teams can spend on their rookies - including bonuses for undrafted players (cap-related). The "Rookie Pool" is set by the league, based on where the team picked in the draft and how many picks they had. the "Rookie Pool" does not seem to allow a team to exceed the salary cap but rather it is a portion of the team cap, making the salary cap tighter.

How Saban can build a competitive team through FA, the draft, and trades for quality competitive players without making deep cuts in our existing talent pool to stay within the salary cap?

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In My Opinion
 
Dolphin-One said:
How Saban can build a competitive team through FA, the draft, and trades for quality competitive players without making deep cuts in our existing talent pool to stay within the salary cap?
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It will be relatively easy for the phins to get around 10 mil under the cap. If they want to make significant additions via FA then players will have to be cut.
 
Dolphin-One said:
Saw this article in the LA Times on Matt Leinart.
http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-leinart13jan13,0,1661359.story?coll=la-home-headlines

The article included the text:

Seeing the #1 pick last year get $16-million (guaranteed) and the #11 pick last year earn $9-million, I suspect (in my opinion) any #2 pick will likely cost the Dolphins $14-million or more against the NFL salary cap.

I know the Dolphins can financially afford the pick. But can the Dolphins (with respect to the NFL salary cap) afford to take a player with the #2 pick overall?

The Dolphins are already over the cap - needing to cut $11.6-million just to make the estimated $84-million salary cap.

I've been leaning towards the team drafting Matt Leinart or Alex Smith with the #2 pick overall. But seeing the article this morning, and in particular the one paragraph, has me asking the question "Can Saban assemble a competitive team within the NFL salary cap and draft any high-profile players like Leinart, Benson, Rodgers, Smith, Campbell, Frye, Brown, Rolle, Edwards, Barron, Pollock, Spears, or Cody?"

Comments please...

-------------
In My Opinion
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Dude, the rookie gets a big signing bonus thats prorated over the life of the contract and a low starting salary, its not that enormous of a cap hit.
 
Of course. That's what a lot of us have been saying for some time now. We can't take the QB at the #2 spot because it effectively kills anychance of us upgrading the rest of our team the next two years.

Much better to trade down and get lots of 2nd and 3rd round picks. They're cheaper, you can get more of them and there's loads of talent there.

Saban gets this. You'll see. We're going to trade down and get a bunch of Saban type players on the Oline and in the defense.
 
Dude, the rookie gets a big signing bonus thats prorated over the life of the contract and a low starting salary, its not that enormous of a cap hit.
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We're 19 million over now. If we do some serious cutting and extend P Surtain's contract, we'll be lucky to get three million under. Now where are you going to get the money to sign this uberQB? that's likely to cost 5 million with the prorated signing bonus factored in. So now you're two million back over the cap with no wiggle room to get under. You've effectively killed off all of our free agency money and we have just a third, fourth and fifth round pick to rebuild your offensive line, get a new RB and find a new DT.

The math doesn't add up. Sorry. Try again later.
 
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