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Cap Situation

Originally posted by clumpedplatelet



Y'all just don't truly understand the cap :rolleyes:
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I DO understand the cap quite well, and what YOU don't seem to understand is our front office is VERY savvy at knowing how to manage it.

What KILLS people in the cap are HUGE signing bonuses. While we may be on the books for a TON of money over the next few years... most of it is funny money. Our front office has YET to overpay for a free agent, or even our own players for that matter. They are only willing to pay what they beleive a player is WORTH, and will not get into bidding wars for "the best available player".

Because of their philosophy of not giving large amounts of up-front money, they can generally release a player or renegotiate the terms of their contracts if their play starts to tail off. But, because players are paid FAIRLY and we reward performance (without overpaying.) It hasn't kept our own top players from resigning with us.

Our front office has done a GREAT job of locking up our own players at the perfect time to get them locked into long term contracts, right as they are busting out. Because of this we have arguably the TOP Defensive End in the league, and the TOP Cornerback (Surtain), at contracts that are NOT the highest in the league at their positions.

Next year we MIGHT have to release a few starters to get under the cap... BUT, they will NOT be players that are integral to the success of our team. And, they will NOT significantly impact our cap negatively for the next few years.

(Ruddy, McKnight, Marion, Todd Perry) are all on the books for a significant amount of money next year, and could easily be released with little negative impact to our performance on the field. Plus... there is the Fiedler and Griese situation, which will OBVIOUSLY be addressed, and just a move at QB will already put us in line with the upcoming cap. Also... Sam Madison is on the books for a lot of money over the next few years, and if his performance doesn't return to where it was 2 years ago... he could be a candidate for replacement also.

We might have a few more holes to fill next year after some of the moves we make next year in relation to the cap, but it won't be a full-scale overhaul like the Ravens or 49ers had to go through.... Just minor tinkering. And, if our front office keeps up with the type of moves they have been making over the last few years, we won't see "cap jail" for QUITE some time.
 
Ok CapOClump we admit we are not nearly great enough in the magic of the cap as you are o powerful Jill. Ya right....

I wish Dolphin and Jills fans would stop imagining that every word they are writing is being suggested and recorded by the FO. Guys that actually get nice wages for this. You are all saying you are better than them give me a break. Listening to what some stupid ESPN writer says is one thing, being Spielman, Donahue, or one of the other top 5 general managers is something else.
 
Clump,

There is one major reason that I do not take interest in the cap as you do. It may not be everyone's reasoning but it is one that I hold.

The Dolphins under the current front office have had relatively few blurbs in cap management.

One reason I have observed in the past two years is the commitment to keeping there own guys. Now this is a good or bad thing depending on your view of the players but one thing has become quite obvious. Agents have come to understand who they are dealing with in Rick Spielman. The agent's player will get a fair market value with some fluff added just to make the contract look bigger than it actually will be when the time comes to take one for the team.

The one acknowledgment that has prevailed the past two years is that if the player values the cohesion of the team and the fact that they will be able to call Miami home for as long as they value it. The player that receives that enormous contract (Madison, Surtain, Thomas, Taylor) will be asked to restructure or when management needs the money.

Based upon previous moves that I have seen demonstrate Spielman's ability to judge the character of players dealt with. The only one that comes to mind that went wrong is Daryl Gardener and thus we have dead money due to the bad judgement of a player and the front office's judgement of that player.

Jermain Haley could have been kept on the team this year but the team chose to deal fairly with the player and let him go. Now I forget the exact number but it is a small number of agents who actually represent the majority of players. Agents remember who deals fairly and who does not. Rick Spielman has shown that he will deal fairly with those who would participate "in kind".

So what I am trying to say is that I (or anybody) could take great interest in the cap and the management of it but the plan as it exists on paper is not exactly the plan understood between player and executive. Some of it is for show. That's all fine with me if it continues to work and it has.

You have experienced in the past the failure in trying to predict what will shake down in the offseason with this team. One thing that I will give you credit for is that if Dave W. did attempt to make those "wholesale changes" that he refered to in January it would have created the "blurb" needed to create a foundation for cap jail. Players and agents alike would have acknowledge the guillotine (sp) and none would be likely to relent when their time come in cap management.

Part of good cap management that I have observed of late has been a foundation of trust built between Management, Agents, and players. Due to this trust not being dissolved in Miami, their cap issues have been relatively non-existant. It's just been my observation and you can dispute it with all the numbers you want.
But one thing is for sure. This team should have had cap problems in 2001 and 2002 and they just didn't transpire.

So I ask you. Other than for the entertainment value of knowing cap STATUS, why would I even attempt to keep up with it ? I mean, in the end I will only know what they have done after it is all done and Len P. will write some short article about it anyway.

Damn, I didn't mean for that to be so long.
 
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grooves: When I'm at work, I do not have time for dissertations :rolleyes:

1972Dolphins: outside of Griese's rather large roster bonus, not too much fluff in the 2004 cap
 
One thing most people overlock when discussing the cap is how many players a team has under contract. Take the Giants, they were 10 million under the cap this off season after years of not having any room. Fans were excited. Problem is that 2 of their most important players were free agents. So after spending 90% of their 10 million on keeping Pettigout and Hilliard they now are left havving to find 3 statrters on the offensive line and somebody to play safety. We have most everybody under contract. I think we will lose Wade based on what his agent has said he will be locking for. Based on his play the last couple of years I think the money can be better spent ans I think the team, in drafting Provost, may be planning on lbidding him adue.
 
Originally posted by DNY
One thing most people overlock when discussing the cap is how many players a team has under contract. Take the Giants, they were 10 million under the cap this off season after years of not having any room. Fans were excited. Problem is that 2 of their most important players were free agents. So after spending 90% of their 10 million on keeping Pettigout and Hilliard they now are left havving to find 3 statrters on the offensive line and somebody to play safety. We have most everybody under contract. I think we will lose Wade based on what his agent has said he will be locking for. Based on his play the last couple of years I think the money can be better spent ans I think the team, in drafting Provost, may be planning on lbidding him adue.
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Yah a lot of people forget that. I have a feeling Wade will be gone to. I can see next year being another draft where 3 picks are offensive linemen. We have slipped so badly in drafting linemen it's catching up with us now.
 
This is very good point. 2003, Miami didn't have as many potential UFAs and RFAs that will need cap space they will in 2004 off season.

Difficult to gauge what Wade's market will be....it's not like he's set the world on fire, but is someone who has played relatively solid. So, how much is he worth? No less than $4 million/season on average, but is he a $5+ million/season player?
 
Originally posted by clumpedplatelet
This is very good point. 2003, Miami didn't have as many potential UFAs and RFAs that will need cap space they will in 2004 off season.

Difficult to gauge what Wade's market will be....it's not like he's set the world on fire, but is someone who has played relatively solid. So, how much is he worth? No less than $4 million/season on average, but is he a $5+ million/season player?
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Unfortunately I just don't see him as even worth that much. Although we all know some desperate team will throw that kind of money at him. He's merely average at RT and I don't see RT's being worth that kind of dough.

However I'm one of those guys that just shakes his head at offensive linemen making any sort of real $$$. To me the real $$$ should always be spent on the prime skill positions.
 
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Wade is certainly worth a lot less than what he thinks. I think he is worth 2-2.5 million a year. He isn't exactly a great RT or anything, and he doesn't deserve to get paid like one. Hell, he wants to get paid like a Pro Bowl LT!!!
 
As to what a lineman's worth...Sure, you can blame injury but I haven't heard anything of Fred Taylor since Leon Searcy is not plowing holes open for him...

Wade-1.5 million tops. How many injury free years has he actually played for the Dolphins anyway ? Aside from Nails and Dixon (at guard) our line sucks...
 
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