Cutting Phillip Wheeler?

[So Be]

http://overthecap.com/philip-wheeler-june-1-cut/

Here's a VG read from Jason at over the cap, It was written before the June 1 cap cut but, the numbers still apply. Wheeler's $5M salary this year is guaranteed, as is his signing bonus, prorated at $1.4M a year. So, keeping him this year costs $6.4M, and cutting him costs $6.4M plus the other 3 years of the signing bonus (($4.2M), giving a total of $10.6M.

This would wipe out our saved cap space, and we still have to pay someone to take his roster spot. How can we possibly do this?

Next year, we save $200 bucks, and things are much easier to deal with.

In addition, his salary drops next year from $5M to $2.9M.

 

[foozool13]

No way we cut him. Even if he ends up losing the starting job we have minimal depth at LB, sadly.

 

[FSU Truth]

I thought this was common knowledge on these forums....

 

[MD]

And to think Ireland could have signed him the year prior for 600K.

 

[NY8123]

Aponte's signature move is the third year cut bait clause. It really isn't a clause so much as it is the way the deals are structured. Even Mike Wallace becomes easier to move next season, so a two year honeymoon is about all free agent signees are given under Dawn's philosophies.

 

[dlockz]

Aponte's signature move is the third year cut bait clause. It really isn't a clause so much as it is the way the deals are structured. Even Mike Wallace becomes easier to move next season, so a two year honeymoon is about all free agent signees are given under Dawn's philosophies.

Nothing special about her philopsphies

 

[fishfanmiami]

It does give us the ability to subtract his new salary from what we own him so a trade is not out of the question.

True Dawn did not invent this but her insistence that all rookies sign on is a good thing if we do trade him or any other signee since she's been doing it.

 

[So Be]

Aponte's signature move is the third year cut bait clause. It really isn't a clause so much as it is the way the deals are structured. Even Mike Wallace becomes easier to move next season, so a two year honeymoon is about all free agent signees are given under Dawn's philosophies.

Wallace, Wheeler, Ellerbe, Hartline, Gibson, Jones, and Jordan are all much easier to move next year.

 

[Hayden Fox]

I would have cut him with a post June 1 designation. However, it is obvious he is going to be here.

 

[dlockz]

I would have cut him with a post June 1 designation. However, it is obvious he is going to be here.

Cutting ellerebee makes as much since but wheeler is the whipping boy. We outbid ourselves on Elleberbee but he constantly gets a pass. Both were equally horrible last year

 

[spiketex]

http://overthecap.com/philip-wheeler-june-1-cut/

Here's a VG read from Jason at over the cap, It was written before the June 1 cap cut but, the numbers still apply. Wheeler's $5M salary this year is guaranteed, as is his signing bonus, prorated at $1.4M a year. So, keeping him this year costs $6.4M, and cutting him costs $6.4M plus the other 3 years of the signing bonus (($4.2M), giving a total of $10.6M.

This would wipe out our saved cap space, and we still have to pay someone to take his roster spot. How can we possibly do this?

Next year, we save $200 bucks, and things are much easier to deal with.

In addition, his salary drops next year from $5M to $2.9M.

Wheeler's agent exploited Ireland by making it guaranteed for the first two years with a lower amount in year 1. Jeff must have really liked Philip (and Dannell) to commit so much on experienced guys with fairly modest success.
To the Jeff Ireland fans who still cherish his brilliance, please remember the money he squandered on Wheeler every time you rush to his defense. Yes, he spent like a drunken sailor on free agents. For some reason I see Jeff, Bryant McKinnie and Pacman Jones at a Dolphins strip club at the start of Free Agency "making it rain" with Philip, Mike and Dannell catching as much money as they can hold. (Yes, I have a furtive imagination).
Let's see if Wheeler is good enough to make the team this year? If it's a toss-up with Jelani Jenkins or Jordie Tripp, my inclination could be to roll with the young guys, if the coaches think they are ready.

 

[Spesh]

Aponte's signature move is the third year cut bait clause. It really isn't a clause so much as it is the way the deals are structured. Even Mike Wallace becomes easier to move next season, so a two year honeymoon is about all free agent signees are given under Dawn's philosophies.

Which is a problem. Free agents know they can come here and vacation on the team for 2 years before leaving rich. As well, any free agents that sincerely want to join us could be hesitant given our tendency to not honor deals. We fans have gotten so used to the dysfunction that ripping apart 5 year deals after 2 seasons is the norm. I mean, i know exactly why we think that(Justin Smiley, Gibril Wilson, Jake Grove, Brandon Marshall, Kevin Burnett, etc, etc, etc), but thats not a good way of doing business. Teams sign these guys in their prime to not only keep them for 5 years, but 7 or 8(counting extensions).
We havent given out franchise quarterback type money. We should not be having trouble with our cap. Denver handed Peyton +$90 million and still had enough to blow large amounts on a left tackle, corner, defensive end, and receiver(or at least make the offer). And they still have enough depth to be a contender. Its incredible that we are held back from moving on from a painfully obvious mistake.

Adding on to all of that: the league is moving away from guaranteed money. The Steelers have all but completely stopped making those deals(quarterback being the exception, though that number was relatively negligible) and the Bucs were moving in that direction before their recent regime change.

Like so many things with this franchise, the way we structure our deals is outdated and is causing inexcusable problems. I put our bad signings on our general managers(Dawn doesnt watch film after all...or maybe she does, but she shouldnt), but Dawn does deserve some of the blame for her influence over this franchise. The philosophies she promotes and vehemently fights for are ridiculous and short sighted. Ross needs to blow up this entire organization, because this isnt working.

 

[truckstick23]

Thank You Ireland for another in a long line of bad deals at the linebacker position. should have just hung with Dansby & Burnett because we really didn't upgrade as linebacker has been proved to be the weakest part of our team....poor tackling, can't cover tight ends etc. Dolphins are in cap hell as far as linebacker contracts go.

 

[Zounds]

We should not be having trouble with our cap.

We aren't having trouble with our cap.

Adding on to all of that: the league is moving away from guaranteed money.

Completely false. The league trend is quite the opposite. And the Steelers have completely stopped making any kinds of deals being that they are in salary cap hell.

Like so many things with this franchise, the way we structure our deals is outdated and is causing inexcusable problems.

Also completely false. Its a pretty common to have low base salaries offset with high signing bonuses. And offsetting language? well we set the precedent on that. The whole league is now using that in their contracts.



I know you love to cry about the FO, but the bottom line is we are in great cap shape going forward, and will be in a good situation to sign RT to a big deal should he deserve it.

 

[EFWilson]

NFL players need to be paid like everyone else. You do the job, you get paid. You dont do the job you get fired.