How many top tier free agents can we afford?

[miamiron]

We should be smart and use our money on the offensive line. Signing Carl Nicks would be the best move we could make this off-season.

He has said he wants to be paid more than Jahari Evans 7 year 65 million dollars
contract which in my mind would be absurd

 

[maralieus]

MIAMI had already used c. $116.4 Million on everyone except its own F/As. The 2012 "cap" is believed to be c. $123.4 Million. Over and above that, MIAMI had a "credit" from last season, of $9.050 Million+. So, MIAMI should start out w/about $16 Million+. $5 Million has to be reserved for Rookies. That leaves c. $11 Million+ for F/As. But that's w/o any cuts or "restructures". E.G., if MIAMI cuts BELL, who i/m/o can't cover his a** anymore, the "cap savings" for MIAMI would be $4.3 Million, making our hypothetical figure c. $15.4 Million.

Restructures will be easy, and more amicable this year. The "cap" is expected to go up by a HUGE amount in 2013, so a little "backloading" won't be a problem at all--for ANY team, including us. The best restructuring example is JAKE. I'm no capologist, but the way I understand it, MIAMI'll want to reduce his c. $11.2 Million salary and $12.8 "cap#". Well, merge his present contract w/an extension agreement of 5 years at $10.5 Million/year, and that's $52.5 Million of new money, plus the $11.2 Million salary for this season. That's $63.7 Million in salary over 6 years. JAKE's also got $1.6 Million in various "bonuses" due to him. Convert all his present "bonus money", and $30.8 Million of the "new money"/salary, into a "signing bonus". That would make $32.4 Million in signing bonus due to JAKE right now. BUT it's spread out over the 6 year life of the contract to get the "cap" amount! So, this year's "cap" liability for it is only $5.4 Million. JAKE's straight salary amount over 6 years would be $32.9 Million, or $5.485 Million/year w/no fancy "backloads", "incentive bonuses", etc.. Guarantee JAKE 60% and he's a "happy camper"! And MIAMI saves a total of a little under $2 Million against the 2012 "cap", w/o bleeding its star LT white...and (of course) keeping him here for 6 more years.

There are plenty of other candidates for restructure. Just as w/JAKE, MIAMI could extend their contracts and offer them both the money and SECURITY that they would want, and not only greatly add to its "caproom", but get a little "security" for ITSELF as well. But W/O DOING ANYTHING ELSE, the 2012 "cap" money would increase to c. $17.25 Million...which means that MIAMI might well get P MANNING and M WILLIAMS for "openers".

I imagine I'm not the only one that was supremely confused by this.

 

[newlife2788]

All i care about is getting Manning if he becomes available.

 

[luduporcu]

I imagine I'm not the only one that was supremely confused by this.

It's NOT very confusing, Maralieus. We're entitled to a "credit" in the amount of our unused 2011 "cap" money. That's 9,050,000+. All we have to do is send the League a letter to claim it!

As of now, we've used up c. $116,400,000 of "cap", and the total "cap" in 2012 is estimated to be c. $123,400,000 under the new CBA. That means MIAMI has $7,000,000 of "capspace", PLUS the $9,050,000"credit". That moves MIAMI up to $16,050,000. Now, cutting BELL yields $4,300,000 in "cap" savings, making MIAMI's "capspace" $20,350,000, w/o cutting anyone else, and w/o restructuring ANYONE.

I used JAKE as an example of "restructuring-related capspace" because he's our highest salary and "cap #", and he also has bonus money due him. It's for illustrative purposes only, and a "capologist" could no doubt do better. BUT w/no "backloading" or gimmicks of any kind, my hypothetical has MIAMI saving $1,900,000+!!! Thus, JUST JAKE AND BELL, w/o anyone else, raise MIAMI's "caproom" to c. $22,250,000!! So, deduct $5 Million, which must be reserved for Rookies, and you have c. $17,250,000 in "caproom" w/o doing much. That would (i/m/o) probably enable MIAMI to get both MANNING and M WILLIAMS, especially since MANNING is open to some performance-based payment. It would certainly mean that MIAMI could get MANNING and AVRIL.

Cut some deadwood, and restructure a few more people's contracts, and MIAMI could also afford NELSON and SOLIAI...maybe MORE!!! A GOOD E.G.: Who is RYAN COOK? And why is he getting $1,000,000+ in salary, and costing MIAMI $1,112,500 against the "cap"? Cutting him would save MIAMI $1,012,500!

 

[foozool13]

Like everyone said we are $14 Million under right now. I think we could make a play for Manning and Mario Williams. Restructure and extended Jake Long (like @luduporcu said above) and cut McDaniel ($4 Million savings) since we are getting another D-Lineman. That would put us easily in position for 2 GREAT FAs. The good part of signing Manning is that more players will want to come to Miami as well.

The only negative I see with getting Williams is that Wake would probably get upset. I do feel that if you have a great plyaer then he deserves the $ before a FA does. Getting Williams would esentailly send Wake packing at the end of this season b/c there is no way we could afford 2 max players at one position. I think this would piss some other players too.

 

[LANGER72]

The draft is deep at receiver. A lot of quality and speed into round 3-4. We should save our cap space for Manning and draft some young blood.