Jackson's Sports Buzz cap- Dolphins financial issues

[Daytona Fin]

So here are the Dolphins sitting on more than $19 million in cap space (according to the NFLPA web site), with needs to fill, but apparently no great urgency to burn through much of their remaining financial resources.

Part of the reason is simple: The list of remaining free agents at guard and tackle isn't impressive, and the Dolphins aren’t going to spend money if they don’t have a conviction about the players available or aren’t comfortable with their contractual expectations. Miami can try to fill some of those needs in the draft, including right tackle, presumably.

But there’s another incentive for the Dolphins to sit on some of their cap space: They will get needed financial relief by carrying a chunk of their cap room over to the 2015 offseason, when the Dolphins will have far less space than the past two offseasons.

Consider that for 2015, the Dolphins already have $129.78 million in cap commitments, according to overthecap.com, a figure that doesn't include an option for Mike Pouncey or allotments for Jared Odrick and Charles Clay, who will both be free agents after next season. This year’s salary cap is $133 million, a $10 million increase from a year ago.

If next year’s cap settles in at $140 million or so, that wouldn't leave Miami with much room unless the Dolphins can shave off a substantial amount by cutting players or restructuring contracts --- both of which likely will be very much in play next offseason.

Look at some of the Dolphins’ cap numbers for 2015:

Mike Wallace: $12 million

Branden Albert: $10.7 million

Brent Grimes: $10 million

Dannell Ellerbe: $9.8 million

Cameron Wake: $9.7 million

Reshad Jones: $7.8 million

Brian Hartline: $7.3 million

Cortland Finnegan: $6.4 million

Randy Starks: $6 million

Dion Jordan: $5.6 million

Earl Mitchell: $4.5 million

Koa Misi: $4.4 million

Philip Wheeler $4.4 million

Brandon Gibson: $4.2 million

Ryan Tannehill: $4 million

Brandon Fields: $3.9 million

Shelley Smith: $3 million

Nate Garner: $1.8 million

Some of those players would carry high cap hits if they’re cut. For example, if the Dolphins part ways with Wheeler after next season, the 2015 cap hit would be $4.2 million --- barely below the $4.4 million hit if he’s on the team.

But in the case of a few players signed this off-season, it wouldn’t be difficult to part ways. For example, if Finnegan bombs, Miami would sustain only a $1 million cap hit by cutting him. (Not great, but it could be much worse.) Same for Starks, if --- for some unexpected reason --- his play falls off. Shelley Smith’s hit would be just $250,000 if he’s cut after this coming season.

Read more here: http://miamiherald.typepad.com/spor...ltics-postscripts-reaction.html#storylink=cpy

 

[D0lphan72]

Not much of an issue

 

[Nublar7]

So with the cap projected at $140 million next year, and rolling over the 2014 space, we are roughly around $30 million in space right now in 2015. So figuring in this year's draft picks, a few more veterans and some extensions we will probably have around $15 million in space. Maybe more depending on cutting players after this season.

 

[Coach_Rob]

i don't see it a huge issue as long as the draft is above average. and we can still trade matt moore to help if we have to. trade him this year get the 5.5 back to carry over if necessary. idk thinking outside of the box

 

[jvw]

Guys like Reshad and Hartline are prime candidates to get cut or have to restructure next yr, way over paid for the production..Wallace cap hit would be to big to part ways with him just yet....what I see is we are in good shape, no tough decisions have to be made in order to free up space.....

 

[KTOWNFINFAN]

So basically we are going to be in cap hell just to keep our average players. We have to start finding some play making, game changers in the draft that can be had for cheap, or our bad team is going to be freaking horrible in a couple years. We HAVE to find some players in the draft this year and hope last year's draft picks can start becoming the play makers we hope they can be. Jordan, Taylor and even Dallas Thomas, Will Davis and our TEs have to start becoming play makers.

 

[dolpns13]

Jesus Christ thats horrendous! Thats alot of "contributors" to cut.. We better have astronamically good drafts the next two years or were FUBAR'D

 

[dolpns13]

Guys like Reshad and Hartline are prime candidates to get cut or have to restructure next yr, way over paid for the production..Wallace cap hit would be to big to part ways with him just yet....what I see is we are in good shape, no tough decisions have to be made in order to free up space.....

2014 is already here so I hope you realize we have ONE year to forecast how we will clear this cap space?

 

[adamcal187]

Ellerbe better bring it this year or no way in hell he sees that much money. 5.5 mil saved by letting him go.

If we are really strapped for cash then next offseason could be when we shop Wake around. High cap number, low dead money another year older and eventually they gotta find reps for Jordan. Not that I want to see him go by any means but his and ellerbe's were the ones that stick out as biggest cash savings.

 

[dolpns13]

So basically we are going to be in cap hell just to keep our average players. We have to start finding some play making, game changers in the draft that can be had for cheap, or our bad team is going to be freaking horrible in a couple years. We HAVE to find some players in the draft this year and hope last year's draft picks can start becoming the play makers we hope they can be. Jordan, Taylor and even Dallas Thomas, Will Davis and our TEs have to start becoming play makers.

Cut the guys who have trended downward starting from 2013 and dump their contracts, regardless of what the cap hit is in 2015. If these guys do not perform, we will be in cap pergatory for a number of years if we do not. Welcome back to the mid-late 2000s

 

[z926538]

i don't see it a huge issue as long as the draft is above average. and we can still trade matt moore to help if we have to. trade him this year get the 5.5 back to carry over if necessary. idk thinking outside of the box

Dude, seriously? The Dolphins? An above average draft? In the same sentence? ROTFLMAO!!!!

 

[Sean]

Ellerbe will be gone unless he posts an observed season with 8-10 sacks and 60+ tackles as an OLB. So we'd save about 3Mish there and if the Finnegan experiment fails, his second year is not guaranteed. We'll be fine.

 

[Nublar7]

They are not going to be in cap hell. They won't be in a position where they have to purge players just to get under the cap, like we saw teams like the Saints and Cowboys doing this year. They might not have the ability to go crazy in free agency like they did last year, but they will have room. Having the ability to roll over room and the fact that the league's cap will be $160 million by 2016 it isn't a great concern going forward into the future.

If the Dolphins made no moves between now and 2016 they would have around $90 million in space.

 

[Da Phinishisher]

I think Barry's made the mistake of looking at them in a vacuum. Many teams will be exactly like Miami next year. He's chicken littleing it a bit IMO

 

[jvw]

2014 is already here so I hope you realize we have ONE year to forecast how we will clear this cap space?

Not everyone is going to have a great yr, if they do we won't need to spend big in FA and still have 11-12 million cap space without doing anything.....we will cut some under performers and get to 15-18 million under the cap without even trying.....if we have to spend big again in FA we will be parting ways with many players who will be following the coaching staff at the door.....we are in good shape......