Strief to Miami?....

[MRojas4]

As someone pointed out, those numbers don't include the $13+ million in dead money.

Pauly S. ‏@thenflanalyst 6m

@tommyland9 @OmarKelly @gleejr9472 Those numbers are wrong, dead money is not accounted for. They are at 131m w/out Strief. 2m in cap space.

Ok...so back to my original question.

How the hell are the Saints affording this?

I'm just going to laugh when Jimmy wins his arbitration, stack another $4 to the cap. Strief contract 5 Year / $20.5 / $8.5 Guaranteed

Adds around another $4

So as it stands Saints are at -$2 cap with draft picks to sign and Jimmy possibly adding another $4.

What happens if a team enters the season over the cap?



Saints could be entering the draft at $6 over the cap with $2 more to sign picks.

Need to cut around $8 before season starts.

 

[truedolfan57]

The NFL's cap is a hard cap that the teams have to stay under at all times, and the salary floor is also a hard floor; penalties for violating or circumventing the cap and floor regulations include fines of up to $5 million for each violation, cancellation of contracts and/or loss of draft picks.

 

[MRojas4]

The NFL's cap is a hard cap that the teams have to stay under at all times, and the salary floor is also a hard floor; penalties for violating or circumventing the cap and floor regulations include fines of up to $5 million for each violation, cancellation of contracts and/or loss of draft picks.

So are Saints not in violation as of right now?

 

[truedolfan57]

So are Saints not in violation as of right now?

i have no idea. what is strief's number against the cap for this season?

 

[Geforce]

The NFL's cap is a hard cap that the teams have to stay under at all times, and the salary floor is also a hard floor; penalties for violating or circumventing the cap and floor regulations include fines of up to $5 million for each violation, cancellation of contracts and/or loss of draft picks.

I don't think the NFL's "hard" cap is a hard as some think it is. There is a reason why teams are allowed to carryover unused salary cap space from one year to the next.

Here is another explanation of the so-called hard cap.

Our life as football fans would be so much easier if the NFL had a hard salary cap. A hard cap would be a maximum amount, say this year's $133 million, that teams would not be allowed to exceed. End of discussion.

But that wouldn't be any fun now, would it?

The NFL softened up its cap by allowing signing bonuses to be spread out over the life of a contract. In salary cap terms, signing bonuses are prorated over the length of a contract, as described in the CBA:

CBA, Article 16, Section 6, Paragraph 5: Proration: The total amount of any signing bonus shall be prorated over the term of the Player Contract (on a straight-line basis, unless subject to acceleration or some other treatment as provided in this Agreement), with a maximum proration of five years, in determining Team Salary and Salary.

http://www.bloggingtheboys.com/2014...r-how-to-be-a-salary-cap-wizard-in-15-minutes

 

[truedolfan57]

I don't think the NFL's "hard" cap is a hard as some think it is. There is a reason why teams are allowed to carryover unused salary cap space from one year to the next.

Here is another explanation of the so-called hard cap.

http://www.bloggingtheboys.com/2014...r-how-to-be-a-salary-cap-wizard-in-15-minutes

yes, they allowed bonuses to be spread out over 5 years, to help stay under the cap, it's still a hard cap. i've been trying to find up to date salary info. i'm not sure where the saints are, but i'd imagine they are flirting with that line.

 

[Geforce]

So are Saints not in violation as of right now?

The Saints are not in violation if the top 51 salaries do not exceed the salary cap.

 

[MRojas4]

The Saints are not in violation if the top 51 salaries do not exceed the salary cap.

The top 51 are around $117 but the Saints also have an additional $13 in dead money putting them right around $130-131.

Toss in Strief's contract and that HAS to put them over $133.

In addition if Jimmy gets bumped from TE tag to WR tag ($7.5 to around $11.5) that puts them WELL over $133.

P.S. We arn't even including rookie draft picks.

 

[hefe4711]

The top 51 are around $117 but the Saints also have an additional $13 in dead money putting them right around $130-131.

Toss in Strief's contract and that HAS to put them over $133.

In addition if Jimmy gets bumped from TE tag to WR tag ($7.5 to around $11.5) that puts them WELL over $133.

P.S. We arn't even including rookie draft picks.

If Jimmy wins his arbitration, do the Saints get a choice on whether or not to keep the tag on him? Seeing as they put the TE tag on him and he ends up with the WR tag, are the Saints beholden to that new tag?

 

[MRojas4]

If Jimmy wins his arbitration, do the Saints get a choice on whether or not to keep the tag on him? Seeing as they put the TE tag on him and he ends up with the WR tag, are the Saints beholden to that new tag?

I would assume the tag stays regardless.

If not Jimmy is a FA. :d-day:

 

[Ti Rider]

If Jimmy wins his arbitration, do the Saints get a choice on whether or not to keep the tag on him? Seeing as they put the TE tag on him and he ends up with the WR tag, are the Saints beholden to that new tag?

To clear things up -

The Saints only designated him as their "franchise player". The NFL front office gave him the title "Tight End" not the Saints.

Graham hasn't asked the players association to file a grievance on his behalf to determine whether he's a "receiver" or "TE". It's been widely speculated by the sports media that he would but it's never come out of Graham's or a Jimmy Sexton's (his agent) mouths

If the grievance is filed and Graham wins he is still tagged and the Saints will be given a grace period (length assigned by Goodell) to either sign Graham, trade him, or release him. If he wins the WR title (not a given) he will be traded for less the franchise tag's required two firsts (with the non exclusive tag the Saints can trade for him less).

Don't be surprised if one of the following happens - Mickey Loomis signs him to a multi year deal before the draft that's heavily backloaded so it's less than his current $7 mil franchise number (Brees window is closing the team has to win now) or Graham is traded for a blockbuster deal or post draft some team jumps and signs Graham to a deal sending their 2015 & 16 first to the Saints.

 

[Austin Tatious]

I'm not buying Graham's grievance. He can point to number of snaps wherever. He was still a TE taking advantage of mismatches.

 

[MRojas4]

I'm not buying Graham's grievance. He can point to number of snaps wherever. He was still a TE taking advantage of mismatches.

I'm not sure what the guidelines are but to say Jimmy Graham was not more of a WR than TE I think is a bit blinded.

Sure he took advantage of mismatches with LB's and S's.

If I tell you a player had 86 Rec. / 1,215 Yds / 16 TD's....do you think WR or TE?

Again, I don't know the guideliness but I guess it depends on how the NFL views the modern day TE.

 

[spiketex]

I'm not buying Graham's grievance. He can point to number of snaps wherever. He was still a TE taking advantage of mismatches.

The player could probably earn an extra $4M/annum if he was allowed to go to the marketplace and negotiate with other teams. Yes, the Saints have the franchise tag, but in this case the player is significantly disadvantaged. The NFL probably wants to avoid a lawsuit on the matter because the player could win.
The potential unfairness of the TE franchise tag has emerged before, but Martin's case is strongest because of his stats and the increase in player payments. I hope that the player doesn't give in to the pressure from the team. Saints deserve to be squeezed. Graham can win.

 

[HoneyB]

Walter Football gave the Strief signing a C - grade. They called him a mediocre lineman who's not difficult to replace. LOL. You know, I think some of the people who write these blogs should be coaches and general managers, because if they're in charge, elite players fall out of the sky and other teams part the seas for you so only you can sign them. Frankly, I'd be very happy to that that "mediocre" lineman.

Saints re-sign OT Zach Strief (5 years, $20.5M; $8.5M guaranteed): C- Grade
I'm not a fan of this contract at all, and the only reason the Saints aren't getting a D or lower is because they are helping Drew Brees' protection. The thing is, you can find right tackles anywhere, especially in this loaded draft class. Strief is a mediocre lineman who was completely abused by Chris Long in the Week 15 loss to the Rams. He played well at other times, but it really wouldn't be that difficult to replace (or even upgrade) him. Also, Strief turns 31 in September, so New Orleans is paying a bit for past production. It's likely that Strief's skill will begin to erode soon.