The salary cap hit means Zach will stay on another year or two. Plus, you have to figure in the effect trading Zach would have on Jason Taylor, his brother-in-law.
Think you'd be upset if a member of your family was forced out? Depending on how disgruntled Zach was, it could really change Taylors' attitude toward the team too.
So, do you trade away BOTH Zach and JT? What kind of cap hit is that? :eek:
How much does the defense slip without those guys here? Zach might be replaced by Pope, but Taylor? We have no one of his caliber.
Getting Zach and a couple other guys to redo contracts to lower the cap hit next year and bring in some FA players is possible. Once again, you push the cap hit into the future, but if you want to win "now" that is what needs to be done.