Signing Our Own In FA Will Leave Us Lots Of Cap Space

[Canadi-Phin]

LOL!!! Funny how some post for a few seconds of shame in showing how much they don't know.

Few seconds of shame?? You mean the person who agreed with you in the second post? Are you mr. Know-it-all? Pretty sure I was one of the few who ever stood by many of our moves. Now we win a few games and we have the greatest FO ever? Sure you can play Internet tough guy

[Southbeach 2]

Back to the original topic...ehem...

Here are my estimates for how much money the following players will want to average in their contracts:

1. OT Jake Long - $12 million
2. CB Sean Smith - $8 million
3. DT Randy Starks - $7 million
4. RB Reggie Bush - $6 million
5. WR Brian Hartline - $5 million
6. TE Anthony Fasano - $4 million

That adds up to $42 million. You might squeeze a penny less out of one or two of them, but most of them will have already been squeezed pretty hard just to get there.

Do teams discount the first year? Yes. They do. I would estimate that first year salary cap figures will be about 80% of the average figures. But that still gets you to $34 million in cap hit to re-sign all those players, and then the other $6 million of the $40 million planned under the cap will be needed for rookies.

So yeah, unless the Dolphins start making choices about which players they're OK with losing, it does look like they won't have the money to go out there and hit free agency.

Nice run down. I think you're on the money with the average contracts of the six players.

Based on available info, I believe we will have at least $50M in cap space available next year. The team could add to the pro-rated signing bonus or guarantee salary money in the second and third year, using the projected cap increases, to free up space for next year as well.

IMO, we can sign our own, and a couple of quality FA's, IF the team wants to, without creating future cap problems.

[ckparrothead]

Nice run down. I think you're on the money with the average contracts of the six players.

Based on available info, I believe we will have at least $50M in cap space available next year. The team could add to the pro-rated signing bonus or guarantee salary money in the second and third year, using the projected cap increases, to free up space for next year as well.

IMO, we can sign our own, and a couple of quality FA's, IF the team wants to, without creating future cap problems.

I'm just curious, how did you come by that number? Last I heard the Dolphins had about $80 million (a little more, actually) in contracts for 2013, and the salary cap in 2012 is $120 million. To my knowledge, a large jump in the salary cap is not planned until 2014 when television contracts get renegotiated. In fact, the NFL and NFLPA had to do some scrambling just to prevent the salary cap from declining from 2011 to 2012.

[datruth55]

I'm just curious, how did you come by that number? Last I heard the Dolphins had about $80 million (a little more, actually) in contracts for 2013, and the salary cap in 2012 is $120 million. To my knowledge, a large jump in the salary cap is not planned until 2014 when television contracts get renegotiated. In fact, the NFL and NFLPA had to do some scrambling just to prevent the salary cap from declining from 2011 to 2012.

I've heard anywhere from $40 - $65 million in cap space ck. I don't think anyone knows for sure. I think we get rid of some dead money next year as well but I don't know how much that plays into the cap space.

[Southbeach 2]

Few seconds of shame?? You mean the person who agreed with you in the second post? Are you mr. Know-it-all? Pretty sure I was one of the few who ever stood by many of our moves. Now we win a few games and we have the greatest FO ever? Sure you can play Internet tough guy

This thread was about the available cap space our team has, and our ability to sign FA's next year. Maybe you saw our FO = ASS CLOWNS adding to the discussion. I did not, and posted my opinion. Nothing to do with know it all or tough guy.

[Southbeach 2]

I'm just curious, how did you come by that number? Last I heard the Dolphins had about $80 million (a little more, actually) in contracts for 2013, and the salary cap in 2012 is $120 million. To my knowledge, a large jump in the salary cap is not planned until 2014 when television contracts get renegotiated. In fact, the NFL and NFLPA had to do some scrambling just to prevent the salary cap from declining from 2011 to 2012.

I spent some time researching this over a month ago. I have to look it up again, which I planned on doing. I'll post it to you, with some links, as soon as I'm done. Should be by Sat.

The projected cap increase will not take effect until 2014, which is why I mentioned guaranteed salaries in the second and third years. There are ongoing differences between the NFLPA and NFL as to what will actually happen. The middle ground, among many, is an annual increase of $5-7M on the cap starting in 2014.

[ckparrothead]

I've heard anywhere from $40 - $65 million in cap space ck. I don't think anyone knows for sure. I think we get rid of some dead money next year as well but I don't know how much that plays into the cap space.

I don't think it's a state secret though. It's not alchemy. The Dolphins have $81.8 million worth of salary cap figures on contract for 2013. That much is known. The unknown is how much the salary cap will be next year. This year it was $121 million (actually I think something like $120.6) and last year it was almost literally the exact same. An increase is not really forecast for 2013, or if you do see an increase it will be a modest one. The big increase should come in 2014, and you see that already baked into some contracts (Rob Gronkowski's being a good example).

The Dolphins' adjusted salary cap this year is $131.0 million and that comes straight from the NFL. As of September 7th, again per the NFL themselves, the Dolphins were $4.0 million underneath that salary cap. That gives them the ability to roll whatever is left of that $4 million after the signing of Jabbar Gaffney (probably all of it, doubt they paid him more than Naanee) forward to next year.

So let's pretend the 2013 cap doesn't grow, just like the 2012 cap didn't grow. Let's set it at $120.6 million. The Dolphins get a $4.0 million rollover credit and it's now $124.6 million. They have $81.8 million in cap figures under contract. That means they have $42.8 million available. If the salary cap does grow in 2013 I can just about guarantee (based on the economics) that it'll be a maximum of about 2 percent. So let's add $2.4 million to that. These wide estimates ($40 million to $65 million) really are unnecessary because the actual highway is about as wide as $42 million to $45 million, barring any further signings. Performance bonuses will change that a little, but not much.

Based on that, and the fact that the rookies will cost $6 million, I really don't believe the Dolphins have the room to do much more than re-sign their own guys. Even discounting their 1st years will only just barely keep you under the cap when you consider the $6 million for rookies.

If the Dolphins are going to do anything in free agency it will be at the expense of a player or players currently under contract (Dansby?) or at the expense of a pending free agent that they choose not to keep (Fasano?).

[NYPhinzFan]

I don't think it's a state secret though. It's not alchemy. The Dolphins have $81.8 million worth of salary cap figures on contract for 2013. That much is known. The unknown is how much the salary cap will be next year. This year it was $121 million (actually I think something like $120.6) and last year it was almost literally the exact same. An increase is not really forecast for 2013, or if you do see an increase it will be a modest one. The big increase should come in 2014, and you see that already baked into some contracts (Rob Gronkowski's being a good example).

The Dolphins' adjusted salary cap this year is $131.0 million and that comes straight from the NFL. As of September 7th, again per the NFL themselves, the Dolphins were $4.0 million underneath that salary cap. That gives them the ability to roll whatever is left of that $4 million after the signing of Jabbar Gaffney (probably all of it, doubt they paid him more than Naanee) forward to next year.

So let's pretend the 2013 cap doesn't grow, just like the 2012 cap didn't grow. Let's set it at $120.6 million. The Dolphins get a $4.0 million rollover credit and it's now $124.6 million. They have $81.8 million in cap figures under contract. That means they have $42.8 million available. If the salary cap does grow in 2013 I can just about guarantee (based on the economics) that it'll be a maximum of about 2 percent. So let's add $2.4 million to that. These wide estimates ($40 million to $65 million) really are unnecessary because the actual highway is about as wide as $42 million to $45 million, barring any further signings. Performance bonuses will change that a little, but not much.

Based on that, and the fact that the rookies will cost $6 million, I really don't believe the Dolphins have the room to do much more than re-sign their own guys. Even discounting their 1st years will only just barely keep you under the cap when you consider the $6 million for rookies.

If the Dolphins are going to do anything in free agency it will be at the expense of a player or players currently under contract (Dansby?) or at the expense of a pending free agent that they choose not to keep (Fasano?).

Well done. Though I hope you're wrong by about $5M
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I'm not big on breaking the bank for any free agents anyhow. If we can hit on even 50% of our upcoming draft while keeping our own impact FA's, this will be a much better team anyway.

[Southbeach 2]

I don't think it's a state secret though. It's not alchemy. The Dolphins have $81.8 million worth of salary cap figures on contract for 2013. That much is known. The unknown is how much the salary cap will be next year. This year it was $121 million (actually I think something like $120.6) and last year it was almost literally the exact same. An increase is not really forecast for 2013, or if you do see an increase it will be a modest one. The big increase should come in 2014, and you see that already baked into some contracts (Rob Gronkowski's being a good example).

The Dolphins' adjusted salary cap this year is $131.0 million and that comes straight from the NFL. As of September 7th, again per the NFL themselves, the Dolphins were $4.0 million underneath that salary cap. That gives them the ability to roll whatever is left of that $4 million after the signing of Jabbar Gaffney (probably all of it, doubt they paid him more than Naanee) forward to next year.

So let's pretend the 2013 cap doesn't grow, just like the 2012 cap didn't grow. Let's set it at $120.6 million. The Dolphins get a $4.0 million rollover credit and it's now $124.6 million. They have $81.8 million in cap figures under contract. That means they have $42.8 million available. If the salary cap does grow in 2013 I can just about guarantee (based on the economics) that it'll be a maximum of about 2 percent. So let's add $2.4 million to that. These wide estimates ($40 million to $65 million) really are unnecessary because the actual highway is about as wide as $42 million to $45 million, barring any further signings. Performance bonuses will change that a little, but not much.

Based on that, and the fact that the rookies will cost $6 million, I really don't believe the Dolphins have the room to do much more than re-sign their own guys. Even discounting their 1st years will only just barely keep you under the cap when you consider the $6 million for rookies.

If the Dolphins are going to do anything in free agency it will be at the expense of a player or players currently under contract (Dansby?) or at the expense of a pending free agent that they choose not to keep (Fasano?).

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Here's one of the sites I looked at for info. I have no idea where anyone got the $81M in commitments but, they do list that same number. I do not see any of our FA's to be listed, other than Jake Long, who makes a $12M difference.

I'm not saying this is fact, as I cross referenced with other sites but, it is something for now.

[Southbeach 2]

I'm wondering if Cog, who would save us $4.3M, and Carp, who would save us $2.7M, will still be here next season. Lot of football still to be played but, both have struggled so far.