Previewing AFC East salary cap

[BLeonard]

http://espn.go.com/blog/afceast/post/_/id/37447/previewing-afc-east-salary-cap

Buffalo Bills (6-10)

Projected cap: $105.5 million

Key free agents: WR Steve Johnson, TE Scott Chandler, K Rian Lindell

Analysis: The Bills are looking pretty good entering free agency. General manager Buddy Nix says the team will spend to the cap this year. The first order of business is deciding on Johnson's future. The two sides are still a ways apart and I think it's a 50-50 proposition. With or without Johnson, Buffalo has the space to acquire impact players. We mentioned Houston Texans defensive end/linebacker and unrestricted free agent Mario Williams as a possibility to help the Bills' pass rush. But getting Williams -- or any top free agent -- to come to Buffalo will be a tough sell.

With the 2012 cap projected at $120 million, this means that the Bills are currently $14.5 million under the Salary Cap.

-Bill

[Ickybaluky]

Re: Previewing AFC East salary cap

Those numbers don't mean a lot. That is before any adjustments are made and tenders offered. Teams can release or restructure players and alter that commitment to next year's cap drastically. There is a lot that will happen before free agency starts in mid-March that will change those numbers.

Basically, those numbers reflect cap commitment at the present. It doesn't even take the Top-51 off-season rule into account.

[BloFan4Life]

Re: Previewing AFC East salary cap

Those numbers don't mean a lot. That is before any adjustments are made and tenders offered. Teams can release or restructure players and alter that commitment to next year's cap drastically. There is a lot that will happen before free agency starts in mid-March that will change those numbers.

Basically, those numbers reflect cap commitment at the present. It doesn't even take the Top-51 off-season rule into account.

Ya don't see a a guy like McGee or Edwards being here which is like another 7 million.

[Ickybaluky]

Re: Previewing AFC East salary cap

Ya don't see a a guy like McGee or Edwards being here which is like another 7 million.

You think Edwards gets cut? His salary $3.6M, which isn't crazy money. I'm not sure if he has other bonuses or something, but it seems palatable for a starter.

On the other side, the Bills don't seem really deep up front, so if Edwards is cut they are going to have to bring in a lot more big bodies. You have to have depth on the DL, because big guys get tired and you have to rotate them.

[BLeonard]

Re: Previewing AFC East salary cap

Those numbers don't mean a lot. That is before any adjustments are made and tenders offered. Teams can release or restructure players and alter that commitment to next year's cap drastically. There is a lot that will happen before free agency starts in mid-March that will change those numbers.

Basically, those numbers reflect cap commitment at the present. It doesn't even take the Top-51 off-season rule into account.

Not disagreeing, but my question is: Could that $14.5 million have helped get a player or two somewhere, or been used to assist in getting (or keeping) quality backups?

For example: Geoff Hangartner would have cost them about $2.5 million for 2011... Was it really worth it to cut him, given the fact that the Bills had no backup able to play center when Eric Wood went down?

-Bill

[imbondz]

Re: Previewing AFC East salary cap

beyond annoying:

Analysis: It's amazing that the best team in the AFC East also is in the best shape with the cap. The Patriots have done a masterful job and have plenty of money to spend in free agency if they choose. A big chunk of it will go to Welker, who is due for a nice payday. New England won't let Welker slip away. The Patriots also have the tools to acquire defensive help in free agency, as well as sign their two first-round picks and two second-round picks in the draft. The Patriots are in position to be a major force again next season.

[methos4ever]

Re: Previewing AFC East salary cap

Don't forget the rollover of cap money from 11 into the 12 pool as well. So while officially we have a 125, with that money the nfl will say the bills may have say 135-140 mil in cap space...

[clumping platelets]

Re: Previewing AFC East salary cap

Any left over cap space is now added to the following years cap space. Thus, our available cap space will be greater by between $10-12 million

[BLeonard]

Re: Previewing AFC East salary cap

Don't forget the rollover of cap money from 11 into the 12 pool as well. So while officially we have a 125, with that money the nfl will say the bills may have say 135-140 mil in cap space...

Again, the major question still remains: Will they take advantage of that?

Because, even with the rollover, there is no minimum spending limit, either. That doesn't kick in until 2013.

-Bill

[Buddo]

Re: Previewing AFC East salary cap

What affect does 'cash to the cap' have on those numbers I wonder?
Do the Bills have a cash surplus that will roll over, or will they just go to the new cap number?
They may, however have some room to be creative with how they re-sign guys in the off-season though.
Having extra cap room, is no bad thing, when push comes to shove, and there are a few guys I feel we need to get re-signed. Namely Johnson (obviously), but also Bell and Chandler.
Bell, for at the least Depth, and there's still talent untapped with him.
Chandler is by no means the be-all and end-all of TEs, but he's the best we've had in years, and while we could improve at the position, there's no need to get rid of a guy who has shown he's useful to us.

[Bert102176]

Re: Previewing AFC East salary cap

hope you all realize that 2013 when there is a minimum amount they have to spend that just means they will shellout and overpay even more to players like Derrick Dockery, and not pay for really good players

[methos4ever]

Re: Previewing AFC East salary cap

Again, the major question still remains: Will they take advantage of that?

Because, even with the rollover, there is no minimum spending limit, either. That doesn't kick in until 2013.

-Bill

They did that even back before this new CBA. What that does (Which is a good thing) is give them more Cash-to-Cap space as well. So they'll have another 10-12 million dollars to spend in real dollars this year, which could be why Buddy is so adamant in signing Stevie and another receiver. He knows the money's in the bank so to speak.

[better days]

Re: Previewing AFC East salary cap

hope you all realize that 2013 when there is a minimum amount they have to spend that just means they will shellout and overpay even more to players like Derrick Dockery, and not pay for really good players

I doubt it. The Dockery deal was done before Nix was GM. Nix has brought in GOOD players at the right price.