Extra Cap Space and Big Mike

[Dozerdog]

Hey Clumpy! I just had one of those light bulb moments-


The Bills have 7 plus million left according to your Last cap report (On the BillsZone front page). There doesn't seem to be any decent vets left out there, and with the exception of a couple of last minute camp cuts (which we could sign at a decent discount) that still leaves us with a significant chunk of change.

The logical step is to extend Winfield.... but what if they do the following as well .......?


posted by clumping platelets
http://espn.go.com/nfl/afc/draftsignings2002.html

Mike Williams' deal has salaries of $925,000 (2003), $1,156,000 (2004), $1,388,000 (2005), $1,618,800 (2006), $1,250,000 (2007), and $1,168,750 (2007).

The contract also has option/buyout of $3 million (payable prior to 2003 season) for 2006 and $1.25 million (do not know when it's due) for 2007. If the $3 million option is exercised (before 2003 season), the salaries for 2003-2005 change to $556,250, $475,000, and $706,250 respectively . These option/buyout monies most likely are not amortizable, thus his cap numbers for future years are as follows (assuming exercising and non-amortizability of the option payments):



If they excersize Williams' option and gibve him 3 million- it saves the Bills a lot of cap space down the road- when better free agents /we want to retain our own FA's.


What do you think? I'd rather spend it wisely now than just use it up on inferior FA talent just for the sake of using it up

[Ð]

Let him prove himself before you commit big bucks

[wbat27]

I trust big mike

[G. Host]

where is that from?

That is not in original article?
If so it could be reason why Bills have left salary cap money unspent.

[Schobel94]

That would be a good move for Donahoe. I hope he does this becuase then we take a big chunk of his future cap hit now, when we can actually afford it, rather than in the fututre, which will free up lots of monies. If we have 5 mil in cap room just sitting there b4 the season, I will be angry, this is a good use for it.

[Dozerdog]

Originally posted by G. Host
where is that from?

That is not in original article?
If so it could be reason why Bills have left salary cap money unspent.

That's from Clump's salary cap forum and his post on Mike Williams' contract from last season

[Dozerdog]

http://205.134.177.140/fanzone/showthread.php?s=&threadid=684

[clumping platelets]

The option was paid because if you check his salaries at NFLPA. com, they are 2003 558125.00 2004 486250.00 2005 726875.00

[Schobel94]

Great Move Mr. Donahoe! I guess stuff like that doesnt get front page news, but it is stuff like that that keeps this team in good financial shape and it is stuff like that that will make us perrenial superbowl contenders.

[TypicalBill]

when was the option paid? i mean, do we have 7 million of cap space even after we paid the option?

[clumping platelets]

Yes, I think it's closer to $6 million. If the option wasn't paid, "Big Mike" would have been a FA :scared:

[Schobel94]

How could that be possible? It's an option, we pay it, his base salaries go down, we dont, his base salaries stay the same, how do you figure him being an FA if we dont pay the option?

[TypicalBill]

Originally posted by Schobel94
How could that be possible? It's an option, we pay it, his base salaries go down, we dont, his base salaries stay the same, how do you figure him being an FA if we dont pay the option?

thats what i was thinking.




so CP, had we not paid him that option, he woulda played just his rookie season with us?

what do you mean he woulda been an FA?

[SABURZFAN]

Originally posted by clumping platelets
Yes, I think it's closer to $6 million. If the option wasn't paid, "Big Mike" would have been a FA :scared:

there would have been a lot of PO'd BILLS fans if that were to happen.

[Doc]

How much bonus money has Mike gotten so far and how much more does his rookie contract call for him to get still?

[clumping platelets]

My mistake, your fault! ;)

His original signing bonus was $7.275 million (spread out over 6 yrs). He also rec'd a $3.225 million option this year that activated 2006 of the deal and also changed the salaries to $558,125(2003), $486,250(2004), $726,875(2005), and $967,500(2006). He receives another option for 2007 of $1.25 million in 2004 and 2007 salary would be $1,208,125. It's basically a guaranteed deal because Bills have already amortized based on a 6 yr deal. He has escalators and roster bonuses starting in 2005 that will likely lead to an extension before the last couple of yrs.

Total "signing bonus" is $11.75 million

[Schobel94]

It looks like its a well put together contract

[Doc]

It's interesting because Justin Smith, the 4th overall pick of the 2001 draft, looks like he will get paid MORE money than Williams. He'll get $10.8M in bonuses, and his salaries are as such:

2001 1000000.00
2002 1080000.00
2003 1330000.00
2004 1580000.00
2005 1830000.00
2006 2080000.00

Maybe they are still waiting to pay him an option bonus that would lower the base salaries, like they did with Big Mike? Or maybe that's the price to agree to play for the Bungles?

[Dozerdog]

He did hold out until the start of the season- I can see the bengals caving-

[clumping platelets]

Big Mike has escalators that make the deal $44 million over 6 yrs. He missed 2 or 3 games in his first year, did not make the Pro-Bowl (has up to $1 million in Pro-Bowl incentives <-----NLTBE), but did make most All-Rookie teams. No clue as to what the triggers are for the escalators

[WG]

Originally posted by Schobel94
It looks like its a well put together contract

Yeah, it sure does. Fair but very reasonable for MW.

Again, curious as to what those escalators are. But assume he hits some of them but not all, we should be fine.

I'm more concerned w/ a DL that has little depth to replace starters and aging vets PW and SA on it.

[G. Host]

Originally posted by Wys Guy Again, curious as to what those escalators are.

One of them MAY be playing as starting LT. Tom Donahoe may have included that in case he supplants Jennings as LT.