Restructures and other cap-related roster moves

[Saratoga Slim]

Shouldn't that stuff be happening by now? I.e. restructuing Josh, Von, and perhaps others, releasing McKenzie, and otherwise maneuvering to get under the cap and create the space we need to do some business next week?

- - - Updated - - -

p.s. Releasing McKenzie was intended as an example. He may be someone they keep on the roster until when/if there's a clear better option.

[kgun12]

Funny, I was talking to my son this morning wondering the same thing!

[Forward_Lateral]

I don't think anything can be done until the official start of the season, which is March 15th I think

[Saratoga Slim]

All teams have to be cap compliant by the start of the season, which is March 15th. Guess Brandon will be working this weekend.

[notacon]

Everyone’s favorite Bills beat writer, Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic has published his Bills mock offseason, that details how they can become cap compliant and proceed through FA and the draft.

Of course, the Edmunds hates are not going to like it since it mocks the Bills extending Edmunds (which is the VERY smart move to do). Here is edited version of the FA part of his 2023 offseason mock....

Bills mock offseason 2023, Part 1: Charting Buffalo’s course through free agency and more (https://theathletic.com/4285006/2023/03/09/buffalo-bills-offseason-free-agency/)

Don’t post the paywall protected content in full. ~DB

[kgun12]

I don't think anything can be done until the official start of the season, which is March 15th I think

Actually they have to get at or under the cap before 4:00 PM on the 15th.

End/Start of League Year. Prior to 4:00 p.m., New York time, clubs must exercise options for 2023 on all players who have option clauses in their 2022 contracts.
Prior to 4:00 p.m., New York time, clubs must submit Qualifying Offers to their Restricted Free Agents with expiring contracts to retain a Right of First Refusal/Compensation.
Prior* to* 4:00* p.m.,* New* York* time,* clubs* must* submit* a* Minimum* Salary* Tender* to* retain* exclusive negotiating rights to their players with expiring 2022 contracts who have fewer than three Accrued Seasons of free agency credit

Top 51 Rule is in effect. All clubs must be under the 2023 Salary Cap prior to 4:00 p.m., New York time. All 2022 NFL player contracts will expire at 4:00 p.m., New York time.
The 2023 League Year and Free Agency period begin at 4:00 p.m., New York time.
The first day of the 2023 League Year will end at 11:59:59 p.m., New York time, on March 15. Clubs will receive a Personnel Notice that will include all transactions submitted to the League office during the period between 4:00 p.m., New York time, and 11:59:59 p.m., New York time, on March 15.

[Mace]

Yes....we'd all take comfort in Darnold trotting out onto the field if Allen goes down. That's a ridiculous thought.

[swiper]

ROFL @ Joe Buscaglia. Stupid is as stupid does.

[Woodman]

It's happening all over the league right now.

[TacklingDummy]

The Bills should look into signing Punt God.

[Woodman]

Chargers restructure Keenan Allen, Mike Williams contracts - ProFootballTalk (https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2023/03/09/chargers-restructure-keenan-allen-mike-williams-contract/)

Jets clear cap space with C.J. Uzomah restructure - ProFootballTalk (https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2023/03/08/jets-clear-cap-space-with-c-j-uzomah-restructure/)

Dolphins restructure Terron Armstead's contract - ProFootballTalk 2 (https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2023/03/10/dolphins-restructure-terron-armsteads-contract/)

Cardinals restructure D.J. Humphries contract - ProFootballTalk (https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2023/03/10/cardinals-restructure-d-j-humphries-contract/)

Dolphins clear cap space with Bradley Chubb restructure - ProFootballTalk (https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2023/03/09/dolphins-clear-cap-space-with-bradley-chubb-restructure/)

[kgun12]

ROFL @ Joe Buscaglia. Stupid is as stupid does.

Took the words right out of my mouth! I was listening to the Bills game, I think it was the Browns game where they were throwing snowballs. He got hit with one and I swear he was going to cry! He said something like, I was just hit with a snowball this really needs to stop that hurt, lol. I mean he was almost crying! :lmao:

[Ed]

I've been a little surprised too that it's been so quiet this week. I expected at least a couple obvious restructures to be done like Josh and Von, but maybe it's a pretty easy formality that they already have set up or in the works.

I'm wondering if maybe they're waiting until Monday to see if they're able to come to terms with a few key players before finalizing some of their decisions on contract restructures and cuts.

[kgun12]

I've been a little surprised too that it's been so quiet this week. I expected at least a couple obvious restructures to be done like Josh and Von, but maybe it's a pretty easy formality that they already have set up or in the works.

I'm wondering if maybe they're waiting until Monday to see if they're able to come to terms with a few key players before finalizing some of their decisions on contract restructures and cuts.

That could be.

[notacon]

Everyone’s favorite Bills beat writer, Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic has published his Bills mock offseason, that details how they can become cap compliant and proceed through FA and the draft.

Of course, the Edmunds hates are not going to like it since it mocks the Bills extending Edmunds (which is the VERY smart move to do). Here is edited version of the FA part of his 2023 offseason mock....

Bills mock offseason 2023, Part 1: Charting Buffalo’s course through free agency and more (https://theathletic.com/4285006/2023/03/09/buffalo-bills-offseason-free-agency/)

Don’t post the paywall protected content in full. ~DB

I did not "post the paywall protected content in full.” I purposely edited a substantial amount of it to stay within TOS.

[notacon]

Joe Buscaglia is one of the highest quality sports journalists in the country and easily the best beat reporter covering the Buffalo Bills.

[Woodman]

Buffalo Bills, Tim Settle agree to renegotiated contract per ESPN’s Field Yates - Buffalo Rumblings (https://www.buffalorumblings.com/2023/3/11/23635431/buffalo-bills-defensive-tackle-tim-settle-agree-to-renegotiated-contract-field-yates)

Buffalo Bills, defensive tackle Tim Settle agree to renegotiated contract
Settle, 25, had a cap figure of $4.945 million (https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/buffalo-bills/tim-settle-25264/) heading into this season. That led many to believe that he could be a candidate for release as the Bills try to clear cap space. Even with this deal, which lowers his cap number to approximately $4.345 million, Buffalo is still around $19 million over the salary cap (https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/tools/roster/buffalo-bills/), according to Spotrac.
In a rotational-heavy defensive line, Settle was DT3 in terms of snaps played last season. He appeared on 373 defensive snaps, just north of 35% of the team’s total. He had 19 tackles, four tackles for loss, one sack, two quarterback hits, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, and one pass deflection in his first year with Buffalo.

[Mace]

Joe Buscaglia is one of the highest quality sports journalists in the country and easily the best beat reporter covering the Buffalo Bills.


That's in your head....not mine. Difference of opinion. I do not believe that though. Signing Darnold is another demerit. Come on....

[kgun12]

It’s a start, a very small start, but a start nonetheless.

[Woodman]

AFC East News:

Jets clear another $13.1 million in cap space - ProFootballTalk (https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2023/03/11/jets-clear-another-13-1-million-in-cap-space/)

Via Field Yates of ESPN.com, the Jets moved $13.1 million to future years (https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/35837207/eyeing-rodgers-jets-free-131-million-cap-room) by re-doing the contracts guard Laken Tomlinson (https://www.nbcsportsedge.com/football/nfl/player/11864/laken-tomlinson), cornerback D.J. Reed (https://www.nbcsportsedge.com/football/nfl/player/11858/dj-reed), and tight end Tyler Conklin (https://www.nbcsportsedge.com/football/nfl/player/9695/tyler-conklin). All three signed as free agents in 2022.
Coupled with the recent release of receiver Braxton Berrios (https://www.nbcsportsedge.com/football/nfl/player/9959/braxton-berrios) and the restructuring of the contract of tight end C.J Uzomah, that’s more than $21 million in cap space.
If/when the Jets acquire Rodgers, they’ll undoubtedly exercise a $58.3 million option bonus, reducing his 2023 cap charge from $59.465 million to $15.74 million.
Of course, that would push $47.22 million into future years. If Rodgers were to retire after one season (and if he were placed on the reserve-retired list after June 1, 2024), the Jets would carry dead money of $15.74 million in 2024 and $31.48 million in 2025.

[Woodman]

It’s a start, a very small start, but a start nonetheless.

Should start hearing a lot more very soon.

[Cali512]

notty, check your dms

[notacon]

Even though I did not “post the paywall protected content in full”, in order to see what Joe B. suggests, I have summarized his article and only quoted the relatively small amounts of the full article (as allowed by TOS) in the two segments indicated below.

Everything except the two segments in quote brackets have been written by me. I assume that words written by a poster is still allowed. :rolleyes:

This post is in full compliance with TOS. As required by the same TOS, I am including a URL link to the article where it is originally published from. Again the segment that are directly quoted are indicated as such.

Bills mock offseason 2023, Part 1: Charting Buffalo’s course through free agency and more (https://theathletic.com/4285006/2023/03/09/buffalo-bills-offseason-free-agency/)


Cap room of the top 51 player contracts as of the morning of March 8, 2023 and accounting for $3.29 for 2023 draft allotment- -$22.3M


Players under contract to release before free agency

None


Contract restructures before free agency......

QB Josh Allen:
Save $21.14M in cap space

DE Von Miller
Save $10.86M in cap space

WR Stefon Diggs
Save $5.4M in cap space

Cap space after restructures: $15.1M



Internal upcoming free agents......

Re-sign LB Tremaine Edmunds (https://theathletic.com/nfl/player/tremaine-edmunds-JKo3MELPaAeeJbLo/)

Five years, $80M ($45M guaranteed)


The Bills are about to have a lot of turnover on the defensive side of the ball over the next two or three years, which makes locking in Tremaine Edmunds (https://theathletic.com/4178825/2023/02/16/buffalo-bills-offseason-linebackers/)(25 in May) a priority and a key to their defense. He turned into everything they wanted when they drafted him in 2018, and his play on film indicates that he’s on the cusp of making several game-changing plays in coverage. He is the perfect quick-twitch linebacker for the new NFL in a size (6-foot-5, 250 pounds) rarely seen for his skill set. The contract hits several benchmarks for Edmunds. It would place him fifth in average salary at his position at $16 million and match the guaranteed money Roquan Smith received just months ago (https://theathletic.com/4078648/2023/01/10/ravens-roquan-smith-contract/). As for the deal’s structure, we utilized a heavy signing bonus and a low 2023 base salary to keep this year’s cap hit low. Then in 2024, there is a guaranteed $7 million roster bonus the Bills could push out for cap savings next year.

Cap hit for 2023: $7.93M
Cap hit for 2024: $16.9M
Cap hit for 2025: $16.78M

No guaranteed money after 2025.


Allow everyone else to hit free agency



Moves when unrestricted free agency begins.......

Sign RB Miles Sanders
Three years, $24 million ($14 million guaranteed) Cap hit for 2023: $5M.

Restructure RB Nyheim Hines with a pay cut
cap savings - $2.25M

Sign OT/G Andrew Wylie
Two years, $10 million ($6 million guaranteed) Cap hit for 2023: $2.46M

Restructure CB Tre’Davious White (https://theathletic.com/nfl/player/tredavious-white-2AJ6oTJrxGnx7gDh/) and NCB Taron Johnson (https://theathletic.com/nfl/player/taron-johnson-THRHImglX9Xn1F4s/)’s contracts
Cap savings for 2023: $8.34M

Sign S Jimmie Ward (https://theathletic.com/nfl/player/jimmie-ward-32Bba7qcan5Ru6cT/)
One year, $7.85 million ($7 million guaranteed) Cap hit for 2023: $4.11M

Sign QB Sam Darnold (https://theathletic.com/nfl/player/sam-darnold-3Nxpcb3Oda9xKjNY/)
One Year $3.5M - cap hit same for 2023



The Bills need a backup quarterback for Allen, and they also have the Mitchell Trubisky experience to use as an example for other younger quarterbacks hoping to get back to a payday. Darnold is a prime target, as the Bills loved him coming out of college, he is airtight with Allen as friends, and Darnold could see Buffalo as a one-year stepping stone to land a huge contract in 2024.


Sign WR Darius Slayton (https://theathletic.com/nfl/player/darius-slayton-7INPz2pLmnxnHIcr/)
One year, $3 million. Cap hit for 2023: $3M
Re-sign CB Dane Jackson
One year, $1.2 million - same cap hit for 2023
Re-sign LB Tyrel Dodson
One year, $1 million – same cap hit for 2023
Re-sign TE Tommy Sweeney (https://theathletic.com/nfl/player/tommy-sweeney-jJMDXFvnaCPrKt2i/)
One year, veteran minimum – same cap hit for 2023
Re-sign S Jaquan Johnson (https://theathletic.com/nfl/player/jaquan-johnson-nowyO0Lvc1H097jl/)
One year, veteran minimum – same cap hit for 2023
Re-sign P Sam Martin (https://theathletic.com/nfl/player/sam-martin-orrs1Y7oXU4SDr2W/)
One year, veteran minimum – same cap hit for 2023

Cap room after free agency including draft picks for 2023: $2.09M

I like the possibility of signing Miles Sanders. That would eliminate the need to use a high value pick in the draft (although a late round pick makes sense to develop). The Bills only have two RB’s under contract right now, and Hines’ cap hit is unpalatable.

Not sure about signing Sam Darnold for backup QB, although I understand the logic. Very much like Trubisky last season, he provides starter experience that is vital for a backup.

All a backup’s job is to not let the team fall apart if Allen goes down. And the relationship between Josh and Sam is well known. Darnold is not ever going to be a starter, but he is still a skilled QB that given the right circumstances (a really, really good team around him) can manage the game for a short period of time.

Although he would not be my first pick, if by some chance it came to be (and Joe B. is not the first place I have heard this suggestion) I would not be opposed at all. He would be better than Case Keenum for short term backup duties. Jacoby Brissett is another possibility.

The most controversial, of course, is extending Edmunds. I believe it’s a no brainer and IF they could get him for $16M APY it would be a very smart, forward thinking move.

Interestingly, ESPN published various information from their “insiders” in what they have been gathering from the scuttlebutt around the league. Yeah, from writers that have actual relationships with NFL GM’s, NFL coaches and other team sources and are in direct communication with them. Yes, off season, pre-draft is the time for smoke screens and misdirection, but their insight is still valuable.

This is what was written about Tremaine Edmunds….


Free agency and trade buzz: Aaron Rodgers, Lamar Jackson, top sleepers (https://www.espn.com/nfl/insider/story/_/id/35820389/nfl-free-agency-trade-buzz-latest-aaron-rodgers-lamar-jackson-free-agent-sleepers)




A spotlight should be on Tremaine Edmunds (https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/3929950/tremaine-edmunds), who will test the linebacker market in a big way. His age (24), impressive size (6-foot-5, 250) and Pro Bowl background prompt the question: Will he push for $20 million annually? Some teams think he might get close. Not everyone agrees. But those who are high on him are really high on him, and Buffalo is bummed that a blue-chip player it drafted and developed isn't staying due in part to cap constraints.

…snip…

Edmunds is a good call as one to watch, and the obvious spot for him is the Giants, who are being run by people who helped draft and develop him in Buffalo. The Giants aren't exactly loaded with cap space, and they have big-time needs on the offensive side of the ball at wide receiver. But I'm definitely not ruling them out as a team for Edmunds or Buffalo's other prime defensive free agent, safety Jordan Poyer (https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/15979/jordan-poyer). -- Graziano


Among the GM’s and NFL front office professionals, it’s a given that Tremaine Edmunds is a special talent and has a very high value that makes sense for a majority of the teams. He would be an upgrade at LB for most teams. The only disagreement come from whether he will hit, or approach the $20M mark.

$16M with a 2023 cap hit of $7.9M in 2023 would be a no-brainer to maintain the high level of the Bills defense.

[Woodman]

Matt Milano agrees to two-year extension with Bills - ProFootballTalk (https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2023/03/12/matt-milano-agrees-to-two-year-extension-with-bills/)

Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that Milano’s new deal will result (https://twitter.com/AdamSchefter/status/1634960090280390656) in $6 million in salary cap savings for the Bills this season.

Milano was a 2017 fifth-round pick and has spent his entire career with the Bills. He is coming off a season that saw him selected as a first-team All-Pro and Pro Bowler for the first time in his career.

[Woodman]

Buffalo Bills can “free around $32 million in space” with Allen and Miller restructures, per report - Buffalo Rumblings (https://www.buffalorumblings.com/2023/3/12/23636336/buffalo-bills-can-free-around-32-million-in-space-with-allen-and-miller-restructures-per-report)

Buffalo Bills can “free around $32 million in space” with Allen and Miller restructures, per report

[Woodman]

Chris Trapasso

Josh Allen & Von Miller restructures are locks. Will happen any day now. They'll free around $32M in space for #Bills (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Bills?src=hashtag_click) who are around $14M-$17M *over* the cap. Would then be around $16M underQuestion is: will Buffalo restructure anyone else like Dawkins, White, Diggs, or Milano?

Update: We already did Milano, RESTRUCTURED AND EXTENDED.

[notacon]

Matt Milano agrees to two-year extension with Bills - ProFootballTalk (https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2023/03/12/matt-milano-agrees-to-two-year-extension-with-bills/)

Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that Milano’s new deal will result (https://twitter.com/AdamSchefter/status/1634960090280390656) in $6 million in salary cap savings for the Bills this season.

Milano was a 2017 fifth-round pick and has spent his entire career with the Bills. He is coming off a season that saw him selected as a first-team All-Pro and Pro Bowler for the first time in his career.

Excellent. Now they have to extend Edmunds to keep the best starting LB tandem together for years to come.

[YardRat]

Can I sue Joe B. for ripping off the format of my annual Roster Analysis thread that I've been doing for almost a decade or should I just take comfort in knowing he knows who to listen to on other formats?

[Night Train]

LB Tyler Matakevich (https://www.nfl.com/players/tyler-matakevich/): Re-signing on a two-year deal that voids after Year 1. (Ian Rapoport)
LB Matt Milano (https://www.nfl.com/players/matt-milano/): Signed a two-year extension (https://www.nfl.com/news/bills-all-pro-lb-matt-milano-agree-to-terms-on-two-year-extension) through 2026. He was previously under contract through 2024. (Team)
P Sam Martin (https://www.nfl.com/players/sam-martin/): Re-signing on a three-year contract worth up to $7.5 million with $4.115 million in guarantees. (Mike Garafolo)