(11-18-2024, 05:53 PM)JagFan81 Wrote: There's lots of depressing stuff to talk about with us right now so let's focus on a different aspect, our Cap space and salaries for next season.
So let's start cap space. Using overthecap, right now we have $61.5m free cap for next season (who knows if they'll increase the cap budget again). That's a pretty healthy figure to make some moves in FA and improve the roster.
Looking at potential free agents, there's not a lot to worry about. Cisco and Walker Little are the only names that stand out but neither is having a great contract year. The 12 players are
Mac Jones
Walker Little
Jeremiah Ledbetter
Caleb Johnson
Andre Cisco
D'Ernest Johnson
Luke Farrell
De'Shaan Dixon
Esezi Otomewo
Cole Van Lanen
Tim Jones
Patrick Murtaugh
I don't see Little getting overpaid like most FA OL players. Cisco has been poor this year but has been a solid starter for us. Maybe a new HC/DC will see him have a bounce back year.
Now looking at salaries, there's good and bad news. So let's just look at next year's top 5 earners and their dead money.
1- Kirk- $24.3m ($13.6m dead money, $10.7m cap)
2- Engram- $19.75m ($13.5m dead money, $6.25m cap)
3- Trevor- $17m ($133m dead money)
4- Josh- $15.4m ($68.1m dead money)
5- Scherff- $14m ($14m dead money)
I feel bad adding this one but it stings
Hamilton- $10.8m ($12m dead money)
Looking at the contracts, the bad news is there is very little cap savings to be made from cuts this year. Nearly every contract situation is a dead money hit with little to no cap savings. On one hand it's a settled roster, on another the roster has been hot garbage this year!
Let me prove the point. Here's our top 5 cap savings from cuts
1- Kirk-$24.3m ($13.6m dead money, $10.7m cap)
2- Engram- $19.75m ($13.5m dead money, $6.25m cap)
3- Logan Cooke- $3.5m (600k dead money, $2.9m cap)
4-Duverney- $4m ($1.2m dead money, $2.8m cap)
5- Dewey- $3.7m ($1m dead money, 2.7m cap)
6- Darby- $5m ($2.75m dead money, $2.25 cap)
So as you can see there's not much to make big chunks back. It's a few million here or there (and there's no way we're cutting Cooke). We have a good chunk of cap to use to strengthen but the new GM will have to hit on his FA and draft picks.
It's frustrating as we have a very settled roster for next year which is a good thing to have, sadly the way this year has gone I don't know if it's going to be a positive with how things are going. It will be a big task for the next GM and HC to get this roster producing and finding the key players to bring in.
What do you all think?
Very good synopsis of the team's financial state. The toughest decisions to me are:
1. Walker Little: If he continues to play well, I'd have to offer him a new deal. He can play on the left or right side and hope Harrison improves. They may have to pay him more than they'd like, but it would also allow them to take the BPA in the draft rather than reach for a tackle out of need. If they do let him go, however, I'd move Harrison to left tackle and draft a right tackle in round 2. Just don't think they can count on Foster to make a huge leap in year 2.
2. Andre Cisco: How far he has dropped since the beginning of this season! Is his poor performance due primarily to a terrible defensive scheme or for other reasons? No doubt, this guy has a very good skill-set and if not re-signed is likely to go the route of many other ex-Jaguars who were prematurely given up on only to excel with another team. He is still only 24 years old so I'd try to keep him as long as he doesn't make totally unreasonable demands for his new deal.
3. Brandon Scherff: It wouldn't surprise me if he decides to retire. He wouldn't be bad to keep as a back-up if they could agree to a slightly lower price. If he doesn't I'd let him go as his best days are way in the past. Hodges showed some promise, especially as a run-blocker and could compete with a rookie draft pick.
4. Christian Kirk: Another tough choice. His inability to remain healthy is a big problem and the team would still take a pretty big cap hit if he's released. He also has a very good rapport with Lawrence and Gabe Davis was a terrible free agent who would make a poor #2 receiver behind Thomas. For that reason, I'd likely keep Kirk one more season and continue to give Parker Washington work in the slot to see if he could be a good replacement in 2026.
5. Most of the other players you mentioned are backups except Darby (let him go) and Duvernay (same). I'd keep Hamilton as his play has improved and the defensive tackle position is very poor.
