DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Pure Football Forum Free Agency Part III

J/C. This is an interesting move to say the least. I don’t see Cam as the type of QB that Bill would want or one that fits that offense. I think going from Brady who is deadly accurate to Cam who is not makes me think they are gonna run a totally different scheme. When Cam was at his prime in Carolina they ran the ball and played good D. That is Old School Bellichick from back in the Cleveland days, maybe this is what he is gonna try again in NE this season.

With a host of notable free agents available to sign, a look at five teams with the most current cap space:
1. Browns: $38,705,703
2. Washington: $36,539,030
3. Lions (pre-Okudah): $29,188,916
4. Eagles: $24,577,909
5. Bengals: $24,236,690

https://twitter.com/FieldYates/status/1282704677050687490

Still sitting pretty

Plus we are in the top half of the league in spending. I'm not so sure I'd continue to spend, although if it helps us win the Super Bowl this year... I'm all for it.

How Are The Browns Leading the League in Cap Space Despite Paying Out So Much in Salaries?

https://www.si.com/nfl/browns/browns-maven-features/manipulating-the-salary-cap

The Cleveland Browns currently have the most salary cap space in the NFL with $38.6 million. While often attributed to the Browns not spending and potentially being cheap, the Browns are currently slated to spend $201 million on salaries in 2020, which ranks 14th in the NFL. They have the most cap room in the league, but are nowhere near the bottom of the league in terms of how much they are spending on their team this year.

Creative accounting and an understanding of the salary cap has allowed them to create an excellent financial situation, which should enable the Browns to be one of the best teams in the league in 2021 and 2022.

The Pittsburgh Steelers have enjoyed sustained excellence for years, always flirting with the salary cap limit from year to year, coming up with creative solutions to move money and keep themselves under the cap. Going back to 2016, the Browns tore down their team in terms of salary, creating a ton of salary cap, rolling it over from year to year, creating a massive cushion to operate.

The result is the following.

2020 Salaries Cap Space

Browns $201.6 million $38.6 million

Steelers $206.3 million $5.69 million

The NFL is set up to make sustained excellence really difficult to achieve. Despite the fact the Steelers are only paying five million more in salary, the Browns are in a comfortable position from a salary cap standpoint.

So, the question is how?

Let's use some really nice, round numbers to illustrate how it works. Say the Browns had $50 million in cap space in 2016 after tearing the team down to the studs to rebuild. There comes a point when teams can rollover their unused cap space into the next year. In 2016, the Browns would've rolled over that $50 million. Assuming all other expenses remain constant, the Browns would then have the $50 million in space and $50 million in rollover cap, giving them $100 million in cap space total to start out 2017.

Now, add in the adjustment in the salary cap, which has tended to be about $10 to $12 million per season. For the sake of simplicity, add $10 million to the $110 million figure. So in 2017, the Browns have $110 million in cap space. The Browns could then sign players in that offseason, but as long as they only spend that rollover cap figure of $50 million, they aren't really losing any meaningful space. Yes, they could roll over the whole $110 million if they didn't spend a time, but they can add players while still growing their cap.

They signed players like J.C. Tretter, Kevin Zeitler, Jason McCourty, (sigh) Kenny Britt. Again, for the sake of simplicity, assume they only spend the $50 million of salary cap they rolled over into 2018, allowing them to maintain the original $50 million they started with in 2017 plus the $10 million in additional cap space. Now, getting ready for 2018, they roll over that $60 million.

Between the $60 million they had and the $60 million they rolled over, they find themselves with $120 million. Another year of the salary cap increasing $10 million and it's $130 million. The team has more cap space but increased the amount they are paying in salaries for free agents to improve the team.

Make a few trades, adding Jarvis Landry, Damarious Randall and a few free agents, adding $50 million worth of salaries. That would still leave $80 million of cap room and only $60 million of that is real cap. The rest is unused rollover space. Heading into 2019, that's $160 million in cap space plus the $10 million the cap increased, giving them a total of $170 million in cap space. The team has increased their salary base every single year and improved their talent pool, but they have also gained cap space.

It doesn't take long to amass a significant amount of salary cap space, allowing for teams to operate far above the actual salary cap, enabling to make a run. As an example, the Indianapolis Colts, who had been amassing cap space for a few years went from over $100 million in space last year to now being scheduled to spend $231.2 million in salary. With the additions of players like Philip Rivers and DeForest Buckner, the team now hopes they can get to the Super Bowl.

It's a little curious that the Las Vegas Raiders and Buffalo Bills are scheduled to pay out over $220 million each this season, but let's get nuts.

The Browns are paying out $201.6 million this year and have a significant amount of talent on their roster. They also have $38.6 million in cap space. While adding more talent isn't out of the question, the goal is to rollover a significant amount of that space into 2021. If they roll it all over, they'd have $77.2 million in space heading into 2021.

They also will have a number of free agents, who signed one-year deals, which will have them with more space. The salary cap may not go up and actually could go down this coming year, but the Browns would still be in a position to add premium talent to their roster as they potentially make a push for the Super Bowl in 2021 and 2022 even after they extend Myles Garrett's contract.

And there is the value of the Sashi years, as painful as those were. The teardown got that ball rolling and the build-up was done within the structure of that.

winning the super bowl this year won’t be very significant..but I’d still take it.

Point of reference for Chubb’s contract in two years.

It will have to be in that range. Both are pretty fine backs.

I agree. I just didn't want to say that. I'd like to keep him, but they take a lot of wear and tear.

If you have the right system, and a decent O-line, backs are a dime a dozen. We cut Raheem Mostert who is now ripping it up for the 49ers.

You can always find a good back. Sure, every once in a while you have a Emmitt Smith or Bo Jackson, but finding guys who can gain 7 yards isn't all that hard. You don't need Herschel Walker back there.

At some point teams will be able to sign running backs to extensions for pretty cheap. Even Henry’s deal is pretty cheap compared to what a running back of his caliber used to get.

j/c

I still believe, despite what others have argued, that Chubb is a grounded, loyal person. You don't have to break the bank. Pay him fairly, and he will stay with his team.

It's his agent you have to worry about.

Agreed

I think the term fairly is what the market determines it to be for a similar player at the position. Chubb and Henry went down to the wire for the #1 and #2 RB in the NFL last year. If this year turns out the same, fair is a contract that would be very similar to Henry's.

Chubb isn't even a FA until 2022. If we could get him at 12 million by that point I would go for it.

The market is determined by revenue. If we don't play this year, rates may actually drop. I think that is why we are seeing a flurry of extensions. It might not be as good in a year or two. All include some signing bonus that is paid in 24-48 hours, or whatever the standard might be.

If you may not get game checks this year, it is comforting to know you just had $millions deposited in to whatever type of account you are using as your primary.

i think a lot of the reason I’d favor signing him would be his attitude and how he represents the team. IMO that’s a big difference between he and, say, Leveon Bell

I think I like Chubb as much as Joe Thomas, maybe more. I will be very sad if he signs his second contract with another team.

Yeah, I don't know the dude, but Chubb comes across as a great, great dude. He's quiet, humble, grounded, and polite. He is also a bad-ass on the football field.

I doubt that there is any fan that dislikes Chubb. What do you think? Do you think anyone dislikes him? I can't fathom a reason for not liking him.

Before the pandemic our summer vacation was taking 3.5 weeks and driving cross country to take the kids to Disney World. I had planned a stop in Chubb town as part of our trip. I would say Chubb, Bitonio, and Ogunjobi are my favorite players currently. Great players and great dudes. Hard not to root for.

But there is something special about Chubb.

I agree about the first two. I liked Schobert a lot, too. But, he's gone. I like Ward quite a bit. I know you probably won't agree w/this one, but I like Landry a lot.

I love Landry.

I think if I played professionally my personality would be most like his.

Just bball pickup games I can tell you I am most like Landry. Passionate, competitive, and trash talk.

I’d say Chubb is among my favorite players in my lifetime, which is pretty telling considering he’s only been here two seasons.

Tough not to root for guys like him

You may have a point. But I think Chubb is under contract through the 2022 season. If that's the case and under your scenario, I would never sign a deal next year and wait until 2022. I'm sure both the agents and the players understand this.

I agree,, Perhaps my favorite RB since Jim Brown.

Works hard, plays hard... Not your typical braggart.... Just a good guy.

Exactly. I like guys who do it the right way

The right way as defined by you.

exactly

Right, and to be honest, I don't think I would ever want to sign a back to an extension before their final season.

Too much risk, and you can always find a running back. I am not going to look through the teams, nor expect you to. Just in our division, the Bengals have Mixon, Ravens Mark Ingram, Steelers, James Connor.

One can bicker over who is better, but you can win with any of those guys. It's just not that hard to find a lead back. Being a good lead back is more about carries than having some super superior skill.

No doubt every now and then you get a Emmitt Smith, but for the most part most are about the same.

For the most part we agree. The only real difference I think we have here is I believe that as of now, Chubb is an elite back.

I mean we could make the same argument about every position on an NFL team. Teams win the SB without elite QB's. They win without elite WR's. They win SB's without great defenses and without great OL's. I mean that has happened and will happen again.

So we can minimize the idea of having elite players at every position if we try hard enough. I just feel the more elite talent you can accumulate at every position the better your odds of success are.

I mean where do you think the Titans would have ended up with "an average back" last season?

Chubb is my favorite Brown.

Team player with elite skill.

Sign him.

I agree. Second contracts for backs is risky. Spending big dollars on a position that is likely going to get hurt before the term of the contract is up is bad business.

Just draft a college kids every 4-5 years and go on the cheap.

In this past draft 1 RB was taken in the first round, Clyde Edwards-Helaire by the Chiefs with the 32nd pick. Three backs were taken in the 2nd round.

You are going to be able to draft a RB.

If we want to extend him, I wouldn't go over 2-3 years. Probably 2, and I would do it now, if possible.

j/c

I've been re-watching games from 2019 recently. I'm no Xs and Os guy...but...the play of Chubb and Landry last year was very good and very consistent...especially given the chaos that surrounded that team.

Here's what continues to stand out to me:

Chubb is a special back...I think every bit as special as was Emmitt Smith et al.

Landry showed excellent hands and regularly made plays.

OBJ was abysmal. The number of drops he had last year was maddening. I think/hope his play was a result of playing through that injury.

Baker still made a slew of 'big time' NFL throws.

RSJ was the most-notable TE on the team.

What an odd year.

I think this might be something that we can all agree on 100%. Emmitt is a good comparison because one of the things I like so much about Chubb is his patience and ability to read the blockers in front of him. That coupled with his deceptive speed is a wonderful combination. As many have said, he's special on off the field and an individual of great character.

Ideally, we retain either Nick or Kareem In 2 years. I’d hate to lose both.

Unless Hunt comes in at a serious discount, it won't be him. He likely won't be here in 2021.

I feel like Nick is going to demand serious money in 2 years. The better play may be, get a hometown discount from Kareem. Running backs may be a dime a dozen, but Kareem has great hands out of the backfield, assuming he stays correct.

Vegas oddsmakers probably have us losing both.