Assuming Manning retires

[theknight307]

What does that do with the salary cap? Right now there is like 12 million or so under the cap. Even if he announces that he is coming back, I am assuming the Broncos will be moving on.

Either way, is there money that will be freed up, or are the Broncos responsible for that money? I know there is still one more year on his contract. Isn't that true?

I guess the question is....

What is the deal with his contract and is there money that can be freed?

 

[SpiritOf77]

I am sure others here can help out with this, as I am not familiar with the details and the different scenarios, but for a start as per the New York Post

If Manning retires or is released, the Broncos will save $19 million in salary-cap space, which will have a huge effect on their plans.

If it is that simple, that's a lot of money ..... And a decent chunk of that will have to go to Oz

 

[cdumler7]

This is honestly one of the best websites I have seen around when it comes to the cap.

Denver Broncos Salary Cap - Over the Cap

If you go over the right side and the salmon color area you can see that cutting Manning will mean $2.5 million in dead money but an actual cap savings of $19 million. So yes cutting him helps out the team big time. This is again though why they have to cut him before March 9th because his base salary of $19 million becomes fully guaranteed at that point and then we are responsible. So this is why Elway saying that he is giving Manning all the time he needs isn't quite true.

 

[SpiritOf77]

So the term "dead money" translates to "eating the contract" , but without having that money count against the cap ?

Mr Bowlen is paying Shelly Smith, but Smith's money does not count against the cap ?

I would assume potential cuts /restructures could be:

- Colquitt
- Clady
- Vasquez
- Ware

 

[cdumler7]

So the term "dead money" translates to "eating the contract" , but without having that money count against the cap ?

Mr Bowlen is paying Shelly Smith, but Smith's money does not count against the cap ?

Potential cuts /restructures could be:

- Colquitt
- Clady
- Vasquez

Dead money counts against the cap. This is where signing bonus' and such come into play and why teams can't just cut whoever they like. A great example is that of DT. I know many have said get rid of this guy but it isn't that simple. We cut him this year and we are looking at $34.3 million in dead money or about 20% of the cap for a player that isn't even on our team. What the NFL does is any money that has been spread throughout the contract like a signing bonus that they pay up front but it counts over a 5-year period then becomes due all at the same time for a cap hit. DT is staying with the Broncos unless they can figure out something crazy in a trade but even there we are still responsible for the signing bonus and the fully guaranteed base salary of this year and the fully guaranteed base salary of next year.

So yes it would be in the best interest of the Broncos if they can get guys like Colquitt, Clady, and Vasquez to restructure but that can also mean that they have more guarantees beyond this season making it harder to cut them later. It is why a true pay cut is the best they can hope for where it doesn't add cap hits to later years.

 

[cdumler7]

Here is another great article to read to try and figure out our cap situation...

An Early Look at the Broncos' 2016 Cap Situation