The Salary Cap....Good News?

[leomaz]

Not for his asking price......his own team isn't willing to give him the same type of money.

 

[leomaz]

The problem is our defensive line and linebackers couldn't stop the run when they needed to and they can't pressure the qb when asked to.......the defensive line has to be able to do both. Michael Bennet will take the highest offer from all accounts.

 

[NCChiFan]

Here is my take, if we pick up Johnson or Bennett quickly, like in a day or two of F/A period starting, then we could see Peppers Cut June 1st for Cap Room. The draft is just real real weak at DE, because of this I don't see the Bears cutting Peppers unless they have at least 1 other starting quality DE first.


No big name signing, Peppers will be a Bear next year.

 

[leomaz]

If they are gonna designate Peppers, they can use him space asap

 

[wood20ks]

Not for his asking price......his own team isn't willing to give him the same type of money.

This maybe because of other pressing needs.........We need Johnson more than the bengals need johnson.
not saying Johnson is the answer,but he definetley would help.

 

[wood20ks]

Here is my take, if we pick up Johnson or Bennett quickly, like in a day or two of F/A period starting, then we could see Peppers Cut June 1st for Cap Room. The draft is just real real weak at DE, because of this I don't see the Bears cutting Peppers unless they have at least 1 other starting quality DE first.


No big name signing, Peppers will be a Bear next year.

Not sure if JP will be a Bear or not,but I believe we will sign a big name.

 

[NCChiFan]

Not sure if JP will be a Bear or not,but I believe we will sign a big name.

I hear you, but the pickings are getting thinner and thinner.... Orakpo was Franchised, its looking more and more like Seattle will have the funds to keep Bennett if they wish. Johnson will want mad Mario Williams money, because he's making that now and I think that is the reason he's not going to be in Cinncy, they don't want to pay him that. While I don't mind seeing the Bears spend, overpaying is another matter.

 

[cubzzzfanincali]

ok, so while this whole "Cutler's contract can be reworked" does change the calculus some (his salary can be broken up into annual pieces of a signing bonus to the whole thing over 7 years, so that's like $3.25 million per year), it still doesn't change something fundamental.

The Bears have no salary cap space for big signings. They just don't. Stop it already.

If the Bears cut Peppers (about $10 million in cap hit savings), and take Cutler's entire 2014 salary and turn it into signing bonus (about $3.25/year), that's our entire space. We don't have a strongside linebacker, about 6 D linemen, 1 or 2 safeties, and at least another CB. We either blow the wad on a marquee signing, and be thin at numerous spots on the defense, or we stop deluding ourselves, sign several serviceable guys at the numerous spots we hope guys can play, and be better.

No Johnson. No Bennett. No anyone over $5 mil a year. That cuts off a lot of players.

This is why we might just be better off sucking it up, realizing we have literally 4 guys on our roster who in a 4-3 are best at weakside (Briggs, Bostic, Greene, Shea), and either forcing guys to play positions they are not suited for, or moving to a 3-4, where their skills do not overlap. Trade Briggs, get a pick, and gain an extra $5 mil in cap space. But OK OK, it's blasphemous to even suggest we shouldn't stick with the 4-3 our roster is horribly suited for, stay with it anyway. We stay with a 4-3, we have to sign a strongside guy we don't have, plus the other 6 linemen besides Paea. Whatever. And go with an experiment at MLB.

3-4 or 4-3, we need a lot of players. You guys realize that if we blow the whole cap space on a star, we have nothing left, right? Right? Because you are not talking that way. Sounds like a lot of denial to me.

 

[63bears40]

So why would we not want to change this?............Simple thinking if you ask me.

And as far as you not wanting Michael Johnson from cincy:

3) Michael Johnson, DE, Cincinnati Bengals: Johnson's sacks took a dip in 2013, but disruption still counts as production. In addition to providing stout run defense, Johnson was among the leading defensive ends in batted passes and quarter hurries.


He is rated as the third top free agent.(accordingt to NFL.com)

I`m like 63...........I think he would be a great acquisition........

I'm speechless . 2 guys agree w/me in the 1 weeks time .

 

[wood20ks]

ok, so while this whole "Cutler's contract can be reworked" does change the calculus some (his salary can be broken up into annual pieces of a signing bonus to the whole thing over 7 years, so that's like $3.25 million per year), it still doesn't change something fundamental.

The Bears have no salary cap space for big signings. They just don't. Stop it already.

If the Bears cut Peppers (about $10 million in cap hit savings), and take Cutler's entire 2014 salary and turn it into signing bonus (about $3.25/year), that's our entire space. We don't have a strongside linebacker, about 6 D linemen, 1 or 2 safeties, and at least another CB. We either blow the wad on a marquee signing, and be thin at numerous spots on the defense, or we stop deluding ourselves, sign several serviceable guys at the numerous spots we hope guys can play, and be better.

No Johnson. No Bennett. No anyone over $5 mil a year. That cuts off a lot of players.

This is why we might just be better off sucking it up, realizing we have literally 4 guys on our roster who in a 4-3 are best at weakside (Briggs, Bostic, Greene, Shea), and either forcing guys to play positions they are not suited for, or moving to a 3-4, where their skills do not overlap. Trade Briggs, get a pick, and gain an extra $5 mil in cap space. But OK OK, it's blasphemous to even suggest we shouldn't stick with the 4-3 our roster is horribly suited for, stay with it anyway. We stay with a 4-3, we have to sign a strongside guy we don't have, plus the other 6 linemen besides Paea. Whatever. And go with an experiment at MLB.

3-4 or 4-3, we need a lot of players. You guys realize that if we blow the whole cap space on a star, we have nothing left, right? Right? Because you are not talking that way. Sounds like a lot of denial to me.

Well cali,I thought i read where the Bears are not gonna sign Hester back,so there is some money to be saved.
Not sure what type of money he got,but i`m sure they will get some rookie or some other numbskull to return kicks for a minimum price.
I`m sure there wil be more casualties and contracts worked out so we can get a top notch free agent.
They didn`t primp up this top notch offense just so this defense can let it go too waste.

I believe they will get something worked out.............

 

[leomaz]

Devin Hester has no money the books for 2014......how can you save money from that? Its actually a cap hit because you have to replace him on the roster. ....so just for cap reasons say its $550,000..

 

[cubzzzfanincali]

Well cali,I thought i read where the Bears are not gonna sign Hester back,so there is some money to be saved.
Not sure what type of money he got,but i`m sure they will get some rookie or some other numbskull to return kicks for a minimum price.
I`m sure there wil be more casualties and contracts worked out so we can get a top notch free agent.
They didn`t primp up this top notch offense just so this defense can let it go too waste.

I believe they will get something worked out.............

Hester isn't under contract. Neither are Melton, Tillman, etc. Not resigning them has no effect on the current cap situation. Signing them eats what cap we've got. To lower our cap, we have to cut guys currently signed (i.e. Peppers).

There are really maybe two other guys under contract who might get cut, although I sort of doubt it. Earl Bennett and Michael Bush. Bush would save us $1.8 million in cap but the Bears would need to turn around and sign another running back for probably something close to that cost anyway, which is why I doubt he gets cut. As for Bennett, he has no dead money, and he's getting something like $2.5. Yeah, he could be gone, but having him on the roster as the third WR is quite advantageous, you need 3 strong WRs, he can back up either of the starters solidly if they get hurt, and you'd need to sign a new guy anyway, so again I sort of doubt he gets cut. But maybe.

So if you cut those two guys, you free up another $4.3 or so. There's another starter, but not a star.

There won't be any marquee signings. We need depth.