2021 Cap Decrease + Possible Consequences [Cap is set at $182.5M]

[Ann]

Any cap gurus here? 

Is Beane a cap genius? Can he pull a rabbit out of his hat? How will the Bills navigate these waters? Who are the obvious players not being resigned? Who is being cut?
 

2021 cap space (right now the Bills are in the red) 
Spotrac contracts for the Bills

This article deals with the consequences of less money available to the teams...
 

2021 NFL salary cap conundrum: Three major consequences of projected decrease
 

</snip>
 

Clubs are aware there will be a decrease in the cap number next year due to COVID-19 repercussions, but to what degree? That's still unknown, as there are estimates out there, but no official number from the league. All 32 teams must be below the cap number at the start of the new league year.
 

</snip>
 

1) Using the franchise tag will become more difficult.
2) Teams with less draft capital may be in for longer periods of hardship.
3) A major threat to veteran roster spots.

</snip>
 

[Alaska Darin]

I'm very curious to see if this leads to some kind of "percentage slotting" instead of actual dollars. 

Like Josh's contract could be 25% of the overall cap.

[Whatnot78]

You'll see a larger number of veteran cuts in order to get under the salary cap...any more probably taking a veteran minimum.

[Ann]

17 minutes ago, Whatnot78 said:

You'll see a larger number of veteran cuts in order to get under the salary cap...any more probably taking a veteran minimum.

I was looking at the cap hits if some of the vets are cut. Who would you cut?

Lee Smith is gone. Harrison Philips? Tyler Matakevich? I do not know the plans for these guys, and they only equal about $7M all together.  And then there are contracts expiring and/or they might want extended (Feliciano, McKenzie, Milano, and what to do about Josh's contract...)

 

[Whatnot78]

12 minutes ago, Ann said:

I was looking at the cap hits if some of the vets are cut. Who would you cut?

Lee Smith is gone. Harrison Philips? Tyler Matakevich? I do not know the plans for these guys, and they only equal about $7M all together.  And then there are contracts expiring and/or they might want extended (Feliciano, McKenzie, Milano, and what to do about Josh's contract...)

 

 Smith definitely...the other 2 probably.

 

Possibly John Brown...with Davis being the cheaper option

[Ann]

3 minutes ago, Whatnot78 said:

 Smith definitely...the other 2 probably.

 

Possibly John Brown...with Davis being the cheaper option

Yeah, I was looking at John Brown's contract. Would love to keep him, but he may be too expensive. Which is a darned shame.
 

[Billsandhorns]

I see Philips is probably gone. He has been a healthy scratch a couple of times  at least this year.  

[Alaska Darin]

If Brown is jettisoned, Davis IS NOT an adequate replacement.  Brown's ability to blow the top off the defense MUST be replaced.  It's not a coincidence that teams are more easily able to contain the BILLS' passing game when Brown isn't on the field.

[Alaska Darin]

4 minutes ago, Billsandhorns said:

I see Philips is probably gone. He has been a healthy scratch a couple of times  at least this year.  

Maybe...but he's not really expensive and is coming off a pretty significant injury.  I can see him getting another look through training camp next season.  He won't be cut over money.

[Billsandhorns]

15 minutes ago, Alaska Darin said:

Maybe...but he's not really expensive and is coming off a pretty significant injury.  I can see him getting another look through training camp next season.  He won't be cut over money.

I can agree with that. It appears to me that once a guy looks like he is falling out of favor. They don't stay around very long.

This year very well be different

[Alaska Darin]

6 minutes ago, Billsandhorns said:

I can agree with that. It appears to me that once a guy looks like he is falling out of favor. They don't stay around very long.

This year very well be different

I don't disagree because there are plenty of examples of guys being jettisoned but his injury and draft status are really the wildcards.  I've never heard anyone say anything negative about Harry, so I doubt he's much of a distraction in the way a guy like say, Spain might have been.

 

An ACL is a tough thing to come back from and even harder if you're a bigger dude.  He may be a "healthy scratch" but it's hard for me to believe that he's 100% of what he was before he was hurt.  It just takes so long to get back from that injury.

[Billsandhorns]

1 minute ago, Alaska Darin said:

I don't disagree because there are plenty of examples of guys being jettisoned but his injury and draft status are really the wildcards.  I've never heard anyone say anything negative about Harry, so I doubt he's much of a distraction in the way a guy like say, Spain might have been.

 

An ACL is a tough thing to come back from and even harder if you're a bigger dude.  He may be a "healthy scratch" but it's hard for me to believe that he's 100% of what he was before he was hurt.  It just takes so long to get back from that injury.

I agree that the ACL is a tough injury to come back from. I could see him sticking around at least through training camp and probably into next year.  Still on his rookie deal and relatively inexpenive

[GG1]

Diggs will probably restructure by pushing some of his pay forward in a restructuring bonus and take salary away in future years.    Morse will be cut or restructured. Same with Butler.   These are the easy ones, and they could probably free up another $10 million here and there.

 

I still disagree with Spotrac's treatment of Star's dead cap, as they include his '22 salary as guaranteed.  That's not the case, it's only guaranteed for injury.

[Ann]

 

 

 

[BuffaloHokie13]

1993 and 2010 were uncapped years. I'm sure they could do that again due to the uncertainty if the owners and NFLPA agreed on it.

[Koko]

Either way, I hope the NFL gives teams plenty of lead time to make plans.

 

Cap management seems difficult enough without throwing uncertainty and last-minute (relatively speaking) decisions into the mix.

[Ann]

On 12/9/2020 at 8:46 AM, BuffaloHokie13 said:

1993 and 2010 were uncapped years. I'm sure they could do that again due to the uncertainty if the owners and NFLPA agreed on it.

This might be a good idea as long as they know what the 2022 cap will be.

 

[Boyst]

I have to wonder if the NFLPA will be willing to come to the table to rework their deal. They should.

[Ann]

NFL Ratings Drop Leaves Networks Scrambling to Make Advertisers Whole
TV networks are using ad inventory to make good on their earlier audience commitments
 

A pro football game on a Wednesday afternoon is rare. Advertisers getting a pricing discount for NFL games is also usually unheard of.
 

But it’s happening.
 

TV networks are feeling the strains of disappointing NFL ratings, as they are forced to restructure deals with advertisers to make up for the smaller audience, and their opportunity to make money off remaining games during the lucrative holiday season narrows.
 

NBC made the unusual move of lowering the price it charged advertisers that already had committed to run in a Baltimore Ravens vs. Pittsburgh Steelers game planned for Thanksgiving night after a Covid-19 outbreak on the Ravens forced the game’s postponement to the following Wednesday.
 

Some networks also have considered letting advertisers pay less for commercials during NFL games and other programming than they originally pledged.
 

Meanwhile, a large amount of the remaining commercial time available in games is being given to marketers as compensation for the underperformance so far, leaving little ad time that can be sold in the final quarter of the season. Such so-called make-good commercials are given if a network underdelivers on the audience it promised an advertiser.

</snip>

With nothing else on TV, this is the excuse!?!?!
 

But this year, NFL ratings have taken a hit as pandemic-related postponements have pushed some games to less desirable times and the coronavirus has sidelined some star players. Unexpected competition from other sports leagues whose seasons were delayed from earlier in the year also has taken a toll on ratings.
 

Last NFL season, not including the playoffs, networks that broadcast the games generated $3.6 billion in TV ad revenue, according to Kantar.

</snip>

Buried:

Aside from reschedulings and some sidelined stars, the league has faced a backlash from some fans over its social justice efforts, including its embrace of Black Lives Matter. These factors are compounded by the secular decline of traditional TV viewing, in which ratings have been eroded by the uptick in ad-free streaming services.

</snip>

[Just Joshin]

28 minutes ago, Ann said:

NFL Ratings Drop Leaves Networks Scrambling to Make Advertisers Whole
TV networks are using ad inventory to make good on their earlier audience commitments
 

A pro football game on a Wednesday afternoon is rare. Advertisers getting a pricing discount for NFL games is also usually unheard of.
 

But it’s happening.
 

TV networks are feeling the strains of disappointing NFL ratings, as they are forced to restructure deals with advertisers to make up for the smaller audience, and their opportunity to make money off remaining games during the lucrative holiday season narrows.
 

NBC made the unusual move of lowering the price it charged advertisers that already had committed to run in a Baltimore Ravens vs. Pittsburgh Steelers game planned for Thanksgiving night after a Covid-19 outbreak on the Ravens forced the game’s postponement to the following Wednesday.
 

Some networks also have considered letting advertisers pay less for commercials during NFL games and other programming than they originally pledged.
 

Meanwhile, a large amount of the remaining commercial time available in games is being given to marketers as compensation for the underperformance so far, leaving little ad time that can be sold in the final quarter of the season. Such so-called make-good commercials are given if a network underdelivers on the audience it promised an advertiser.

</snip>

With nothing else on TV, this is the excuse!?!?!
 

But this year, NFL ratings have taken a hit as pandemic-related postponements have pushed some games to less desirable times and the coronavirus has sidelined some star players. Unexpected competition from other sports leagues whose seasons were delayed from earlier in the year also has taken a toll on ratings.
 

Last NFL season, not including the playoffs, networks that broadcast the games generated $3.6 billion in TV ad revenue, according to Kantar.

</snip>

Buried:

Aside from reschedulings and some sidelined stars, the league has faced a backlash from some fans over its social justice efforts, including its embrace of Black Lives Matter. These factors are compounded by the secular decline of traditional TV viewing, in which ratings have been eroded by the uptick in ad-free streaming services.

</snip>

The NBA came to their senses (remains to be seen if they can restrain themselves) and the NFL needs to understand people want entertainment, not lectures about how we are evil people.