OT: Jets Cap Nightmare in 2013

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

Wow, I was just looking at the Jets salary cap situation next year, and it's among the worst I've ever seen.

Assuming the cap is 120 (although it may be 125), here's how it breaks down:

They are currently at about $138.3M, roughly $18M over the cap.

The Jets will probably make the following cuts: Bart Scott (frees up $7M), Calvin Pace (frees up 8.5M), and Wayne Hunter (frees up $4M). That gets to roughly around the cap, or maybe with a little extra cash, although that doesn't replace Scott or Pace either.

They can't really cut anyone else of note, as there is little cap savings. Santonio Holmes and Antonio Cromartie, for example, would still count $10M against the cap even if cut. It looks like the Jets just threw everyone's big payday into 2013.

So, assuming they make those three cuts, and they have a little extra money, they now have the following free agents, along with Hunter, Scott, and Pace:

Brandon Moore
Dustin Keller
Mike DeVito
Shonn Greene
Matt Slauson
Aaron Maybin
Ropati Pitoitua
Jay Richardson
Laron Landry
Yeremiah Bell
Stephon Heyer

They'll need to replace most of them with some real bottom of the barrel players (that Rex will surely hype up if he's still around.)

Considering that the Jets have virtually no other youth coming in to restock there talent that we know of, they better pray that Coples and Hill pan out to be huge stars. I'm sure they will try to restructure contracts to free up money, but any way you look at it, they are in big, big trouble. They've spent all of their money on a core of selfish players who don't play as big as their paychecks. Does anyone think Sanchez, Harris, Cromartie, and Holmes are worth a $50M cap hit!

New York Jets Salary Cap

New York Jets Salary Cap

By comparison, the Pats are currently at $100M in cap value, $38M less tied up than the NYJs, with this free agent list. Even if Welker gets a big contract, the gap is still huge.

Brian Hoyer
Danny Woodhead
Deion Branch
Donte' Stallworth
Wes Welker
Donald Thomas
Brian Waters
Trevor Scott
Niko Koutouvides
Will D. Allen

 

[Rob0729]

Jason does detail how they can get about $10 million or so under the cap, but the bigger issue is that they will likely have to resign or replace about 10 or 11 starters to get there.

Addressing the John Clayton 2013 Cap Report

Assuming they make these cuts, here are the following starting positions with holes due to the cut or free agency:

RB
TE
RT
RG
LG
DE (maybe)
LOLB
ROLB
FS
SS
ILB

They may have a few of these replacements on their roster, but they will have to replace most of them on the cheap or through the draft.

Also, this is a make or break year for Sanchez. if he has another season like last year, they may cut ties with him. It would take another $4.3 million of cap space to do so. Holmes could get cut too and save about $1.25 million vs. the cap.

They are not in as dire cap situation as it seems, but they could have to start rebuilding next year due to all the losses of starters. They are likely to have a lot of turnover of the roster next year.

BTW, you missed Pat Chung as a free agent for the Pats. Only he and Welker are potential must keeps of the Pats' free agents. Waters is the only other starter.

 

[ausbacker]

I'm lobbying for a Revis contract hold out.

 

[DaBruinz]

Well, I wouldn't mind seeing the Pats add Mike DeVito out of that group. And with the Pats already having Gronk, Hernandez, Fells, and Ballard under contract, I don't see them looking at Keller.

And I don't mind seeing the Jets flounder..

 

[Rob0729]

I'm lobbying for a Revis contract hold out.

I don't think a Revis hold out is as impossible as Jets fans seem to believe. He has more leverage than people give him credit for. Tannebaum, Ryan, and Sanchez are all on the hotseat if the Jets go sub .500 this season. It is a pretty real possibility that they would if Revis does hold out. According to Pro Football Weekly, word is that is Revis' thinking.

Darrelle Revis has yet to confirm that he will be at camp. His holdout in 2010 led to a new deal, which paid him $32.5 million in ’10 and ’11, but he will be making $7.5 million in 2012, below market valule for the league's best corner. While the Jets will remind Revis how handsomely he was paid the last two seasons, one daily team observer pointed out that Revis' camp is likely aware of some potential vulnerability for the Jets this summer. After a disappointing 2011 season, there is a lot of pressure around Florham Park to get Gang Green back to the postseason, and they'd be hard-pressed to do that without Revis. That could be his strongest leverage point.

ProFootballWeekly.com - Bears OT Carimi confident knee is fully healthy

 

[Joker]

And I don't mind seeing the Jets flounder..

neither do these guys...

 

[Deus Irae]

It's monopoly money, and they've got a bunch of players that won't be returning. They'll be fine, more's the pity.

 

[Triumph]

And they call Tanny a cap Genius!

The Jets window is closing and its the go for broke approach in 2012 as usual with them. Theres going to be a QB controversy that will divide the team just you watch. Where the Jets have training camp is bracing for Tebowmaina.

Cant wait.

 

[Joey007]

BTW, you missed Pat Chung as a free agent for the Pats. Only he and Welker are potential must keeps of the Pats' free agents. Waters is the only other starter.

He also missed Kyle Arrington and Sebastian Vollmer, FWIW.

 

[serifyn]

The Jets will simply extend players or restructure their contracts and push more money down the line like they always do.

 

[TyronePoole]

the Jets have a long documented history of tampering so I wouldn't mind the Pats getting the word through to a few of their key guys just how highly they'd be valued on the open market

 

[Sciz]

Well, this makes me feel better about their ability to sign Welker a year from now. His best friend coaches for them, but that won't matter if they can't afford him.

 

[patsinthesnow]

Cap hell or no cap hell, the Jets had their two year window (09-10) with a stud OL, great defense, and solid WR corps. All 3 of their strengths have eroded to average or mediocrity. The team is just bad all around, besides C and CB.

 

[Deus Irae]

Cap hell or no cap hell, the Jets had their two year window (09-10) with a stud OL, great defense, and solid WR corps. All 3 of their strengths have eroded to average or mediocrity. The team is just bad all around, besides C and CB.

But this is the year that Mark "Unlimited ceiling" Sanchez becomes an elite QB....

 

[sly24]

My god this organisation is a mess.

 

[ausbacker]

My god this organisation is a mess.

Don't pretend that observing it isn't fun.

 

[Sciz]

Don't pretend that observing it isn't fun.

Avenue Q Schadenfreude - YouTube

 

[Joker]

Goodell protects ONE franchise from all kinds of disciplinary action...that is the Jets...remember how he swept the Jet cap shenanigans under the rug when they suddenly shifted monies from one year to the next,suggesting they had inside info? Read THIS about how he coerced the NFLPA into accepting the 46 million in fines he levied on Dallas and Washington for cap violations in an uncapped year!!!

The Roger Goodell Era Will End Badly For Everyone - SBNation.com

Between hammering Jonathan Vilma without a shred of evidence, downplaying player safety issues, all the questionable suspensions and fines dictated by the whims of the league office and the NFL's "best interests", and then this Skins/Cowboys case ... Almost every decision Roger Goodell makes sort of demands a challenge in independent court. As the years pass, the problems only multiply. So think of this in a broader context.

 

[Rob0729]

Cap hell or no cap hell, the Jets had their two year window (09-10) with a stud OL, great defense, and solid WR corps. All 3 of their strengths have eroded to average or mediocrity. The team is just bad all around, besides C and CB.

I agree the Jets window may have already shut.

The thing with cap hell though (which Felger uses to bolster his "the cap is crap" BS) is that cap hell is more of cap heck these days. There is no longer true cap hell (although the Raiders were in true cap hell this year), more of a lite version of it.

The Jets couldn't make major moves to fill holes this offseason because they had cap problems. That is why they are starting a very raw rookie WR and Wayne Hunter at RT. People will argue they have plenty of cap space, but Tannebaum knows he can't use it because he needs to push that money into next year to get enough cap room to resign or replace all the starters he is losing.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Every couple years I read a Jets cap hell thread here. While the Jets like many teams may have to make a couple roster moves that they wouldn't otherwise make, most teams find themselves in that situation every few years. And folks are assuming that the 2013 Jets don't draft ANYONE capable of filling the vacated slots or sign any bargain FAs who rise to the occasion like the guys we Pats fans love when they sign with us.

Jets suck.