If I were the Patriots' owner (ha, ha) and we went into next season with no cap...
 

I would pay back the fans and insure that BB and Brady went out with a bang by unloading a bank on the following players:

Brady
Wilfork
Moss
Mankins
Welker
Bodden

I would sign each player to big 1st year balloon contracts with either roster bonuses (i.e. money that would all count for that year's non-cap) or easy incentives.

So, let's say Brady is worth $15 million a year (or more) average over the next 4 years. I would balloon the first year's payment so that his cap hit in the succeeding years would only be $10 million. That means $30 million in the first year for Brady.

For Wilfork and Moss (both semi-reliable players but you don't have the certitude with them that you do with Brady) I'd scale the big bonus down a bit. Let's say they are both worth $8 million a year each over the next few seasons (3 year contract for Moss, and 4 year for Wilfork). I would pay Wilfork $14 million in the first year with the subsequent years at $6 million, and Moss would get $12 million with the subsequent 2 years at $6 million.

Welker gets a big raise too and Mankins as well, but I can't project what their numbers should be. I'd like to see Bodden stick around for 2 or 3 more years.

In total, by doing these contracts next year, you'd shear off about $35 millio from future cap hits, which would make other signings more affordable.

So, I'd need to dip into my bank for $35 million to get a leg up on the rest of the league.

Meanwhile, that maniac in Washington will be signing a slew of free agents using this method.

Re: If I were the Patriots' owner (ha, ha) and we went into next season with no cap..
 

IIRC a rule in a non capped year states that a salary can be no more than 30% higher/lower than the succeeding year.

Re: If I were the Patriots' owner (ha, ha) and we went into next season with no cap..
 

It's only 30% higher, there are no rules for lower.

Re: If I were the Patriots' owner (ha, ha) and we went into next season with no cap..
 

Party pooper. ;)

Re: If I were the Patriots' owner (ha, ha) and we went into next season with no cap..
 

If 2010 is uncapped, most of all the good free agents will be restricted. It's not worth it.

Re: If I were the Patriots' owner (ha, ha) and we went into next season with no cap..
 

I think that applies to the capped years .

Re: If I were the Patriots' owner (ha, ha) and we went into next season with no cap..
 

I think you'd see some teams noticeably tank their payrolls, like Jacksonville or Buffalo. They're limited by the salary floor now and what the players don't seem to think will happen would be akin to baseball where the big market teams have all the cash to throw at championships and have 6 - 7x higher payroll but only the same number of spots than the small market teams.

Re: If I were the Patriots' owner (ha, ha) and we went into next season with no cap..
 

These are our own players.

Re: If I were the Patriots' owner (ha, ha) and we went into next season with no cap..
 

Bob Kraft will do what is fiscally responsible for his team. This

is why he is a millionaire and you are not.

Re: If I were the Patriots' owner (ha, ha) and we went into next season with no cap..
 

Screw that, I'm the owner.

Who the hell is Bob Kraft?

I never heard of him.

As for my finances, don't worry about me. I shorted all the banks that were selling credit default swaps. I'm doing OK. I can afford $35 million (which, when you think about it, is not all wasted money since some of those Patriots' free agents like Brady and Moss are going to cost me big anyway).