"The Colts could declare James a franchise player like they did last year, although that move would cost them an estimated $11 million against the cap."
"Linebacker June Cato and defensive end Robert Mathis can also test the market, although the Colts reportedly have tendered them offers which would give Indianapolis the right to match any contract they are offered by another team." - they don't know for sure what or even if the Colts tendered those 2 guys?
I'm sure there was just a clause in there saying that a new CBA would make them void - I'm sure the Colts would be under the cap anyway, making the restructures meaningless.
I'm sure there was just a clause in there saying that a new CBA would make them void - I'm sure the Colts would be under the cap anyway, making the restructures meaningless.
Brad Blank had said last week when he was on with Felger that the NFL had indicated that CBA pending clauses in restructured deals would be legal so you had to figure Condon would only give back millions (even in to some extent phony salaries) if he absolutely had to. This way Peyton and Marvin will get credit for being team guys when needed.
Both contracts can now be the same old eventual cap killers we all know and love. They will likely credit card one or both of the bonuses due to Manning and Harrison depending on how much space Polian needs.
If they were $6M over before those deals were redone, with $7.5M more as a result of the new CBA that would put them under $1.5 or so. They will also save another million and a half or so on deals they signed with Wayne and the other two last week just from the added year to amortize the signing bonuses. And I wouldn't doubt salaries in those deal were also triggered to change with a new CBA eliminating the 30% rule.
If they simply convert both Manning's and Harrison's roster bonuses to signing bonus now they can free up up to $14M, so overall they could be $17-18M under whenever they want or need to be. Of course that will increase the load of remaining amortization should they want to redo Peyton's deal (which baloons into the $18-20M range by 2008-09 after reverting and with bonus conversions) or if Harrison ends up showing his age over the next two seasons. I suppose it depends to on whether they want to try to get Freeney locked up this season rather than waiting for FA in 2007 and whether or not they take a shot at re-signing Edge, although Polian doesn't appear to be overly interested in him. But they have already committed to a lot of up front cash for Irsay for one season between Manning & Harrison's roster bonuses ($19M), Simon's $8M option, and Wayne's, Brock's and Brackett's signing bonuses. And I'm not sure anyone understands yet just what the new cash over cap rules entail.
They are going to redo them again and spread the bonus out over 5 years instead of 4 years. It is one of the benefits to the new CBA. As a result, their cap hits will be even lower.
The additional year of proration is peanuts compared to the end of the 30% rule, when it comes to Manning's and Harrison's contract restructures. Now, they'll be able to backload the heck out of those deals. In the first four years of Manning's contract, they will have paid him $53.5 million in prorated bonuses and less than $4 million in salary.
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