Bill Simmons proposed new vet exception to cap

[patsfan55]

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/060315

this article came out right after willie was released
the sports guy talks about making this exception that if a guy has been on a team for a certain amount of time, that some shouldnt be counted towards the hard cap
its actually a pretty good idea
since we keep seeing all these great players having to leave their teams when they get old

 

[PhilD]

Not count at all to the cap? Tom Brady will be 32 when he has been with the Patriots for 10 years (let alone the proposed 9). That's still prime QB time. Imagine being able to sign him on big numbers and thus hold him indefinitely, knowing that those big cap hits wouldn't count? I guess it needs a bit more modelling, but it certainly could be used in a manner that would be detrimental to parity, and whilst good for us, I think would be bad for the league as a whole.

 

[Pats726]

I saw this and agree...maybe after 9 years, a certain amount of a players salary up to an amount might be cap free...and also by position. So staying with one team for 9+ years would have a benefit. It may be possible to make this by position as well...so that WBs would have a larger exempt cap free amount than other positions..similar to franching formula. I really do not know how many players would be affected by this...my guess so few it is sad.
It would be good for the fans..to know if a player stayed foe awhile, that it would NOT be salary reasons why they would depart. I do not know the downside of this...why it would be BAD for the league, Why would it??? I can not thnk of anything...maybe if one team seemed to keep MORE players for that long, there could be a rule inacted that only x amount would count. I just think it would be good for the game!!

 

[stinkypete]

The idea is imperfect, but it has some merit. As a business model, it works, but it's not fan friendly to the smallest degree.

I would support special designation, like the franchise or transition tags, in which a team can keep a portion of one player's salary off the cap each year. The rules would have to be this, that player would have to have 8-9 years of service to his team. The uncapped portion of his salary cannot exceed some percentage (maybe 3%) of the total cap. That player, if asked to take a pay cut, would have the right to negotiate with other teams, but modest draft pick compensation would be necessary if the player chose to sign elsewhere. This would only count to players under contract, not free agents.

Here's an example, we could designate Willie with this tag. If signed to say, a $4 million deal, he would only count $1 million against the cap. If he chose to sign with Cleveland anyway, the Browns would owe us modest compensation, maybe a 4th rounder.

In the case of Brady, suppose he reaches this point, making $10 million a year. If tagged, $7 million of his salary would count against the cap. That way we wouldn't be forced to cut a legend, and Brady wouldn't be forced to take a pay cut.

This would give teams the ability to keep longtime vets and fan favorites without allowing teams to "hide" excessive millions under the cap.

 

[Pats726]

As a business model, it works, but it's not fan friendly to the smallest degree.

ANother interesting model sp...but why is it NOT fan friendly??? If anything, it MAY keep players longer in where they have made thier fame...why would that NOT be a good thing for fans?? I agree..as long as there is no hiding money...I think there might be many models of it.