End of 2013 league year cuts, signings, trades, voids, etc...

[AzorianPats]

Demarcus Ware, Will Smith, Nate Burleson, Roman Harper.

All names that interest me.

 

[Deus Irae]

Lions confirm what @davebirkett first reported. Nate Burleson released. Saves $5.5 million

https://twitter.com/cmccosky/status/434038776042496002

 

[Deus Irae]

Lions cut S Louis Delmas today. Not a big surprise. WR Nate Burleson cut earlier.

https://twitter.com/paulapasche/status/434063932433924096

 

[Brady6]

https://twitter.com/paulapasche/status/434063932433924096

I would take a hard look at Delmas. He has a chronic left knee issue but if that is not a concern after a physical, I think he could be a good pickup on a short-term low risk, high reward type deal.

 

[Brady6]

Demarcus Ware, Will Smith, Nate Burleson, Roman Harper.

All names that interest me.

I just cannot see Jerry Jones letting Ware go.

 

[patsinthesnow]

https://twitter.com/paulapasche/status/434063932433924096

Another Gregory upgrade on the market.

Byrd
Ward
Whitner
Clemons
Delmas

5 Great safeties, probably too overpriced.

Stevie Brown
Bethea
Abdullah

Cheaper potential upgrades.

I hope we can get one of these 8.

 

[BradyFTW!]

I would take a hard look at Delmas. He has a chronic left knee issue but if that is not a concern after a physical, I think he could be a good pickup on a short-term low risk, high reward type deal.

I agree - I still have a weird suspicion that the Pats intended to draft Delmas in the first place, but he went one pick for theirs so they took Chung instead. The guy can play if he's healthy, and he stayed healthy in 2013.

 

[BradyFTW!]

Anybody think that Roman Harper could be a good addition? Didn't see much of him last year---I know he got hurt---but he was a good, physical safety for the majority of his career.

I'd look into BJ Raji and Will Smith too. All of this is based on price, of course.

I'd stay away from Harper. He's awful in coverage, one of the worst in the league at this point.

If the Pats are going to roll the dice on an old SS who probably can't cover anymore, I'd rather they just not cut Adrian Wilson.

 

[BritPat]

I want to say no to Delmas, seeing as we have the best FS in the league.....but I can't.

SIGN THE BEAST!

 

[Brady6]

Another Gregory upgrade on the market.



Byrd

Ward

Whitner

Clemons

Delmas



5 Great safeties, probably too overpriced.



Stevie Brown

Bethea

Abdullah



Cheaper potential upgrades.



I hope we can get one of these 8.

One player I would add is Mike Mitchell.

http://www.panthers.com/team/roster/mike-mitchell/d574e194-c2e5-497e-8f33-99b8cc8137d5/

 

[BradyFTW!]

I just cannot see Jerry Jones letting Ware go.

Might not have a choice - they're already in pretty bad cap shape, Romo's cap hit just jumped from $11M to $21M, and Tyron Smith and Dez Bryant are both UFAs after 2014. That money's going to have to come from somewhere.

Cutting Miles Austin would probably be a net negative on the cap in 2014, since they'd have to pay his replacement more than the <$500K that they'll save on the cap. Still probably the right move, though, since it lets them take the dead money hit the year before they have to pay Bryant and Smith. Presumably they'll also let Anthony Spencer walk in FA after tagging him for the last two years. Scandrick is overpaid, but his guaranteed money makes him pretty much uncuttable until 2016. Same with Brandon Carr, they're basically stuck paying him $12M per year until 2016 at the earliest. Witten's contract becomes cuttable as early as next season, but they won't cut him because he's still good and it wouldn't save them much money.

Of all of their big money deals, Ware is pretty much the only one that sticks out as giving big cap relief right now. The Cowboys have gotten him to restructure his contract for each of the past three offseasons, and you can only do that for so long. Even if he's willing to do it again, you can't do it forever. At some point they're going to have to just bite the bullet and accept that they've created a situation where it's outright impossible for him to play up to his 2014-2017 cap hits.

Of course, this is the same team that just gave Dan Bailey this contract, so they've officially entered "so bad at cap management that nothing should surprise you" territory:

 

[Wilfork#75]

Looking at Dallas cap situation they are completely screwed. Normally I would think the best option would be to blow it up for a year like Oakland and just wipe off all the bad money to re-build, but they don't even have any contracts they can cut to get under the salary cap. It's not really their style to cut players anyway (maybe because Jerry Jones doesn't like to admit mistakes) they just try to restructure, restructure, restructure.In this situation they are forced to anyway because they simply don't have enough contracts to cut that would get them under the cap. DeMarcus Ware is the only significant savings they can get from cutting a player although I think they just restructure him too (although long term cutting him is the much better option).

By restructuring Romo, Ware, Carr and Witten they can save about $25mil putting them right around the cap. Once again this will screw them for future years because it adds to the dead money for future years. They could also cut Miles Austin and Kyle Orton and designate them as June 1 cuts to save an additional $7mil or so (but take on quite a bit of dead cap next season). Maybe they could also look to extend Dez Bryant and Tyron Smith to potentially save around another $2mil. Whatever they decide to do they are pretty much screwed for the next few seasons though.

 

[DaBruinz]

I'd seriously look at Will Smith. If he's healthy, he'd make a nice addition to the team.

People need to stop thinking in the FS/SS mode and go with the way Belichick keeps talking about. Left safety and Right Safety.

Mike Mitchell could be an interesting option. I think that Byrd is the best option, though he's out of the Pats price range, most likely.

Chris Clemons could also be an interesting option..

 

[Brady6]

I'd seriously look at Will Smith. If he's healthy, he'd make a nice addition to the team.

Could be a solid addition at a low cost, he is a bigger DE so he might be someone we can use as a sub rushing DT.

People need to stop thinking in the FS/SS mode and go with the way Belichick keeps talking about. Left safety and Right Safety.

Totally agree excellent observation.

Mike Mitchell could be an interesting option. I think that Byrd is the best option, though he's out of the Pats price range, most likely.

I really like Mitchell, I think he could be had for a reasonable cost, like you I would rather have a Byrd (or Ward), but realistically I cannot see us spending that much on a UFA.

 

[BradyFTW!]

I'd seriously look at Will Smith. If he's healthy, he'd make a nice addition to the team.

People need to stop thinking in the FS/SS mode and go with the way Belichick keeps talking about. Left safety and Right Safety.

Mike Mitchell could be an interesting option. I think that Byrd is the best option, though he's out of the Pats price range, most likely.

Chris Clemons could also be an interesting option..

I agree that Will Smith is intriguing; it all depends on his recovery, really. He was already being phased out of New Orleans' plans even before he got injured (his transition from DE to 3-4 OLB was not going well), so it's pretty much a foregone conclusion that he'll be heading to a new team. I'd be willing to bet quite a bit that he's looking for someplace where he can exclusively be a down lineman, and the Pats definitely fit the bill. Someone will offer him more money than we can, but hopefully he's willing to take a bit less (not holding my breath, though).

I'm still not totally sure about Mike Mitchell, though. I think the Panthers' front seven made their secondary look a lot better than it was, across the board. But hey, that's basically why he should be available for significantly less than Byrd, so it is what it is. He's a young, productive FA though, and if you're not willing to pay the top-tier premium, then you must be dealing with some kind of red flag on whoever you sign.

 

[ripatsfan91]

I think BB needs to do whatever it takes to sign Tony G. Would be a huge difference maker, especially when paired with Gronk, and also said that he is willing to come back to a contender. I don't think there is a better team for him to go to.

 

[patsinthesnow]

One player I would add is Mike Mitchell.

Carolina Panthers: Mike Mitchell

Like BradyFTW! said, I'm not sure about Mitchell. He was the Raider Tavon Wilson who resurrected his career on the Panthers. .(drafted 47th overall, projected late round-UDFA)Their great front 7 may of made their secondary look better than it is

 

[Ivan]

I think BB needs to do whatever it takes to sign Tony G. Would be a huge difference maker, especially when paired with Gronk, and also said that he is willing to come back to a contender. I don't think there is a better team for him to go to.

No thanks, he said he would think about coming back to a contender late in the season. He isn't willing to put in the work that everyone else is and he shouldn't be on their team. Draft a TE high to replace The Prisoner and maybe even sign one in free agency, or double dip in the draft.

 

[Ivan]

I'd seriously look at Will Smith. If he's healthy, he'd make a nice addition to the team.

I think Smith will be in the same boat Freeney and Abraham were last offseason, looking long and hard for the best offer they can get because they aren't going to get the kind of money that player's of that caliber once did. He would be a perfect fit in the role that Carter has played for them as an off the bench veteran pass rusher, the question will be whether or not they will pay more than others to get him, and the answer to that is almost always -No. However there have been reports that Belichick really likes him in the past so we will see, they will at least show interest imo.

 

[Rob0729]

As long as he isn't asking for too much, I can get jiggy with Will Smith.