Putting the CAP into Context

2014 CAP Hits for the last 5 Super Bowl Winners:


(SB XLIV)New Orleans 2014 CAP: http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/new-orleans-saints/cap-hit/
(SB XLV)Green Bay 2014 CAP: http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/green-bay-packers/cap-hit/
(SB XLVI )New York 2014 CAP: http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/new-york-giants/cap-hit/
(SB XLVII)Baltimore 2014 CAP: http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/baltimore-ravens/cap-hit/
(SB XLVIII)Seattle 2014 CAP: http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/seattle-seahawks/cap-hit/
(NA )New England 2014 CAP: http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/new-england- ... s/cap-hit/
(NA )San Francisco 2014 CAP: http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/san-francisco-49ers/cap-hit/

I added New England because they consistently make the playoffs. I also add San Francisco as they are arguably the second best team in the league.

What is interesting:
- New Orleans, Green Bay, and New England have had the most success at keeping a winning team fielded after their Super Bowl wins, or appearances in New England's Case.
- NO, GB, NE also have the three best QB's in the league. (I don't want to hear the Payton argument. He had a weak Strength of Schedule and that was exposed the instant he stepped on the field for the Super Bowl)
- Baltimore and NY are in serious trouble, New Orleans is heading that way.
- Except for New England, all teams begin their decline the instant they pay the QB the big contract. (Bad teams begin their decline the instant they pay some huge free agent contract) By big contract, I mean anything above 15 Million a year.
- NE, GB, and NO have 2 Offensive Guards which are top 10 salary earners. None of these have a left tackle in the top 9 of their salaries.
- San Francisco has done the best job by far of managing their salaries. They have nobody in the next 5 years that will make more than 9 Million a year. Every salary this year is 8 million or below.
- With that said, in 2015 San Fran will have to sign Major FA's: Kaep, Crabtree, Iupati, and Aldon Smith. Frank Gore is also UFA, but that's not going to happen, get ready for RB Marcus Lattimore Seattle, this guy is a beast.
- The two best teams in the League (SEA/SF) have QB's that are not their top salary earners.
- Seattle has the two highest salaries for skill positions (Rice at 9m, Harvin at 13 mil)
- Percy Harvin is the highest paid skill position player among these teams. 5 Million more than #2 Ray Rice with Baltimore at 8 Million. 7 Million more than #3 Victor Cruz at 7 million a year.
- Victor Cruz and Ray Rice are on teams that didn't make the playoffs.
- Highly paid skill positions in unison with high QB salaries may be a detriment to success.
- Except for NE, None of these teams have more than 2 players making more than 10 million a year.
- Tom Brady is the lowest paid QB (Excluding SEA/SF)
- Anything else you see?
- The two best teams in the NFL are teams that have QB's on rookie contracts.
- Top Salaries of the above teams go to Linebackers and Defensive Tackles.

My Questions to the community
- If you could only pay 2 or 3 Seattle players 10 Mil+ a year who would they be?
- Are your two players Percy and Russell? If so, think about everyone we are loosing this year and next. (My players are Russel, Percy (because we have to due to dead money), and Earl Thomas).
- Russel Okung is going to make 11 Million this year against the Cap. 4 Million more than the #2 of the teams above (Baltimore). And 8 Million more than the #3 left tackle. What would you do with Okung?
- None of the Super Bowl teams pay more than 7 million to offensive skill positions beyond the QB. The two that did pay 7 million or more, didn't make the playoffs. Does that change your opinion at all on offensive skill positions?
- Looking at all these teams made me realize what a sobering position we are in. I think I was in lala land thinking we were going to keep half of our great players, let alone what this team will look like if we have to pay Russell 20 million next year. What about you? This change your mind at all?

The best 2 teams in the NFL have QBs on rookie contracts. Of course, a lot of the worst teams have QBs on rookie contracts too.

I'd rather be in a position like NE, NO & GB, where my QB can keep me in the playoffs every year, rather than be the Bills or Browns & be in perpetual QB purgatory.

I do think we are overpaying a few players on this team Harvin, Rice, Miller, Okung, and Bryant specifically. I have no doubt a lot of these contracts will be rectified this off season though.

Natethegreat":32cz941e said:

I do think we are overpaying a few players on this team Harvin, Rice, Miller, Okung, and Bryant specifically. I have no doubt a lot of these contracts will be rectified this off season though.

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I don't know how they don't get some to restructure so as to be fair to some of the others, or let them hit the bricks and see if they can find more money.
There's no reason that the Seahawks should have to let some really good players take it in the shorts, so some others can take all the cream off the top.

Natethegreat":3plfjnef said:

I do think we are overpaying a few players on this team Harvin, Rice, Miller, Okung, and Bryant specifically. I have no doubt a lot of these contracts will be rectified this off season though.

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I don't know how they don't get some to restructure so as to be fair to some of the others, or let them hit the bricks and see if they can find more money.
There's no reason that the Seahawks should have to let some really good players take it in the shorts, so some others can take all the cream off the top.
Overall though, I trust that whatever John Schneider work$ out with some of these players, it will be what's best for the team first.
Next Man Up.
GO HAWKS!!

If I am going with 5 players to pay big money it would be Wilson, Harvin, Earl, Wagner and Sherman.

Still thinking they paid too much for Harvin and signed him for too much. I understand he's a game changer, but he's a cap changer too. And those draft picks. I like him. Just wish he wasn't so much. Russell gets paid. Beyond that, the team is going to follow the GB model IMO and let big names walk while finding value in the draft.

I think it's highly unlikely we keep Sherman. No way we can pay him. That is unless the market for a 12 mill/year cornerback just isn't there. I definitely wouldn't pay him 10 Mil or higher with Harvin's contract around, and Russel's coming up (and Wagner). Of the teams above, only San Francisco (Rogers) has a corner back in the top 5 of their salaries.

Let's be honest, we have Maxwell and Lane, which isn't a straight up change over, but are good enough in order to keep the secondary member we HAVE to have which is Earl Thomas.

Not to say I wouldn't like to see Sherman get paid big. He single handedly closed out the NFCC for us.

Bennett I'm a little more hopeful on...

The top DT's CAP hits:
1 Ndamukong Suh: $22,412,500
2 Haloti Ngata: $16,000,000
3 Gerald McCoy: $15,627,253
4 Vince Wilfork: $11,600,000
5 Geno Atkins: $9,000,000

I just don't think Bennett has the same name as these guys. Maybe if he had two good years? The 6th through 10th CAP DT's average around 5.5 Mil. I think you can have Bennett in the range of 5 to 6 million a year (CAP) on a 4 year deal. unless some team wants to overpay for him.

Shock2k":2n6apsjj said:

Not to say I wouldn't like to see Sherman get paid big. He single handedly closed out the NFCC for us.

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Not quite single handedly, if smith hadn't of been there to get the pick they would have had another shot. He was half of the equation and made the pick possible.

To answer your questions.

- If you could only pay 2 or 3 Seattle players 10 Mil+ a year who would they be?
Wilson, E Thomas, Sherman

- Are your two players Percy and Russell?
Nope

- Russel Okung is going to make 11 Million this year against the Cap. 4 Million more than the #2 of the teams above (Baltimore). And 8 Million more than the #3 left tackle. What would you do with Okung?
Renegotiate his contract to lower his cap number this year.

- None of the Super Bowl teams pay more than 7 million to offensive skill positions beyond the QB. The two that did pay 7 million or more, didn't make the playoffs. Does that change your opinion at all on offensive skill positions?
Nope. No QB and this team was fighting a .500 record. Does Wilson have to be the top paid QB when his time comes? Nope. The GM is going to have to keep his salary in line with the second tier QBs and look to put him at the top of the heap on his next deal. Wilson's people are not going to want to go this route but that is what I am trying to do

- Looking at all these teams made me realize what a sobering position we are in. I think I was in lala land thinking we were going to keep half of our great players, let alone what this team will look like if we have to pay Russell 20 million next year. What about you? This change your mind at all?
Nope. Until the NFL changes how they pay their QBs, you are forced to pay your QB the way the rest of the league does. . If you can find a Franchise level QB in the next 4 years to replace Wilson, way to go. But until you do, you have to pay your stars. The worse move to me was trading for Harvin and paying him the contract they did. Put the team in a position where they reward players that weren't home grown. Now they cannot expect their home grown talent to not want top money. That is my only nitpick against the team.

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Sherman staying is all up to Sherman. If he has foresight, and he seems to, he'll probably see it's a better choice to make 10-20% less (10% of which he'd get back from tax breaks in Washington) to stay on a winning team instead of landing in a Houston/Jacksonville type team. More recognition, more endorsements, more playoff games to mouth off at people. I don't think Sherman leaves.

Honestly thank God your core isn't just 4-5 players and none of you wannabe GM's are John or Pete. For example worst case scenerio is Sherman getting offered 12 million or more, it's more likely we can sign him for 10-12 million.

theascension":f7w0zpax said:

Sherman staying is all up to Sherman. If he has foresight, and he seems to, he'll probably see it's a better choice to make 10-20% less (10% of which he'd get back from tax breaks in Washington) to stay on a winning team instead of landing in a Houston/Jacksonville type team. More recognition, more endorsements, more playoff games to mouth off at people. I don't think Sherman leaves.

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I agree with this. I don't think Sherman goes anywhere. Can't talk as much @#$^ on a losing team.

drdiags":hq7v6bsd said:

To answer your questions.

- If you could only pay 2 or 3 Seattle players 10 Mil+ a year who would they be?
Wilson, E Thomas, Sherman

- Are your two players Percy and Russell?
Nope

- Russel Okung is going to make 11 Million this year against the Cap. 4 Million more than the #2 of the teams above (Baltimore). And 8 Million more than the #3 left tackle. What would you do with Okung?
Renegotiate his contract to lower his cap number this year.

- None of the Super Bowl teams pay more than 7 million to offensive skill positions beyond the QB. The two that did pay 7 million or more, didn't make the playoffs. Does that change your opinion at all on offensive skill positions?
Nope. No QB and this team was fighting a .500 record. Does Wilson have to be the top paid QB when his time comes? Nope. The GM is going to have to keep his salary in line with the second tier QBs and look to put him at the top of the heap on his next deal. Wilson's people are not going to want to go this route but that is what I am trying to do

- Looking at all these teams made me realize what a sobering position we are in. I think I was in lala land thinking we were going to keep half of our great players, let alone what this team will look like if we have to pay Russell 20 million next year. What about you? This change your mind at all?
Nope. Until the NFL changes how they pay their QBs, you are forced to pay your QB the way the rest of the league does. . If you can find a Franchise level QB in the next 4 years to replace Wilson, way to go. But until you do, you have to pay your stars. The worse move to me was trading for Harvin and paying him the contract they did. Put the team in a position where they reward players that weren't home grown. Now they cannot expect their home grown talent to not want top money. That is my only nitpick against the team.

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Agreed about Harvin. I didn't like the trade or contract when they did it last year, and still don't think he was worth it. I only hope he either proves his worth by being a League MVP talent this year, or perhaps realizes that he did little to help the team this last year and agrees to restructure his deal some to help the cap this year (Doubtful).

Yeah, Peyton Manning definitely is not a top 3 quarterback. He's only broken the record for most TD passes in a season TWICE, the latest of which was last year- as well as the record for most yards in a season, which he also broke last year.

His career passer rating is second, only to Aaron Rodgers, despite playing about 150 more games than him. We all know a 104 career passer rating will be a hard thing for Rodgers to maintain.

Let's see, he's also going to easily overtake Brett Favre next year for most touchdown passes in his career (only 17 away). Oh yeah, and he's tied with Dan Marino for the most game-winning drives ever @ 51. And he has the most 4th quarter comebacks in the history of the game as well, at 40.

But I agree, he's not a top-3 quarterback. His strengh-of-schedule was weak.

Percy is that good. I have zero worry about him living up to his contract, and about his contract being worth it for the franchise. He isn't simply a WR. He is an offensive and special teams weapon, and will make up for deficiencies at other positions. He'll be in the MVP discussion next season.

I think part of the analysis shows that there is more than one way to do it. Also, I do think it is a pretty small sample size.

I think you have to find/make room for Okung. We're just not good enough at the other O-line spots to compensate.

I don't pay Wagner, or any LB that doesn't get a massive amount of sacks. He was out and our defense didn't miss a beat. That is going to have to be a churning position.

I don't think it matters much which positions you spend money on. I know everybody says it, but yhe biggest factor is going to be how well you draft. We need some of the guys from last year's draft to take BIG steps forward (Michael, Hill, Willson), and this year's draft is absolutely going to be critical for our success over the next 3-5 years.

I'm starting to think there is a very realistic possibility that we franchise Bennett. We can't afford to keep him long-term, but there just might be a little window this season before we pay Sherman and Wilson to squeeze another year out of him, after we cut the guys everybody is expecting us to cut. He'll kind of be a placeholder for some of Russell's money.

nategreat":3mlvnxbo said:

Yeah, Peyton Manning definitely is not a top 3 quarterback. He's only broken the record for most TD passes in a season TWICE, the latest of which was last year- as well as the record for most yards in a season, which he also broke last year.

His career passer rating is second, only to Aaron Rodgers, despite playing about 150 more games than him. We all know a 104 career passer rating will be a hard thing for Rodgers to maintain.

Let's see, he's also going to easily overtake Brett Favre next year for most touchdown passes in his career (only 17 away). Oh yeah, and he's tied with Dan Marino for the most game-winning drives ever @ 51. And he has the most 4th quarter comebacks in the history of the game as well, at 40.

But I agree, he's not a top-3 quarterback. His strengh-of-schedule was weak.

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Unbelievable is the foolishness of this line of thought and post. The man is a complete game changer and will put Wilson in the HoF.

MizzouHawkGal":3vi80qw6 said:

Unbelievable is the foolishness of this line of thought and post. The man is a complete game changer and will put Wilson in the HoF.

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I didn't think I had to put a sarcasm emoticon on this one.... :th2thumbs:

The OP said Peyton Manning was not a top 3 quarterback. This was my all-to-obvious sarcastic reply at it's finest. Peyton Manning is having career years even this far into his career. He is arguably the best quarterback of all time, and without question is a top 3 current quarterback, even still, despite his Superbowl performance against an ELITE defense.